Chapter 5 — Echoes of the Relics

The first light of dawn seeped into the cavern, painting the stone walls of the Sanctuary of Aegis with a soft, golden glow. But for Kael, sleep had been impossible. The weight of everything—his ruined home, his endangered family, and the strange power awakening within him—pressed against his chest like an immovable boulder.
“Early riser. Good,” Kuro’s voice cut through the silence.
Kael turned to see him leaning casually against a pillar, arms crossed, Relic Blade strapped to his back.
“Couldn’t sleep,” Kael muttered.
“Didn’t expect you to.” Kuro motioned with his head. “Come on. It’s time you heard the Relics.”
Kael followed him through narrow passageways, deeper into the mountain. The air grew heavier, vibrating faintly as if the very walls were alive, humming in tune with an invisible rhythm.
They entered a circular chamber where seven stone pedestals stood in a ring. Upon each pedestal rested an artifact—blades, gauntlets, shards of crystal, all pulsating with dim light.
“These are Echo Relics,” Kuro explained. “Fragments of the original cores. They’re attuned to the Resonant. That means you.”
Kael approached them, feeling a subtle pull in his chest, like a heartbeat syncing with an ancient pulse.
“I don’t feel any power,” Kael said, frowning.
“Because you’re still thinking like a soldier,” Kuro replied. “Relics don’t obey command. They respond to presence. You need to listen.”
Kuro stepped back, giving Kael space.
Kael reached out tentatively, his fingers brushing against a small obsidian gauntlet. A sudden rush of memories not his own flooded his mind.
—A battle atop floating ruins.—A figure cloaked in light, wielding the gauntlet to shatter a storm.—A promise: "The Sky will remember those who defy it."
Kael staggered back, heart racing.
“What… was that?”
“Echoes,” Kuro said simply. “Every Relic holds a fragment of the past. They test you. They see if you can bear the weight of their history.”
Kael took a deep breath, steadied himself, and reached out again—this time with focus. The gauntlet’s hum deepened, syncing with his pulse. He felt the weight of its lineage, the countless warriors who had fallen or risen by its power.
“Good. Now don’t force it. Let it flow,” Kuro instructed.
The gauntlet’s glow intensified, and Kael felt his body lighten. A faint shimmer enveloped his arms, as if air itself bent to his will. He took a cautious step, and the ground beneath his feet responded, his movements sharper, faster.
“I… can feel everything,” Kael whispered, moving his hand through the air and watching the particles ripple.
“That’s Air Resonance,” Kuro said, smiling. “One of the simplest, but deadly in the right hands.”
Kael focused, sending a gust of wind outward. The air compressed into a sharp, slicing arc, striking the cavern wall with a deep crack.
Kuro whistled. “Well, someone’s a natural.”
Kael pulled back, the Relic's energy dimming as he released his connection.
“It’s overwhelming,” Kael admitted, breathless.
“It always is at first,” Kuro said, stepping beside him. “But you’ll learn to balance it. Your instincts as a leader will help you more than raw strength ever will.”
Before Kael could respond, Selene entered the chamber, urgency in her steps.
“Kuro. Kael. We’ve intercepted a signal. The World Eaters are mobilizing. They know we’re here.”
Kael’s fists clenched. “How long do we have?”
“Two days. Maybe less,” Selene replied grimly.
Kuro’s smirk returned, though colder this time. “Then we need to hit them before they hit us.”
Selene nodded. “There’s a Dormant Relic Vault in the Celestial Ridge. If we can secure it, we stand a chance.”
Kael looked down at his hands, still tingling from the Resonance. He glanced toward the pedestals, the ancient artifacts awaiting their next bearer.
He had been a soldier, an explorer, a father.
Now, he was something else.
“I’ll go,” Kael said, determination hardening his voice.
Kuro clapped him on the shoulder. “Didn’t expect anything less.”
Selene’s lips curved into a rare, approving smile. “Then prepare yourself. This mission will decide if we live to fight.”
As Kael followed them out, he could feel it—the Relic’s Echoes still singing in his veins.
The sky had taken everything from him. Now, it was his turn to answer back.