> There is a sadness in my smile, which only she could see. Her eyes alone discerned that I was crying when others believed I was laughing. Somewhere, someone decided my eyes lacked sufficient tears, and so the clouds began to weep on my behalf. It’s as if I stood once more before her grave, gazing down as the dirt settled atop her coffin, further separating us. The ache of loss, even after all these years, refuses to release its grip. Sometimes I wonder how different my life might have been had she remained with me. I close my eyes, and her whispered laughter still echoes in the emptiness of my existence. Long ago, it used to illuminate my days. It’s as if I hold her hands again, walking down that road—the same road where I first asked her to walk with me. When I glance back, our footprints remain, etched into the earth, undiminished by time.

>

> Looking back, I smile, yet there is a sadness in that smile…

>

> — Halar Bikram Memories of Death Year 415 of Burning

Year 618 of Burning:

Beneath the cloak of night, three silhouettes prowled with the silence of a forgotten melody. Their presence, ephemeral, like notes lost in the wind, their footsteps, soft whispers, specters haunting the night.

Streets once bustling with life now lay deserted, their cobblestones bathed in the soft glow of flickering lanterns. Shadows danced upon the ancient buildings, casting mysterious shapes that seemed to shift and morph with each passing moment. Though the city was never lively even in the daytime, how could it be with them in charge? Yet now, if there were no lights, one would think it lay deserted.

The three abruptly stopped when somewhere a creak of a door opening was heard. The one in the lead glanced over his shoulder, ensuring they remained unseen. "Stay sharp," he murmured, his voice a mere whisper in the breeze. "Tonight we will succeed no matter the cost."

"And what a dance it shall be," came a reply with too much mirth in it. "Just leave the toe-stepping to me, Akim."

"You say I can't keep up with you, old man?" Akim quipped, his gaze flickering with mischief.

"Let's not forget the stakes," hissed the third shadow, her voice a whisper with the wisdom of years hidden beneath its youthful tone.

Akim raised his hands in a peace gesture and said, "Peace, Sab'a. Areeb and I are well aware of the goal tonight."

Sab'a's reply cust short. Footsepts echoed, sudden and close. They froze, breaths held, as the sound prowled nearer. Akim's heart raced his senses on high alert. Could it be a guard? Or perhaps a thief, hopefully? With a shared glance, they braced themselves for whatever danger lurked in the shadows, their hands instinctively reaching for concealed weapons.

The footsteps turned a corner, and gradually the sound moved away from them and drifted into the night. With a nod to each other, they began their silent journey further into the heart of the city.

As they ventured deeper into the city's twisting streets, the echoes of their footsteps seemed to reverberate louder with each step, heightening Akim's sense of apprehension. Shadows danced around them, casting eerie shapes on the walls of the ancient buildings they passed. Each alley they turned into felt like a passage into the unknown, with unseen dangers lurking in the darkness. Yet, they pressed on, their determination unwavering, driven by the urgency of their mission and the weight of what they sought. Every moment spent in the city's depths felt like a silent battle against time, a race against an unseen adversary to uncover the truth hidden within its walls.

They moved deep into the city, each navigating the labyrinth of streets with the stealth of shadows, their paths diverging momentarily before converging with a shared determination. As they ventured further, they regrouped in silence, away from the scrutiny of any prying eyes, standing before an old building, its facade weathered and enigmatic, bearing the scars of time's passage.

"Are we sure this is the place?" asked Areeb, his voice barely audible.

Akim couldn't help but feel a sense of awe mixed with trepidation. Its once grand architecture, now worn by the passage of time, spoke of a forgotten era long gone. Cracks snaked their way across the walls like scars of ancient battles, and ivy clung to the crumbling stones as if trying to breathe life back into the structure. The air was thick with history as if the very walls held secrets waiting to be uncovered. Yet, despite its dilapidated appearance, there was an undeniable sense of reverence in Akim's gaze as he regarded the building before him, knowing that within its depths lay the answers he sought.

"This is the place," replied Akim in the same tone, "We are fortunate they don't seem to know it is here. Let's get in and out before none is the wiser."

He gestured to Sab'a to step forward, "Can you make sure there is no trap, better to check beforehand."

As Sab'a stepped forward, her hands instinctively reached to pry back the hood of her cloak. Akim held his breath, his senses heightened, as he watched Sab'a's movements with bated anticipation. He heard a soft murmur escape her lips, and then her eyes flashed with a sudden intensity. In the blink of an eye, the darkness beneath the hood was replaced by two pale blue orbs that pulsed before vanishing. Sab'a sagged in the next instant, and Akim moved quickly to support her.

"Never easy," she murmured, then in a more composed tone, "there is nothing I could detect." She untangled herself from Akim's grip, her hand patted his in reassurance as he stood up straighter.

"Seems like the lovebirds are finished with their reunion. Time for someone to bring us back to reality," Areeb's voice broke the tense silence, injecting a hint of levity into the somber atmosphere.

