Ethan stood before the gate, his breath uneven. The obsidian structure pulsed with an unnatural energy, the massive rusted chains straining against an unseen force. The whispers from beyond were louder now. Not the Master’s voice. Something else. Something older. “You are close now.” Ethan’s mark burned, the sigil on his chest pulsing in perfect rhythm with the cracks in the gate. He shouldn’t be here. None of them should. But it was too late to turn back. The Others Feel It Too Leah’s fingers tightened around her staff. “This place… it’s not like the others.” Gareth’s jaw was set, his grip firm on his spear. “No. This one was meant to stay hidden.” Kara scoffed, though there was unease in her eyes. “So why the hell is it waking up now?” Ethan exhaled. Because someone was breaking the chains. And whether it was the Master… or something else… It was already too late to stop it.

  A notification flashed in Ethan’s vision. But this one was different.

  [SYSTEM ALERT: DANGER CLASSIFICATION: UNIDENTIFIED]

  [LOCATION: GATE OF THE FORGOTTEN]

  [WARNING: UNKNOWN ENTITY PRESENCE DETECTED]

  The System didn’t recognize this place. Just like the library ruins. Just like the eastern prison. And that meant one thing. Whatever was behind this gate… It existed outside the System’s design. Something that wasn’t meant to be part of this world. And now, it was about to return. The First Chain Breaks A deep, grinding sound echoed through the chamber. Ethan’s chest tightened. One of the chains cracked. The metal shattered, pieces falling to the ground like broken stone. Leah took a step back. “…Did we do that?” Ethan shook his head. “No.” The chain had weakened on its own. And that meant whatever was on the other side… It was fighting to get out.

  A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

  Ethan’s vision blurred. For a split second—he wasn’t in the ruins anymore. He was somewhere else. A battlefield of shadows, stretching into endless darkness. Figures in cloaks, wielding glowing weapons chanting forbidden incantations a massive towering entity—a being that shifted between shapes, its form never staying constant. The people fought. And they failed. One by one, they fell, their bodies turning to twisted, blackened husks. Until the last survivor— A figure wearing the same sigil Ethan bore on his chest— Sealed the gate shut. And then— Everything faded. Ethan gasped, stumbling back into reality. Leah grabbed his arm. “Ethan! What was that?” He blinked hard. “…I don’t know.” But something inside him did. Because he had felt it. This thing—whatever was locked away here— It had been defeated once. Barely. And now— It was about to wake up.

  Gareth’s voice was grim. “We need to decide.” Kara narrowed her eyes. “Decide what?” Leah exhaled, looking at Ethan. “…Whether we finish what they started.” Ethan looked back at the gate. At the remaining chains. The thing behind it was waiting. And he knew— They had two choices. Leave now. Tell the Guild. Hope someone stronger could handle it or try to reseal the gate themselves… before the last chain broke. But there was a third choice. One Ethan didn’t want to admit. Or open the gate… and face whatever was inside. Because deep down— Something in his mark was telling him one thing. The Master wasn’t the real threat. The real threat… Was the thing the Master was trying to release. And if it broke free? There wouldn’t be a world left to save.