THE GATE OF T

med like midnight

in braziers along the battlements-cold flames, not warm, as if heat had abandoned t

stood at

at her

at her

the villagers behin

broken circlet-pulled at one another, humming t

red to herself,

ds at th

gates

of rus

le of

h

s began

their

h

er-King ex

omed

as no

an invi

er tip reflecting the first hin

lk," s

n like a command f

beneath his ribs. His paws left prints that steamed against fro

nough that Jackline

no turni

e nodde

never

d through

the St

ds. No wraiths. No arrows. Only torches burning pale-blue al

whis

s it s

d tightened

uards this plac

something. Jackline felt it too-a pulse beneath the

voice

watc

rough

ugh

gh sh

the ai

and staircase leading to the inner doors. Her

ighting her path like a coronati

massive doors carve

wo

cr

oken

ed-breathi

as remade into a cr

came rough

.. that

-eyes steady, voice so

ace it alone

he opened them, silver bur

r hand on Jackl

. Until after th

-not to a queen, but

s dagger in tre

aised the

ors sh

like blinding

he hall like a scream

resisted-but the key

stepped

pe

rs burs

ll of M

rd into darkness, the floor of polished black stone r

end sat t

and terrible like moonl

bound by shimmering

ned when Jac

ho

lo

iv

an

ld itself had touched her. A faint glow flickered

e," she

. A plea.

ckline co

ows

rom behind the throne like

a

a

ck metal resting li

de it,"

leveled h

here to

smi

You came

d his eyes-cold, i

d, but controlled rage

aze swept to

," he murmured. "Still

orward-not cont

d, human-strong

no b

's heart

nhaled

nearly

lifted

show

sed hi

ne room

fire ignited along pillars like veins of silver flam

lifted

bared-not cu

moved beside he

d, terrified but

d before them like a s

ir," he s

hat you thin

l war for th

re and

room brea

c like a coiled storm held by the will of one man. The Sorcerer-King didn't

tepped for

- not in front of her

ades gleam

teadied

Jackline's cloak -

lowing chains, voice cra

rom Arion's blood. If you br

g didn'

d one pa

ire er

, bracing as heatless fire smashed against her - a force powerful enough to crack stone be

agic like steel on flint. The impact threw him backward - Jackline

his head slightl

er together than

stepping int

't seen us

char

the King's unarmored side. But a shield of shadow flared instantly, stopping her mid-s

for the King

hield, and sparks exploded where fang met magic. He pushed harder, di

two fingers forwa

as hurl

marble. Her hand stayed on his neck until

e," she

tead

be

br

es

line

ibs b

rms s

voice

because he pro

because she

not cage

was slight - li

h: kingdoms are won

er - moon-silver blade p

h hope bec

she

t his

ains bind

rack - silver light blooming where it hit. Sp

shackle

t o

en

h moonlight. She grasped the broken shackle with

to the curse! Break him, free Ar

's pulse

ak

e A

a curse is

ned - amusement gone,

ed from

round his hands, c

will break you, girl. Knee

warning for Jackli

not closer to him, but

eel to thiev

expressio

rything

Cl

lightning. Jackline spun her spear in a sweeping arc, deflecting one

ward again - and

around shadow-magic like it was tangible.

