Chapter 3

LATER THAT NIGHT

Precious and Sophia had dinner and retired to their room, the candles casting a warm glow. Precious noticed Sophia had fallen asleep, so she pulled out the mysterious book from her bag. As she read through the first few pages, she found herself drawn in, but her eyes kept stumbling over strange, magical words she couldn't understand.

"It seems interesting, but I don't understand the words," she muttered, closing the book.

As she tried to sleep, she could hear a voice calling out to her. "Save us, chosen one, save us. You are the light to our darkness, save us." The voice echoed in her head, sending shivers down her spine. She looked around the room, terrified, but it was just Sophia snoring peacefully. No one was there.

She closed her eyes and tried to sleep again, but the voices persisted. "Save us..." She plugged her ears with a pillow, closing her eyes tightly before finally drifting off to sleep.

Meanwhile, the shadowy figure had been watching her every move. As it noticed she had fallen asleep, it disappeared into the darkness, waiting for its next opportunity to strike.

SAME NIGHT, A VILLAGE IN THE STORY

Elian is a member of the royal family and a skilled warrior-magician, but he stays in the village reasons best known to hom

He is dedicated to finding a way to break the curse and restore Eldrador to its former glory. His wife, Lisa, was a talented healer and a symbol of hope for the kingdom of Elrador. Her tragic death boosted Elian's determination to save their homeland.

"Elian made his way down to the secret rooms deep beneath the old castle, the air heavy with mystery. The Council of Shadows, the leaders of the Order of the White Rose, were waiting for him. Their faces, hidden by hoods, they formed a half-circle around him, their faces hidden by the flickering light of the torches."

"Elian, our brother," spoke the lead councilor, his voice low and gravelly, "we have received your report on the chosen one, . We understand she possesses the key to our kingdom's salvation."

Elian nodded, his eyes scanning the shadows. "Yes, she does. But she is unaware of the danger that follows her. We must ensure her safety, guide her on her journey, and prepare her for the trials ahead."

The councilors murmured among themselves, their whispers weaving a tapestry of concern. One of them, a figure with a scar above his left eyebrow, spoke up.

"Elian, we understand your passion for this mission. The loss of your wife still weighs heavy on our hearts. But we must prioritize the kingdom's interests. Can we truly trust this... Precious?"

Elian's jaw clenched, his grip on his sword tightening. "I have watched her, seen her courage and determination. She is the one we have been searching for. And I will not let her fall, not like... not like Lisa my wife."

The councilors nodded in unison, their faces still hidden, but their understanding palpable.

"Very well, Elian," the lead councilor said. "Assemble a team of our most trusted members. Watch over Precious, protect her from the shadows. We will not fail again."

Elian bowed, a sense of purpose burning within him. "I will not fail. I swear it on my honor, on Lisa's memory."

With that, the Council of Shadows dispersed, their hooded figures vanishing into the darkness, leaving Elian to his mission. “Precious…” he muttered”

NEXT MORNING, THE KINGDOM OF VALTORIA

The Kingdom of Valtoria is also a neighboring kingdom to king Ryker's kingdom.

For generations, the royal house of Valtoria had ruled with wisdom and justice, earning the love and respect of their subjects. The kingdom was renowned for its proud warrior culture, its people bred to be fiercely loyal and protecting of their land and lineage. The king and queen had a daughter Erica who is a skilled warrior.

But beneath the surface, tensions simmered. Erica's uncle, Lord Kael, had long craved for the throne, his ambition and greed driving him to seek power at any cost. With the king and queen aging and weak, Lord kael saw his chance, to manipulate the people to his advantage and he spread disagreement among the nobles and people.

"Brother, you're getting old. Let me handle the throne for you," Lord Kael said, his voice laced with condescension.

"Never!" the king thundered. "I'd rather die than give my throne to you!"

"But you don't have a son, brother. You have a daughter. How can a woman rule over our subjects?" Lord Kael sneered.

