Chapter 2: The Vault of Shadows
Pain shot through his body as he hit the ground. Groaning, Kael pushed himself up, his surroundings slowly coming into focus.
He was in a vast underground chamber, its walls smooth and untouched by decay. Strange symbols glowed faintly in the dim light, illuminating a monolith standing at the center - obsidian, humming with an unseen power.
Kael's breath caught.
He had heard stories of places like this. Hidden vaults. Lost relics. Legends of the Zenith Order - warriors who had wielded the power of the Voidborn energy before they were wiped from existence.
Curiosity and fear warred within him.
Something inside him compelled him forward.
He reached out - fingers brushing against the cold stone.
And the world exploded into light.
Images flooded his mind - visions of a war long past, warriors clad in silver and gold, wielding glowing weapons against monstrous foes. A name echoed through his thoughts, foreign yet familiar:
Voidborn.
Kael gasped, staggering backward as energy surged through his body. His vision blurred, his muscles burned, and something deep within him woke.
The monolith's glow faded. But Kael was forever changed.