Collide: The Memory of Stars

Third Person's POV

With the three conditions now understood, the group wasted no time in beginning their research.

The Last Mage guided them deeper into the archives, past towering shelves lined with ancient texts and forgotten knowledge.

The air grew heavier with magic, the remnants of incantations whispered long ago still lingering between the pages.

Khael ran his fingers along the spine of a book before pulling it free, flipping through brittle pages.

"If we're breaking the Bastion's seal, we need to do it carefully. There's too much stored magic here. One mistake and—"

A deep tremor shook the chamber, sending dust cascading from above. The torches flickered wildly, as if disturbed by an unseen force.

The Last Mage's expression darkened. "It seems you have stirred something best left undisturbed."

Before they could react, an unnatural wind swept through the chamber, carrying with it a low, guttural sound. From the depths of the archives, an ancient defense mechanism had awakened, its presence manifesting as a shifting mass of shadow and energy, its form barely contained within the confines of reality itself.

Axel's eyes narrowed. "What is that?"

The Last Mage's voice was grave. "A remnant of those who once protected this place. It was meant to prevent intrusion."

Selene could feel it—the raw, unstable energy woven into its very being. It was not merely a guardian, but a fragment of the old world's desperate attempts to preserve what remained. As it moved closer, she felt something else—a pull. The magic was responding to her.

"It's reacting to me," Selene whispered, her hands clenching as she steadied herself against the weight of it.

The entity lunged, its form distorting, reaching toward the group. Axel moved to intercept, summoning his weapon, but the Last Mage held up a hand. "No. If we attack, we risk destroying what remains of the knowledge here."

Khael grit his teeth. "Then what do we do? Let it consume us?"

Selene took a step forward, a quiet certainty settling over her. "No… I think I can calm it."

She didn't know how she knew—only that she did. The resonance between her and the magic in this place had deepened, threading into something older, something waiting to be remembered.

Taking a deep breath, she reached out, allowing her own energy to intertwine with the entity's raging presence.

For a moment, it resisted, writhing and lashing out. But then, the tendrils of darkness began to slow, the raw hostility ebbing into something more measured, more controlled. Symbols flickered to life across its form, glowing faintly.

The Last Mage watched in silent contemplation before speaking. "It recognizes you."

Selene swallowed, her pulse steady despite the gravity of the moment. "Then it's time we learn why."

The entity's form continued to shift, its immense presence pressing against the edges of Selene's mind. A voice—no, an impression—whispered through her thoughts, deep and ancient, resonating like the currents of the sea.

"You have returned."

Selene stiffened. She hadn't spoken, but the voice—no, the being—had answered as though she had.

The others stood still, watching as the entity's form solidified, revealing scales shimmering with iridescent blue light, curling into the long, sinuous body of a great sea dragon.

Its eyes, like twin orbs of the abyss, fixated on her, not with hostility but recognition.

"Leviathan…" The name surfaced unbidden from her lips, as if the knowledge had been there all along, waiting to be remembered.

The moment it left her mouth, the tension in the chamber shifted. The Last Mage inhaled sharply, his expression unreadable, while Axel, Khael and Tyra remained poised, ready for anything.

The Leviathan coiled around them, its presence pressing into Selene's very soul, weighing her down with its gravity.

"You are the last to hold the light of the Luminescent One. The bloodline has faded, but the echoes remain. The Heart calls to you, and so I awaken."

Selene barely understood, yet the meaning seeped into her bones. This wasn't just another creature of the deep—this being was part of the magic that shaped Eldoria itself. And it was tied to her in a way she had yet to grasp fully.

"I don't remember," she admitted, the words painful on her tongue. "But I need your help. We seek the fragment of the Heart of Eldoria. We need to restore what was lost."

The Leviathan's form pulsed with an eerie glow, its gaze deepening, as if peering into her very existence.

"The Heart was broken to protect it from those who would consume its power. One fragment was placed beyond reach, hidden where only those who bear my mark may tread."

Selene's breath caught. A mark? She instinctively placed a hand over her chest, feeling an unfamiliar warmth bloom beneath her skin. As if in response, the Leviathan lowered its head, the space between its eyes radiating a deep azure light.

"The sanctuary within the Bastion still holds its piece. But the path is sealed. You must open it, Child of the Abyss."

The words sent a shiver down her spine. Child of the Abyss. The title felt foreign, yet familiar in the depths of her being.

Khael stepped forward, his voice low with urgency. "Selene, what is it saying?"

She exhaled slowly, grounding herself before looking at her companions. "The fragment is here. In the Bastion. But it's locked away by the seal only I can open."

