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Chapter 21: The Second Key
The night air moved gently through the clearing, carrying with it the scent of burning wood and damp earth. A soft breeze brushed against the flames of the campfire, causing them to sway and crackle, casting long, restless shadows across the trees. Above them, the sky stretched endlessly—dark, star-studded, and watchful, as though the heavens themselves were listening.
Lee Kung sat closest to the fire, his elbows resting on his knees, his gaze fixed not on the flames but somewhere far beyond them. Around him, the others—Mia, Sio Jun, Armin, —sat in uneasy silence. No one spoke. No one laughed. It was one of those moments where the weight of unanswered questions pressed down harder than any enemy blade.
Each of them felt it.
Something was coming.
The fire popped loudly, sending a spark spiraling upward. That small sound seemed to break the invisible tension binding them together. Lee Kung finally lifted his head, his eyes reflecting the dancing flames.
They were tired. Not just physically, but in a way that reached deeper—into the spirit, into the soul. They had crossed realms, faced monsters, uncovered ancient truths, and yet the path ahead remained shrouded in uncertainty.
Lee Kung exhaled slowly.
"So…" he began, his voice calm but heavy, "the keys are Spirit, Knowledge, and Time."
Everyone looked at him.
"We already have the Spirits," he continued, glancing briefly at Sio Jun, whose silver markings glimmered faintly even in the firelight. "But how do we transcend time?" His brow furrowed. "How do we move into an era we have no knowledge about?"
He clenched his fist unconsciously.
"And what exactly is the third key?" he asked quietly. "Time. I mean… I don't understand it."
The words hung in the air.
Mia shifted beside him. She stood slowly, stepping closer until she was just within arm's reach. The firelight illuminated her face—determined, yet uncertain. Before she could speak, another voice answered.
"Having knowledge," Armin said, "is where you need me."
Lee Kung turned.
Armin had been sitting slightly apart, his posture relaxed but his eyes sharp. He rose to his feet, brushing ash from his robes, and stepped into the center of the circle. His movement was deliberate, controlled, as though he already knew how this moment would unfold.
Lee Kung studied him carefully. "What are you going to do?"
Armin met his gaze without hesitation. "I need you to trust me."
Trust.
The word carried weight.
Slowly, Armin reached into his pocket and pulled out a small pouch. He loosened the string and tipped its contents into his palm—fine, gray ash that shimmered faintly in the firelight.
"Come closer," Armin said.
The others hesitated.
Sio Jun's ears twitched slightly. Mia glanced at Lee Kung. For a moment, no one moved.
Then Lee Kung nodded.
They shifted closer to the fire, sitting near Armin as instructed. The flames grew taller as if reacting to their presence. Armin extended his hand and poured the ash directly into the fire.
The flames erupted.
Not violently—but unnaturally.
The fire burned brighter, whiter, spiraling upward as if twisting upon itself. The air thickened, heavy with something ancient and unseen.
"Close your eyes," Armin said calmly. "And inhale the smoke."
Mia hesitated.
She turned to Lee Kung, searching his face. He didn't speak—but he nodded once.
She closed her eyes.
The smoke rolled outward, curling around them like living tendrils. It smelled strange—not like wood or fire, but like memory. Like rain on stone. Like time itself unfolding.
Armin knelt and began drawing symbols into the dirt around the fire. The markings glowed faintly as his fingers moved, each sigil precise and deliberate.
He began to chant.
The words were unfamiliar—ancient, layered, echoing in ways that defied sound. The fire responded.
A beam of light erupted from the flames, spiraling upward in complex patterns, weaving shapes that twisted reality itself. The ground vibrated beneath them.
Lee Kung's eyes snapped open.
Whispers filled the air.
Not voices—but thoughts. Memories not his own flooded his mind. Images, sounds, concepts rushed in faster than he could process.
Cities of glass and steel.
Moving carriages without horses.
Screens glowing with information.
Names for things he had never seen, yet somehow understood.
Mia gasped.
Sio Jun staggered.
They felt it—their minds opening, stretching beyond the limits of their era. Knowledge poured in, threading itself into their memories, embedding itself deep within their nervous systems.
And then—
Darkness.
They fell.
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When consciousness returned, it did so gently.
Lee Kung opened his eyes to the soft glow of morning light. Birds chirped overhead. His body felt heavy—like he had run for days without rest.
He pushed himself upright.
Around him, Mia, Sio Jun, and Armin were stirring. The fire had long since burned out, leaving only embers and ash.
"What… just happened?" Lee Kung asked, his voice rough.
Mia sat up slowly, her hand pressed against her temple. "It felt… real," she said softly. "Like I lived another life."
She frowned, searching for words. "Fifteen years," she whispered. "That's what it felt like. The modern world… it was beautiful."
Sio Jun groaned as she stood. "That was way too fast," she said. "And somehow I'm exhausted… and starving."
Armin smiled faintly.
Before anyone could respond, footsteps approached.
"Oh," Armin said, walking toward them from a distance, "you're awake."
Lee Kung blinked. "How long were we out?"
"Three days," Khelly replied casually.
Silence.
"Three… days?" Lee Kung repeated.
They stared at him.
The realization hit them all at once.
Time had already begun to bend.
They talked throughout the day—sharing fragments of what they had seen, the strange clarity of modern language now resting in their minds. Concepts that once made no sense now felt natural.
As the sun dipped below the horizon, they sat together again, this time with food.
"I can't wait to lay my hands on those chocolates," Sio Jun said with a grin.
They laughed.
For a moment, it felt normal.
Then—
A crow perched silently on a tree branch above them, its black eyes gleaming.
Watching.
Far away, in a realm cloaked in shadow, Dehaska observed them through a glowing scroll. His lips curled into a slow, knowing smile.
"Very well," he murmured. "Hmmm."
The fire crackled.
And the balance shifted once more.
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