"There is only one person who might hold the key to this tangled truth," he said. His gaze locked onto Alisha’s, unwavering one "Your father, Edward."
Alisha stiffened, a sharp breath tearing from her lips "My father…" she whispered, her mind already spiralling "But... he's been in a coma ever since—since that day."
Master Kai nodded solemnly "I know. Ever since the accident where you lost Aisha, Edward has been trapped between life and death. His mind remains sealed. Even I have tried everything know but nothing has been able to bring him back."
Henry looked away, his face shadowed with guilt and sorrow. Alisha pressed a trembling hand to her mouth, her eyes shining with unshed tears.
"But if he were awake," Master Kai pressed on, "he could tell us what truly happened that day after they fell of the cliff, where did that bright light appeared from and why he did not use his power to fly back up. The only one who may have seen... what n
A soft golden mist swirled around Elena, wrapping her in warmth and a strange sense of peace. She wasn’t sure where she was—but everything around her felt too vivid, too alive to be anything but real.She stood at the edge of an enchanted forest, where the trees rose high into the sky, their branches weaved with sparkling silver vines and glowing flowers that pulsed gently like stars. The air shimmered with magic, and the ground beneath her bare feet was soft, like moss spun from dreams.Laughter echoed through the woods—bright, musical, carefree.Ahead, a girl darted between the trees, her hair cascading down her back like a waterfall of dark silk. She wore a flowing white dress that fluttered like butterfly wings as she ran.Elena blinked in shock.The girl... looked exactly like her, but not quite.There was something different. An old-world grace to her movements, a wild, ancient light in her eyes."Zenobia!" cam
"Over my dead body," Richard snarled.Ernest’s smile widened cruelly "That my plan exactly."At Ernest’s signal, the cloaked men surged forward like a black tide.Richard rose, one arm still around Zenobia, and drew his sword in one swift motion, the steel catching the faint light of the enchanted forest.They clashed with a deafening ring of steel.Richard fought like a man possessed, fuelled by love and rage, his blade a silver blur. He felled two of the men quickly, moving with deadly grace—but there were too many, and he was alone.A sword slashed across his side—he staggered but didn’t fall.Another cut along his arm—his grip tightened stubbornly around his sword. Blood darkened his tunic, dripping into the moss, but Richard fought on, each movement slower, heavier.He could feel his strength leaving him. Zenobia was still unconscious on the grass behind him, unaware of the battle raging
Elena breathed, each shaky inhale slowly growing steadier as Liam held her. His hand moved gently up and down her back, slow and grounding, letting her feel the rhythm of life—the simple, steady beat of being here, being safe.When the worst of the tremors passed, Liam shifted slightly, glancing down at her “You should rest a little more," he said softly, brushing a few strands of hair from her damp forehead "I’ll call Master Kai Von, just to make sure you’re okay as you have been unconscious for three days now."But the moment he started to move, Elena's arms tightened around him in a panic, her fingers curling into the fabric of his shirt like a lifeline “No,” she whispered sharply, her voice trembling but sure “Don’t go. Please... stay.”Liam froze, feeling the raw desperation in her voice, in the way she clung to him like he was the only solid thing left in a crumbling world. His heart twisted painfully at the thought of leaving her, even for a second.He let out a quiet, resigned
Her eyes shimmered as she looked up at him, one hand slowly lifting to rest over the one still cradling her cheek “You’re not angry?” she asked, her voice a fragile whisper.Liam shook his head slowly “No,” he said simply, his gaze steady “I was scared. Worried. But not angry” He hesitated, then added, “I don’t need to know everything right away, Elena. I just need to know you. And I do.”His words struck something deep inside her, a place that had always braced for rejection, for suspicion, for betrayal—never for acceptance. Never for this.Elena closed her eyes for a moment, breathing him in—the steadiness of him, the strength he gave her without asking anything in return. When she opened them again, her voice was steadier “I don’t deserve this,” she said quietly.Liam frowned, not harshly, but like he hated hearing her say it “Don’t do that,” he
Not having the heart to scold Elena Master Kai Von turned to Liam as he breathed him “You brat why did you not inform me as soon as my dear disciple woke up?” Liam blinked, caught off guard by the sudden shift in attention “She just woke up,” he defended, raising his hands slightly “I was going to tell you, but then… well, we were talking and—”“Talking?” Master Kai’s voice lifted incredulously as he stood and turned to fully face him, his eyes narrowing with something between suspicion and fatherly protectiveness “Talking about what, exactly?”Liam opened his mouth, then closed it, cheeks flushing a bit “Just… some important things.”Kai narrowed his eyes further, clearly not buying it “Did not you tell you had dossed of, that’s why it got so late for you to open the door just now?”Liam blinked wide eyed, caught up in his own lies not know
