The dawn's light bathed the ruins of *Mizar*, the forgotten city resting at the edge of the Underworld. The massive stones, etched with ancient magical seals, seemed to bleed a faint gray energy—as if the past itself groaned beneath the weight of curses that had been imprisoned within for thousands of years.
Shao stood in the center of the plaza, formed by interwoven stone circles, each representing an era from the extinct *Oresols* civilization. These were not mere ruins, but remnants of an age crushed beneath the might of an ancient war—one between the *Keepers of Light* and the *Servants of Darkness*. And within the heart of this devastation, his goal awaited him: the *Sword of Reincarnation*, a legendary artifact capable of rewriting the fate of beings.
But Shao was not alone...
The sound of soft footsteps, surrounded by a faint stream of spiritual energy, brushed against his ear. He turned quickly, his hand gripping the hilt of his black sword, *Garod*. From behind the shattered marble pillars, *Cilian* emerged—clad in a deep blue robe, a dragon tattoo carved onto the back of her right hand. Her gaze was neither hostile nor friendly.
She spoke in a calm tone:
_"You're late, Shao. The ruins of time wait for no one. The sword will respond only to those who have endured the torment of reincarnation."_
Shao frowned, sensing a deeper meaning behind her words.
_"And you? Why are you here? This sword is not your game."_
She smiled faintly, then pulled a slender dagger from beneath her robe.
_"I came to make sure you don't repeat your father's mistake."_
Shao's heart clenched. No one had spoken of his father in years—no one dared to connect him to *Kenar*, the betrayer of light, the bearer of the eternal blood curse.
A heavy silence fell, then a distant rumble echoed from deep within the earth. The ruins trembled. Blue lights surged from the cracks between the stones. The *Gate of Time* had begun to awaken.
Suddenly, Cilian shouted:
_"It's waking! The guardian of the sword! If we don't stop it now, our fate will be worse than death."_
And from the heart of the light, a *colossal creature* emerged—a fusion of *shadow and steel*, bearing a single glowing *poison-green eye*, and wings of *petrified clay*. Its name, inscribed in ancient texts, was *Oremos, the Judge of Reincarnation*.
Shao unsheathed his sword, feeling a searing heat radiate from his mark—a mark that had not glowed since he left *Eldora*.
_"So, this is the true test... Not the sword itself, but whether I am worthy of it."_
He lunged at *Oremos*, his blade slicing through the air like lightning. The creature leapt to meet the attack, its claws shattering the ground beneath them. The battle had begun, and with every movement, the earth trembled.
As Shao fought, he remembered his late mentor's words:
_"In the moment your heart battles your memories, you will know whether you are the master of your destiny… or its servant."_
Each strike from *Oremos* tested his belief in himself. Every parry forced him to confront old wounds—scars yet to heal. From afar, *Cilian* cast a *support enchantment*, a beam of *azure energy* merging with Shao's sword, unleashing an explosion that tore through *one of Oremos' wings*.
The creature screamed, shaking the seals around the plaza, then collapsed with a sound resembling a sigh from time itself.
Shao approached the *half-buried sword*, placing his hand upon it. A profound *coldness* seeped from the hilt into his soul. And in that instant, he saw a vision of his past life… *War. Fire. Betrayal.* Then, the *gentle smile* of a woman he had never seen before.
_"What… is this?"_ he whispered, shaken.
Cilian's voice came from behind, quiet but certain:
_"These are visions from your past life. Reincarnation does not grant power alone—it reveals the truth."_
Shao opened his eyes, *lifting the sword*.
It had *accepted* him.
And now... *fate had begun to weave its threads anew.*