The night was thick with silence. Only the occasional rustle of leaves or the hoot of an owl betrayed the stillness surrounding the ancient ruins. Abhi adjusted the strap of his satchel, sweat forming at his brow despite the cold. Behind him, Isha moved like a shadow, eyes scanning every stone, every crevice.
"Are you sure this is the place?" Abhi whispered, looking at the obsidian gate ahead of them, half-swallowed by creeping vines and earth.
Isha nodded. "The map was clear. This is where the first shard is hidden. Beneath the Temple of Whispers."
The ring on Abhi's finger pulsed faintly, its energy resonating with something buried deep below the surface. It had been acting like a compass since they had left the sanctuary of the southern hills. A strange, unpredictable guide, but it had led them this far.
"Then let's not waste time," he said, gripping his cane and stepping forward.
The gate responded to the ring's proximity. A low hum filled the air, and runes etched along its frame lit up in dull gold. With a groan, the gate creaked open, revealing a spiral staircase descending into darkness.
They descended in silence. The air grew heavier, colder. The stone walls seemed to watch them, as though centuries of secrets whispered just out of reach.
"The shard was said to be protected by the Echo Wardens," Isha murmured. "They were constructs of ancient magic, bound to guard what the world wasn't ready to use."
Abhi nodded. "Sounds like the kind of thing that'll try to kill us."
They reached the chamber at the bottom of the staircase. It was vast, circular, with intricate carvings along every wall depicting battles between light and darkness, guardians and bearers. In the center floated a pedestal of obsidian, and atop it—a shard.
It shimmered, violet-black, with veins of silver coursing through it like lightning. As Abhi stepped forward, the ring flared.
But before he could reach the shard, the walls trembled. From the shadows, three figures emerged—humanoid, but twisted, eyeless masks carved from bone, bodies cloaked in smoke.
"Echo Wardens," Isha hissed, drawing a blade of light.
Abhi stood firm. "Let me try something first."
He held up his hand. The ring glowed bright, and a pulse of light erupted from it. One of the wardens hesitated, faltered—but the others surged forward.
Isha intercepted them, blades clashing, sparks flying. Her movements were swift, graceful, but the wardens were relentless. Abhi, meanwhile, focused his energy, trying to project a wave of clarity into the mind of the faltering warden.
And it worked.
The creature shuddered, then fell back, as if released from its bindings.
"They're trapped souls," Abhi said. "Held here to protect something they don't even understand."
He reached the shard. As his fingers touched it, pain seared through his body. The ring flared, and a storm of visions struck him. A forgotten city. A screaming child. A voice whispering, "Only the true bearer shall hold the truth."
When he opened his eyes, the shard hovered before him, now linked to the ring. The wardens crumbled into dust. The chamber fell silent.
Isha rushed to his side. "Are you alright?"
"I saw something," he said breathlessly. "There are more shards—seven total. Each connected to an ancient sin. We have one. The others are hidden across the world, each with their own trial."
She nodded. "Then we keep moving. The second bearer is after them too. If he gets them before we do..."
"He won't," Abhi said, eyes fierce. "We won't let him."
The chamber began to collapse around them as the magic faded. They ran, clutching the shard. Outside, the air was fresher, the stars watching.
The hunt had begun.