The Queen Zenobia was still a princess when she got engaged to the Crown Prince of Alynthia, Richard Beaufort, but Ernest did not like it.He and the Queen were childhood friends, if I have to be truthful he had no other friends other than her.They grew up side by side in the quiet gardens and sunlit corridors of the palace, sharing secrets and laughter beneath the shade of old olive trees. Ernest, the son of the royal falconer, had always trailed behind her like a loyal shadow. He was kind, clever in his own rough-edged way, and he adored her—utterly and silently. But his place was always at her side, never in her world.Zenobia, on the other hand, had never seen him as anything more than her closest companion. Her confidant. Her safe place in a world that often felt too heavy for someone so young. She cared for him, deeply. But not in the way he hoped and she never pretended otherwise.When she met Richard Beaufort, everything changed.She
Her grief had transformed her. Hardened her. She had become relentless—a queen cloaked in vengeance. She tore through every clue, followed every trail, spilled blood with her own hands if it meant getting closer to the truth. Her enemies began to whisper of her not as a ruler, but as a storm.Yet after all the years of searching, she found nothing. The truth eluded her. Because the one she was looking for… had always been by her side.It was Ernest.The boy who had once followed her through gardens. The man who had stood at her side through war and loss. The friend who offered her support while hiding the truth.He had colluded with the dark forced, completely deviating from the path of spiritual power. He had mastered the dark power to the extent that he had now become their lord ruling over them.Earnest had watched Zenobia weep and rage and kill for answers he already held. He had whispered counsel while burying the past beneath car
Elena just sat there in a daze after Master Kai completed reciting the story as she processed the information inside her head. Master Kai also sat there dazing of thinking over the old memories.Knock, knock…The soft knocks on Elena’s room door brought them back to reality. As both of them turned towards the door they say Kevin peeking his head in through the slightly open door.“Master, Mr. Henery and Mrs. Elizabeth are waiting outside” Kevin spoke softly.“Just give us a minute” Master Kai replied with an expressionless face, to which Kevin just nodded in understanding and closed the door.Master Kai turned back to Elena as he opened his space ring and took out a jade slip. He handed it to Elena as he said “This was given to me by queen Zenobia before her death, she told me she would be reborn to complete the task that she had left to un complete and I should give this to her when she started rememberin
While all of this was happening inside no one noticed Liam, who just stood frozen at the door. His hand still resting on the frame where he had instinctively reached out—but never knocked. His eyes were wide, his breath shallow as he took in the gravity of what he had just heard.“Closed-door cultivation… dangerous… months, years…”The words echoed relentlessly in his mind, each one hitting him like a hammer.Liam just let out a frustrated sigh and then just turned back and went away from there wanting some time for himself.….After speaking for some more time Master Kai Von left with Kevin following behind him.As for Henery and Elizabeth, they stayed with Elena for some more time talking anything and everything. Once done with lunch they also left Elena’s room, leaving her to rest.Once they left the smile on Elena’s face disappeared as she just lay there on her bed, staring
Elena nodded in understanding as she said “I understand.”Just as the words left her lips, another knock echoed softly on the door, followed by Kevin’s voice once more “Master… Mr. Henry and Mrs. Elizabeth are asking if they can come in now.”Master Kai glanced at Elena, his eyes silently asking if she was ready. She took a steadying breath and nodded.“Let them in,” Master Kai called back as he brought down the invisible barrier.The door creaked open, and Henry and Elizabeth rushed in almost at once. Relief flooded their faces as they saw Elena awake and sitting up, her complexion pale but her eyes clear and focused.“Elena!” Elizabeth cried, hurrying to her side and cupping Elena’s face in her trembling hands “Oh, thank the heavens, you’re awake. We’ve been so worried.”Henry also moved to the other side of Elena’s bed and sat down cupping her
Elena just sat there in a daze after Master Kai completed reciting the story as she processed the information inside her head. Master Kai also sat there dazing of thinking over the old memories.Knock, knock…The soft knocks on Elena’s room door brought them back to reality. As both of them turned towards the door they say Kevin peeking his head in through the slightly open door.“Master, Mr. Henery and Mrs. Elizabeth are waiting outside” Kevin spoke softly.“Just give us a minute” Master Kai replied with an expressionless face, to which Kevin just nodded in understanding and closed the door.Master Kai turned back to Elena as he opened his space ring and took out a jade slip. He handed it to Elena as he said “This was given to me by queen Zenobia before her death, she told me she would be reborn to complete the task that she had left to un complete and I should give this to her when she started rememberin
