As Janice grow more stronger in the rituals, she began to notice something peculiar about Moana.
The healer's knowledge was undeniably vast, but there were moments when she seemed to know more than she should, details about Danica's history, its royal line, and even the Council's machinations that she could not have learned from rumor alone.
Late one evening, Janice confided her suspicions to Jason.
"She knows too much," Janice murmured as they stood by the window overlooking the moonlit courtyard. "I feel like she's holding something back."
Jason frowned. "Do you think she's working with the Council?"
"I don't know," Janice admitted, her brow furrowed. "But if she has her own agenda, we need to uncover it before it's too late."
Their conversation was interrupted by a sudden commotion outside. A guard burst into the room, his face pale.
"Your Majesties, the healer... she's gone to the crypts."
The crypts beneath the castle were forbidden, a labyrinth of ancient tombs and forgotten secrets.
Moana's unauthorized descent into the depths sent a ripple of unease through the castle.
Janice and Jason hurried to follow, accompanied by a small contingent of guards.
The air grew colder as they descended, their torches casting flickering shadows on the damp stone walls.
"What could she be looking for?" Jason muttered, his voice tight with tension.
Janice's grip on her sword hilt tightened. "We're about to find out."
They found Moana in the heart of the crypts, standing before an ornate sarcophagus. Symbols carved into its surface glowed faintly, illuminating her face with light.
"What are you doing?" Janice demanded, her voice echoing in the chamber.
Moana turned slowly, her expression calm but her eyes alight with intensity. "Uncovering the truth."
Jason stepped forward, his sword drawn. "Explain yourself. Now."
Moana raised a hand, and the glowing symbols flared brighter.
The guards hesitated, their fear palpable.
"This tomb belongs to one of the first rulers of Danica," Moana said, her voice steady. "A king who forged this kingdom with blood and magic. The same magic the Council now wields."
Janice's breath caught. "What are you saying?"
Moana's gaze locked onto hers. "The Council's power stems from your own lineage, Your Majesty. The curse that plagued this land did not originate from the outside it was born here, in the shadows of your ancestors."
The room seemed to tilt, the weight of Moana's words pressing down on Janice. Jason's grip on his sword tightened, his knuckles white.
"That's impossible," he said, his voice shaking with anger. "Our family has fought to protect this kingdom for generations."
Moana stepped closer to the sarcophagus, her hand hovering over the glowing symbols. "And in doing so, they made enemies. To defend Danica, they turned to forbidden magic, binding their enemies with curses that have lingered ever since. The Council's power is a remnant of those dark bargains."
Janice felt the ground beneath her shift, her sense of identity cracking. "Why tell us this now? Why not sooner?"
"Because you needed to see for yourselves," Moana said, her voice softening. "The Council is not merely a political threat, it is a manifestation of the darkness your ancestors tried to bury. To defeat them, you must confront the past and decide what kind of legacy you wish to leave behind."
Moana stepped back from the sarcophagus, leaving the choice in Janice's hands. "You can open this tomb and learn the full truth of your lineage. But be warned. The knowledge may change everything you believe about your family and yourself."
Janice's heart pounded as she stared at the glowing symbols. Jason placed a steadying hand on her shoulder.
"You don't have to do this," he said, his voice low.
"Yes, I do," Janice replied, her voice trembling but resolute. "If we're to end the Council's influence for good, we need to understand where it comes from."
She reached out, her fingers brushing the cool stone. The symbols flared one last time before fading, and the lid of the sarcophagus began to slide open.
Inside lay a figure clad in ancient armor, his hands clutching a sword inscribed with the same glowing symbols.
But it isn't the figure that drew Janice's attention it is the scroll clutched to his chest, its edges blackened as if by fire.
Moana's voice broke the silence. "The answers you seek are within that scroll. But beware, some truths cannot be undone."
Janice reached for the scroll, her hands trembling.
As her fingers closed around it, a sudden gust of wind extinguished the torches, plunging the chamber into darkness.
Jason's voice rang out. "Janice! Are you all right?"
"I have it," she replied, her voice steady despite the growing sense of dread.
As the torches were relit, Janice unrolled the scroll.
The symbols inscribed on it glowed faintly, pulsing like a heartbeat.
Her eyes scanned the ancient script, her expression shifting from confusion to shock.
"What does it say?" Jason asked, his voice tight with urgency.
Janice looked up, her face pale. "It speaks of a binding spell, one that ties the Council's power to the royal bloodline. If we destroy the Council, we might destroy more than just them."
Jason's brow furrowed. "What do you mean?"
Janice's voice wavered. "If this spell is broken... it could unravel the kingdom itself."
The chamber fell silent, the weight of the revelation settling over them.
Jason stepped closer, his hand brushing hers. "Then what do we do?"
Janice stared at the scroll, the ancient symbols glowing in her hands. "I don't know," she whispered. "But whatever choice we make, it will define the future of Danica and possibly destroy its past."