Theon inserted the crystalline key into the keyhole that had appeared at the center of the basin. As it slid into place, the world around him shifted. The gentle glow of the chamber began to wane, and an eerie silence fell over the room.
And before he could react, light enveloped him.
For a moment, there was nothing—no sound, no light, just a vast, suffocating void.
'What is this? Where am I? An illusion? Drugged?' Theon's thoughts raced as much as he tried to make sense of the situation.
'Did I ... die ? '
But there were no answers, no hints to guide him.
Theon steeled himself, bracing for that same gut-wrenching dislocation that had torn him from his world. His body remembered - the way reality had cracked like glass, how his very atoms had screamed in protest as they were ripped apart and reassembled in this alien place. This time, the transition came differently. No shattering of the firmament. No sense of being unmade.
Instead, the darkness before him... condensed.
Like ink swirling in water, the darkness coalesced into sharp angles and planes. A face emerged - first the suggestion of a brow, then the aquiline cut of a nose, finally the full intensity of eyes that locked onto his with ancient knowledge. The man who materialized wore his authority like a second skin, the faint silver gleam of his crown floating unsupported in the darkness. Every inch a king, yet his presence carried an eerie stillness, like a sword sheathed in velvet.
"Greetings, traveler." the face spoke, its voice echoing through the darkness, resonating with a power that made Theon instinctively straighten. "I am Lunfen, once the king of the Sylvian Empire. If you have come this far, then you have passed the trials of the body and mind."
Theon remained silent, his eyes locked on the apparition before him.
"This is the inheritance of the Sylvian Empire, a legacy of power and knowledge that only the worthy may claim. "
Then King Lunfen's face softened, "Though you have no obligation to, I sincerely wish that you carry on the legacy of the Sylvian Empire and resound our name throughout the entirety of existence." His face looked worn as a gentle smile graced his features, the smile of a grandparent watching their grandchild, of a parent watching their child take their first steps, yet it also held an aura of somberness as a deep sadness penetrated through King Lunfen's eyes.
Yet what met all of that emotion in King Lunfen's eyes were Theon's own emotionless, empty and surgical gaze.
King Lunfen's soft and tender tone was undeniably juxtaposed with the serenity and authority that he had previously held, and it only further unsettled Theon instead of convincing him.
And as his face began to fade, his eyes suddenly grew sharper and his eyes seemed to regain a clarity as his features became more animated, and in that brief moment as King Lunfen faded to nothingness, his eyes seemed to acknowledge Theon for the first time, to really see him and he spoke.
"Heed caution from an old man like me, men such as yourself either leave their mark in history or are wiped away without the slightest trace."
The darkness shattered, the world snapping back into focus. Theon found himself back in the chamber, standing before the altar. The basin began to churn, the liquid within it roiling violently before it settled once more. From its depths, something began to rise.
A book.
Bound in dark, heavy chains, its cover was a deep, abyssal black, seeming to drink in the light rather than reflect it. Jagged runes, etched with precision and menace, crawled across its surface, pulsing with an eerie, rhythmic glow. The chains rattled as they shifted, coiling around the tome like living things unwilling to release their hold.
Theon watched as the chains loosened themselves, sliding off the book and clattering to the stone floor. The book hovered in the air for a moment, as if waiting for him to take it.
As his fingers closed around it, the chamber dimmed once more, and the spectral form of King Lunfen appeared before him—no longer just a face, but a full figure, his presence commanding and palpable.
"Well done." Lunfen said, his voice reverberating through the chamber. "What you hold in your hands is no ordinary tome. It is the culmination of centuries of knowledge and power, the very essence of the Sylvian Empire's might. This is the [Momentus Flow Art], a cultivation technique like no other."
Lunfen continued, his tone becoming more instructive. "The foundation of this technique lies in understanding and harnessing momentum—the unstoppable force that drives the world. In battle, in life, momentum is everything. It is the difference between victory and defeat, between life and death. With this technique, you will learn to use momentum not only as a weapon but as the very means of your cultivation."
"Most techniques require the conscious manipulation of Lu, your vital energy, circulating it through your meridians with intent and will. But the [Momentus Flow Art] is different. It harnesses and allows you to perfectly use the Lu that you circulate within your meridians. It allows for a seamless, passive flow of energy, even when you are not consciously cultivating."
"Lu? Meridians?" Theon echoed the words aloud, his confusion clear in his voice. He had never heard the term before and by context it sounded like the most important word.
Yet Lunfen ignored Theon's inquiry all together instead his expression softened slightly, a hint of pride in his ghostly eyes. "This is the legacy of the Sylvian Empire, the secret that allowed us to stand unchallenged for centuries. But it is also a responsibility. Power such as this must be wielded with wisdom, for it is easy to become lost in the endless pursuit of strength."
The king's form began to waver, fading slowly as his final words echoed in the chamber. "Remember, traveler—momentum is a double-edged sword. It can carry you forward to greatness, or drag you down into the abyss. Use this gift wisely, and you will carve your name into history. Misuse it, and you will be forgotten, swept away like dust in the wind."
With that, Lunfen's figure dissipated, leaving Theon alone in the chamber once more.
And yet all that remained in Theon's head were questions.
'What is this "Lu" ?' Theon wondered again, his brow furrowing as he descended back through the cave's passage.
The king had spoken of it as if it were something natural, something intrinsic to life itself, his "vital energy". Theon understood cultivation, at least in its literal sense. Most of the time it referred to agriculture but it was at times also applied to one's self, to cultivate a skill, and now apparently what Theon was to 'cultivate' and gain was 'Lu'.
Yet Theon had no knowledge of it, no experience that could anchor the concept to reality. And on top of that the king hadn't responded to any of his questions and had seemed disconnected, it was the same King Lunfen that seemed to be looking through it all and yet simultaneously looking at nothing.
'How am I supposed to harness something I've never even heard of ?' Theon thought, ruminating over the foreign words King Lunfen had said.
As Theon kept considering over king Lunfen's words he bent down to pick up the chains that had fallen off the book. With his guns being useless, having a longer-ranged alternative to his dual swords would no doubt prove invaluable.
'Momentum I understand.' he mused, recalling the battles he'd fought, the countless times he had used speed and force to overpower his enemies, and even beyond physical momentum, the concept of momentum was also very fundamental to battles.
Though, ruminating over his questions would be fruitless for now, afterall, the technique was in book form for a reason, it could be read and learnt, he just needed an opportunity to do so.
Theon's boots scraped backward across stone as he retreated to the cave's mouth - far enough that collapsing rubble wouldn't crush him, close enough to flee if the chamber birthed new horrors. He knelt in the damp earth, the weight of the tome unnaturally heavy against his thighs.
The book's leather binding felt strangely warm as he balanced it across his knees. He checked the cover for traps one last time, then carefully opened it.