Chapter 9: The Road to Arclight
Morning came quietly to Rivenwood.
The rain had stopped during the night, leaving droplets clinging to the leaves and branches.
Pale sunlight broke through the clouds, turning the wet forest silver.
Evan stood outside the village inn, tightening the straps around his daggers.
Today, they would leave.
The road to the Kingdom of Arclight stretched far beyond the eastern mountains.
None of them knew exactly what waited there, but the answers they needed were supposed to be hidden within the Arclight Archive.
Ronan stood nearby, checking his sword.
Liora adjusted the straps of her travel bag.
Kaela approached Evan.
“Ready?”
Evan looked at the enormous road ahead.
“Not really.”
Kaela smiled.
“Good.”
Evan raised an eyebrow.
“Why is that good?”
“Because people who think they’re completely prepared usually aren’t.”
Evan laughed.
“You’re getting wiser.”
“I’m always wise.”
“You attacked a tree yesterday because you thought it was a monster.”
Kaela’s face reddened slightly.
“It moved.”
“It was the wind.”
“It looked suspicious.”
Evan laughed again.
Kaela crossed her arms.
“Keep laughing.”
“I’m sorry.”
“No, you’re not.”
For a moment, everything felt normal.
Then Ronan interrupted.
“We should leave.”
Evan nodded.
The four began their journey.
The eastern road passed through a massive forest.
Unlike the dark woods surrounding Rivenwood, this forest was strangely beautiful.
Huge trees reached toward the sky, their branches forming a natural canopy overhead.
Small glowing insects drifted between them like tiny stars.
Evan looked around in wonder.
“This world really is beautiful.”
Liora smiled.
“You still want to go back to Earth?”
Evan thought about the question.
“I don’t know anymore.”
Kaela looked at him.
“Why?”
Evan was quiet for a moment.
“Back home, I always felt like I didn’t belong anywhere.”
He looked toward the forest.
“But here…”
He paused.
“I’ve found people who actually need me.”
Kaela’s expression softened.
“You belong somewhere now.”
Evan looked at her.
Their eyes met.
For a moment, the sounds of the forest seemed to fade.
Evan felt warmth spread across his face and quickly looked away.
“Yeah.”
Ronan glanced back at them.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
“Interesting.”
Evan looked at him.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“I hate when people say that.”
Liora quietly laughed.
Several hours later, they reached a crossroads.
A massive stone monument stood in the center where three roads divided.
Ronan stopped and studied his map.
“We take the eastern road.”
Liora suddenly raised her hand.
“Wait.”
Everyone stopped.
She pointed toward the monument.
“There are words carved into it.”
Evan stepped closer.
The writing looked familiar.
His eyes narrowed.
“That’s the same language from the temple.”
“What does it say?” Kaela asked.
Liora examined the markings.
“I can’t read it.”
Evan slowly placed his hand against the stone.
The Fourfold mark on his hand began glowing.
Suddenly, the ancient letters shifted.
Everyone stared.
The words became understandable.
THREE ROADS.
ONE LEADS TO ARCLIGHT.
ONE LEADS TO THE WORLD GATE.
ONE LEADS TO DEATH.
Ronan’s expression became serious.
“That isn’t a normal road marker.”
Kaela looked at the three paths.
“Which one is the World Gate?”
The writing changed.
THE GATE MOVES.
Evan frowned.
“What does that mean?”
Nobody answered.
Then another sentence appeared.
THE FOURFOLD WILL FIND THE GATE.
Evan stared at the inscription.
“It’s talking about me.”
Ronan nodded slowly.
“Probably.”
Evan looked at him.
“You don’t seem surprised.”
Ronan looked away.
“I’ve seen similar inscriptions.”
“Where?”
“Arclight.”
Evan’s eyes narrowed.
“Then you know more than you’re telling us.”
Ronan remained silent.
Kaela stepped forward.
“Ronan.”
He sighed.
“Fine.”
He pointed toward the distant mountains.
“The Arclight Archive has records about the Fourfold Traveler.”
Evan listened carefully.
“But those records were sealed.”
“Why?”
“Because every researcher who studied them disappeared.”
Evan’s expression changed.
“Every one?”
Ronan nodded.
“Except one.”
Evan already had a feeling about the answer.