Akim could hear the twinkles in Areeb's eyes without even looking. Akim was taller than average, but Areeb stood head and shoulders above him. Where Akim was well-built and could be considered muscular, Areeb was paper-thin, like a walking reed. He turned and moved his hand in a shooing motion, "You go on, Mr. Responsibility. Let's see if you're more than just talk."

The tall shadow moved into the building without another word. In mere minutes, which passed like hours to Akim, Areeb was back to the other two.

"Follow," was all that he said, Akim, who was about to make another quip at him, turned solemn. He and Sab'a quietly moved in after the lead shadow.

Navigating the labyrinthic structure, somewhat broken and ancient, the three soon were standing in front of what could have only been once a vault door.

As Akim approached the vault door, his eyes were drawn to the intricate markings that adorned its weathered surface. What once might have been a testament to ancient craftsmanship now appeared as little more than haphazard scratches, their original meaning lost to the passage of time. Yet, despite their faded appearance, there was an undeniable aura of significance surrounding them, as if they held the key to unlocking the mysteries of the past.

Akim couldn't help but feel a sense of reverence as he traced the lines with his fingertips, his mind buzzing with the possibilities hidden within their enigmatic forms. There was a time when Akim would have been moved to see such things; he would have tried his best to understand even a single word, as any word of that time before would have been worth all his efforts. But now, as he stood before the ancient door, he felt a pang of regret for the knowledge that had been lost to the ages. What secrets had these symbols once held? What stories had they told?

This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

A few years ago, Akim would have spent all his efforts to decode even a single word on this magnificent piece. The Akim of now knew that what they sought was far more important.

An actual tome, written just after the events of burning and humanity's climb from the depths to which it was cast. "Burning of an Era," written in the year 134 of Burning. Can he be close after all this time?

With a heavy heart, Akim turned to his companions, a sense of determination burning within him. This was it. "Let's go!" Akim took a step in anticipation towards the doors when a hand gripped him and pulled him back.

"Akim, listen to me, I know this is important, I know how much it would mean, but listen to me, please," said Areeb, his voice firm, pleading, and insistent at the same time.

"Somethings we cannot turn back once opened," Areeb's voice carried a weight of solemnity, each word measured and deliberate as if he were speaking not just to Akim, but to himself as well. "Sometimes living without knowledge is better than knowing; if this is the place, think hard before proceeding," his tone became more pleading with a hint of mournfulness steeped into it. "And if you still want to continue," Areeb's voice softened, his tone laced with a deep, almost palpable sense of unease. "and if you still want to continue, I will be here at your back, I will always be here at your back". It was then Areeb smiled, and there was a sadness to his smile that was plain to see.

This is it, he thought, the culmination of years of searching, the key to unlocking the mysteries of the past. Yet, amidst the anticipation, a nagging sense of doubt gnawed at the edges of his consciousness.

What if we're wrong? What if this is all for naught and the answers we seek remain forever out of reach? The weight of uncertainty pressed down on him, threatening to suffocate his hopes and dreams.

But then, amidst the shadows of doubt, a flicker of determination ignited within him. No, he thought, we've come too far to turn back now. Whatever lies beyond that door, we must face it together, as we have always done.

With a silent nod of affirmation, Akim turned his gaze back to the ancient door. They moved into the darkness beyond.

The chamber within was a stark contrast to the building’s dilapidated exterior, radiating an otherworldly aura that shimmered in the dim light. At the center of the room stood a small dais, its surface adorned with intricate runes that glowed with a luminous, ghostly light. The runes flickered and danced, casting shifting shadows across the chamber walls, their movements mesmerizing yet unsettling, alternating between a gentle blue and a fiery orange-red.

The air was heavy, laden with the silence of ages past. The chamber was modest in size, no more than 20 paces wide and long. Akim’s heart sank as his eyes found no sign of a tome or parchment, yet the surreal ambiance of the chamber kept his hopes high.

Akim stepped closer to the glowing dais, his breath catching in anticipation. The runes seemed to pulse, responding to his presence. He extended a trembling hand, fingers brushing the ancient symbols etched into the surface.

Then nothing happened.

Disappointment gnawed at Akim as he stood before the dais, his hand still hovering over the pulsating runes. The anticipation that had filled him moments ago now gave way to a sense of frustration and uncertainty.

Sab'a and Areeb exchanged worried glances, their expressions mirroring Akim's disappointment. The eerie glow of the runes cast elongated shadows across their faces, accentuating the tension in the chamber.

"We must be missing something," Areeb muttered, his voice barely above a whisper. "There has to be a reason why we were led here."

Sab'a's brow furrowed in concentration as she studied the runes, her eyes darting back and forth in search of a clue. "Perhaps there's a hidden mechanism," she suggested, her voice tinged with uncertainty. "Or a trigger of some sort."

