Not a moment passed—
before the ground shook.
Violently.
Shatter.
One of the pillars exploded.
Then—
a second.
Then—
a third.
The vast chamber trembled.
Cracks tore through the ground beneath their feet, spreading like a black web in every direction.
But this time…
it was not mere darkness that emerged.
Something else came with it.
Not smoke.
Not a simple shadow.
But a dense, heavy mass of blackness…
moving slowly, as if resisting its own shape.
Aeryon stepped back, sword raised.
But he did not attack.
He couldn't.
Even Arkath…
stopped.
His blade still raised before Dragor—
but it did not fall.
Because the air itself…
had changed.
It grew heavier.
Colder.
As if something within this place…
had awakened.
The mass shifted.
Slowly.
It curled inward… then expanded again.
As if searching…
for a form.
Then—
it began to take shape.
An arm emerged.
Long.
Distorted.
Layered in hardened darkness.
Then another.
Larger.
Heavier.
Step.
The chamber trembled.
Everyone froze.
Even the ground itself…
seemed to stop breathing.
A body formed.
Broad shoulders.
A massive torso.
Yet lacking clear detail.
As for the head—
there was no face.
Only a void.
A shifting darkness…
as if the abyss itself were staring back at them.
Aeryon took another step back.
His voice lowered.
"This… isn't natural."
No one answered.
Not even Morvan.
And Zalrik…
simply watched.
His eyes moved slowly across the entity, searching for understanding—
and finding none.
At the center—
stood Arkath.
Sword raised.
Body still.
Because he understood one thing—
This was not an enemy that could be understood.
Behind him—
Dragor moved.
Slowly.
Calmly.
He stepped beside the entity.
He did not look at the leaders.
He did not attack.
As if they no longer mattered.
The copies retreated.
One after another.
They did not vanish.
But they no longer attacked.
Instead—
they began to circle.
Around the entity.
As if guarding it.
The entity lifted its head.
Slowly.
Then—
it spoke.
Its voice was deep.
Ancient.
Each word drawn from a time long forgotten.
"How long… has it been?"
Silence fell.
Dragor answered calmly:
"Long enough… for the world to forget you."
The entity paused.
Then said:
"...Then much time has passed."
It turned.
Toward the leaders.
Its gaze lingered on Arkath.
Longer than the rest.
Then it spoke:
"This one…"
A pause.
"...feels familiar."**
Arkath froze.
He did not understand.
Yet something within him…
stirred.
Before he could speak—
Dragor stepped forward slightly.
"Do not concern yourself with them."
He glanced at the leaders briefly.
Then added:
"We will leave these copies… to deal with them."
A short silence.
Then:
"We do not have time."
The entity did not object.
Instead—
it moved.
One step.
Enough.
The ground trembled.
And in that moment—
Arkath understood.
This was not a retreat.
It was—
the completion of their purpose.
He shouted:
"You're not escaping!"
And charged.
He cut through the copies.
A strike.
Then another.
He drew closer.
Raised his blade.
But before it could fall—
the entity moved.
It did not strike.
It did not attack.
It simply—
touched the air.
And in that instant—
Arkath froze.
His entire body stopped.
He tried to move.
He couldn't.
Behind him—
the battle paused.
Even the copies…
stepped back.
Zalrik whispered:
"What did it do…?"
Morvan answered, barely audible:
"It stopped him…"
Dragor stepped forward.
And said calmly:
"Your time is over."
The entity looked at Arkath one last time.
Then—
turned away.
And began to walk.
Dragor followed.
With every step—
darkness swallowed them.
Until—
they vanished.
As if they had never been there.
Silence.
Then—
the ground shook again.
Violently.
Shatter.
Another pillar exploded.
Then—
another.
Then several at once.
The chamber could no longer hold.
The ground split open.
The ceiling collapsed in sections.
The copies retreated.
Then—
began to break apart.
One by one—
they vanished.
Arkath fell to one knee.
His body finally freed.
He lifted his head.
Looked around.
Everything…
was collapsing.
Aeryon shouted:
"The place is coming down!"
Zalrik snapped:
"We need an exit!"
Arkath rose instantly.
Drew his blade.
"Move!"
They ran.
Through falling pillars.
Across breaking ground.
Avoiding death at every step.
Aeryon pointed ahead:
"There!"
A narrow passage.
They rushed toward it.
Behind them—
a massive collapse.
Darkness surged forward.
As if chasing them.
They ran.
Did not stop.
Until—
they crossed.
And in that moment—
the passage collapsed behind them.
Sealed.
Silence.
They stood there.
Breathing heavily.
Morvan spoke, quietly:
"We made it…"
No one answered.
Because all of them…
understood.
What they had escaped…
was not over.
It had only just—
begun.
End of Chapter IX 🔥