Kaelen and Rina stepped away from the Codex of Echoes, the weight of its revelations pressing down on them like a phantom hand at their backs. The twilight-cloaked woman had given them no further answers, only more riddles, more questions, and a promise that the path forward would not be easy.
Outside the chamber, the air was heavier than before. The torches lining the grand hall flickered as if responding to their presence, their golden glow casting shifting shadows along the intricate carvings in the stone walls. The images of celestial warriors, draconic titans, and figures wreathed in both light and darkness felt more alive now, as though they had been watching the entire time.
Rina was the first to break the silence. "So, let me get this straight. You're apparently some kind of 'harbinger of balance,' connected to a war that's been going on for gods-know-how-long, and we still have no idea what that actually means for us."
Kaelen exhaled sharply, running a hand through his dishevelled hair. "Pretty much."
"Fantastic." She sighed, stretching her arms above her head before shaking off her tension. "Well, at least it means we're not completely lost. We just need to figure out where the past meets the present."
Kaelen nodded but remained deep in thought. The visions the Codex had shown him lingered in his mind, replaying in fragments, the throne shattered, the battlefield soaked in blood, the celestial fire intertwined with shadows. It felt less like a prophecy and more like something that had already happened, something he had forgotten.
They continued walking, their footsteps echoing down the corridor, until they reached the Sanctuary's main hall. The vast chamber stretched before them, its domed ceiling adorned with a mural of the night sky, constellations shimmering faintly in the candlelight. Hooded figures moved in quiet reverence, tending to the wounded and lost who had sought shelter within these sacred walls.
As they neared the great archway that led back into the city, a voice called out to them. "Leaving so soon?"
Kaelen and Rina turned to see a man standing near one of the great stone pillars. He was tall, his posture relaxed, but there was something unsettlingly sharp about his presence, like a blade hidden beneath silk. His golden eyes glowed faintly beneath the shadow of his hood, and an amused smirk played on his lips.
"Depends on who's asking," Rina said, crossing her arms.
The man stepped closer, his gaze flickering toward Kaelen. "A concerned party."
Kaelen narrowed his eyes. "You were watching us."
The man chuckled. "Not watching, waiting. The Codex of Echoes does not open itself to just anyone. That alone makes you interesting."
Kaelen tensed. He had spent his life being unseen, avoiding attention at all costs. And yet, here he was, once again drawn into something far bigger than himself.
Rina tapped a finger against her hip. "And you are?"
The man inclined his head. "Eryndor Vale, a scholar of the forgotten and seeker of truths."
Kaelen wasn't convinced. "Scholars don't usually have eyes that glow."
Eryndor grinned. "Perceptive. Let's just say I am… attuned to forces most mortals choose to ignore."
Rina shot Kaelen a look that said we don't have time for this, but he ignored it. Something about this man set his instincts on edge, and that meant he was important.
"You know something about what I saw in the Codex," Kaelen said. It wasn't a question.
Eryndor studied him for a moment before nodding. "I do. But knowledge comes at a price."
Kaelen crossed his arms. "Of course it does."
Eryndor's expression grew serious. "The past does not simply exist as memory, it leaves scars, echoes that ripple across time. If you truly wish to understand the meaning of what you saw, you must seek out the remnants of those who came before you."
Rina frowned. "And where exactly do we find these 'remnants'?"
Eryndor gestured toward the city beyond the Sanctuary's gates. "Vael'Zyrenn holds more secrets than its people know. Beneath the ruins of the old district, past the remnants of what once was, there lies a place untouched by time, a tomb forgotten by history."
Kaelen's breath stilled. "A tomb?"
Eryndor nodded. "The resting place of the last Harbinger."
The words sent a chill down Kaelen's spine. He had spent years not knowing who he truly was. Now, for the first time, a path lay before him,one that could finally give him answers.
He glanced at Rina. She gave him a knowing smirk. "Well, looks like we're grave robbers now."
Eryndor chuckled. "Not robbers. Seekers."
Kaelen turned back to the Sanctuary one last time, his thoughts a whirlwind of uncertainty. He had come here looking for safety, for refuge. But refuge had never been meant for him. It was time to step forward.
He faced Eryndor once more. "Then take us to the tomb."