The Seer's sanctuary was a place where time itself felt brittle, as though it might shatter at the faintest disturbance. Shadows flickered against the stone walls, cast by unseen flames. The air carried a hum of ancient magic, a melody that seemed to whisper the rise and fall of kingdoms.
Aleron stood before the Seer, his sword sheathed but his hand still tense on its hilt. Around him, his companions waited, their expressions a mix of awe and unease.
"You speak in riddles," he said, his voice sharp. "We came for truth, not shadows."
The Seer's eyes, dark as stormclouds and filled with unspoken wisdom, regarded him silently before she rose to her feet. The hem of her cloak brushed the ground, weaving patterns of light and darkness in its wake.
"Truth is never simple, heir of two crowns," she murmured. "The path before you is woven with choice, sacrifice, and blood. You must be ready to embrace it."
"Enough of this," Aidan snapped. "If you know how to stop the Void, tell us. How do we destroy it?"
The Seer turned her gaze to him, her expression grave. "The Void cannot be destroyed. It can only be contained. But the key to its prison has been broken, scattered across time and memory."
Kael felt the sigil on his palm flare with heat. He inhaled sharply, his heart racing as an image flooded his mind—a shattered crown, its fragments glimmering with dark energy.
"The fragments," Kael whispered, his voice hoarse.
The Seer nodded. "Yes. Fragments of power, bound to destiny. Each holds a piece of eternity, and together, they form a lock that only a true heir may wield. But beware—"
Her voice dropped, heavy with warning. "Gathering them will awaken forces beyond reckoning. Trust will be your greatest weapon… and your greatest risk."
Aleron clenched his fists. "Where do we find them?"
She gestured toward the swirling mist beyond her sanctuary. "The first lies hidden in the heart of a kingdom fallen to ruin. A city lost to time… where shadows reign and kings have no thrones."
"Vranholm," Seraphina breathed, dread in her eyes.
The Seer's eyes darkened. "Beware the sins of the past. They will rise to claim you."
As her words faded, the magic in the room began to pulse violently. The shadows thickened, swirling into a storm that forced the group back. The Seer's form dissolved into darkness, her final words lingering like a curse.
"Remember… every choice bears a price."