The chains hung motionless.
For the first time since they had entered the battlefield, there was complete silence.
The Scythe hovered above the platform.
Ethan stared at it.
His heartbeat matched the faint pulse coming from the weapon.
Thump.
Thump.
Thump.
Alex looked around at the others.
"We're almost there. Stay focused."
Kira nodded.
"Watch the chains."
Vile studied the markings beneath their feet.
"The pattern hasn't changed."
Mya tightened her grip.
"Then let's finish this."
Lyra smiled gently.
"Together."
The group moved.
One step at a time.
The chains began moving around them again.
Clink...
Drag...
Everyone followed the rhythm.
Kira watched the movements and called out when the path changed.
Vile analyzed the patterns.
Lyra illuminated hidden markings.
Mya and Kaelor dealt with the chains that came too close.
Liam stayed close to the others, forcing himself not to panic.
And Ethan kept walking.
The closer he got to the Scythe, the quieter everything became.
He couldn't hear the others anymore.
He couldn't hear the chains.
He couldn't hear the wind above.
All he could hear was the strange pulse coming from the weapon.
Thump.
Ethan stopped.
The others stopped with him.
Vile looked confused.
"Ethan?"
Ethan didn't answer.
The Scythe had moved.
It was slowly turning toward him.
Kira noticed it too.
"It's reacting to him."
Alex nodded.
"Then let him go."
Ethan looked at Alex.
"You sure?"
"Yes."
Ethan turned back toward the Scythe.
He stepped forward.
The chains didn't attack.
Instead, they moved aside.
A clear path opened.
Ethan walked through it.
Another step.
Then another.
Until he stood directly in front of the weapon.
He raised his hand.
Stopped.
He remembered what he had felt earlier.
That strange familiarity.
That pull.
He looked at the Scythe.
"I don't know why you called me here."
The weapon remained silent.
"I don't know what you want."
The Scythe pulsed.
Ethan took a breath.
"But I'm here."
He reached forward.
His fingers wrapped around the hilt.
Everything stopped.
The chains.
The markings.
The energy.
Even the air seemed frozen.
Then
BOOM!
A massive wave of energy erupted from the Scythe.
Everyone shielded their faces.
The chains shot upward, filling the chamber with dark metallic light.
Ethan remained standing.
The weapon didn't reject him.
It didn't attack him.
It simply rested in his hand.
The energy slowly faded.
Silence returned.
Ethan stared at the Scythe.
"...It chose me."
Vile's eyes widened.
"Unbelievable."
Alex smiled slightly.
"Looks like we found what we came for."
Mya crossed her arms.
"About time."
Liam smiled.
"You did it, Ethan."
Lyra nodded.
"You earned it."
Ethan looked down at the weapon.
For once, he didn't think about how valuable it might be.
He didn't think about selling it.
He didn't think about becoming richer.
He simply looked at it.
"I still don't understand why me."
Alex walked over.
"Maybe you don't have to."
Ethan looked at him.
Alex placed a hand on his shoulder.
"You'll figure it out."
Ethan smiled.
"Yeah."
He lifted the Scythe slightly.
It was heavier than he expected.
He nearly lost his balance.
"Whoa!"
Mya laughed.
"Thought you were chosen?"
Ethan quickly recovered.
"I was surprised!"
"Sure."
"I've got it."
"You almost dropped it."
"I said I've got it!"
The others laughed.
For the first time since entering the battlefield, the tension disappeared.
But Ethan's smile faded as he looked at the Scythe again.
Something about it still felt unfinished.
The weapon had accepted him.
But that didn't mean he understood it.
He didn't know what it could do.
He didn't know why it had chosen him.
And he certainly didn't know how to control whatever power was sleeping inside it.
Vile looked at the weapon.
"We should leave before something else decides to wake up."
Alex nodded.
"Agreed."
The group began making their way back toward the surface.
Ethan remained at the back for a moment.
He looked over his shoulder.
The chains had settled.
The ancient battlefield was quiet again.
But deep beneath the earth...
A single chain moved.
Clink.
Ethan stopped.
He stared into the darkness.
Then the sound disappeared.
He tightened his grip around the Scythe.
"Something tells me..."
He followed the others.
"...this isn't over."
Above them, the first light of dawn began breaking over the battlefield.
Ethan had obtained his weapon.
But learning to wield it...
Would be another story.