The room was still but it was not empty. It was like the space itself was waiting for something to happen.
Kael was standing in the middle of this silence looking at the thing in front of him. The others were behind him they were tense and unsure they did not know what to do. This was different from what they had seen. There was no danger, no attack. A presence it was heavy and aware and it was looking at Kael.
The thing did not move it just existed. Its shape was not stable. It was not falling apart like the other things they had seen. It was like it had learned to live with the chaos, not be controlled by it. There were flows of energy on its surface they were moving in slow patterns.
All of this was directed at Kael.
Riven moved a little behind him he was getting ready to fight. "I do not like this " he said quietly. "It is not attacking,. That does not mean it will not."
"Do not move " Lyra said, her voice was calm but firm.
Riven stopped he was waiting.
"It is reacting to Kael " Lyra said, she was looking at the thing. "If we do something now we might make it do something we cannot control."
Tarin was breathing slowly he was trying to be patient. "So we just stand here and wait?" he asked.
"For now " Lyra replied.
Mira was quiet she was worried. Her eyes were moving between Kael and the thing she was waiting for something to go wrong.
Kael was not looking back he was looking at the thing. The pieces inside him were moving they were responding to the thing. The closer he was to the thing the it felt, like something deep inside him was being pulled out.
"You are not like the others " Kael said, his voice was low but steady.
For a moment nothing happened. Then the energy around the thing moved it was not violent it was not chaotic it was like it had a purpose. A small pulse went through the room it was like a wave in water. When it reached Kael it did not push him it went through him.
In that moment something changed. The world was not the same it was like it was broken. Kaels vision was blurry the room was falling apart it was like he was floating. The ground was gone it was replaced by patterns that went on forever.
He was not standing he was floating. There were pieces around him they were not the same as his power they were older sharper.
A voice was talking to him it was not speaking it was not heard,. It was understood. "You carry it " it said.
Kaels eyes were sharp "What are you?" he asked.
The pieces moved they were forming shapes that were not complete. "Not allowed " it said, the words were broken.
Kaels face was hard "What system?" he asked.
The pieces moved violently like they were reacting to the question. Then there were images they were not clear. They were there. A structure it was endless it was perfect. Lines of energy were flowing they were controlled, balanced.
And then it broke a small crack went through the system it was getting bigger it was disrupting everything.
Kaels breath was slow "That's " he said.
"Forbidden " the voice said, it was heavy it was resisting.
Kaels eyes were narrow "Then why does it exist now?" he asked.
There was silence then "You " the voice said.
The pieces moved again "You carry the fracture " it said.
Kael understood, it was not clear but it was true.
Before Kael could say anything the vision was gone the room was back. The thing was still in front of him. The energy around it was more unstable it was starting to fall apart.
Lyra was talking to him "Kael " she said.
He turned her eyes were sharp, searching. "What just happened?" she asked.
Kael was breathing slowly the pieces inside him were still moving. "It spoke " he said.
Riven was frowning "Spoke? That thing does not even have a mouth " he said.
Kael replied, "It did not use words but it understood."
Tarin stepped closer his face was serious. "Understood what?" he asked.
Kael was quiet for a moment "It knows what my power is " he said.
There was silence then Mira spoke her voice was barely heard. ". " She asked.
Kael was looking at the thing "It said it should not exist " he said.
That changed everything Rivens posture was tight "Then we destroy it before it becomes a problem " he said.
Lyra said immediately "No " her tone was sharp decisive.
"If it knows something about his power then it is not a threat it is a clue " she said.
Tarin added, "A one " he said.
Lyra replied, "Everything here is dangerous that does not mean we ignore it " she said.
The thing was changing its stability was going its shape was flickering more. The energy around it was surging it was uneven.
Riven noticed, "It is shifting " he said.
Tarin stepped back "Back " he said, he was protecting Mira.
The thing moved it was not stable it was not controlled. It lunged forward not at Kael. At the space between them. Riven met it his energy was flaring but the impact was uneven it forced him back.
Lyra moved, her control was precise she was trying to disrupt its movement. "It is reacting to what happened " she said. "Its structure is breaking down " she said.
Kael stepped forward the pieces inside him were surging they were stronger. "It is not just breaking down " he said quietly. "It is rejecting something " he said.
The thing lunged again this time at Kael. Kael raised his hand not fully. Enough. A fracture formed it was sharper more visible. The energy around his hand was twisting it was responding to his presence.
Lyra saw it clearly so did the others. Kael reached forward. Broke the things structure again. But this time the reaction was immediate a violent surge of energy erupted the unstable energy was reacting explosively. The room was shaking cracks were spreading energy was scattering everywhere.
Kael was staggering his breath was uneven the strain was hitting him harder. The thing dissolved it was gone. Not defeated.
There was silence it was heavier than before. Mira spoke, "That was not normal " she said.
Tarins voice was tight "No and it will not be the last " he said.
Riven looked at Kael he was concerned. "You are connected to all of this " he said.
It was not an accusation it was a realization.
Lyra stepped closer to Kael her eyes were steady. "What did it mean?" she asked quietly. "When it said the system rejects you?" she asked.
Kael did not answer immediately he was still thinking. "It means this power " he said slowly "was never meant to exist " he said.
The room trembled again it was stronger it was deeper. They all felt it. Tarin looked down his face was darkening. "There is something " he said.
Lyra nodded, "And it is waking up " she said.
Kael closed his eyes the pieces inside him were responding they were calling, answering something below. When he opened his eyes his gaze was different certain more focused. "We are not, at the bottom yet " he said.
There was silence.
Then Riven let out a breath. " Course we are not."
Nobody laughed all.
Because the Lost Path of Heaven and the Trial Grounds and everything about the Trial Grounds was something they all understood.
The thing they had just seen was the start.
The Lost Path of Heaven and the Trial Grounds had something deeper inside them that had begun to wake up.
This thing was really down below where they were standing the chamber and it was beyond where any of them could actually see.
Something there was moving.
This thing was not unstable.
This thing was not broken.
It was sealed.
Now this thing had felt something, like a fracture.
It was starting to respond to the Lost Path of Heaven.
The Lost Path of Heaven was not hidden anymore.
It had been found out.
Soon the Trial Grounds and the Lost Path of Heaven would get a response.