They walked deeper into the chamber, the orb's glow now pulsing with each step Seraphina took. Her fingers trembled as she held Cassian's hand, and the silence between them was no longer peaceful—it was heavy, filled with questions neither of them dared to voice yet.
"Do you think my mother was working with Malrec willingly?" she finally whispered.
Cassian didn't answer right away.
"I think," he said slowly, "there are things we weren't meant to understand until now. You said she looked... regretful in the vision, didn't you?"
"Yes," Seraphina said. "She said she did what she had to do. But that doesn't explain why she was with him."
Cassian tightened his grip on her hand. "Then let's find out."
They stepped onto a stone platform, and the orb reacted instantly—glowing brighter, rising from the pedestal and floating before Seraphina's eyes. Then it shattered.
Light spilled out, forming a figure. A projection.
A woman—tall, graceful, with hair like molten silver and eyes just like Seraphina's.
Her mother.
"Seraphina," the image spoke, her voice warm yet weary, "if you've come this far, it means you're ready to hear the truth."
Seraphina held her breath. "Mother…"
The image continued. "There was a name never spoken. A name tied to our bloodline. One that binds the Everflame to our family. A name Malrec once sought to steal."
Cassian leaned closer. "What name?"
The woman's eyes glowed. "Your true name, Seraphina… is not just Seraphina of Elindor. You are Seraphina—daughter of Elandria, Keeper of the Ember Sigil… and heir to the Flameborne line."
Seraphina blinked. "Flameborne?"
"You come from a line of fire-singers—guardians of the Everflame. Malrec tried to corrupt it. Tried to bind it to darkness. I... pretended to join him. I fed him false prophecies. I delayed him long enough to hide the Ember Sigil and... you."
Seraphina's voice cracked. "Why didn't you tell me?"
The image softened. "Because the moment you knew, the moment you awakened, he would sense you. He would come for you. And now… he knows."
Cassian cursed under his breath. "He'll come here."
The image looked toward him. "You must protect her, Flameguard. You were chosen for a reason."
Cassian looked stunned. "She knew me?"
"I saw the bond even then," the image said. "You love her. Don't let the fire consume her. Anchor her."
Seraphina's eyes welled with tears. "What happens now?"
Her mother's image dimmed. "Now, you embrace what you are. The Sigil lies deeper within. You must take it... before Malrec finds it first."
And with that, the light vanished.
Only silence remained.
Seraphina stood frozen. Then, Cassian gently turned her to face him. "Seraphina Flameborne," he said softly.
She gave a shaky laugh. "It sounds… like a dream."
"It's real," he said. "And no matter what that means, you're still you. Brave, stubborn, wild—and mine to protect."
She looked up into his eyes, something flickering between them. "And I'll protect you too, Cassian. You're not just my Friend."
"No," he whispered, brushing his fingers against her cheek. "I never was."
She reached up, her hand covering his. "Let's find the Sigil."
Cassian grinned. "Lead the way, Flameborne."
They stepped forward, into the final corridor. The light of the Everflame was rising again—and so was the danger.
But so was their bond.
---