Chapter 4
The path to the Oracle's Tower was arduous, weaving through dense thickets and jagged outcroppings of stone, but Selene moved with a resolve that brooked no hesitation. This was no ordinary journey. Each step felt like a reclamation of the self she had lost—or perhaps, the self she was beginning to remember.
It wasn't long before she sensed a presence behind her. A faint rustle of leaves. The whisper of a shadow.
"You're being followed," a voice within her mind echoed. It was neither hers nor entirely unfamiliar. The voice had begun speaking to her only days ago, just as the dreams had grown more vivid. It urged caution now, its tone sharp and commanding.
Selene paused, adjusting the weight of her satchel, and turned sharply on her heel. "Whoever you are," she called into the trees, "step forward."
At first, silence answered her. Then, with deliberate slowness, a man emerged from the shadows. He was tall and lean, his cloak of midnight black blending seamlessly with the darkness around him. His face was partially obscured by a mask, but his piercing gray eyes burned with a peculiar intensity.
"You're bolder than I expected," he said, his voice smooth yet edged with something dangerous. "Most would run."
"Most aren't me," Selene shot back, her hand instinctively drifting toward the small dagger at her belt. "Who are you? Why are you following me?"
The man's lips curved into a faint smile beneath his mask. "I mean you no harm. For now. My name is Kael. Let's just say I have… an interest in your journey."
Selene's grip on her dagger tightened. "An interest? That's vague. Are you with the council? Or perhaps one of the mercenaries sent by Lord Alaric?"
At the mention of Alaric's name, Kael's expression hardened. "No," he said curtly. "I serve no lord. I answer to no council. But I do know who you are, Selene. Or should I say… Lysandra?"
The name struck her like a thunderclap. For a moment, the world seemed to tilt, her knees threatening to buckle beneath her. "How do you know that name?" she demanded, her voice trembling despite her best efforts to steady it.
Kael took a step closer, his movements slow and deliberate. "Because I was there. The night you fell. The night the kingdom of Solvara crumbled under betrayal."
Selene's breath caught. Images from her dreams—no, her memories—flooded her mind. The golden throne room. The blade. The shadowed figure whispering just before everything went dark. "You… you were there?" she whispered, barely able to form the words.
Kael nodded. "I was. And I have been searching for you ever since. When I heard whispers of an apothecary in Eldhaven… well, let's just say I had my suspicions. And now here you are. The reborn queen of a fallen kingdom, walking into the shadows once more."
Selene's heart pounded in her chest. "Why?" she asked, her voice cracking. "Why are you here? What do you want from me?"
Kael's eyes softened, though the intensity within them did not waver. "I want justice. For you. For Solvara. For the lives that were lost that night. And I believe you're the key to setting things right."
The weight of his words settled heavily on her shoulders. For weeks, she had wrestled with the fragments of her past life, the pieces of a puzzle she couldn't quite fit together. And now, here was a man claiming not only to know her true identity but also to have been there during her greatest moment of despair.
"If you're lying to me…" she began, her voice low and dangerous.
Kael raised his hands in a gesture of surrender. "I'm not. And I can prove it. But first, you need to trust me."
Selene hesitated. Trust was not something she gave easily, especially not after the dreams—the memories—of betrayal. But there was something in Kael's eyes, a sincerity that made her pause.
"Fine," she said at last. "But if you're leading me into a trap, I won't hesitate to end you."
Kael's smile returned, faint but genuine. "Noted."
The Oracle's Tower loomed in the distance, its silhouette stark against the crimson hues of the setting sun. As they approached, Kael kept a respectful distance, though Selene could feel his gaze lingering on her.
"You've changed," he said suddenly, breaking the silence.
Selene glanced at him. "What do you mean?"
"In your past life, you were… different. Regal. Commanding. Untouchable. But now…" He trailed off, as though searching for the right words. "Now you're human."
Selene bristled. "I'm not sure whether to take that as an insult or a compliment."
Kael chuckled softly. "It's neither. Just an observation. Perhaps it's what makes you stronger this time around."
They reached the base of the tower just as the first stars began to dot the sky. The entrance was sealed by an ornate door carved with ancient runes. Selene's fingers brushed against the symbols, their touch sparking a strange sense of familiarity.
"Do you know how to open it?" Kael asked, watching her closely.
Selene nodded, though she wasn't entirely sure how she knew. The answer simply came to her, as though the knowledge had been buried deep within her all along. She whispered a single word—a name—and the runes began to glow, the door creaking open with an almost reluctant groan.
The interior of the tower was dimly lit, the air thick with the scent of aged parchment and incense. Shelves lined the walls, overflowing with scrolls and tomes. At the center of the room stood a figure draped in flowing robes, their face obscured by a hood.
"You have returned," the figure said, their voice neither male nor female but something in between. "Lysandra."
Selene stepped forward, her heart pounding. "I seek answers. About my past. About what lies ahead."
The figure tilted their head slightly, as though studying her. "The past is a tapestry of pain and betrayal. The future is a labyrinth of choices. Are you prepared to face both?"
Selene's jaw tightened. "I have to be."
The Oracle extended a hand, and a flicker of light danced across their palm. "Then let us begin."
As the light engulfed her, Selene felt herself being pulled into a vortex of memories and visions. She saw the faces of those who had betrayed her, the shadows that had conspired against her. She felt the sting of the blade that had ended her life and the cold emptiness that had followed. But she also saw something else—a spark of hope, a chance to rewrite the ending that had been stolen from her.
When the visions subsided, Selene found herself on her knees, gasping for air. The Oracle's voice cut through the haze. "Your path will not be easy. The enemies you face are stronger than before. But so are you."
Selene looked up, determination blazing in her eyes. "I'll make them pay for what they've done."
Kael stepped forward, his presence grounding her. "Then let's not waste any time."
Together, they stepped out of the tower and into the night, the stars above bearing silent witness to the journey ahead. Revenge was no longer just a possibility—it was a promise. And Selene, reborn and unyielding, would stop at nothing to fulfill it.