As Kaelen and his companions dashed deeper into the dense forest, they slowed down when the towering trees gave way to an ancient, crumbling ruin. The ruins were overgrown with thick vines and moss, the stone structures barely visible beneath the greenery. The air around the place felt strangely heavy, charged with an ancient magic that sent shivers down their spines.
Kaelen came to a sudden halt, his eyes narrowing as he felt something odd. His hand instinctively went to his sword, the Blade of Eternity, which was vibrating gently in its sheath. The closer they got to the ruin, the stronger the reaction from his sword became.
Morris, breathing heavily from the run, glanced at Kaelen and raised an eyebrow. "What’s going on?"
Kaelen pulled the Blade of Eternity from its sheath. The weapon hummed with energy, glowing faintly with an otherworldly light. "The sword... it’s reacting to something in there," Kaelen said, his voice low but filled with curiosity.
Guinevere, wiping a bead of sweat from her forehead, stepped forward cautiously. "It feels like the entire area is pulsing with mana," she muttered. "This ruin must have some kind of ancient power."
Sofia scanned the ruins, her expression thoughtful. "This isn’t just any ruin. Look at the markings... they seem like symbols from a forgotten era."
Eldric, standing at the edge of the group with his arms crossed, smirked slightly. "Looks like your fancy sword has a connection to this place, Kaelen. Maybe this is what it’s been leading you to all along."
Kaelen stepped closer to the ruin, feeling the pull of the Blade of Eternity grow stronger. "Whatever this place is, we need to find out what’s inside." He turned to the others, determination gleaming in his eyes. "Let’s be careful. There’s more to this than meets the eye."
With that, the group cautiously approached the entrance of the ruin, unsure of what awaited them, but knowing that whatever lay inside could hold the key to understanding the mysterious bond between Kaelen and his legendary sword.
As Kaelen and his companions entered the heart of the ruin, the air grew cooler and more oppressive. The dim light filtering through the cracks in the stone walls illuminated intricate carvings along the chamber’s surfaces. The carvings told a story—a story of war, magic, and power.
Ethan, always sharp-eyed, was the first to notice the murals. "Look at these depictions. They’re showing a battle... but between who?"
Guinevere, tracing a line of the ancient symbols with her fingers, read aloud. "The First Magi... and a family called the Dragonyx." She paused, frowning as she continued to decipher the old text. "The Dragonyx family was... a line of powerful warriors, feared and respected, who stood against the First Magi."
Kaelen’s heart skipped a beat. His hands clenched involuntarily around the Blade of Eternity. The name Dragonyx echoed in his mind, bringing with it a flood of memories and feelings he’d buried deep inside. He was one of them. But the last thing he wanted was for his friends to know about his connection to this ancient, war-torn family.
Morris, peering closer at the carvings, let out a low whistle. "The Dragonyx family must’ve been formidable if they could go toe-to-toe with the First Magi. But... why haven’t we heard about them until now?"
Kaelen swallowed hard, trying to keep his face neutral as anxiety bubbled beneath the surface. "Maybe the history was erased for a reason. We should... keep moving and not linger here too long."
Sofia, sensing something off in Kaelen’s tone, gave him a curious glance. "You okay? You seem a bit... on edge."
Kaelen forced a smile. "Just uneasy being in a place with so much dark history. We should stay focused. Who knows what kind of traps or dangers could still be lingering here."
Eldric gave Kaelen a side glance but said nothing, his expression unreadable. He sensed Kaelen was holding something back, but now wasn’t the time to press him.
They moved deeper into the ruin, but Kaelen’s mind raced. The Dragonyx family had been part of his life in ways he couldn’t reveal yet—not to his friends, not here. The more they learned, the more dangerous it would become. He knew he couldn’t let them find out his secret, not until he could trust them with it.
But for now, Kaelen kept his thoughts to himself, determined to protect his friends from both the ruin’s secrets and his own.
As Kaelen and his companions ventured further into the ruin, the air grew heavier with an ancient energy, a quiet hum vibrating beneath their feet. The passages became narrower, lined with faded glyphs and runes that pulsed faintly with a distant magic. They moved cautiously, their senses alert for any signs of danger.
