The Magic of Arkonia

The grand chamber of the Queen was bathed in a cold, ethereal glow. The air was heavy, not just with the scent of burning incense but with the weight of untold truths. This was where it all began—the moment when fate was decided for the three heirs.

The Queen's Revelation

Vaelen, Raviel, and Liora had stood before the Queen on that fateful day, their expressions unreadable yet brimming with expectation. The Queen, adorned in her flowing robes of silver and deep emerald, regarded them with an intensity that seemed to pierce into their very souls.

"You are not mere warriors. You are the pillars upon which the balance of this world rests," she had said, her voice an unsettling mix of authority and sorrow.

Then, with a wave of her hand, an ancient script illuminated in midair—golden letters swirling, forming words that sent a chill down their spines.

"The eagle will rise, but the serpent will fall. The tiger will fight, and the wolf will howl for justice. Only when the moon shines with the blood of stars will the path be clear."

Silence followed, thick and suffocating. None of them could decipher the full meaning, but one thing was certain—one of them was doomed.

"A prophecy unfulfilled is a storm waiting to break," the Queen had whispered, her gaze flickering toward Raviel for the briefest moment. He had noticed. They all had.

In the Present – The Hidden Moments

Days had passed since their return to the city. Whispers of the prophecy spread like wildfire, weaving doubt into the hearts of many. Yet, beneath the weight of destiny, some moments still belonged to them alone.

Revyn and Veyra.

Their connection had been undeniable from the start, even if unseen by others. Beneath the shadows of the moonlit corridors, in stolen moments when the world looked elsewhere, they had found solace in each other.

"You're reckless," Revyn murmured one night, brushing a strand of hair from Veyra's face as they stood by the quiet riverbanks, far from prying eyes.

"And you're a fool," she teased, smirking as she traced invisible patterns against the cool leather of his gloves.

"Then we're even," he whispered, his breath warm against her skin.

She had always known him—not just as the serpent heir, but as the boy who had once guided her toward the Queen, the silent shadow who had watched from afar. And yet, there was a wall between them, built of secrets neither dared to break.

Vaelen's Struggle

Vaelen watched from a distance, his chest tightening in ways he refused to acknowledge. He had always been near Veyra, always fighting to stay by her side. But lately, she had been slipping further away, her gaze lost in thoughts she would not share.

"You seem distracted," he commented one afternoon as they sparred.

"You're imagining things," she deflected, striking harder than necessary.

"Am I?" he challenged, blocking her effortlessly.

But she didn't answer.

Vaelen wasn't blind. He saw the way Revyn looked at her, the way Veyra lingered when she thought no one noticed. And yet, he couldn't step back. He wouldn't.

The Shadows Move

Beyond their personal struggles, the city itself was shifting. The prophecy had been spoken, and now, it had begun unraveling the very foundation of their world. The Queen's words were no longer a warning—they were a promise.

And soon, the serpent's fate would come to claim him.