Faint sound of Pablo's labored breathing as his life ebbed away. He stared up at the ceiling, his vision clouded by pain, but he was not afraid.
He had lived long enough to know that death was only the beginning, and he had left the most important part of his legacy behind.
Far away, in Gloria's room, the crystal Pablo had sent pulsed with light before settling softly on her desk.
She hadn't noticed it yet, too busy poring over the ancient texts Eragon had retrieved for her from the council's archives.
They had been searching for any clue about her true power, hoping to unlock more of her abilities before the inevitable confrontation with the League of Shadows.
Eragon sat across from her, his brows furrowed as he skimmed through another tome. His usually calm demeanor was tense with worry.
They both knew that something wasn't right. The council's insistence on preparing Gloria for an attack from the Evil Immortal felt forced, and the growing unrest in the supernatural world only added to their concerns.
"Something's off," Gloria muttered, flipping through a book of ancient prophecies. "None of this adds up.
Why would the Evil Immortal come after me when, historically, he's always been neutral?"Eragon looked up, his green eyes meeting hers.
"Maybe the council is hiding something from us. It wouldn't be the first time."Gloria sighed. "Yeah, but what could it be? And why? If the threat isn't the Evil Immortal, then who's hunting me?"Before Eragon could respond, a soft glow caught their attention.
Gloria's eyes shifted to her desk, where the crystal Pablo had sent shimmered with an ethereal light. She stood, her heart racing as she approached it.
"What is that?" Eragon asked, moving beside her."I don't know," Gloria whispered, reaching out to touch the crystal.
The moment her fingers grazed its surface, a wave of energy pulsed through her, and a voice echoed in her mind.Gloria… the truth has been hidden for far too long.
Listen carefully…It was Pablo's voice, weak but clear. Gloria's heart clenched at the sound. She hadn't seen the old seer in weeks, not since the council had begun its preparations for war."The truth…?" she whispered, her eyes wide as the message continued.
The council believes the Evil Immortal is your enemy, but they are wrong. Your true enemy is the one who killed you in your past lives. The Thunder Snail god, your lover, was the one who betrayed you.
The Immortal tried to protect you, but the story was changed. The council doesn't know the full truth, but you must… you must prepare… the Thunder Snail god is coming for you…The message cut off abruptly, and the crystal dimmed, leaving Gloria standing in stunned silence. Eragon, having only heard her side of the conversation, looked at her with concern.
"What did he say?"Gloria turned to face him, her expression a mixture of shock and disbelief. "The council's been wrong.
The Evil Immortal isn't my enemy. The Thunder Snail god, he's the one who killed me in my past lives."Eragon's face darkened.
"Your lover?"Gloria nodded, her mind reeling.
"It's been him all along. He betrayed me… and now he's coming back."The weight of the revelation settled between them, thick with fear and uncertainty.
Everything they had believed, everything the council had told them, was a lie.
The true enemy was someone far more dangerous, someone who had loved Gloria and had betrayed her in the cruelest way."We have to tell the council," Eragon said, his voice firm.
"They need to know."Gloria hesitated, her mind racing. "I don't know if they'll believe us. The council has been focused on the Evil Immortal for so long, they might not accept that the real threat is the Thunder Snail god."
"They have to," Eragon insisted. "This changes everything. If they don't believe us, we'll be walking into a trap."Gloria nodded, though doubt gnawed at her.
"Pablo said the council doesn't know the full truth. What if some of them do? What if they're hiding this from us on purpose?"Eragon's jaw clenched.
"Then we'll have to find out who's on our side and who isn't."They stood in silence for a moment, the weight of the revelation hanging between them.
The path ahead had suddenly grown far more dangerous, and they would have to tread carefully.
But one thing was clear, Gloria's life was at stake, and the Thunder Snail god was already on the move.
N"We can't trust anyone," Gloria whispered, her resolve hardening. "Not until we know who's pulling the strings."Eragon stepped closer, his hand resting gently on her shoulder. "You're not alone in this.
We'll figure it out. Together."Gloria nodded, drawing strength from his presence.
The fight ahead was more complicated than they had ever imagined, but with the truth finally in the open, they could at least begin to prepare for the battle that was coming.
The Blood Moon Wolf was ready to rise again, and this time, she wouldn't fall to betrayal.This time, she would fight.