Suddenly, the corridor opened up into a vast, dimly lit chamber. In the center of the room stood an altar—worn, cracked, and ancient—bathed in the faint light of the few torches still flickering on the walls. But it wasn’t the altar itself that caught their attention.
Seated cross-legged upon the altar was a boy, no older than Kaelen himself. His head was bowed, his white hair cascading over his face, and in his lap rested a gleaming white sword. The blade, faintly glowing, seemed to hum with an otherworldly power, much like the Blade of Eternity. The boy was deep in meditation, completely still, as though he had been there for ages.
"Who is that?" Sofia whispered, her eyes wide with disbelief.
Guinevere took a step forward, her fire magic crackling faintly at her fingertips in caution. "I don’t know, but that sword... it feels like it’s calling out. Like it’s alive."
Kaelen’s heart raced as he stared at the boy and the sword. There was something deeply familiar about the energy emanating from the blade. It reminded him of his own sword—the Blade of Eternity—and the connection he had with it. The more he looked at the boy, the more he felt an inexplicable pull, as if they were somehow connected.
Eldric narrowed his eyes. "This doesn’t feel right. There’s too much power here. Whoever he is, he’s not ordinary."
Morris, ever cautious, whispered, "Should we wake him up? Or... leave?"
Kaelen stepped closer to the altar, his eyes fixed on the boy. "We can’t leave without knowing who he is or why he’s here. He might be tied to the ruin, to the Dragonyx... or worse, the First Magi."
Suddenly, without warning, the boy’s eyes snapped open—sharp, glowing with a deep, ethereal light. He didn’t move, but his presence seemed to fill the entire chamber. The air became thick with tension as the boy’s gaze swept over them, locking onto Kaelen.
This 𝓬ontent is taken from fгeewebnovёl.co𝙢.
"You’ve come at last," the boy said in a low, resonant voice, his tone calm but filled with ancient knowledge. "The Blade of Eternity... and its new wielder."
Kaelen froze, his mind reeling as the boy’s words echoed in the chamber. How could he know? What connection did this mysterious boy have to his sword, and why was he waiting here, deep in the ruin? The air grew colder as silence stretched between them, and Kaelen knew, without a doubt, that whatever was coming next would change everything.
The tension in the chamber thickened as the boy, who had been sitting cross-legged on the altar, suddenly moved. In a blink, he was standing directly in front of Kaelen, faster than any of them could react. Kaelen instinctively gripped the hilt of his Blade of Eternity, his breath catching as the boy’s piercing gaze met his own.
Kaelen’s friends recoiled, caught off guard by the boy’s speed. Eldric, Guinevere, Morris, and Sofia all stepped back, preparing for any sign of danger. The air crackled with anticipation, and for a moment, it felt as though time itself had frozen.
The boy tilted his head slightly, his white sword still at his side, but his focus remained solely on Kaelen. "You can hide it no longer, Kaelen," he said, his voice soft but laden with meaning. "You are of the Dragonyx family... bound by their legacy."
Kaelen’s heart stopped. His eyes widened in shock as the boy’s words hung in the air. For a moment, he couldn’t speak, couldn’t move. How did this boy know? He had kept his lineage a secret, even from his closest friends.
Morris, his eyes wide, glanced at Kaelen in confusion. "Wait... what? Dragonyx? You’re... part of that family?"
Guinevere and Sofia exchanged stunned looks, while Eldric’s brow furrowed, his grip tightening on his sword. "You’ve never mentioned this," Eldric said, his tone sharp with suspicion.
Kaelen swallowed hard, feeling the weight of their stares. He hadn’t wanted them to know, not yet. But now, the truth was out, and there was no turning back. He met the boy’s gaze, struggling to keep his composure.
"How... do you know this?" Kaelen asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
The boy gave a small, knowing smile. "I know many things, Kaelen Dragonyx. Your bloodline carries a heavy burden, one tied to this ruin... and the battle that shaped the fate of the First Magi. You cannot escape what you are."
The revelation struck like a thunderclap, leaving the group in stunned silence as Kaelen grappled with the truth that had been so suddenly and unexpectedly exposed.