Eira's palms pressed firmly against the cold wall, the warmth emanating from them only further confirming her suspicion. The door was there, hidden behind this seemingly ordinary wall, a barrier separating her from her past memories and her true self. And she was determined to break down that barrier, to uncover the truth that belonged to her.
"Child, focus your mind, feel the power..." The mysterious voice echoed in Eira's mind once more, like a beacon in the darkness, guiding her forward. "This power is yours, a birthright flowing in your veins, the royal blood that courses through you..."
Eira closed her eyes, taking a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down. She did not know who this voice belonged to or where it came from, nor did she know its intentions, but she chose to trust it. For this was her only chance, the only opportunity to unravel the mystery of her origins, to truly understand and control her own destiny.
Eira concentrated, directing all her attention to the warmth pulsing from her palms. At first, it was faint, like ripples on a still pond, but as her focus intensified, the sensation grew stronger and clearer, as if a powerful force from the other side of the wall was surging towards her.
Eira felt a matching energy stirring within her, responding to the force on the other side. It was a familiar, comforting warmth, imbued with an innate nobility and authority, as if it were the very essence of her soul, a lifeline for the drowning.
"Now, unleash your power! Child, do not be afraid, believe in yourself, for you are far stronger than you know!" The mysterious voice urged, tinged with excitement and anticipation, as if seeing the first glimmer of hope.
Eira no longer hesitated. She summoned the power within, gathering it in her palms, allowing it to surge through her body like a warm current, finally converging as a potent energy. With a forceful push, she channeled all that power into the wall.
"Boom!"
A thunderous crash echoed through the room, deafening in its intensity. The wall trembled violently, and dust and debris rained down from the ceiling, as if a storm had been unleashed. The furniture shook, creaking as if cowering before this immense force.
Eira startled, quickly stepping back and covering her ears, watching in horror as the events unfolded before her. Everything in the room seemed to tremble in the face of this power, so fragile and vulnerable.
Suddenly, a crack appeared in the once-smooth wall, growing wider and wider, as if an invisible hand was tearing it apart. With a rumbling roar, the entire wall collapsed into a pile of rubble, revealing a yawning, pitch-black opening, a gateway to another world.
Eira stood rooted to the spot, bewildered and curious, yet also gripped by a nameless fear. The opening was shrouded in darkness, with only a damp, cold, and musty odor wafting out, carrying the stench of decay and death, chilling her to the bone.
"Child, go in, the truth awaits you..." The mysterious voice spoke again, this time laced with encouragement and anticipation, guiding Eira towards an unknown fate. "Do not be afraid, child, I will be with you until you find the answers you seek..."
Eira took a deep breath, steadying herself, and raised the candle she was holding, cautiously stepping into the opening. The flickering flame cast long shadows on the walls, as if a ghostly companion were following her.
Beyond the opening, a narrow passageway stretched out, dimly lit by oil lamps along the walls, their yellow glow unable to dispel the deep darkness and chill of the cavern. Eira followed the passageway, each step feeling heavier, as if a great weight were pressing down on her, making it difficult to breathe.
The passage seemed endless, and Eira walked for what felt like an eternity, unsure of where it led or what awaited her. But she had no choice but to press on, like a moth drawn to the flame, knowing the danger yet unable to turn back.
Finally, Eira reached the end of the passageway, confronted by a heavy stone door. Intricate carvings and unfamiliar, twisted script adorned the door, exuding an ancient, mystical aura.
Eira reached out, gently tracing the patterns, a chill running through her body. This door was a boundary, separating life from death, light from darkness, hope from despair.
"Child, you have finally come..."
A weak, elderly voice emanated from the other side of the door, tinged with relief and a sense of deliverance, like a weary traveler welcoming the long-awaited return of a ship. "I... I have been waiting for you for so long..."
Eira's heart skipped a beat, a surge of electricity coursing through her. She knew that the one speaking must hold the key to her origins, her identity, the answers to all the questions that had been plaguing her.
"Who are you? Do you know my lineage?" Eira asked, her voice trembling with a mix of trepidation and anticipation.
"Child, do not be hasty, I will tell you everything..." The voice spoke, gentle and kindly, like a benevolent elder addressing his granddaughter. "But before you enter this door, there are some things I must tell you..."
"What things?" Eira pressed, eager to uncover the truth, to learn of her parents, to understand why she had been abandoned.
"Child, you... you are my granddaughter, the last of the royal bloodline of the Erylian Empire..." The voice said, tinged with sorrow, resignation, and a glimmer of hope.
Eira's mind reeled, as if it might shatter. Fragments of memories swirled within, assaulting her reason. She stared at the stone door, wide-eyed, her heart in turmoil, unable to accept this revelation.
"But... how can this be? I am the daughter of Baron Erikr, how could I be... the last of the Erylian royal bloodline?" Eira murmured, struggling to comprehend this impossible truth.
"Child, I know it is hard to believe, but it is the truth..." The voice continued. "Years ago, your mother, my daughter, had to entrust you to the Erikr family to protect you, to allow you to grow up under their care..."
"My mother? Who is she?" Eira asked, her voice choked with sorrow and longing. She had lost her mother at a young age, with only faint memories and endless yearning.
"Your mother was the most beautiful and kind-hearted princess of the Erylian Empire, my pride and the hope of the empire..." The voice spoke, brimming with love and pride, only to be consumed by endless grief and anguish. "But she was betrayed and murdered by traitors, my daughter, she met such a cruel fate..."
"Who? Who killed my mother? Who?!" Eira demanded, her eyes burning with rage. She clenched her fists, the nails digging into her flesh, but the pain was nothing compared to the agony of losing her mother.
"It was... your uncle, and your cousin, Anya, they conspired to murder your mother and usurp the throne..." The voice said, seething with anger and vengeance, like a wrathful echo from the depths of hell.
"What?!" Eira gasped, staggering back, collapsing to the ground, her mind reeling. She could not accept this, could not believe that her own flesh and blood had been the ones to kill her mother, while she had lived under the protection of her murderers for all these years.
A surge of fierce rage and thirst for vengeance rose within Eira, threatening to consume her. She abruptly stood, her eyes burning with crimson fury, glaring at the stone door as if she could see through it.
"I will have my revenge! I will avenge my mother! I will make those who harmed her pay the price!" Eira growled, her voice cold and devoid of emotion, like the chilling call for retribution from the depths of hell.
In this moment, a spark of defiance ignited within Eira, illuminating the path that lay before her.