Chapter 186: The Sixth Room

The darkness blinked.

Noah froze halfway down the staircase.

At the bottom, something had opened its eyes.

Not one.

Not two.

Six.

Each eye appeared between the ancient stone walls, arranged in a perfect circle around the chamber below.

Laura tightened her grip on her weapon.

"Those weren’t there before."

Noah slowly descended another step.

"They were waiting."

Dead Zone remained unusually quiet.

Noah glanced inward.

You still want to leave?

More than before.

That answer made Noah stop.

Dead Zone had never sounded afraid.

Not during the Watcher.

Not during Alcris.

Not even when the ancient prisoner had appeared beneath Hrafnviðr.

But now...

He sounded certain.

Noah continued downward.

The others followed.

Roana remained near the back, one hand pressed against her wounded shoulder.

As they descended, the golden symbols carved into the walls began changing.

Noah recognized some.

Ragnarok.

The broken crown.

The medallion symbols.

But others were completely unfamiliar.

Six circles.

Six figures.

Six empty spaces.

At the bottom of the staircase, they entered a vast underground chamber.

Noah stopped.

The room was enormous.

Six stone platforms surrounded a circular pit.

Five were empty.

The sixth had a chair.

Not the metal chair from the white room.

This one was ancient.

Black stone covered in golden cracks.

Chains hung from its arms.

And behind it stood a massive wall.

A mural had been carved into the stone.

Noah stepped closer.

It depicted six children.

The first carried crimson flames.

The second was surrounded by golden light.

The third was covered in black shadows.

The fourth appeared silver.

The fifth was completely white.

The sixth...

Had no face.

Noah’s eyes narrowed.

"That’s me."

Roana looked at the mural.

"No."

She stepped closer.

"That’s not you."

Noah looked at her.

"What?"

Roana pointed at the faceless child.

"Look at the others."

Noah did.

Each child had a symbol above their head.

But the faceless one had none.

Instead, six thin lines extended from its body.

Each line connected to one of the other children.

Roana whispered:

"You’re not the sixth."

Noah’s expression hardened.

"Then what am I?"

Roana didn’t answer.

A metallic sound echoed across the chamber.

CLANG.

The ancient chair moved.

Slowly.

Its restraints opened.

Noah raised Shadowfang.

A voice emerged from the darkness.

"Better question."

A figure stepped from behind the mural.

It was tall.

Thin.

Completely covered in dark robes.

Its face was hidden.

Six golden marks glowed across its chest.

Laura stepped forward.

"Who are you?"

The figure ignored her.

It looked directly at Noah.

"How much do you remember?"

Noah kept Shadowfang raised.

"Enough."

The figure tilted its head.

"Then you remember the separation."

Dead Zone suddenly spoke.

Don’t answer.

Noah remained silent.

The figure smiled beneath its hood.

"You always were stubborn."

Roana’s eyes widened.

"I know that voice."

The figure turned toward her.

"Do you?"

Roana stepped backward.

"You were there."

"Yes."

"In the white room."

"Yes."

"You watched them."

"Yes."

Her face tightened.

"You did nothing."

The figure’s smile disappeared.

"I was not permitted to."

Noah stepped between them.

"Who gave you permission?"

The figure looked at him.

For the first time, its voice changed.

It sounded almost tired.

"The same ones who erased your name."

The chamber trembled.

The six eyes surrounding the room opened wider.

Noah felt Shadowfang vibrate.

The figure extended one hand.

A golden symbol appeared in the air.

It was identical to the mark beneath Hrafnviðr.

"The Watcher was never your enemy."

Noah’s eyes narrowed.

"Then what was it?"

"A lock."

The figure pointed toward the ceiling.

"And the forest?"

"A seal."

It pointed toward the mural.

"And the six subjects?"

Noah waited.

The figure answered:

"Containers."

Dead Zone went completely silent.

Noah’s expression darkened.

"Containers for what?"

The figure looked toward the faceless child.

"For something that existed before Ragnarok."

The room went cold.

Laura whispered:

"Before Ragnarok?"

The figure nodded.

"Ragnarok was not the beginning."

Noah stared at the mural.

"What was?"

The figure didn’t answer.

Instead, the six eyes around the room suddenly turned toward Noah.

Every golden crack in the chamber ignited.

The ancient chair began shaking.

The figure stepped backward.

"Too late."

Noah turned.

"What?"

The figure looked toward the ceiling.

"They found you."

A deafening roar came from above.

The entire chamber shook.

Dust fell from the ceiling.

Then came another sound.

Footsteps.

Heavy.

Slow.

Descending the staircase.

Noah turned toward the entrance.

Someone was walking down.

The figure’s voice became barely audible.

"They weren’t supposed to wake until much later."

Noah raised Shadowfang.

"Who?"

The figure looked at him.

"The first ones."

A silhouette appeared at the top of the stairs.

Then another.

Then another.

Six silhouettes stood in the entrance.

Noah’s system violently flickered.

[MULTIPLE UNKNOWN ENTITIES DETECTED.]

[SIGNATURE ANALYSIS FAILED.]

[RAGNAROK: ERROR.]

[DEAD ZONE: ERROR.]

[HOST: ERROR.]

Then one final message appeared.

[WARNING: ORIGINAL SUBJECTS HAVE RETURNED.]

Noah’s golden eye ignited.

His crimson eye followed.

The six silhouettes began descending.

And Dead Zone whispered:

Noah...

We’re looking at ourselves.

The first silhouette stepped into the chamber.

Noah’s grip tightened around Shadowfang.

The figure looked human.

Tall.

Thin.

Wrapped in dark clothing.

Its face was hidden beneath a cracked mask.

