As the group entered the western quarter of Nyridia, the surroundings took on a different character. The buildings here showed no signs of ruin or decay, yet their age was unmistakable. Constructed in an older architectural style, they bore the weight of history in every carved arch and stone facade. The walls, once rough, had been smoothed over generations by wind and rain, but careful upkeep ensured their strength remained unshaken.

  Ahead of them rose the Old Archives, a monolithic structure of polished stone. Massive wooden doors, darkened by centuries of use yet impeccably maintained, stood slightly ajar. A faint scent of parchment and ink drifted through the air, hinting at the vast trove of knowledge contained within.

  Kale slowed his pace as they approached. "This is it?" he asked, taking in the structure.

  Liliana nodded. "The Old Archives. If we’re going to find any answers, this is where they’ll be."

  Kale stepped forward, peeking through the open door. The interior was dim, but the faint glow of enchanted lanterns illuminated rows of towering bookshelves, each one lined with ancient tomes and scrolls. Everything was pristine, meticulously preserved, as though no time had touched the archives at all.

  They stepped inside, their footsteps echoing softly on the polished stone floor. The vast chamber stretched before them, lined with towering shelves and stacked with ancient knowledge.

  “This place is unreal,” Rika said, her voice low, as though she didn’t want to disturb the quiet of the archives.

  “Be careful what you touch,” Liliana warned. “Some of the knowledge here is... dangerous.”

  Kale moved further into the archives, his eyes drifting across the endless rows of shelves. His footsteps, though muffled, felt unnaturally loud in the profound stillness of the chamber. Liliana’s warning echoed in his mind, but the allure of the books was undeniable. His fingers twitched at his sides, tempted to reach out, to pull a volume free and glimpse the knowledge hidden within, despite knowing he shouldn’t.

  “What’s so dangerous about some books?” he asked.

  “Not all knowledge is meant to be shared,” Liliana said. “Some of these books contain spells and ancient rites, magic that can reshape reality, bind souls, or summon things that shouldn’t exist. The kind of knowledge that, if misused, can destroy cities, or worse... entire worlds.”

  She let her words hang in the air for a moment before continuing. “And that’s just the start. Some of the books themselves are cursed, left behind by ancient sorcerers, designed to ensnare, corrupt, or trap those who dare to read them. Others contain histories that were buried for a reason, truths so devastating they could rewrite everything we believe. And then there’s the knowledge so potent, so volatile, that simply understanding it could tear apart the fabric of existence. These archives don’t just protect the information, they protect the world from what’s hidden inside.”

  Kale raised an eyebrow, eyes sweeping over the pristine rows of books. “So why is no one guarding these books? Seems like anyone can just stroll in here and grab whatever they want.”

  Liliana turned to face him. “You think it’s that simple?”

  Kale shrugged, gesturing at the shelves. “I mean, no guards, no locked doors. For a place packed with dangerous knowledge, it’s not exactly locked down.”

  Liliana shook her head. “This isn’t the kind of place that needs guards. The wards here are stronger than any blade or soldier could ever be. The moment anyone tries to take something they shouldn’t, the archives will know. And the punishment… let’s just say you wouldn’t get a chance to try again.”

  Kale frowned. “The punishment?”

  “There are things worse than death, Kale. These books are protected by ancient magic far more effective than a few guards. If someone tries to steal knowledge that isn’t meant for them, the archives will handle it.”

  Rika, who had been wandering a few feet away, ran a hand across the spine of a thick tome. “So… what happens? A curse? Trapped in the book?”

  “Could be,” Liliana said. “Maybe. Or worse. The archives aren’t just a collection of knowledge, they’re a prison. Some of what’s bound here was never meant to be unleashed. The wards are here to ensure that knowledge meant to stay hidden isn’t touched by those who shouldn’t have it. If you cross them, you won’t just face the magic protecting the archives, you’ll face what they’re keeping contained."

  Kale raised an eyebrow. “So, what—you open a cursed book, and suddenly something pulls you in?”

  Liliana nodded. “That’s the simple version. The reality is, no one really knows. But the few who tried… well, they were never seen again. And the archives? They stay untouched. The wards do their job.”

  Kale glanced back at the seemingly peaceful rows of books and scrolls. “So, the archives protect themselves.”

  “Exactly,” Liliana said. “The real question isn’t why there are no guards here. It’s why anyone would be foolish enough to try and take something they shouldn’t.”

  Rika chuckled nervously, and slowly moved her hand away from the bookshelf. “Got it. No treasure hunting in here. Not worth the risk.”

  “It sure is quiet in here,” Kale said. “Is it always this quiet?”

