Into the Depths
The silence inside the
Aeralis Ruins
grew heavier as they moved deeper.
Each step echoed—
Not loudly—
But endlessly.
At the front—
Elior walked carefully.
Beside him—
Lunashade
Its aura flickered faintly—
Reacting to something unseen.
Behind them—
Dr. Vael observed everything.
Recording.
Thinking.
Connecting.
As they advanced—
The walls began to glow faintly.
Symbols lit up one by one.
Like the ruins were… waking up.
"…It's reacting to us," Elior whispered.
Dr. Vael nodded.
"Or more specifically…"
His eyes shifted to Lunashade.
"…to that energy."
Ahead—
The corridor divided into two.
One path—
Filled with faint golden light.
The other—
Consumed by darkness.
Elior paused.
"…Which way?"
Lunashade stepped forward slowly—
Toward the darker path.
Elior didn't hesitate.
"…We follow it."
Dr. Vael gave a small, intrigued smile.
"Of course you do."
The moment they entered—
The temperature dropped.
The air thickened.
The walls… changed.
Now—
The carvings weren't peaceful.
They showed chaos.
Battles.
Destruction.
Dr. Vael traced one carving.
"…This is it…"
A pause.
"…records of the Abyssal Sovereign."
Elior stepped closer.
"…So it existed before?"
"Long before."
Dr. Vael replied.
"This isn't a random mutation."
A pause.
"It's a recurring phenomenon."
"A vessel gains power…"
"Loses control…"
"And becomes consumed."
Elior clenched his fist.
"…Not this time."
Lunashade growled softly.
Its aura pulsed—
Stronger.
But controlled.
They reached a large chamber.
Circular.
Massive.
Ancient pillars surrounding it.
At the center—
A pedestal.
Cracked.
Empty.
"…Something used to be here," Elior said.
Dr. Vael nodded slowly.
"Or still is…"
A pause.
"…just not in physical form."
The air shimmered faintly.
Dark energy lingered—
But so did something else.
Light.
Balance
"…Light and darkness…"
Elior whispered.
"…Just like you said."
The Greater Truth
Dr. Vael stepped forward.
"This ruin wasn't built to worship power."
A pause.
"It was built to contain it."
Without warning—
The chamber shook.
The walls glowed brighter.
Lunashade's aura reacted instantly.
Elior's vision blurred—
For a moment—
He saw something else.
A battlefield.
Ancient.
A massive shadow entity—
Clashing against a radiant force.
Then—
Gone.
Elior stumbled slightly.
"…What was that…?"
Dr. Vael looked at him sharply.
"…You saw it too?"
The walls shifted again.
A new section illuminated.
Different from the others.
More detailed.
More important.
Carved deeply into the stone—
Two legendary figures stood opposite each other.
One blazing with fire—
The other radiating pure light.
Their forms etched perfectly—
Timeless.
Powerful.
Watching over everything.
Between them—
A faint crack in the wall…
As if something was missing.
And the journey continues....