Chapter 69: Ancient Chronicle

Selene's POV

Tears blurred the ink before me. All this time, I had thought of her as a warrior, a leader who had done what was necessary.

But she had been so much more. She had been my sister, and she had given everything to protect me, to protect Eldoria.

A cold shiver ran down my spine as my gaze fell upon the final line scrawled at the bottom of the page. Unlike the rest, it was not written in the ancient tongue. It was a message, one meant for whoever found this record.

"The seal will not hold forever. When the time comes, you must remember—what is given can be taken back."

Pain lanced through my skull. I gasped, gripping the table as the world around me darkened. The library, the records—all of it faded as I was pulled inward, deep into my soul.

I stood in the endless void again, my presence alone casting faint ripples into the darkness.

And there, waiting as always, was the shadow—my guardian, the fragment of me. It had no face, no distinct form, just a shifting mass of darkness that pulsed with something both familiar and foreign. A whisper of a voice curled around me like smoke.

"You knew, didn't you?" My voice was calm, but a quiet sadness laced my words.

The guardian shifted, amused. "Knew what, exactly?"

"What really happened when I fought Vhezeroth."

It let out a soft, distorted laugh. "Ah. So you've finally figured it out."

I clenched my fists. "I lost control that day. She tried to take over my body, didn't she? To use me to finish what she started."

The guardian hummed, circling me slowly. "Tried. And failed."

A flicker of memory surfaced—the raw chaos, the suffocating presence of Vhezeroth clawing at my soul, twisting my very essence to make it hers. I had been drowning, unable to resist. And then—

"You," I breathed. "You took over."

The shadow pulsed with dark amusement. "Of course. Did you really think I'd let that wretched thing steal what is rightfully ours?"

My stomach twisted, not in fear, but in realization. "You killed her."

A pause. Then, a slow, deliberate answer. "Yes."

I should have been horrified. I should have felt something—guilt, anger, even loss. But all I felt was… relief.

"She deserved it." The words slipped out before I even processed them. And for once, the guardian did not mock me.

"Indeed."

I exhaled, letting the weight of that truth settle. "And my sister? Eltheria?"

The guardian tilted its head, its form flickering like candlelight. "Ah, that… There are things you must uncover on your own, Selene. I cannot hand you every answer."

A familiar frustration stirred in me, but it was gentler now. Unlike before, our bond had softened. The guardian no longer felt like an enemy, but an undeniable part of me.

I hesitated before pressing further. "But you must know something. Anything. She gave everything to protect me, to protect Eldoria. There must be more to it than what I've read."

The shadow remained still, as if weighing its answer.

Then, finally, it spoke. "Eltheria's choices were her own, but the truth of them… that is for you to uncover. I am only a fragment, Selene. I can guide you, but I will not hand you the truth on a silver plate."

My heart ached, but I nodded. I would find the answers myself. I had to.

"You're still far from mastering your power," the guardian said, its tone shifting back to its usual indifference.

"But you are growing fast. Which, I suppose, is expected… You are Selene, after all."

A small smile tugged at my lips. "Was that a compliment?"

The guardian scoffed, retreating into the void's expanse. "Don't get used to it."

Darkness wrapped around me again, a sign that our time was up.

"Until we meet again," I murmured.

The guardian's final whisper echoed as the world faded.

"Anytime."

Darkness shifted, melting into something softer—a dreamscape woven from light. And there, standing before me, was Eltheria.

She looked as I remembered from my scattered memories regal, strong, yet burdened with the weight of choices I had yet to understand.

And beside her, a faint glow pulsed—the Luminescent One, the entity residing within the Heart, the guide who allowed these meetings to happen.

"Eltheria." My voice cracked as I stepped forward.

"I've been trying to understand… everything. But there are still so many missing pieces."

She smiled, her golden eyes dim with sorrow. "You are closer than you think, Selene. But some truths must be found, not given."

I swallowed, frustration creeping in. "That's what the guardian said."

Eltheria chuckled softly. "Then, for once, it and I are in agreement."

I clenched my fists. "I just… I need to know why. Why you sacrificed yourself. Why you left me alone in a world I don't remember."

She reached out, her hand ghosting against my cheek. "You were never alone."

I closed my eyes, feeling the warmth of her presence. "Then help me remember. Help me understand."

The Luminescent One pulsed between us, its presence a silent promise.

"In time," Eltheria whispered. "I will."