  “Yes. The wards prevent disturbances. No sound, no movement, unless it’s permitted. That’s how the knowledge stays intact.” Liliana said.

  “Well, Kaley,” Rika said, “if the books can handle themselves, I guess we better make sure we don’t make any sudden moves, huh?”

  Kale gave a half-smile. “Yeah. Let’s just stick to what we came here for.”

  They moved deeper into the archives, the oppressive stillness following them like a shadow.

  “Soooo, if you were an ancient hidden temple, trying to hide inside some ancient magically protected archives... where would you hide?” Rika asked.

  Liliana sighed. “Temples don’t hide in archives, Rika. They’re not sentient.”

  Rika shrugged. “Yeah, but if they were, they'd probably do a pretty good job at it. Places like this seem built for hiding things.”

  Kale chuckled. “How does a temple even fit in here? I mean, this place is big, but that must be a tiny temple. No wonder no one’s found it.”

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  He crouched down and peeked under a nearby table.

  "Nope. Not under here."

  Rika nodded in mock seriousness, picking up a candleholder and checking beneath it. "Not here either!"

  Kale straightened. "Does anyone actually know what this temple looks like?"

  Liliana shook her head. “I don’t think that’s how you’ll find it. The knowledge we need is here, somewhere. The wards will protect it, but they might also be keeping it hidden. Archives like this don’t just give up their secrets easily.”

  Rika grinned. “Great! So, we’re on a treasure hunt after all.”

  Liliana shot her a sidelong glance. “More like a puzzle. We’ll need to be careful. There are layers of protection, both magical and… let’s say, philosophical. The kind of things that test whether you’re even ready to find what you’re looking for.”

  “So where do we start?” Kale asked.

  Liliana paused, considering. “If I were an ancient temple… I’d be hidden behind a metaphor. Probably buried in old writings or scrolls that no one’s touched in centuries. Something that requires more than just knowledge, something that demands understanding.”

  Rika raised an eyebrow. “So we have to be scholars now, too?”

  “Think of it as another fight, Rika,” Kale said. “Except this time, it’s with your mind instead of weapons.”

  Rika sighed dramatically. “Fine. But there better be a treasure at the end of this.”

  Liliana rolled her eyes. “Let’s just hope we find it before the archives decide we’ve overstayed our welcome.”

  The rows of books seemed to stretch on forever, each one a potential key to unlocking the answers they sought.

  Kale stopped in front of an old, ornate podium set between two massive shelves. An ancient tome sat open, its pages yellowed with age but perfectly preserved. Strange glyphs lined the margins, glowing faintly as if they were waiting for something.

  “This looks important,” Kale muttered, eyeing the podium. “Ancient, glowing symbols? Random book just left open? Yeah, this is definitely the part where something either reveals a great secret… or tries to kill us. And by us, I mean me. It’s always me.”

  Liliana hovered forward. “Kale, I swear to Valtharion, if you start touching stuff and get us killed I will kill you.”

  Kale blinked, looking at her, mock insult on his face. “Me? Touching stuff? That doesn’t sound like something I’d do.”

  Liliana raised an eyebrow. “Remember the chamber with all the statues? The one in the dungeon?”

  Kale crossed his arms. “You mean the one with the statues that came alive and started attacking me for no reason at all?”

  Liliana’s expression hardened. “The ones that came alive after you pushed the switch and triggered the trap.”

  Kale scoffed, feigning ignorance. “No… I definitely would’ve remembered doing something like that.”

  Liliana stared at him. He was messing with her. He had to be. There was no way he was actually this dense.

  She sighed. “Just don’t touch anything.”

  Kale fought back a grin. Messing with her was too easy. She always gave him that look—the one that said she was two seconds away from blasting him across the room, yet somehow still putting up with him.

  I mean, sure, technically, the statue thing had been his fault. And the time with the barrel. And the time with the enchanted helmet. And the time with the cursed coin. And the skeleton. Definitely the skeleton.

  But in his defense, how was he supposed to know those would happen?

  ...Except the skeleton. He probably should have known.

  Besides, if everything was booby-trapped, was it really his fault for triggering it?

  He glanced back at the book, the faint glow of the glyphs reflecting in his eyes. ...Maybe just a little poke?

  No. Not worth it. Probably.

  “Don’t worry, Liliana,” Rika said. “I’ll keep an eye on him. You know how he gets around ancient artifacts.”

  Kale shot Rika a look. “You’re not helping.”

  “Wasn’t trying to,” Rika replied, grinning.

