Episode 6: Blood Ties
1223 Words
Rain poured relentlessly over the valley as the army advanced.
Thunder rolled across the dark sky, drowning out the sound of galloping horses. Hundreds of soldiers clad in black armor stopped at the edge of the crystal lake, forming a perfect line behind their commander.
At the front rode a woman draped in a crimson cloak. Her silver hair flowed in the wind, and a long spear crackling with violet lightning rested in her hand.
Her crimson eyes never left Kael.
“So,” she said, her voice calm but cold, “the kingdom’s greatest traitor still breathes.”
Kael lowered his sword slightly.
“…Selene.”
Aurelia glanced between them.
“You really are siblings.”
The woman nodded.
“My name is Selene Ravenshade, Commander of the Royal Vanguard.”
She raised her spear toward Aurelia.
“And you’ve chosen to protect the false princess.”
Kael stepped in front of Aurelia.
“She’s the rightful heir.”
A bitter smile crossed Selene’s face.
“Still chasing fairy tales?”
⸻
Master Rowan quietly moved closer to Aurelia.
“Stay behind us.”
“But—”
“This isn’t a fight between strangers.”
“It’s a family tearing itself apart.”
⸻
For a long moment, no one moved.
The rain continued to fall.
Kael finally spoke.
“You know Malachar murdered the king.”
Selene’s grip tightened around her spear.
“I know what I saw.”
“You stood in the council chamber surrounded by dead nobles.”
“I saw you holding your sword.”
“I heard your confession.”
Kael closed his eyes.
“It wasn’t a confession.”
“I took the blame.”
Aurelia stared at him.
“You… what?”
Kael remained silent.
Selene laughed bitterly.
“Even now you’re lying.”
“You’ve always been good at sacrificing yourself.”
“But this time…”
“No one is coming to save you.”
⸻
Without warning, Selene leapt from her horse.
Lightning exploded beneath her feet.
She struck with terrifying speed.
Clang!
Kael barely blocked the first attack.
The impact shattered the rocks beneath him.
Aurelia had never seen anyone move so fast.
Selene attacked again.
And again.
Each strike carried enough force to split stone.
Kael refused to fight back.
He only defended.
“You won’t even draw your true stance?”
Selene shouted.
“I won’t fight you.”
“You already are!”
Her spear slashed across his shoulder, drawing blood.
Aurelia gasped.
“Kael!”
He didn’t move.
He simply lowered his sword.
“I won’t hurt my sister.”
⸻
Rowan’s eyes widened.
“Foolish boy…”
Selene’s expression trembled for only a second.
Then anger replaced it.
She thrust her spear directly toward Kael’s heart.
Aurelia acted without thinking.
She ran between them.
“Stop!”
A burst of golden light erupted from the Heart Crystal marks on her wrist.
Time itself seemed to slow.
Selene’s spear stopped only inches from Aurelia’s chest.
The golden light spread across the battlefield like warm sunlight after a storm.
Every soldier froze.
Even the horses became calm.
For a brief moment…
No one could feel hatred.
Only peace.
⸻
Selene quickly pulled back.
“What magic is this?”
Rowan whispered in amazement.
“The Heart Crystals…”
“They’re responding to her emotions.”
Aurelia looked at both siblings.
“You don’t want to kill each other.”
Selene laughed coldly.
“You know nothing.”
“Then tell me!”
Silence followed.
Finally…
Selene looked away.
“You think I enjoy this?”
“When Father died…”
“When Mother disappeared…”
“Kael abandoned me.”
Kael’s face fell.
“I searched for you.”
“No.”
“You ran.”
“You left me alone.”
⸻
Aurelia realized there was more to the story than either sibling was willing to admit.
Before anyone could speak again, one of the soldiers rode toward Selene.
“Commander!”
He handed her a sealed letter bearing King Malachar’s black phoenix crest.
Selene opened it.
Her expression immediately changed.
She looked at Aurelia.
Then at Kael.
Without another word, she burned the letter.
“The king has changed his orders.”
“The princess is to be captured alive.”
Kael tightened his grip on his sword.
“And if you fail?”
Selene smiled sadly.
“My entire division will be executed.”
The battlefield fell silent.
Even Aurelia could hear her own heartbeat.
Malachar wasn’t simply controlling the kingdom.
He was controlling everyone through fear.
⸻
Rowan leaned toward Aurelia.
“Now you understand.”
“This is why rebellion is so difficult.”
“Many of the king’s soldiers aren’t evil.”
“They’re trapped.”
⸻
Selene raised her spear again.
“I don’t have a choice.”
Kael finally drew a deep breath.
“You always have a choice.”
“No…”
She whispered.
“I lost that choice three years ago.”
Lightning exploded around her.
The soldiers charged.
⸻
Kael turned toward Aurelia.
“Take Rowan and leave.”
“What about you?”
“I’ll hold them off.”
“You’ll die!”
He smiled faintly.
“Not today.”
Aurelia shook her head.
“I’m not leaving you.”
Before Kael could answer, Rowan suddenly slammed his staff into the ground.
Ancient runes spread across the battlefield.
The earth trembled.
From beneath the lake rose towering walls of crystal water, separating the soldiers from Aurelia and the others.
“The shrine’s final blessing,” Rowan said.
“It won’t last long.”
“Run!”
The three disappeared into the mountains as the wall shimmered behind them.
Selene stood motionless, watching them vanish.
One of her captains approached cautiously.
“Commander… shall we pursue them?”
She lowered her spear.
“No.”
“They’ve already escaped.”
The captain frowned.
“But—”
“That’s an order.”
As her soldiers turned away, Selene secretly looked toward the mountains.
“So you’re alive…”
“…Princess Aurelia.”
“For all our sakes…”
“I hope you truly are the rightful queen.”
⸻
Hours later, Aurelia, Kael, and Rowan stopped in a hidden cave within the Ember Peaks.
The rain had finally ended.
Rowan lit a small fire.
Kael sat quietly, treating the wound on his shoulder.
Aurelia walked over carrying a strip of clean cloth.
“Let me help.”
“It’s just a scratch.”
She ignored him and carefully wrapped the wound.
“You should stop pretending nothing hurts.”
Kael looked at her.
For the first time in years, someone had spoken to him with kindness instead of suspicion.
“You know…”
he said softly,
“You’re very stubborn.”
Aurelia smiled.
“So I’ve been told.”
For a moment, the weight of the kingdom disappeared.
They laughed.
It was small.
Brief.
But real.
Outside the cave, hidden in the darkness, two glowing golden eyes watched them from the cliffs above.
A deep voice echoed through the night.
“The Heir has awakened two Hearts…”
“She is progressing faster than expected.”
A massive wing unfolded against the moonlight.
“The time has come…”
“…to test her strength.”
- Writer
