They moved fast. Darius tracked the marker like it was pulling him—southwest, deep into overgrown jungle. The air got heavier the closer they got. The trees leaned inward. Everything was too quiet.
Rowan muttered, "Feels like the island's holding its breath."
They reached a sunken clearing. Stone pillars jutted from the earth in a rough circle. At the center, half-buried in moss and bone, was the Core Marker—a black monolith with faint red lines crawling across it like veins.
> [Deep Core Marker – Inactive]
Activate? Cost: 2 SP
Warning: May trigger system disruption.
Darius hesitated. "If we do this… there's no turning back."
Aric stepped up. "Neither did the survivor."
Darius nodded once.
> [Activating...]
A low hum shook the clearing. The monolith lit up, burning with red light. Glyphs spun in the air.
> [System Fragment Unlocked]
"This system is not whole."
"You are not the first."
Suddenly—
A vision hit.
Darius was elsewhere—standing in a ruined throne room, shadowed figures staring down at him. A woman in imperial robes pointed.
> "Your empire is made of lies. Do you still wish to claim it?"
Then it was gone.
He fell to one knee, gasping.
> New Questline: [Break the Cycle]
Objective: Reach the Core Chamber (Locked)
Next Marker: ???
"Darius?" Rowan grabbed him. "What did you see?"
Darius stood slowly, eyes blazing. "A warning. And a challenge."
> System Point Remaining: 1
Gold: 50
He looked at the monolith one last time.