The Empire had wasted no time. Within days of Alyssia's sudden departure, word spread that she had been declared a traitor. Her once glorious name was now tarnished, replaced with whispers of betrayal and rebellion. Posters plastered with her younger face, the image of the Empire's fallen champion, were pinned in towns and villages across the land. But Alyssia remained far from these rumors, hidden deep within the secluded mountains, training under Eryon's watchful eye.
In the quiet of the Village of Lost Paths, Alyssia was a far cry from the warrior who once marched proudly under the Empire's banners. She was young again, her body agile but unfamiliar with the power she now carried, memories of her past life weighed heavily upon her. Each day, Eryon's lessons seemed to chip away at the person the Empire had molded her to be, revealing something more... whole. Yet, the declaration of her as a traitor haunted her thoughts.
Alyssia had no illusions that the Empire would let her leave in peace. They would come for her.
"Your mind is distracted," Eryon's calm voice cut through the stillness, pulling Alyssia back from her thoughts. He stood at the edge of the training ground, his silver hair flowing in the wind, an unreadable expression on his face.
"I'm trying," Alyssia replied, frustrated as she threw another punch toward the training dummy. The force behind it was raw, unfocused, and she knew it. She could no longer rely on sheer strength alone.
Eryon approached her slowly, his footsteps barely making a sound on the grass. "Trying is not enough. You cannot fight with your mind caught in the past and the future. You must be here."
Alyssia's fists tightened. "How can I ignore what they've done? They've branded me a traitor, a villain. After everything I've done for them…"
"They did what they always intended to do," Eryon said, his voice soft but firm. "You are no longer their weapon, and that makes you dangerous. But their lies and accusations do not define you."
Alyssia knew he was right, but it didn't make it any easier. The faces of her fallen comrades, the innocents she thought she had saved, flashed in her mind. She had killed in the Empire's name, believing in their cause. Now, she was their enemy. It made her stomach churn.
"I don't care what they think of me," Alyssia said, though the anger in her voice betrayed her. "I just want to stop them. Protect the Guardians."
"And you will," Eryon said, stepping in front of her, "But not like this. The power you wield now is greater than anything you've faced before. You are not the warrior you were. You cannot fight them as you did before."
"I don't want to fight them," Alyssia muttered. "I want to tear them down."
Eryon watched her for a moment, then shook his head. "That is the anger speaking. The same anger that the Empire used to control you. If you wish to be free of them, you must let it go. Control yourself, and then you will have the strength to truly protect what matters."
Alyssia clenched her fists, her breath heavy as the emotions swirled inside her. Anger, guilt, fear—everything she had been fighting to suppress since she had rewound time. She had to be stronger than this. She had to be better.
Eryon stepped back, giving her space. "Again."
Taking a deep breath, Alyssia closed her eyes and raised her fists. She focused, channeling the energy within her. The power of Nyx, the Shadow Phoenix, stirred in her veins, along with the unyielding strength of Gaia, the Stone Titan. She was not the naive girl the Empire once controlled. She was something more now.
A sudden breeze kicked up, rustling the leaves around her. Alyssia opened her eyes, feeling the surge of power pulse through her—controlled this time, not wild. With a swift, calculated strike, she sent a blast of energy toward the training dummy. It shattered on impact, splinters scattering across the ground.
Eryon smiled slightly, his eyes gleaming with approval. "You're beginning to understand."
Alyssia exhaled slowly, feeling the tension ease in her muscles. "What's next?"
Eryon's smile faded, replaced with a more serious expression. "The Empire will come for you. Soon. But you must be ready for more than just a fight. You will have to face their lies, their truths, and the path they will try to pull you back on."
"I'm not going back," Alyssia said firmly.
"Good," Eryon replied. "Then you must prepare for the moment when they stand before you. The Emperor will not let you slip away quietly, Alyssia. You were his finest weapon, and he will either reclaim you… or destroy you."
Alyssia looked out at the distant horizon, where the Empire's forces were surely preparing to hunt her down. She wasn't afraid of them. She wasn't the same girl who once fought for their cause. But the thought of facing the Emperor again, of seeing the lies behind his eyes—of having to face the full extent of her past actions—left a bitter taste in her mouth.
"I'm ready," she said, more to herself than to Eryon. "Whatever comes, I'm ready."
Eryon nodded, his expression softening. "Then we begin again tomorrow. But for tonight, rest. You have earned it."
As Eryon walked away, Alyssia lingered, staring up at the stars that twinkled above the village. She had made her choice to break free from the Empire's grasp, to protect the Guardians and undo the mistakes of her past. But the road ahead would be fraught with dangers she hadn't yet faced. The Empire's fury would be relentless.
But now, Alyssia was no longer their puppet. She would be their reckoning.