A presence. A watchful gaze.
And then—a voice.
"Who's there..."
Larz turned sharply. His journey to find Aegis Latens had ended.
But now, a new question remained—
Had he found them, or had they found him?
The figure before him stood cloaked in the dim glow of the torches lining the stone corridor. Shadows clung to its form, refusing to give way to the light. Larz's grip tightened around the hilt of his sword, but he did not draw it.
"You should not have come." The voice was deep, unshaken, filled with something more than mere warning—it carried knowledge, foreboding, and perhaps even disappointment.
Larz squared his shoulders. "I had no other choice. If you are who I think you are, then you know why I am here."
The figure tilted its head slightly, as though studying him from the darkness. "You speak of fate. You speak of necessity. But do you truly understand what you seek?"
Larz frowned. "Are you Aegis Latens?"
A low chuckle echoed through the chamber. "Aegis Latens is not a person. It is an idea. A purpose. A force that watches when others forget. And yet..." The figure took a step forward. "You already know this."
Larz studied the figure's movements. They were precise, deliberate. Whoever this was, they were no ordinary guardian. "If you know why I am here, then you know what is coming. The world is at risk. Doomsday is set in motion. I need Aegis Latens."
"Doomsday..." The figure lingered on the word, as though tasting its weight. "We have watched. We have listened. And we know of the letter that found its way to your hands. But tell me, Larz—why do you seek us? Why now?"
Larz's breath was measured, though the weight of the past weeks pressed heavily upon him. "Because I cannot face this alone. Luden left us a world to protect, but time has erased his lessons from the minds of many. I must find those who still carry his teachings in their hearts."
The figure was silent for a moment before nodding slightly. "A noble answer. But words are hollow without resolve. You claim to seek us, yet have you asked yourself if you are worthy?"
Larz stepped forward, his gaze unwavering. "I do not seek worthiness. I seek action. The seal on the Gate of the Overworld weakens. A force sealed away for twenty years is ready to return, and when it does, the world will not be prepared. Will you stand idly by and watch it fall?"
The torchlight flickered as the figure shifted. "You misunderstand. We do not stand idly by. We have prepared for the moment when fate demands our hand. And yet, we do not act for those who are uncertain."
Larz clenched his jaw. "Then test me. Whatever proof you need, I will give it."
A moment of stillness passed. Then, the figure reached for the hood that obscured its face. As the fabric fell away, a pair of keen, piercing eyes met Larz's own. The voice that spoke now carried more than mere words—it carried judgment.
"I knew this day would come," the figure said quietly. "Luden mentioned that you would find your way here when the world was about to change. But knowledge of a path does not ensure one is ready to walk it."
Larz's expression hardened. "I would not be here if I were not ready."
"Readiness is not measured by mere intent. It is measured by trials, by hardship. By sacrifice. Are you prepared to sacrifice?"
Larz exhaled sharply. "I have already sacrificed. I have spent years searching, preparing. I have given everything for this."
The figure's eyes darkened. "Then you will have no trouble proving it. Your first task is to walk the Path of Echoes. There, you will face the voices of the past, the remnants of those who came before you. Some sought Aegis Latens and failed. Others found it and were consumed by what they discovered. You must endure what they endured. Learn what they learned."
Larz's breath was slow and controlled, but his mind raced. "And if I fail?"
"Then you will never leave that place."
A cold chill ran through him, but he stood his ground. "Then I will not fail."
The Keeper of Fate gestured toward a passage beyond the chamber, its entrance shrouded in darkness. "Then go, Larz. The Path awaits. And so does your fate."
Larz hesitated for only a moment before stepping forward. The Keeper of Fate's voice followed him into the darkness.
"Your true trial begins here."