Arthur sat silently near the council chamber's window, his gaze fixed on the faint streaks of sunlight over Xezar's spires. He ran a hand through his dark, sweat-matted hair, his fingers brushing over the calloused scars of a blacksmith's trade. His reflection in the glass stared back—a face sharpened by exhaustion, framed by unkempt locks and a jawline rough with stubble he hadn't bothered to shave. He looked older than he felt, and certainly older than he'd been just days ago.

  "Arthur." Darius's voice broke the silence.

  Arthur turned, catching the intensity in his mentor's gaze. Darius stood by the Resonance map laid out on the central table, his armored figure casting a commanding presence. Roderic and Alexander waited nearby, their expressions calm but alert.

  "We have new intelligence," Darius began. "A scout team near the Echoing Forest reported an unusual Resonance surge. It's tied to a ruin believed to predate the champions' era. If Kael's forces have found it..."

  "Then they might gain an advantage we can't afford," Roderic interjected, his tone grave.

  Arthur frowned. "I thought we were heading west to deal with the corruption outbreak."

  "This takes precedence," Darius said. "If the ruins hold anything tied to Resonance or the corruption, we can't risk leaving it in Kael's hands. You'll come with me to investigate."

  Arthur's eyes flicked to Roderic. The scholar adjusted his spectacles, stepping forward with quiet confidence. "If this ruin is tied to early Resonance experiments, you'll need someone who can decipher what you're looking at. Otherwise, you'll be stumbling in the dark."

  Arthur nodded slowly, then turned to Alexander. "And you?"

  "I'm here for you," Alexander said simply, gripping the haft of his spear. His sincerity was unmistakable. "If this place is dangerous, I'm not letting you face it alone."

  Arthur looked at Darius, who added, "This is no ordinary mission. Kael's ahead of us, but if we move quickly, we might learn something that could turn the tide."

  "When do we leave?" Arthur asked.

  "Now," Darius said, his voice firm.

  The Echoing Forest loomed ahead like a wall of shadow. Arthur had heard the stories—a forest older than the kingdom itself, where Resonance thrived unchecked—but nothing could have prepared him for the reality. The trees stretched impossibly high, their gnarled branches weaving a canopy so dense it choked the sunlight. A faint hum vibrated through the air, resonating in Arthur's chest like a second heartbeat.

  "The Resonance here is alive," Roderic murmured as he stepped over moss-covered roots. "The forest amplifies it naturally. Stay focused—it can disorient you if you're not careful."

  Arthur adjusted the sword at his hip. The runes along its blade glowed faintly, reacting to the forest's hum. The weapon had felt heavier since the battle in the square, and though he tried not to think about it, the memory of the man he had killed lingered.

  Alexander walked just ahead, his spear held loosely but ready. "Feels like the whole forest is watching us," he said, his voice low.

  "It probably is," Darius replied. "Stay close. This place hasn't been traveled in decades, and we don't know what's lurking inside."

  The group pressed forward, the forest growing darker and quieter with every step. The hum of Resonance grew sharper, more erratic, and Arthur wiped sweat from his brow as his breath quickened.

  Roderic stopped suddenly, raising a hand. "Wait."

  Everyone froze, their hands instinctively moving to their weapons.

  "What is it?" Darius asked.

  Roderic pointed to faint glyphs carved into the bark of a nearby tree. "These markings—they're warnings. The precursors left them to ward off intruders. It means we're close to the ruins... but it also means this place is unstable."

  Arthur tilted his head. "The precursors?"

  "They came long before the champions," Roderic explained. "The first to understand Resonance, but they lacked the champions' wisdom—or their restraint. Their experiments with Resonance are why we understand it at all, but their failures are why we must respect it." He hesitated, his gaze lingering on the glowing glyphs. "If the stories are true, they paid the price for what they unleashed."

  Arthur frowned but said nothing. The low growl that followed stole everyone's attention.

  "Company," Alexander said sharply, his grip tightening on his spear.

  The growl came again, louder this time, and then the shadows moved. Twisted creatures emerged from the undergrowth—corrupted wolves with glowing red eyes and misshapen bodies that writhed unnaturally. Their forms were wrong, as though the corruption had torn them apart and put them back together in mockery of what they once were.

  Arthur's heart raced as the first wolf lunged at him.

  "Form up!" Darius barked, drawing his blade.

  Arthur swung his sword, the Resonance flaring as it sliced cleanly through the creature. But more followed, their glowing eyes locking onto the group. Alexander intercepted one mid-leap, driving his spear into its side with practiced precision.

  "Behind you, Arthur!" Alexander shouted.

  Arthur spun just in time, bringing his sword up to block a swipe of claws. The force of the blow sent him stumbling, but he held firm, gritting his teeth as the creature pressed against his blade. The runes along the sword flared brighter, and with a surge of will, he pushed the creature back and struck it down.

  Darius fought like a whirlwind, his movements calculated and deadly. "Keep moving!" he shouted, cutting down another beast. "Don't let them surround you!"

  Arthur's muscles burned, every swing of his sword a battle against the weight of his doubts as much as the creatures themselves. One of the wolves broke through their line, lunging at Roderic. Arthur reacted without thinking, throwing himself between them. The creature's claws raked across his shoulder, tearing through his tunic, but he drove his blade into its chest, the Resonance surging as the beast disintegrated.

  Roderic nodded, his face pale. "Thank you."

