Imprisoned in the cold, dark cell, Alaric’s mind burned with the memory of his parents’ death. The pain and anger that consumed him now fueled a single, desperate hope: freedom. He refused to remain a powerless Puer forever. Days turned into weeks as Alaric carefully watched the guards’ routines, searching for the right moment. At last, when the shadows were longest and the prison quietest, he made his move.
Heart pounding, he slipped through the narrow corridors, every step a risk. If caught, it meant certain death. But Alaric’s will was stronger than his fear. Suddenly, a sharp voice shattered the silence: “There! The Puer is trying to run!” Sicarius guards appeared, their eyes blazing with fury. Alaric dashed forward, breath ragged, the sound of heavy footsteps pounding behind him. Fear and adrenaline pushed him faster than ever.
Rounding a corner, his foot caught on a loose stone. He stumbled, falling over the edge of a dark chasm. The Sicarius guards stopped at the cliff’s edge, looking down into the abyss. “He’s dead,” one sneered, a cruel smile spreading across his face. “Good. Let’s go,” ordered a Pugnatores officer from behind. “No use chasing a dead Puer.” As the guards turned away, Alaric struggled to breathe, pain shooting through his body. But he was alive.
Suddenly, a voice echoed in his mind — calm, strong, and familiar. “Alaric, listen to me,” the voice said. “I cannot leave this prison, but I will guide you.” A glowing figure appeared before him — the imprisoned Kairos Lucian Alden, the first Almighty Ruler, trapped but still powerful. “You must go to the Chamber of Spirits. There lies a guardian who will test your resolve.”
Following Kairos’s guidance, Alaric found the hidden path and arrived at a massive door sealed with an ancient lock, glowing faintly with mystical energy. Kairos’s voice echoed again, “Place your hand on the lock and show your true will.” Alaric obeyed. The lock responded to the fire burning in his heart, and the door slowly opened.
Inside stood a majestic spirit, shimmering like mist, its eyes narrowing as it saw Alaric.“Why does a lowly Puer stand before me? What claim does he have here?” the spirit demanded. Kairos’s voice filled the chamber. “He carries the bloodline and the fire of the true ruler. His heart is strong, and his will unbreakable.”
The spirit’s gaze pierced Alaric’s eyes, sensing the fierce determination and the lingering aura of Kairos. After a long pause, the spirit nodded. “I see your strength, and the mark of the rightful heir. I will aid you on your path." A surge of power filled Alaric, and with it, new hope. Though Kairos was trapped, together they would reclaim what was lost.