The Forgotten Hero's Rise

Ren sat in the dim light of the ruined sanctuary, the golden crystal resting in his palm. Though the battle had ended, a strange energy still pulsed from the relic, syncing with the quiet beat of his heart. The visions he saw still echoed in his mind warriors, divine power, and an ancient battle long forgotten.

The others had gathered around him, their expressions a mix of curiosity and concern.

Sylph knelt beside him. "Are you sure you're okay?"

Ren exhaled, nodding. "Yeah… just trying to make sense of all this."

Vaelin tapped his foot impatiently. "So? What did you see? Some kind of prophecy? Maybe a clue about your past?"

Ren hesitated. "I don't know if it was my past, but I saw warriors fighters wielding light, battling against something dark. And… I think I was one of them."

Elric's eyes narrowed. "One of them? That would mean this power isn't new to you. It's been dormant, waiting for something to awaken it."

Lyra crossed her arms. "Sounds a lot like fate to me."

Elric turned to the crystal, his fingers tracing the air around it. "This artifact is ancient older than any magic I've studied. It's no ordinary relic." His voice grew grim. "And if it's reacting to you, then we need answers."

Ren looked at the crystal again, determination flickering in his eyes. "Then we should find out where it came from."

Sylph nodded. "Maybe the archives in the Ivory Tower can tell us more. It's the largest magical library in the kingdom."

Vaelin smirked. "Great. More books."

Lyra grinned, punching his shoulder. "Afraid of a little reading?"

Vaelin scoffed. "I'd rather fight another demon."

Elric sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "The Ivory Tower isn't just a library it's a fortress of knowledge. Gaining access won't be easy."

Ren stood, gripping his sword. "Then let's not waste time."

The crystal pulsed once more, as if urging them forward.

Their journey was far from over.

The dim light of the ruined sanctuary flickered as the crystal in Ren's palm pulsed with a golden glow. A strange warmth spread through his body, as if the relic was awakening something deep within him. He clenched his fist, feeling the energy surge before it slowly faded.

Sylph placed a hand on his shoulder. "Ren, we need to understand what this means. If that vision was real, then your connection to this crystal is no accident."

Ren nodded, still trying to piece together the fragments of what he had seen. "I saw warriors, wielding light against something… dark. A battle lost in time. And somehow, I was there."

Vaelin leaned against the stone wall, arms crossed. "Sounds like a grand prophecy nonsense. But if you really saw it, then we need answers fast."

Elric examined the crystal closely. "This artifact isn't just reacting to you, Ren. It's resonating with your very soul. I wouldn't be surprised if it holds a piece of your past maybe even the key to why you were summoned to this world."

The thought sent a chill through Ren. Was his arrival truly fate, or had something beyond his control placed him here for a greater purpose?

Lyra exhaled and turned toward the sanctuary's crumbling altar. "The Ivory Tower is our best chance. The mages there guard the oldest records of magic and history. If anyone knows about this crystal, it's them."

"But the Ivory Tower isn't exactly welcoming to outsiders," Elric warned. "Especially to those who carry artifacts of unknown power. We won't just be walking in."

Sylph smirked. "Then we break in."

Vaelin laughed. "I like her thinking."

Ren tightened his grip on the crystal. "Then it's settled. We head to the Ivory Tower."

The golden crystal pulsed again, its glow intensifying for a brief moment almost as if it approved of their decision.

Far beyond the ruined sanctuary, in the depths of an unknown darkness, something stirred. Watching. Waiting.

Their journey was only beginning.

The sanctuary's air felt heavier, charged with unseen energy. Ren could still feel the warmth of the crystal in his palm, but beneath that warmth lay something deeper an overwhelming sense of familiarity. It was as if the crystal wasn't just reacting to him… but remembering him.

He let out a slow breath, steadying himself. "We need to leave. If this thing is as powerful as it seems, then staying here any longer is a risk."

Elric adjusted his glasses, his analytical mind already running through possibilities. "The Ivory Tower is far, located in the capital city of Velmora. If we leave by morning, we might reach it within a few days assuming we don't run into trouble."

Vaelin chuckled, adjusting the hilt of his twin daggers. "Oh, come on. When have we not run into trouble?"

Sylph shot him a sharp look before turning to Ren. "You're the one the crystal reacted to. Are you feeling anything else? Anything strange?"

Ren hesitated. He wanted to say no, that everything felt normal. But that wasn't true.

There was a voice—a whisper at the very edge of his thoughts. It wasn't words, exactly, but a presence… something ancient, something watching.

"It feels like… it's calling to something. Or something is calling to it," Ren admitted, his fingers tightening around the glowing relic. "Like it's waking up."

A gust of cold wind rushed through the ruined sanctuary, as if responding to his words. Lyra wrapped her arms around herself. "That's unsettling."

Elric exhaled. "Then we don't have time to waste. If something else is aware of this crystal, we could be in danger."

Ren nodded. "Then we leave at first light."

Just as he spoke, the ground trembled slightly, and the faint echo of a distant howl sent a chill through them. It wasn't an ordinary sound. It was deep, inhuman, and laced with hunger.

Vaelin's expression hardened. "Looks like we might not have until morning."

Sylph drew her spear, her stance shifting into one ready for battle. "Something's coming."

Ren stood, his sword gleaming in the faint glow of the crystal. Whatever was coming for them whoever had sensed the relic's power would find them ready.

The sanctuary's ruins fell into silence, the tension in the air thick as they prepared for the unknown.

Their journey to the Ivory Tower was about to get much more dangerous.