2025-04-13 15:56:12Chapter 3 - three paths and one option
Lucille stepped into the middle of the room, followed by Ethan and Dante. From the floor, a circle of light appears-a circle of training surrounded by protective symbols.
And for the first time in his life, Ethan stepped into a world that he could no longer leave.
Not as a courier.
But as a key.
The light in the training circle feels different. Not only light - but warm, heavy, and felt dug into Ethan's chest. The symbols on the floor throbbing like the pulse, moving following his steps.
Lucille stood on the right side, her hair was tied high and her robe changed - simpler, more like a teacher than a mysterious guard. In his left hand, he held a stick from a faint black stone.
Dante, still leaning against the outer wall, crosses your arms. He did not enter the circle, but his gaze was sharp, paying attention to every movement of Ethan.
"You know why Codex chose you?" Lucille asked.
Ethan shook his head.
"Because Codex cannot be falsified. He is not interested in who is strong, who is smart, or who looks great. Codex chooses ... wounds."
Ethan looked at him, confused.
"Every fragment is attracted to someone who has the deepest wound - not physical wounds, but the soul. You've lost something, right?"
Ethan nodded slowly. His mother's face imagined for a moment. Their lives in the suburbs. The night when the phone rang and he knew, the world would not be the same anymore.
Lucille stepped closer. "The wound will be a door. And Codex ... will fill it."
He raised his stick. The symbol on the floor is red.
"Now, Ethan. Open yourself. Let the fragments come together. Don't refuse the pain."
Instantly, the heat enveloped Ethan's body. Like an invisible hand that explores his memories one by one. He wanted to shout, but the voice did not come out. Memory after memory emerged: his mother's face as he was little, the sound of his motorbike broke down as he ran away from the pursuit, hunger at the end of the month, and Lucille's voice called him from a distance.
Then everything was quiet.
And suddenly ... there was another voice.
Voice in his head.
"Name ..."
Ethan was panting. "Ethan. Ethan Vire."
"Wound ...."
"Mother's departure. Fear of being left behind by himself. Distrust of anyone."
"Open."
Instantly, something in his body cracked. But not the bone - but rather a kind of layer that has been covering it. The fragments in his jacket pockets light up strongly, and the blue light covered his body.
His hands trembled. He felt something formed in the palm of his hand - not weapons, not fire, but symbols. A seal.
Lucille smiled. "You succeeded."
Dante, who had been silent, nodded slowly.
The symbol in Ethan's hands slowly blends with his skin, like a throbbing life tattoo. But it feels not just a part of his body. He felt like - getting a new tool to understand the world.
"What's this?" he asked quietly.
"Access seal," Lucille answered. "Every Codex opening will be given one. With that, you can read the energy of the place, open ancient recordings, and call some of the strengths of fragments."
Ethan looked at his palm. The symbol continued to throb like the second pulse. "Is this ... magic?"
"No," Dante said, approaching. "This is a legacy. Elderly technology. Older than any magic that is known to humans."
Lucille added, "And the seal will grow. With training, you can activate certain techniques, withstand attacks, even - in the right time - opening the door between the world."
Ethan sighed. "This ... too much."
"Because you only see the surface," Dante interrupted. "The training has just begun. And we don't have much time."
Lucille looked at the metal ball floating on the table. "The north gate began to show a reaction. We might have a week, two weeks at the most, before the enemy arrives first."
"Enemy?" Ethan repeated.
"People who are also looking for Codex. But not to protect," Dante answered. "They want to open it. Take off the sealed."
Lucille looked at Ethan seriously. "And you, as the owner of the first seal, will be the target."
Ethan swallowed. "Then what should I do?"
Lucille nodded towards the wall. A stone door slowly opened, showing a much wider training room. "Learn. Attack. Survive. Read Codex. And if the time comes ... fight."
Ethan looked at the room. Sweat flowed in his temple, but his eyes began to turn on with determination.
He stepped forward, to the training room. The symbol in his hand was burning. The light in the room changes, following the energy from him.
And for some reason, for the first time, he was not afraid.
Ethan's footsteps echoed as he entered the extensive training room. The roof is high with a black metal structure that crosses like a spider's net. Sailage light falls from the crystals glowing on the ceiling, highlighting the row of rune circles and the pillars of the battle simulation scattered in it.
