Chapter 4: The Path to the Unknown

Rishi followed the mysterious man through the silent streets, his mind racing with questions.

"Who is he? What does he know about me? And why does this locket feel... alive?"

The city was quiet at this hour, but Rishi could feel eyes watching them from the darkness. Whether it was the same gang that had attacked him earlier or something else, he couldn’t tell.

The man walked ahead with a steady, purposeful stride. He hadn’t spoken since Rishi had agreed to follow him. It was as if he was waiting for something.

Finally, Rishi broke the silence. “Where are we going?”

The man didn’t stop walking. “Somewhere safe,” he replied.

“That doesn’t answer my question,” Rishi pressed. “Who are you? And why do you know about this locket?”

The man finally stopped and turned. In the dim light, his sharp eyes seemed to glow faintly.

“My name is Kaviraj,” he said. “And I’ve been watching over you for a long time.”

Rishi stiffened. “Watching over me?”

Kaviraj nodded. “Ever since you were a child.”

Rishi took a step back. “That’s not possible. I grew up in an orphanage. No one ever came to see me.”

Kaviraj let out a breath. “Because I wasn’t allowed to reveal myself.”

The words sent a chill through Rishi’s spine. He had spent fifteen years alone, believing he had no family, no one looking out for him. But now, this man was claiming otherwise?

Rishi clenched his fists. “Why now?” he demanded. “Why show yourself after all this time?”

Kaviraj’s gaze fell to the golden locket hanging around Rishi’s neck.

“Because the locket has awakened,” he said. “And that means your true journey is about to begin.”

The Hidden Sanctuary

They walked in silence for another hour, leaving behind the familiar streets of the city. Kaviraj led Rishi through a narrow alleyway, stopping in front of an old, abandoned temple.

The structure was crumbling, vines creeping up its worn stone walls. It looked like no one had entered in decades.

Kaviraj pushed open the heavy doors with ease. “Come inside.”

Rishi hesitated for a moment before stepping in.

Inside, the temple was surprisingly well-preserved. Ancient paintings decorated the walls, depicting warriors wielding massive maces—their weapons glowing with a strange, fiery aura.

But what caught Rishi’s attention was the stone pedestal at the center of the temple.

Upon it rested a weapon unlike anything he had ever seen.

A mace—covered in golden engravings, its handle wrapped in what looked like old, worn leather. The head of the mace was enormous, its shape twisted as if formed by an unseen force.

Rishi felt his breath catch.

Somehow, he knew exactly what it was.

The Smace.

The Truth Revealed

Kaviraj stood beside the pedestal. “This,” he said, “is what your locket has been leading you to.”

Rishi took a step forward. The moment he did, the locket around his neck pulsed with warmth.

The engravings on the Smace began to glow.

Rishi’s heart pounded. “What… what is this?”

Kaviraj’s eyes darkened.

“This is the weapon of your ancestors,” he said. “And the spirit trapped within it… is one of your own bloodline.”

Rishi felt his knees go weak. He had spent his whole life searching for answers about his past.

And now, the answers had found him.