The group traveled in silence.
The atmosphere was heavy. Even Kairo, usually the one to lighten the mood with sarcasm, kept quiet as they crossed the ridge toward their new destination—The Tomb of the Forgotten.
Alex held the Memory Core close, its dim blue glow pulsing faintly in rhythm with his own heartbeat. Ever since the encounter with Lioren, something inside him had shifted. Not just emotionally—spiritually.
The cave hadn't just revealed a secret about the past. It had awakened something inside of him. Something… ancient.
"Are you okay?" Eira asked, gently matching his pace.
He nodded, though his voice was low. "I saw pieces of his memories, Eira. Not just images—feelings. Fear. Betrayal. Rage."
"You mean Lioren?"
Alex looked down at the crystal. "No. Someone before him. Another Guardian. One whose name has been erased."
Eira frowned. "You think the Source has been hiding even more?"
"I don't just think it," he said. "I know it."
A Few Hours Later — The Tomb Entrance
They arrived at a desolate valley. Dead trees reached upward like charred fingers. A single, massive door stood at the heart of the valley, carved into stone and covered in forgotten symbols.
"Are you sure this is it?" Kairo asked, squinting.
The Memory Core lit up and hovered toward the door. Its glow traced the markings—causing the massive structure to shift and grind open.
Veyra stepped forward first. She looked calmer now, but her eyes were heavy with memory. "Let's see what he wanted us to find."
Inside, the tomb was lined with murals—Guardians drawn in vivid colors… only to have their faces scratched out or painted over with chains.
Alex's gaze followed the artwork until he saw one Guardian whose face hadn't been defaced.
A boy.
No older than sixteen.
With blue eyes and a cloak that looked… familiar.
"I've seen him before," Alex whispered.
System Notification:
Unknown Identity Detected – "The Nameless Spark"
Memory Fragment Unlocked: Shattered Oath
"What is this place?" Eira asked.
"It's a prison," Veyra replied, staring up at the ceiling. "A grave for those the Source wanted erased."
They moved deeper.
In the center of the chamber sat a large coffin, guarded by statues of six Guardians—each holding a different weapon. Spear, blade, bow, gauntlets, fan, and staff.
Inscribed across the stone was a single line:
"We who remembered chose to be forgotten."
Alex reached out and touched the surface.
The world flashed.
[Vision Sequence – Centuries Ago]
The room changed.
The air turned golden. Six Guardians stood in a circle. One of them—the blue-eyed boy—stepped forward.
He was furious.
"They've turned the Source into a weapon," he snapped. "This isn't protection. It's control!"
The others looked away.
"You would lead rebellion?" one asked.
"I would lead freedom," the boy said. "If that makes me a traitor, then history will be wrong."
He stepped onto a pedestal, placing his hand on a crystal.
"I cast myself into silence. Let time forget my name. But may the world one day awaken to the truth."
The vision faded.
Back in the Tomb
Alex gasped and fell to one knee. Eira caught him, eyes wide. "What did you see?"
He looked up. "I saw him. The Guardian who gave up everything… just to give us a chance at truth."
Kairo whistled softly. "Sounds like your kind of guy."
Before Alex could reply, a voice echoed through the chamber.
"So… the lost boy touches history again."
A figure stepped from the shadows—tall, draped in robes woven from darkness and light. A mask covered his face, but his presence was unmistakable.
Kael.
"Hello, Alex," he said calmly. "Found any ghosts lately?"
Veyra's hands lit with fire instantly. "You shouldn't be here."
"And yet," Kael said, spreading his arms, "here I am."
Alex stood up. "Why did you follow us?"
Kael tilted his head. "I didn't. I led you here."
Silence.
"What?"
"That Memory Core?" Kael gestured toward it. "I left that trail. I wanted you to see the truth. Or a version of it."
Eira narrowed her eyes. "Why?"
Kael took a step forward, his voice sharp like a blade. "Because the real story isn't black and white, Alex. The First Guardian lied. But so did the rebels."
He glanced at the tomb.
"This boy you saw—The Nameless Spark—wasn't a hero. He was a mistake. A being born too early for the world to understand. And you…"
Kael turned fully to Alex.
"…are his reincarnation."
End of Chapter 34