Steven stood on the edge of the cliff, overlooking the ashen wastelands of Cindaros. The Temple of Echoes was more than just a place—it was a myth, a secret sealed deep in the ancient layers of the planet. A temple so old, even the elders of the Starcasters had whispered its name only in fear.
The Codex on his wrist flickered with urgency.
> [Destination confirmed: Temple of Echoes. Entry code: Sealed.]
Steven's eyes narrowed as he looked at the horizon. Mount Vuldris loomed in the distance, a jagged peak of molten rock and swirling storm clouds. Lightning cracked through the atmosphere, casting violent shadows over the landscape.
"This isn't going to be easy," he muttered to himself.
The Fragment he'd fought moments ago had been nothing more than a piece of the true enemy—a small, horrifying glimpse into the nature of The Absence. But Steven had no choice. The signal had led him here. His purpose—his curse—was now inextricably tied to stopping this dark force.
A heavy gust of wind blew across the cliffside. He pushed his hand through his hair, feeling the familiar weight of power humming beneath his skin.
> I was born for this.
But do I want it?
No matter what he told himself, the truth weighed on him. He wasn't a hero. He wasn't a savior. He was just… Steven Lethal. A man who fought, survived, and somehow—kept moving.
"Codex," he said softly. "What's the likelihood of surviving the trial ahead?"
The device pulsed again.
> [Probability: 34.7%]
Steven let out a quiet chuckle, his lips twitching into a grim smile.
"Well, damn. Looks like I have to beat the odds, then."
Without wasting any more time, he started his trek toward the mountain.
---
Hours passed as Steven climbed the steep, unstable slopes of Mount Vuldris. His mind was focused, but a creeping sense of unease began to build as the sky darkened. The temple was near.
As he neared the summit, the temperature dropped. The air became dense with the weight of forgotten knowledge. The stones beneath his feet felt alive—ancient, as if they had witnessed countless secrets unfold.
Then, finally, he saw it.
The Temple of Echoes.
Massive, black obelisks rose out of the earth, surrounded by an impossible spiral of shifting stone. The structure was built not in a single design, but in layers—each one older than the last. Its edges were adorned with faint carvings, too complex to decipher.
"It's… beautiful." Steven breathed out.
But there was no time to marvel at its glory. A low, guttural sound filled the air, as if the temple itself was breathing.
"Get ready." The Sentinel's words echoed in his mind. "Whatever is inside won't let you leave easily."
Steven took one last deep breath. He stepped forward.
The ground trembled.
---
Suddenly, the temple's doors—ancient and covered in glyphs—cracked open, revealing a pitch-black hallway inside.
A voice echoed through the silence, not in the physical sense, but in his mind.
"Welcome, Starcaster."
It was a cold voice. Unyielding. Ancient.
Steven's hand flickered to his side, where his Voidblade hung. He tightened his grip. Magic surged through him, a low hum in his chest.
"Who's there?" Steven demanded.
The voice laughed. Not cruelly. But with a calm certainty.
"I am the presence you seek, Steven Lethal. I am the one who will undo your path. Your existence."
The air grew colder.
A figure materialized before him.
It was humanoid, but its body shifted and flickered, as though it didn't fully belong in this realm. A mass of dark energy, wrapped in void-like robes that seemed to consume the light around them.
"I am the Absence. The end of all things. And your last trial."
Steven's heart thudded in his chest.
"Then you know who I am." His voice was steady, yet there was no mistaking the threat in it. "I'm the last of the Starcasters. And I'm not going down without a fight."
The Absence tilted its head, its face blank, a void with no eyes to speak of.
"You're mistaken. You're not the last, Steven Lethal. You are simply the one chosen to bear the final fragment of the Codex. The last key to unlocking what should never be released."
The creature's voice curled into Steven's mind like ice.
"The Temple of Echoes was not built to contain what you seek. It was built to seal it. Forever."
Steven's eyes narrowed. "Then why open it now?"
"Because you have entered, and once you've stepped within these walls, you cannot unlearn the truth. You will become the vessel."
---
To be continued…