Eclipse of Fate

The deep rumble reverberated through the chamber, shaking the ancient stonework as dust cascaded from the towering pillars. Raine and Aldric stood tense, their hands hovering over their weapons. Mordain remained still, his gaze fixed beyond the archway that led deeper into the underground archives.

The sound they had heard—it was no mere tremor. Something had awakened.

Aldric tightened his grip on his sword. "What exactly is down here?"

Mordain exhaled, his expression unreadable. "Not what—who."

The runes on the chamber walls pulsed, responding to an unseen force. Then, without warning, the archway darkened, as if the very light had been swallowed. A presence loomed in the shadows, unseen but undeniable.

Raine's muscles coiled with tension. He had felt this sensation before—an unseen predator, watching, waiting. His outlaw instincts screamed at him to move, to act before it was too late.

A whisper-like voice slithered through the air. Not spoken words, but something deeper—something ancient. The runes flared violently in response, their silver glow turning crimson for the briefest moment before flickering back.

Mordain's jaw tightened. "They know we are here."

Before Aldric could ask who they were, the darkness shifted. Figures emerged—cloaked in black, their faces obscured beneath deep hoods. Their robes bore intricate sigils, ancient and unfamiliar. They moved without sound, as if their feet never touched the stone.

One of them stepped forward. The voice that followed was low, resonant, and carried an authority that sent a chill down Raine's spine.

"You tread upon forbidden ground."

Mordain did not falter. "And yet, here you stand, waiting for us."

The figure tilted their head slightly. "The Eclipse Prophecy stirs once more. You should not have brought them here, Headmaster." The last word dripped with something close to amusement.

Raine's mind raced. These people—whoever they were—knew about the prophecy. Perhaps they even expected him and Aldric.

Aldric took a step forward, unfazed. "Who are you?"

The cloaked figure ignored the question. Instead, their gaze settled on Raine, as if peeling away his very essence. "You do not yet understand your role in what is to come." Their tone was almost… intrigued. "But soon, you will."

Raine scowled, his hand twitching toward his sword. "I'm tired of cryptic riddles. If you know something, say it."

The figure exhaled, a sound that was neither a sigh nor a chuckle. "You will find the answers soon enough." Then, their gaze shifted toward Aldric. "And you… you are an anomaly."

Aldric narrowed his eyes. "Meaning?"

The figure leaned forward slightly. "You stand in the shadow of another's fate, yet your path is not yet written. That makes you dangerous."

Mordain finally moved, stepping between them. "Enough. We are not here to debate destinies. We came for knowledge."

The figure studied him for a long moment before nodding. "Very well." They raised a hand, and the runes along the walls shifted once more. The mural depicting the Eclipse Prophecy distorted, revealing something hidden beneath—a new inscription, previously unseen.

Raine's breath hitched as he saw it. Unlike the others, this one was not carved—it was burned into the stone, as though seared by some terrible power. The markings formed a single phrase in an ancient language, but as Raine stared, the meaning became clear in his mind.

The Harbinger shall walk in the wake of the Eclipse, unseen and unknown—until it is too late.

A heavy silence settled over them.

Aldric's voice was quiet, but firm. "Then the real question is… who is the Harbinger?"

The cloaked figure smiled beneath their hood. "That, young ones, is what you must uncover."

And with that, the torches flickered violently—then died.

Darkness swallowed the chamber.