Chapter 7 - CHAPTER 7:A WHISPER IN THE DARK

The silence within the Archive was thick, palpable—as if the weight of untold knowledge pressed against Caelum's mind from every direction. The air smelled of parchment and faded dreams, mingled with an undercurrent of arcane energy that seemed to pulse in rhythm with the Mark's steady throb upon his wrist."This place," Caelum murmured, "it feels alive. Like it watches, listens…"The stranger nodded grimly. "The Archive is more than stone and paper. It is a nexus of memories and spirits bound to knowledge long buried. Some say it holds the souls of the forsaken—those who died chasing power and truth alike."As Caelum's fingers traced ancient glyphs etched in the stone floor, a soft whisper curled through the room, barely audible but unmistakably there—a textured voice laced with desperation and warning."Who's there?" Caelum asked, voice cautious.The whisper came again, a sigh carried on shadows: Seek beyond the veil… the price is sorrow… salvation, a shattered soul…A sudden chill swept the chamber, and the flames flickered low as a shadow coalesced near the tallest shelf—a figure draped in tattered robes, its eyes glowing dim amber beneath a hood."You hear them because you carry the Mark," the figure spoke, voice ancient yet weighted with urgency. "The Forsaken are never truly alone. Our fates are entwined across time and space."Caelum's heart pounded. "What am I to do? How do I control… this?"The stranger stepped forward, laying a steadying hand on Caelum's shoulder. "First, you learn—study the threads woven by those who came before. Knowledge will be your shield and weapon. But beware, the deeper you delve, the darker the toll."The whispered voices crescendoed into a haunting chorus of lament and fury, echoing through the archive's vaulted halls—a tapestry of forgotten pain and relentless hope.Steeling his resolve, Caelum opened a tome bound with iron clasps, ready to confront the truths behind the Forsaken Mark, the shadows lurking within, and the perilous journey that awaited.In the depths of the Archive, a whisper in the dark was the beginning of everything.