Seraphina's breath caught in her throat. Ariella. The sister they had mourned for years, believed lost to the flames that consumed their childhood home. The very thought of her being alive was both a balm and a torment.
"Impossible," Seraphina whispered, her voice trembling. "We thought you… you died in the fire."
Ariella's lips curved into a sad, fleeting smile. "That's what they wanted you to believe." She took a cautious step forward, eyes never leaving Seraphina's. "I didn't perish that night. I was taken—hidden away, forced into silence."
Mason tightened his grip on his sword but stayed rooted, studying Ariella carefully for any sign of deceit.
"Why come now?" Lysara's voice was sharp, suspicion threading through every word. "After all these years, why reveal yourself?"
Ariella glanced away, shadows of old pain flickering across her face. "Because the Core Warden is coming for you all. I can't stay silent any longer."
A chill ran down Seraphina's spine at the mention of the name — a legend spoken in hushed tones, an ancient and ruthless power.
"What do you mean?" Seraphina stepped closer, urgency sharpening her voice. "How does the Core Warden threaten us now?"
Ariella's eyes burned with determination. "He's awakened a forbidden power—the Echo Stone."
Uneasy glances passed among the group. Henry frowned. "The Echo Stone? That's just a myth."
"No," Ariella said firmly. "It's real. And far more dangerous than any tale. It drains the strength of anyone nearby. The Core Warden plans to use it to crush all opposition."
Kealrin's fingers twitched, ready to conjure magic. "If this is true, we need to move—now."
A rustle in the bushes snapped everyone's attention. From the shadows, Core Agents emerged silently, faces masked, weapons drawn.
Seraphina's eyes narrowed. "They found us."
Mason drew his sword, steady and precise. "Prepare yourselves. This fight is only beginning."
The Core Agents advanced, their cold, calculating presence thickening the air. Steel clashed, magic flared, and the battle erupted in a storm of fury.
Seraphina dodged a swift strike, countering with a blow that sent her attacker sprawling. Mason moved like a shadow, his sword slicing through the darkness. Lysara's spells crackled like lightning, scattering foes, while Kealrin unleashed elemental blasts and Henry wove protective wards.
Amid the chaos, Ariella's gaze fixed on a faint glow emanating from a pendant worn by one of the elite warriors.
"There!" she shouted. "The Echo Stone's power is linked to their amulets!"
Mason spun, striking the amulet with a precise blow. It shattered, and the Core Agent staggered, drained of strength.
"Focus on destroying their amulets!" Ariella commanded. "We weaken the Echo Stone's hold that way!"
The group rallied, striking harder and fighting fiercer, but Seraphina's heart hammered with dread. How many more were coming? How long could they hold?
Night deepened as the battle raged. Lysara's protective barrier shimmered but showed cracks under the relentless assault.
"Lysara, how long can you hold?" Seraphina shouted.
"Not much longer! They're overwhelming me!" Lysara warned.
"We must retreat," Mason growled. "We can't win here."
"Where do we go?" Kealrin panted. "Core patrols surround us."
Ariella's eyes scanned the shadows. "There's an old escape tunnel beneath the forest. If we reach it, we can disappear beyond their reach."
Seraphina nodded, urgency steeling her voice. "Fall back to the tunnel. Stay close. Cover each other."
They fought their way back, every step a desperate gamble. From behind came a thunderous charge—a massive figure clad in dark armor blocking their path.
"Get back!" Seraphina commanded, stepping in front of Mason and Ariella as the enforcer raised a colossal weapon.
The first strike crashed against her shield, pain flaring through her arm, but she stood firm.
Lysara chanted fiercely, sending tendrils of energy toward the foe. The enforcer faltered but quickly regained balance, eyes glowing with unnatural light.
"We can't hold here!" Seraphina yelled, vision blurring with pain. "Run! I'll cover you!"
Mason grabbed Ariella's arm and pulled her away as Seraphina faced the monstrous enemy alone.
"Seraphina!" Lysara called out, but Seraphina only nodded once—fierce determination blazing in her eyes.
As the enforcer lunged, a sharp crack echoed through the forest.
A piercing scream shattered the night—one Seraphina knew all too well.
"Seraphina!"
The name trembled on the edge between hope and fear.
And then, silence.
Her heart thundered in her chest as the echoes faded. Ariella stepped forward, eyes blazing.
"It's time you knew the truth," she said, voice steady but fierce. "About the fire… about Alina… and what I've hidden all these years."
The group fell silent, waiting.
Ariella took a deep breath.
---
Flashback: The Fire That Changed Everything
When we were children, there were three of us — Alina, Ariella, and me, Seraphina. To the world, we were inseparable.
But beneath the smiles were secrets and jealousy.
Alina, the eldest, craved power, the throne, and the attention it brought. Ariella was caught in between, trying to hold us together. And l was the youngest — the beloved one.
Everything changed the night of the fire.
I woke to the smell of smoke and the crackling of flames. Panic erupted, but amidst the chaos, I was pulled away, hidden by a stranger.
Ariella stayed behind.
And Alina poisoned Seraphina on the day she was to become Empress.
It was said that Ariella died in the fire.
But the truth is far darker.