Chapter 15: The Queen's Gambit
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The storm had passed—but peace never lingers long in a world touched by prophecy.
While the heroes nursed wounds and the ocean kept the Unmaker bound beneath starlight chains, something darker stirred in the heart of the Ashenlands.
A council of war was being held beneath the obsidian towers of the Queen of Ashes.
At the head of the table, the Queen sat upon her blackstone throne. Her crimson eyes scanned the faces of her inner circle—sorcerers, assassins, generals, and traitors.
Behind her, the High Seer Maelira watched with a half-smile, her gold-ringed eyes glowing faintly with truth magic.
> "Kavin's power is growing," the Queen said. "He has become more than a spark. He is now a blaze. And if we wait longer—he will become a wildfire."
General Kael, a half-dragon warlord clad in scorched armor, growled, "Then give me leave to strike. Let me burn the Spire and crush him before the next moon."
"No," the Queen replied calmly. "Killing him now would only fulfill the prophecy. We do not destroy the fire. We smother it."
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Meanwhile, at the Spire of Winds, Kavin stood atop a narrow balcony, watching the horizon. His eyes were tired, but his soul burned brighter than ever. In his hand was a crystal map, glowing softly with flickers of elemental energy.
Behind him, Lyra approached. "The others are resting. You should be too."
"I can't," Kavin replied. "There's more coming. I can feel it."
Lyra stepped beside him. "You're not alone, Kavin. You never were."
He smiled faintly, grateful for her presence, though his thoughts were far away.
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🔮 Back in the Ashenlands, the Queen turned her gaze toward a chained figure kneeling at the far end of the chamber.
A girl—young, barely older than Kavin—with white hair, eyes like storm glass, and shackles glowing with elemental suppressors.
Elyria.
Her voice was soft but defiant. "You won't use me. No matter what you do."
The Queen tilted her head. "Oh, I don't need to use you, child. I merely need to set you free… and let your nature take care of the rest."
Maelira stepped forward. "She was once a Guardian of the Crystal Isles. Before the shattering."
The Queen turned to the council. "Kavin will come for her. He's drawn to the broken, the lost, the ones like him."
She smiled coldly.
> "And that, dear friends, is my gambit. Let him come. Let him try to save her. And when he does… we'll tear his heart out."
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That same night, Riven approached Kavin in the war chamber.
"There's something you need to see," the old mage said. He handed Kavin an enchanted scroll, still burning at the edges.
It had come through a shadow portal—and bore a sigil they all recognized.
The Queen's seal.
Inside was a message burned into blood-red ink:
> "Come to the Shattered Isles. Bring your flame.
I have someone you're looking for."
—Q of A
Attached was a sketch of Elyria—bound in chains, unconscious.
Kavin's hands tightened around the scroll.
"She knows how to play us," Riven warned.
"That doesn't matter," Kavin said. "If she has someone who needs saving, I'll go."
Seraphine stepped in, her wound still bandaged. "You're walking into a trap."
"Then let it close around me," Kavin answered, fire burning in his eyes. "Let her think she's winning."
Theron growled from the corner. "So, what's the plan?"
Kavin turned, his voice steady and commanding. "We sail for the Shattered Isles by dawn."
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⚠️ Far across the sea…
Elyria opened he
r eyes, sensing the magic shift in the air.
She smiled faintly through the pain.
> "He's coming."