Chapter 5 — The Seven Realms
934 Words
Arin stood alone beneath the silver-lit sky.
The creatures were gone, but their final words remained trapped inside his mind.
The Heir.
He looked at his palm.
The strange silver mark had disappeared, leaving only a faint line across his skin.
“Seven Realms...” Arin whispered. “What does that even mean?”
For a moment, nothing happened.
Then the forest answered.
A deep rumbling sound came from beneath the ground.
The trees began to shake.
Arin stepped backward as a circle of silver symbols appeared around his feet.
The symbols were the same ones he had seen in his vision.
Suddenly, the ground opened.
Instead of falling into darkness, Arin found himself standing before a massive stone doorway.
It had appeared between two ancient trees.
Seven symbols were carved across the door.
A crown.
A flame.
A wave.
A wing.
A crystal.
A shadow.
And a strange symbol that looked like an eye.
Arin touched the door.
The moment his fingers made contact, the entire forest disappeared.
He found himself standing in a vast hall.
Seven enormous thrones stood before him.
Six were occupied by mysterious figures.
The seventh throne was empty.
A man wearing black armor stood in the center of the hall.
His face was hidden behind a silver mask.
“You finally awakened,” he said.
Arin stepped back.
“Who are you?”
The masked man laughed softly.
“That is the question you should be asking yourself.”
“I don't understand.”
“You were never supposed to.”
The hall suddenly changed.
Images appeared in the air.
Arin saw a magnificent kingdom floating above the clouds.
Millions of people lived beneath golden towers.
Magic flowed through rivers of light.
Then everything changed.
The sky became black.
Armies of shadow creatures invaded the kingdom.
People screamed.
Buildings collapsed.
And at the center of the destruction stood a young warrior.
Arin stared at him.
The warrior looked exactly like him.
“No...” Arin whispered.
The masked man spoke.
“That was you.”
Arin shook his head.
“That can't be me.”
“It was you a thousand years ago.”
Arin's heart stopped.
“A thousand years?”
“You were the Guardian of the Seven Realms.”
The vision continued.
The younger Arin stood before an enormous black portal.
Behind him were thousands of wounded warriors.
A woman stood beside him.
Arin recognized her immediately.
The same woman from his earlier vision.
She placed her hand against his face.
“If you open the seal,” she said, “you will lose everything.”
Young Arin looked at her.
“I have no choice.”
“You always have a choice.”
He smiled sadly.
“Not this time.”
A powerful silver light exploded from his body.
The portal began closing.
But just before it disappeared, a dark hand reached through.
The vision ended.
Arin collapsed onto the floor.
His breathing became heavy.
“Who was she?”
The masked man remained silent.
“Tell me!”
Arin's voice echoed through the hall.
“She was the person who betrayed you.”
Arin stared at him.
“What?”
“The woman you saw was not protecting your power.”
The masked man slowly removed his silver mask.
Arin's eyes widened.
The face beneath it was old, scarred and strangely familiar.
“I was there when the Seven Realms fell.”
Arin stood.
“Who are you?”
The man looked directly into his eyes.
“My name is Kael.”
A long silence followed.
Then Kael said something that made Arin's blood run cold.
“I was your greatest enemy.”
The seven thrones suddenly began glowing.
One by one, the symbols awakened.
Flame.
Water.
Wind.
Earth.
Shadow.
Light.
And finally—
Silver.
Kael looked toward the seventh throne.
“The other six realms have already begun searching for you.”
“Why?”
“Because they are afraid.”
“Afraid of me?”
Kael nodded.
“Your power can awaken the ancient magic sleeping inside every living thing.”
Arin looked at his hands.
“So I can control magic?”
“No.”
Kael stepped closer.
“You can awaken it.”
“What is the difference?”
Kael's expression became serious.
“A normal magician uses magic.”
He pointed toward Arin.
“You change what magic can become.”
The hall shook violently.
A crack appeared across the ceiling.
Kael looked upward.
“They found us.”
“Who?”
Before Kael could answer, a voice echoed through the hall.
“Give us the Heir.”
The seven thrones went dark.
A gigantic shadow appeared above them.
Kael immediately drew a glowing sword.
“Arin, listen carefully.”
“What?”
“You have only awakened the first layer of your power.”
Arin stared at him.
“How many layers are there?”
Kael looked toward the seventh throne.
“Seven.”
A massive explosion shattered the entrance.
Dark warriors flooded into the hall.
Kael raised his sword.
“Your first lesson begins now.”
Arin clenched his fists.
Silver light appeared around his body.
But this time, something else appeared inside the light.
A tiny golden flame.
Arin stared at it in confusion.
Kael's expression changed.
For the first time, the old warrior looked genuinely frightened.
“That is impossible.”
“What?”
Kael whispered:
“The Golden Core.”
The flame suddenly grew brighter.
And somewhere beyond the Seven Realms, an ancient being opened its eyes.
“The Heir has awakened.”
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