Ashes Whisper

Chapter 58 : the Fall of Avalon Kingdom III

After defeating the monstrous creature, Elara rushed to Zarek's side. "Zarek!" she exclaimed, embracing him. Zarek reassured her, "Don't worry about me, Elara. I'm still breathing."

Elara, filled with concern, countered, "Breathing, you said?! With that kind of power, you might end up losing your life, Zarek."

Zarek, still in pain, replied, "It's alright... Maybe we should check on the others." Together, Elara and Zarek assessed the condition of their companions—Khai, Mikaela, Rina, and Imzyh—all severely injured. Elara decided to use her healing magic on Khai first.

After healing Khai, he exclaimed, "Elara, you're finally back, and that monster!" Elara informed him, "We already killed it, Khai."

Khai added, "I see... Looks like the others are badly injured. I guess I'm going to make the Amber Stone first."

After Khai successfully crafted the Amber Stone they harnessed its radiant energy to mend the wounds of Mikaela, Rina, and Imzyh. "Sister, you've returned," exclaimed Mikaela as she regained consciousness with relief. Rina and Imzyh, too, gradually emerged from the haze of unconsciousness, with Rina inquiring, "Elara, where have you been?"

Elara explained, "I have been to the past." Mikaela, captivated by the notion, probed further, "The past? How does one tread such temporal realms?"

Imzyh interposed, "As elucidated before, Elara bears the singular gift of astral projection. Only those ensnared by the curse of Ashes Whisper can weave through the tapestry of time."

Khai contributed, "Elara, then, in the bygone era, whom did you chance upon?"

Elara, with a gaze that traversed both the present and the distant past, responded, "In those ancient times, I met Lord Goffridus."

Zarek inquired, "And what of Lord Goffridus? How fares he in these epochs?"

Elara, with a reflective demeanor, responded, "In the epochs past, Lord Goffridus was hailed as 'Iron Will.' His indomitable spirit forged a united front, leading the Avalon Kingdom to conquer and unify half the known world."

Elara continued, "During my sojourn in the past, I unraveled the origins of the Amber Stone. Lord Goffridus, in the course of his expedition, uncovered a cryptic stone carving that divulged the secrets behind the creation of the Amber Stone."

Khai, cradling the Amber Stone, responded, "hmmm, I see...the knowledge of the Amber Stone has been passed down through generations in my family. My forebears were accomplished alchemists."

Rina, intrigued, questioned, "Could it be that your ancestors were linked to the alchemists of the Avalon Kingdom?"

Khai pondered, "Indeed, it is a possibility."

Elara added, "Lord Goffridus, upon discovering the Amber Stone, sought to employ its healing properties to cure his father's ailment. Tragically, Thrush, swayed by dark influences, betrayed Lord Goffridus. A fierce confrontation ensued, resulting in the heart-wrenching loss of their father at Thrush's hands. Fueled by grief and anger, Lord Goffridus, aided by his loyal companion Arslan, faced Thrush in a battle for the fate of Avalon."

Mikaela, seeking clarity, asked, "Sister, is there any familial relation between Lord Goffridus and Thrush?"

Elara explained, "No, they are not blood kin. His Father discovered Thrush during a war and chose to adopt him, nurturing a bond as they grew up together."

Imzyh inquired, "What transpired afterward?"

Elara continued her tale, "Despite Lord Goffridus's rightful claim to the throne, his father's decision to name him the heir sparked resentment in Thrush. The bitterness of not being chosen as the successor festered within Thrush, leading him down a path of betrayal and darkness."