Golden odyssey

The silence echoed like a death knell. The glow of the Arch of Destiny pulsed slowly, casting shifting shadows over the group's tense faces. Eryndal could still feel the burn of the visions in his mind, the weight of an uncertain future pressing heavily on his shoulders.

— "The Awakening has begun… What does it mean?"

The hooded man did not respond immediately. His eyes, shining with an unnatural gleam, scrutinized Eryndal as if searching for something beyond his gaze.

— "It means the time of choice is approaching. The Arch has shown you a possible truth. But a truth is only a fraction of destiny."

A hand gently rested on his arm.

— "Are you sure you're okay?"

Alessia was watching him seriously, her dark eyes searching for a clue to what he had just experienced. She hated being left in the dark—especially when it came to him.

— "I saw… things. Too real to be mere illusions. As if the Arch itself was trying to speak to me."

A sharp breath. A rustle of fabric. A few steps away, Elion remained silent. True to himself, the silver-haired mage observed the events without intervening. Yet, Eryndal could sense the tension in his posture, the faint shimmer of mana around his fingers.

— "It wasn't just a vision," Elion finally murmured. "The Arch has left a mark on you."

A quiet growl sounded.

— "Another trick from those damn oracles…"

Darek, the taciturn warrior, had leaned against a broken stone. His expression, as closed-off as ever, betrayed a hint of suspicion. He didn't like what he couldn't understand.

— "If it's a mark, then it could be a threat," he continued.

— "Not a threat. A key," the hooded man interjected.

Silence.

Then, a strange warmth under the skin. Eryndal lowered his gaze. On his palm, a symbol was slowly taking shape, glowing with a spectral blue light. Identical to the one on the hooded man's hand.

Alessia took a step back.

— "What is that?"

The stranger smirked beneath the shadow of his hood.

— "The passage."

The wind rose suddenly, lifting a cloud of dust among the ruins. A strange sound filled the air, like a whisper from deep within the earth. The stones of the Arch of Destiny trembled slightly, and beneath their feet, the ground cracked, revealing a stone staircase descending into darkness.

— "Don't tell me we have to go down there…"

Alessia's tone wavered between frustration and a hint of unease.

— "The Call of the Ancients has been heard," the hooded man declared.

Darek grunted, casting a wary glance at the staircase.

— "If this is a trap, I'm cutting down the first thing that gets too close."

— "We didn't come all this way just to turn back now," Eryndal said firmly.

Elion simply nodded, adjusting his cloak before stepping forward first.

Alessia sighed.

— "You're going to be the death of me with your suicidal decisions…"

But she followed nonetheless.

One by one, they descended the staircase, leaving behind the pale twilight. The deeper they went, the heavier the air became, thick with an invisible presence. The darkness was not just physical.

Something awaited them below.

And they would have to face it.