Liam and Theo soon reached the secret chamber, inside the air was thick with dust, the scent of old stone and damp earth clinging to every breath Liam and Theo took. The faint torchlight cast long shadows on the walls, making the abandoned space feel even more desolate.
Liam walked up to the far end of the chamber where her had found the hidden door to the passage way.
He climbed the stairs until he reached the dead-end and then crouched down running his fingers along the rough stone surface, searching for the mechanism to open the hidden passage’s entrance.
Theo stood behind him, arms crossed tightly over his chest “You know, this place has ‘bad idea’ written all over it. Just putting that out there.”
Liam didn’t look back. “Noted.”
With a soft click, the wall shifted slightly as Liam pressed against a loose brick. A narrow gap appeared, revealing the entrance to the underground passage. A gust of co
On Daniel and Alisha’s side…The journey to where Daniel had last left Master Yi and the others was not so smooth for the group. Due to the battle Daniel had before he met Alisha and the others the enemies were alerted and a small group of them were still searching for them in the corridors.They moved in silence, each of them on high alert. The further they went, the heavier the air felt, as if some unseen force was warning them that something was terribly wrong.Alisha gripped her weapon tightly, her steps quickening. The uneasy feeling clawed at her chest.Daniel was ahead of the group, leading them through the winding corridors with sharp precision. His golden eyes remained fixed ahead, unreadable, but there was a stiffness in his posture—one that only someone paying close attention would notice.Elena felt it too. She glanced at Alisha, but neither of them spoke.Then they turned the last corner and reached the lab bu
As they moved through the corridors, nearing the location of the secret chamber, they heard familiar voice calling out to them—“I know you’re here somewhere and can listen to me Alisha... come out now, or your precious sister dies here even before the poison in her body kills her today.”Alisha’s heart clenched as they all stopped in their tracks, pressing against the stone walls. Carefully, she peeked over the stone railing that overlooked the main hall below.There, standing at the centre of the hall, was Tressa, her cold gaze sweeping the area. And in her grasp—Alina.“And yes you coming here alone is not going to free your sister, bring you friends that Bit*h Lea and Liam as well” Tressa spoke up again as an evil smile creped-up on her face.Elena sucked in a quiet breath beside Alisha as she looked at Alina barely clung to consciousness, her body limp as Tressa held her upright. A sharp blade pressed against her neck and a
Tressa stood face-to-face and said “Lets see if he can still stay hiding seeing you in pain.”Elena furred her eyebrows as she asked “What do—” but before she could complete her sentence Tressa caught hold of Elena’s hair and pushed her to the ground forcefully.“Stop—” Looking at this Alisha instantly stepped forward to stop Tressa but two members of Gantric knights stepped in and caught hold of her from both sides and placed the power sealing bangle on her right hand.Alisha’s eyes went wide looking at the bangle on her hand as she screamed “You bit*h… you…”Tressa turned to her for a second with a smirk “What are you screaming so loudly for this is the same accessory you made me ware when I had to fight this insect here” Saying this Tressa turned to Elena “Now you enjoy the feal of that bangle” Tressa said as she continued with wenting her ange
Liam met his gaze, unflinching “Try me.”For a moment, the air between them was thick with tension, two forces at a standstill but before Daniel could act, Liam took a step back and said, “You want to play smart? Fine. Then do your part and trust me to do mine.”Without waiting for another word, Liam turned and strode off, his movements quick and determined.Theo cursed under his breath “Damn it, he’s actually going.”Daniel exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair “I see why Elle likes him now, both are equally stubborn, really a match made in heaven” he muttered to himself as turned to the others and said “Let him go, we have work to do.”Kira glanced at him “You sure about that?”“No,” Daniel muttered, his jaw tight “But we don’t have time to fight among ourselves.”Theo sighed, shaking his head. “Let’s ju
Alisha held onto Elena, gripping her tightly as she whispered, “Hang in there.” Elena’s breaths were shallow, her face pale, but her fingers curled weakly around Alisha’s sleeve in reassurance.Tressa let out a low chuckle as she wiped a bit of blood from the corner of her mouth “You know, Liam, it’s amusing,” she mused, tilting her head “I thought you would be smarter than the rest but no… you turned out just as blind, just as foolish.”Liam’s fists clenched “Shut up” His voice was calm, but the venom beneath it was unmistakable.Tressa smirked, stepping closer, completely ignoring the blood staining his side “Oh? Does the truth hurt?” She sneered “Now get your pathetic self together as there is more to come.”Saying hat she turned to Silva “Bring them here” she said to which Silva nodded and turned to his men “You heard her…&rd
Tressa’s smirk widened as she snapped her fingers “Let’s show a sample of how the option to looks to my mother here” and as these words were out her mouth one of the knights immediately seized Nathaniel’s wrist and forced his palm against the crystal and activated it.A piercing scream shattered the air as Nathaniel’s body arched as dark energy coursed through him, the crystal pulsing as it greedily drained his power. The veins in his hand darkened, spreading up his arm like creeping vines, his lips parted in agony.Elizabeth’s eyes widened in horror as she instantly turned to Tressa and pleaded her “Stop it! Please…Stop…”Liam moved too, but Silva shifted, pressing his blade against Liam’s already wounded side, halting him in his tracks “I wouldn’t,” Silva murmured as he pointed in Elena and Alisha’s direction where his other knights pointed their blades at them.