Dante stood near the wall, lighting a console that gave rise to the holograms of three radiant paths: red, blue, and gold.
Lucille approached, his voice was soft but authoritative. "Every Codex user, after receiving the seal, will be tested on the three initial mastery paths. This is not just a choice of ability - this determines how fragments will respond to you."
Ethan swallowed, staring at the three floating paths in the air.
"Red is an offensive path. Strength, direct attack, fast destruction. Suitable for those who dare to attack first," said Lucille, pointing to a symbol of a burning fire spear.
"Blue," he continued, "is an adaptive path. Absorbing, reading, and adjusting. Those who are intelligent, quickly think, and are able to turn weaknesses into strength to excel here."
"And gold ..." Dante joined in talking, her voice was heavier. "The path of integration. The most difficult path. Not only controls your strength, but uniting it with fragments until the last limit. Only a few choose this path. But they are historical changers."
Previous Chapter
Related Chapters
Codex of the Forgotten Chapter 4.
Chapter 4. Ethan frowned, his eyes moved between three paths. "Choose, Ethan," said Lucille. "But you know one thing - Codex will test your choice. There is no way back."Ethan closed his eyes for a moment. His breathing slowly, he recalled everything - his mother, night when he almost died in the city hallway, whispering fragments that live in his chest. He did not want to just be strong. He wants to understand ... control ... and change. "I chose the blue path," he said firmly. Lucille smiled faintly. "Wise."Instantly, the blue symbol brought brightly and penetrated Ethan's body like a fog. He gasped, his body trembled violently. Suddenly everything felt heavy and light at the same time. The voices of the surroundings were heard clearer-the wind, the vibration of the ground, even Lucille's calm heartbeat. "Welcome to the second world, Ethan," murmured Dante. "From now on, you not only read the world ... The world also starts reading back to you."---The first training session
Codex of the Forgotten CHAPTER 5 - FIRST CRACK
CHAPTER 5 - FIRST CRACK---Ethan followed, his steps were careful. Around it, the aisle lights blink. The walls are full of graffiti - a part of an inverted eye symbol, a typical sign of obscura. Suddenly, the sound of a small laugh echoed. Children? No. Not ordinary human laughter. Sounds like a distorted engine echo. Dante pulled his weapon, a short blade of a blue rune. "They know we come."From the darkness, three robbing figures emerged. But unlike the shadow in exercise, their bodies are real, layered with mild armor with radiant veins under the skin. One of them - a woman with short silver hair and black eyes like a baseless hole - forward. "Welcome, Codex heir," he said in a double echoing voice. "We've been waiting for you."Ethan strengthened the blue seal in his hand, ready to fight. But the woman raised her hand. "Not tonight's fight. Not yet. We just want to introduce ourselves."Dante emphasized his position. "Who are you?"The woman smiled a little. "My name is Ar
Codex of the Forgotten chapter 6:
chapter 6:"His fragments begin to form their own awareness. If it is not immediately stabilized, he can collapse from the inside."Dante appeared. "We must lock the fragment temporarily. Energy isolation."Lucille shook her head. "Late. The fragment is fused. Isolation will only accelerate damage."The three of them looked at each other. There is no really safe option. "I'll talk to him," Lucille finally said. "Before the fragment spoke more."---In the underground training room, Ethan stood in the middle of the simulation field, his eyes focused on the holographic target. He attacked endlessly, diverting his mind from the whispers. But .... The sound is still there. "Why are you fighting?""Because I'm still a human!" Ethan shouted. Suddenly, the simulation exploded from the inside. Not in accordance with the program. Dante and Lucille who watched from the outside immediately sounded the alarm. Ethan fell on his knees in the middle of a damaged terrain. The red light from its
