**Chapter 28: The Shadowed Realm**
Back in the Castle of Dreams, the atmosphere was thick with anticipation. The rulers of the Disney realms had returned to their lands to prepare for the battle against Malgath, but here in the heart of the conflict, Eliza paced restlessly. It had been days since Alexander had left for the Realm of Lost Beginnings, and though she trusted his strength, the silence was agonizing.
Eliza stood on the balcony, her gaze fixed on the horizon, where storm clouds gathered like dark omens. The air was heavy with tension, as if the very magic of the world was bracing for the coming storm. She knew the time for action was drawing near, but she couldn't shake the worry gnawing at her heart. What if Alexander didn't return in time?
A sudden gust of wind sent a chill through the room, and Eliza's eyes darted to the door. The Keeper of the Realms had appeared, his face as unreadable as ever. His robes shimmered faintly in the dim light, a reflection of the celestial power he carried.
"Eliza," the Keeper said softly, "there is news."
Her heart leapt to her throat. "Is Alexander—"
"He has found the Heart," the Keeper interrupted gently, a note of reassurance in his voice. "He has succeeded in retrieving it. But his journey back will be perilous. The Shadowed Realm has already begun its assault."
Eliza's stomach twisted. She had known this moment was coming, but hearing it spoken aloud made it real in a way she hadn't fully prepared for. "What must we do?"
The Keeper stepped closer, his gaze intense. "The Forgotten are gathering at the edge of the realms. They are amassing their strength in the Shadowed Realm, and their numbers grow with each passing moment. You and the council must act now to prevent them from overwhelming the borders before Alexander returns."
Eliza nodded, her resolve hardening. There was no time to waste. She turned on her heel, gathering her courage as she moved swiftly through the halls of the castle.
As she entered the war room, the council was already gathered. Queen Elsa, Aladdin, King Triton, and others stood around the map of the realms, their expressions grim.
"We have word from the Keeper," Eliza announced. "Alexander has the Heart of the First Story, but he's still in the Realm of Lost Beginnings. The Forgotten are moving toward the borders. We need to mobilize immediately."
Elsa, her face calm but determined, spoke first. "The Shadowed Realm has long been a place of whispers and nightmares. If the Forgotten are gaining strength there, we'll need to face them head-on before they can break through."
Triton leaned forward, his trident resting against the table. "The seas are restless. My forces are ready, but the Forgotten are creatures of shadow. How do we fight an enemy that seems to defy the light?"
Eliza paused, considering her words carefully. "The Forgotten are tied to stories that were never finished. They draw their strength from the resentment of those whose tales were left incomplete. If we can weaken Malgath's hold on them, we may be able to turn the tide."
Aladdin, always quick to act, spoke up. "You're saying we need to finish their stories? How can we even begin to do that in the middle of a war?"
Eliza met his gaze. "It's not about finishing all of them. We need to weaken their loyalty to Malgath. If we can show even a few of them that their fates don't have to end in bitterness, we can break his power over them."
A heavy silence fell over the room as the weight of her words sank in. The strategy was bold—and dangerous. But it was the only way.
"We'll divide our forces," Eliza continued. "Some will engage the Forgotten in battle to hold them back. The rest will work to find their stories, their weaknesses. If we can disrupt Malgath's control, we may buy Alexander the time he needs to return."
Elsa's icy blue eyes sparkled with resolve. "Arendelle's magic is strong against shadows. My power can keep them at bay while we work to free the Forgotten."
Triton slammed his trident against the ground. "The oceans will rise in defense of the realms. We will not let these shadows pass."
The council quickly organized their forces, each ruler sending out messengers to rally their armies. As the final plans were laid out, Eliza felt a flicker of hope. They were ready to face the darkness, even if it meant confronting their deepest fears.
---
Hours later, Eliza stood at the front of the battalion, the cool wind whipping her hair as they neared the border of the Shadowed Realm. Dark clouds loomed above, and the once-vibrant land around them seemed drained of color, as if the shadows had already begun to consume the very life from the world.
Behind her, the combined forces of the realms waited, poised to strike. Queen Elsa stood at her side, her hands glowing faintly with icy power, ready to unleash it at a moment's notice. King Triton's forces surged behind them, the merfolk and sea creatures moving with quiet purpose, their eyes gleaming in the dim light.
In the distance, the Shadowed Realm lay like a festering wound on the landscape. It was a place of nightmares, where light struggled to penetrate the thick veil of darkness. The Forgotten had gathered there, their forms shifting and indistinct, like shadows given life. Their eyes glowed with malice, their faces twisted by the pain of unfinished stories.
Eliza felt a surge of fear, but she pushed it down. She had to stay strong—for Alexander, for the realms, for everyone who was depending on her.
"Hold the line," she called, her voice clear and steady. "We will not let them pass."
As if in response, a low rumble echoed across the field, and the shadows began to move. The Forgotten surged forward, a tide of darkness rushing toward them with frightening speed. Eliza raised her sword, and with a fierce battle cry, the forces of light charged to meet them.
The clash was immediate and brutal. Shadows writhed and twisted, their forms shifting between solid and insubstantial, making them difficult to strike. But the combined magic of the realms was strong, and for every shadow that fell, another rose to take its place.
Elsa unleashed a wave of ice, freezing entire swaths of the battlefield, slowing the advance of the Forgotten. Triton called upon the power of the sea, sending torrents of water crashing into the dark horde.
But it was a battle unlike any other. The Forgotten were not merely enemies—they were lost souls, each one carrying a story, a forgotten dream, or a shattered hope. And as they fought, Eliza realized that the battle wasn't just against Malgath's army—it was against the weight of those untold stories.
Amidst the chaos, she spotted a young girl, barely older than a child, her shadowy form flickering in and out of existence. Her eyes were filled with sorrow, and in that moment, Eliza knew she had found one of the Forgotten whose story had been left unfinished.
"Eliza!" Elsa called, her voice cutting through the din. "We need to push forward!"
But Eliza's focus was on the girl. She approached cautiously, lowering her sword as she knelt in front of her. "What's your name?"
The girl's eyes flickered with recognition, her voice a whisper on the wind. "I don't remember…"
Eliza's heart ached. This girl was trapped in a forgotten tale, bound to Malgath's will. But if she could help her remember, if she could give her story an ending, perhaps she could break Malgath's hold.
"We'll find your story," Eliza promised, her voice firm despite the chaos around them. "You don't have to stay here. You're not forgotten."
For a moment, the girl's form solidified, her shadowy edges becoming more distinct. It was a small victory, but it was a sign that Malgath's power could be undone.
Eliza stood, her eyes scanning the battlefield. This was just the beginning. The real fight had only just begun.
And somewhere, far beyond the borders of the Shadowed Realm, Alexander was racing back to join them.