Chronicles of the Forsaken

The cavern was thick with the scent of damp earth and burning torches, the air heavy with the weight of impending violence. Seraphina's pulse thundered in her ears as she squared her shoulders, her grip tightening around the dagger hidden beneath the folds of her cloak. The flickering flames cast jagged shadows against the walls, making Aldric's face seem even more severe, his eyes cold pools of silver as he assessed her with quiet calculation.

Caius stood still beside her, his posture unreadable. He had said nothing since Aldric's arrival, merely watching, waiting. Was he testing her? Measuring her worth in the face of an enemy who knew her every weakness? Or was he merely biding his time, ensuring he backed the right side in this war of shadows?

Aldric exhaled slowly, the sound eerily calm in the tension-thickened air. "You've always been reckless, Seraphina, but this?" His voice was edged with quiet disappointment. "This is beyond foolish."

Seraphina's lips curled into a smirk, though every muscle in her body was coiled, ready to strike. "Spare me the lecture, Aldric. We both know you didn't come here to talk."

Her brother's expression darkened, the flickering torchlight revealing the sharp planes of his face. "I came here to stop you."

With a swift, fluid motion, Aldric unsheathed his sword, the steel glinting under the dim cavern light. Before Seraphina could react, he lunged.

She barely dodged in time, twisting to the side as his blade carved through empty air. The force of his attack sent a shockwave through the stone floor beneath her, dust rising in its wake. He was faster than she remembered—stronger, too. The years of training, of perfecting the art of war as their father's chosen heir, had only honed his already lethal skill.

Seraphina didn't hesitate. She reached for her own blade, drawing it in one smooth motion, the weight of it grounding her. The moment his next attack came, she met him head-on, steel clashing against steel in a burst of sparks. Their blades locked, their faces mere inches apart. She could see the fire in his gaze, the mixture of resentment and something else—something colder.

"You were given everything," Aldric hissed, pushing her back with brute force. "And still, you chose to betray us."

Seraphina dug her heels into the stone floor, using his momentum against him as she twisted sharply, aiming for his side. But he was faster. With a quick flick of his wrist, he deflected her strike, then drove his elbow into her ribs. The impact stole her breath, sending a sharp burst of pain through her chest, but she refused to fall.

Staggering back, she took a steadying breath. "Betrayal?" she spat, eyes gleaming with defiance. "I was never one of you."

Aldric's lips curled in distaste. "And whose fault was that?"

For a brief moment, she hesitated. That hesitation cost her.

With a ruthless efficiency only a trained warrior could possess, Aldric moved. He feinted left, then swept low, kicking her feet out from beneath her. She hit the ground hard, her dagger skidding across the stone.

Before she could recover, Aldric was looming over her, the tip of his sword pressing against her throat. His breathing was steady, his hand unwavering. There was no hesitation in his movements, no flicker of uncertainty in his gaze.

"This ends now," he said, his voice void of emotion.

Seraphina's mind raced. She could see it—the slight tremble in his grip, the flicker of hesitation he tried so hard to mask. He didn't want to kill her. Not yet.

That was his weakness.

And she would use it.

A flicker of movement in her peripheral vision caught her attention—Caius. He still hadn't intervened. Was he truly leaving her to face this alone? Or was he waiting to see if she was worth saving?

A bitter smile curled on Seraphina's lips. If she was going to die, she wouldn't die begging.

She met Aldric's eyes and whispered, "Do it."

For a moment, everything was still. Then—

A deafening explosion rocked the cavern.

The ground trembled violently as dust and debris rained from above. The torches flickered and sputtered, struggling against the sudden gust of hot air that surged through the space. Cracks splintered across the stone walls, deepening with each passing second.

Aldric's grip faltered, his gaze snapping upward in alarm.

Seraphina seized her chance. With a sharp twist, she kicked him backward, rolling away just as a massive chunk of stone collapsed where she had been lying. She scrambled to her feet, ignoring the pain coursing through her body, and snatched her dagger from the ground.

