Chapter Fourteen__Part:1
Astrid's POV
The sensation of being pulled through space felt all too familiar, like falling through a tunnel of light and energy that swirled around me, disorienting and relentless. My body felt weightless, and the air itself hummed with a strange power that seemed to vibrate deep within my bones. I tried to fight it, to resist the pull, but there was no stopping it. The amulet had made its choice.
And I was powerless against it. The blinding light around me began to fade, and slowly, my senses returned. My feet hit solid ground, and the force of the landing made me stumble, barely managing to catch myself. I blinked several times, trying to adjust to my new surroundings. My heart raced, still reeling from the sudden shift.
Where am I?
I turned, taking in the scene before me. It wasn't the lush, sprawling kingdom of Rathguard. It wasn't the familiar safety of Kaden's chambers. I was standing in what looked like an ancient, crumbling temple. Towering stone columns loomed over me, draped in vines and moss, the air thick with the scent of damp earth. The walls were etched with strange markings, symbols that seemed to pulse with a faint, magical glow.
This place—it felt alive.
The amulet still buzzed faintly in my hand, its glow now dimmer, as if it had exhausted its energy transporting me here. I raised it to eye level, staring at it with a mixture of frustration and fear.
"What do you want from me?" I whispered, my voice echoing in the vast space. "Why here? Why now?"
As if in response, the ground beneath me rumbled softly, a distant tremor that sent a chill up my spine. Something was here. Something was waking up.
Suddenly, I heard the sound of footsteps behind me—heavy and deliberate. I spun around, my pulse quickening, instinctively stepping back as a figure emerged from the shadows.
He was tall, cloaked in dark, tattered robes that flowed with every movement, his face obscured by the hood that covered his head. But it wasn't his appearance that unsettled me. It was the aura of power that radiated from him, an oppressive force that made the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end.
"Welcome," his voice was low, almost a growl, each word laced with menace. "I've been waiting for you. I was hoping it would bring you here."
I took another step back, gripping the amulet tighter in my hand. "Who are you?" I demanded, trying to keep the tremor out of my voice. "And what do you want?"
The figure tilted his head slightly as if amused by my question. "Who I am is of little importance," he said, taking a slow step toward me. "But what I want... is everything."
My stomach twisted with unease. "I don't know what you're talking about."
He chuckled darkly, the sound echoing through the temple. "Oh, you will, in time. You bear the amulet of Rathguard, don't you? The one tied to the prophecy."
I didn't respond, but my silence seemed to confirm his suspicions. His smile widened beneath the hood, though I still couldn't see his face clearly.
"Such power in the hands of one who doesn't even understand it," he said, his voice dripping with condescension. "It's almost tragic."
I clenched my jaw, trying to suppress the fear that threatened to bubble up inside me. "What do you want with the amulet?"
He took another step forward, his presence looming over me like a shadow. "The amulet is only part of it," he said, his voice softening to a whisper. "It's you who will decide everything. Your choices, your actions. You are the key to what's coming."
The weight of his words settled heavily on my shoulders. I had always felt like there was something bigger at play, something I didn't fully understand. But hearing it spoken aloud by this stranger only made it more real.
"And what if I don't want any part of this?" I asked, my voice stronger than I felt.
His smile disappeared, replaced by a chilling intensity. "It's not about what you want, Astrid Valenwood. It's about what must be. The amulet chose you for a reason, and the power within it is waking. There's no running from what's coming."
The ground rumbled again, and this time, it felt closer. I glanced around, panic beginning to creep into my chest. I needed to get out of here. I needed to get back to Kaden.
But before I could move, the figure raised a hand, and the air around me seemed to thicken, pressing in on me like invisible chains. I gasped, struggling to move, but my body wouldn't respond.
"Don't fight it," he murmured. "Soon, you'll understand. Soon, you'll see that this is your destiny."
The pressure built, and I could feel my strength waning, the edges of my vision beginning to blur. I tried to scream, to call for help, but my voice was gone. The figure stepped closer, his presence suffocating as if he were drawing the very air from my lungs.
Just when I thought I couldn't hold on any longer, the amulet in my hand flared to life. A brilliant, blinding light exploded from it, cutting through the darkness and pushing the figure back with a force so strong that it knocked him off his feet.
The invisible chains around me shattered, and I collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath. The light from the amulet pulsed wildly, filling the temple with its glow as if it were alive, protecting me.
The figure hissed, retreating into the shadows, his voice echoing in the air as he vanished. "This isn't over, Astrid. You can't escape what's coming."
As the light from the amulet slowly faded, I remained on the ground, trembling, the weight of what had just happened sinking in. I didn't know who that man was or what he wanted, but one thing was clear.
I was no longer just an outsider in this world. The prophecy was unfolding, and I was right at the center of it.
Another figure emerged from the shadows, limping toward me. His clothes were torn and bloodied, and he winced with every step. "It's true," he rasped, his voice filled with disbelief. "They told me this day would come, but I never thought I'd live to see it."
I took a cautious step back, my heart racing. "And who are you?!"
He raised a trembling hand in a gesture of peace, his face battered with a swollen eye and a bloody nose. "I am the monk who watches over these ruins. Listen carefully. There's no time. Before he returns to finish what he started, you must take the amulet. Focus on where you want to go, and it will take you there."
I hesitated, my gaze softening as I took in his injuries. Despite his pain, there was urgency in his eyes. "Come with me," I said, reaching out my hand. He hesitated only for a moment before clasping my hand in his.
Suddenly, the man from before, his voice a vicious snarl, rushed forward. "I'm taking what's rightfully mine!" he bellowed, his body shifting in an instant, transforming into a massive wolf, jaws snapping as he charged toward us.
"Quickly!" the monk shouted, gripping my arm tightly.
Without thinking, I squeezed the amulet and focused on where I wanted to be. I pictured the palace and the open fields outside its walls and willed the amulet to take us there. A familiar surge of energy shot through me, and the world blurred around us.
In a flash, we were standing in the open fields near the palace. I gasped, my chest heaving as I took in the sudden shift in surroundings. The monk stumbled beside me, collapsing to his knees as he retched.
"What the hell is happening?!" I cried, the disbelief crashing down on me. The amulet hummed in my hand, glowing faintly as if it had a life of its own.
"This is insane," I whispered to myself, staring at the pulsating light of the amulet, its power still buzzing in my palm. My mind spun as I tried to process the whirlwind of events that had just unfolded.
I walk over to the monk and rub his back as he pukes his guts out. My stomach was in shambles my first time, too. I was just too focused on trying to figure out where I was. "Come on, let's get to the palace and get you some help."
He nods and takes my helping hand. As we make our way across the sprawling field, shouting voices and hurried footsteps fill the air. The palace guards are on high alert, their figures moving swiftly in the distance. The monk stumbled beside me, leaning heavily on my arm as he tried to steady himself.
I could hear the frantic shouts growing closer, and through the chaos, a familiar voice called out. My heart leaped as I recognized it.
"Kaden!" I screamed, my voice hoarse with relief. "Kaden!"
His name tore from my lips like a desperate plea, cutting through the noise. I saw him then, standing amidst a group of soldiers, his eyes scanning the grounds, tension radiating from him. The moment his gaze landed on me, the worry etched deep in his features turned into something sharper...fear, panic. He broke into a run, closing the distance between us with terrifying speed.
Author Note
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