Volume 2 — Chapter 15: Shadows of Betrayal
The moon hung low over the reclaimed fort, its silver light casting long shadows across the ridge. Lyriana and Aryn were surveying the surrounding lands when Selara's warning voice cut through the quiet.
"They're here," she said, eyes narrowing. "Elite council mages—they've flanked us. This is no ordinary strike."
Aryn's sigil flared, warning of incoming magical attacks. "We can't let them separate us," he said, gripping Lyriana's hand. "Where you go, I go."
Lyriana's pulse raced. "Always together," she whispered.
Suddenly, shadowy figures materialized, cloaked in black robes embroidered with violet sigils. Spells of dark energy erupted around them, forcing the rebels to scatter. The Moonstone pulsed violently, reacting to both fear and courage, lighting the clearing in bursts of silver.
Kaelen and Miralith fought fiercely, holding back the mages, but the elite council enforcers moved with precision and deadly intent.
One mage targeted Lyriana directly, hurling a bolt of shadow energy. Aryn leapt in front of her, Moonstone light absorbing the attack, but the force threw him against the ridge wall. Pain lanced through him, yet he rose immediately, fueled by their shared determination.
"We can't fight them individually," Lyriana shouted. "We have to combine our power!"
They joined hands, their energy intertwining with the Moonstone's glow. A wave of radiant silver light surged outward, knocking back the council mages. Yet one figure remained—Marovain's lieutenant, whose power rivaled Aryn's.
He sneered, "Your love won't save you. The Moonstone will destroy you if you resist its destiny!"
Lyriana stepped forward, standing close to Aryn. "Our love is our strength, not a weakness. Together, we define our destiny!"
They unleashed a synchronized wave of Moonstone and sigil energy. The lieutenant staggered, then vanished into shadows, leaving the battlefield eerily silent.
Breathing heavily, Lyriana pressed close to Aryn. "We survived… together."
Aryn brushed her hair from her face. "Always," he whispered, their forbidden love a beacon of power against an empire that sought to tear them apart.
But deep in the distance, Marovain's eyes glinted with fury. The council's reckoning was far from over—and the true war for Arvandor was only beginning.