The wind from Mount Vireth whispered of old grief, slicing through the dawn air with the bitter scent of metal and dust. The sky refused to lift its veil, as though the darkness of night still clung to the world, unwilling to let go.
Atop the highest tower of Kaziana, Armea stood alone, silent. Her gaze pierced through the mists that danced between rooftops, her hand tightly clutching an old locket—engraved with the emblem of Kaelris. An emblem that should no longer exist.
She hadn't destroyed it.
And that terrified her.
Soft footsteps approached from behind.
Kael.
Not as the commander of Kaziana. Not as a warrior.
Just Kael—the man whose past still bled behind his quiet strength.
"You're still thinking about it?" his voice was rough, like someone weary of wrestling with ghosts.
Armea didn't turn. "I'm trying to understand… why Revail didn't just kill me. Why he left this locket behind and vanished."
Kael moved beside her, his face calm but his shoulders tight. "Because he knew… wounds that don't bleed are the cruelest. And the only way to break me… is to break you first."
Armea closed her eyes. "And if I falter?"
"I'll still be standing," Kael said softly. "Even if half my soul dies with you."
She turned to him. And this time, their eyes met—two flames, once certain, now flickering under the weight of truths neither of them wanted to face.
"I almost believed him, Kael," she whispered. "Part of me... is angry at you. For hiding something this big. But more than that… I'm angry at myself. For being afraid to love you too much."
Kael gently took her hand. "I never learned how to love properly, Armea. All I ever knew… was how to protect. But when it comes to you… I become weak. And that's my real fear."
A tear slipped down her cheek. She leaned against his chest, and he wrapped his arms around her.
No more words.
Just silence.
Just heartbeats.
Deep in the forest caves of Meirah…
Revail stood before a circle of black-hooded chanters. At their center was a mirror—dark crystal carved from the bones of ancient magic. Silvarik. A relic outlawed since the Three Blood War.
"Call her," Revail commanded.
One of the chanters touched the surface of the mirror, reciting a lost tongue. Black mist curled over the glass… and slowly, an image appeared—Armea, seated in her room, staring blankly at the locket.
Revail's lips curled into a thin smile.
"Listen to me, Armea. Kael is not your savior. He's the man who will fail to save you—just like he failed to save the children of Kaelris. And when that moment comes… you'll see who truly understands pain like yours."
He turned away, but his eyes never left the mist. His lips moved slowly, each word etched with venom:
"The sharpest wounds… are always left by the ones we love."
Days later…
Kaziana descended into chaos.
Without warning, clusters of citizens turned wild—attacking others with blind rage, as though possessed by invisible hands.
"Commander!" a Guardian cried. "It's influence magic—emotions reflected back at them! They don't even know they're fighting!"
Kael strode down from the hall, sword sheathed at his waist. "Revail's doing. The Mirror of Silvarik. He's using guilt… twisting their memories into poison."
Armea rushed in, breathless. "Kael! That scout we sent last week—he's fled to Meirah. And he took a copy of our defense map!"
For a moment, Kael was silent. Everything around him felt like the edge of a cliff. Then he drove his blade into the stone floor.
"It's time."
Armea looked at him. "Time for what?"
"To end this. I'm going to Meirah. I'll face Revail. Not as a commander. But as Kael—the man with blood on his hands, seeking redemption."
She stepped closer. "If you're going… I'm going too."
"Armea, this isn't—"
"This is about me too. About who I choose to trust. About who I choose to stand beside… even if the past says I shouldn't."
Kael looked at her, long and hard.
Then he nodded.
That night, before the journey…
They sat by a small campfire outside the fortress, in the quiet woods. The flames danced in soft orange light across their tired faces.
"I'm scared, Kael," Armea said, her voice raw with honesty.
Kael held her hand. "So am I."
"If this is our end…"
He lifted her chin gently, resting his forehead against hers.
"It won't be the end. It'll be a beginning. Whether through blood… or forgiveness."
Her fingers trembled as they touched his cheek. "If I lose myself on this path—"
Kael kissed her forehead.
"I'll find you in every shadow. And if I can't… I'll become that shadow. Guarding you in silence, for as long as my soul holds."
That night, for the first time in a long while, two broken hearts slept side by side—not because they believed everything would be alright,
—but because they were ready to fight, even if they didn't know how it would end.
"With wounds still open and love yet to bloom, their steps led them into the gathering dark.
To be continued in Chapter 10..."