  Liliana floated closer to the tome, her eyes narrowing as she studied the glyphs. “If anyone’s going to do any touching around here, it’ll be me. These aren’t just inscriptions, they’re part of a riddle.”

  Kale leaned in, careful not to get too close. “A riddle?”

  “Looks like it. This tome is hiding more than just history.”

  “What does it say?”

  Liliana began reading aloud, her tone even but thoughtful:

  “I am the loss that brings you life,

  The pain that ends your endless strife.

  I am the hand that sets you free,

  Though you will never reach for me.

  I am the heart that breaks but stays,

  The light you lose, but love always.

  I am the breath that slows and fades,

  So you may walk through brighter days.

  I am the step into the night,

  So you may wake in morning light.

  I am the star that falls alone,

  So you may rise, my strength your own.

  I am the silence of goodbye,

  The fading star that lights the sky.

  I am the life you will not see,

  The love that was, the love that’s free.

  I am the ache that’s left behind,

  The flame that dies so you may shine.

  I am the tear you never weep,

  The vow I made, my soul to keep.

  What am I?”

  Liliana’s eyes moved across the lines of the riddle, repeating it quietly.

  “I am the loss that brings you life,

  The pain that ends your endless strife.

  I am the hand that sets you free,

  Though you will never reach for me.”

  Rika frowned, arms crossed. “The loss that brings you life? The hand that sets you free? I think this may be above my pay grade.”

  “Maybe it’s about something... unattainable,” Liliana said. “Something we can’t grasp but still influences us. Like a distant memory or force we rely on.”

  Rika waved her hand dismissively. “Eh, I don’t know. Doesn’t seem to connect to anything we’ve dealt with so far. Could just be some overly dramatic metaphor.” She glanced at Kale, who had been unusually quiet. “What do you think? You’re the bladeweaver.”

  Kale, standing a few steps behind, remained silent, his eyes fixed on the page, but he wasn’t really reading. The lines had already buried themselves in his mind. They felt... familiar, though he couldn’t explain why.

  Liliana moved on, reading the next lines.

  “I am the heart that breaks but stays,

  The light you lose, but love always.

  I am the breath that slows and fades,

  So you may walk through brighter days.”

  Rika scratched her head. “So, heart that breaks and sticks around, but is also a light? That doesn’t make sense.”

  Liliana frowned. “It’s not about someone or something physically leaving, I think. Maybe it’s about something... like an emotion or bond that remains even when someone is gone.”

  Rika shrugged. “Still too cryptic. Doesn’t explain how someone could just fade away and still be here.”

  Kale stayed silent. Each word from the poem was digging deeper, wrapping around thoughts he hadn’t yet fully acknowledged. The heart that breaks but stays. The light you lose, but love always. It felt like it was speaking directly to him, though the others couldn’t see it.

  Liliana continued reading, her voice softer now.

  “I am the step into the night,

  So you may wake in morning light.

  I am the star that falls alone,

  So you may rise, my strength your own.”

  Rika let out a frustrated sigh. “What is with all this ‘falling star’ stuff? Stars don’t fall alone because of us. They’re just... there.”

  Liliana shook her head. “It’s probably metaphorical, Rika. Something, or someone who falls, so others can rise. But I don’t know who or what.”

  Kale didn’t move. The words were hitting him harder now, each line a quiet echo of something he hadn’t wanted to face. The star that falls alone. The strength that lets someone else rise. He could feel it, the truth that was slowly revealing itself to him.

  Liliana continued.

  “I am the silence of goodbye,

  The fading star that lights the sky.

  I am the life you will not see,

  The love that was, the love that’s free.”

  Rika shrugged, clearly still frustrated. “I don’t get it. It’s like someone’s leaving but... what, leaving behind something no one can touch? Why all this talk about stars and silence?”

  Liliana was still unsure herself. “It sounds like someone... who’s gone but their influence is still felt?”

  Kale’s chest tightened. The meaning was there, staring him in the face. He didn’t want to say it, but he knew. It wasn’t about ancient figures or distant memories. It wasn’t about someone long gone.

  It was about him.

  “I am the ache that’s left behind,

  The flame that dies so you may shine.

  I am the tear you never weep,

  The vow I made, my soul to keep.

  What am I?”

  Liliana and Rika fell silent, both of them lost in thought.

  Kale felt it—this riddle wasn’t just some test. It wasn’t an ancient puzzle to solve. It was speaking directly to him, and though he hadn’t realized it before, the truth was undeniable now. Each line, each word—it was all pointing to something he knew he would one day face.

  Finally, he spoke, his voice low and quiet. “I know the answer.”