The Forgotten City

The gates of Maldoria stood like ancient sentinels, their towering stone pillars etched with intricate carvings that pulsed faintly with life. Vines crawled along their surfaces, weaving through the ancient symbols as though nature itself sought to claim the ruins. Aralyn placed a tentative hand on one of the carvings, the cool stone radiating a faint warmth beneath her fingers.

"Do you feel that?" she asked, glancing at Kael.

He nodded, his eyes scanning the symbols. "This place still hums with magic. Even after centuries, Maldoria refuses to let its story fade."

The gates groaned as they swung inward, seemingly responding to the medallion's presence. Aralyn and Kael stepped through, their boots crunching on a path of shattered stone and overgrown roots.

Beyond the gates, the city of Maldoria spread out like a labyrinth of ruins. Crumbling towers leaned against one another, their once-pristine facades marred by time and conflict. The streets were littered with debris—shattered statues, broken weaponry, and remnants of lives long gone. Yet, despite the decay, there was an undeniable beauty to the city. The light of the medallion reflected off fragments of enchanted glass, casting colorful patterns on the ground.

"This doesn't feel like a city that's completely dead," Aralyn murmured.

"Because it isn't," Kael said. He gestured toward a distant tower, its peak crowned with a faint, pulsating glow. "That's where we'll find answers. The Heart of Aether, the power that sustained Maldoria, lies at the center of this place."

As they moved deeper into the city, Aralyn couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched. The streets were eerily silent, save for the occasional rustle of leaves or the distant drip of water.

"Do you think anyone's still here?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Kael shrugged. "If anyone survived, they'd be hiding. Or worse."

Aralyn frowned. "Worse?"

"Some might have been… changed," Kael said grimly. "The fall of Maldoria wasn't just war. The Shadowborn didn't just kill—they corrupted. Anyone who stayed too close to their power for too long might've been twisted into something… less than human."

The thought sent a shiver down Aralyn's spine.

As they passed what appeared to be a marketplace, the medallion pulsed again, its light flickering toward a nearby stall. Aralyn followed its pull, stepping over broken tiles and shattered pottery.

The stall was small, its wooden frame long since rotted away, but beneath a pile of debris lay an unbroken mirror. Its frame was adorned with the same runes that covered the gates, and its surface shimmered unnaturally.

"What is this?" Aralyn asked, crouching to pick it up.

Kael's expression darkened. "A memory mirror. They were used to store pieces of history, moments that people wanted to cherish

Aralyn held the mirror carefully, its surface cold yet alive with a faint vibration. The runes along its edges began to glow as the medallion pulsed in her hand, and the mirror's surface rippled like water.

Kael stepped closer, his voice cautious. "Be careful. Memory mirrors can be… overwhelming. They show the truth, but truth isn't always easy to bear."

"I have to know," Aralyn whispered. She raised the mirror, and as she gazed into it, the world around her shifted.

The marketplace came alive. The once-desolate stalls were now bustling with life. Vendors shouted over each other, peddling enchanted wares—glowing fruit, potions in crystal bottles, weapons humming with magic. Children darted through the crowd, their laughter echoing against the towering walls.

In the center of it all stood the Heart of Aether, visible even from here, a radiant beacon atop the central spire of Maldoria. The people looked to it with reverence, their faces filled with hope and pride.

But then, the light shifted.

The skies darkened, and the air grew heavy. The laughter of the children ceased, replaced by distant screams. Shadows poured into the city like a flood, twisting and devouring everything in their path. The people fought back with magic and steel, but the Shadowborn were relentless, their power overwhelming.

Aralyn's heart pounded as she saw flashes of the medallion—held by a woman clad in silver armor, her face strikingly familiar. The woman stood at the gates of the central tower, her hands raised as she unleashed a torrent of golden light.

The Shadowborn recoiled, but the effort cost the woman dearly. Her strength faltered, and the medallion fell from her grasp, its light dimming as the Heart of Aether was consumed by darkness.

The vision ended abruptly, and Aralyn found herself back in the ruined marketplace, the mirror slipping from her hands.

She staggered, clutching her chest as she tried to catch her breath. "That woman… she had the medallion. She was fighting to protect the city."

Kael caught the mirror before it hit the ground, placing it gently on a broken stall. "That wasn't just any woman. That was Queen Lysandra, Maldoria's last ruler."

"She looked like me," Aralyn said, her voice trembling.

Kael nodded. "She's likely your ancestor. The medallion has always been passed down through the royal bloodline. That's why it responds to you."

Aralyn's mind swirled with questions, but before she could ask them, the medallion pulsed again. Its light flared, illuminating another path through the ruins.

"We need to move," Kael said, his tone urgent. "If the Shadowborn sense the medallion's power, they'll come for us."

As they followed the medallion's pull, the ruins became more treacherous. Walls leaned precariously, and the ground beneath their feet cracked with every step. They passed through what had once been a grand hall, its marble floors now shattered and its columns crumbling.

Aralyn paused in front of a mural carved into the wall. It depicted the Heart of Aether in all its glory, surrounded by figures wielding the medallion and other powerful artifacts. Beneath the mural was an inscription written in an ancient language, but as Aralyn stared at it, the words began to shift, rearranging themselves into something she could understand.

"When the shadows rise, the Heart will call. Through light and sacrifice, the kingdom shall stand tall."

Kael read the inscription over her shoulder, his expression grim. "The Heart of Aether is calling to you. It needs you to restore it."

"But why me?" Aralyn asked, her voice tinged with frustration. "I'm not a queen. I'm not even a fighter."

"You're the heir," Kael said simply. "Whether you like it or not, the medallion chose you. And if you don't answer the call, Maldoria will remain in ruins, and the Shadowborn will spread."

Aralyn took a deep breath, her fingers brushing over the medallion. She felt its warmth, its steady pulse like a heartbeat. "Then we need to get to the Heart."

Kael nodded, but before they could take another step, a low growl echoed through the hall.

From the shadows emerged a creature unlike any they had seen before. It was massive, its body made of twisted shadows and bone, with glowing red eyes that burned with malice. A Shadowborn Sentinel, a guardian of the chasm's borders.

"It's been waiting for us," Kael said, drawing his sword.

Aralyn's grip tightened on the medallion as the Sentinel lunged toward them. The battle for Maldoria's secrets was far from over.