Alex took a cautious step back, his breath shallow. The coffins groaned as their lids slid open, revealing figures wrapped in ceremonial garments, their bodies untouched by time. The mana-infused runes along the crypt pulsed, responding to their awakening.
One figure sat up slowly, golden eyes flickering open. A Saint—but not like those beyond the S-Wall. This one bore no imperial insignia, no arrogance. Instead, an aura of sorrow clung to him like mist.
"You carry the blood of the betrayers," the figure murmured, his voice layered with something ancient. "Yet, you bear their burden as well."
Alex steadied himself, gripping the data cube. He could feel the weight of their gazes, spectral figures rising from their slumber. If he made one wrong move, this crypt could become his grave.
"I don't seek to disturb your rest," Alex said carefully. "I seek the truth."
The golden-eyed Saint studied him for a long moment before stepping forward. "Truth is buried beneath layers of lies. If you wish to unearth it, then you must be prepared for what follows."
Alex tightened his grip on the cube. "I am."
A ghost of a smile flickered across the Saint's face. "Then listen well."
The air grew thick with mana as the crypt shifted, runes glowing brighter. Shadows twisted along the walls, forming images—scenes of the past, memories imprinted in the very fabric of the chamber.
Alex saw glimpses of a time before the S-Wall. Humans and Saints, side by side, wielding mana freely. But then—war. Betrayal. The rise of the imperial families and the subjugation of humanity. A ritual, one that siphoned mana from Earth itself, sealing humanity's potential away.
Alex's fists clenched. It was true. The suppression wasn't natural—it was engineered.
"The truth has been kept from your kind for centuries," the Saint said. "The imperial families will do anything to maintain their rule. You are not the first to seek freedom." His gaze darkened. "But if you do not act wisely, you will share their fate."
The shadows faded, leaving only silence. Alex exhaled, his mind racing. He now had confirmation—but what would he do with it? His father had died for this knowledge. Twilight fought in the dark, but was it enough?
Before he could respond, a deep rumble shook the crypt. Distant voices echoed from the Archive above.
The enforcers were coming.
The Saint stepped back into the shadows. "Go. Your path has been set."
Alex didn't hesitate. Clutching the data cube, he turned and ran, his resolve burning brighter than ever.