The air in the tunnel was thick with tension as Aedric led the way forward, the crimson glow of the fragment in his satchel faint but ever-present. Every few steps, he felt its presence—a subtle pulse, like a heartbeat, pressing against his senses.
Seris walked beside him, silent and watchful. Tessa followed a step behind, glancing over her shoulder every few seconds, as if expecting the robed figures to suddenly appear in pursuit.
But they never did.
The tunnel stretched on, winding deeper into the unknown. The walls, once covered in strange symbols, now bore deep gouges, as if something had clawed at the stone in a fit of rage.
Aedric's fingers tightened around the hilt of his sword. "Stay close," he murmured.
Tessa let out a dry chuckle. "Not planning on wandering off."
Seris ran a hand along the gouges. "These marks are old, but whatever made them… it was strong."
Aedric nodded. The thought was unsettling. Whatever had left these marks, it hadn't been human.
And if it had once roamed these tunnels… what else could be lurking ahead?
---
Minutes stretched into an hour. Their footsteps echoed, the only sound breaking the heavy silence. The tunnel twisted and turned, leading them deeper into the ruins. The air grew colder, the lantern's light barely reaching the walls.
Then, without warning, the tunnel opened into another chamber.
It was smaller than the one they had left behind, but unlike the previous rooms, this one wasn't empty.
Aedric's breath caught.
At the center of the chamber stood a statue—twice the height of a man, carved from a dark, gleaming stone. The figure depicted was clad in armor, a jagged crown resting upon its head. One hand gripped the hilt of a greatsword, its blade embedded in the ground, while the other was raised as if in command.
But the most unnerving part was the face.
Or rather, the lack of one.
The features had been worn away by time or purposefully erased, leaving only a smooth, blank surface where eyes, nose, and mouth should have been.
Tessa shivered. "That's… creepy."
Seris took a slow step forward. "This isn't just any statue. This was someone important."
Aedric swallowed hard. He didn't know why, but something about the figure felt eerily familiar. The posture, the crown, even the armor—it all resonated with the visions he had seen when he touched the fragment.
Could this be… Valdris?
He approached cautiously, his heart pounding. At the base of the statue, ancient text was carved into the stone. The letters were faded, but he could still make out a few words.
"The First and the Last."
He frowned. "First and last… what?"
Seris studied the inscription. "A king? A ruler of this place?"
Tessa folded her arms. "If he was so important, why wipe away his face?"
Aedric didn't answer. He reached into his satchel, fingers brushing the wrapped fragment. The moment he touched it, a chill ran down his spine.
The visions surged again.
Swords clashing. Shadows stretching across a battlefield. A figure standing atop a mountain of corpses, his crown glinting under a blood-red sky. A name, whispered through the ages.
Valdris.
Aedric gasped and staggered back.
Seris caught his arm. "Aedric!"
He steadied himself, his breath ragged. "I saw him again. The same visions."
Seris exchanged a look with Tessa. "You think this is him?"
Aedric hesitated, then nodded. "It has to be."
Tessa shifted uncomfortably. "And what does that mean for us?"
Aedric clenched his fists. "I don't know. But I have a feeling that whatever happened here… it's not over."
---
They moved on, leaving the statue behind.
The tunnel narrowed, forcing them to walk single file. The walls were damp now, slick with moisture. A distant dripping sound echoed through the darkness, the only indication of water somewhere far below.
After what felt like an eternity, the passage widened again, leading them to what appeared to be a collapsed entryway. Large slabs of stone had crumbled inward, blocking what might have once been an exit.
Tessa groaned. "Of course. Another dead end."
Seris ran her hands along the rubble. "Not necessarily. If we clear some of this, we might be able to squeeze through."
Aedric nodded. "Let's start moving the smaller pieces first."
They set to work, shifting what they could. Dust filled the air, making them cough. It was slow going, but after several minutes, they had managed to create a small opening—just enough for someone to crawl through.
Aedric peered through the gap. Beyond it, a faint light flickered. A way out.
He exhaled. "Looks like this leads somewhere. I'll go first."
Seris gave him a sharp look. "Be careful."
Aedric nodded and squeezed through the opening.
On the other side, he found himself in a cavernous space. The ceiling was high, vanishing into darkness, but the walls were lined with glowing crystals, casting an eerie blue light. The floor sloped downward, leading to what appeared to be a massive stone doorway.
Aedric's breath caught. The doorway was adorned with carvings—ancient, intricate. And at its center, embedded within the stone, was a circular indentation…
The exact size of the fragment he carried.
His pulse quickened.
Seris and Tessa crawled through behind him, brushing dust from their clothes. Seris immediately took in their surroundings, her eyes landing on the doorway. "That… looks important."
Aedric pulled out the fragment, unwrapping it carefully. The moment it was exposed, the glow from the crystals intensified, their light pulsing in rhythm with the object in his hands.
Tessa took a step back. "I don't like this."
Aedric swallowed hard. Everything in his gut told him this was what the fragment was meant for. This was why he had found it.
He stepped forward and placed the fragment into the indentation.
For a moment, nothing happened.
Then—
The cavern trembled.
The light from the crystals flared, casting jagged shadows across the walls. A deep, resonating hum filled the space, vibrating through Aedric's bones.
The stone doorway groaned, ancient mechanisms shifting for the first time in centuries.
Then, with a final, earth-shaking rumble—
It opened.
Beyond it lay darkness.
A darkness that pulsed.
Aedric exhaled, his heart pounding.
He had the distinct, gut-wrenching feeling that they had just stepped into something far greater than they could comprehend.