The secret chamber beneath the castle was silent.
Stillness hung heavy in the air, thick with the scent of ancient stone. Moss clung to the arched walls, glowing faintly. Their light cast long, flickering shadows that danced like restless ghosts across the room.
In the center stood an obsidian platform. Runes carved into its surface pulsed with a steady, rhythmic light.
Thump. Thump.
Like a heartbeat in the dark.
The Spirit Elder slumped against the platform's entrance. His usually radiant aura was dim. Flickering like a dying ember in the wind. He held his head in one hand, his breathing shallow. Every line of his body screamed of exhaustion. Not just of the body, but of the soul.
A soft sigh escaped him. That vanished into the oppressive quiet.
Beside him stood a figure cloaked in absolute black. The Shadow Elder. Her grip on his shoulder was firm, holding him upright.
Her hood hid her face, but her twilight eyes pierced the gloom.
"His decline is worse than I thought," she murmured. Her voice was soft but cut through the silence like a blade. "We must act."
Light burst into the chamber.
Four figures appeared from the shimmering particles. The other Elders. They solidified instantly, the hum of their elements announcing their arrival.
The Fire Elder's robes flared, though there was no wind. His gaze locked onto the Spirit Elder. His eyes narrowed.
"He has never been this weak," the Fire Elder said. His voice crackled like dry wood burning. "Something has disturbed his soul."
The Shadow Elder tightened her grip.
"Your observations are noted," she said. Her tone was sharp. "But words won't save him. Move."
The Water Elder stepped forward. His robes moved like a flowing river. "If the Spirit Elder falls, the sanctuary falls. We should act as one."
The Wind Elder folded his arms. His pale green attire rustled. He looked at the Shadow Elder, a skeptical brow raising.
"United or not," he said, "it is unsettling to see you here."
The Fire Elder turned to her, suspicion flaring in his gaze. "When the Shadow appears, death usually follows."
"If we stand here arguing, he will be lost," the Shadow Elder snapped. "Are you willing to bear that burden?"
Silence slammed back into the room.
Without waiting, she dragged the Spirit Elder forward. The Earth Elder moved to help, his massive hand steadying the frail elf with surprising gentleness.
They reached the podium.
It was a masterpiece of living wood and metal. A low, melodic hum rose from it, vibrating against their bones. The surface shifted, patterns weaving like breathing skin.
Six branches extended from its core. Each ended in a crystalline sphere.
The power radiating from it was immense. It made the air shimmer like heat haze. The atmosphere buzzed, causing the hair on their necks to stand. Even the Elders paused, feeling the weight of the ancient energy.
One by one, they stepped up.
The Fire Elder placed his palm on a sphere. Red light rippled out.
The Water Elder followed. Blue light, deep as the ocean.
Wind and Earth added their colors. Pale green and warm brown joined the glow.
All eyes turned to the Spirit Elder. He trembled. His hand shook as he reached out, pressing his palm to the final sphere.
Flash!
A blinding light consumed the podium. The six spheres resonated. Energy cascaded through the floor, thrumming into the chamber's foundation.
The room shook.
It was a deep, resonant quake. As if the heart of the sanctuary had just started beating.
At the far end of the chamber, vines thick as pythons began to writhe. They retracted, pulling back from the ancient stone. The heavy door groaned like a waking beast.
Slowly, the portal creaked open.
Revealing the darkness waiting inside.
For a moment, no one moved.
The energy from the dormant podium hung in the air.
Heavy.
Charged with expectation.
The Shadow Elder broke the stillness. She stepped forward, guiding the Spirit Elder toward the door. "We're out of time." Her tone brooked no argument.
The Earth Elder moved to her side. His massive hand steadied the Spirit Elder's other arm.
The remaining Elders exchanged uneasy glances. But they followed. One by one, they passed through the threshold. The massive door closed behind them with a deep, final thud.
Vines crept back into place, sealing the entrance as though it had never been disturbed.
