A tense silence hung over the dining hall. All eyes were on Seth and Eldric, who stared at the Stone of Truth with bated breath. Grandmaster Alaric stepped closer with a small silver knife and took a drop of blood from each boy. The blood dripped onto the smooth surface of the stone and began spreading in fine rivulets. The Stone of Truth was covered with a network of runes, each rune representing one of the six tribes. The blood followed the grooves, branching off and flowing toward the runes.
Eldric's blood wound its way confidently toward the rune of the Kehla, glowed briefly, and then disappeared. A murmur swept through the hall. Eldric was a Kehla, the tribe of the curious and creative. But Seth's blood followed none of the predetermined paths. It remained at the center of the stone, pulsing and glowing an intense white. Suddenly, the stone began to vibrate, and a deep hum filled the hall. The students stepped back in alarm.
The ground beneath their feet trembled, and the walls shook. With an ear-splitting crash, the ground in the school's courtyard split open, and a slender tower of crystal-clear material erupted from the earth. The tower, small but of awe-inspiring beauty, shone with a dazzling light that held the entire school spellbound.
Panic erupted. Students screamed and ran in all directions as teachers tried to restore order. Grandmaster Alaric stood frozen, his gaze fixed on the newly emerged tower. His eyes reflected a mixture of reverence and disbelief.
"The Seventh Tower..." he whispered. "The prophecy... it has come to pass."
The tower rose high and majestic, as if it were a being from another world, long waiting to emerge into the light. Its crystal-clear structure seemed as delicate as glass, yet an unexplainable force emanated from it, filling the hall with a mix of awe and fear. The light radiating from the tower was not merely bright – it was alive. It flowed like liquid gold through the fine lines tracing its surface, illuminating the faces of the students who stared at it with open mouths.
The tower's tip resembled a flame of pure light, pulsing as if it were breathing. Patterns reminiscent of ancient runes flowed across its smooth surface, constantly shifting as if the tower itself was telling stories no one could understand. A hush fell over the dining hall, broken only by the faint crackling of the air, charged with an unknown energy.
Seth could not tear his eyes away from the sight. It was as if the tower held an invisible power over him, binding him in place. Yet this power was not comforting. It was heavy, overwhelming, full of expectations he did not believe he could meet.
"The Seventh Tower..." Grandmaster Alaric whispered again, his voice barely more than a breath. "The prophecy has been fulfilled."
An ancient legend foretold that a seventh tower would arise when the descendant of Setharion, the seventh god, came to Argovarn. This tower was meant for him, for the one who carried an unknown power within. The emergence of the seventh tower was a sign, an omen. Yet what it truly meant, no one knew. The prophecy remained silent on the purpose of Setharion's descendant.
Seth's head swirled. His thoughts tumbled over one another, spinning like leaves in a storm. He felt as though the ground beneath his feet was slipping away, even though he stood firm. His breathing was shallow, his heart racing. The Grandmaster's words had struck him like a blow. "You are the Chosen One."
"I'm no Chosen One," Seth thought desperately. "I'm just Seth." But he couldn't say it aloud. Around him, every pair of eyes was fixed on him. Some faces showed admiration, others fear. Some even appeared envious. But most were filled with expectation. Expectation of him, the boy who, just hours earlier, had been a nobody.
Eldric stood beside him, his gaze worried. "Are you okay?" he asked softly, but Seth couldn't reply. His throat felt constricted. He felt Eldric's hand on his shoulder, a gesture meant to comfort him, but it barely helped. Seth's thoughts raced on.
"What do they expect of me? What am I supposed to do? What if I'm not who they think I am?" The questions spiraled endlessly in his mind. He wanted to scream, to run away, but his legs were frozen.
Grandmaster Alaric stepped forward, his eyes filled with compassion but also a seriousness that frightened Seth. "Seth," he began, his voice calm but firm, "what happened today is no coincidence. You are the descendant of Setharion. You are the one we have waited for over centuries. The tower has appeared for you. It is your legacy – and your responsibility."
Responsibility. The word hung heavily in the air, and Seth felt it press down on him. He shook his head instinctively. "I... I don't know if I can do this," he finally said, his voice barely a whisper. "I'm just an ordinary boy. I don't understand any of this."
Alaric nodded, as if he had expected this reaction. "No one expects you to understand everything immediately, Seth. But we will help you. You are not alone. Your powers will awaken, and your purpose will become clear. But you must be ready to walk the path."
At that moment, the radiant being that Seth and Eldric had encountered during the Trial of the Soul entered the dining hall. Its body seemed to be made of pure light, and its eyes shone like small suns. It walked toward Seth and bowed deeply. "I greet you, Setharion," it said in a voice that made the walls of the hall tremble. "I am your guardian, your protector. Your destiny is still hidden, but I will stand by your side until you find it."
Seth felt a shiver run down his spine. He wanted to find comfort in these words, to feel reassured by them, but he couldn't. Instead, a dark fear grew within him. "What if I fail? What if I'm not who they think I am?"
The being stepped closer, its presence both overwhelming and calming. Seth could feel that it meant him no harm, but its nearness reminded him of how vast the gulf was between himself and the expectations placed upon him. He felt smaller than ever.
The students had by now returned to their seats, but the tension in the room was palpable. Some whispered among themselves, others continued to stare at the tower. Seth could feel their gazes on him like pinpricks, each one a reminder that he was expected to be something he didn't understand. "Why me? Why now?" The questions offered no escape.
Grandmaster Alaric spoke again, but Seth only half-heard his words. It felt as if he had been pulled into a world of light and shadow, where nothing was certain anymore. The outlines of the dining hall blurred, and his thoughts grew louder. "I'm not ready. I'm not strong enough."
A hand rested on his shoulder. It was Eldric. "You've got this," he said softly, and there was a quiet confidence in his voice that surprised Seth. Eldric gave him a faint smile. "I know you, Seth. You're stronger than you think."
The words reached Seth, but they couldn't banish his doubts. He felt like a leaf in the wind, carried along by a force he couldn't control. Yet deep inside, a tiny spark stirred – a sense that this was only the beginning of something far greater than himself.
With one last look at the radiant tower, Seth took a deep breath. He didn't know what lay ahead, but he knew one thing: there was no turning back.