chapter9
991 Words
Chapter 9: The One Who Returned Before Me
The crimson moon shattered.
A deafening c***k exploded through the sanctuary.
Fragments of red light scattered across the chamber like falling stars, illuminating the darkness for a brief, terrifying moment.
And in that moment—
Elara saw it.
Something was climbing out of the abyss beyond the broken seal.
Long black limbs.
Eyes burning like molten gold.
A body made of shadows and ancient hatred.
The creature pulled itself forward slowly, as though it had been imprisoned for centuries.
Waiting.
Watching.
Hungry.
The sight alone made Elara's blood run cold.
"What is that?" she whispered.
Selene's face turned pale.
"A Nightmare."
The answer came immediately.
"The first servants of the Shadow Beyond the Moon."
The creature let out a low growl.
The sound vibrated through stone.
Through air.
Through bone.
Every survival instinct inside Elara screamed.
Run.
Now.
The Nightmare's golden eyes locked onto her.
Not Selene.
Not the sanctuary.
Her.
A horrifying smile spread across its twisted face.
"Found..."
The voice sounded broken.
As though it hadn't spoken in centuries.
"Found... you..."
Elara stumbled backward.
The creature knew her.
Just like the voice.
Just like Selene.
Just like the hidden door.
Everything knew her.
And she still didn't know why.
"Move!"
Selene shoved her aside.
A wave of crimson energy erupted from the silver-haired woman's hand.
The blast struck the Nightmare directly.
The creature crashed into a pillar.
Stone shattered.
Dust exploded into the air.
For a brief moment, Elara thought it was over.
Then the Nightmare stood up.
Completely unharmed.
Selene's expression darkened.
"That's impossible."
The creature laughed.
A horrible sound.
Wet.
Broken.
Wrong.
"The seal weakens..."
Its golden eyes glowed brighter.
"And our king awakens."
The chamber trembled violently.
Cracks spread across the floor.
Ancient symbols along the walls began flashing red.
One by one.
Like warning lights.
Like a countdown.
Selene grabbed Elara's wrist.
"We have to leave."
"What about that thing?"
"We cannot kill it."
That answer terrified Elara more than the creature itself.
Because Selene had seemed powerful.
Ancient.
Knowledgeable.
Yet even she sounded afraid.
They ran.
The sanctuary shook around them.
Stone collapsed from the ceiling.
The Nightmare followed.
Not rushing.
Not attacking.
Simply walking.
As though it already knew escape was impossible.
As though it was enjoying the chase.
The staircase appeared ahead.
Salvation.
Or at least temporary safety.
Elara sprinted toward it.
Then—
The Nightmare spoke again.
"Elara Ravenshade."
She froze.
Only for a second.
But it was enough.
Because the creature said something that shattered her concentration completely.
"You are not the only one who returned."
The world seemed to stop.
"What?"
The Nightmare smiled wider.
"You were not first."
Fear tightened around Elara's chest.
Not first?
What did that mean?
Someone else had returned before her?
Someone else remembered the future?
"Don't listen!" Selene shouted.
But the damage was already done.
Questions flooded Elara's mind.
Who?
When?
How?
And most importantly—
Friend or enemy?
The Nightmare laughed.
"You seek your betrayers."
Another step.
Another smile.
"But one of them already remembers everything."
Elara's heart stopped.
No.
No, that couldn't be true.
Could it?
A violent explosion shook the staircase.
The entire sanctuary began collapsing.
Selene pulled Elara forward.
"Move!"
This time, she obeyed.
Minutes later, they burst through the hidden doorway into the library.
The ancient door slammed shut behind them.
Immediately, the shaking stopped.
The silence felt unnatural.
Heavy.
Wrong.
Elara leaned against a bookshelf, breathing hard.
"What did it mean?"
Selene remained silent.
"What did it mean?" Elara repeated.
The silver-haired woman closed her eyes.
For the first time, she looked exhausted.
"The Nightmare spoke the truth."
Elara felt cold.
Very cold.
"There is another."
The words echoed through the library.
"There is someone else who remembers the original timeline."
Silence followed.
A terrible silence.
Because Elara immediately understood what that meant.
Everything she had done.
Every future event she had changed.
Every secret she had protected.
Someone else had been watching.
Calculating.
Adjusting.
Just like her.
"Who is it?" she demanded.
Selene looked away.
"I don't know."
"You expect me to believe that?"
"I know they exist," Selene replied quietly. "But I cannot see their face."
The answer wasn't comforting.
Not even slightly.
Suddenly—
Footsteps echoed through the library.
Both women turned.
Someone was approaching.
Fast.
Selene's eyes widened.
"No."
Before Elara could ask why, the silver-haired woman began fading.
Like mist.
Like a dream ending.
"What is happening?"
"Our time is running short."
Selene's form grew transparent.
"Wait!"
"There are rules I cannot break."
Elara stepped forward desperately.
"You still haven't explained anything!"
A sad smile appeared on Selene's face.
"No."
She looked directly into Elara's eyes.
"I explained exactly enough."
And then she vanished.
The library door opened.
Prince Lucien entered.
His sword was drawn.
His expression was deadly serious.
The moment he saw Elara standing alone, he stopped.
Relief flickered across his face.
Just for an instant.
Then it disappeared.
"Do you have any idea," he said coldly, "how much trouble you cause?"
Elara stared at him.
Really stared at him.
For the first time since learning another person remembered the timeline.
Could it be him?
No.
Maybe.
She didn't know.
And that uncertainty terrified her.
Lucien frowned.
"Why are you looking at me like that?"
Because she suddenly realized something.
Something she should have noticed much sooner.
In this life...
Lucien had changed too.
Not dramatically.
Not obviously.
But enough.
Enough to raise questions.
Enough to make her wonder.
Enough to make her afraid.
The Nightmare's words echoed in her mind.
"One of them already remembers everything."
Elara forced a smile.
A careful one.
A dangerous one.
"Tell me, Your Highness..."
Lucien's eyes narrowed.
"Tell you what?"
Elara held his gaze.
And asked the question she never thought she would ask.
"Have we had this conversation before?"
For the first time—
The Crown Prince looked genuinely shocked.
End of Chapter 9
- Writer
