The Lost Crown.

chapter 16 - The unveiling

Chapter 16: The Unveiling

The cold, damp air of the tunnel seemed to close in around Ishaani as she ran, her breaths coming in sharp, desperate bursts. Arnav’s grip on her wrist was firm, guiding her through the darkness. Behind them, the echo of footsteps grew louder. Whoever was after them wasn’t far behind.

As they rounded a corner, Ishaani’s mind raced with a storm of thoughts. Everything she had learned in the past few hours had turned her world upside down. She had always believed she was an ordinary girl, abandoned by her parents, left to fend for herself. But now, she knew the truth. She was Ishaani Nareshwar, the lost princess, heir to a kingdom she had never known—and the key to a deadly power.

"What is this power, Arnav?" she demanded, her voice rising over the sound of their hurried footsteps. "Why is it so important? Why does it make me a target?"

Arnav didn’t answer immediately. He stopped abruptly at a fork in the tunnel, his head tilting slightly as he listened for something Ishaani couldn’t hear. Then he tugged her left, pulling her deeper into the labyrinth.

"It’s not just a power, Ishaani," Arnav said quietly, his voice barely a whisper in the echoing tunnel. "It’s something ancient, something that your family has guarded for centuries. The Nareshwar line was entrusted with it—an artifact of sorts, but one with unimaginable influence. The royal bloodline is the only one that can activate it."

Ishaani’s brow furrowed. "An artifact? What kind of artifact?"

Arnav glanced at her, his eyes dark and unreadable. "The Crown of Nareshwar."

The name sent a shiver down her spine. She had heard legends of it growing up, stories of a crown that possessed great power, one that could control entire kingdoms. But those had always been myths, tales whispered in the shadows of fireside conversations.

"It’s real?" she asked, barely believing her own words.

"Very real," Arnav confirmed. "The Crown is the reason your family was targeted. There are those who seek its power, and they will stop at nothing to get it."

The pieces of the puzzle finally started to fall into place in Ishaani’s mind. The deaths of her family, the chaos that had followed the downfall of the Nareshwar kingdom—it was all tied to the Crown. She had been hunted her entire life, not just because she was the last living heir, but because she was the key to unlocking its power.

"Where is it?" Ishaani asked, her voice low and urgent. "The Crown—where is it now?"

Arnav paused, glancing over his shoulder again. The footsteps behind them were getting closer. "That’s what they’re after, Ishaani. The Crown is hidden in a place only you can access. It’s in the royal crypt beneath the Nareshwar palace."

Ishaani’s heart sank. The palace, her ancestral home, had been reduced to ruins years ago. It was a dangerous, abandoned place, filled with traps and haunted by memories of her forgotten past. And now, she was being forced to return.

"There’s no time to explain further," Arnav said, pulling her into another narrow passage. "If we can get to the palace before they do, we might have a chance to secure the Crown."

They moved swiftly through the tunnel, emerging into the cool night air at the edge of a dense forest. The outline of the Nareshwar palace loomed in the distance, its crumbling towers casting eerie shadows against the moonlit sky.

As they approached, a strange sense of familiarity washed over Ishaani. Though she had no clear memories of the palace, something deep within her stirred, as if the very stones of the place recognized her presence.

"We’re close," Arnav murmured, leading her toward a hidden entrance near the base of the palace walls. He knelt down and cleared away some vines, revealing a small, rusted door that had long been forgotten by time.

Ishaani knelt beside him, her fingers tracing the intricate carvings on the door. They depicted scenes of battles, of kings and queens, of the rise and fall of kingdoms. In the center of the door was the Nareshwar crest—the same one she had seen on the letter. Without thinking, she pressed her palm against it.

The door groaned, and then, with a shuddering sound, it slowly opened, revealing a narrow staircase that descended into darkness.

Arnav stood, casting her a quick glance. "The crypt is down there. Once we’re inside, we’ll need to move quickly. They won’t be far behind."

Ishaani nodded, her pulse quickening. She couldn’t shake the feeling that they were walking straight into a trap, but what choice did she have? This was her destiny, and the only way to put an end to the nightmare that had consumed her life.

They descended the stairs, the air growing colder and thicker with each step. The walls of the crypt were lined with ancient tombs, the final resting places of generations of Nareshwar rulers. Ishaani felt their presence all around her, as if they were watching, waiting to see what she would do next.

At the far end of the crypt, a large stone sarcophagus rested on a raised platform. Carved into its lid was the image of a crown—the Crown of Nareshwar.

"This is it," Arnav said quietly, stepping forward. "This is where it’s hidden."

Ishaani approached the sarcophagus, her heart pounding in her chest. She reached out, her hand hovering just above the cold stone. A strange warmth pulsed beneath her skin, and the carvings on the lid began to glow with a soft, golden light.

"The bloodline," Arnav whispered. "Only the true heir can awaken it."

With a deep breath, Ishaani placed both hands on the sarcophagus. The glow intensified, and the stone began to shift, grinding slowly as the lid slid open. Inside, nestled on a bed of velvet, was the Crown.

It was beautiful, more exquisite than any of the legends had described. Golden, with jewels of every color embedded in its surface, it seemed to shimmer with a life of its own. But there was something else—something darker. Beneath the beauty, Ishaani could feel the weight of its power, a power that had destroyed her family and could destroy her, too, if she wasn’t careful.

"Take it," Arnav urged. "We need to leave before they find us."

But as Ishaani reached for the Crown, the ground beneath her feet trembled. The crypt shook violently, and a low, ominous voice echoed through the chamber.

"You cannot escape your fate, Ishaani Nareshwar," the voice hissed. "The Crown belongs to us."

Ishaani whipped around, her eyes wide with fear. Standing at the entrance of the crypt were two shadowy figures, their faces obscured by darkness.

Arnav’s hand shot to his gun, but it was too late. The shadows moved with unnatural speed, closing in on them.

Ishaani clutched the Crown, its weight heavy in her hands. She felt the power surging through her, and in that moment, she knew what she had to do.

The choice was clear. She had to destroy it.

With a final, determined breath, Ishaani raised the Crown high above her head and brought it crashing down onto the stone floor. The impact sent a shockwave through the crypt, and the shadowy figures let out a shriek of rage as the Crown shattered into a thousand pieces.

The power that had held them vanished, and the crypt fell silent once more.

Arnav stared at her, disbelief etched across his face. "You... you destroyed it."

Ishaani met his gaze, her chest heaving. "I had no other choice. The Crown was never meant to be used. It was a curse on my family, and now, it’s gone."

For the first time in what felt like an eternity, Ishaani felt a sense of peace. The nightmare was over. The Crown’s power was destroyed, and with it, the threat to her life.

But deep down, she knew this was only the beginning of her new journey—one that would be written by her, not by the shadows of her past.