The moon had reached its lowest point over the desolate peaks of the Mystveil Mountains. Its silvery light cast long shadows on the ancient, remains below. The freezing air, sharp against my skin, grounded me as I, Aurelia, Queen of Elaria, forsook all that was warm and safe in my kingdom for a whispered promise of power within reach. Somewhere ahead lay the lost Amulet of Control, entwined in the rotting stone of these forsaken ruins. First lost to time and then to legends, it was said to hold the key to bending the very fabric of magic.
As I stepped deeper into the heart of the ruins, a weight settled upon my chest: was I seeking control, or was I being led by darker, more malevolent forces? The wind tugged at my cloak, and as I passed between smooth stone pillars, vines crept up the ancient stones like fingers grasping for lost secrets. My eyes fixated on the stone altar emerging from the mist object of my long quest. Half-smothered beneath a veil of dirt and age, its power was palpable, a heartbeat resonating in the air around me.
My fingers trembled as they brushed against the cool metal of the amulet. A shiver ran down my spine, and the runes across its surface flared to life, illuminating my surroundings. Suddenly, I was no longer standing among the ruins, but in the grand hall of my castle, surrounded by familiar stone walls. I gasped as the cold air from the Mystveil Mountains rushed back to greet me, anchoring me in reality.
The amulet felt different now. It pulsed with urgency, its power intertwining with my own. I had once pursued it with eagerness, but now it bore down on me like a weight I couldn't escape. My kingdom needed me, and the children I glimpsed in my vision would one day rely on me. They would be my future, my legacy, but also my greatest vulnerability.
With a deep sigh, I steadied myself and turned my back away from the altar. A dark road lay ahead-stirring and watching-but I would emerge on the other side. For Elaria. For the children yet to come: two souls wed through blood and fate.
YOU ARE READING
Celestial Queen: Shadows of Prophecy
FantasiIn a kingdom on the brink of ruin, Queen Aurelia finds herself under siege from all directions. But the most formidable threat comes not from the battlefield but from a traitor hidden within her very court. With magic that eludes her control and a p...
