Chapter 100

Another heartbeat shook the chamber.

This time, the sound carried a strange resonance.

Ethan felt it pass through his body, touch his cultivation, and brush against the barrier surrounding his consciousness.

A moment later, the system responded.

[Warning: Ancient Consciousness Activity Increasing.]

[Foundation Stability: 43%.]

[Seven-Seal Formation: Incomplete.]

[Uncontrolled Awakening Probability: Rising.]

Ethan’s expression became grave.

This was no longer a matter of deciding whether to trust Serath.

The formation had already been activated.

And the consequences of leaving it unfinished were growing more dangerous with every passing moment.

He turned toward the crystals.

"Tell me how the seventh seal works."

Serath slowly raised his head.

"The guardian must establish a bond with the Heart."

"What kind of bond?"

"A spiritual covenant."

"Permanent?"

Serath hesitated.

"Yes."

Ethan gave a cold laugh.

"Convenient."

"It is the only way."

"No. It’s the only way you know."

Serath’s expression changed.

Ethan continued.

"Maelius created this foundation. He also created the Heart. If he was capable of building the formation, then there must be a method of controlling it without surrendering himself to whatever lies beneath."

"You don’t understand..."

"Then enlighten me."

"Maelius was different."

"How?"

Serath looked toward the darkness.

"He had already made the covenant."

Ethan fell silent.

The answer was unexpected.

Kaelan’s records described Maelius as an artisan-king who had created the Heart to preserve his empire.

They described his exile, his regrets, and the downfall of his civilization.

But none of the records had mentioned a permanent bond with an ancient lifeform.

Ethan slowly asked, "What happened to him?"

Serath’s expression grew complicated.

"That is a question our order has debated for centuries."

"Meaning?"

"Some believe he broke the covenant and survived. Others believe the covenant consumed him."

"And what do you believe?"

Serath looked at Ethan.

"I believe he never truly escaped."

The words lingered.

Another tremor interrupted them.

The platform sank farther.

Ethan sensed the enormous presence shifting beneath the foundation.

For an instant, his perception extended beyond the immediate chamber.

He glimpsed an immense underground structure, a network of ancient stone passages stretching beneath Starfall.

There were chambers, sealed doors, and enormous pillars descending into darkness.

And at the center of it all...

Something moved.

It was too vast for him to perceive clearly.

He sensed an outline resembling a curled body, surrounded by layers of ancient formations.

But the moment he tried to focus, an overwhelming pressure struck his consciousness.

Ethan immediately withdrew his perception.

The system surged.

[Danger: Direct Observation Detected.]

[Unknown Consciousness Attempting Retaliatory Contact.]

[Defensive Measures Activated.]

A sharp pain flashed through Ethan’s head.

He took a step back.

Serath noticed.

"You saw it."

Ethan steadied himself.

"Enough."

"Then you understand."

"No."

Ethan looked toward the enormous shaft.

"I understand that you’ve been meddling with something you cannot control."

He raised his hand.

Cultivation energy gathered around his fingers.

The six crystals responded.

Serath’s expression changed.

"What are you doing?"

"Correcting your mistake."

"You cannot destroy the seals!"

"I’m not going to destroy them."

Ethan focused on the flow of spiritual energy.

The formation was complex, but its basic structure was becoming clearer.

The six crystals acted as conduits. Their power passed through the pillars, gathered at the central platform, and established a connection with the Heart above.

That connection was forcing the ancient consciousness toward wakefulness.

But beneath the newly established pathways, traces of another formation remained.

Older.

Damaged.

Yet still functioning.

Ethan’s system highlighted several irregularities within the energy flow.

The ancient formation had been designed to regulate the connection.

The newer ritual had bypassed those restrictions.

If he could restore even a portion of the original pattern, the awakening might slow.

He concentrated.

A thin stream of spiritual energy entered the nearest pillar.

The crystal flashed.

Serath stumbled forward.

"Stop! You’re interfering with the alignment!"

"That’s the idea."

Ethan continued.

His energy moved through the ancient carvings, tracing pathways that had remained inactive for centuries.