The second descended behind it.

Then the third.

Then the fourth.

Then the fifth.

Then the sixth.

Six figures.

Six identical golden marks burned across their chests.

Noah’s system flickered violently.

[IDENTIFICATION FAILURE.]

[IDENTIFICATION FAILURE.]

[IDENTIFICATION FAILURE.]

The final silhouette reached the bottom of the stairs.

It stopped.

For several seconds, nobody moved.

Then the figure raised its head.

Noah’s breath caught.

The face beneath the mask was his.

Not exactly.

Older.

Sharper.

But unmistakably similar.

Laura whispered, "Noah..."

"I see it."

The figure smiled.

"Do you?"

Its voice was strangely familiar.

Noah stepped forward.

"Who are you?"

The figure touched its chest.

"Subject One."

The second figure stepped forward.

"Subject Two."

The third.

"Subject Three."

The fourth.

"Subject Four."

The fifth.

"Subject Five."

The sixth remained silent.

Noah looked at it.

The sixth figure slowly removed its mask.

Nothing.

There was no face.

Only darkness.

Roana stumbled backward.

"No..."

The hooded figure beside the mural looked toward her.

"You remember."

Roana’s breathing became uneven.

"They weren’t children."

Noah looked at her.

"What?"

She pointed at the six figures.

"They weren’t the subjects."

Her voice shook.

"They were the results."

The chamber fell silent.

Subject One laughed.

"She remembers more than she should."

Subject Two looked at Roana.

"Memory corruption was supposed to prevent that."

Subject Three turned toward Noah.

"But apparently..."

Its eyes glowed crimson.

"...some memories survive everything."

Noah raised Shadowfang.

"Enough."

The six figures stopped.

Noah’s voice echoed through the chamber.

"If you’re expecting me to stand here while you talk in riddles, you’re going to be disappointed."

Subject One smiled.

"Still impatient."

"Still talking."

The figure’s smile widened.

"Good."

It vanished.

Noah barely blocked the attack.

CLANG!

The impact sent him sliding backward.

Shadowfang screamed against a black blade.

Noah stared.

The weapon looked almost identical to his own.

"You’re copying Shadowfang?"

"No."

Subject One pushed harder.

"It was never yours."

Noah’s eyes narrowed.

A burst of crimson energy erupted from his body.

He threw Subject One backward.

Dead Zone took partial control.

Shadowfang’s edge turned black.

Noah lunged.

Subject One blocked.

The chamber shook.

BOOM!

They separated.

Subject One looked at Shadowfang.

"You really don’t know."

Noah wiped blood from his mouth.

"Know what?"

"The sword didn’t choose you."

Dead Zone suddenly spoke.

He’s lying.

Subject One smiled.

"Am I?"

Noah’s eyes narrowed.

"Then why does it answer me?"

Subject One’s expression changed.

For the first time, uncertainty appeared.

"It shouldn’t."

Noah charged.

Shadowfang struck.

Subject One blocked.

Another strike.

Blocked.

A third.

The fourth shattered its blade.

CRACK!

Subject One stumbled.

Noah placed Shadowfang against its throat.

"Talk."

Subject One looked at him.

"You want the truth?"

"Yes."

The figure smiled.

"You weren’t supposed to inherit Ragnarok."

Noah froze.

Dead Zone went silent.

Subject One continued.

"Neither was I."

The chamber trembled.

"None of us were."

The hooded figure behind the mural finally spoke.

"Enough."

Subject One looked toward it.

"You don’t command us anymore."

The hooded figure’s golden marks suddenly ignited.

All six subjects froze.

Noah noticed something.

Chains.

Thin golden chains were attached to each of their backs.

They disappeared into the ceiling.

The hooded figure raised one hand.

The chains tightened.

Subject One dropped to one knee.

Subject Two screamed.

Subject Three grabbed its chest.

The sixth figure remained motionless.

Noah stared.

"Release them."

The hooded figure looked at him.

"No."

"Then I’ll do it myself."

Noah raised Shadowfang.

The hooded figure’s eyes appeared beneath the hood.

Golden.

Ancient.

And terrified.

"You cannot."

Noah took one step forward.

"Watch me."

The sword struck the first chain.

CRACK!

The chamber exploded with light.

One chain broke.

Subject One gasped.

Then another chain snapped.

Subject Two fell free.

The hooded figure staggered.

"No!"

Noah raised Shadowfang again.

Dead Zone whispered:

Noah, stop.

Noah froze.

Why?

Dead Zone stared at the sixth figure.

Look at the last one.

Noah did.

The faceless subject was trembling.

Not from fear.

From excitement.

Its head slowly lifted.

A black void opened where its face should have been.

And from inside came a voice.

Not human.

Not mechanical.

Not ancient.

Something impossibly familiar.

"Finally."

Every light in the chamber died.

The six subjects turned toward the faceless one.

Subject One whispered:

"That’s impossible."

The hooded figure stepped backward.

"No."

The faceless subject raised one hand.

The chains attached to the other five snapped simultaneously.

BOOM!

The chamber shook violently.

The six subjects were free.

The faceless figure looked directly at Noah.

Even without eyes, Noah knew it was watching him.

Then it spoke.

"Now we can return what they took."

Noah’s system appeared.

[CRITICAL WARNING.]

[EXTERNAL INHERITANCE ATTEMPT DETECTED.]

[TARGET: NOAH BLACKWOOD.]

[SOURCE: SUBJECT SIX.]

Dead Zone’s voice became a whisper.

Noah...

Don’t let it touch you.

The faceless figure took its first step toward him.

And Noah realized something terrifying.

It wasn’t trying to attack.

It was trying to merge.