Tressa just stared at her served arm for a second trying to process what was going on and then she let out a heart shattering scream.Everyone in the main hall went silent trying to process what just happened.As Tressa was handing the dagger to Elizabeth with a victory smile on her face, a sword that was hanging on the wall like a decoration flew out of nowhere serving Tressa’s hand at the elbow at lightning speed.Silva ran over to Tressa who was crying in pain and shouted looking around “Who is responsible for this… step out now…”The atmosphere was frozen thick with horror and confusion as Silva stood there protectively, his sword drawn, eyes scanning the hall like a wild animal, furious and frantic."Show yourself!" he barked again, his voice a whipcrack through the silence.His knights tightened their grips on their weapons, instantly forming a defensive circle around Tressa and Silva.“What
Back at the main hall…The dust settled, revealing the aftermath of the explosion of raw energy from Elena. The once grand hall was barely recognizable—cracks ran along the stone walls, debris littered the ground.Elena was floating mid-air, her ocean blue eyes had now transformed into luminous gold, burning with a power that was both breathtaking and terrifying. There were streaks of gold colour on her brown hair.Silence stretched across the room, thick and suffocating.Tressa was on one knee still clutching her served hand, breathing heavily, her hair dishevelled, eyes wide with shock. Even Silva had been forced to take several steps back, his composure completely shattered.The Gantric Knights were also scattered, some unconscious, others groaning as they tried to regain their bearings.Alisha, struggling to push herself up from where she had fallen, stared at Elena with sheer horror "No… you actually—" she chok
Elena just sat there in a daze after Master Kai completed reciting the story as she processed the information inside her head. Master Kai also sat there dazing of thinking over the old memories.Knock, knock…The soft knocks on Elena’s room door brought them back to reality. As both of them turned towards the door they say Kevin peeking his head in through the slightly open door.“Master, Mr. Henery and Mrs. Elizabeth are waiting outside” Kevin spoke softly.“Just give us a minute” Master Kai replied with an expressionless face, to which Kevin just nodded in understanding and closed the door.Master Kai turned back to Elena as he opened his space ring and took out a jade slip. He handed it to Elena as he said “This was given to me by queen Zenobia before her death, she told me she would be reborn to complete the task that she had left to un complete and I should give this to her when she started rememberin
Her grief had transformed her. Hardened her. She had become relentless—a queen cloaked in vengeance. She tore through every clue, followed every trail, spilled blood with her own hands if it meant getting closer to the truth. Her enemies began to whisper of her not as a ruler, but as a storm.Yet after all the years of searching, she found nothing. The truth eluded her. Because the one she was looking for… had always been by her side.It was Ernest.The boy who had once followed her through gardens. The man who had stood at her side through war and loss. The friend who offered her support while hiding the truth.He had colluded with the dark forced, completely deviating from the path of spiritual power. He had mastered the dark power to the extent that he had now become their lord ruling over them.Earnest had watched Zenobia weep and rage and kill for answers he already held. He had whispered counsel while burying the past beneath car
The Queen Zenobia was still a princess when she got engaged to the Crown Prince of Alynthia, Richard Beaufort, but Ernest did not like it.He and the Queen were childhood friends, if I have to be truthful he had no other friends other than her.They grew up side by side in the quiet gardens and sunlit corridors of the palace, sharing secrets and laughter beneath the shade of old olive trees. Ernest, the son of the royal falconer, had always trailed behind her like a loyal shadow. He was kind, clever in his own rough-edged way, and he adored her—utterly and silently. But his place was always at her side, never in her world.Zenobia, on the other hand, had never seen him as anything more than her closest companion. Her confidant. Her safe place in a world that often felt too heavy for someone so young. She cared for him, deeply. But not in the way he hoped and she never pretended otherwise.When she met Richard Beaufort, everything changed.She
