Kael's hands were shaking as he and Joran made their way back through the forest. The autumn leaves that had once seemed peaceful now felt like a mockery of the cold dread settling in his chest.
The crown's voice still echoed faintly in his mind. "At last, you have come." It was almost as if it was waiting for him to acknowledge it, to answer its unspoken questions. Kael clenched his fists, trying to push the whispers away.
It made him feel weak but at the same time, he felt a sense of power.
"You alright?" Joran asked, his tone gruff but concerned.
Kael nodded quickly. "I am fine."
"You don't look fine," Joran muttered, glancing back at him. "Whatever that thing is, it's definitely trouble. We shouldn't have come here."
"I touched it," Kael said, his voice barely above a whisper.
"I know," Joran nodded. "And I also know you shouldn't have touched it."
The words made Kael's stomach twist. He wanted to argue, to deny the pull he had felt the moment he touched the crown, but deep down, he knew Joran was right. He had done something he shouldn't have.
…..
When they reached Eldhaven, Kael had expected to feel at peace but his mind was in chaos. The whisper, the voice he had heard when he touched the crown was still ringing in his ears. It was faint but he could still hear it.
Joran stopped just before they entered the main street. "Listen, Kael. Don't say anything about what we found. Not yet. People here don't need more reasons to be scared."
Kael nodded silently. His mind was too foggy to argue.
"Good. I will fetch Father Aldric," Joran said, referring to the town's priest. "Maybe he will know what to do about this crown situation.
Kael's jaw tightened at the word. "Just don't take too long."
"I won't," Joran promised. With a pat on Kael's shoulder, he headed toward the temple.
Kael watched him go before turning toward his forge. The familiar clang of metal on metal should have brought him comfort, but as he stepped into the space, the heat of the forge felt suffocating.
Kael sat on the wooden bench by the anvil, his head in his hands. No matter how hard he tried to focus on the tools and blades around him, his thoughts kept returning to the crown.
He could still see it in his mind—the way the blood-red metal pulsed faintly, as if alive. The whispers were quieter now but they lingered like the fading notes of a song.
He hadn't told Joran everything. When he touched the crown, he had seen more than just visions of fire and war. He had felt something—a presence that was slowly engulfing his mind and body. It wasn't just calling to him. It felt like it knew him.
The door to the forge creaked open, pulling Kael from his thoughts.
"Kael?" a familiar voice called.
It was Lina, a childhood friend and one of the few people Kael trusted. She had a basket of herbs slung over one arm.
"You look terrible," Lina said, stepping closer. "What happened?" She gently placed her hand on his forehead. "No fever."
"Just tired," Kael said quickly, trying to sound convincing.
Lina frowned, setting the basket down. "Tired, huh? That is not what Joran said."
Kael's stomach dropped. "What did he tell you?"
"Not much, just that something strange happened near the ruins." She crossed her arms. "Kael, you are a terrible liar. What is going on?"
For a moment, Kael debated whether to tell her. But before he could decide, the whispers returned.
"She will not understand. None of them will." The whisper was louder, stronger this time. The voice was cold and estranged but it still felt familiar.
Kael winced, pressing a hand to his temple.
Lina's expression shifted from frustration to concern.
"Kael?" she asked softly. "Are you okay?"
"I am fine," he said through his gritted teeth.
"No, you are not." Lina grabbed his arm. "You are scaring me. Let me help."
Before Kael could respond, the door swung open again and Joran strode in with Father Aldric, the priest of the town.
The priest was an old man with sharp eyes that seemed to see more than an ordinary human could. He wore a simple black robe.
"You touched it, didn't you?" Aldric asked, skipping any pleasantries.
Kael blinked. "Yes, I did," he admitted.
"It's not your fault. One never finds a relic like that and leaves untouched," Aldric said. "How did you feel after? Did it hurt?"
Kael stretched his hand, revealing the bluish discoloration formed on the fingers that has brushed against the crown.
"Marked?" Lina echoed, looking between Kael and Aldric. "What does that mean?"
"It means Kael is bound to the crown," Aldric said. "Its power has latched onto him. He won't be rid of it easily."
Kael felt a chill run down his spine. "So what do I do? How do I break it?"
Aldric's expression darkened. "You can't. Not without destroying the crown itself."
"And how do we do that?" Joran asked.
Aldric hesitated. "That crown wasn't made in this world. It's tied to forces older and darker than we can understand. Destroying it will require more than just a hammer and anvil. It will take—"
Before he could finish, the whispers surged in Kael's mind, louder and more forceful.
"You cannot destroy me, Kael. You belong to me."
Kael staggered, clutching his head as the voice echoed like a drumbeat. The room seemed to spin and for a moment he saw not the forge but a throne of black stone which was surrounded by fire. A figure sat upon it—a woman with eyes like molten gold and a crown of blood-red metal.
"Find me, Kael. Free me."
When Kael came to senses, he was on his knees with Lina and Joran at his side.
"What happened?" Lina asked. She was panicking.
Kael's breathing was ragged. "It spoke to me. The crown. It's alive."
Aldric's expression grew even grimmer. "I don't know much about the crown, I need to go through the old scriptures again. But if it is what I think it is, the queen has already begun her work ."
"What queen?" Kael asked, though he wasn't sure he wanted the answer.
"Isolde the Eternal," Aldric said. "The queen who nearly destroyed this world centuries ago."
The room fell silent as the weight of the name settled over them.
Joran broke the silence. "So what do we do?"
Aldric looked at Kael. "I will look into the scriptures for answers. We find a way to destroy the crown or the world will burn again."
….