Chapter 25: The Whispers of Ruin
The wind howled softly through the hollow ruins as the sun began to sink, casting a golden hue over the cracked stones and moss-laced walls. Elric's eyes remained fixed on the hidden chamber's narrow entrance below the temple, where the glowing glyphs had just dimmed.
"So this is where it all started," he whispered, a trace of awe in his voice.
Kael crouched nearby, examining the carved runes along the walls. "These aren't just decorative... they're warnings. The kind you find only in forbidden archives."
Liora, ever watchful, ran her fingers across one of the faded etchings, her face grim. "They talk about a being... or force... trapped beneath. Something that feeds on time itself."
A shiver crept down Elric's spine. "Time? As in, past and future?"
Avelyn stepped forward, her staff humming faintly. "I've seen similar scripts before—at the shattered tower of Nareth. That place was swallowed by the ground itself. Whatever is sealed here, it's tied to the anomaly of 0169."
The number echoed in Elric's mind. Ever since his arrival, the strange occurrences, the mark on his hand, the voices that guided him... everything seemed to spiral around that cryptic sequence. But now was not the time to ponder. They had to press forward.
"Let's go deeper," he said, nodding to Kael. "But keep your guard up."
The four moved cautiously into the depths of the ruin, where the stone corridor led them to a wide underground chamber. Cracked pillars held up the remains of a vaulted ceiling, while pools of crystalline water shimmered on the floor, glowing faintly with light from unknown sources.
At the center stood a pedestal, atop which lay a small, cube-shaped object pulsating with soft blue light. Ancient vines slithered around it like snakes frozen in time.
Elric stepped forward. As he did, the mark on his hand burned gently, illuminating the chamber further. The cube responded, rising an inch into the air.
Suddenly, a hiss echoed through the space.
A rumble.
Then—movement.
The walls quaked as something massive stirred in the shadows.
"It's awake," Avelyn whispered, bracing herself.
From the darkness, an enormous serpentine creature slithered forward. Not made of flesh, but of stone and fire—an elemental guardian long dormant. Its amber eyes locked onto Elric.
The creature roared, and a wave of heat surged through the chamber.
Kael leapt into action, drawing his twin blades, and Liora summoned a shield of violet energy to protect them. Avelyn struck her staff against the ground, sending arcs of lightning crackling toward the creature.
Elric stood frozen, the cube's light intensifying in response to his presence.
"Elric! The cube!" Avelyn shouted. "It's responding to you!"
Snapping out of his trance, Elric reached toward the floating relic. The moment his fingers touched it, time seemed to fracture. Visions flashed before his eyes—images of kingdoms lost, battles never written in books, and a massive tower in the distance crowned by storm and shadow.
Then—
Silence.
The guardian halted mid-strike, its body trembling before shattering into glowing embers that dissolved into the wind.
The chamber fell quiet. The cube's light dimmed, but Elric could still feel its hum—a resonance that matched his heartbeat.
Kael exhaled. "What... was that?"
"A memory core," Avelyn answered. "And a key... probably one of several. Each revealing more of the truth about why we were brought here."
Elric clenched the cube, his thoughts racing.
Behind them, small footsteps echoed softly. Elric turned to find the white monkey creature—whom he'd lovingly named Yuno—sitting calmly at the edge of the light, his big glowing eyes blinking slowly.
Yuno tilted his head, then raised a paw and gently touched Elric's arm.
A soft wave of calm spread through Elric. The pet had come not by accident, but by fate.
As they began to ascend back toward the surface, a new message flickered in Elric's mind, as if whispered by the same mysterious voice tied to his mark:
"To unlock the Forbidden Era, one must first understand the Cost of Time. Seek the Tower of Echoes... and beware the Watcher of 0619."
Liora looked up. "What is it, Elric?"
He shook his head. "We've got a long road ahead. But I think I finally know where we need to go."