Not having the heart to scold Elena Master Kai Von turned to Liam as he breathed him “You brat why did you not inform me as soon as my dear disciple woke up?” Liam blinked, caught off guard by the sudden shift in attention “She just woke up,” he defended, raising his hands slightly “I was going to tell you, but then… well, we were talking and—”“Talking?” Master Kai’s voice lifted incredulously as he stood and turned to fully face him, his eyes narrowing with something between suspicion and fatherly protectiveness “Talking about what, exactly?”Liam opened his mouth, then closed it, cheeks flushing a bit “Just… some important things.”Kai narrowed his eyes further, clearly not buying it “Did not you tell you had dossed of, that’s why it got so late for you to open the door just now?”Liam blinked wide eyed, caught up in his own lies not know
Her eyes shimmered as she looked up at him, one hand slowly lifting to rest over the one still cradling her cheek “You’re not angry?” she asked, her voice a fragile whisper.Liam shook his head slowly “No,” he said simply, his gaze steady “I was scared. Worried. But not angry” He hesitated, then added, “I don’t need to know everything right away, Elena. I just need to know you. And I do.”His words struck something deep inside her, a place that had always braced for rejection, for suspicion, for betrayal—never for acceptance. Never for this.Elena closed her eyes for a moment, breathing him in—the steadiness of him, the strength he gave her without asking anything in return. When she opened them again, her voice was steadier “I don’t deserve this,” she said quietly.Liam frowned, not harshly, but like he hated hearing her say it “Don’t do that,” he
Elena breathed, each shaky inhale slowly growing steadier as Liam held her. His hand moved gently up and down her back, slow and grounding, letting her feel the rhythm of life—the simple, steady beat of being here, being safe.When the worst of the tremors passed, Liam shifted slightly, glancing down at her “You should rest a little more," he said softly, brushing a few strands of hair from her damp forehead "I’ll call Master Kai Von, just to make sure you’re okay as you have been unconscious for three days now."But the moment he started to move, Elena's arms tightened around him in a panic, her fingers curling into the fabric of his shirt like a lifeline “No,” she whispered sharply, her voice trembling but sure “Don’t go. Please... stay.”Liam froze, feeling the raw desperation in her voice, in the way she clung to him like he was the only solid thing left in a crumbling world. His heart twisted painfully at the thought of leaving her, even for a second.He let out a quiet, resigned
"Over my dead body," Richard snarled.Ernest’s smile widened cruelly "That my plan exactly."At Ernest’s signal, the cloaked men surged forward like a black tide.Richard rose, one arm still around Zenobia, and drew his sword in one swift motion, the steel catching the faint light of the enchanted forest.They clashed with a deafening ring of steel.Richard fought like a man possessed, fuelled by love and rage, his blade a silver blur. He felled two of the men quickly, moving with deadly grace—but there were too many, and he was alone.A sword slashed across his side—he staggered but didn’t fall.Another cut along his arm—his grip tightened stubbornly around his sword. Blood darkened his tunic, dripping into the moss, but Richard fought on, each movement slower, heavier.He could feel his strength leaving him. Zenobia was still unconscious on the grass behind him, unaware of the battle raging
A soft golden mist swirled around Elena, wrapping her in warmth and a strange sense of peace. She wasn’t sure where she was—but everything around her felt too vivid, too alive to be anything but real.She stood at the edge of an enchanted forest, where the trees rose high into the sky, their branches weaved with sparkling silver vines and glowing flowers that pulsed gently like stars. The air shimmered with magic, and the ground beneath her bare feet was soft, like moss spun from dreams.Laughter echoed through the woods—bright, musical, carefree.Ahead, a girl darted between the trees, her hair cascading down her back like a waterfall of dark silk. She wore a flowing white dress that fluttered like butterfly wings as she ran.Elena blinked in shock.The girl... looked exactly like her, but not quite.There was something different. An old-world grace to her movements, a wild, ancient light in her eyes."Zenobia!" cam
"There is only one person who might hold the key to this tangled truth," he said. His gaze locked onto Alisha’s, unwavering one "Your father, Edward."Alisha stiffened, a sharp breath tearing from her lips "My father…" she whispered, her mind already spiralling "But... he's been in a coma ever since—since that day."Master Kai nodded solemnly "I know. Ever since the accident where you lost Aisha, Edward has been trapped between life and death. His mind remains sealed. Even I have tried everything know but nothing has been able to bring him back."Henry looked away, his face shadowed with guilt and sorrow. Alisha pressed a trembling hand to her mouth, her eyes shining with unshed tears."But if he were awake," Master Kai pressed on, "he could tell us what truly happened that day after they fell of the cliff, where did that bright light appeared from and why he did not use his power to fly back up. The only one who may have seen... what n