Chapter 18 - The March to the Sunken Shore
The united forces of Aurelion—led by King Aldric, Queen Helena, Captain Vane, and both princesses—marched eastward toward the jagged cliffs overlooking the churning, emerald-green sea. The sky above was choked with dark, roiling clouds that crackled with uncanny energy.
At the edge of the towering cliffside stood the ruins of the First Temple, a structure half-submerged in the crashing waves, where the legendary Crown of Aurelion had been crafted centuries ago.
"The altar is down there," Selene said, pointing toward a stone platform lashed by violent tides. "The seal can only be renewed if the true heir channels the full light of the Astraea directly into the abyss."
"And you?" Elara asked, looking down at her sister. "What is your part in this?"
"My atonement," Selene replied softly, drawing a small, ceremonial dagger from her belt.
May you like
"No, Selene," Elara caught her wrist with a firm grip. "Atone by living. Help us rebuild what was broken."
Before Selene could answer, the ocean surface exploded outward. A colossal shape—a serpent of dark scales and bioluminescent green fire—rose from the depths, letting out a roar that shook the very foundation of the earth, threatening to swallow the cliffside whole.
