Mariah's Awakening
Mariah's eyes fluttered open, the remnants of her vision still burning in her mind. The image of her four creations, standing in the darkness beside her parents, was etched deep into her thoughts. A cold sweat clung to her skin, though the room itself was warm. The scent of incense still lingered from the banquet, but something felt… off.
A whisper—so faint it could have been the wind.
"Remember what you've done."
Mariah sat up sharply, her golden eyes scanning the room. Shadows flickered unnaturally in the corners. A deep unease settled over her.
A gentle knock at the door made her tense.
"Lady Mariah?" Her maid's voice broke through the silence. "May I enter?"
Mariah exhaled and composed herself. "Yes."
The maid, Elira, stepped in and frowned. "You left the banquet so suddenly… Is something wrong?"
Mariah hesitated. "I… saw something."
Elira's brows knit together. "A vision?"
Mariah swung her legs over the side of the bed, staring at her hands. "They were all there. My father. My mother. And the four…" Her voice trailed off.
Elira's expression darkened slightly. "The four you created?"
Mariah nodded. "I don't know what it means."
Elira knelt beside her. "It could be a warning. Or something is trying to reach you."
Mariah rubbed her temple. "Either way, I cannot ignore it."
Rex Confronts Mariah
The door opened again without warning. Rex stood there, arms crossed, his gaze sharp but concerned. "You left early," he said. "Again."
Mariah sighed. "I wasn't in the mood to celebrate."
Rex stepped closer, his voice lowering. "That's not an answer."
Mariah hesitated. How much should she tell him?
"I saw something," she admitted finally. "A vision."
Rex's eyes narrowed. "What kind of vision?"
Mariah shook her head. "It's… hard to explain."
Rex studied her for a long moment, then exhaled. "You never speak of them. Not once in all these centuries."
Mariah clenched her fists. "Because I buried them."
Rex's voice softened slightly. "Then why are they returning now?"
Mariah looked past him, toward the night beyond the window. "That's what I need to find out."
The First Villain Moves
Far beyond the palace, in the abandoned ruins of the old capital, a shadowed figure knelt before a glowing sigil carved into the ground. The sigil pulsed with an unnatural energy, dark veins spreading from it like cracks in reality.
A voice from the darkness spoke. "The time is near."
The kneeling figure, draped in black, nodded. "She is beginning to remember. But she does not know the full truth."
The voice hummed in approval. "Then let us remind her."
A cold wind swept through the ruins, and in the distance, the first signs of rebellion began.