Edwin Lunar Chapter 103: Beneath Noroel

Read chapter 103 of Edwin Lunar by MananTayal on NovelPedia.

The Core Chamber was completely silent. Nobody moved. Nobody spoke. Wingard had become part of the barrier. The words echoed through everyone's mind. Even the Observer remained quiet. For the first time since Edwin had met him, the ancient Architect looked genuinely impressed. Almost proud. Elyra stared at the coordinates projected by the Core. "The Second Anchor..." Her voice was barely above a whisper. "It still exists." The Observer nodded. "Apparently." Groader folded his arms. "You knew about this?" The Observer shook his head. "No." Everyone turned toward him. For once, even he looked surprised. "Wingard never told me." A small smile appeared on his face. "He finally managed to keep a secret from me." The room remained silent. Because if the Observer truly hadn't known... Then Wingard had hidden something from the most powerful being in existence. Something important enough to remain concealed for decades. Edwin stepped toward the projection. The coordinates remained fixed. Noroel. Home. The place where everything began. The place where he had first discovered the hidden chamber beneath the Academy. The place where Wingard's journey had ended. And apparently— The place where another mystery waited. The Observer suddenly looked toward him. "We leave immediately." Nobody argued. The barrier was weakening. The Watchers were advancing. And somewhere beneath Noroel existed a secret capable of surprising even the Observer. The Forge activated around them. Ancient gateways awakened. Golden energy surged throughout the colossal structure. The Core calculated a direct route. Within minutes the transport vessel launched. The journey back to Noroel had begun. Three days later. The Noroel System appeared before them. For Edwin, the sight felt strangely comforting. The blue star. The familiar planets. The ancient Academy orbiting above Noroel Prime. Everything looked normal. Peaceful. Yet everyone aboard the vessel knew the truth. The galaxy stood weeks away from extinction. And most of its citizens didn't even realize it. As the transport approached, alarms immediately activated throughout the Academy. Not because of a threat. Because of Groader. News of his return had already spread. The man history once called a traitor had become a legend again. Students gathered throughout observation platforms. Professors filled command centers. Thousands watched as the vessel landed. Edwin noticed something remarkable. Nobody looked at Groader with suspicion anymore. Nobody looked at him with hatred. They looked at him with respect. The truth had finally won. The vessel touched down. As the ramp opened, Academy personnel rushed forward. Among them was Head Instructor Varis. The old teacher looked exhausted. Yet relieved. "You're back." Humming nodded. "Any problems?" Varis laughed nervously. "Only a hundred." That wasn't encouraging. The Observer remained hidden aboard the vessel. Only Orion knew he was there. Panic would spread if the Academy discovered the greatest enemy in history had just arrived. For now, secrecy remained necessary. Edwin immediately led Groader, Humming, Elyra, and the others toward the oldest section of the Academy. The ruins. The forgotten underground structures beneath the original campus. The place where Wingard's story first intersected with his own. Hours later they stood before a sealed chamber. Ancient Builder symbols covered the walls. Golden dust floated through the air. The passage looked unchanged. Exactly as Edwin remembered. Groader slowly approached. His eyes widened. "I know this place." Everyone looked toward him. "What?" The ancient warrior touched the wall. His expression became distant. "I was here once." The room fell silent. "When?" Edwin asked. Groader looked toward the darkness. "Just before the Great War." The answer immediately captured everyone's attention. The Great War again. Every mystery seemed connected to it. Groader continued. "Wingard brought me here." His voice carried old memories. "H