The ruin fell into a haunting stillness, broken only by the faint hum of the Gate’s energy. Seren stood at the center of the chamber, her hands still glowing faintly with silver light. Around her, the others caught their breath, their weapons lowered but their postures tense.

The Gate loomed ahead, a towering monolith of ancient stone and pulsating energy. Its surface was covered in intricate runes that shifted and writhed, as though alive. The air around it shimmered with power, thick with an energy that seemed to vibrate in Seren’s very bones. It wasn’t just a structure; it was alive, aware, and watching.

“What... what is that?” Thalira whispered, her voice barely audible over the thrumming energy.

“The Gate,” Rhael replied, his tone grim. “A conduit between worlds. It’s said to lead to the heart of the Void.”

Aethren stepped forward, his eyes locked on the glowing runes. “And it’s calling to Seren,” he said. His voice was steady, but his hand gripped the hilt of his sword tightly, as if bracing for what was to come.

Seren’s heart pounded in her chest. The whispers in her mind had gone silent, replaced by a single, resonant voice that echoed through her thoughts. It wasn’t malicious or cruel, but it was powerful, commanding. It called her by name, urging her to step closer, to touch the Gate, to embrace her destiny.

“Seren,” the voice whispered, deep and resonant. “You are the key. Come forth.”

“I can hear it,” Seren said, her voice trembling. She turned to Aethren, her eyes wide with fear and determination. “It’s speaking to me.”

“What’s it saying?” he asked, his tone urgent.

“That I’m the key,” Seren replied. “That I have to... open it.”

“No!” Rhael’s voice was sharp, filled with alarm. “If you open the Gate, the Void will spill into this world. We can’t allow that.”

“But if I don’t,” Seren countered, her voice rising, “this power inside me will consume me. I can feel it growing, and I can’t contain it forever. This... this might be the only way.”

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

The tension in the room was palpable. Thalira exchanged a glance with Aethren, her bow still in hand. “She’s right,” Thalira said reluctantly. “Whatever this power is, it’s tied to the Gate. If she doesn’t confront it, it could destroy her—and us.”

Aethren clenched his jaw, his eyes never leaving Seren. “There has to be another way. We don’t even know what’s on the other side of that thing.”

“Power,” Seren said, her voice steadier now. “And answers. I’ve been searching for so long... running from this power. Maybe it’s time I stopped running.”

Before anyone could respond, the Gate pulsed with light, brighter and more intense than before. The ground beneath them trembled, and a deep, resonant hum filled the chamber. The voice in Seren’s mind grew louder, more insistent.

“Seren,” it called again, echoing like a drumbeat. “Come.”

Seren took a step forward, and the light around the Gate flared in response. The silver glow around her hands intensified, as though drawn toward the ancient structure.

“Seren, wait!” Aethren shouted, reaching out to stop her. But she shook her head, her gaze locked on the Gate.

“I have to do this,” she said, her voice resolute. “It’s the only way to understand... to control this.”

Rhael stepped forward, desperation in his eyes. “You don’t know what you’re dealing with! The Void is a force beyond comprehension. If you open that Gate, it could destroy everything.”

“And if I don’t,” Seren said, her voice trembling but firm, “it might destroy me. This power isn’t just mine—it’s tied to the Gate. Maybe it’s tied to the Void itself. If I don’t face it, I’ll never be free.”

The room fell silent, save for the hum of the Gate. Seren turned to her companions, her eyes filled with a mixture of fear and determination.

“I need you to trust me,” she said. “Whatever happens, I’ll protect you. I won’t let the Void consume us.”

Aethren hesitated, his jaw tight. But finally, he nodded, stepping back. “We trust you, Seren. Just... be careful.”

Seren gave him a small, grateful smile before turning back to the Gate. She took another step forward, and the air around her seemed to shimmer with energy. The runes on the Gate glowed brighter, their patterns shifting and swirling as though responding to her presence.

As she reached out her hand, the silver light around her fingers pulsed in time with the Gate’s energy. The moment her fingertips touched the stone, the entire ruin seemed to come alive. The walls trembled, the air crackled with power, and the Gate erupted in a blinding light.

Seren felt the energy surge through her, a torrent of power unlike anything she had ever experienced. It was overwhelming, consuming, but also exhilarating. She could feel the whispers of the Void, the echoes of countless voices, ancient and powerful, all converging on her.

The Gate began to shift, its stone surface rippling like water. A vortex of light and shadow formed at its center, swirling with an intensity that seemed to defy reality. The voices grew louder, a cacophony of sound that filled the chamber.

And then, from the heart of the vortex, a figure began to emerge. It was cloaked in darkness, its form shifting and indistinct, but its presence was undeniable. The air grew colder, the light dimmer, as the figure stepped through the Gate.

Seren’s breath caught in her throat as the figure spoke, its voice resonating with a power that seemed to shake the very foundation of the ruin.

“You have called, child of the light,” it said, its tone both ominous and curious. “Now, let us see if you are worthy of the burden you bear.”

The chamber plunged into silence, the only sound the faint hum of the Gate. Seren’s heart raced as she faced the being from beyond the Gate, her silver light flickering like a flame in the wind.

This was it. The moment she had been running from her entire life.

And there was no turning back.