Chapter 14: Threads of Destiny

The air in the Shadowlands felt heavier as Lucian, Selena, Adrian, and Arianna pressed onward. The relic they sought—the Crimson Shard—lay within reach, but the price of uncovering it weighed heavily on them. Every step into the heart of Morganna's dominion brought flickers of memories to Lucian and Selena, memories that weren't theirs yet felt achingly familiar.

Lucian rubbed his temple, frustration flickering in his eyes. "These visions... they don't make sense, but they feel so real."

Selena slowed her pace, her hand brushing against a vine etched with strange, glowing symbols. She could hear whispers—faint, like echoes from another time. "What if these aren't just random memories? What if they're pieces of... of who we were?"

Adrian raised an eyebrow. "You think you've lived another life before this one?"

"Not think," Selena said, her voice firm. "I'm starting to remember."

The group stopped as the forest thinned, revealing an obsidian archway draped in ivy. The entrance pulsed with an otherworldly glow, and as they neared, Lucian's chest tightened. The symbol etched into the stone matched one he'd seen in his dreams—a symbol of two intertwining threads, bound by a crimson star.

Arianna placed a hand on Lucian's shoulder. "You've seen this before, haven't you?"

He nodded, stepping closer. "Not here, but... in dreams. Or memories."

Selena stepped forward, her hand brushing the archway. Instantly, a vision surged through her mind—a battlefield drenched in blood, her and Lucian standing together, their powers combined against a towering shadow. She gasped, stumbling back into Lucian's arms.

"Selena!" Lucian's grip tightened as her eyes glazed over, lost in the vision.

In her mind, Selena saw herself dressed in intricate armor, a sword of light in her hands. Beside her, Lucian wielded a dark blade crackling with energy. They weren't just fighting Morganna—they were protecting a realm, a kingdom where they once ruled together. Their bond was unbreakable, a force strong enough to challenge even the most ancient magic.

But the vision shifted. Betrayal. Morganna's face twisted with rage as she unleashed a curse, splitting their souls and binding their power to a cycle of reincarnation.

Selena's voice broke through the haze. "We failed... we failed to stop her."

She blinked, the vision fading as Lucian steadied her. "What did you see?"

"A war," Selena murmured. "We were fighting Morganna, but... she cursed us. This isn't the first time we've faced her."

Lucian's jaw clenched, pieces of his own visions falling into place. "That's why she wants us. If we're reunited—if we unlock whatever power we had back then—we could end her."

Adrian crossed his arms, his expression skeptical. "But if that's true, then why didn't it work before? What's different this time?"

Arianna pointed toward the archway. "Maybe the answers are through there."

As they passed beneath the archway, the oppressive energy of the Shadowlands grew sharper, each breath more difficult than the last. The path twisted and turned until they entered a circular chamber, its walls lined with mirrors.

Selena stepped closer to one, her reflection warping into a younger version of herself—a princess clad in royal garb. In the reflection, Lucian appeared beside her, not as the man she knew now but as a king—a ruler who had once been her partner in both war and peace.

Lucian stared at the mirror, his reflection showing the same regal image. "It's us," he said softly. "Who we were."

The mirrors began to glow, and a voice echoed through the chamber, low and melodic yet filled with sorrow.

"Bound by fate, torn by time. Only through unity will the cycle break."

The chamber trembled as the Crimson Shard materialized in the center, its fiery glow illuminating the room. But as Lucian reached for it, the voice spoke again, this time with urgency.

"Beware, for the shadow watches. The path ahead demands sacrifice."

Selena grabbed Lucian's wrist. "Wait. What sacrifice?"

The room grew colder as the mirrors began to shatter one by one, revealing shadowy figures lurking behind them. Morganna's influence had found them.

Lucian drew his blade, his voice steady despite the dread pooling in his stomach. "Whatever it takes, we finish this."