"Erica is fit for the throne. She's a skilled warrior," the king defended.

"A skilled warrior, you say? While I'm still alive, I'll never allow a woman to rule!" Lord Kael's anger boiled over.

"Then leave, and never return!" the king commanded.

"I'll never allow Erica to rule over me! What does a woman know about leadership?" Lord Kael spat, his face red with rage.

"Kael—"

"The battle lines have been drawn, brother. It's either you give me the throne or there will be chaos in this kingdom. The choice is yours." With that, Lord Kael stormed out, leaving the king and the fate of the kingdom hanging in the balance.

Erica stood before the training grounds, her sword flashing in the sunlight as she fought with all her might. She had been preparing herself for any battle ahead, and she was not about to back down now. Suddenly, the doors burst open, and her uncle, Lord Kael, strode in, a mocking tone in his voice.

"Erica," he called, his eyes sneering at her. "I see you're still indulging in this...training. Well, I came to tell you that it's time to step down from being the next ruler. You're a woman, after all. Women don't rule. You don't know the first thing about leadership."

Erica's glare turned icy, and she lowered her sword, her voice steady and strong. "Leadership isn't about gender, Uncle. It's about courage, wisdom, and the ability to protect our people. And I possess all of those qualities in abundance. I've trained harder than any man here, and I've proven myself in battle. I won't step down just because you think a woman can't rule. I'll show you what a true leader looks like."

Lord Kael snorted, his face red with anger. "You're making a grave mistake, Erica. You're no match for the challenges ahead. Mark my words, you'll bring ruin to our kingdom. And when you do, don't come crying to me." With that, he turned and stormed out, leaving Erica to her training, but also leaving her with a sense of unease and a warning that lingered in the air.

BACK AT NIRI KINGDOM

Arin is a skilled and elegant young thief, stealing is her hobby, and she steals to survive. She squatted in the bushes, her eyes fixed on the wholesale stall across the street. She had been watching the vendor's routine for days, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

As the sun came down in the bustling marketplace, Arin approached the wholesaler's stall, eyeing the gold coins on display. "Hi there, I'm looking for a gift for my sister. Something special."

The wholesaler, a portly man with a bushy beard, looked up from his notes. "Ah, welcome to my humble stall! I have just the thing. He holds up a small crystal pendant is a rare find, only 5 gold coins."

Arin's eyes widened. "Wow, that's lovely! But I was thinking of something a bit more... substantial. (she glances around the stall) What's that bag you have there?"

The merchant chuckled. "Ah, that's not for sale, my dear. That's my day's earnings. (he pats the bag) I need to deposit it in the bank tonight."

Arin pouted. "Oh, how disappointing! I was thinking you'd have something special for me."

The merchant smiled. "Well, let me see what else I have... (he roamed through his shop) Ah, yes! He holds up a small silver bracelet) This is a beautiful piece, only 3 gold coins.

Arin's eyes lit up. "Ooh, that's pretty! But... (hesitates) I think I'll come back later. Thanks, mister!"

The merchant nodded. "No worries, dear. Come back anytime” He returns to his notes checking his sales for the day.

As Arin walked away, she snatched the bag of gold coins from the stall and disappeared into the crowd.

The merchant didn't even notice until it was too late. "Hey! Come back here! That's my money!"

But Arin was long gone, the pouch of gold coins secure in her grasp.

The wholesaler cried for help and crowders started chasing Arin.

Precious walked through the busy market her handbag slung over her shoulder, lost in thought. "What were those voices last night?" she muttered to herself, recalling the strange noises she heard in the darkness. Suddenly, a figure crashed into her, and they both fell to the ground. Precious's bag rolled away, spilling its contents, including the book she had just purchased from the store.

"The black book," Arin whispered, her voice barely audible over the noise of the crowd.

"What?" Precious asked, confused, but the woman didn't respond. Instead, she quickly stood up and dashed into the crowd, leaving Precious bewildered.

