Chapter 6 Bound By Light

Rene's pulse thundered in her ears. Kael's golden eyes locked onto hers, waiting. The Forgotten Ones held their breath, sensing she was on the edge of returning to them.

But when she finally moved, it wasn't toward Kael.

It was toward Nyra.

Her sister's breath hitched as Rene grabbed her hand and squeezed tight. "I don't trust the Council," Rene said, her voice steady. "But I trust you."

Kael's expression barely shifted, but something flickered behind his eyes. "Disappointing," he murmured, tilting his head. "But not unexpected."

The shadows around him swirled violently. The Forgotten Ones hissed, their blurry forms shifting like smoke. "You think they'll accept you after what you've done?" Kael's voice was softer now, almost pitying. "After the way you betrayed them? After the way they betrayed you?"

Rene flinched, but Nyra's grip on her hand steadied her. "We'll deal with that when the time comes," Nyra said, lifting her chin. "But she's not going with you."

Kael exhaled, the hint of a smirk playing at his lips. "Then I suppose that makes you my enemy again."

The ground trembled. The swirling black mist behind Kael thickened, and Rene could feel the weight of his power pressing against her skin. The Forgotten Ones weren't just here to talk.

They were here to take her.

"Nyra," Rene whispered. "We need to go."

But Kael was faster. He lifted his hand, and the shadows lashed out like living tendrils, aiming straight for Rene's heart.

Nyra yanked her out of the way just in time. The attack slammed into the ground, splitting the obsidian road beneath them. Rene stumbled, barely catching herself before another wave of shadows lunged.

Nyra raised her own hands, summoning a brilliant silver light that pulsed outward, forming a protective barrier around them. The moment it touched the darkness, the shadows recoiled with a screech.

Rene's instincts kicked in. She might not remember everything about her past, but she knew how to fight.

She clenched her fists, and the black glow around her fingers intensified—not the corrupted, twisted shadows of the Forgotten Ones, but something different. Something hers.

She wasn't just a Keeper of the Veil.

She was the balance between light and dark.

Rene thrust her hands forward, releasing a wave of black energy edged with silver. It crashed into the Forgotten Ones, sending them scattering like ink in water.

Kael took a step back, his smirk widening. "Now that's more like it."

But before he could attack again, Nyra grabbed Rene's arm and yanked her toward the glowing archway.

"Come on!"

Rene didn't argue. They sprinted through the portal just as the darkness surged behind them.

Nocturna – The City of the Unseen

The moment they crossed the threshold, Rene felt a shift in the air. The chaotic energy of the Forgotten Ones was gone, replaced by the strange hum of a city that had once been home.

She stumbled to a stop, catching her breath, and finally took in her surroundings.

Nocturna was breathtaking. Towers of silver and obsidian stretched into a sky that shimmered with stars, even though there was no sun. Floating lanterns illuminated winding streets, and figures in deep blue cloaks patrolled the area, their eyes glowing softly in the dim light.

"Welcome home," Nyra said.

Rene swallowed hard. Home.

She wasn't sure it was home anymore.

Before she could respond, a group of figures approached—a mix of warriors, scholars, and council members, their robes embroidered with the sigil of Nocturna.

And the way they looked at her?

Like they had just seen a ghost.

A tall man with graying hair stepped forward, his face etched with wariness. "You shouldn't be here," he said. "Not after what you've done."

Nyra's jaw tightened. "She's here because we need her."

The man—one of the high councilors, Rene assumed—narrowed his eyes. "Or because the Forgotten Ones sent her."

A murmur rippled through the gathered crowd.

Rene felt something tighten in her chest. She had chosen to stand with Nocturna, to fight for the city she had once sworn to protect. But that didn't mean they would accept her.

Nyra turned to her, expression unreadable. "You're going to have to prove yourself."

Rene let out a slow breath. She had already fought to remember who she was. Now, she would have to fight to belong.

To Be Continued….....