---

The path leading out of the ruins stretched into the horizon, a jagged trail carved through the wreckage of what was once a thriving metropolis. Lian’s steps felt heavier than before, each one weighed down by the gnawing sense of detachment that now plagued him. The world was still out of focus—sharp yet distant—like he was moving through a dream he couldn't wake from.

Behind him, Aeris walked silently, her silver cloak swaying in the cold wind. She didn’t speak, and Lian didn’t ask any questions, though his mind was swarming with them. The idea of hunting down a relic from the old world seemed insane. Yet there was something about Aeris, something about the way she talked about the shadows that made him believe she might actually know what she was doing.

Lian kept his hand near his sword, just in case. His body felt different, lighter, as if the absence of the shadows had stripped away something essential. It wasn’t weakness, but it wasn’t strength either—it was like losing a limb and still expecting to feel it.

“How much farther?” Lian finally asked, breaking the silence.

Aeris glanced at him. “We’ll reach the first marker by nightfall. After that, it gets dangerous.”

Lian raised an eyebrow. “Dangerous how?”

Aeris’s lips curled into a wry smile. “Let’s just say, not everything that died when the old world fell stayed dead.”

Lian’s fingers twitched at the hilt of his sword. “You could have mentioned that sooner.”

“You would’ve come anyway,” she said, her voice matter-of-fact.

Lian didn’t argue. She was right. As much as he hated being manipulated, the truth was he had no other options. The shadows would eventually return, and when they did, he needed a way to control them. This relic, as ridiculous as it sounded, was his only lead.

The two of them walked in silence for hours, the ruins gradually giving way to a barren landscape dotted with the skeletons of long-dead machines—remnants of the technological marvels that had once powered the old world. Their metal frames lay scattered like the bones of ancient beasts, twisted and broken by forces beyond understanding.

By the time the sun began to sink below the horizon, they had reached the edge of what appeared to be a vast, desolate plain. In the distance, Lian could see the jagged outline of a massive structure, half-buried in the earth. It looked like the remains of some colossal building, its walls cracked and crumbling, but still standing against the relentless passage of time.

“That’s it,” Aeris said, nodding toward the structure. “The first marker.”

Lian stared at it, unease creeping up his spine. “What is it?”

“A gateway,” Aeris replied. “To the undercity.”

Lian’s jaw tightened. The undercity—he had heard stories about it. The massive, subterranean network of tunnels and ruins that lay beneath the surface of the world. Some said it was where the last remnants of the old world’s power had been hidden, sealed away from those who sought to use it. Others claimed it was a place of madness, where only the dead dared to go.

“And we’re going down there?” Lian asked, his voice flat.

Aeris gave him a sideways glance. “You’re not afraid, are you?”

Lian scowled. “Fear has nothing to do with it. I just don’t like walking into places where I can’t see my enemy.”

Aeris chuckled softly. “You’ll see plenty down there. But I’m not sure you’ll like what you find.”

They approached the gateway in silence, the structure looming over them like a monument to a forgotten era. Lian could feel the weight of history pressing down on him, the sense that they were about to cross into something far older—and far more dangerous—than either of them fully understood.

As they reached the entrance, Aeris raised her hand, muttering a few words under her breath. A faint glow appeared around her fingertips, and the massive stone door before them rumbled to life, slowly sliding open to reveal a dark, yawning tunnel beyond.

Lian hesitated at the threshold, his instincts screaming at him to turn back. But then he glanced at Aeris, her expression calm, determined. She wasn’t afraid.

“After you,” she said, her voice laced with amusement.

Lian rolled his eyes but stepped forward, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword. As he crossed into the darkness, the air grew colder, thicker, and the faint echoes of the world above faded away, leaving only silence.

For a moment, Lian wondered if this was a mistake. But then he reminded himself—he had no other choice.

---

The tunnel stretched on, the air damp and heavy with the scent of decay. Faint lights flickered along the walls, remnants of ancient technology that still clung to life, casting eerie shadows that danced in the corners of Lian’s vision.

“This place…” Lian muttered. “It feels alive.”

Aeris’s voice echoed softly from behind him. “It is. The undercity is more than just ruins. It’s a living entity, shaped by the forces that destroyed the old world.”

Lian glanced over his shoulder. “And what exactly are those forces?”

Aeris’s expression darkened. “Things best left forgotten.”

Before Lian could press her further, a faint sound reached his ears—a distant, rhythmic tapping, like the echo of footsteps in the dark. He froze, his hand tightening on his sword.

“Do you hear that?” he whispered.

Aeris nodded, her eyes narrowing. “We’re not alone.”

Lian’s heart raced, his body tense. The shadows within him may have been suppressed, but his instincts were still sharp. He drew his sword, the blade gleaming faintly in the dim light.

The tapping grew louder, closer. It wasn’t the sound of footsteps anymore—it was something else. Something unnatural.

Aeris stepped forward, her hand raised, a flicker of magic dancing at her fingertips. “Stay close.”

They moved deeper into the tunnel, the sound growing louder with each step. Lian’s grip on his sword tightened, his eyes scanning the darkness for any sign of movement. The tunnel seemed to stretch on endlessly, the walls closing in around them.

And then, without warning, the ground beneath them trembled.

Lian staggered, barely managing to keep his balance as the floor cracked and shifted beneath his feet. From the shadows ahead, a massive shape emerged—a hulking figure, its body covered in twisted, metallic armor, its eyes glowing with a cold, unnatural light.

Lian’s blood ran cold. “What the hell is that?”

Aeris’s voice was calm, but there was a hint of urgency in her tone. “An ancient guardian. One of many that roam the undercity, protecting the secrets buried here.”

The creature let out a low, guttural growl, its eyes locking onto Lian. Without warning, it charged, its massive form barreling toward him with terrifying speed.

Lian barely had time to react, throwing himself to the side as the creature’s massive clawed hand swiped through the air where he had been standing. He rolled to his feet, his sword raised, ready to fight.

But Aeris was already moving, her hands glowing with magic. She muttered an incantation, and a burst of energy shot toward the creature, striking it in the chest. The guardian staggered, but it didn’t fall. Instead, it turned its attention toward Aeris, its eyes burning with fury.

Lian cursed under his breath. This was no ordinary fight.

---

TO BE CONTINUED