At last, the staircase came to an end.
A massive metallic gate barred their path—its surface inscribed with intricate runes that pulsed faintly like a heartbeat.
Upon its center was a recess, perfectly matching the shape of the Holy Sword's crossguard.
"It seems the Holy Sword itself is the key to open it,"
Elarielle observed calmly after a brief inspection.
Lilith drew in a deep breath, then stepped forward and inserted Excalibur into the slot.
CLANG—
A deep, resonant chime rolled through the entire sanctum, reverberating for what felt like eternity.
Slowly, the enormous doors swung inward—revealing not a chamber, but an endless miniature cosmos.
Stars drifted across the void, their light swirling like dust in the wake of creation.
At the center of that vastness floated a radiant orb of purest silver—
its aura unmistakably resonant with the Holy Sword.
That was Excalibur's lost origin—The Heart of the Prophet.
