Chapter 10 - The Echo of Forgotten Titans

The doorway of starlight faded behind them, leaving Drakar, Taronis, and Kaelen standing on a stone plateau that overlooked a vast canyon. The air was crisp but carried a low hum, like a distant heartbeat vibrating through the earth.

Kaelen rested his hands on his hips, eyes wide as he scanned the endless expanse below. "Alright, I've seen strange things before, but... what exactly are we looking at?"

Taronis's gaze remained steady. "This is Titan's Grave, where echoes of the old world still stir. Long before the gods reigned, there were beings of immeasurable power—the Titans of Eryndral."

Drakar stepped closer to the edge and peered down. Giant, crumbling bones stretched across the canyon floor, their shapes barely recognizable but unmistakably colossal. Ribs like cathedral arches jutted from the earth, their surfaces etched with strange, ancient runes that pulsed faintly with light.

"These bones," Drakar murmured, "they're massive."

Kaelen let out a low whistle. "Imagine the beast that carried them."

Taronis nodded. "The Titans were beings of creation and destruction. This place is sacred, but it is also dangerous. The power that lingers here is restless."

The path down into the canyon was steep and treacherous, the rocks loose beneath their boots. As they descended, a strange mist began to rise, swirling in shades of violet and blue. The hum in the air grew louder, like the world itself was breathing.

Kaelen's voice broke the silence. "So... do these echoes ever do more than hum?"

Taronis didn't answer immediately. Instead, he pointed toward a stone altar at the center of the canyon. Ancient glyphs spiraled outward from it, their light pulsating in slow waves.

Drakar's eyes narrowed. "What is that?"

"The Heartstone of Auron," Taronis replied. "The last remnant of the Titan of Storms. It holds the memories of what was—and what could have been."

Kaelen's hand drifted to the hilt of his sword. "And what happens if we disturb it?"

Taronis's expression darkened. "We won't need to. The echoes will come to us."

As they reached the canyon floor, the glyphs around the Heartstone flared to life, and the mist thickened, coalescing into a towering form. It was shaped like a giant but made entirely of swirling energy, with fragments of stone orbiting its core like shattered armor.

Drakar's breath caught in his throat. "Is that...?"

Taronis's voice was grim. "An Echo Titan. Not flesh and bone, but a memory given form."

The titan's glowing eyes locked onto them, and its deep, resonant voice filled the air. "Who dares walk upon the grave of storms?"

Drakar stepped forward, his hand tightening around his dagger. "We seek strength, not destruction."

The titan's form crackled with lightning. "Strength is earned, not taken."

With a deafening roar, the Echo Titan raised its massive arm and swung. The air screamed as the blow descended. Drakar leapt aside, rolling to avoid the impact as the ground shattered beneath him.

Taronis moved with fluid precision, raising a hand that glowed with a faint blue light. "Hold your ground, Drakar. This is not a battle of brute force—it's a battle of resilience."

Kaelen darted around the titan's side, loosing an arrow that struck one of the orbiting stones. The stone shattered, sending sparks into the air.

The titan's roar deepened, and arcs of lightning burst from its body, dancing across the ground. Drakar felt the heat as the bolts cracked inches from his feet.

Think. Drakar steadied his breathing. The titan's form was unstable, its energy anchored by the Heartstone.

An idea sparked in his mind.

"Taronis!" Drakar shouted. "The Heartstone—it's feeding the echo!"

Taronis's eyes flashed with understanding. "Then sever the anchor."

Drakar sprinted toward the glowing altar. The titan's eyes flared as it turned, raising both arms to strike. The air trembled with the force of its impending blow.

"Drakar, move!" Kaelen shouted.

Drakar didn't slow. He channeled every ounce of his strength into a leap, landing beside the Heartstone. His dagger gleamed as he drove it into the center of the glowing glyphs.

The air erupted with light. A shockwave burst outward, sending Drakar flying back. He hit the ground hard, his vision swimming.

Through the haze, he saw the titan's form waver, its outline fraying like threads unraveling.

Taronis's voice rang out. "Now!"

Kaelen loosed another arrow, this one striking the core of the titan's chest. The titan's roar turned into a mournful hum as its body dissolved into motes of light.

Silence fell over the canyon.

The Weight of Victory

Drakar pushed himself to his feet, his body aching but intact. Taronis approached, his expression calm but approving. "You saw the truth of the battle and acted. That is the mark of a warrior."

Kaelen clapped Drakar on the back. "Not bad for a first dance with a titan."

Drakar managed a tired smile. "It won't be my last."

The Heartstone lay dark and still, its power spent. The echoes had been silenced, but the memory of their presence lingered.

Taronis glanced up at the sky, where the clouds were beginning to part. "Come. The path forward is open."

As they climbed out of the canyon, Drakar felt a new resolve settle in his heart. The trials of Eryndral were vast, but with each battle, he grew stronger—not just in body, but in spirit.