“Seraphine.”
Ronan looked at him.
“Yes.”
Kaela became quiet.
The mention of her mother clearly affected her.
Evan noticed.
“Kaela…”
“I’m fine.”
She forced a small smile.
“I’m just surprised.”
Ronan looked toward the road.
“We should keep moving.”
By sunset, they reached a small bridge.
A river flowed beneath it, reflecting the orange light of the setting sun.
Kaela stopped.
“We can camp here.”
The others agreed.
After setting up their camp, Evan sat beside the river.
He removed his glove and looked at the Fourfold mark.
It was faintly glowing.
Kaela sat beside him.
“Does it hurt?”
“Sometimes.”
“How much?”
Evan shrugged.
“I don’t know.”
Kaela frowned.
“That’s not an answer.”
Evan smiled faintly.
“I’m used to it.”
Kaela looked at him seriously.
“You shouldn’t have to be.”
Evan’s smile disappeared.
For a moment, neither spoke.
Then Kaela slowly reached toward his hand.
She stopped.
“Can I?”
Evan looked at her and nodded.
Kaela gently examined the mark.
The moment her fingers came close—
The symbol suddenly became brighter.
Both of them froze.
A strange image appeared above Evan’s hand.
A young man stood inside a dark chamber.
Four forces surrounded him.
Fire.
Water.
Lightning.
Darkness.
Evan stared.
“Who is that?”
Ronan immediately stood.
His face had gone pale.
“Elias.”
Everyone turned toward him.
“You know him?”
Ronan nodded slowly.
“That is the First Fourfold Traveler.”
The vision changed.
Elias stood before a massive World Gate.
Someone stood opposite him.
Aurelion.
Evan’s eyes widened.
“Aurelion?”
The image began to distort.
Elias appeared to say something, but no sound came from the vision.
Then the final image appeared.
Elias turned toward the World Gate.
Behind him stood a shadow.
Four glowing eyes stared from within the darkness.
Then the vision vanished.
Evan stared at his hand.
“What was that?”
Ronan didn’t answer.
Kaela looked at him.
“Ronan.”
He finally spoke.
“I don’t know.”
Evan looked at him.
“You’re lying.”
Ronan met his eyes.
“I don’t know what the vision means.”
“But you know something.”
Ronan’s expression became serious.
“I know Elias wasn’t alone when he disappeared.”
Evan felt a chill.
“Who was with him?”
Ronan looked toward the dark forest.
“I don’t know.”
A cold wind passed through the trees.
Then Evan heard something.
A whisper.
“Come closer…”
Evan stood immediately.
“Did you hear that?”
Kaela stood beside him.
“Hear what?”
The whisper came again.
“Fourfold…”
Evan looked into the forest.
Two faint golden eyes appeared between the trees.
He immediately drew his daggers.
Ronan drew his sword.
Liora prepared her magic.
The eyes disappeared.
Silence returned.
Then something drifted down from the branches.
A black feather.
Evan picked it up.
The instant his fingers touched it, his Fourfold mark burned brightly.
A System message appeared.
WORLD SYSTEM
Unknown connection detected.
Historical resonance: 1%
Source: Elias Veyr
Warning: The First Fourfold Traveler may not be dead.
Evan’s eyes widened.
“Not dead…”
Kaela looked at him.
“What did you see?”
Evan stared toward the stars.
“The records might be wrong.”
Ronan’s expression became grim.
“Then the Arclight Archive is hiding something much bigger than we thought.”
Evan closed his hand around the black feather.
“Then that’s where we’re going.”
Kaela nodded.
“Arclight.”
The four continued their journey.
But far behind them, something moved through the forest.
Far away, Aurelion watched from the darkness.
He had heard everything.
His expression remained calm.
But his eyes were different.
“Elias…”
He whispered the name.
“So you’ve begun calling to him.”
A shadow appeared beside him.
“Should we stop the boy?”
Aurelion shook his head.
“No.”
“Why?”
Aurelion looked toward the distant road.
“Because if Elias is truly still alive…”
He paused.
“…then Evan is no longer the only Fourfold Traveler in this world.”
The shadow disappeared.
Aurelion remained beneath the stars.
And somewhere far beyond the mountains— something ancient opened its eyes.
The journey to Arclight had only just begun.