Chapter 22: Shadows in the Record
Adrian had never liked libraries. Too quiet, too sterile, too full of dust and rules. But now, a week after finding the mural, he found himself sitting in the Quezon City archives, surrounded by stacks of brittle books and yellowed newspapers. The pendant pulsed faintly against his chest, as if urging him forward.
He flipped through records of old barangays, forgotten legends, and half-legible accounts of strange events. Most were mundane — floods, fires, political scandals. But every so often, a phrase caught his eye: emerald light, guardian relic, chosen vessel.
The words made his chest tighten. They weren't just coincidences. They were fragments of a story, scattered across decades.
Leah sat across from him, her laptop open, fingers flying across the keyboard. She had insisted on helping, despite Elias's disapproval. "If the pendant reacts to me," she had said, "then I'm part of this too." Adrian hadn't argued. He needed her sharpness, her fire.
"Found something," Leah said, turning the screen toward him. An old article, dated nearly fifty years ago. The headline read: Unexplained Phenomenon in Diliman — Witnesses Report Emerald Glow.
Adrian leaned closer, heart pounding. The article described a night when the sky above the university had lit up with green light. Students claimed they saw a figure standing on the rooftop of a building, holding something that pulsed like a star. The authorities dismissed it as hysteria. But the description matched the pendant exactly.
"It's been here before," Adrian whispered. "This relic… it's tied to this city."
Leah nodded. "And whoever held it back then… they weren't ordinary either."
The pendant pulsed harder, as if agreeing. Adrian felt the warmth spread through his chest, grounding him. But beneath the warmth was something else — urgency. The relic wasn't just guiding him. It was pushing him.
That night, Adrian told Elias.
Elias frowned, arms crossed. "Relics don't belong to individuals. They belong to history. To fate. If the pendant has been here before, it means it's part of something larger. Something dangerous."
Adrian clenched his fists. "Then I need to know what. I need to know why it chose me."
Elias shook his head. "Careful. Curiosity draws hunters. They're not just after power. They're after relics. If you start digging too deep, you'll paint a bigger target on your back."
Leah stepped forward, eyes sharp. "He's already a target. We both are. If we don't understand this thing, we'll never survive."
Silence hung heavy. Finally, Elias sighed. "Then start small. Archives, legends, whispers. But don't trust everything you find. History lies."
Adrian nodded, determination burning in his chest.
The next day, he returned to the mural. The cracked paint seemed to shimmer faintly in the sunlight, as if alive. He touched the wall, pendant glowing faintly against his chest. For a moment, he thought he heard something — a whisper, faint and distant.
Find the roots.
Adrian pulled his hand back, heart racing. He looked at Leah, who stood beside him, eyes wide. "Did you hear that?"
She shook her head. "No. But I felt… something."
The pendant pulsed again, steady and calm. Adrian swallowed hard. The relic wasn't just reacting to the city. It was speaking. Guiding. Demanding.
He whispered to himself, voice hoarse. "I'll be ready. I'll rise. And I'll uncover the truth."
The city roared around them, neon lights flickering, shadows stretching. Adrian Reyes stood at the edge of history, battered but unbroken, no longer searching just for survival. He was searching for answers.