Codex of the Forgotten Chapter 7 - Ghost of the Highest Orbit
Chapter 7 - Ghost of the Highest OrbitBefore Ethan had asked, the whole room began to vibrate. From the back wall, a half -machine human figure appeared - red, his right arm was replaced by a plasma rotating weapon. He spoke in an unknown language. But Ethan understood it. "You ... not chosen.""You're not just chosen," he repeated. After that the fight broke out. Fragment guard attacks at lightning speed. Lucille held a shot with an energy protector, while Ethan avoided and tried to use resonance to lock the opponent. "He's part of the old system!" exclaimed Lucille. "It can only be stopped if the fragment is subject to you!"Ethan closed his eyes. In the darkness of his mind, he spoke to the second fragment. 'If you can hear .... I'm not your enemy. I'm not a sealing. I ... new hope guard. 'The fragment sighed, then blended in the blue and green pulse in his hand. Ethan opened his eyes. The light on his body was burning, and in one movement he threw the resonance wave at th
Codex of the Forgotten chapter 8 :
chapter 8 :Lucille exclaimed, "Ethan, we have to go! Something closer from the surface!"The figure nodded slowly. "When we run out. You will know more when the third fragment is found. But remember ... not all fractions want the world to be put together again."He stretched out his hand, and a transparent fragment appeared in the air - sparkling like a prism. Ethan touched it, and for a fraction of a second, he saw:Fire. Ruins. Thousands of people prostrate to the robed figure sitting on the throne of Codex. That face, his own face. And the sound echoed in his mind: "Are you going to choose to repeat the same curse?"The flash of light exploded from the fragment, and in an instant the three of them crashed back to Leviathan. The strange space disappeared. The sea is calm again. ---A few hours later, in the Observation Room of Division X, Ethan sat in silence. His hands trembled. The new fragment has been integrated with gloves, now throbbing deeper, as if rooted into his ski
Codex of the Forgotten CHAPTER 9 - A Courtless Court
CHAPTER 9 - A Courtless CourtThe light around Ethan forms a large circle, like an endless giant bracelet. He stood in a strange dimension - without heaven, without true land, but felt real. The sound of his heart echoed in all directions, as if this room was beating with him. In front of him, his own shadow stood tall. His darker version. Cold gaze, bent smile, and a gaze that was not just judgmental, but hostile. "Welcome to the court without time," said the figure, his voice echoed like two votes at the same time - Ethan, and ... something much older. Ethan stepped forward. "Is this a kind of test from fragments?"The shadow turned to the sky-which suddenly opened to display the memories of Ethan. Pieces of time flashed: When he woke up at Division X headquarters, when he first wore Codex gloves, when Juno smiled for the first time, and ... when he almost killed someone in Trance's condition unconsciously. "Not a test. This is a judgment," said the figure again. "The third fr
Codex of the Forgotten CHAPTER 10 - NULLOS, LIFE FRAGMENT
CHAPTER 10 - NULLOS, LIFE FRAGMENTEthan looked at the small screen on his wrist. The focused fragment sensor moves - signs that they are getting closer. Suddenly the submarine shook violently. KRRAAAK! Alarm lit red. "There is an anomaly wave!" shouted Lucille. "The energy field changes - we are sucked in local gravity!"Ethan jumped from the chair. "Activate the Emergency System! We must come out now!"Within seconds, the cabin is filled with the sound of thumps and distortion. Their bodies are attracted as if swallowed by a whirlpool. The world reversed. And when Ethan opened his eyes. He stood on the streets of the city of Dena. Orange sky, tall buildings rot, vehicles froze in the air like a statue of time. Lucille's face was pale beside him, her body staggered. "This is ... not the present," he murmured. "We were withdrawn to the past of this city, before sinking."Ethan felt the pulse of fragments getting stronger. He raised his hand - Codex's hand shined unnaturally.
