Noah's breath slowed, his mind racing.
The Guardian's silver eyes did not waver as she spoke.
"Your existence is not an accident."
Her voice carried no malice, no deception. Just certainty.
Noah clenched his fists. He had suspected something was wrong ever since he woke up in the forest. The sigil, the whispers, the trial—everything was leading to this moment.
And now, she was telling him that there were others.
People who knew about the Gate of the Unseen. People who had sealed it.
People who were looking for him.
Noah forced himself to speak. "Who are they?"
The Guardian hesitated. Not out of uncertainty, but as if choosing her words carefully.
Then, she answered.
"The Keepers of the Last Threshold."
The name itself carried weight.
Noah had never heard it before, yet it sent a shudder down his spine. It was as if his body recognized it before his mind could process the meaning.
He met the Guardian's gaze. "What are they?"
Her expression remained unreadable.
"They are not rulers. Not warriors. They are the last remnants of those who knew the truth."
"The truth about what?"
She exhaled slowly.
"The first civilization."
The words hit him like a hammer.
Noah frowned. "You're saying they're ancient?"
The Guardian shook her head. "Not them."
She stepped forward, stopping just in front of him.
"The civilization they serve."
Noah's pulse quickened. "You're saying something still exists?"
The Guardian's voice dropped to a whisper.
"Not exists."
"Survives."
Noah's jaw tightened.
If what she was saying was true, then somewhere in this world—a civilization that predated all known history was still alive.
And those who served them—the Keepers—had sealed away the Gate of the Unseen.
And now they were searching for him.
Noah swallowed hard, keeping his mind focused. "Why did they seal it?"
The Guardian's silver eyes flickered.
"Because it was never meant to be found."
She turned, looking at the obsidian gate behind them—the one he had almost opened.
"Long before any kingdom stood, long before the first gods were worshipped, there was only one truth."
"Everything that is seen exists."
"And everything that is unseen must remain that way."
Noah's breath hitched. "You mean the gate—"
She nodded. "It is not a door. It is a prison."
"And the Keepers sealed it because they knew that if anyone opened it…"
"…The world itself would break."
Noah felt cold.
The whispers. The sigil. The voice that spoke to him when he touched it.
Had he almost unleashed something worse than death?
But if that was true… why was his name carved into it?
Noah's voice was quieter this time. "What am I?"
The Guardian's gaze didn't leave his.
For the first time, he saw something in her expression.
Not just understanding. Not just curiosity.
But pity.
"You are the first to stand before it in thousands of years."
"And yet the gate already knew your name."
She took a step closer.
"You are not a descendant."
"You are not a reincarnation."
"You are something else."
Noah's chest tightened.
She continued.
"And the Keepers will not let you exist."
A chill crawled down Noah's spine.
If what she was saying was true—if these Keepers had sealed the gate and they were already looking for him—then he wasn't safe. Anywhere.
He forced himself to stay calm. "How long do I have?"
The Guardian didn't answer immediately. Instead, she closed her eyes. For a moment, silence stretched between them.
Then, she opened them again.
"They are already coming."
Noah's stomach dropped.
The Guardian turned away from him, stepping toward the ruins' exit.
"If you want to survive, you must leave this place now."
Noah hesitated. "And if I don't?"
She didn't look back.
"Then you will meet the ones who sealed the gate."
She vanished.
Not through movement. Not through speed.
She simply ceased to be.
And Noah was alone.
Noah exhaled sharply. His mind was racing.
The Keepers were already coming. That meant he had two choices.
1. Run. Leave the ruins, escape into the unknown, and try to stay ahead of them.
2. Stay. Face them directly, demand answers, and find out what they truly wanted.
His body still ached from the trial, and he barely understood the power the sigil had granted him.
But he also knew one thing.
If the Keepers found him first, he might never get another chance to learn the truth.
His gaze drifted toward the obsidian gate. The runes had faded slightly, but his name was still there.
Noah.
A deep breath. A choice to be made.
Run—or stand and fight.
Noah clenched his fists.
Then, without hesitation—
He moved.