—Narrated by Eli Whitmore
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The Sacred Gate Opens
The fire faded behind us.
The Gate Way shimmered once more, its form no longer a blaze of red and gold—but now, a soft blue glow. Cool, quiet. Gentle.
The moment we stepped through it, everything changed.
Gone was the heat of the Infernal Peaks.
Now, we stood in a realm where the air smelled of rain and moss, where crystal waters flowed freely across marble stones. A faint mist danced over the earth, and the light here… it didn't shine. It glowed.
"This place…" Luna whispered, her voice carried by the wind, "it breathes peace."
Birdsong echoed faintly.
We had entered the Sacred Springs—a realm untouched by time, untouched by war.
A realm of healing.
Of memory.
But not all memories bring comfort.
---
The Forest of Reflection
Our boots made no sound as we walked. Every step felt like a prayer.
Even Ryker, who was always the first to make a sarcastic remark, stayed silent.
"This land… it feels like it's remembering something," he said after a long while.
Felix nodded, running a hand through the dew on a glowing leaf. "Or someone."
The trees here were silver-barked and tall, their leaves whispering in languages we couldn't fully understand. Beneath them, springs bubbled softly—each one reflecting a different part of the sky, though no stars shone above.
Draven stared into one of them. "These aren't just waters," he said darkly. "They're mirrors."
Luna stepped beside him. "Mirrors of grief. Of the past."
We followed a winding trail, led by instinct—and by something else. A pull. Gentle, but steady.
My seal pulsed softly, like a heartbeat under my skin. Not warning this time. But remembering.
---
We reached the heart of the Sacred Springs.
There, standing in a circle of ancient stones with a spring at her feet, was a woman cloaked in flowing robes the color of the moon. Her hair was water itself—long, rippling, soft silver-blue. Her eyes… were older than the mountains.
Selene Myrrh.
High Priestess. Keeper of Sorrows. Healer of the Realms.
She did not greet us with words, but with silence.
Then, after a long pause, she spoke:
"You seek healing. And yet… you carry wounds that bleed through realms."
I stepped forward. "We came to ask for your aid. Nyxar has returned. The realms are falling apart."
Selene's gaze fell upon me. "And your soul is already cracking."
Thorne moved slightly, standing closer beside me. "He's strong," he said quietly.
Selene studied him. "Even strong ones fall, Shadowborn."
Thorne flinched—but held her gaze.
Then Selene turned to us all. "This realm does not give power. It restores. And to be restored, you must let go of what you still carry."
She extended her hand to the spring. "Drink. And let the water show you what still binds you."
---
The Water Remembers
I was the first to kneel.
I cupped the spring water in my palms, trembling slightly… then drank.
Instantly, I was not standing anymore.
I was in a memory.
My childhood.
The rainy nights in Whitmore estate. My father's voice. And… the moment he vanished through the Gate. I'd never cried. Not really. I just buried it.
But now, I felt it.
All of it.
Tears rolled down my cheeks—and when I opened my eyes, I was still kneeling by the spring. But I felt… lighter. As if that grief had been shared.
Beside me, Luna knelt, her hands pressed together. She saw her twin—her other half—who had died before she could save her.
"I couldn't protect her," she whispered. "But I'll protect the rest of you."
Ryker sat cross-legged, tears mixing with laughter as he saw his long-lost brother training beside him again.
Felix saw his mother—who had vanished into stardust to protect him.
Draven, silent, saw a child. Himself. Alone in chains. But then he looked up—and saw us. His new family.
Thorne…
He did not drink.
He stepped into the water fully, allowing it to cover his feet, his hands, his shadow.
And what rose around him wasn't memory—but a voice.
"You are not only shadow, Thorne Everhart. You were born in light. It was taken from you… but it still burns."
Thorne shuddered—then clenched his jaw.
"I want it back," he said.
---
Selene knelt beside me as we all returned from our visions. "You all carry pain. That is not weakness—it is proof that you love."
I looked up at her. "Will you help us?"
She placed a crystal drop of spring water on my forehead.
"I will. But not with swords. The Sacred Springs will offer you healing, protection, and memory. These are our gifts."
Then she stood and faced the Gate Way.
"And a warning," she said softly. "Grief walks ahead of you. Not just yours… but that of the next realm. The Eternal Sea."
My seal pulsed.
"Then we'll face it," I said. "Together."
Selene nodded.
"Then take this—The Blessing of Waters. Let it shield your hearts when the shadows grow loud."
She raised her staff. The spring erupted in light—flooding us with a calming energy. Our bodies relaxed. Our spirits, steadier.
---
Before we stepped into the Gate, Selene whispered to me: "Your father once stood here. He was brave… but afraid."
I froze. "You knew him?"
"I remember him. The way the water does."
She placed a finger to my heart. "And now… so will you."
As the Gate opened, glowing with blue light, we turned back one last time. The Sacred Springs shimmered with soft tears and ancient strength.
---
The water has spoken.
But grief is not done with us yet.
---
To be continued…