Part 2: The Lake of Ghosts
The sun dipped lower, yet the shadows grew longer in the wrong direction.
Kael and Lireen pressed forward through a warped forest where every tree leaned unnaturally, their branches knotted like clenched fists. The path was narrow, winding between twisted roots and shallow pools reflecting not the sky but flickering memories.
"We're close," Lireen whispered. Her voice was flat. Tired. "The lake is just ahead."
Kael nodded, but unease coiled in his chest. Ever since they crossed into the gorge, time and space had grown... unstable. Every step felt like walking through memory and dream.
And now, as they crested the next ridge, the forest gave way to a silent, silver lake.
The water shimmered unnaturally, unmoving yet alive, like a mirror with breath.
Kael stopped at the edge.
"This is it?"
Lireen didn't respond. Her hand clenched tight around the hilt of her sword.
Kael turned to her. "Lireen?"
She was staring into the lake. Her eyes wide.
And then she dropped to her knees.
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Kael moved to her quickly. "What's wrong?"
She didn't answer.
The lake's surface rippled.
A figure stepped out of the water not wet, not real, but formed. A man. Older. Kind eyes. He looked like a king from a children's tale.
Lireen's voice was a whisper. "Father…?"
The illusion smiled. "My daughter… you've grown."
Kael took a step back. "This is an illusion. It's not real."
Lireen reached toward the figure.
Kael grabbed her wrist. "Don't touch it."
Her eyes were wet. "You don't understand. He's… he's been dead since I was nine."
Kael shook his head. "That's exactly why it's dangerous."
The lake shimmered again.
Another figure rose.
This time, a little girl.
Kael's heart froze.
The girl looked no older than six. Hair tied in ribbons. Big eyes filled with hope.
"Brother," she said softly. "Why did you leave me?"
Kael's knees gave out.
He collapsed beside Lireen.
"No… No. You're not real. You're gone."
The girl reached toward him. "You promised you'd come back."
His vision blurred.
Blood.
Screams.
That night.
The fire.
He remembered her scream as the house collapsed.
He had been too late.
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Kael pressed his palms against his head. "This place… it's built from guilt."
Lireen sobbed silently beside him. "I never said goodbye… I never forgave myself."
Kael forced himself to look up.
The girl and the man were gone.
Only the lake remained.
Calm. Watching. Waiting.
He stood slowly and reached for Lireen's hand.
"This isn't real. We are. And we can't save the dead by drowning in their memories."
Lireen hesitated.
And then nodded.
They walked forward.
The moment their boots touched the water's edge, it changed.
It parted.
Like a curtain.
Revealing a path of stone beneath, leading across the lake like a forgotten road.
Kael exhaled shakily. "Let's move before it closes."
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As they walked, the water beside the path shimmered with more visions.
Kael saw himself older, alone, kneeling in a field of ash. Lireen saw herself on a throne, crowned and weeping.
They said nothing.
Halfway across, the silence broke.
A voice not loud, not soft. Perfectly inhuman.
"You walk through yourselves. Yet you still believe you can walk beyond fate."
Kael stopped. "Who are you?"
The lake boiled.
A shadow rose. No form. No face. Only two silver eyes.
"You are not meant to reach the Architect."
Kael stepped forward. "We don't serve the Architect."
The voice laughed.
"Yet you wear the Crown of Echoes. You awaken what should sleep. You walk in dreams not your own."
Lireen raised her sword. "Let us pass."
The shadow leaned forward. "Then remember this: every step you take toward Salvaria tears something real away."
It vanished.
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Kael's breath returned slowly. The path resumed.
When they reached the far side of the lake, the vision cleared.
Ahead stood a vast plain of grass unlike anything they'd seen. Colorful. Untouched.
At its center, towering stone gates shimmered in gold light Salvaria.
But behind them, the lake wept.
Kael turned back.
The girl with ribbons waved once from the shore.
He didn't wave back.
He only whispered, "Goodbye."
Lireen slipped her hand into his.
They walked on.
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📣 Chapter 15 – Part 3 Teaser:
Kael & Lireen arrive in Salvaria, the city outside of time
They meet a being known only as The Warden of Wings
Lireen begins to act strange after seeing the city's murals
Kael discovers a sealed altar… one tied to the origins of the crown
📢 If this chapter moved you, don't forget to comment 💬, vote ♥, and share! Salvaria awaits… and the truth is no longer patient. 🌙✨
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📖 Chapter Summary – Part 2: The Lake of Ghosts
Kael and Lireen are forced to confront visions of their past while crossing the cursed Lake of Ghosts
Lireen sees the image of her long-dead father, while Kael faces the haunting memory of his younger sister
The lake reveals more than illusions it speaks, warning them of fate, and of what lies ahead
A formless shadow declares that every step toward Salvaria comes with a price
In the end, Kael and Lireen escape but not unchanged
Behind them, the lake weeps as a ribboned girl waves goodbye… and Kael whispers his farewell
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