Chapter 26 – Events Near the Climax
The sun had begun to cast its golden rays through the windows, filling the room with warm light, as if announcing the start of a different day. Eyas sat for a moment, observing the glow, then murmured quietly:
"So… it's time to leave."
His words didn't last long before Selin appeared, her features weary but smiling, carrying large bags filled with food. She approached him with a practical tone:
"Take this food; you might need it. We don't know how long the second-floor challenge will take…"
Eyas raised an eyebrow in surprise, touching one of the bags as if to confirm it was real:
"When did you prepare all this?! Were you cooking all night?"
Selin laughed softly, her shoulders shaking:
"No time for questions… just take it."
Saman interrupted with a practical smile, hands behind his back:
"Yes, store the food in the Subsystem storage; it won't spoil there… but don't overeat."
Eyas rolled his eyes lazily, imitating Saman's tone:
"Blah, blah, blah… as if you know the taste of my sister's cooking."
Then he leaned forward, winking playfully:
"You've become valuable indeed… I bet your weight will exceed a hundred kilos after I leave the tower."
Selin burst into loud laughter, while a tight smile formed on Saman's face, hiding a silent irritation. He said coldly:
"At least I'll eat what I want, while you suffer from hunger…"
Eyas almost retorted, but Selin raised her voice, cutting him off:
"Enough! Don't start a new argument. Here are the bags, Eyas… place them in the system."
Eyas nodded, opened the system interface, and tossed the bags inside the screen, where they vanished as if swallowed by a black hole. Just as he turned to leave, Saman's sly voice stopped him:
"Did you forget something… Eyas?"
His steps froze. Their eyes met in a sharp, silent gaze that lasted for a long moment. Finally, Eyas raised both hands in surrender:
"Alright, I lost… don't ever miss a thing."
He reopened the system screen and sent Saman a digital book titled:
"Guide to the Ancient Spirits – Compiled by Eyas"
He said with a serious smile:
"I've read hundreds of ancient books and gathered what was scattered. This guide is rare; it could help you greatly."
Saman took the digital book, his eyes glinting with mischief as he said with a sarcastic smile:
"Don't worry… I'll make the most of it."
Eyas chuckled lightly:
"I won't argue… this is the price of my previous defeat to you…"
Then he turned to his sister and friend, pressing the teleport button. His body disappeared suddenly, leaving behind a heavy silence and worried faces.
---
◈ Aria's Scene
In a room drowned in morning shadows, Aria tossed in her sleep, her face drenched in sweat, her breaths broken from nightmares that hadn't ceased since witnessing the spy's explosion. Deyako sat beside her, placing a hand gently on her head, though his eyes were filled with suppressed worry.
Asa entered slowly through the door, observing the scene, and asked in a low voice:
"Haven't you improved yet?"
Deyako replied coldly, hiding his sadness:
"She must strengthen her mind… or she won't endure."
Asa sighed, then gave a faint, ironic smile:
"Don't pretend to be harsh, Deyako. I know better than anyone else what Aria means to you."
Deyako remained silent, staring at her small face, drowning in torment. Asa moved closer, his voice lowering to almost a whisper:
"How about we involve her in our secrets… and train her ourselves?"
Deyako's face trembled, shouting in suppressed anger:
"No! Don't drag her into these matters! She's still too weak."
Aria shivered in her bed as his voice rose, almost waking her. Asa turned his back, speaking sharply:
"You know as well as I do that you won't be able to protect her forever… she must rely on her own strength to defend herself."
He left the room with steady steps, leaving Deyako immersed in silence.
The latter approached Aria, whispering with sorrow that pierced his soul:
"I think… he spoke the truth, my dear."
Then he slowly rose, left, and closed the door, leaving the room engulfed in heavy darkness.
---
◈ Rojin – The Green Planet
The camera suddenly shifted to a dense forest, trees towering like skyscrapers, their leaves blocking the sky, and the ground thick with tangled grass and predatory plants. Rojin walked through this green hell, her face darkened with fear, muttering:
"The tower was supposed to take me to my grandmother's palace… why did it send me to this forest? Did something go wrong with the coordinates?"
Her heart jumped as she heard rustling among the grass, but she sighed in relief when she saw a gray-furred wild monkey leap in front of her. She laughed nervously:
"Hah! Just a monkey… phew."
Yet her next steps brought no comfort. As she advanced, another monkey appeared… then another… until dozens surrounded her, their gleaming eyes tracking her from the shadows.
Rojin ran frantically, tripping over branches and roots, panting heavily as the forest seemed endless. She spent half an hour fleeing randomly until she found herself alone again, breathing hard, her body trembling from exhaustion.
She smiled in brief triumph:
"I survived…"
But the joy vanished quickly as she realized she was completely lost deep in the forest, her stomach growling with hunger.
At that moment, a message from Eyas arrived. She opened it eagerly, a childish smile appearing… before turning into anger.
The message was a picture of a lavish dining table, with Eyas writing:
"We celebrate your departure… even Selin is tired of you, you curious one."
Her face flushed with rage, she clenched her fists, whispering through gritted teeth:
"Even after my departure… you still provoke me! How I hate you… how I hate you!"
Engulfed in anger, she couldn't see where she was going, until she suddenly stopped before a massive pyramid, cracked by time, standing tall in the forest like a monument of a lost civilization.
Her heart trembled, and she stared in awe and silence… unaware that what she faced was not merely ruins, but the beginning of an adventure that would change her life forever.
— End of Chapter 26 —