Ariana's world is about to shatter.
When a chance encounter on a dating app leads her to Dorian, a charming yet mysterious man, she finds herself drawn into a world of magic she never knew existed. Sparks fly between them along with an undeniable te...
Ariana woke before dawn, the faint glow of the early morning light casting long shadows over the stone walls of her room. She had not slept well; the echoes of the vision from the ruins had replayed in her mind, haunting her every thought. Faces she didn't recognize, a betrayal that cut deeper than anything she'd ever known, and that shadow watching her from the distance—it was all too much to ignore.
The power inside her, the magic she had once feared, felt both like a curse and a lifeline. The answers were out there, but every step she took toward the truth felt heavier. She knew that to understand who she truly was, she would need to confront the past—and with it, the painful truths she had long buried.
But was she ready to face them?
As she dressed, Ariana's thoughts drifted back to Dorian's words. Trust yourself. It seemed simple enough, yet Ariana had never felt more uncertain. The magic inside her, the power she had barely begun to comprehend, was her key to the answers she sought. But with every revelation, there was a price to be paid.
She couldn't shake the feeling that the closer she got to the truth, the more danger she invited into her life. A feeling confirmed when Dorian had warned her earlier that day.
---
"Are you sure you want to do this?" Dorian's voice was heavy with concern when Ariana met him in the courtyard later that morning.
"I don't have a choice," Ariana replied, her voice steady despite the storm of doubt swirling inside her. "I need to know what happened. Who I was. Who I am. I can't keep running from it."
Dorian looked at her for a long moment, his eyes softening. "I know. But you have to understand—some truths are better left unknown. Some things... some people... are better left in the past."
"I don't think I can live with the uncertainty anymore," Ariana said, her voice quiet but firm. "I have to find out who betrayed me, who tried to destroy me. I have to know why I was chosen to guard the Gateways. I need to understand why everything was taken from me."
Dorian's expression darkened. He stepped closer, lowering his voice. "The answers you seek may not be what you expect. They could tear you apart. You might not like what you find."
Ariana met his gaze, her resolve hardening. "I'm willing to pay the price."
---
The decision was made.
Ariana had learned of a place deep in the heart of the ancient ruins, a forgotten temple that was said to hold the answers to all things hidden. It was guarded by powerful magic, the kind that only those with a true connection to the Gateways could hope to navigate. She had no idea what to expect once she arrived, but the calling was undeniable.
She set out that afternoon, determined to find the temple and uncover the secrets buried within. The path was treacherous, the air thick with magic that seemed to pulse with each step she took. The landscape around her shifted in subtle ways, as though the very earth was watching, waiting for her to make her move.
It wasn't long before she arrived at the entrance to the temple. A massive archway of stone stood before her, its surface etched with ancient runes. Ariana could feel the magic humming in the air, like a pulse that matched the beat of her heart. The gateway was alive with energy, as though it had been waiting for her.
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(AI generate image of forgotten temple)
Taking a deep breath, she stepped forward.
As soon as she crossed the threshold, the world around her seemed to shift. The air grew colder, and the faint light that had filtered in through the archway faded. Darkness swallowed her, but she wasn't afraid. She could feel the presence of the magic, guiding her deeper into the temple.
It was there, in the heart of the temple, that Ariana found the truth. At first, it was just a whisper—faint voices, murmurs of a past long forgotten. But then, the shadows parted, and a vision unfolded before her eyes.
---
The scene was one of fire and chaos. She saw herself standing at the center of a battlefield, her face determined but filled with pain. She held the power of the Gateways within her, but it was too much to control. The magic surged wildly around her, breaking free of her grasp. She saw others—figures dressed in robes of black, their faces hidden in shadow, reaching toward her, their eyes filled with greed and ambition.
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(they are humans but look like this because they are trying to show dominance, power and are standing in one of the most powerful places-Forgotten Temple. They can take the shape of human to survive in human world)
They wanted the power she possessed. They wanted to use her to open the Gateways to realms unknown, to harness the magic for their own purposes.
And then, she saw the one who had betrayed her. A man—tall, dark-haired, with cold, calculating eyes. His face was familiar, but distorted, as though it had been blurred by time itself.
"You were never meant to protect them," the man said in a voice that sent chills down her spine. "You were only ever meant to be a vessel. A tool to open the doors. Your power was always mine to control."
Ariana gasped as the vision shifted, showing her younger self, her face filled with hope, standing alongside the man—her mentor, her protector. But it was all a lie. He had never been her ally. He had always been her captor.
The truth hit her like a physical blow. The man she had trusted, the one she had believed would help her understand her magic, had used her for his own ends. And when she had begun to rebel, when she had started to fight back, he had erased her memories, leaving her with nothing.
---
The vision faded, leaving Ariana kneeling on the cold stone floor of the temple, her breath ragged, her heart pounding in her chest.
The truth was more painful than she had imagined. The betrayal, the manipulation—it was all part of a much larger plan. She had been nothing more than a pawn in a game she didn't understand, and now, the price of that knowledge weighed heavily on her shoulders.
"Do you understand now?" a voice echoed through the temple, and Ariana's eyes snapped up. Standing in the shadows was a figure—tall, imposing, and familiar. The man from her vision.
He stepped forward, his eyes locking onto hers. "You should have left the past buried. But now, you know too much."
---
Ariana rose to her feet, her fists clenched, her body trembling with the weight of the power surging through her. "Who are you?"
The man smiled, a cold, cruel smile. "I am the one who set you on this path. The one who gave you the power you carry. And now... I am the one who will take it back."
