Morning arrived quietly.
Mist drifted low across the forest floor, clinging to roots and stones like a secret unwilling to fade. Lyra woke before the others, the crystal resting beside her, cool now but faintly glowing. The events of the night still lingered in her mind—the way the magic had moved with her instead of against her.
She rose carefully, stepping away from the campfire. Every sound felt sharper. Every shadow seemed alive.
"You're learning to listen," a voice said softly.
Lyra turned. Sylas stood near the trees, his cloak blending with the fog. His presence no longer startled her the way it once had.
"I didn't mean to wake you," she said.
"You didn't," he replied. "The forest did."
She frowned slightly. "The forest?"
He nodded. "Some paths only appear when the heir is ready."
Before she could ask more, Eldrin emerged from the mist, leaning heavily on his staff. Adrian followed close behind, already alert. Selene and Kael soon joined them, curiosity written across their faces.
Eldrin struck the ground once.
The earth responded.
Roots shifted. Stones slid aside. Slowly, a narrow passage revealed itself between two ancient trees. The air beyond it shimmered faintly, as though reality itself thinned there.
Selene whistled. "Well… that's new."
"This path has been hidden for centuries," Eldrin said. "It leads beyond the borders of Ashvale. Few know of it. Fewer still survive the journey."
Adrian's gaze hardened. "And you're only telling us now?"
"It could not be opened before," Eldrin answered calmly. "Not without her."
All eyes turned to Lyra.
A weight settled in her chest—not fear, but responsibility.
"What's at the end of it?" she asked.
Eldrin's expression darkened. "Truth."
They moved cautiously. The moment Lyra stepped onto the path, the forest behind them faded, swallowed by mist. The air grew cooler, heavier. Each step felt like crossing into another world.
The ground beneath their feet changed from soil to smooth stone etched with faded markings. Lyra felt the crystal vibrate softly, reacting to symbols older than any language she knew.
Kael knelt briefly, brushing his fingers over the carvings. "These aren't warnings," he said. "They're records."
"Records of what?" Selene asked.
"Of heirs who came before her," Kael replied.
Lyra swallowed.
The path sloped downward, opening into a vast cavern lit by glowing veins of crystal embedded in the walls. The sight stole her breath. Light reflected endlessly, casting shifting colors across their faces.
At the center stood a stone arch.
Broken.
Cracked down the middle as if struck by immense force.
Adrian stepped closer. "What happened here?"
Eldrin's voice was heavy. "This was once the Gate of Accord. A place where light and shadow were bound by oath."
Lyra felt a sharp ache in her chest. Images flashed in her mind—figures arguing, magic clashing, the sound of something tearing apart.
She gasped and stumbled.
Adrian caught her instantly. "Lyra."
"I saw it," she whispered. "The gate didn't fail. It was destroyed."
Sylas studied her closely. "The crystal is showing you echoes."
Lyra straightened slowly. "Someone broke the balance. On purpose."
Silence fell.
"That means the darkness we face now," Selene said carefully, "isn't new."
Eldrin nodded. "It was sealed, not defeated."
A low rumble shook the cavern.
Cracks of shadow crept along the floor, pulsing like veins. The crystals dimmed slightly, reacting to an unseen presence.
"We're not alone," Kael warned.
From behind the shattered arch, a figure emerged—tall, cloaked, face hidden beneath a hood woven from darkness itself.
Lyra's crystal burned hot.
The figure stopped a few steps away. "So the heir finally walks the hidden path."
Adrian stepped forward, blade raised. "Speak your name."
A quiet laugh echoed through the cavern. "Names are chains. I discarded mine long ago."
The figure's gaze fixed on Lyra. She felt it—not hatred, not rage—but interest.
"You carry what was lost," the voice continued. "And you will be tested for it."
Lyra lifted her chin, forcing her fear down. "I won't run."
The shadow tilted its head. "Good."
The cavern trembled again, stronger this time.
"Because the path forward," the figure said, slowly fading into darkness, "will not allow it."
The shadows withdrew, leaving the broken gate glowing faintly once more.
Lyra exhaled shakily.
Eldrin rested his staff against the stone. "The trials have truly begun."
Adrian looked at her, eyes steady. "You're not facing them alone."
Lyra nodded, gripping the crystal tighter.
Somewhere beyond the cavern, fate shifted.
And the hidden path had claimed its heir.