Chapter 22: Shadows in the Ruins

The sense of being watched lingered as Ithan and Lyra pressed on through the ruins the next day. Every sound seemed amplified—the rustle of leaves, the creak of old stone, the occasional gust of wind that felt unnaturally cold.

Ithan’s doubts about Lyra hadn’t subsided, but the urgency of their mission forced him to push them aside. The Sigil’s resonance grew stronger, pulling him forward like an invisible thread.

In the heart of the ruins, they found an ancient door, its surface engraved with glowing runes. The language was unfamiliar to Ithan, but Lyra’s gaze darkened.

“It’s a seal,” she said. “A powerful one. Whatever lies beyond it is tied to the Hollow King.”

“Then we break it,” Ithan said, stepping forward.

Lyra’s hand shot out, gripping his arm. “Wait. This isn’t something to rush into. Breaking a seal like this could unleash forces we can’t control.”

But the Sigil had other ideas. It pulsed with an intensity that made Ithan wince, and before he could react, a beam of light shot from it, striking the door. The runes flared brightly, then faded, and the door creaked open.

The chamber beyond was vast and empty, save for a single pedestal in the center. Upon it rested a fragment of crystal, pulsing with the same golden light as Ithan’s Sigil.

As Ithan approached, the shadows around the room began to shift, coalescing into humanoid forms with glowing eyes.

“Guardians,” Lyra whispered, drawing her weapon.

The battle that followed was fierce. The Guardians moved with unnatural speed, their strikes calculated and relentless. But Ithan was faster. His training with Lyra had honed his reflexes, and the Sigil’s power surged through him like a torrent, guiding his every move.

When the last Guardian fell, Ithan stumbled to the pedestal, his breathing ragged. He reached for the crystal, and as his fingers closed around it, a voice echoed in his mind.

“You are not ready.”

The force of the voice sent him reeling, and for a moment, everything went dark.

When he awoke, Lyra was kneeling beside him, her expression grim. “That was a warning,” she said. “The Hollow King knows you’re coming, and he’s waiting.”

The crystal fragment in Ithan’s hand pulsed faintly, its light a reminder of the power he still needed to master.