The air inside the hidden sanctuary was thick with an unspoken power, as if time itself had gathered here, waiting for this moment to unfold. Shadows flickered against the stone walls, illuminated by floating orbs of soft, golden light. The scent of aged parchment and dried herbs lingered in the stillness, remnants of an era long past.
And at the center of it all, Agnes stood before them.
Mekeala couldn't tear her eyes away from the woman. There was an undeniable force in her presence—not just in the way she carried herself, but in the very air around her.
"You are much like her," Agnes murmured, her sharp gaze settling on Mekeala. "Grace's blood flows strong within you."
Mekeala's breath caught. "You… knew Grace?"
A knowing nod. "Long ago, I stood by her side. I witnessed her sacrifice. And now, it seems history repeats itself."
At those words, Ezekeil tensed beside Mekeala, his hand instinctively resting on the hilt of his sword. "You said you were expecting us. Why?"
Agnes studied them in silence, her expression unreadable. Then, with a slow, deliberate motion, she turned away, stepping toward an ancient wooden table covered in aged scrolls and runes etched in silver ink.
"I knew you would come because fate always leads the lost back to their origins," Agnes finally answered. "And because Mekeala has reached the point where ignorance is no longer a shield. She must know the truth."
Mekeala swallowed, her fingers tightening around the pendant that still pulsed faintly at her chest. "The truth about what?"
Agnes turned back to her, eyes piercing in their intensity. "About the bond. About the prophecy. About the forces moving against you."
A heavy silence filled the chamber.
Maya and Jack exchanged uneasy glances, sensing that whatever came next would change everything.
Then, the air shifted.
Not with magic, but with a presence.
A slow, measured voice cut through the quiet.
"Meeting a living legend isn't exactly a daily occurrence."
Mekeala's breath hitched.
Tom.
From the shadows, he stepped forward, his violet eyes gleaming with familiar amusement. As if he belonged there.
The smirk playing on his lips was casual, but there was something sharper behind it—an interest that ran far deeper than mere curiosity.
He offered Agnes a slight bow. "The Caelithar Witch—quite the honor."
Agnes regarded him with calm scrutiny, unmoved by his theatrics. "A wizard who walks between the cracks of fate," she murmured. "And one who doubts the will of destiny."
Ezekeil's expression darkened immediately. He stepped in front of Mekeala like a shield, golden eyes burning. "You again." His voice was edged with pure irritation. "You have a habit of showing up where you're not wanted."
Tom's smirk widened. "I go where I'm needed. And right now, I'm here to offer some… insight."
His gaze flicked toward Agnes. "Tell me, great Caelithar Witch, do you truly believe this bond between them is unbreakable? Or do you simply refuse to acknowledge an alternative?"
Mekeala's stomach twisted.
Agnes' expression remained unreadable, but her voice was absolute.
"No spell in this world is strong enough to break a fate that has already been woven," she declared. "Even the most forbidden magic cannot unravel what was sealed by the blood of two families and the will of the gods themselves."
Tom chuckled, though there was something darker beneath his amusement. "How convenient," he mused. Then, he turned to Mekeala. "You still have a choice, you know. If you want to escape, I could help—"
Ezekeil's blade was half-drawn before Tom could finish.
"Enough," Ezekeil growled. "You don't get to mess with her head."
Tom raised his hands in mock surrender, but his smirk never faded. "Ah, protective, aren't we?" He took a step back, eyes glittering with something unreadable. "Very well. Have it your way. But mark my words—when the time comes, you may regret ignoring my offer."
Mekeala met his gaze, her expression carefully guarded. But deep down, she already knew the answer.
She wasn't meant to run from this.
And she never would.
Tom let out a quiet chuckle before vanishing back into the shadows, his presence lingering like a ghost of doubt.
Agnes exhaled softly before turning to Mekeala. "Come, child. We have much to discuss."
Mekeala hesitated for only a moment before stepping forward. With each step, the weight of destiny settled heavier upon her shoulders.
Ezekeil, Jack, and Maya followed, their expressions wary.
As they disappeared into Agnes' sanctuary, one thought remained in Mekeala's mind.
The past had finally caught up to her.
And now, she had to decide what to do with it.