Codex of the Forgotten CHAPTER 1 - whisper in the middle of the city
CHAPTER 1 - whisper in the middle of the cityThe rain flushed the city in silence, like a blanket of fog that fell slowly from the gray sky. The streets were quiet, only the sound of water drops bouncing from the roofs of old concrete and street lights that flicked slowly in the middle of the night. Ethan stood under the bus stop that had begun to rust, his jacket was wet half dry, his eyes stared blankly at the road that seemed never to end. After work at night has become a routine. But tonight feels different. The cold air pierced his bones sharper, and there was something in the air that made the hair stand on his hair. He slipped his hand into his pocket, squeezing something that felt warm-a small-shaped small-shaped stone he found this afternoon between the warehouse debris where he used to deliver the goods. At that time, he just fad touched him. But since then, his ears often hear whispers. Not the voice of people, more like echoes that resonate from far and foreign places
Latest Chapter
CHAPTER 10 - NULLOS, LIFE FRAGMENT
CHAPTER 10 - NULLOS, LIFE FRAGMENTEthan looked at the small screen on his wrist. The focused fragment sensor moves - signs that they are getting closer. Suddenly the submarine shook violently. KRRAAAK! Alarm lit red. "There is an anomaly wave!" shouted Lucille. "The energy field changes - we are sucked in local gravity!"Ethan jumped from the chair. "Activate the Emergency System! We must come out now!"Within seconds, the cabin is filled with the sound of thumps and distortion. Their bodies are attracted as if swallowed by a whirlpool. The world reversed. And when Ethan opened his eyes. He stood on the streets of the city of Dena. Orange sky, tall buildings rot, vehicles froze in the air like a statue of time. Lucille's face was pale beside him, her body staggered. "This is ... not the present," he murmured. "We were withdrawn to the past of this city, before sinking."Ethan felt the pulse of fragments getting stronger. He raised his hand - Codex's hand shined unnaturally.
CHAPTER 9 - A Courtless Court
CHAPTER 9 - A Courtless CourtThe light around Ethan forms a large circle, like an endless giant bracelet. He stood in a strange dimension - without heaven, without true land, but felt real. The sound of his heart echoed in all directions, as if this room was beating with him. In front of him, his own shadow stood tall. His darker version. Cold gaze, bent smile, and a gaze that was not just judgmental, but hostile. "Welcome to the court without time," said the figure, his voice echoed like two votes at the same time - Ethan, and ... something much older. Ethan stepped forward. "Is this a kind of test from fragments?"The shadow turned to the sky-which suddenly opened to display the memories of Ethan. Pieces of time flashed: When he woke up at Division X headquarters, when he first wore Codex gloves, when Juno smiled for the first time, and ... when he almost killed someone in Trance's condition unconsciously. "Not a test. This is a judgment," said the figure again. "The third fr
chapter 8 :
chapter 8 :Lucille exclaimed, "Ethan, we have to go! Something closer from the surface!"The figure nodded slowly. "When we run out. You will know more when the third fragment is found. But remember ... not all fractions want the world to be put together again."He stretched out his hand, and a transparent fragment appeared in the air - sparkling like a prism. Ethan touched it, and for a fraction of a second, he saw:Fire. Ruins. Thousands of people prostrate to the robed figure sitting on the throne of Codex. That face, his own face. And the sound echoed in his mind: "Are you going to choose to repeat the same curse?"The flash of light exploded from the fragment, and in an instant the three of them crashed back to Leviathan. The strange space disappeared. The sea is calm again. ---A few hours later, in the Observation Room of Division X, Ethan sat in silence. His hands trembled. The new fragment has been integrated with gloves, now throbbing deeper, as if rooted into his ski
Chapter 7 - Ghost of the Highest Orbit
Chapter 7 - Ghost of the Highest OrbitBefore Ethan had asked, the whole room began to vibrate. From the back wall, a half -machine human figure appeared - red, his right arm was replaced by a plasma rotating weapon. He spoke in an unknown language. But Ethan understood it. "You ... not chosen.""You're not just chosen," he repeated. After that the fight broke out. Fragment guard attacks at lightning speed. Lucille held a shot with an energy protector, while Ethan avoided and tried to use resonance to lock the opponent. "He's part of the old system!" exclaimed Lucille. "It can only be stopped if the fragment is subject to you!"Ethan closed his eyes. In the darkness of his mind, he spoke to the second fragment. 'If you can hear .... I'm not your enemy. I'm not a sealing. I ... new hope guard. 'The fragment sighed, then blended in the blue and green pulse in his hand. Ethan opened his eyes. The light on his body was burning, and in one movement he threw the resonance wave at th
