Elira's hands trembled as she rose slowly from the cold ground, the ashes of the vision still clinging to her skin.
The past was real.
She had seen it — lived it — felt the betrayal like a blade reopening an old wound.
But still… something inside her whispered.
No. Not like this.
She looked up at Malveric, who stood with his arms crossed, confident, patient, the fire of manipulation glowing in his eyes.
"You remember now," he said softly. "The fire, the blade. The truth."
Elira clenched her fists.
"Yes," she admitted, voice hollow. "But that doesn't mean I believe you."
That made his grin falter.
"Excuse me?"
She took a shaky breath and stood straighter.
"You showed me what happened… what he did to me. But you twisted it to make me hate. To make me forget who I am now."
Malveric's eyes darkened. "You are her. The Queen. The rightful ruler—"
"No," she cut in. "I'm Elira. And I won't become a puppet for your revenge."
A gust of wind exploded around them as the mirror behind her began to flicker again. Elira turned to it — and through the chaos, she saw a flash of Elric's face.
Bloodied. Wounded. Still fighting.
Auren beside him, shouting something she couldn't hear.
They were dying.
"Elira!" Malveric snapped, stepping forward. "Don't go back to him! That bloodline must end! You saw what his ancestor did to you!"
"And what about you?" she spat. "You waited centuries to turn my pain into your power. You're just as monstrous as Edward."
He extended a hand, and the shadows around her feet coiled like snakes.
"You are bound to me by destiny—"
"Then I break it," she hissed.
And with all the force inside her — the fear, the pain, the fury — Elira turned and ran straight into the mirror.
The glass didn't break.
It shimmered, split, and swallowed her whole.
In the mountains…
Elric staggered, his sword slipping from his hand as another monkey-creature slashed his side.
Auren grabbed him.
"We can't hold out—!"
Then suddenly—a flash of light tore across the sky.
The creatures shrieked and recoiled.
And out of thin air — out of a glimmering slit of mirror-light — a figure fell from the rift, landing hard on the ground between the beasts and the prince.
Elira.
Eyes burning.
Hair wild.
Hands glowing with energy she didn't understand, but finally, finally embraced.
"Step away from them," she growled at the swarm.
"Elira?" Elric rasped, stunned.
She didn't look back.
"You wanted a queen?" she whispered. "Then you're about to see what one looks like."
And the sky cracked open.