The spire loomed above Kael like a monument built by the dead for the dead. Each bone, each splintered mast and shattered hull whispered a name long erased. The sea stilled, as if holding its breath.
Kael stepped off the boat.
The cloaked guide said nothing—only raised a finger to the sky. Clouds spun slowly above, and a spiral of bone stairs extended downward, descending into the sea, yet somehow, Kael did not sink. Time slowed. Reality folded. He walked.
Down into the Ossuary Crown.
The Descent into Memory
The temple was silent save for the echoes of breath that weren't his.
Walls of bone flickered with half-light. Murals told stories of battles Kael had never fought, victories he hadn't earned—but remembered.
"This is not about regret," the voice came from within. "It is about truth."
A thousand versions of himself emerged from the shadows—some noble, some broken, some monstrous.
They surrounded him. Judging. Reflecting. Demanding.
"You carry the title of Gatekeeper," said one echo, armor cracked and dripping with black fire. "But do you even know the weight of the gate you guard?"
Kael stepped forward. "I know enough to keep it shut."
Another version laughed—a boy, barely fifteen. "You were made, Kael. Not born. Knotted into existence. Show us you deserve your soul."
The world collapsed into a singular point—
The Trial of Identity
Kael found himself in the center of a circle of infinite mirrors. Each showed a different fate.
One where he died before unlocking the Shardweave.
One where Nihlari Prime ruled unchallenged.
One where he became her weapon.
He clenched his fists. "I am not them."
"Then who are you?" the mirrors whispered in unison.
Kael closed his eyes.
He saw the Rift. The tree. The roots. The weight of everything he had lost and everything he had yet to understand. Not guilt. Not sorrow.
But purpose.
"I am the tether that holds the storm. The shard that chose not to break. I am the Gatekeeper."
The mirrors shattered.
And with the sound of a universe exhaling, everything returned.
[STATUS REPORT - UPDATED]
Name: KaelClass: Gatekeeper of the First WeaveLevel: 200XP: 0/500HP: 10,000/10,000MP: 25,000/25,000
Attributes:
Strength: 2,500
Dexterity: 2,200
Constitution: 2,300
Intelligence: 1,800
Wisdom: 1,700
Charisma: 1,000
Skills:
Riftblade Mastery (Max Level)
Shadow Fusion (Max Level)
Echo Step (Max Level)
Dimensional Strike (Max Level)
Rift Storm (Max Level)
Battle Instinct (Max Level)
Riftborn Legion (Max Level)
Worldbreaker (Max Level)
Time Dilation (Max Level)
Soul of the Gatekeeper (Unlocked)
God's Harvest (Unlocked)
Nexus Core (Unlocked)
New Skill: The Forgotten's Shadow (Active)Description: The Forgotten's lingering presence haunts your every step. As a guardian of creation, you are marked to face its awakening. This power grants heightened awareness of distortions in reality, allowing you to trace the origins of the Forgotten's influence.
Kael emerged from the temple as the sea began to churn, reacting to the shift in power.
The cloaked guide bowed.
"You are whole now," she said. "But the Weave has only just begun to test you."
Kael looked toward the distant horizon, where five more relics waited—and the storm of Nihlari Prime grew closer.