The decoding had begun.
In the Queen's inner sanctum, the oldest living scholars of the realm gathered around the recovered scrolls and tablets. Fragments of forgotten language were pieced together. Glyphs retranslated. Layers of the spell unraveled.
Progress was slow — but steady.
Until a soldier burst into the chamber, blood on his cloak.
"Your Majesty… we've received urgent news."
Everyone stilled.
"Ashura has taken the Northern Kingdom."
⚔️ The Fall of a Kingdom
It had been a surprise assault.
No formal declaration. No scouts. Just fire and steel.
Seraphina's home — the kingdom where she had trained for 15 years, where she had once vowed to slay her brother — was now ash.
"They came from the skies," the messenger said. "Used stolen relics… teleportation gates. The city fell in hours."
Seraphina's hands clenched. Her face went blank.
"We trained for years. Planned defenses. Had walls, mana towers—"
"It didn't matter."
"They used his power against us."
🏚️ The Fallen King Arrives
That evening, a caravan limped into the Queen's courtyard.
A broken king. Bloodstained armor. A lost crown.
Behind him: his wife, children, and twenty surviving guards.
He knelt before the Queen without hesitation.
"You were right," he said. "If we had united sooner…"
"We might have had a chance."
"Now I ask not for forgiveness — but for shelter."
The Queen nodded solemnly.
"You and your family are safe here."
"But if we fall… there's nowhere else left."
🕊️ An Unexpected Key
While the decoding continued, the lead scholar hesitated.
"We've translated almost 70%," he told the Queen. "But some glyphs… they're not from any known dialect."
The Queen frowned.
"Then where are they from?"
A quiet voice answered behind her.
"Ashura's mother."
All eyes turned.
It was the fallen king's wife.
"My mother was part of Ashura's bloodline," she said quietly. "She taught me their ancient language. Their forbidden chants. Their pride."
She stepped forward.
"I can help decode it."
💬 Doubt and Resolve
As they worked together, piece by piece, the final layer of the seal's design began to take shape.
But not all were convinced.
"Even if we break it," someone muttered, "can he really stop Ashura now?"
"He's just one man."
"And Ashura commands the world."
The Queen turned toward them.
Eyes calm. Voice like steel.
"It doesn't matter if he can."
"He's our only option."
"There's no more 'can he?'"
"Now it's only… will he?"
🌌 Back in the Forest
The night air was still.
Raivan stood in the woods, sparring with Aira. Her sword moved fast. He dodged, smiled, feinted.
Then—he stopped.
His eyes shifted upward.
A cold wind moved through the trees.
"Something's wrong," he murmured.
"What is it?" Aira asked.
He didn't answer right away.
He looked at the sky.
The stars felt distant. The sky… too quiet.
"I don't know," he whispered."But something is breaking."