The pounding outside the chamber door grew louder and faster, like a giant heartbeat shaking the entire mansion.
BOOM.Dust fell from the ceiling.
BOOM.Riva dropped to her knees, covering her ears.
BOOM.Cracks split across the stone entrance.
Aadi stood silently, but inside him a storm was spinning.The words from the book echoed again and again in his mind:
"You were hidden.""You were erased.""They are coming for you."
Rune stepped in front of him, sword drawn."You're not fighting alone. Not this time."
Aria lifted her spellbook, her fingers trembling but steady."If they planned your destiny… we'll break their plan."
Riva slowly stood, wiping her tears."Whatever happens, we stay together."
Aadi felt warmth in his chest. For the first time in his life, he didn't feel alone.
But he also knew—what was coming wasn't here for the group. It was here for him.
The Breach
The chamber door finally exploded inward.
Stone fragments flew through the air.
Silhouettes stepped through the smoke — three armored figures, wearing cloaks of deep black. Their armor looked ancient, marked with glowing runes. Their eyes shined like cold blue stars.
The tallest one pointed directly at Aadi.
"Incomplete vessel," the voice boomed."You will return with us. The seal is broken. Your awakening must be finished."
Aadi didn't move.Rune stepped forward instead.
"Over my dead—"
Before he could finish, one of the armored figures lifted a hand — and Rune was thrown across the room like a rag doll, crashing into the wall.
"STOP!" Aadi roared.
Something inside him snapped.
The air around him rippled — like heat coming off fire, but cold instead of warm.
The figures paused.
The leader spoke again, softer this time:
"So… it begins."
Aadi's Awakening
Aadi dropped to his knees, clutching his head.Memories flashed — fast and violent.
A burning city.A woman's scream.A man placing a glowing seal on his forehead."Forgive me, my son. Live… even if it means forgetting us."
Aadi gasped — his parents.He didn't remember their faces, but their voices sounded real.
The seal cracked inside his mind — and broke.
A pulse of invisible energy exploded outward.
Dust shot into the air.The torches bent backward.Everyone staggered.
The armored warriors were pushed several steps back — not by magic, not by force, but by pure presence.
Aadi slowly stood.
His eyes glowed — not blue, not red, but gold, like the light of a rising sun.
The leader of the armored figures finally spoke with reverence, not authority:
"The Heir… truly awakens."
Aadi clenched his fists.
"You stole my memories. You controlled my life. You made me think I was nothing."
The chamber shook.
"But I remember one thing now…"
He raised his hand — and the air solidified around it, swirling like reality was bending.
"No one owns me."
The First Strike
The leader rushed forward, blade of obsidian light pointed straight at Aadi.
Rune tried to stand.Aria screamed his name.Riva reached toward him—
But Aadi didn't move.
The sword stopped one inch away from his face — frozen midair.
The warrior tried to push it forward, muscles trembling, armor cracking.
But it didn't move.
Aadi whispered:
"Leave.While you still can."
For a moment… the armored warriors hesitated.
Then the leader spoke with a chilling promise:
"This world cannot shield you. The other kingdoms will come. The gods themselves will come. You were born to belong — and you WILL be claimed."
The three figures vanished into smoke.
Silence returned.
The torches flickered back to normal.
Rune limped toward Aadi."Bro… what the hell WAS that?"
Aadi didn't answer.
Because he knew the truth now:
Their enemies weren't just humans.Not just mages.Not just kingdoms.
Something far greater — far older — had been searching for him.
And now that he was awakened…
they would never stop.