**Chapter 6: Shadows of the Forgotten**
A deathly silence hung over the chamber, thick and suffocating. The dim glow of the ancient symbols flickered, casting elongated shadows along the towering stone pillars. The air was cold—too cold—like a place untouched by time. Kael's breath formed faint wisps in the darkness as he took another cautious step forward.
The weight of unseen eyes pressed upon him.
The chamber had changed.
What was once a silent, empty ruin now pulsed with something sinister. The statues that lined the walls—warriors carved in poses of battle—seemed different, as though they had shifted when he wasn't looking. Their hollow stone eyes bore down on him, and cracks ran along their forms, as if they had begun to awaken from their slumber.
Then came the whisper.
Faint at first, like wind slipping through cracks in the stone. But it grew, layered voices merging into one—soft, insidious, and filled with an ancient hunger.
_You do not belong._
Kael's pulse quickened. His fingers tightened around the hilt of the ruined blade at his side, the only weapon he had managed to claim. The moment his skin touched the worn grip, the system flickered to life.
[Warning: Presence of High-Level Entities Detected]
[Survival Likelihood: 12%]
He exhaled sharply. Not exactly encouraging.
Then, the first movement.
A grinding noise, stone scraping against stone. One of the statues—the largest among them, standing twice the height of a man—twitched. Dust rained from its shoulders as its head jerked toward him in an unnatural motion. Its cracked mouth parted, releasing a guttural sound that was neither human nor beast.
Kael stepped back, muscles coiled.
The stone warrior moved.
Its feet, carved like plated armor, slammed against the ground with a heavy thud. Ancient chains, once rusted, now rattled as they loosened. A massive axe rested in its grip, jagged and cruel, its edges still gleaming as if freshly sharpened.
The system flickered again.
[Ancient Guardian – Rank: ???]
[Status: Bound by Forgotten Oaths]
[Threat Level: Lethal]
Kael had no time to ponder the implications. The guardian lunged, swinging its colossal axe in an arc that could cleave a horse in two. Kael barely twisted out of the way, feeling the rush of wind as the weapon missed him by mere inches. The impact shattered the stone floor where he had stood, sending debris flying.
He had fought before—trained in secret, tested his strength. But this enemy was different. Its movements were unnaturally fast for something made of stone, its power overwhelming.
Another attack.
This time, Kael didn't dodge—he countered.
With a burst of newfound strength, he launched forward, the ruined blade igniting with a faint, eerie glow as he swung. The cracked edge of his weapon met the guardian's axe, and for a split second, sparks danced in the air.
Then, something unexpected happened.
The ancient symbols on the walls flared to life. The glow intensified, washing over the statues, the guardian, and even Kael himself. A deep tremor rippled through the chamber.
And then, the whispers returned.
_Lost one… we have waited._
The guardian hesitated. Just for a moment—but it was enough.
Kael saw his chance and took it.
He drove the blade forward, aiming for the cracks in the guardian's form. The moment the weapon connected, an unseen force surged through his body, coursing through the blade like a conduit. The guardian let out a guttural roar, staggering back as fractures spread across its massive form.
A second voice—stronger, more commanding—boomed through the chamber.
_Prove yourself._
The remaining statues trembled.
And then, one by one, they began to move.
Kael gritted his teeth. He was strong—but was he strong enough?
The trial had only just begun.