CHAPTER 17

The Whispering Void A Darkness Awakened

The ruins of Eldoris lay beneath a sky of fractured stars. The once-majestic kingdom, home to generations of rulers, was now a graveyard of shattered stone and lost souls.

Lyra stood at the edge of the broken palace steps, her fingers trembling as the whisper in her mind grew louder.

Lyra…

Selene's voice.

It was inside her.

A cold sweat ran down her back as she squeezed her eyes shut, trying to silence the echoes in her head. But the more she resisted, the stronger the presence became.

"She's still there, isn't she?"

Lyra turned sharply to Eryx. He stood in the moonlight, his silver eyes watching her with unnerving patience.

Alden placed a protective hand on Lyra's shoulder. "She needs time."

Eryx's expression did not change. "Time is a luxury we no longer have."

Kael, who had been gathering his strength, let out a weary breath. "The veil is broken. There's no telling what crossed over."

Lyra swallowed hard. She could feel it. A new presence lurking at the edges of the world. A cold, consuming force waiting for the right moment to strike.

She turned to Eryx, her voice steady. "Tell me what you know."

A small, knowing smile touched his lips. "You were never meant to inherit the throne's power, Lyra."

She stiffened.

"The celestial magic should have died with the last heir," he continued. "But the throne chose you instead."

Lyra's hands clenched into fists. "Why?"

Eryx stepped closer, his voice lowering. "Because you are not just a ruler. You are a vessel."

Alden tensed. "A vessel for what?"

Eryx's silver gaze burned into Lyra's.

"The return of the Forgotten."

The Gathering Storm

Silence hung heavy in the cold night air.

Kael broke it first, his voice sharp. "The Forgotten? That's impossible."

"The Forgotten were destroyed centuries ago," Alden added. "Sealed away beyond the veil."

Eryx's smirk did not waver. "And now the veil is gone."

Lyra's heart pounded. If the Forgotten had truly returned…

Then Eldoris was in greater danger than she had ever imagined.

She turned to Kael. "Can we restore the veil?"

Kael hesitated. "Not without the throne's magic. And right now, that power is inside you."

A sickening realization settled over her.

The only way to fix the veil would be to sacrifice herself.

She exhaled slowly, trying to steady the rising fear in her chest. "Then we find another way."

Eryx watched her with something almost like amusement. "A noble sentiment, Princess. But there may not be another way."

Alden glared at him. "You seem to know more than you're saying."

Eryx's smirk widened. "Perhaps."

Before Alden could respond, a sudden gust of wind tore through the ruins.

Then—a sound.

A deep, guttural growl from the shadows.

They weren't alone.

Lyra's mark burned against her skin. A warning.

Something was coming.

The First Attack

A shadow rippled across the ruined palace floor.

Then—movement.

A monstrous figure lunged from the darkness, its body a grotesque mixture of twisted limbs and glowing eyes. Its presence oozed malice, the very air around it warping with dark energy.

A Forgotten.

Alden was the first to react, drawing his sword and lunging forward. His blade slashed across the creature's chest, but instead of falling, the wound sealed itself instantly.

Kael raised his hands, chanting a spell. Golden flames erupted from his palms, slamming into the beast.

It shrieked, stumbling back, but the fire did not consume it.

"They're immune to light magic," Kael gasped.

Lyra's pulse quickened.

The Forgotten were no ordinary enemies.

Her mark pulsed again, an unseen force stirring within her.

Let me in…

Selene's voice. More urgent this time.

Lyra hesitated.

Could she trust her?

Another Forgotten emerged from the ruins, its glowing eyes locked onto her. It moved faster than thought, lunging toward her with outstretched claws.

She had no choice.

She closed her eyes and let the power in.

A Power Unleashed

The world exploded into starlight.

Lyra's body lifted off the ground, her veins pulsing with raw celestial energy. The mark on her arm blazed like a sun, its golden glow warping into deep silver.

The Forgotten froze.

For the first time, they hesitated.

Then—Lyra moved.

She raised a hand, and a wave of silver energy erupted from her fingertips, slamming into the creatures. The first Forgotten disintegrated instantly, its body unraveling like mist.

The second let out an inhuman wail, trying to retreat. But Lyra was faster.

She stretched out her hand, and the creature collapsed, its essence ripped apart by the force of her magic.

The battle was over in seconds.

When Lyra finally lowered her hand, the ruins were silent once more.

Kael, Alden, and Eryx stared at her.

"What… was that?" Alden whispered.

Lyra shook, struggling to steady herself. The power still surged inside her, restless, hungry.

She swallowed hard. "I don't know."

Eryx watched her with something close to admiration.

"I do," he murmured.

Lyra turned to him, breathless. "What?"

Eryx smiled, his silver eyes gleaming.

"You're not just a vessel, Princess." He stepped closer, lowering his voice.

"You're becoming one of them."