The Stolen Heir’s Bond

The silence in the cave felt heavier after the serpent's departure, as though its presence had left something behind—something unseen but inescapable.

Elaria's breathing was still uneven, her mind racing to make sense of what had just happened. She turned to Kael, who stood rigid, his gaze fixed on the darkness ahead. His fingers twitched at his side, as if resisting the urge to draw his sword again.

"What do we do now?" she asked, her voice quieter than she intended.

Kael exhaled sharply, shaking his head. "We keep moving."

He didn't wait for her response, stepping forward into the shadows.

Elaria hesitated for just a moment before following. Her side still ached from the arrow wound, but the pain was secondary now. The serpent's words lingered in her mind, an unanswered riddle clawing at the edge of her thoughts.

Your blood is not the one that should flow in this land.

What had it meant? And why had it spoken of Kael's past as though it knew something he didn't?

She stole a glance at him as they walked. His face was set in hard determination, but his jaw was tight, his expression betraying the storm brewing beneath. He was thinking about it, too.

The tunnel twisted ahead of them, narrowing slightly before opening into a vast cavern. The sight made Elaria stop in her tracks.

It was unlike anything she had ever seen.

The cave's walls shimmered faintly with veins of silver and glowing blue crystal, casting an eerie light throughout the space. Stalactites hung from the ceiling like jagged teeth, while a shallow underground river carved a winding path through the stone floor.

At the very center of the cavern stood an ancient stone archway—weathered, covered in moss and glowing runes. It looked like a doorway, but to where?

Kael stepped forward, his eyes locked on the structure. "This wasn't on any map."

Elaria followed, her heart pounding. As they drew closer, she could see the runes more clearly now. They weren't written in any language she recognized, but something about them felt familiar.

She raised a hand hesitantly, fingers hovering over the ancient symbols. The moment she did, the runes flared to life,glowing with a bright, golden light.

Elaria gasped, stumbling back.

Kael's sword was out in an instant. "What did you do?"

"I don't know," she breathed. "I didn't—"

Before she could finish, the air around them shifted.

A pulse of magic rippled through the cavern, and suddenly, the archway was no longer just a ruin.

It was active.

The space inside it shimmered like the surface of a lake, the reflection shifting and changing. And then—a scene appeared.

A grand hall, its walls lined with banners of deep crimson and gold. A throne of obsidian and silver. And seated upon it—

Elaria's breath caught.

A man.

Tall, with a regal bearing. His golden eyes—so much like Kael's—burned with something between sorrow and fury. A crown sat atop his dark hair, its edges sharp like jagged blades.

And the moment Kael saw him, his entire body went rigid.

Because the man on the throne—

Was his father.