Volume 3 — Chapter 18: The Truth of the Chosen
The cavern trembled violently as molten cracks spread across the floor, but Lyriana barely noticed. Her gaze was fixed on Eryon—her lost brother—now leaning against the shattered wall, shadows flickering around him.
"What do you mean they want me?" she demanded, her voice sharp, trembling.
Eryon wiped blood from his lip, eyes dimming. "…You were never meant to be just a princess, Lyriana. You were born with something the council feared—something the relics respond to."
Aryn struggled upright, clutching his wound. "Then tell us. No more lies."
Eryon hesitated, then spoke:
"You are the Convergence Bearer—the only one capable of wielding all four relics at once. The council planned to seize you long before the purge. When Father refused to hand you over… they destroyed everything."
Lyriana's breath caught. Memories she had buried—flashes of fire, screams, her father's desperate face—surged back with brutal clarity.
"They killed him… because of me?"
"No," Aryn said firmly, reaching for her hand. "They killed him because they feared what you would become."
Eryon nodded weakly. "They wanted to turn you into their weapon. When you vanished, they took me instead—hoping to force the power through my bloodline. It… didn't work."
The shadows around him shivered, confirming the torment he had endured.
Lyriana's heart ached. "Eryon… you were a child."
"And they made me a monster," he whispered.
The mountain rumbled again—louder this time. The final relic pulsed violently on its pedestal, reacting to Lyriana's emotions.
Aryn steadied her. "We need to take the relic and get out."
Eryon lifted a shaking hand. "You can't just take it. The final relic binds to intent. If your heart wavers, it will reject you—or worse."
Lyriana stepped toward the pedestal. "My heart doesn't waver."
Eryon's eyes widened—not in fear, but in wonder.
"That's why the Moonstone chose you."
As Lyriana reached out, the relic's light surged, enveloping her in spirals of obsidian and white flame.
The cavern shook violently.
Aryn shouted her name.
And the final relic awakened.