The old man's voice was soft but steady, each word carrying the weight of centuries.
"I was the Head of the Ministry back then… the guardian of knowledge and order in the Kingdom of Astrellia," he began, his eyes misting over with memory. "A realm ruled not by greed or conquest, but by wisdom, magic, and honor."
His voice echoed faintly in the silence that followed, like a forgotten song from a bygone age. Around him, the flickering firelight painted dancing shadows across the ancient stone walls of the underground chamber, as if the past itself stirred.
He continued, "Astrellia was a land unlike any other — hidden between realms, protected by enchantments older than time. Its heartbeat was the balance of the elements, and its soul… the Royal Bloodline."
"The King, Alarion, and Queen Seraphina," he said reverently, "were not ordinary monarchs. They were chosen by fate itself — not born to power, but awakened to it. The Sword of Eternis, forged from celestial ice and fire, recognized Alarion as its rightful wielder. And the Immortal Gem, carved from the first light of creation, responded only to Seraphina's soul."
Rael instinctively looked down at his arm. The sword-shaped tattoo along his forearm shimmered faintly — a pulse of heat, a whisper of memory. It responded to the tale as though it remembered.
The old man saw this and nodded knowingly. "The Sword and the Gem were too powerful to be wielded by just two souls. So the ancient forces called forth five others — elemental guardians, each bearing the essence of Fire, Ice, Wind, Light, and Earth. Not born through bloodlines, but summoned by destiny, each one awakened only when the realm truly needed them."
Nia's voice was barely audible. "Like… us?"
He smiled gently. "Exactly like you."
Rhea's breath hitched. She looked at her friends — Rael with his fire-marked arm, Kael ever calm with the gravity of earth in his aura, Zayn whose eyes mirrored the restless skies, and Roshini who seemed to glow with inner light. And herself — the one whose bloodline tethered them all to something ancient.
"The Five," the old man continued, "were more than protectors. They were family to the throne — bonded not just by duty, but by heart. Together, the Seven stood united. They kept Astrellia safe from dark realms and guarded its deepest secrets."
Kael leaned forward, his brows furrowed. "So what happened? Why are we here — now — and not there? What destroyed a place so powerful?"
The old man's face clouded over, the fire casting shadows across his weathered features. "Because even paradise is not immune to greed," he murmured. "Power… always invites betrayal."
"There was one. A man from within — a trusted voice at the King's table, a bearer of knowledge, like me. But his heart… it turned. He believed the power should not rest in the hands of fate. He wanted the Gem for himself — to rewrite destiny."
Rael's fists clenched. "Who was he?"
"He went by many names," the old man said darkly, "but the world now knows him as Morvane."
A chill settled in the room.
"He made a pact with the Shadow Courts," the old man continued. "Creatures of void and hunger. With their help, he launched a silent coup. And in a single night… the kingdom fell."
Rhea felt her chest tighten. "And the royals?"
The old man's voice broke. "They died protecting the realm. King Alarion wielded the Sword of Eternis till his last breath. Queen Seraphina used her life force to seal the Gem — and their final act was to scatter the elemental souls across the future. Hidden. Sleeping. Waiting."
"And you?" asked Zayn, voice quiet.
"I was cursed… or blessed, depending on how you see it. The Queen's final spell bound me to time — to remain in every age until the chosen awakened again. To find you. To guide you."
Silence stretched once more. Only the crackling fire remained, bearing witness to truths long buried.
"And now," the old man said, rising with surprising strength, his eyes glowing faintly, "the cycle begins once more. The world stands at the edge of another fall. The elements stir. The Gem and Sword call out. And you—" he pointed at them one by one "—you are no longer just teenagers, no longer lost souls. You are the protectors of the last hope."
Rael felt the fire surge in his chest.
Kael felt the earth shift beneath his feet.
Zayn's hair danced with a whisper of unseen wind.
Roshini's skin shimmered with radiant light.
Nia felt the sting of frost on her fingertips.
And Rhea… felt something deeper — a pulse beneath her skin, the echo of a crown not worn, but etched in her soul.
The lost dynasty was no longer lost.
It was waking.
The old man stood slowly, walking toward the ancient map unfurled on the dusty table.
"You see, Astrellia wasn't just a kingdom—it was a sanctuary," he said. "A land where magic flowed through rivers, where the trees whispered stories, and every heartbeat echoed with harmony."
He touched a faded mark on the map—a symbol of the royal palace.
"King Alarion was not a ruler above the people. He walked among them, heard their stories, worked in their fields during harvest festivals. He believed a kingdom's strength was in its people—not just in magic or bloodlines."
"And Queen Seraphina," he smiled, "she was their soul. She healed with her hands, sang lullabies to orphans, and could speak to the elements. It is said when she laughed, flowers bloomed even in winter."
The group sat motionless, pulled into the picture he painted.
"They established schools where elemental arts and common learning were taught side by side. There were no slaves, no castes. Magic was a gift, and those gifted were taught to use it for protection and healing—not power."
Elena whispered, "It sounds like paradise."
"It was," the old man nodded solemnly. "The guardians of Fire, Ice, Wind, Earth, and Light lived in towers across the realm, sworn to defend it. They weren't servants. They were friends. Family."
Rael's brows furrowed. "And the sword and gem?"
"The Sword of Eternis rested in the Hall of Flame, a symbol of justice. The Immortal Gem, in the Heart Temple, pulsed in sync with the Queen's life. Together, they kept darkness out. Together, they kept peace in."
Rhea touched her chest where her gem-shaped tattoo had burned earlier. "And then it all ended."
"Yes," the old man said, his tone turning grave again. "But before the kingdom fell, the King and Queen left behind one final act of love: a prophecy."
The room grew colder.
"A princess of royal blood and a chosen wielder of the sword would rise again, alongside five elemental souls… to protect the world once more."