As though the earth itself had attempted to engulf it, the iron hatch was partially concealed beneath a tangled mass of roots and dirt. Sylas squatted next to it, scraping the last moss from its corroded edges. The center had a distinct indentation—gear-shaped, like a missing piece of a puzzle.
"Looks like it fits here," Sylas muttered, running his fingers along the grooves.
Beside him, Selene crouched low, eyes fixed on the mechanism. "Copper Gear Key," she said softly. "That's what the old book called it."
He nodded, getting to his feet and looking about. The trees were swinging in the wind as if they were holding their breath, and the forest was quiet."We need to find it. But first, let's cover this up. Just in case."
Together, they piled leaves, branches, and dirt back over the hatch, hiding it well. Selene carved a small "X" on the bark of a nearby tree. Just enough to find it again.
The village had started to receive rain again, turning the dirt paths into mud and sprinkling the thatched roofs. Mira welcomed them outside the workshop, her fists on her hips and her expression nasty.
"You were gone long," she said.
"We found something strange," Sylas replied. "Buried metal door. And we think there's a key—some kind of copper gear."
Mira didn't ask for details. Instead, she handed him a wrapped bundle of food. "Eat. Then talk."
Inside, with the fire crackling and the bread warm in their hands, Sylas told her everything. Selene added bits from the old diagrams in the book. Mira listened, silent but thoughtful.
When they finished, she finally said, "There are stories about the Old Ones. Engineers, tinkerers… they built machines without magic. Maybe what you found is one of theirs."
Sylas looked at her. "You believe that?"
She met his eyes. "I believe in things people forget too easily."
Later that night, Sylas studied the book by lantern-light. The Copper Gear Key sketch was detailed—six spokes, etched patterns, a ridged edge. His eyes scanned every corner of the page.
> System Notification: Blueprint Fragment Found – Copper Gear Key (1/3 pieces located).
He blinked.
"Just one piece," he murmured. "Where are the rest?"
The system's new objective appeared:
> New Quest: Reforge the Past
Find all three fragments of the Copper Gear Key.
Progress: 1/3
Sylas went to Garen's forge the following morning. As the blacksmith worked, sparks and smoke flew in the air.
When Sylas unrolled the sketch, Garen raised an eyebrow. "Interesting. Never seen a design like this."
"Know where I might find something similar?"
Garen leaned back, rubbing his beard. "Old ruins near the western cliffs. People say they're cursed, but you look like someone who ignores good advice."
Sylas smiled. "Unfortunately, yes."
With Selene again by his side, he set out toward the cliffs. The forest gave way to jagged rocks and broken stone walls—the remains of an ancient settlement. Vines and roots had claimed much of it, but the metal bones of old machines still jutted from the dirt.
They scoured the ruins for over an hour, pushing aside debris and searching beneath collapsed beams.
Then, near the base of a crumbling statue, Sylas saw something glint.
He knelt and dug carefully. A piece of copper—half a gear—sat buried in the soil, etched with the same markings as the sketch.
> System Notification: Copper Gear Key Fragment (2/3) Acquired.
"We're close," he said.
But as he stood, the air shifted.
Selene tensed. "Did you hear that?"
A low scratching sounded through the ruins and a metal dragging against stone.
From the shadows of a shattered building, emerged.
The enormous beast, which was twice as tall as Sylas and had a body composed of twisted cables and rusted steel.
"What is that?" Selene whispered, backing away.
Sylas stepped in front of her, heart pounding.
> System Alert: Ancient Sentinel Awakened.
Warning: Recommended Level – 12.
Current Level – 6.
"This is bad," Sylas muttered.
Sylas barely managed to avoid the sentinel's enormous arm slamming down, which cracked the ground where he had recently stood, as it lurched forward with a guttural hum.
"Run!" he shouted.
They darted between the ruins, the sentinel crashing after them. Sylas grabbed a rusted pipe from the ground and swung it at the creature's leg. It clanged off harmlessly.
"I'm not strong enough to fight it head-on," he hissed.
Selene pointed to an arched wall nearby. "That looks unstable! Maybe we can bring it down on it!"
They ran toward it, the sentinel close behind.
"Come on," Sylas muttered, slamming into the weakened wall. Stones shifted but held firm. He glanced at Selene. "Help me."
She grabbed a nearby branch and started prying at the wall.
The sentinel raised its arm again.
"Now!" Sylas shouted.
they struck the wall one last time—and it collapsed in a roar of dust and rubble.
The sentinel was buried in stone and twisted vines.
For a moment, nothing moved.
Then:
> System Notification: Sentinel Defeated (Crushed).
+800 XP
Level Up!
Sylas – Level 7
Stat Points Gained: +3
Sylas coughed, brushing dust from his face. "That… actually worked."
Selene leaned against a rock, panting. "Let's not make a habit of that."
As the dust settled, Sylas noticed something glinting in the rubble—another gear fragment, this one larger than the rest and intact.
> System Notification: Copper Gear Key Fragment (3/3) Acquired.
All fragments collected. Reconstructing Key…
The pieces in his inventory glowed and merged into one.
> Item Acquired: Copper Gear Key
Description: A relic of a forgotten age. Opens mechanical locks tied to the Old System.
Sylas stared at the key in his hands. It was heavier than it looked and warm to the touch.
"We can open the hatch now," he said.
Selene nodded, wide-eyed. "Let's go before something else wakes up."
They returned to the hatch by sundown. Sylas knelt and inserted the Copper Gear Key into the center indentation.
It clicked.
The metal shifted with a groan, gears turning deep beneath the earth. Dust and soil trembled as the hatch slowly opened, revealing a spiral staircase descending into darkness.
Cool air rose from below, tinged with the scent of rust and something older.
They stood at the edge, staring down into the unknown.
Sylas tightened his grip on the key.
"Let's find out what they were hiding."