The deeper they walked into the Maze Village, the colder the air became.
Kentro followed Idris through narrow stone corridors illuminated by pale blue flames, their shadows stretching unnaturally across the black walls as though moving on their own.
No one spoke.
Even Elara and the two shadow guards seemed unusually tense.
As if merely approaching this place was something rare… something forbidden.
After several long minutes, Idris finally stopped before a massive circular stone gate.
Ancient symbols covered its surface.
Unlike the other runes scattered throughout the village, these symbols pulsed faintly… almost as if something alive slumbered within them.
Idris slowly raised one hand.
The moment his fingers touched the center of the gate—
The symbols ignited with deep blue light.
The ground trembled beneath them.
And the stone gate slowly began to open.
The grinding sound echoed through the corridor like the roar of some ancient creature buried beneath the mountain.
Kentro narrowed his eyes immediately.
The moment they stepped inside—
He felt it.
Pressure.
Cold.
Silence far too unnatural.
At the center of the enormous chamber…
Was the spring.
A small pool of perfectly still black water.
Yet it reflected nothing.
Instead, it seemed to swallow the light around it.
Ancient stone pillars surrounded the spring while faded symbols glowed faintly beneath the floor like sleeping magic circles.
Idris approached slowly.
For the first time since Kentro met him…
Tension was visible on his face.
“This,” Idris said quietly,
“…is the Spring of Truth.”
Kentro stared at the dark water.
“…That?”
“Do not let appearances deceive you,” Idris replied calmly.
“This spring existed long before kingdoms were born.”
He stepped closer to the water.
“It is said the spring does not reveal the truth you wish to see…”
“…but the truth you fear most.”
Silence lingered heavily inside the chamber.
Then Idris turned toward Kentro.
“Step forward.”
Kentro frowned slightly.
“What exactly am I supposed to do?”
“Place your hand above the water.”
“Then drink from it.”
Kentro’s expression immediately darkened.
“…You want me to drink that?”
No one answered.
Even Elara remained strangely silent.
Kentro exhaled slowly before walking toward the spring.
Each step made his chest feel heavier.
Something deep inside him resisted the closer he got. Visit g.com for the full chapter.
As if his body knew something his mind did not.
Finally—
He stood before the black water.
Still.
Silent.
Unnaturally calm.
Kentro slowly lowered his hand toward the surface.
Then—
He froze.
The reflection in the water was wrong.
A black figure stared back at him.
Humanoid.
Featureless.
Without eyes.
Without a face.
Without form.
Yet somehow—
It resembled him.
Kentro instantly leapt backward with terrifying speed.
“What the hell is that?!”
Silence.
A suffocating silence swallowed the chamber completely.
Elara’s eyes widened.
The two shadow guards stepped back instinctively.
But the most horrifying reaction came from Idris himself.
Fear.
Real fear appeared on his face.
“…Impossible.”
His voice barely escaped his lips.
Then suddenly he looked toward Kentro.
“Stand before it again.”
Kentro frowned sharply.
“What?”
“Now!”
It was the first time Idris completely lost his composure.
After a brief hesitation, Kentro slowly approached the spring once more.
And the moment he stood before it—
The shadow appeared again.
But this time…
It moved.
A violent surge of power erupted from Kentro’s body instantly.
The chamber shook.
Cracks spread across the stone floor beneath his feet.
His crimson eyes burned brightly for a brief moment before returning to normal.
Everyone stepped back immediately.
Even Idris.
Then—
Everything stopped.
Silence returned.
The spring became still once again, as if nothing had happened.
But the expressions around Kentro had completely changed.
Shock.
Fear.
Idris stared at the black water for several long seconds before abruptly turning away.
“To the Sacred Library.”
His voice was sharper now.
Urgent.
Almost disturbed.
The others exchanged uneasy glances before following him.
Kentro remained behind briefly, staring into the dark water.
Only one thought echoed inside his mind:
“…That thing was looking at me.”
A short while later…
They reached the deepest part of the Maze Village.
The Sacred Library.
An enormous chamber stretching upward into darkness, filled with endless shelves of ancient books and black scrolls.
Dust and old paper filled the air.
But Idris did not stop.
He immediately rushed toward one of the shelves and began pulling books away violently.
One after another.
Scrolls fell across the floor without care.
“…Where is it?”
He muttered under his breath.
For the first time—
The leader of the Eye of Shadows looked completely shaken.
Suddenly—
He stopped.
Then slowly lifted his head.
“…I remember.”
He walked toward a dark stone wall hidden at the far end of the library.
Placing his palm against it, a glowing blue magic circle instantly appeared beneath his hand.
The wall trembled.
Then slowly opened, revealing a narrow hidden chamber resembling an ancient prison cell.
Cold air poured out from within.
Idris entered alone for several moments.
Then returned…
Holding an ancient black book that appeared older than the chamber itself.
Heavy metallic chains hung from its cover, rattling softly with every movement.
The moment he placed it on the table—
Kentro felt something crushing against his chest.
Idris extended his hand slowly.
A magic circle spread across the book’s surface.
Ancient symbols glowed faintly.
Then—
The book opened.
Idris stopped breathing.
His eyes widened slowly as he stared at the first page.
As though he had seen something that should not exist.
Silence swallowed the library.
Then finally—
Idris whispered in a trembling voice:
“…Could you be…”
And stopped.
To Be Continued…