  This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

  Arthur grimaced, clutching his bleeding shoulder. "Just stay behind me."

  Finally, the creatures fell, their corrupted forms dissolving into ash. Arthur dropped to his knees, his chest heaving as he tried to catch his breath. His hands trembled as he stared at the blood-soaked ground.

  "You're hurt," Alexander said, kneeling beside him.

  Arthur shook his head. "It's nothing."

  "It's not nothing," Alexander said firmly, gripping his shoulder. "You're not invincible, Arthur. Don't act like you are."

  Arthur nodded faintly, the exhaustion settling deep into his bones.

  Arthur hesitated as he stepped into the ruins. The air felt thicker here, heavier than even the oppressive hum of the forest outside. Each breath came with resistance, as though the Resonance itself pushed back against their intrusion.

  Stone walls rose around them, jagged and uneven as if forced upward by some violent upheaval. Roderic stopped to examine the edges of the stonework, his eyes narrowing behind his spectacles.

  "These ruins weren't always here," Roderic murmured, his fingers brushing over the weathered surface. "They were buried underground, likely hidden for centuries. The seal's breaking... it destabilized Resonance across the land. That instability forced the forest to shift, unearthing this place."

  Arthur frowned. "Why would Resonance push something this ancient to the surface?"

  "Resonance doesn't follow our logic," Roderic replied. "It's alive in its own way, reacting to the balance—or imbalance—of the world. When the seal broke, Resonance wasn't just destabilized. It was unleashed."

  Darius stepped forward, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword as his gaze scanned the carvings lining the walls. "We don't have time for a history lesson, Roderic. Focus on what's important—what Kael might have found here."

  Roderic nodded, though his gaze lingered on the carvings a moment longer before he turned to the central chamber.

  At the heart of the ruins stood an altar, its surface covered in faintly glowing glyphs. Resting upon it was a broken blade, its jagged edges gleaming with an inner light that pulsed faintly, like the beat of a dying heart. Arthur felt a strange pull as he approached, the sword at his hip resonating faintly in response.

  "What is that?" Alexander asked, his voice hushed.

  Roderic knelt beside the altar, his eyes widening as he studied the inscriptions carved into the stone. "This... this is the Unfinished Blade."

  Arthur furrowed his brow. "Unfinished?"

  Roderic nodded, his voice growing somber. "The precursors forged this weapon in their final days. It was meant to stabilize Resonance, to create balance between light and chaos. They hoped it would serve as the ultimate tool to control the corruption, to bring peace."

  Arthur's gaze lingered on the broken weapon. "And it didn't work?"

  "No," Roderic said, shaking his head. "The blade rejected them. Resonance isn't just a tool—it's alive, and it responds to the will of its wielder. The precursors... they were desperate, afraid. That desperation corrupted their intent, and the blade fractured under the weight of their failure. It killed its wielder and destabilized Resonance even further."

  Arthur swallowed, the weight of the explanation settling on his shoulders. "So it's useless?"

  "Not entirely," Roderic replied, tracing his fingers over the glowing glyphs. "There's knowledge here, etched into the walls. A warning, perhaps, or a clue to understanding Resonance."

  He began to read aloud, his voice soft but steady:

  "To bring balance, we forged this blade. To stabilize Resonance, we gave our lives. But balance cannot exist without sacrifice. Let the unworthy learn from our failure, and let those with resolve forge a better path."

  Arthur's fingers brushed the hilt of his sword as he stared at the broken blade. Its fractured form seemed to mirror his own doubts and fears, the cracks in his resolve that Kael had already exploited.

  Darius stepped closer, his expression hard. "Do you think Kael took something from here?"

  Roderic nodded grimly. "It's possible. If he's found a way to complete the blade, or to replicate its power..."

  "Then we're in more trouble than we thought," Darius finished, his voice heavy.

  Arthur reached out tentatively, his hand hovering over the fragments of the Unfinished Blade. His own sword pulsed again, the runes glowing brighter as though reacting to the relic.

  "What's happening?" Alexander asked, gripping his spear.

  "The blade recognizes him," Roderic murmured, his voice filled with awe. "Or, at least, it recognizes the Resonance within his sword. The two are connected somehow."

  Arthur hesitated, his fingers brushing against the broken blade. A surge of energy shot through him, and for a moment, his vision blurred. He saw flashes of light and chaos, of figures wielding Resonance with desperate determination. Their faces were obscured, but their anguish was clear.

  He stumbled back, clutching his chest as the vision faded.

  "Arthur!" Alexander caught him before he could fall. "What happened?"

  Arthur shook his head, his breathing unsteady. "I... I saw them. The precursors. They were fighting, trying to control Resonance, but it—" He stopped, his voice faltering. "It broke them."

  Roderic's face darkened. "The precursors failed because they tried to force Resonance to obey their will. They treated it as a weapon, not as something alive. If Kael is trying to replicate their methods..."

  Darius nodded grimly. "Then he'll suffer the same fate—or worse, he'll unleash something none of us can stop."

  The group lingered in the ruins only long enough for Roderic to finish recording the glyphs. As they turned to leave, Arthur cast one last glance at the Unfinished Blade.

  It was broken, incomplete—a failure. But as he looked at his own sword, its runes flickering faintly in the dim light, he couldn't shake the feeling that there was something more to uncover. The precursors' failure was a warning, but it was also a lesson.

  And Arthur knew he couldn't afford to ignore it.