Deep within the labyrinthine recesses of the ancient cave, Ashton's footsteps echoed softly against the stone floor. The air was thick with the scent of time as the old place had been taken over by nature.
Even then, Ashton could hear the faint hum of dormant machinery lying around him. Is'kai had told him about the 'storehouse' or, as she called it, the 'Treasury'.
In fact, the technology stored there was the main reason Ashton was visiting the place, as he had long lost any interest in the Medallion. The tech left behind by the Precursors was more important than a 'key' that was the Medallion.
"It'll take a while to move all this stuff," Ashton mumbled as his eyes scanned the rows upon rows of priceless treasure around him.
Strangely, his presence felt small and insignificant amidst the towering shelves and elaborate machinery that lined the chamber's walls, each one a testament to the technological prowess of the Precursors.
Ashton knew he had stumbled upon something extraordinary—treasures that had remained untouched for millennia. It was a trove of knowledge and power that could potentially reshape the fate of worlds.
For a moment, Ashton marvelled at the endless possibilities that lay before him. The power he could wield... just that thought made Ashton think about ruling the galaxy. But he shook that thought immediately from his head.
The Precursors didn't want to rule the galaxy or the universe, nor should he. After all, Precursors formed humans for them to act as guardians, to protect and guide the civilisations on the path of prosperity.
However, Ashton couldn't deny that the possibility of ruling the galaxy seemed quite lucrative.
"Let's focus on important things first."
With a snap of his fingers, he summoned his skeletal soldiers. Their silent, bony forms materialised at his command. They stood before him, awaiting their master's orders.
Ashton's crimson eyes swept over the collection of ancient machinery and artefacts before instructing the skeletons to get to work.
"Retrieve everything here," Ashton instructed his skeletal legion. "and take it to Earth through the portal I've created."
His skeletal soldiers nodded in eerie unison, their bony fingers grasping the priceless artefacts with care as if understanding their significance.
Without a word, they began transporting the Precursors' technology back to Earth, the glow of Ashton's summoned portal beckoning them like a shimmering gateway to the unknown.
Amidst the preparations for the transfer, Ashton summoned Celeste as he would need someone to explain what the skeletons were doing to his mother.
"Celeste," he addressed the creature, "accompany the skeletons. Explain the situation to my mother. Have her store these items discreetly and stress that no one is to touch or even lay eyes upon them."
Celeste, always trying to score points with Ashton, saluted him with a cheeky wink as she said, "You got it, boss!"
She joined the skeletal procession with a swift leap, ready to deliver Ashton's message and oversee the operation. As the skeletal horde and Celeste worked diligently to transport the treasures, Ashton casually walked deeper inside the cave.
It was then that he felt it—a presence, a consciousness that seemed to linger within the chamber he was approaching. His senses sharpened, and every muscle in his body tensed with vigilance.
"Is'kai said no one else but a precursor can access the chamber... then how is someone else here?" Ashton mumbled as he slowly headed towards the chamber.
As Ashton cautiously opened the door, he saw an astonishing sight. There, amidst the dark, sat a grand and ancient throne—a solemn, ebony monolith that commanded reverence.
But that wasn't all. Upon that imposing seat of power rested a figure, a man, draped in regal attire, similar to that of his father's statue, baring the unmistakable mark of the Precursors.
The man regarded Ashton with a knowing gaze, and his voice reverberated through the chamber like an echo from an era long past.
"Nephew," he began, his tone rich with familiarity and authority, "what took you so long?"
Ashton's brow furrowed with confusion and scepticism. He regarded the man before him with guarded distrust.
"Who are you?" he demanded, refusing to acknowledge any relation to this enigmatic figure.
A wry smile curled upon the man's lips, his eyes shimmering with an otherworldly luminescence. In a gesture, he summoned the power of the Precursors' aura. It enveloped him like a shroud of cosmic energy, undeniable proof of his heritage.
"I am a Precursor, much like yourself," the man declared, his voice resonating with a profound authority that left no room for doubt. "And as your father's brother, I am your uncle."
Ashton's eyes widened with surprise. The revelation was shocking. After all, his father, Jo'Han, had never mentioned a brother, neither did Is'kai.
"You need not acknowledge me, for I know I have been absent from your father's tales," The man on the throne continued, his words rolling with a dark amusement. "You see, I am not someone he would readily speak of. Not after I nearly destroyed the galaxy just to 'preserve' the Precursor bloodline."
A chilling silence hung in the air. Ever since Ashton returned to Euphoria, it had been one revelation after another. So much so that Ashton didn't know what he should believe was right and what wasn't.
"Still don't believe me, huh?" The man leaned forward, his obsidian aura swirling around him. "Your father, Jo'Han, imprisoned me for that reason. He knew he made the right call. But I am here, alive, while Jo'Han has met his demise. So you tell me, who was wrong?"
"Dying makes a man wrong?" Ashton scoffed. "Don't make me laugh."
The man raised an eyebrow, probably because he hadn't expected such a response from Ashton. But he quickly grasped the situation and made a final attempt before doing something that would sever all ties between them.
"Do not follow in your father's footsteps, dear nephew," he said. "Join me, embrace your heritage, and together, we'll be unstoppable."
"I was taught never to trust strangers," Ashton stated, his voice firm and unshaken.
The man's cold and unsettling laughter echoed through the cavern, and his features contorted with malicious glee.
"Strangers, hm... if that's how you see me, then so be it," he said as the confrontation teetered on the brink of violence.
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