The system calculated the fluctuations, identifying unstable points and possible routes for redirection.

One by one, the six crystals changed color.

Their pale blue light deepened.

The violent pulses began to weaken.

But the strain upon Ethan increased.

The foundation was drawing far more energy than an ordinary formation should require.

Even with his cultivation, maintaining control demanded careful precision.

A single mistake could cause the entire network to collapse.

Serath stared in disbelief.

"How are you reading the formation?"

Ethan ignored him.

He directed another stream of energy toward the central platform.

The ancient inscriptions brightened.

For an instant, the seven pillars appeared connected by a ring of golden light.

Then the seventh depression began drawing energy again.

Ethan immediately severed the connection.

The backlash struck him like a hammer.

He staggered.

Blood rose in his throat, but he forced it down.

The system issued another warning.

[Foundation Stabilization: Partial Success.]

[Energy Extraction Reduced.]

[Ancient Consciousness Activity: Temporarily Suppressed.]

[Warning: Seventh Seal Remains Unresolved.]

The heartbeat slowed.

The violent shaking subsided.

Dust drifted through the chamber.

For several moments, nothing moved.

Ethan lowered his hand.

The six crystals continued glowing, but their light had become steady.

The seventh depression remained dark.

He exhaled slowly.

It was not a solution.

But it had bought them time.

Serath stared at the platform.

"You altered the foundation..."

Ethan turned toward him.

"Apparently."

"Without the Heart?"

"I used what was available."

Serath shook his head.

"Even our most experienced keepers could not accomplish that."

Ethan’s expression remained unreadable.

"Perhaps you should reconsider whom you call experienced."

The man’s face twisted.

"You don’t understand what you’ve done."

Ethan approached him.

"Then explain it."

Serath’s expression slowly changed.

The astonishment faded.

In its place came something far more troubling.

Recognition.

"You really are the one."

Ethan stopped.

"The one what?"

Serath looked toward the empty seventh depression.

"The one the Heart has been waiting for."

Before Ethan could respond, a faint cracking sound came from the seventh pillar.

A line of golden light appeared along its surface.

Then another.

The ancient inscription began to illuminate.

Ethan immediately examined it.

Unlike the other pillars, the seventh had remained dormant throughout the ritual.

Now its markings were becoming visible.

And beneath them appeared a second line.

Words written in a language Ethan did not recognize.

The system reacted.

[Ancient Inscription Detected.]

[Translation Attempt Initiated.]

[Partial Translation Available.]

Ethan focused.

The translated meaning emerged slowly.

The seventh shall not be chosen by blood, crown, or oath.

A second line appeared.

The seventh shall be recognized by the one who remembers.

Ethan’s eyes narrowed.

The one who remembers?

He turned toward the shaft.

Far below, the ancient heartbeat sounded once more.

But this time, it was different.

Softer.

Almost deliberate.

As though something had heard the words.

Serath sank to his knees.

"The prophecy..."

Ethan looked down at him.

"What prophecy?"

The man raised his head.

"The order preserved fragments of Maelius’s final instructions. We believed the seventh guardian would be someone capable of wielding extraordinary power."

His voice trembled.

"But perhaps we misunderstood."

Ethan’s patience was wearing thin.

"Misunderstood what?"

Serath stared into the darkness.

"Perhaps the seventh guardian was never meant to control the First Witness."

A long silence followed.

"Perhaps the First Witness was meant to choose him."

Ethan felt a faint chill.

The system suddenly reacted.

[Warning: External Consciousness Activity Detected.]

[Contact Source: Unknown Ancient Lifeform.]

[Communication Pattern Identified.]

[Attempting Interpretation.]

Ethan immediately raised his spiritual defenses.

But the approaching sensation did not resemble an attack.

It moved slowly through the surrounding energy, touching the edges of his consciousness.

Then a voice emerged.

Faint.

Distant.

Ancient beyond measure.

You...

Ethan froze.

The voice did not come from Serath.

Nor from the chamber.

It came from below.

You are not...

The words faded.

Ethan narrowed his eyes.

"What?"

The heartbeat grew louder.

Then the voice returned.

You are not Maelius.