As Precious picked up her bag and dusted off her dress, she realized that the crowd was chasing the mysterious lady who was Arin. "What is she talking about?" Precious thought, shrugging her shoulders. She continued her journey into the market, unaware of the secrets that lay ahead.

HAMMER & ANVIL FORGE

Precious entered the blacksmith shop, the smell of hot metal and sweat enveloping her. Stanley was hammering away, his muscles flexed as he shaped a glowing piece of iron. She approached him, her heart pounding.

"Stanley, we need to talk," she said, her voice firm but gentle.

Stanley looked up, his eyes narrowing slightly before he nodded. "What is it, Precious?"

They stepped outside, the cool evening air a welcome respite from the shop's heat. Precious took a deep breath.

"I feel like you're pulling away from me, Stanley. You're always busy, and when we do talk, it's brief. What's going on?"

Stanley sighed, his shoulders slumping. "I'm just stressed, Precious. The blacksmith shop is demanding, and I have a lot of responsibilities."

"That's not all, is it?" Precious pressed, her intuition telling her there was more.

Stanley hesitated before speaking. "I'm just busy precious, but I promise I will make time for us”

“Stanley?" she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Yeah?"

"Do you ever think about our future? Like, together?"

Stanley's face lit up with an unpredictable smile. "All the time, Precious. I want to spend the rest of my life making you happy."

Precious's heart skipped a beat at his words. She knew that she felt the same way, but hearing him say it out loud made her feel like she was home.

She stared at him for a moment he smiled and looked away

ELRADOR KINGDOM

The king sat in his chamber, a pen in hand, writing on a scroll as he wrote the words of a dark incantation. Suddenly, the powerful witch appeared before him, her eyes blazing with fire. The king bowed immediately, his head touching the ground.

"The chosen one has returned," she spat, her voice like venom. "The one who dares to challenge my power."

"I heard so, Xylara, I will ensure that she dies." the king replied, his voice trembling.

With a flick of her wrist, Xylara unleashed a bolt of dark energy that sent the king crashing into the wall. He slumped to the floor, his eyes wide with fear.

"You will do more than that," she hissed, her voice dripping with malice. "You will bring me the chosen one's heart, and I will feast on her soul. The people who killed my lover will pay for their treachery, and the kingdom will burn at my feet, Not even the sisters of life shall nor the sorcerer shall stop me."

The king cowered, his mind racing with the horrors he would unleash. "I will, my queen. I will bring you the heart of the chosen one, and I will watch as you destroy everything in your path."

The Xyrala smile twisted her face into a grotesque grimace. "Excellent. I will give you the power to do so. And when the kingdom is mine, you will be rewarded with a place at my side, forever bound to my will."

As she vanished into thin air, the king's laughter echoed through the chamber, a mad, mirthless sound that sent shivers down the spines of those who heard it.

COVENTUM LUMINA

The sisters of light gathered at their coven

",We have been warned sisters, We must prepare for battle," Catherine said her voice grave. "The chosen one has returned, and with her, the darkness that threatens to consume us all."

"Indeed," nodded Luna, her eyes gleaming with determination. "We cannot allow the Xylara to destroy everything we hold dear. Our powers combined are the only force strong enough to defeat her and her minions”.

"But at what cost?" asked Zara, her brow furrowed with concern. "If We risk keep exhausting our energies we might leave the kingdom vulnerable to attack,

"We have no choice," Catherine said firmly. "We will keep exhausting our energy till the chosen one accept our calling. The chosen one is our only hope. We must support her in this fight, no matter the cost."

"And what of the king?" asked Kaida, her voice laced with skepticism. "He seems increasingly under the witch's control. Can we trust him to do what is right?"

"We cannot trust him at all," said Luna bluntly. "He has proven himself to be a pawn in the witch's game. We must be prepared to face him as an enemy if necessary."

The sisters nodded in agreement, their faces set with determination. They knew the battle ahead would be fierce, but they were ready to face it together, for the sake of the kingdom and the chosen one.