Chapter 42 : Into the Archives
The week of ordinary days faded like a dream. Adrian's laughter with coworkers, the warmth of Marianne's smile, the fragile peace of pretending to be normal — all of it lingered in his chest, but the pendant refused to let him stay in that world.
It pulsed harder now, insistent, whispering faintly in the quiet of his apartment. Adrian knew what it meant. The relic wasn't content with nostalgia. It wanted history. It wanted roots.
Elias's words echoed: If you want to chase Armand's shadow, start in the archives beneath Intramuros.
The trio gathered at dusk. Leah adjusted her jacket, golden aura hidden but ready. Elias carried nothing but his calm presence, though Adrian knew his strikes carried weight sharper than steel. Adrian himself wore plain clothes, pendant tucked beneath his shirt, scars burning faintly.
The streets of Intramuros were alive with tourists and students, but beneath the cobblestones lay something older. Adrian felt it before they even reached the gates — a hum, faint but steady, like whispers buried in stone.
Leah glanced at him. "The relic's reacting."
Adrian nodded, chest tight. "It knows we're close."
Elias led them through narrow alleys, past crumbling walls and lantern-lit courtyards. Finally, they reached a locked gate, rusted and forgotten. Elias pressed his hand against the iron, murmured something under his breath, and the lock snapped open.
"Archives," he said simply. "But not the kind tourists see."
The descent was steep, stone steps winding into darkness. Adrian's pendant glowed faintly, casting emerald light against the walls. Symbols etched into the stone flickered, matching the markings he had seen in the cavern weeks before.
Leah whispered, "These aren't just archives. They're cultivation records."
Elias nodded. "History buried beneath history. Armand's name should be here."
Adrian's chest burned. He felt the scars ache, the pendant pulse harder. He whispered to himself, voice hoarse. "Then I'll find him. I'll uncover the truth."
The chamber opened wide, filled with shelves of stone tablets, scrolls sealed in clay, and fragments of relics humming faintly. Dust hung heavy, but the air was alive with energy. Adrian felt it press against his skin, sharp and unyielding.
Leah moved carefully, scanning the shelves. "So much history. So many voices."
Elias's gaze hardened. "Focus. We're here for Armand."
Adrian stepped forward, pendant glowing brighter. His hand brushed against a tablet, symbols flaring faintly. He gasped — the markings matched his scars.
Leah's eyes widened. "It's reacting to you."
Adrian clenched his fists, chest burning. "Then this is the right place."
They searched for hours, moving through shelves and fragments. Finally, Adrian found it — a scroll sealed in obsidian clay, etched with Armand's name. The pendant flared, flooding the chamber with emerald light.
Elias's jaw tightened. "That's it. His record."
Adrian broke the seal carefully, unrolling the scroll. The words were faded, but the message was clear: Armand, vessel of the Obsidian Root. Scar-bearer. Breaker of fate. Consumed by burden.
Adrian's chest tightened. He whispered, voice hoarse. "Consumed. Just like Elias said."
Leah studied the scroll, her voice steady. "But look closer. It says he was consumed because he carried alone. His relic demanded isolation. Yours doesn't. Yours binds."
Adrian's eyes widened. The pendant pulsed brighter, flooding his chest with warmth. He thought of Leah, of Elias, of Marianne's smile. He realized — his relic wasn't isolation. It was connection.
Elias frowned. "Maybe. Or maybe it's just another trick. Relics don't care about your heart. They care about their purpose."
Adrian clenched his fists, scars burning faintly. "Then I'll defy it. I'll carry the scars, but I won't carry them alone."
The chamber trembled suddenly. Dust fell from the ceiling, shelves rattled. Adrian's stomach dropped. Hunters.
Leah's aura flared, golden light blazing. Elias stepped forward, calm but sharp. Adrian's pendant pulsed harder, flooding the chamber with emerald light.
From the shadows, figures emerged — cloaked, eyes glowing faintly. Hunters had followed them into the archives.
Adrian gasped, chest burning, scars aching. He whispered to himself, voice hoarse. "Destiny never sleeps."
And the battle began.