chapter 6:
chapter 6:"His fragments begin to form their own awareness. If it is not immediately stabilized, he can collapse from the inside."Dante appeared. "We must lock the fragment temporarily. Energy isolation."Lucille shook her head. "Late. The fragment is fused. Isolation will only accelerate damage."The three of them looked at each other. There is no really safe option. "I'll talk to him," Lucille finally said. "Before the fragment spoke more."---In the underground training room, Ethan stood in the middle of the simulation field, his eyes focused on the holographic target. He attacked endlessly, diverting his mind from the whispers. But .... The sound is still there. "Why are you fighting?""Because I'm still a human!" Ethan shouted. Suddenly, the simulation exploded from the inside. Not in accordance with the program. Dante and Lucille who watched from the outside immediately sounded the alarm. Ethan fell on his knees in the middle of a damaged terrain. The red light from its
CHAPTER 5 - FIRST CRACK
CHAPTER 5 - FIRST CRACK---Ethan followed, his steps were careful. Around it, the aisle lights blink. The walls are full of graffiti - a part of an inverted eye symbol, a typical sign of obscura. Suddenly, the sound of a small laugh echoed. Children? No. Not ordinary human laughter. Sounds like a distorted engine echo. Dante pulled his weapon, a short blade of a blue rune. "They know we come."From the darkness, three robbing figures emerged. But unlike the shadow in exercise, their bodies are real, layered with mild armor with radiant veins under the skin. One of them - a woman with short silver hair and black eyes like a baseless hole - forward. "Welcome, Codex heir," he said in a double echoing voice. "We've been waiting for you."Ethan strengthened the blue seal in his hand, ready to fight. But the woman raised her hand. "Not tonight's fight. Not yet. We just want to introduce ourselves."Dante emphasized his position. "Who are you?"The woman smiled a little. "My name is Ar
Chapter 4.
Chapter 4. Ethan frowned, his eyes moved between three paths. "Choose, Ethan," said Lucille. "But you know one thing - Codex will test your choice. There is no way back."Ethan closed his eyes for a moment. His breathing slowly, he recalled everything - his mother, night when he almost died in the city hallway, whispering fragments that live in his chest. He did not want to just be strong. He wants to understand ... control ... and change. "I chose the blue path," he said firmly. Lucille smiled faintly. "Wise."Instantly, the blue symbol brought brightly and penetrated Ethan's body like a fog. He gasped, his body trembled violently. Suddenly everything felt heavy and light at the same time. The voices of the surroundings were heard clearer-the wind, the vibration of the ground, even Lucille's calm heartbeat. "Welcome to the second world, Ethan," murmured Dante. "From now on, you not only read the world ... The world also starts reading back to you."---The first training session
Chapter 3 - three paths and one option
Chapter 3 - three paths and one optionLucille stepped into the middle of the room, followed by Ethan and Dante. From the floor, a circle of light appears-a circle of training surrounded by protective symbols. And for the first time in his life, Ethan stepped into a world that he could no longer leave. Not as a courier. But as a key. The light in the training circle feels different. Not only light - but warm, heavy, and felt dug into Ethan's chest. The symbols on the floor throbbing like the pulse, moving following his steps. Lucille stood on the right side, her hair was tied high and her robe changed - simpler, more like a teacher than a mysterious guard. In his left hand, he held a stick from a faint black stone. Dante, still leaning against the outer wall, crosses your arms. He did not enter the circle, but his gaze was sharp, paying attention to every movement of Ethan. "You know why Codex chose you?" Lucille asked. Ethan shook his head. "Because Codex cannot be falsified
Chapter 2 - Unpaired place
Codex of the ForgottenChapter 2 - Unpaired place"We were once on the same side," Dante answered flatly. "But the guard is too weak in facing the darkness that is now rising again."Lucille looked at Ethan. "And that's why we need him."Ethan shook his head quickly. "I don't know anything about war, codex, or this dark world. I can't even understand the strange dreams that have emerged since I touched this stone!""Dream?" Dante asked quickly. "What do you see?"Ethan took a deep breath, then answered slowly. "A tower ... very high, floating on the lake of fire. There are sounds ... like thousands of people pray and cry."Lucille and Dante looked at each other. "It's not a dream," Lucille whispered. "That's Codex's memory. You're looking at the forgotten historical fragments.""And the tower," added Dante, "is the fourth gate. If it is open, then this world will run out."Ethan was silent. A run out of a world? He just saved enough to pay for a rented house next month, and now he is
