A Fractured Truth

The Eclipse King's words lingered in Emma's mind long after he had vanished.

"You will come to understand soon… we are not so different, you and I."

Emma clenched her fists. Lies. Manipulation.

She wouldn't fall for it.

And yet… the Topaz Stone still pulsed in her palm, as if reacting to his presence.

Rahi nudged her shoulder. "Emma. Talk to me."

She blinked, realizing she had been silent for too long. "I don't know what to say."

Rahi's silver eyes softened. "I know you. And I know when something's messing with your head."

Emma hesitated before whispering, "What if… what if there's more to this?"

Rahi frowned. "You mean more than the world ending if he gets the stones? Or the part where he keeps trying to manipulate you?"

Emma shook her head. "The stones. Why me? Why not someone else?"

Rahi sighed. "I don't know. But that doesn't change what we have to do."

Emma exhaled sharply. "Right. The next stone."

They had no time to waste.

The Road to the Emerald Ruins

The next stone—the Emerald Stone—was hidden in the Ruins of Orinthal, a place swallowed by nature long ago.

Legend said the ruins weren't abandoned. Something still lived there.

Rahi ran a hand through his hair as they packed supplies. "Tell me we're not about to fight some ancient guardian beast."

Emma strapped her dagger to her belt. "If we are, we don't have a choice."

Rahi sighed. "You know, I miss when life was simple."

Emma smirked. "Was it ever simple?"

"Fair point."

They set off under the cover of night, moving swiftly through the dense forests leading to Orinthal. The air felt charged, as if the land itself knew what they sought.

Emma gripped her stones tightly.

Three stones down. Three more to go.

And with each step, she could feel it.

The closer she got to the truth, the closer she came to changing everything.

Forever.