Frustration knotted Akim's jaw. Everything was at stake, yet it felt like their efforts had been for naught.

But just as despair threatened to consume him, a soft click echoed through the chamber, barely audible above the hum of magic. Akim's heart leaped in his chest as he turned to see a section of the chamber wall slide open, revealing a hidden alcove bathed in a soft, golden light.

Hope flickered to life within him once more as he stepped towards the alcove, his companions close behind. Could this be it? The answers they had been searching for?

As Akim, Sab'a, and Areeb stood before the alcove, the chamber's atmosphere shifted. The darkness around them began to thicken. A low hum filled the air, growing steadily in volume until it resonated through the very stones of the chamber. It was a sound akin to the deep, reverberating tones of a giant bell tolling from the depths of the earth, or the harmonious chorus of a celestial choir, their voices blending into a single, sustained note that seemed to vibrate between the realms of existence.

The hum intensified, and the air itself appeared to shimmer as if reality were warping and folding upon itself. The shadows cast by the runes' glow began to twist and contort, stretching towards the center of the room where the hum originated. It was as though the fabric of the chamber was being pulled towards a single point, coalescing into a vortex of darkness and light.

Then, with a sudden burst of energy that sent a shockwave rippling through the chamber, the darkness erupted into a swirling maelstrom. Darkness opened before them, its edges lined with the same luminous runes that adorned the dais, spinning slowly as if marking the passage of time itself. The core was a mesmerizing swirl of colors, blues, and oranges intermingling with streaks of white, like a cosmic storm captured within a circular frame.

"So the rats have come after the crumbs after all." a menacing yet booming hiss echoed from the depths of the room all around, sending shivers down Akim's spine. It was a voice that seemed to reverberate not just through the chamber, but through the very essence of his being, filling him with a sense of dread and foreboding.

As the menacing hiss echoed through the chamber, a shroud of darkness began to form at the center of the swirling vortex. From within the depths of the void emerged a shadowy figure, its form shifting and contorting as if composed of writhing tendrils of darkness.

Akim's heart pounded fast, he watched the entity take shape before him. Instinctively, he reached for the ancient parchment resting atop the glowing dais, his fingers closing around its weathered edges. Before he could the shadow lunged at him, he managed to close his fingers across a page and yanked, tearing a parchment from the tome before he was shoved back hard.

Akim held on to the piece and tried to gain his footing beneath him as he stumbled backward, his foot caught on a loose stone, and he fell to the ground with a resounding thud.

In that moment of vulnerability, the entity seized its opportunity. With a guttural growl, it descended upon Akim, its tendrils wrapping around him like a vice. Desperately, he fought against the suffocating darkness, his muscles straining against the entity's relentless grip.

Then a blue gleaming tip pierced the shadow just below the nape of its neck. its grip on him lightened and then fell away. He scrambled to his feet and pulled his knife from his belt. The shadowy figure dissipated and the glowing eyes of Sab'a were released staring at him with concern.

Shuffling and grunts reached his ears and his heart leaped with fear as he saw more shadowy figures climbing up from around the dais. Areeb was engaged with two further back while Sab'a slowly turned and walked to stand beside him. he wondered how much of this evoking would cause Sab'a. For her ignition was not a true one after all.

"Focus!" Sab'a's command sliced through the chaos, her movements a dance of deadly precision. Her sword, aglow with ignition, struck like lightning, each blow a symphony of skill and determination against the encroaching darkness.

Akim fought on, heart pounding with each clash of steel. The parchment in his pocket reminded him of their mission, fueling his resolve amidst overwhelming odds. But the shadows pressed closer, cutting off his path to the tome.

As the shadows closed in around him, their sinister embrace threatening to snuff out the last flicker of hope, Akim faltered. A sharp lance of darkness surged towards him, a final blow poised to end his struggle until a sudden gasp of pain shattered the chaos.

In a moment of selfless sacrifice, Sab'a abandoned her fight and hurled herself towards Akim. Yet, before she could reach him, another figure intercepted the lethal strike. It was Areeb, his stalwart companion, his mentor and friend, whose laughter once resonated with boundless joy and whose eyes sparkled with wisdom.

Now, as Areeb lay crumpled upon Akim, a crimson stain spreading across his chest, the light in his eyes flickered with fading resolve. No longer did his laughter ring with mirth, nor did his gaze hold its familiar gleam. Instead, there was only a profound sadness and emptiness.

Sab'a's cry pierced the din as she was engulfed by the darkness. Her staff fell with a clatter, their light extinguished. Akim tried to reach for her, but the shadows pulled her into their embrace, her blue eyes fading like stars at dawn.

The vortex of light started flickering at his back, drawing figures on the moving darkness around him. Tears stung his eyes, uncomprehension of the nightmare unfolding before him. He wanted to charge head first into the fray heedless of the outcome and join his companions one last time.

Instead, he turned around and jumped through the shimmering vortex before it fluttered out and silenced one last time.