CHAPTER 4 SHADOWS OF THE PAST

Chapter 4: Shadows of the Past

Lyra

The battle's echoes still rang in Lyra's ears as she and her companions retreated to the ruins of an ancient temple deep in the forest. The temple, covered in vines and cracked stone, was once a sanctuary of celestial magic, but now it lay abandoned, forgotten by time.

Kael lit a small fire, his expression unreadable. "We have little time to rest. The celestial energy you released will not go unnoticed."

Alden wiped his blade clean, glancing at Lyra. "You controlled it back there… but can you do it again?"

Lyra hesitated. The power had surged through her like a tidal wave, but it had felt foreign—wild, untamed. "I don't know," she admitted. "It felt like… something else was guiding me."

Kael's gaze darkened. "That is because the celestial realm is stirring. The barrier between worlds is weakening."

Before Lyra could respond, the wind shifted. A rustling in the underbrush sent a shiver down her spine.

A voice, smooth as silk, echoed from the shadows. "You are not alone."

From the darkness emerged a figure clad in a midnight cloak, eyes gleaming like stars.

The past had finally caught up with them.

The figure stepped forward, revealing a slender yet commanding presence. A silver pendant shaped like an eclipse hung from their neck, pulsating with an eerie glow.

"I have waited long for this moment," the stranger spoke, their voice carrying an unnatural weight.

Lyra tensed, her fingers curling instinctively. "Who are you?"

The figure smiled, though it never reached their eyes. "I am Selene, guardian of the Celestial Gate."

Kael inhaled sharply. "The Celestial Gate? That's a myth."

Selene's gaze bore into him. "Is it?"

She raised her hand, and the air shimmered as an ancient sigil ignited above her palm. The ground beneath them trembled, and suddenly, the ruins were no longer ruins. They stood inside a magnificent temple of marble and stardust, its pillars stretching into infinity. The very air pulsed with celestial energy.

Lyra gasped, feeling a pull in her chest. "What is this place?"

"The last sanctuary of your ancestors," Selene said. "The place where your true power will awaken."

Alden stepped in front of Lyra protectively. "What do you want from her?"

Selene studied him with amusement. "Want? No, Prince Alden, I do not want—I am here to prepare."

Kael's jaw tightened. "For what?"

Selene's expression turned solemn. "For the return of the Shadowborn."

Silence fell, heavy as stone. Lyra's mark pulsed painfully, and a vision flashed through her mind—cities burning, skies darkening, a monstrous figure with hollow eyes rising from the abyss.

She staggered back, clutching her head. "No…"

Selene reached out, steadying her. "You are not ready. But you must be."

Kael exhaled slowly. "Then we train her."

Selene nodded. "And quickly. Time is not on our side."

Alden clenched his fists. "Where do we begin?"

Selene turned, walking toward an ancient pedestal at the center of the temple. "We begin," she said, placing a hand on the stone, "with unlocking her past."

The pedestal split open, revealing a glowing crystal. Light shot through the chamber, and in an instant, Lyra's consciousness was ripped from the present.

She was no longer in the temple.

She stood on the battlefield of a time long past, surrounded by celestial warriors locked in battle with creatures of darkness. At the center stood a woman, a crown of stars upon her head, wielding the very same power Lyra had felt within herself.

And then, just as suddenly, the vision ended.

Lyra collapsed, gasping. "That was…"

Selene's eyes were sad. "Your ancestor. The last celestial queen."

Lyra's hands trembled. "She died."

Selene nodded. "And now, it is your turn to finish what she could not."

The weight of destiny settled upon Lyra's shoulders. The war was coming. And she would have to face it head-on.