The weight of Orion's words hung heavy in the Hollow Archive.
The Moonlit Citadel.
The name sent a shiver through Selene's very core, as if the syllables themselves carried a power she had long forgotten. But deep inside, buried beneath the fractured memories, she knew one thing: She had been there before.
Cassius was the first to break the silence. He scoffed, folding his arms. "Right. Because breaking into the most well-guarded fortress of the Order sounds like a solid plan."
Orion didn't blink. "It's the only plan."
Cassius' jaw tightened, his sharp green eyes filled with barely concealed frustration. "In case you forgot, we're not exactly on friendly terms with the Order. They already tried to erase Selene once. What do you think they'll do if we just walk into their stronghold?"
Selene barely heard them. Her mind was already racing, trying to piece together the fragments of memory that had surfaced since she stepped through the Rift.
The Citadel was more than just a place.
It was a key.
She looked up, her voice firm despite the uncertainty swirling inside her. "I have to go."
Cassius turned to her. "Selene—"
"I have to," she repeated. "I don't care how dangerous it is. I need answers. I need to know why they took my memories, why they—" She exhaled sharply. "Why they tried to erase me from time itself."
Cassius hesitated, his lips pressing into a thin line. He glanced at Orion, then back at her. A long pause stretched between them before he finally sighed.
"Fine," he muttered. "But don't expect me to like it."
Selene gave him a small, grateful smile before turning to Orion. "How do we get in?"
Orion's expression darkened slightly. "There's only one way inside."
Cassius raised a brow. "Let me guess—suicidal infiltration?"
"Not quite." Orion walked toward the archive shelves, pulling a dusty book from the highest row. He flipped through its brittle pages before stopping on a faded map.
"The Citadel is protected by multiple layers of enchantments. No one unauthorized can step inside without triggering the wardings." His finger traced the map until it landed on a small, hidden passage at the base of the fortress. "But there's a weakness."
Cassius leaned in. "You mean a death trap."
Orion ignored him. "There's a hidden path that runs beneath the eastern wall. It was once used by members of the Order who wanted to enter unnoticed. It's old, unstable, and partially collapsed—but if we can make it through, we'll be inside before anyone realizes it."
Selene studied the map, her heart beating faster. "And once we're inside?"
Orion's gaze met hers. "We find the Hall of Echoes."
Selene's breath hitched. The name sent a strange pulse through her mind—like a whisper from a dream she had long forgotten.
Cassius rubbed his temples. "You do realize this entire plan hinges on us sneaking through an Order stronghold filled with people who probably want us dead, right?"
Orion's expression remained unreadable. "Then we better not get caught."
Cassius muttered something under his breath, but he didn't argue further.
Selene clenched her fists. This was it. The next step toward unlocking the truth.
And she wasn't going to back down.
They set out before dawn, moving under the cover of lingering shadows.
The Hollow Archive faded behind them as they navigated the winding paths through the outskirts of the city. Selene could feel the weight of unseen eyes, the presence of the Order lurking just beyond the edges of her awareness.
The road to the Moonlit Citadel was treacherous—not just in its physical form, but in what it represented.
Each step brought them closer to a past Selene wasn't sure she was ready to face.
Cassius kept pace beside her, his usual sharp demeanor laced with something softer. "You okay?"
She hesitated before nodding. "I don't know."
Cassius smirked slightly. "Honest. I like that."
Despite everything, she let out a small chuckle. But the moment of levity was short-lived.
Orion, who had been leading the way, suddenly stopped. His entire posture tensed.
Selene felt it too. A shift in the air—subtle, yet undeniable.
A warning.
"Something's wrong," Orion murmured.
Cassius drew his dagger. "Great. And here I was hoping for a quiet walk."
Selene's pulse quickened. She turned toward the trees lining the path—only to see shadows move where there should have been none.
And then—
A blur of motion.
A blade whistled through the air. Selene barely had time to react before Orion deflected it with a swift movement. Sparks flew as steel met steel.
Cassius lunged forward, slashing at their attacker, but the figure moved with inhuman speed, dodging effortlessly.
Selene's breath caught. The Order had found them.
More figures emerged from the shadows, their faces hidden beneath dark hoods embroidered with silver sigils. Their movements were precise, their weapons glowing with enchanted energy.
Orion's stance shifted. "We don't have time for this."
Cassius cursed. "Then make time!"
The first attacker lunged at Orion, twin blades aimed for his chest. Orion dodged, his counterstrike fast and ruthless. Cassius engaged another, his dagger dancing in the dim light as he met each strike with deadly precision.
Selene's instincts screamed at her to move.
A figure rushed toward her. She barely managed to sidestep the attack, her body moving before her mind could catch up. The hooded assailant spun, aiming for her again—
And then something strange happened.
As the attacker's blade neared, a pulse of silver light erupted from Selene's hands.
The force sent the enemy flying backward, slamming them into a tree with unnatural force.
Selene gasped, staring at her hands. What was that?
Orion's gaze flickered toward her, sharp with recognition—but now wasn't the time for questions.
More enemies swarmed.
"Run!" Orion commanded.
Cassius shoved another attacker back. "About time!"
They didn't need to be told twice.
Selene turned, sprinting toward the narrow canyon that would lead them to the Citadel's hidden passage. The sounds of clashing steel and crackling energy filled the air behind them.
Their enemies gave chase.
Orion was ahead, leading them through the winding path. The walls of the canyon loomed higher, the shadows growing deeper.
The entrance to the passage was close—but so were their pursuers.
Selene's heart pounded as she ran. She had so many questions, but at this moment, there was only one goal:
Survive.