Around her, chaos erupted. The cavern was collapsing, the weight of the mountain above them threatening to bury them alive. The shouts of guards filled the space, their orders lost beneath the roar of crumbling stone.

Caius was already moving. He grabbed Seraphina's wrist, pulling her toward the nearest escape tunnel. "Move, unless you want to die here."

She hesitated, glancing back. Aldric was still standing amidst the destruction, his sword clenched tightly in his grip. His silver eyes locked onto hers, something unreadable flickering across his face.

For a brief, fleeting moment, she saw the brother she had once known.

Then, the cavern gave way entirely.

Seraphina had no choice but to run.

Seraphina ran, her lungs burning with each desperate breath she took. The cavern walls trembled violently, sending debris cascading down like a hailstorm of stone and dust. Caius pulled her forward, his grip like iron around her wrist, forcing her to keep moving even as exhaustion clawed at her limbs. Behind them, the sounds of shouts and falling rock echoed, a reminder that they were only seconds away from being buried alive.

A deep, shuddering crack split the ceiling above, and Seraphina barely had time to duck as a massive slab of rock crashed down, missing her by inches. The impact sent a tremor through the ground, throwing her off balance. She stumbled, her foot slipping on loose rubble, but before she could hit the ground, Caius yanked her upright without breaking stride.

"Faster, Seraphina!" His voice was sharp, urgent, but she could hear the strain in it too. He was just as desperate as she was.

Her mind reeled with everything that had just transpired. Aldric had nearly killed her. The brother she had once trusted, the golden son of the kingdom, had been ready to strike her down without hesitation. But the way he had hesitated at the last moment—it lingered in her mind like a poison. Was there still a part of him that couldn't do it? Or was she merely fooling herself?

A violent tremor shook the ground beneath them, nearly knocking them off their feet. A sharp gust of air rushed through the tunnel as another section of the cavern collapsed behind them, sealing off the entrance with an earth-shattering roar. There was no turning back now.

Caius glanced over his shoulder, his dark eyes gleaming with determination. "There's an opening ahead! Move!"

Seraphina gritted her teeth and pushed forward, her legs screaming in protest. The air grew colder as they neared the exit, the scent of damp earth giving way to the crisp bite of the outside world. Just as they reached the tunnel's mouth, another explosion sounded behind them, sending a wave of dust and debris outward.

Seraphina dove forward, throwing herself through the opening just as the cavern fully caved in. The impact sent her tumbling down a slope of damp grass and loose dirt, her body rolling until she hit solid ground with a sharp gasp.

For a long moment, she lay there, staring up at the night sky. The storm clouds churned above, dark and foreboding, the wind carrying the scent of rain and something else—something metallic. Blood.

Caius was beside her in an instant, breathing heavily but otherwise unscathed. He wiped a streak of dust from his face, his sharp eyes scanning the area. "We need to keep moving."

Seraphina pushed herself up, wincing at the sharp pain in her ribs. Her entire body ached, but there was no time for weakness. The kingdom's guards would come searching for her. Aldric would come searching for her. And she couldn't afford to be found.

She turned to Caius, her voice low but firm. "Where do we go?"

He hesitated, his expression unreadable. Then, with a quiet sigh, he said, "There's a place… far beyond the capital. A sanctuary of sorts. But getting there won't be easy."

Seraphina met his gaze, searching for any sign of deceit. She still wasn't sure if she could trust him—not fully. But right now, he was her only chance at survival.

With one last glance at the ruined cavern behind them, she nodded. "Then let's go."

As they disappeared into the darkened forest, the echoes of the past still lingered in Seraphina's mind. This was only the beginning. The kingdom wouldn't stop hunting her. Aldric wouldn't stop hunting her.

But if they thought she would run forever, they were wrong. One day, she would return. And when she did, she would bring the kingdom to its knees.