Chapter 10:
The tundra stretched endlessly before them, a sea of ice and snow under a pale, unforgiving sky. As they trudged through the desolation, the weight of their journey pressed heavily upon Arlen and Kael. The shard's warnings lingered in their minds, a constant reminder of the danger that lay ahead.
Arlen's thoughts were a whirlwind of uncertainty. The encounter with Valen had left more than physical scars—it had awakened memories he had long buried, memories of a time before the Blood Souls, before the Sovereign's rise.
"Arlen," Kael's voice broke through his reverie. "We need to talk about what happened back there."
He glanced at her, the glow of his Eyes flickering faintly. "I know. Valen wasn't just any knight. He knew too much."
Kael nodded, her expression serious. "And he called you an abomination. What did he mean?"
Arlen sighed, the tension in his shoulders evident. "Before I became a Blood Soul, I was... different. The Sovereign's experiments, the rituals—they changed me. I don't know how much of who I was is still inside me, or if I'm something else entirely now."
Kael placed a hand on his arm, her gaze steady. "You're still you. Whatever they did, it doesn't define you."
Arlen managed a small smile. "I hope you're right. But we need to find out what Valen was talking about. If there are more like him, we need to be prepared."
The Arrival at Eldara
As night fell, they arrived at the outskirts of Eldara, a once-thriving city now reduced to ruins by the Sovereign's conquest. The remnants of buildings stood like skeletons against the horizon, their shattered windows and crumbling walls whispering tales of despair.
"This place gives me the creeps," Kael muttered, her dagger at the ready.
Arlen's Eyes glowed softly as he scanned the area. "We'll find answers here. Eldara was a hub of resistance before it fell. If there's any knowledge left, it'll be hidden in the old archives."
They made their way through the desolate streets, the silence oppressive. Shadows flickered in the corners of their vision, but each time they turned, there was nothing there.
The entrance to the archives was hidden beneath a collapsed building. After clearing away the rubble, they descended into the darkness below, their torches casting eerie shadows on the stone walls.
The Secrets of the Archives
The archives were surprisingly intact, rows of ancient tomes and scrolls lining the shelves. Kael ran her fingers over the dusty spines, her eyes scanning the titles.
"Look for anything about the Sovereign's experiments or the Blood Souls," Arlen instructed, already leafing through a thick volume.
Hours passed as they sifted through the records, the only sounds the rustle of pages and the occasional creak of the old building. Finally, Kael held up a scroll, her eyes wide.
"Arlen, I think I found something."
He hurried over, peering at the faded text. The scroll detailed an experiment known as the "Synthesis Project"—a secret initiative to merge human souls with ancient, otherworldly energy. The goal was to create beings of immense power, capable of wielding magic far beyond the abilities of normal mortals.
Arlen's heart pounded as he read further. The project had been deemed a failure, the subjects either dying or becoming unstable. But one line stood out: "Subject 12—stable, but with unforeseen consequences."
Kael's eyes met his, a mixture of fear and curiosity. "Do you think...?"
Arlen nodded slowly. "I was Subject 12. Whatever they did to me, it worked. But it also made me a target."
The Awakening of the Echoes
As they absorbed the revelation, the ground beneath them began to tremble. A low rumble echoed through the archives, growing louder with each passing second.
"Something's coming," Kael said, drawing her dagger.
Before they could react, the walls around them began to pulse with a dark energy. Shadows coalesced into forms—spectral figures with hollow eyes and twisted limbs.
"Echoes," Arlen whispered, his sword already in his hand. "They're remnants of the failed subjects."
The Echoes moved with a horrifying grace, their wails filling the air as they lunged at Arlen and Kael. The two fought back, their blades slicing through the ethereal forms, but for every Echo they struck down, two more took its place.
"We can't keep this up," Kael shouted, her back against Arlen's.
"We need to find the source," Arlen replied, his Eyes glowing brighter.
As they fought their way through the swarm, Arlen felt a pull—an instinct guiding him deeper into the archives. At the heart of the chamber, he found it: a pulsating crystal, dark and corrupted, the source of the Echoes' power.
"Kael, cover me!" Arlen shouted, raising his sword.
Kael fought fiercely, keeping the Echoes at bay as Arlen channeled his energy into the crystal. The glow of his Eyes intensified, the power surging through him as he struck the crystal with all his might.
The chamber was filled with a blinding light, the Echoes letting out one final, anguished wail before dissolving into nothingness.
A Moment of Respite
The silence that followed was deafening. Kael lowered her dagger, her breathing heavy as she looked around the now-empty chamber.
Arlen sank to his knees, his sword clattering to the ground. "It's over," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.
Kael knelt beside him, placing a hand on his shoulder. "For now."
They sat in silence for a moment, the weight of their discovery pressing down on them.
"We have our answers," Kael said finally. "But it doesn't make this any easier."
"No," Arlen agreed. "But it gives us a fighting chance."
As they made their way back to the surface, the first light of dawn breaking over the horizon, Arlen felt a renewed sense of purpose. The Sovereign's secrets were starting to unravel, and with each step, they were closer to breaking the chains that bound their world.