The Last Mage studied her carefully before nodding. "Then we have no choice but to follow where the Leviathan leads."

The great sea dragon uncoiled, shifting toward the far end of the chamber where the water shimmered unnaturally, as though hiding something just beyond sight.

As Selene took a step forward, the Leviathan's presence remained heavy against her senses, whispering to her in the language of the deep.

"Remember who you are."

And with that, the path to the Heart's fragment began to unfold.

As Selene stepped forward, the shimmering barrier at the chamber's end rippled at her presence. The Leviathan's massive form coiled behind her, its glowing eyes watching intently.

She raised her hand, feeling the pulse of ancient magic thrumming through her veins. This was the path only she could open—the one sealed long ago to protect the fragment of the Heart of Eldoria.

But as the barrier began to part, a chilling presence slithered into the chamber.

A low, unnatural hum filled the air, the telltale sign of something vile approaching. Tendrils of dark energy crept through the cracks in the walls, slithering like serpents seeking prey.

Then, from the broken corridors, they emerged—twisted figures of shifting black mass, the same Dark Matter that had hunted them on the surface.

Axel's grip on his weapon tightened. "They followed us."

Khael growled under his breath. "Persistent bastards."

Tyra pulled her broadsword free, stepping protectively in front of Selene. "We hold them off. Selene, finish what you started."

Selene hesitated, torn between completing the seal's unraveling and helping in the battle. But before she could decide, the Leviathan let out a low, rumbling growl, its body curling protectively around her. The beast's voice resonated in her mind.

"Go, Child of the Abyss. I will guard you."

Taking a steadying breath, Selene turned toward the barrier and pushed forward, her fingers grazing its surface.

The ancient markings upon it glowed in recognition. A deep resonance echoed through her core as the last of the barrier gave way, revealing the hidden chamber beyond.

Meanwhile, the battle raged behind her.

The Dark Matter swarmed, their forms relentless, twisting and striking in unpredictable motions.

Axel moved like a shadow, his summoned weapon cutting through them with precise, controlled strikes. Khael's flames roared to life, their golden-orange glow clashing against the suffocating darkness. Tyra fought with unmatched ferocity, her blade cleaving through the enemy, her movements guided by instinct and discipline.

Yet, the Dark Matter was unyielding, feeding off the residual energy of the sunken Bastion. The more they struck down, the more seemed to rise in their place.

The Last Mage stood at the center, watching the battle unfold with an unreadable expression.

His hands were poised, magic crackling at his fingertips, but he did not yet cast his final spell.

His gaze drifted to Selene as she disappeared into the hidden chamber.

His heart, so long burdened by centuries of regret, felt something shift.

For so long, he had believed himself to be nothing more than a relic, a ghost trapped between the past and present.

But now, seeing them fight—for Eldoria, for a future he had thought lost—he realized the truth.

He could still do something.

As the last remnants of his power seeped through his weary form, the realization settled within him.

He would be the sacrifice.

With a deep, weary breath, he lifted his hands, the sigils of old glowing around him.

The very foundation of the Bastion trembled as he called upon the last of its dormant energy, the magic that had once sunk it into the abyss.

He would use it—not just to stabilize the fragment, but to ensure its restoration.

The others barely noticed at first, too engrossed in battle, but Axel was the first to turn.

His eyes widened in alarm. "What are you doing?"

The Last Mage smiled—a sad, knowing smile. "What I must."

Magic surged from him, weaving into the Bastion's very walls. The Dark Matter recoiled, sensing the shift in power, but it was too late.

The Last Mage's body flickered like an ember in the wind, his essence pouring into the Heart's fragment, reigniting what had once been dormant.

Selene, standing before the crystalline piece of the Heart, gasped as its light flared brilliantly.

The chamber was filled with visions—not of destruction, but of Eldoria as it had once been. Lush fields, grand cities, skies alight with magic. The Eldoria that could be reborn.

A voice, warm yet distant, echoed in her mind.

'I wish I could have seen it once more…'

As the light dimmed, the Last Mage was no more. Only his legacy remained, sealed within the Heart of Eldoria, waiting to shine once again.

The battle had ended.

Khael exhaled heavily, staring at the space where the Last Mage had stood. Tyra lowered her weapon, silent. Axel clenched his fists, his expression unreadable.

Selene reached out, her fingers brushing against the newly restored fragment. It pulsed beneath her touch, steady and strong.

"He did it," she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. "He gave us the first step to reclaiming Eldoria."

The journey was far from over, but now, with the fragment in their hands, the light of hope shone brighter than ever before.

To be continued.