Episode 20: The Mother Who Lived
673 Words
The words remained on the ancient page.
She is not dead.
The figure beneath the mountain smiled.
After twenty years...
The truth was finally ready to return.
"Wake up, Aurora."
The voice echoed through the hidden chamber.
A woman lay inside a crystal tomb.
Her silver hair flowed around her.
Her face was peaceful.
Untouched by time.
A soft silver glow surrounded her.
The woman everyone believed was dead.
Zara's mother.
The last Silver Moon Queen.
Aurora.
The crystal began cracking.
Slowly.
A small line appeared.
Then another.
Until finally...
The tomb shattered.
Aurora opened her eyes.
And the first thing she said was:
"Zara."
Back in the forest...
Nobody spoke.
The battle was over.
The darkness was gone.
But Zara could feel something.
A pull.
A connection.
Something she had never felt before.
She placed a hand over her heart.
Caden noticed.
"What is it?"
Zara looked at him.
"I don't know."
The bond between them reacted.
Not with fear.
Not with danger.
With recognition.
Like something was calling her.
Selene stepped closer.
"Zara?"
She looked at her sister.
"Do you feel that too?"
Zara nodded.
The Shadow King immediately became serious.
"What do you feel?"
Zara looked toward the mountains.
"Someone."
Silence.
The Shadow King's expression changed.
"No."
Zara frowned.
"What?"
He stared at the mountains.
Like he already knew.
"No one should be able to send a signal from there."
The hunter looked at him.
"Who is there?"
The Shadow King didn't answer.
Because he already knew.
And the truth terrified him.
A voice suddenly whispered through the wind.
Soft.
Familiar.
Female.
"Zara..."
Her entire body froze.
Everyone heard it.
The voice continued.
"My little moon."
The sword in Zara's hand dropped.
Because she knew that voice.
The voice from the message.
The voice from her memories.
Her mother.
Aurora.
Caden grabbed Zara as she nearly stumbled.
"No."
Tears filled her eyes.
"No, that is impossible."
The Shadow King closed his eyes.
Pain crossed his face.
Because he knew.
The secret was finally exposed.
Selene looked at him.
"You knew."
It wasn't a question.
The Shadow King remained silent.
"You knew she was alive."
His silence answered.
Selene's anger returned.
"All these years..."
Her voice shook.
"You let us believe she was dead."
The Shadow King looked at his daughters.
"I thought it was the only way."
Zara stared at him.
"Why?"
Her voice was broken.
"Why did everyone keep choosing what was best for me?"
The words hurt everyone.
Because they were true.
The Shadow King lowered his head.
"Because the night your mother disappeared..."
The air changed.
"The enemy was not the Crimson Reaper."
Everyone listened.
"It was someone closer."
Zara froze.
"Who?"
The Shadow King looked toward the mountains.
"The one who helped us."
A cold feeling spread.
"The one who protected you."
The warriors exchanged confused looks.
Caden stepped forward.
"Who?"
The Shadow King whispered the name.
And everyone froze.
"The First Hunter."
The hunter standing beside them immediately raised his weapon.
"What?"
The Shadow King looked at him.
"You heard me."
The hunter's face changed.
Impossible.
"That cannot be."
The Shadow King shook his head.
"You have been searching for the truth for twenty years."
His eyes darkened.
"But you never asked why you were the only one who survived."
The hunter stepped back.
For the first time...
He looked afraid.
Zara looked between them.
"You mean..."
The Shadow King nodded.
"The person who promised to protect you..."
A pause.
"Was the person who took your mother."
The forest became silent.
The hunter gripped his weapon.
"That is a lie."
But his voice lacked confidence.
Because somewhere deep inside...
He remembered.
A forgotten night.
A scream.
A promise.
And a woman falling.
The mountains suddenly shook.
A powerful silver light appeared in the distance.
Everyone turned.
A figure stood on the peak.
A woman.
Silver hair.
Silver eyes.
The same eyes as Zara.
Aurora.
Alive.
Looking down at them.
And she whispered:
"My daughter."
The world stopped.
After twenty years...
Zara finally saw her mother.
- Writer
