Selene's breath was shallow as the warrior remained kneeling before her, his armored form still as stone. His words echoed in her mind—words that felt both foreign and familiar.
"My blade is yours to command, my queen."
A queen.
Selene's hands trembled. This isn't real. It couldn't be. She had spent her life wandering, searching for a past she couldn't remember, and now she was being told she had once ruled a forgotten kingdom? That she had once sworn an oath to reclaim a throne beneath a Second Moon?
She took a slow step back. "No."
The warrior lifted his head, his glowing violet eyes locking onto hers. "You deny your birthright?"
Selene swallowed. "I don't even know who I am."
Orion, who had remained silent until now, spoke firmly. "She is not bound by whatever promises were made in another life."
The warrior's gaze flickered toward him, unreadable beneath the shadow of his helm. "And yet, the pendant still chose her."
Selene instinctively reached for the silver-and-obsidian pendant at her chest. It was still warm, its pulse steady, syncing with the thrumming energy in the chamber. The moment she had touched it, something inside her had responded.
But that didn't mean she was ready to be anyone's queen.
Cassius let out a nervous chuckle, stepping between Selene and the kneeling warrior. "Look, big guy, let's take a step back. Selene is just… figuring things out, okay? We don't do the whole 'kneel before your queen' thing."
The warrior's glowing eyes flickered. "Then she has much to learn."
The chamber trembled once more, the archway behind them humming with residual power. The Rift had carried them here—but to where, exactly?
Selene exhaled, forcing herself to focus. "What is this place?"
The warrior finally stood, towering over them. His voice was as steady as stone. "This is the Sanctuary of the Second Moon—the last remaining stronghold of your kingdom."
A chill ran down Selene's spine.
A kingdom. A sanctuary. And if it was the last remaining, that meant…
Cassius crossed his arms. "I feel like we skipped a few history lessons."
The warrior nodded once. "Come. You must see."
Selene hesitated, but something in her gut told her this was the only way forward.
She followed.
The warrior led them through the ancient corridors of the sanctuary, the air thick with the scent of stone and time itself. The walls were lined with carvings—stories of the past etched into the very foundation.
Selene's fingers brushed over one of the carvings as they walked. A depiction of a woman in a flowing cloak, a crown of silver and obsidian resting on her head.
She felt her stomach tighten.
She had seen this before.
It was her.
Orion's voice was quiet as he studied the carvings. "This kingdom… it was real."
The warrior nodded. "Long ago, beneath the light of the Second Moon, your people thrived. The Order feared your power. They sought to erase your legacy." His tone darkened. "And so they waged war."
Selene stopped walking. "And they won."
The warrior turned to face her. "Only for a time."
Her hands clenched into fists. The Order had been chasing her for as long as she could remember. They had wanted to keep her from the truth.
And now she understood why.
Cassius rubbed the back of his neck. "So let me get this straight—Selene is the heir to some ancient kingdom, the Order wiped it off the map, and we're standing in the last remnant of whatever's left?"
The warrior nodded once.
Cassius sighed. "Yeah. No pressure at all."
Selene wasn't sure whether to laugh or break down entirely.
Instead, she focused on the carving in front of her—the depiction of the crowned woman.
She traced the outline of the pendant in the carving. It was identical to the one she now wore.
Orion spoke again, his voice carefully measured. "If this place still stands… does that mean others survived?"
The warrior was silent for a long moment. Then, quietly, he said, "Not many."
Selene turned to him. "But some?"
The warrior inclined his head. "There are those who remain loyal to the throne. Scattered. Hiding. Waiting."
Selene inhaled sharply. Waiting for me.
Her chest felt tight. She hadn't asked for this. She wasn't ready for this.
But deep down, she knew—this was why the Order had hunted her.
They hadn't been chasing her out of fear of her power alone.
They had been trying to prevent a rebellion.
Cassius let out a low whistle. "So, what, you're saying Selene has a hidden army out there somewhere?"
The warrior's expression remained unreadable. "An army? No. But a kingdom's remnants? Yes."
Selene took a shaky breath.
The weight of everything was crashing down on her at once. The memories, the responsibility, the legacy she had never known she carried.
And worst of all—she had a feeling the Order already knew she was here.
Orion's gaze met hers. "What do we do now?"
Selene's grip on the pendant tightened.
She wasn't sure.
But for the first time in her life, she knew who she was.
And she wasn't going to let the Order take that away again.