The ground beneath Ariya's feet pulsed like a heartbeat. Each step closer to the obelisk sent shivers down her spine—not from fear, but recognition.
She knew this magic.
She had felt it once before... in a nightmare.
Kiran stood beside her, sword drawn. "That seal looks ancient. Definitely pre-Void War."
The obelisk was massive—twice their height, made of black stone etched with silver runes. Chains of light bound it from all sides, humming with locked energy.
"It's calling to me," Ariya whispered. "But not like the Void."
Kiran narrowed his eyes. "Then what is it?"
She stepped closer.
The wind stilled.
Then came the voice—soft, distant, and echoing inside her mind.
> Daughter of dusk... blood of the marked... awaken me.
Ariya gasped and stumbled back. Her shadow flared defensively, lashing at the air.
Kiran caught her. "What did you hear?"
"Something's trapped inside. It knows me. It called me 'Daughter of Dusk.'"
Before he could respond, the seal reacted to her voice. The runes blazed blue. The chains trembled. A low hum built into a scream.
> Release...
"No!" Ariya said, stepping forward. "I'm not here to free you."
But her shadow surged on its own, drawn by instinct. A tendril touched the stone.
The seal snapped.
A shockwave exploded from the obelisk, blasting them both backward.
---
When the dust cleared, the obelisk had cracked open like an egg. From within stepped a figure—tall, armored in bone and silver, face hidden by a mask of horns.
His eyes glowed the same color as Ariya's shadowfire.
He looked directly at her.
"You are not ready," he said. His voice was ancient. Layered. As if spoken by many mouths.
Kiran raised his sword. "Who are you?"
The masked man ignored him. "You broke the seal. You touched the wound. The threads of fate unravel now."
Ariya struggled to her feet. "What do you want from me?"
"I want nothing," the figure said. "But they do."
Behind him, cracks split the air—realities bleeding into one another. Creatures of shadow moved in the rift, waiting.
The figure began to fade. "You must choose, Daughter of Dusk. Power… or purpose."
Then he vanished.
The rift closed.
Silence fell.
Ariya turned to Kiran. "We need to go back. Something has started. And we're not ready."