Chapter Four: The Man In Black
952 Words
The roar beneath the palace shook the chamber.
Stone cracked beneath their feet.
The guards stumbled backward as black smoke poured from the walls.
Lyra couldn't move.
She knew that man.
He had stood outside her childhood home.
He had watched her for years.
And now he was standing inside the royal palace as if he belonged there.
Kael raised his sword.
“Who are you?”
The man smiled.
“Still asking questions, Prince Kael?”
Kael's expression hardened.
“You should have died seventeen years ago.”
“So should your father.”
The words silenced the room.
Kael's grip tightened around his sword.
“What did you say?”
The man's smile disappeared.
“Your father knew the truth about the Moonborn. That is why he had to die.”
Lyra stared at him.
“You killed my family.”
The man looked at her.
“No.”
He stepped forward.
“I simply made sure the right people survived.”
A flash of silver crossed the chamber.
Kael attacked.
The man's hand rose.
A wall of black magic appeared between them.
Kael was thrown backward.
“Kael!”
Lyra ran toward him.
He caught himself against the wall.
“Stay back!”
The man laughed.
“Protective already.”
Lyra looked at him.
“What do you want from me?”
“Your blood.”
Her stomach turned.
“Why?”
“Because your blood is the key.”
“To what?”
The man's eyes moved toward the silver throne.
“To the prison beneath this palace.”
The floor shook again.
The spirit of Queen Seraphine appeared beside Lyra.
“Do not listen to him.”
The man looked toward the spirit.
“Still protecting her, Seraphine?”
“You cannot have her.”
“I don't need to have her.”
He raised his hand.
“I only need her to awaken the darkness.”
The silver throne began to crack.
Lyra stepped backward.
“What darkness?”
Seraphine looked at her.
“The first magic.”
The chamber fell silent.
“The magic that existed before kingdoms,” Seraphine continued. “Before kings. Before the Moonborn.”
Lyra's heart raced.
“And it is beneath this palace?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because your ancestors imprisoned it.”
The man laughed.
“And your ancestors made one mistake.”
He looked at Lyra.
“They believed the prison could never be opened.”
His fingers curled.
Black magic rushed toward Lyra.
Kael moved faster.
He stepped in front of her.
The spell struck him.
He cried out and fell to his knees.
“Kael!”
Lyra dropped beside him.
His eyes were closed.
A dark mark spread across his chest.
“No.”
She placed her hand against him.
Her silver mark suddenly blazed.
Light exploded from her palm.
The darkness disappeared from Kael's body.
He opened his eyes.
Lyra stared at her hand.
“What did I just do?”
Kael looked at her.
“You saved me.”
The man in black stared at them.
For the first time, fear crossed his face.
“No.”
Lyra stood.
“What?”
“You weren't supposed to be able to do that.”
The silver light around Lyra grew stronger.
She could feel something moving inside her.
Not anger.
Not fear.
Power.
Ancient power.
The palace windows shattered.
The moon appeared above them.
But it was no longer red.
It had turned completely silver.
Every magical crystal in the kingdom ignited at once.
Across Elarion, people looked toward the sky.
And the same words appeared in their minds.
The Moonborn has awakened.
The man in black stepped backward.
“This changes nothing.”
Kael rose beside Lyra.
His sword began glowing with silver light.
“Leave.”
The man smiled.
“You still don't understand, Prince.”
He looked at Lyra.
“She isn't the one you should fear.”
Lyra's blood ran cold.
“Then who?”
The man looked toward the floor.
“The thing waking beneath you.”
A violent crack split the chamber.
The silver throne shattered.
Something moved beneath the stone.
Then a gigantic black eye opened beneath the palace.
Lyra screamed.
The spirit of Queen Seraphine began to fade.
“Lyra!”
Lyra looked at her.
“Grandmother!”
“You must leave.”
“I'm not leaving you!”
“You cannot save me.”
Seraphine's voice weakened.
“But you can save them.”
“Who?”
“Everyone.”
Her spirit disappeared.
Lyra stood frozen.
Kael grabbed her hand.
“We have to go.”
Lyra looked at him.
“What about the darkness?”
Kael looked toward the cracked floor.
“We'll deal with it.”
“You don't even know what it is.”
“No.”
He tightened his grip around her hand.
“But I know I'm not letting you face it alone.”
For a moment, Lyra forgot the trembling palace.
Forgot the guards.
Forgot the monster beneath them.
She only looked at him.
Something passed between them.
Something neither of them understood.
Then the palace bell rang.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
A royal messenger came running into the chamber.
“Your Highness!”
Kael turned.
“What?”
The messenger was breathless.
“The northern kingdom has declared war.”
Kael's expression changed.
“Why?”
The messenger looked at Lyra.
“Because they saw the moon.”
He swallowed.
“And they believe the Last Moonborn has returned to destroy the world.”
Lyra stared toward the broken throne.
The war had begun.
And she had not even discovered the truth about herself yet.
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