The moon hung low in the sky, casting its pale light over the temple ruins. The air crackled with magic, thick and charged, as though the very stones of the temple were alive. Ava stood at the entrance, her pulse racing as Mordana's cold, mocking smile stretched across her face.
"We meet again, Ava," Mordana purred, her voice low and silken, laced with dark amusement. "I must say, I'm impressed you made it this far. But you are too late. The Heartstone is mine, and with it, so is your fate."
Ava's hands trembled at her sides, but her mind was clear. This was the moment. The temple. The Heartstone. It was all here, and they were so close to ending this—if only they could stop Mordana first.
"Get out of my way," Ava snapped, her voice sharper than she felt. The power inside her was like a storm brewing—wild, untamed, but still unshaped. She could feel it, thrumming beneath her skin. It was time to unlock it, to let it flow.
"You have no idea what you're dealing with," Mordana's voice dripped with venom. "This power... you think you can control it? You are just a child pretending to play with forces you don't understand. The Heartstone will not bow to you, Ava. It never has."
Ava squared her shoulders, her gaze fixed on Mordana. "You're wrong. I'm not afraid of you. I'm not afraid of what's coming."
Mordana's lips curled into a sneer. "Very well, then. If you won't leave now, you'll regret it when you see what awaits you inside."
Without another word, Mordana raised her hands, and the ground beneath them trembled. Dark tendrils of shadow seemed to rise from the earth itself, twisting and coiling like serpents. They moved with unnatural speed, slithering toward Ava and Alexander, their cold touch sending shivers down their spines.
Ava felt a sharp pang of fear, but she clenched her fists, refusing to back down. This was her destiny, and she wasn't going to let Mordana have her way. The forest had been testing her. Mordana had been testing her. Now, it was time for her to step into the light.
"Ava!" Alexander shouted, his voice frantic as he swung his sword at the encroaching shadows. "We can't fight her here. We have to reach the Heartstone—now!"
But Ava didn't need him to tell her. She could feel it too—the pull of the Heartstone, the pulse of energy that seemed to call to her from within the temple. The air thickened with its magic, and every fiber of her being screamed at her to move forward, to reach it, to claim it.
With a fierce cry, Ava pushed forward, her eyes locked on the dark sorceress in front of her. She couldn't let Mordana win—not after everything that had happened. Not when they were so close.
As if sensing her resolve, Mordana's eyes narrowed, and she muttered an incantation under her breath. A rush of dark energy shot from her hands, and the shadows surged forward with renewed force.
But Ava was ready. She raised her own hands, the magic inside her flaring to life, filling her with a warmth that countered Mordana's cold grasp. The shadows that had been creeping toward her recoiled, as if burned by an invisible flame.
"Is that all you have?" Ava shouted, her voice filled with defiance. The energy in her hands crackled, and she sent a blast of pure force toward Mordana, forcing her to stumble back. The sorceress's eyes widened in surprise, but her smile never faded.
"You are strong," Mordana conceded, a dark chuckle escaping her lips. "But strength alone won't stop me."
With a snap of her fingers, the ground beneath Ava's feet began to crack. The temple's stones groaned as if they were waking from a long slumber, and a deep, guttural voice echoed through the air, ancient and powerful.
Ava's heart skipped a beat as the temple seemed to come alive. The Heartstone, glowing faintly in the distance, pulsed with light, responding to the magic that was being unleashed around it.
But Mordana wasn't finished yet.
"Come forth, my minions," she said, her voice cold and commanding. "Show them the true meaning of power."
From the shadows, figures began to emerge—dark, twisted beings, their eyes glowing with malevolent energy. Ava's breath caught in her throat as the creatures closed in around her. They were like nothing she had ever seen before, their forms shifting and warping in unnatural ways. The air grew thick with their presence, each one more terrifying than the last.
Alexander was already moving, his sword flashing as he cut through the first wave of creatures, but there were too many of them. They kept coming, filling the clearing, their eerie wails echoing in the night.
Ava's heart raced, but she didn't hesitate. This was what she had been preparing for. This was the moment when she would truly awaken.
She closed her eyes, focusing on the energy inside her, the power that had been dormant for so long. It was like a flame, burning hot and bright, and with a deep breath, she let it explode from her. Her hands shot out, and a blinding wave of light erupted, sweeping through the creatures and scattering them into the shadows.
The creatures screamed in pain, their forms flickering like smoke in the wind. For a brief moment, there was silence.
Ava opened her eyes to find Mordana standing before her, her expression twisted with fury. "You think you can stop me? You're a fool, Ava. You don't have the power to defeat me. Not yet."
Ava's pulse thudded in her ears, but her gaze remained steady. "You're wrong," she said, her voice low and determined. "I'm not a fool. I've always had the power—I just didn't know how to use it."
With that, she turned and sprinted toward the temple, her feet moving faster than she had ever run before. The Heartstone was so close now. She could feel its power calling to her, urging her forward.
But just as she reached the stone door of the temple, a sharp pain shot through her chest, and she stumbled. A wave of dizziness washed over her as dark tendrils of shadow coiled around her, pulling her back.
Ava gasped, her vision blurring. Mordana had followed her, her fingers crackling with dark magic.
"You think you can control the Heartstone?" Mordana sneered, her voice laced with contempt. "I've spent centuries waiting for this moment. You'll never be strong enough to wield its power."
But Ava, gasping for breath, found the strength to stand. "I don't need to be stronger than you. I just need to be strong enough."
With one final push, Ava gathered every ounce of power within her and thrust her hands toward the door of the temple. The Heartstone pulsed in response, and the doors slowly, agonizingly, began to open.
Mordana shrieked in rage, but it was too late.
The Heartstone had chosen its heir.