Inside stood The Chair.
It was a stark contrast to the organic, flowing lines of the sanctuary. A jagged scar of metal and stone in their sacred space.
This piece was all angles and edges. Metal spikes protruded from its frame like frozen lightning. Each point caught and reflected the dim light. Flat planes intersected in ways that hurt the eye, creating an illusion of movement even in stillness. Intricate runes spiraled across its arms and back, glowing faintly with sick, ancient magic.
The Spirit Elder groaned. He sagged into the chair.
The ancient chair beneath him hummed. A faint vibration resonated through his weary body. Its angular edges gleamed menacingly. The spiraling runes etched into its surface pulsed weakly, their light dimming and flaring with the uneven rhythm of his labored breaths.
The Shadow Elder took her place beside him. Her back was straight, but her twilight eyes scanned the others with a desperate intensity.
Restlessness tugged at her. Her fingers twitched against her robes.
"Fragments," she muttered. Her voice was low, edged with dread. "Shattered memories that aren't my own."
Her fingers tightened around her robes.
Her words drew the attention of the others. The tension in the room spiked. It felt as if the ancient stone walls themselves were absorbing the unease.
The Fire Elder broke the silence. His voice was sharp, cutting through the gloom.
"You're rattled, Shadow. That light from the castle must have shaken your confidence. It's unlike you to sound so... uncertain."
She shot him a glare.
"This transcends confidence," she retorted. "Since that wave of light struck, fragmented memories have surfaced. They're not mine. Yet they resonate deeply."
"Hauntingly..."
The Fire Elder's molten gaze flicked toward the Spirit Elder slumped in the chair. "You're certain it's the light? Not just exhaustion?..."
"Or paranoia perhaps?"
The Shadow Elder straightened. "It's more than that. The wave from the castle wasn't random. It awakened something. Not just in me, but in all of us. And don't tell me you haven't felt it."
The Wind Elder approached. His pale green robes brushed the floor. His silver hair caught the faint glow of the runes, creating a ghostly halo.
"What exactly do you see, Shadow?" he asked.
The Shadow Elder hesitated. Her gaze went distant. "A throne room bathed in dim light. Laughter, sharp yet comforting. And a name. A name that refuses to take shape."
She clenched her fists. Frustration rippled through her shadowed aura.
The Earth Elder's massive form loomed over the dimly lit chamber. His deep voice resonated like distant thunder. He crossed his arms, his features set in grim certainty.
"The Queen has awakened."
The declaration silenced the room.
His gaze swept across them. "We were correct to bring back Amanda. Her return was foretold. Necessary for what is to come."
The low hum of the chamber seemed to grow quieter.
A pause lingered. The Spirit Elder's faint groan filled the air.
The Earth Elder's expression darkened. He placed a hand on the chair's jagged armrest. The sharp sound of metal against stone echoed softly.
"But there is something... amiss. My memories feel fractured. As if meaningful pieces have been lost."
The Fire Elder snorted. His fiery aura flared, embers crackling with his agitation. "Lost memories? You mean to say the prophecy is slipping away from your grasp?"
The Earth Elder's jaw tightened. His massive hand curled into a fist. The ground beneath his feet vibrated.
"I know there was a prophecy regarding the Queen's return. But the details... they elude me. I cannot recall its words. Nor its origin. It is as if the knowledge itself has been stripped away."
The Fire Elder's eyes narrowed. His lips curled into a sneer. He tapped his staff against the floor. Clack.
"Convenient," he snapped. "You forget the very prophecy that foretold her return? Ridiculous! It clearly tells us..."
He stopped abruptly.
His eyes flickered with uncertainty. His unwavering voice faltered.
"It tells us... it tells us..."
He trailed off. His scowl deepened. He clenched his fists, fighting a mental fog that refused to lift.
"Ashes!" he slammed his staff down.
The room fell silent.
The lingering echoes of his frustration hung heavy in the air.