The small mountain hut was silent, the only sound the faint crackle of the fire. Selena sat opposite Adrian, her gaze fixed on the ancient scroll he guarded so fiercely.
At last, she spoke. "That scroll… it doesn't belong to you. It has been in the Rael family for generations."
Adrian's eyes narrowed. "Then why were the assassins chasing you? What does this scroll have to do with them?"
Selena's fingers tightened against her skirt. Her voice dropped to a whisper. "Because the Rael family is no longer whole. Some of us swore to protect it, but others grew greedy. When the scroll was stolen, blood was spilled in the shadows. The ones who chased me… they were my own kin."
Adrian studied her carefully. Her words carried pain, but also something else—guilt. He wasn't sure if she was telling the whole truth.
"And what exactly is inside this scroll that your family would kill for?" he asked coldly.
Selena met his gaze, her lips trembling. "It holds techniques powerful enough to shake kingdoms. The one who masters it could command both blade and spirit. That's why the Rael family will never stop hunting it… or you."
For a moment, Adrian was silent. He clenched the scroll in his hands, feeling the weight of her warning. So this thing is not just a treasure—it's a curse.
Later that night, Adrian unrolled the scroll in secret. Strange symbols glowed faintly, alive with a power that made his blood stir. He gritted his teeth and began to channel the teachings written within. The air around him rippled. A flash of sword light flickered in the darkness, splitting a nearby stone clean in two.
Adrian staggered back, chest heaving, but in his eyes burned a fierce excitement. This power… it's answering to me.
Behind him, Selena had been watching. Her face drained of color.
"This can't be…" she whispered, her voice trembling. "This power… it should only belong to the Rael family. Why… why does it answer to you?"
Adrian turned sharply toward her, shock flashing across his face.
For the first time, he realized—the secret of this scroll was tied not only to the Rael family… but perhaps to his own bloodline as well.
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Author's Note:
🔥 What do you think, readers? Why does the Rael family's ancient scroll respond to Adrian when he's not one of them? Could his bloodline hide a secret even he doesn't know?
Comment your theory below—I'd love to hear your guesses! 🙌