Her grief had transformed her. Hardened her. She had become relentless—a queen cloaked in vengeance. She tore through every clue, followed every trail, spilled blood with her own hands if it meant getting closer to the truth. Her enemies began to whisper of her not as a ruler, but as a storm.Yet after all the years of searching, she found nothing. The truth eluded her. Because the one she was looking for… had always been by her side.It was Ernest.The boy who had once followed her through gardens. The man who had stood at her side through war and loss. The friend who offered her support while hiding the truth.He had colluded with the dark forced, completely deviating from the path of spiritual power. He had mastered the dark power to the extent that he had now become their lord ruling over them.Earnest had watched Zenobia weep and rage and kill for answers he already held. He had whispered counsel while burying the past beneath car
The Queen Zenobia was still a princess when she got engaged to the Crown Prince of Alynthia, Richard Beaufort, but Ernest did not like it.He and the Queen were childhood friends, if I have to be truthful he had no other friends other than her.They grew up side by side in the quiet gardens and sunlit corridors of the palace, sharing secrets and laughter beneath the shade of old olive trees. Ernest, the son of the royal falconer, had always trailed behind her like a loyal shadow. He was kind, clever in his own rough-edged way, and he adored her—utterly and silently. But his place was always at her side, never in her world.Zenobia, on the other hand, had never seen him as anything more than her closest companion. Her confidant. Her safe place in a world that often felt too heavy for someone so young. She cared for him, deeply. But not in the way he hoped and she never pretended otherwise.When she met Richard Beaufort, everything changed.She
Not having the heart to scold Elena Master Kai Von turned to Liam as he breathed him “You brat why did you not inform me as soon as my dear disciple woke up?” Liam blinked, caught off guard by the sudden shift in attention “She just woke up,” he defended, raising his hands slightly “I was going to tell you, but then… well, we were talking and—”“Talking?” Master Kai’s voice lifted incredulously as he stood and turned to fully face him, his eyes narrowing with something between suspicion and fatherly protectiveness “Talking about what, exactly?”Liam opened his mouth, then closed it, cheeks flushing a bit “Just… some important things.”Kai narrowed his eyes further, clearly not buying it “Did not you tell you had dossed of, that’s why it got so late for you to open the door just now?”Liam blinked wide eyed, caught up in his own lies not know
Her eyes shimmered as she looked up at him, one hand slowly lifting to rest over the one still cradling her cheek “You’re not angry?” she asked, her voice a fragile whisper.Liam shook his head slowly “No,” he said simply, his gaze steady “I was scared. Worried. But not angry” He hesitated, then added, “I don’t need to know everything right away, Elena. I just need to know you. And I do.”His words struck something deep inside her, a place that had always braced for rejection, for suspicion, for betrayal—never for acceptance. Never for this.Elena closed her eyes for a moment, breathing him in—the steadiness of him, the strength he gave her without asking anything in return. When she opened them again, her voice was steadier “I don’t deserve this,” she said quietly.Liam frowned, not harshly, but like he hated hearing her say it “Don’t do that,” he
Elena breathed, each shaky inhale slowly growing steadier as Liam held her. His hand moved gently up and down her back, slow and grounding, letting her feel the rhythm of life—the simple, steady beat of being here, being safe.When the worst of the tremors passed, Liam shifted slightly, glancing down at her “You should rest a little more," he said softly, brushing a few strands of hair from her damp forehead "I’ll call Master Kai Von, just to make sure you’re okay as you have been unconscious for three days now."But the moment he started to move, Elena's arms tightened around him in a panic, her fingers curling into the fabric of his shirt like a lifeline “No,” she whispered sharply, her voice trembling but sure “Don’t go. Please... stay.”Liam froze, feeling the raw desperation in her voice, in the way she clung to him like he was the only solid thing left in a crumbling world. His heart twisted painfully at the thought of leaving her, even for a second.He let out a quiet, resigned
"Over my dead body," Richard snarled.Ernest’s smile widened cruelly "That my plan exactly."At Ernest’s signal, the cloaked men surged forward like a black tide.Richard rose, one arm still around Zenobia, and drew his sword in one swift motion, the steel catching the faint light of the enchanted forest.They clashed with a deafening ring of steel.Richard fought like a man possessed, fuelled by love and rage, his blade a silver blur. He felled two of the men quickly, moving with deadly grace—but there were too many, and he was alone.A sword slashed across his side—he staggered but didn’t fall.Another cut along his arm—his grip tightened stubbornly around his sword. Blood darkened his tunic, dripping into the moss, but Richard fought on, each movement slower, heavier.He could feel his strength leaving him. Zenobia was still unconscious on the grass behind him, unaware of the battle raging