The depths of Obsidian Canyon stretched endlessly before Kael Thorn and Liana Sevier, an abyss of forgotten knowledge and unseen horrors. The oppressive silence hung in the air, broken only by the distant hum of arcane energy pulsating through the ancient runes carved into the canyon walls. It was a place outside of time, a remnant of a civilization that had once touched eternity—and had been erased for it.
Kael adjusted his grip on the second shard , its eerie glow casting unnatural shadows across his fingers. Since acquiring it, he had felt an unmistakable pull—like something beneath the surface was waiting , calling to him. The whispers had grown louder, less fragmented, guiding him toward a destination yet unknown.
Liana walked beside him, her stance guarded, her fingers lingering near the hilt of her blade. She had always trusted her instincts, and every fiber of her being told her they were not alone.
"This place doesn't feel right," she muttered under her breath, scanning the towering stone walls.
Kael smirked but didn't take his eyes off the inscriptions ahead. "It's not supposed to."
She exhaled sharply, frustration edging into her voice. "Then at what point do we acknowledge that 'not supposed to' might mean we shouldn't be here?"
Kael didn't respond immediately. He studied the runes instead, his mind racing to piece together the cryptic messages left behind by the Eternals. The symbols rearranged themselves subtly as they moved, responding to their presence, shifting in ways that defied logic.
And then, the ground trembled beneath their feet.
Liana stopped abruptly, her fingers tightening around her weapon. "Kael..."
He lifted his gaze.
The canyon had changed.
Before them, the walls had widened into a vast chamber—a gateway formed of obsidian pillars, its entrance sealed by an intricate mechanism of floating, rotating stones, each inscribed with glowing runes. The shard in Kael's possession pulsed violently , its energy resonating with the barrier ahead.
Something was waiting beyond that threshold.
And for the first time, Kael knew they were no longer alone .
The Threshold Awakened
The hum of energy intensified, vibrating through the canyon like a heartbeat. The runes on the gateway shifted, rearranging themselves into patterns Kael recognized from his studies—symbols of passage and sacrifice.
He stepped forward, ignoring Liana's sharp inhale of warning.
"This is the next trial," he murmured. "The Eternals built these gates to safeguard their knowledge."
Liana crossed her arms, glaring at the twisting stones. "And how do we get through without triggering some ancient death curse?"
Kael chuckled, though the sound held an edge of adrenaline. "You assume it's avoidable."
Liana sighed, rubbing her temples. "Of course. Because why not treat the obvious dangers like a puzzle instead of a threat?"
Kael ran his fingers over the first floating stone , watching how it shifted in response to his touch. The symbols began to glow brighter, reacting to his presence. The shard pulsed in time with the stones, as if connecting to them .
"This isn't just a lock," Kael said under his breath. "It's an equation."
Liana frowned. "You're saying the answer isn't just brute force?"
Kael gave her an amused glance. "For once, no."
He turned his focus back to the mechanism, tracing his fingers along the runes while muttering phrases in the Eternals' lost language. The canyon trembled in response, and the stones began to *align* in a rhythmic motion—rotating into formation like pieces of a forgotten machine.
A low rumble filled the chamber, and then—
The gateway opened.
Beyond the Gate
What lay beyond the gateway was not a continuation of the canyon.
It was something else entirely.
A massive circular platform, carved from a metal Kael didn't recognize, stretched before them. The sky above was no longer the suffocating black of the canyon—it was ethereal, a twisting storm of violet and deep blue, swirling as though time itself was bending.
And at the center of the platform, hovering in mid-air, was another shard—its energy pulsing in sync with the one Kael already possessed.
Kael's breath hitched.
This was it. The next piece of eternity.
But before he could move, the platform trembled, and from the swirling storm above, something descended.
Liana cursed under her breath. "Why is there always something guarding these things?"
Kael smirked, lifting his dagger. "Because power isn't given. It's taken."
The Guardian of the Veins
The entity that descended was nothing like the Keeper of the Abyss.
It was taller, its form more structured—a fusion of metal and energy, moving with a precision that implied sentience rather than raw instinct. Its eyes glowed with a fierce golden light , and as it landed on the platform, its presence shifted the very gravity around them.
Kael felt the shard react, resonating with the energy of the guardian.
This was no ordinary challenge.
This was a test of control .
"Kael..." Liana muttered, stepping beside him. "I don't think this thing can be killed with a blade."
Kael didn't respond immediately. He studied the guardian, noting the patterns in its movements , the way its core pulsed in sync with the surrounding runes.
"You're right," he admitted. "This one requires more than brute force."
He tightened his grip on his dagger.
And then, without warning, the guardian attacked.
The Clash of Power
Kael dodged the first strike—a wave of raw force, shattering the ground where he had stood seconds before. Liana leapt aside, her instincts saving her from the second pulse of energy that followed.
The guardian wasn't just strong—it was deliberate .
Every move it made was calculated, responding not just to their presence but to the shard Kael carried .
Which meant—
Kael activated the shard, twisting its protective casing. The moment its energy flared, the guardian halted , its golden eyes narrowing as it recalibrated.
It wasn't mindless.
It was listening.
Kael smirked, stepping forward.
"This isn't a fight," he muttered. "It's a negotiation."
Liana stared at him as if he had lost his mind. "Negotiation?!"
But she wasn't wrong.
Kael raised the shard , allowing its glow to merge with the surrounding energy. The guardian watched , unmoving, as the runes beneath its feet shifted into new patterns—symbols of balance, of exchange.
And then—
The guardian spoke.
"What will you give... to take eternity?"
Kael exhaled, his mind racing.
He had expected sacrifice.
But now, the terms of the deal were his to decide.
And with that understanding, he smiled.