Elara: Cursed Legacy

Chapter 6: Breaking the chains

Elara's POV

The moon hung high, a pale guardian in the midnight sky. The world was cloaked in silence, save for the rhythmic rustling of leaves stirred by the gentle wind. Morvyn's deep, steady breaths echoed faintly in the stillness of the chamber. His face, usually so stern and imposing, now seemed unguarded in sleep.

I sat by the window, clutching the small satchel I had packed hours ago. The weight of the decision pressed against my chest, but I knew I could not falter now. Freedom would not come to those who waited. It had to be seized, one trembling step at a time.

Slowly, I rose, careful not to disturb him. The floor creaked beneath my weight, and I froze, breath caught in my throat. But Morvyn did not stir. I released the tension in my chest and slipped out of the room, every step taking me farther from the life I had known.

The cool night air greeted me as I emerged outside, the sharp scent of pine mingling with the earthiness of the forest ahead. The Forbidden Forest stood before me, its shadowy trees like sentinels guarding secrets I was desperate to uncover. It was said that no one entered without paying a price. But I had already paid dearly—years of doubt, fear, and servitude under Morvyn's shadow.

With the satchel slung over my shoulder, I stepped forward, my boots crunching softly on the undergrowth. Each step felt like breaking an invisible chain, a defiance of the destiny Morvyn had forged for me.

The forest was alive with whispers—branches swaying, creatures skittering in the darkness. My fingers grazed the edge of my cloak, ready to summon a spell if danger arose, though the cursed chains still shackled my magic. As I ventured deeper, a flicker of light caught my eye.

A lantern. No—something else entirely. The glow was faint but pulsing, as though it had a heartbeat of its own. Curious, I followed it. The deeper I went, the denser the air became, as if the forest were testing my resolve.

The glow led me to a clearing where a massive tree stood, its trunk twisted and gnarled, roots clawing the ground. Embedded in its bark was a strange crystal, glowing with an ethereal blue light. I hesitated, the faint hum of power drawing me closer.

"Touch it," a voice whispered, soft yet commanding. It came from everywhere and nowhere.

My hand hovered over the crystal, warmth emanating from it despite the chill of the night. My heart thundered in my chest, torn between fear and curiosity. What if this held answers—about me? About them?

I pressed my palm against the tree.

A shock of energy rippled through my body, and my vision blurred. I stumbled, clutching at the bark for support, but it was no use. Darkness pulled me under.

I drifted through a haze of images, each one fleeting, as though I was peering through fogged glass.

A woman's desperate cries. "My child... no, you can't take her!" The echo of her anguish reverberated like a shattered melody.

The blur of shadows—hooded figures carrying a bundle wrapped in crimson cloth. The faint wail of a baby, then silence.

A throne room bathed in moonlight, the glint of a crown adorned with stars. A voice, soft but firm: "She is ours to protect. No one must know."

I was so confused on what I am seeing, my mind and body couldn't process any of it. It was so vague and quick that I woke up, as if I woke up in a bad dream. 

It was very dark and I found myself lying on the tree. 

I whispered an incantation, "Obscura Vestigia," and in an instant, the evidence of my presence—my footprints, the trails of magic I had woven—vanished from the earth. The forest seemed to sigh, acknowledging the erasure of my existence, if only for a moment. He would not find me so easily now. I could hide... but not forever.