And just like that, the dream began to fade, leaving me with more questions than answers—but also, for the first time, a glimmer of hope.

Third person's POV

Selene gasped as she jolted awake, her body drenched in cold sweat. The echoes of her dream still clung to her mind, whispers of voices she couldn't fully grasp.

Darkness no longer surrounded her—only the dim glow of candlelight flickering in the vast library. The scent of aged parchment and ink grounded her back to reality.

She exhaled shakily, steadying herself before turning back to the ancient tome spread before her.

Her fingers trembled as she flipped through the brittle pages, scanning the faded ink for answers.

The weight of history pressed down on her as she realized what she held—the chronicles of Eldoria's past rulers.

Each name was carefully inscribed, accompanied by their reign and, most notably, the manner of their death.

Her breath hitched as she traced the words, taking in the tragic fates of those who had come before her.

King Alden the First – The Founding Flame

A warrior-king who led the first unification of Eldoria, his fire magic unmatched. He perished in battle, defending the newly forged kingdom against a monstrous siege that sought to shatter their foundations. His sacrifice became legend, yet his death marked the first of many burdens carried by Eldoria's rulers.

Queen Lysara the Radiant – The Lightbearer

A ruler of unparalleled wisdom, known for guiding Eldoria through its golden age. She wielded magic infused with pure light, rumored to have been granted by celestial beings.

But even she could not escape fate—her life ended mysteriously, her body found lifeless in the temple of the Heart. No records explained how or why.

King Veydris the Stormborn – The Tidemaster

A ruler who forged an alliance with the seafaring kingdom of Nytheris, strengthening Eldoria's naval power. He wielded storm magic and was said to have commanded the tides themselves. He was lost at sea during a great tempest, his ship never recovered.

Queen Seraphina the Silent – The Veiled Monarch

A mysterious queen who strengthened ties with the mystical kingdom of Aetheria. Her knowledge of arcane magic was unmatched, but she ruled from the shadows, rarely appearing before her people. She vanished without a trace, her legacy shrouded in secrecy.

King Edric the Crimson Blade – The Warlord King

His reign was marked by a bitter conflict with the neighboring kingdom of Drakhar, a land of warriors and dragons. He was a master of combat, wielding a sword said to be forged from the scales of an ancient dragon. He fell in battle, betrayed by those he once called allies.

Queen Selara the Seer – The Oracle of Eldoria

Gifted with visions of the future, she worked closely with the scholars of the Arcane Tower to preserve knowledge. Her reign was prosperous, but her visions drove her to madness. She was found lifeless in the grand library, a final prophecy scrawled in blood beside her.

King Darius the Unyielding – The Iron Bastion

A ruler who fortified Eldoria's borders, ensuring its protection against the encroaching darkness from the Forbidden Lands. He sought aid from the mountain kingdom of Varestia, forging an uneasy alliance. He perished defending the northern stronghold in a battle against creatures unknown to history.

Queen Isolde the Everfrost – The Icebound Sovereign

Hailing from a royal marriage between Eldoria and the frost-bound kingdom of Sylvaris, she wielded powerful ice magic. She sought peace through diplomacy but met her end when an assassination attempt froze her heart in a chamber of ice.

King Valerian the Astral – The Starborn King

Deeply connected to celestial forces, he strengthened Eldoria's bond with the scholars of Aetheria. He sought to uncover the mysteries of the cosmos but vanished into the heavens one fateful night. Some claimed he ascended, while others believed he was taken by the stars.

Eltheria – A Legend 

Selene's heart pounded as she read her sister's name, her fingers tightening on the page. The ink beneath it was faded, almost as if time itself had tried to erase the truth.

Vanished during the Sealing of the Abyss. No remains were ever found.

Flipping through the following pages, she found scribbled notes from scholars who had sought the same answers she did.

Some claimed that Eltheria had perished protecting the Heart, while others speculated that her very existence had been intertwined with the seal itself.

But another note caught Selene's attention.

Eltheria's wish was granted. She remains within the Heart, bound to Eldoria itself.

She was still here—watching, guiding, waiting.

The thought sent a shiver through her, but more than that, it filled her with a strange sense of solace.

The guardian had told her she had to find the answers on her own. Perhaps this was the first step.

Determination ignited within her as she continued reading, scouring the records for any fragment of truth buried in the past. If the history of Eldoria was soaked in sacrifice, then she needed to understand why.

And more importantly, she needed to know if her fate had already been written alongside theirs.

To be continued.