The golden glow of the relic pulsed in Alex's hands, each beat thrumming in sync with his own heart. It was as if the shard itself was alive, whispering forgotten truths into his mind. He steadied himself, exhaling as he tried to process the influx of knowledge.
Soren stepped closer, his gaze sharp. "What did you see?"
Alex swallowed hard. "A world before the S-Wall. Humans wielding mana freely. The Saints took everything from us. They suppressed our abilities, rewrote history. We were never meant to be powerless."
Nyssa's expression darkened. "Then this shard might be our key to restoring what was lost. If we can understand it, maybe we can awaken more people to their true potential."
Before Alex could respond, the ruins trembled once more. The remnants of the guardian's magic had triggered something deep within the ancient chamber.
A doorway materialized at the far end of the cavern, its frame etched with glowing symbols. Soren ran a hand over them, his brows furrowing. "This language… it's pre-S-Wall era. The same scripts we've seen in fragments recovered from Zeta."
The realization struck Alex like a lightning bolt. "This place isn't just a ruin—it's a vault. A hidden sanctuary from before the Saints took over."
Nyssa drew her daggers. "Then we better move fast. Whatever's in there, the Empire will want it just as badly as we do."
They stepped through the threshold, only to find themselves in a grand hall. Stained glass murals lined the walls, depicting battles between humans and Saints—victories that history had long erased. At the center of the chamber stood an altar, upon which rested a second relic, similar to the shard Alex now held.
But before they could approach it, the temperature in the room plummeted. Shadows coalesced at the far end of the hall, forming into a towering figure clad in spectral armor. A voice, deep and echoing, filled the space.
"Who dares disturb the Legacy of the Forsaken?"
Alex tightened his grip on his sword. "We seek the truth. We seek to reclaim what was stolen."
The spectral guardian raised its weapon, eyes glowing with an eerie light. "Then prove your worth, descendant of the lost. Or be forgotten like all who came before you."
With that, the hall erupted into battle.