Lysandra and Jael had no time to waste. The moment the sun fully broke over the horizon, they were already moving—heading toward the abandoned watchtower where their allies had gathered.
The air was thick with tension.
Lysandra's mind raced as they moved through the dense forest. If Aldric wasn't meant to take the throne, then who was? And more importantly—what had the masked figure meant when it said her curse was the key?
She clutched the fabric over her chest, feeling the slow, steady pull of the darkness inside her. It had been quiet ever since she left the palace. But now… it felt as though it was watching. Waiting.
Jael noticed her hesitation. "Lys?"
"I'm fine." She forced her feet to move faster. "We need to warn the others."
The Gathering Storm
The watchtower loomed before them—a forgotten relic from a time when the kingdom had been at war. Its walls were cracked, its defenses broken. But inside, it was alive with movement.
Rebels, mercenaries, deserters.
Those who had been cast aside by Aldric's rule.
As soon as Lysandra and Jael stepped inside, the voices hushed. All eyes turned to them.
A woman stepped forward. Captain Maren. She was one of the last remaining commanders from the old royal guard, now leading the resistance. Her sharp gaze flicked between them.
"You're late."
Jael sighed. "Good to see you too, Maren."
Maren ignored him. Her eyes locked onto Lysandra. "Did you find anything?"
Lysandra took a deep breath. "More than I bargained for."
She told them everything. The masked figure. The vision of the broken crown. The warning about the god waking.
When she finished, the room was silent.
Then, Maren cursed under her breath. "So it's true."
Jael frowned. "You knew?"
Maren's expression darkened. "Not everything. But I knew Aldric's rise was unnatural. Too many things happened too quickly." She folded her arms. "And now you're telling me a god is waking?"
Lysandra nodded. "And my curse… it has something to do with it."
Maren exhaled sharply. "Then we don't just have to stop Aldric." Her gaze hardened. "We have to stop whatever is coming."
Aldric's Next Move
Meanwhile, back in the capital, Aldric was preparing for war.
He stood in the war room, surrounded by his most trusted generals. Maps were spread before him, marked with battle plans.
But his mind wasn't on the war.
His fingers traced the cracked emblem of the royal crest. The same image that had haunted his dreams for weeks now.
He knew something was coming.
And he knew exactly where it would begin.
A slow smile curled on his lips.
"Send the hounds," he ordered. "Burn the rebels out."