The silence in the tomb felt suffocating.
Alex's heart raced. He stared at Kael, frozen, as if the world itself had stopped turning.
"You're lying."
The words left his mouth before he could think.
Kael's expression didn't change. He simply tilted his head slightly. "I could be. Or maybe… I'm finally giving you the truth no one else is brave enough to offer."
Eira stepped between them, arrow already nocked. "Say one more thing and I swear I'll—"
"Kill me?" Kael interrupted with a smile. "No, you won't. Because I'm not here to fight."
Veyra's eyes blazed with fire. "You're the reason my father was turned into a Wraith."
Kael's eyes flickered with something—was it guilt? No. Too brief. Too controlled. "Your father chose loyalty to a system that was already rotting. I simply exposed it."
"Why are you really here?" Alex demanded.
Kael's smile faded. "Because you're waking up, Alex. And that's dangerous—for all of us."
The Offer
Kael waved his hand, and the tomb walls shimmered with new images. Visions of ancient wars, burning skies, Guardians turning against each other.
"The Nameless Spark wasn't a villain. But he wasn't a savior, either. He was a catalyst."
He stepped forward. "You have his soul, Alex. You are him—reborn in a world that still doesn't understand him."
Alex shook his head. "No. I'm not him. I have my own life, my own choices—"
"Exactly," Kael said. "Which is why I want you to choose."
He reached into his cloak and pulled out a glowing crystal shaped like a broken mask.
"Join me. Let me show you what the Source really hides. What the Guardians were never meant to become. You don't have to fight me. You can walk alongside me—unlock your true nature."
Everyone stared in shock.
Kairo stepped forward, blades drawn. "You really think we're just gonna let him walk away with you?"
Alex was quiet.
Too quiet.
Inside, a storm was building.
If Kael is right… then who am I? Why do I feel these things? Why do I dream of stars, of war, of people I've never met?
"Let me show you something," Kael said, placing the crystal on the ground.
A projection burst out—Alex, standing among six others. His face was older, sharper. He wore the cloak of the Guardians, but his eyes were furious.
"He declared war on the Source itself," Kael whispered. "He wanted to destroy the system, free all realms—even if it meant collapse."
The projection faded.
Alex's hands trembled. "I'm not him."
"But you could become him," Kael said. "That's the gift. That's the curse."
Lines Drawn
"No," Eira said firmly. "He's not. Because he has us. And unlike that lost soul in your visions, Alex won't have to walk this path alone."
Kael sighed. "So emotional. That's what got the last generation killed."
He turned to leave, walking toward the shadows.
"I'll give you time," he said. "But remember this—when the Source tries to break you, when your own allies begin to doubt you, don't say I didn't warn you."
With that, he vanished.
No smoke, no teleportation. Just… gone.
Silence After the Storm
The group stood in the tomb for what felt like forever.
Finally, Kairo broke the silence. "Okay. That was a lot."
"Too much," Eira muttered, lowering her bow.
Veyra approached Alex, who hadn't moved since the projection ended. She placed a hand on his shoulder. "Hey. Whatever Kael said… doesn't define you."
"But what if he's right?" Alex whispered. "What if I'm not supposed to be a hero?"
Veyra smiled sadly. "Then don't be a hero. Be you. That's always been enough."
New Strength Awakens
System Notification:
Memory Fragment Resonance – 100%
Skill Evolution Triggered
New Ability Unlocked:
✦ Soulflare Pulse – Tap into latent Guardian memories to momentarily boost all stats and unleash a burst of energy tied to your former self. Duration: 15 seconds. Cooldown: 12 hours.
Alex felt it then—a new power surging through his veins.
Not borrowed.
Not given.
His.
"Let's go," he finally said, his voice stronger. "There's more to this story, and I won't let someone else write the ending for me."
The others nodded.
They had survived the first volume of their journey.
But the real story had only just begun.
End of Chapter 35