Darkness swallowed Celestine.
The collapse of the Nexus Vault sent her plummeting through a labyrinth of shattered stone and broken pathways. Dust and debris choked the air as she twisted midair, reaching for something—anything—to stop her descent.
Then, impact.
She landed hard on uneven ground, her body rolling across the cold stone. A sharp pain flared in her ribs, but she forced herself to breathe.
Where was everyone?
A faint groan echoed nearby. She turned her head to see Elias, coughing as he pushed himself upright. His daggers were missing, his usual smirk replaced by a scowl.
"Remind me never to trust a collapsing vault again," he muttered.
Celestine's gaze swept the cavern. It was vast—too vast. Towering pillars, carved with symbols she didn't recognize, loomed over them like silent sentinels. The air was heavy, charged with something ancient.
Footsteps.
She spun around, heart pounding—until she saw Alistair emerge from the shadows, his blade still in hand. His clothes were dust-covered, but his stance was steady. He looked up, eyes scanning the ruins.
"We fell deep," he said grimly. "Much deeper than the Vault's foundations."
Elias wiped blood from his brow. "So… where exactly is here?"
Celestine turned toward the far end of the cavern—where a massive obsidian gate stood, its surface pulsating with a dim, eerie glow. The intricate engravings felt alive, whispering at the edges of her mind.
She knew this place.
Or at least, something inside her did.
The Architect entity stepped forward, its presence unwavering. "We stand on the threshold of the First Sanctum."
Celestine's breath hitched. "The First Sanctum?"
The lost core of the Architects' civilization. A place that history claimed had been destroyed centuries ago. Yet here it was, buried beneath Noctis-Lux, untouched by time.
Elias whistled. "So much for history books."
Alistair ran a gloved hand over the runes on the gate. "If this place still exists, then the Council must have known." His gaze darkened. "Which means Malrik knew."
Celestine clenched her fists. What was he hiding?
The Architect turned toward her. "Only those who carry our blood may enter."
Her pulse quickened. Blood.
Did it mean—?
Alistair stepped closer. "Celestine, this might be dangerous."
She knew that. But there was no turning back now.
Taking a breath, she stepped forward and pressed her palm against the gate.
For a moment, nothing happened.
Then—
The entire chamber came to life.
The obsidian surface rippled, glowing veins of light surging outward as a deep tremor rumbled beneath their feet.
Celestine's vision blurred. Images—fragments of a forgotten past—flashed before her eyes. A city bathed in golden fire. The Architects falling. A figure standing alone against the tide, whispering a name she couldn't quite hear.
Then, a voice—soft, yet commanding.
"You have returned."
The gate opened.