The glowing black orb seemed to pulse in time with Jin Woo's heartbeat. Its ominous light illuminated the chamber, casting long shadows on the ancient stone walls. The air was thick with power, and Jin Woo felt as though the weight of the entire world rested on his shoulders.
"Touch it," Headmaster Han commanded, his voice steady yet grave. "If you want the truth, this is the only way."
Jin Woo stared at the orb, his hands trembling. The visions from earlier still lingered in his mind—images of chaos, destruction, and a throne surrounded by bowing monsters.
"What… what will happen if I do?" Jin Woo asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
"The Fragment will show you the truth," Han said. "It will reveal your past, your connection to the Gatekeeper, and why that power awakened within you today."
Jin Woo's legs felt weak, but he forced himself to take a step forward.
"What if I don't want to know?" he muttered.
Han's expression softened, a rare moment of understanding crossing his stern face. "Ignorance may feel safer, but it will not save you. The power within you is waking, Jin Woo. If you don't confront it, it will consume you."
Jin Woo swallowed hard. Deep down, he knew the headmaster was right. The strange aura he'd unleashed earlier had terrified not only the others but also himself.
With a deep breath, Jin Woo reached out and placed his hand on the orb.
The world around him vanished.
---
He stood in a vast, empty void. The ground beneath him was made of black glass, reflecting a starless sky above. A cold wind howled, carrying with it whispers he couldn't understand.
And then, the darkness shifted.
A figure emerged, cloaked in shadows. Its eyes glowed gold, and a crown of jagged obsidian rested on its head.
Jin Woo's breath caught in his throat. The figure was him—or at least, a version of him.
"Do you know who I am?" the figure asked, its voice deep and resonant, echoing in the void.
Jin Woo shook his head, his voice trembling. "You're… me?"
The figure chuckled, a sound that sent chills down Jin Woo's spine. "I am Arkanis, the Gatekeeper. The one who opened the first Gate and unleashed monsters upon this world."
Jin Woo took a step back, his mind reeling. "No… that can't be true. I'm not a monster. I'm not—"
"You are," Arkanis interrupted, his golden eyes piercing. "You were once the ruler of the Abyss, the King of Monsters. But you gave it all up. You sealed your own power, your memories, and hid among the very humans you once ruled over."
Jin Woo shook his head, his hands clenched into fists. "Why would I do that?"
"Because you were weak," Arkanis said, his tone filled with disdain. "You thought you could escape your destiny. But power cannot be denied. It is waking now, and with it, the truth."
The void around them shifted, transforming into a battlefield. Jin Woo saw himself—no, Arkanis—standing atop a mountain of corpses, his shadow stretching across the land. Monsters knelt before him, their monstrous forms trembling in reverence.
"You were a king," Arkanis said, his voice tinged with pride. "The strongest of all. The one who ruled over chaos itself."
Jin Woo stared at the scene, his heart pounding. "If I was so powerful, why would I give it up?"
The battlefield faded, replaced by a memory. A city in flames, humans screaming as monsters rampaged through the streets. Among the chaos, a young girl with tear-streaked cheeks reached out to him, her small hand trembling.
"Because you saw this," Arkanis said, his voice quieter now. "You saw the destruction you caused. The lives you ruined. And for a moment, you felt… regret."
The memory faded, and Jin Woo was back in the void.
"You sealed yourself away," Arkanis continued. "You thought you could atone for your sins by living as one of them. But the Abyss does not forget its king. And neither do I."
Jin Woo's legs gave out, and he fell to his knees. His mind was a storm of emotions—fear, anger, confusion.
"I don't want this," he whispered. "I never asked for this."
"You don't have a choice," Arkanis said, stepping closer. "The Gates are opening again, and the monsters will come. They will not stop until their king returns."
Jin Woo looked up, his eyes burning with defiance. "I'm not their king. Not anymore."
Arkanis smirked, his form beginning to fade. "You can deny it all you want. But when the time comes, you'll see the truth."
The void shattered like glass, and Jin Woo was thrown back into the real world.
---
He gasped, his hand jerking away from the orb. The chamber spun around him, and he fell to the floor, trembling.
Headmaster Han knelt beside him, his expression unreadable. "You saw it, didn't you?"
Jin Woo nodded, his breath ragged. "I… I was him. I was Arkanis."
Han placed a hand on his shoulder. "Now you understand the burden you carry. The question is, what will you do with it?"
Jin Woo stared at the glowing orb, his fists clenching.
"I don't know," he admitted. "But I won't let that power define me. Not again."
Han's eyes narrowed, a flicker of respect in his gaze. "Then you have taken your first step."
As Jin Woo stood, his legs still shaky, he couldn't shake the feeling that his life had changed forever. The truth was out, and there was no going back.
The king was waking, and the world would soon feel his return.
---
To be continued...