Rovine's foot slipped.
For a split second, there was nothing beneath him.
Then—
he fell.
He hit the water with a violent splash.
The cold was unbearable.
It pierced through his body like needles, stealing his breath instantly.
Rovine struggled, thrashing his arms wildly, trying to stay afloat.
But the darkness was absolute.
He couldn't see anything.
Above him, rocks continued to fall, crashing into the water.
He tried to swim—left, right, forward—desperately searching for an exit.
Nothing.
It felt like the entire place was sealed.
His chest tightened.
He couldn't breathe.
I'm going to drown…
Panic took over.
His movements grew weaker.
Then—
his hand touched something.
A wall.
Rough. Solid.
But—
something was wrong.
The bricks… shifted.
Rovine's eyes widened.
Without thinking, he began punching the wall.
Again.
And again.
And again.
But underwater, his strikes were slow—weak.
The wall wouldn't break.
Still—
he had no choice.
If he stopped, he would die.
So he kept hitting.
Even as pain shot through his hands.
Even as his skin tore open.
Blood seeped into the water, spreading like a dark cloud around him.
His vision blurred.
His strength faded.
One more hit—
Crack.
The bricks gave way.
Water rushed forward with terrifying force.
The wall collapsed.
A powerful current dragged Rovine along with it—
and then—
he was thrown out.
He collapsed onto the ground, coughing violently.
Water flooded out of his lungs.
He gasped for air like a man reborn.
The water level quickly dropped to his knees.
Everything was dark.
Silent.
Too silent.
Rovine staggered forward, his vision spinning.
His body trembled uncontrollably.
He took a few steps—
and slammed into a wall.
The impact sent him crashing down.
And everything went black.
Time passed.
He didn't know how much.
When Rovine opened his eyes—
he froze.
He was inside a massive underground chamber.
Water still covered parts of the floor.
So the water drained… but where did it go?
He reached into his bag and pulled out a small spherical device.
Without hesitation, he threw it.
The sphere shattered mid-air—
spreading glowing particles across the darkness.
Light filled the chamber.
And what he saw—
made him stop breathing.
It was enormous.
As large as a colony.
Massive pillars stretched toward the unseen ceiling.
And the walls—
were covered in art.
Ancient.
Detailed.
Alive.
Rovine slowly walked forward, his eyes scanning the walls.
Each artwork was different.
One of them—
looked like a galactic war.
Stars.
Explosions.
Unknown structures.
Rovine frowned.
"That's impossible…"
"This cave is ancient… so how could they know about something like this?"
His mind raced.
Is this from the old world…?
Before Zytherael erased everything?
"No… even then… humanity wasn't that advanced."
He paused.
"Or… is this just imagination?"
The place felt like a museum.
A warning.
Or a memory.
He moved further.
Another artwork.
This one—
was worse.
Three forms of apocalypse.
Starvation.
Freezing death.
And brutal survival against beasts.
Humanity… collapsing in different ways.
Rovine's expression darkened.
"These are… ends."
"Different ways a civilization can die."
As he walked deeper, the walls continued telling the same story—
Destruction.
Endings.
Again.
And again.
And again.
After a long walk—
he saw it.
A massive gate.
He hesitated.
Fear crept in.
But he pushed it open.
The gate resisted.
As if it hadn't moved in centuries.
With effort—
it finally opened.
And inside—
stood a statue.
A human figure.
Kneeling.
Head lowered.
Hands raised upward—
as if begging.
Or praying.
A faint sound echoed through the chamber.
A heartbeat.
Slow.
Heavy.
Not his.
…Vernexis…
Rovine froze.
He looked around.
Nothing.
Silence.
He stepped closer.
The statue's clothes belonged to an ancient era.
Its body—
thin.
Weak.
Like a starving man.
Why… was this made?
Rovine stood beneath it and slowly looked up.
The face—
was filled with despair.
The eyes—
closed.
Cracked.
…Velkora…
The chamber trembled.
Not violently—
but like something breathing.
The cracks spread further.
Then—
the eyes opened.
Rovine's body went still.
The gaze—
terrifying.
Empty.
Yet alive.
The cracks widened.
And from within—
a greyish-black liquid began to seep out.
Before he could react—
it fell.
Straight into his eyes.
Pain exploded.
A burning sensation tore through him.
Smoke rose from his skin.
"AAAHHH—!"
Rovine screamed.
His neck muscles tightened.
Dark veins spread beneath his skin.
The lights flickered.
The air grew heavy.
He collapsed to the ground, writhing.
His hands clawed at his face.
His body convulsed violently.
Then—
a whisper.
Close.
Too close.
…Vernexis…
Another voice answered—
…Velkora…
Then—
more.
And more.
From every direction.
From nowhere.
From inside.
Vernexis… Velkora…
Vernexis… Velkora…
Vernexis… Velkora…
…Vernexis… Velkora…
The echoes spread.
Filling the chamber.
Layer upon layer—
until the sound became unbearable.
A chorus.
A command.
A truth.
VERNEXIS VELKORA
Rovine slammed his head against the ground—
again—
and again—
and again—
It felt like something was entering him.
Breaking him.
Rewriting him.
His vision shattered into fragments.
His thoughts dissolved.
This isn't death…
This is something else…
And then—
everything went silent.