elt someth

th wasn't

memor

mo

fight - to s

fire

gic sc

d Arion str

r sliced

ipped the s

and

nd gua

ck one step - barely

ression

break yours

swered with

break k

hook - not walls,

thing old

raised

fire

Jackline and A

r one

sa

i

d gentle both - standing where the wolf stood. His h

kli

vision

fell to

beside her - sha

power was

e - but overw

s rushed

s flashing li

raised against

sing to aban

, arm blazing moon

ine raise

t y

s soft - but

to her feet, spea

- shoulders tremblin

stood

eth

ent stirred in the

we

of c

he c

his gaze sharpened wit

r of Ja

e two of t

d - slow, burni

t the end,

quietly. "It's the begi

like a heart preparin

e stepped f

child,

h

lea

a f

onlight

sed like the inside

heavy as storm clouds before lightning. Jackline stood at the center o

at her

s a w

s a s

rese

tched her with eyes

favors you just bec

off the marble

d not lower

etly, "because destiny did

pa

mething

nced with the da

let halv

endant pulsed

ys responded

od alone - but

across her skin like

nhaled

ped closer,

watching a myth b

s half-shatter

awake

and - slow, control

But power without

gers tightened

he middle of the f

muscle ready, every instin

flicked t

loor in spiraling darkness. Elara shouted a warning

e moved

nd silver light exploded from the

n f

e

rkness

like swarmed insec

d - breath sharp,

ed her with

r up - holding

was knight enough to

ered - something unr

eld her

e's pul

mo

erstanding blo

he died to protect. And you

stepped

out to

ena

d through the room. Lyrena gasped - then cried ou

ng on one hand, eyes

ine -

her instantly, Arion

ice shook w

's woven into the throne room. Int

elt her br

flickering behind his eyes

a con

o fall if you rise. The King made him a blade pointed

ed - fury and grief spa

ust s

just

on against the one

e rough - not rage

forehead briefly to

ade," she whispered

d - silver flaring

so

ice dropped

way to break his

the c

r y

leaned

ll

h something like sorrow

break th

aled like a

a fr

grip ti

n ga

silver shot with red li

lly spoke - q

l sa

urned to h

hands like a man o

said, "and you break t

bled - bre

inued, voice like si

throne your mothe

inal

m or k

e the line she wa

ightened - not con

ian

rate - spear glowing li

your truth

se your

atched - u

u can claim a

voice did

l forg

- body trembling but

in f

h

- a hint of doubt, like a ha

all s

c fl

l battl

ice Tha

like a man who already knew the end of the story and wait

lked a third p

ot her father. Not

lifted

am the

mber sh

fire

oiled wit

hold did not ex

nding with her, breath sharp but anchored. The silver

be

t

ming

forced herself upward de

to unite what was mad

finishe

uld br

und in his throat - not fear for himself

lone. I need a world where

e room like a blade

she'd been holdin

word to brace his ha

ed something

ression shifte

r bends to desi

answered. "It

she

empted T

r in one hand, the circ

r - not to restore the c

hang

two rivers in a storm. Power surged through her arm

support her - bu

ro

lancing through the shadowed ceiling. The floor cracked ben

didn't know ho

dened - first flic

le," he w

voice was t

tch

not obedient - sparks of moon fire and ash

shape

own, ha

f rule - a sym

r hand ignited

eath changing - fur thinning for a heartbe

s bec

King's

h

c carrie

like frost inside bone. Her knees trembled, l

urged f

klin

a hand - shakin

n't s

er side, grounding her

from him - not ste

wing light, jaw tight, v

trying to hold both

d them," Jac

ape t

c su

d white-hot - so brig

the throne room floo

hielded

ell to their knees, not

to her shoulder - not to hold her up, but to

eats, she contai

rth - she

ancient, cursed,

ard like pillars o

ws sc

bled - no longer certa

composure

irst time not with

ou

aling black and silver like a s

ke crowns crushing

YOUR P

it Jackline

shat

impl

e flickered li

red - near

, holding - anchoring her to this moment, refu

ke free - dee

TA

e

flickered - and J

e destiny

she ch

disbelief finally

ld not be

own-blade - still incomplete

voice low as thu

ld be r

shook like a kingd

own Tr

-King no lon

ttac

d, blinding, violent in its beauty. Marble fractured beneath Jacl

ine b

eapt wi

It collided with the King's magic like dawn meeting eclipse. Sparks to

threw Jac

tone - breath ripp

ront of hers, teeth bared,

wly, voice calm despite cha

han any heir befor

ll break as

d forward - s

ked two

invisible wall - c

ged next -

t - Caelan was thrown as

uted, terrifi

t chains of memory still c

ed one hand o

hered - enoug

n mo

thin

esita

tec

pping open the sky. He roared - sound shaking windows like centuries breakin

screamed

RI

yed st

re

ack like wildfire. But silver fought it

ched with sh

ever meant to ben

makes i

e trembling, vision blurred, ribs scream

ot let him

's side - fingers sinking into hi

m h

- not crushing, not wild - like a kn

inhaled

is be your f

ed both

om exp

Tru

, only overwhelming force. Pillars shattered. Windows imploded.

's knees

orm flickering wolf/man/wolf lik

rself forward - st

villagers fro

ered, sword

rning that Jackline

ckline

ugh

ugh

t tried to cage her

inches fro

feel the cold of hi

- calm, certain, waiti

ered - breath

to choose between

d the cro

are th

st

g flesh, but cutting power. The throne room

ng sta

f cracking through poise

na g

a fr

an s

d his dagger

for the first time since h

ut a

ckl

ma

ea

rok

King f

e firs

o hold over a wolf who

ed - eyes bri

ot your p

burning through veins like t

your e

g's composure fi

se like a st

see if you ca

shed eve

collapsin

acked the flo

ugh to dr

aced for impact - tog

eir and cur

es of a future

Light

's magic struck l

d across the floor, ripping through iron, stone, and breath. Jackline and Arion

pear shook i

ged into the marb

t thundered

t, everythi

Endless.

h

ght th

ire c

ne was sti

re

bur

n swi

own-blade alive with pulsing silver. Sweat and blood

xhaled sharply - not a gasp

re..." he

ice was hoars

ris

r was scorched with streaks of silver light. Red flickered i

holdi

fightin

s cha

ved - too fast f

fog. The crown-blade flared white, and she slashed

re struck

tagg

ng sta

one roo

breath

s gasped

d both hands

th disbelief, bu

landed the fi

robe - at the blood, dark and silvered beneath

was

uiet. A

ty," he said, voice

d holding your

's grip

ld it," she

y it fo

n stepped forward too, trembling between forms - his outline flickered, fur fadin

s so

- felt it thro

One more moment of unity - and h

d the cro

n. Wi

ste

g, silver surging like a tide. His form brig

th

hing c

d Arion - not with power to

like

y like

B

roze mi

lf-shape. Silver light sputtered into red. A growl

oward him, heart s

N

King was

ached

ack metal born from curse and command - and t

und tearing from

but the King seized that mome

h

cross the room like a bo

w it t

n di

broke stone and silence both - and threw

drove him t

st beneath him l

his name - raw, wo

RI

ay s

de

go

bo

r burning like cold fire, sealing his half-transf

oice was sof

longs

her knees like some

ed - not silv

fire

r crown apart wi

King step

as no longer

bout pos

ee

o

stronger t

de, light shaking the walls l

l war ha

e Moon

e room wa

the slow pulse of magic shaking the air. Arion lay bound, c

sn't

wasn'

tep, then another. Her body trembled. Her vision bl

ing stop

te in her grip - light so

on composed but no longer confident

lf with every bre

e didn'

I will

- fire surging

not a

lars and shattered windows. Villagers shielded their face

pered a si

nishi

ded with magic - silver against black, future against past. The shockwave t

ent centerpiece o

taphor

era

s awakening from centuries of sleep. The magic woven into

ned sharply

the throne as th

e struc

hat Refuses

ut magic thick as iron. Sparks erupted. The Ki

s hurt

s voice w

ra ends

es sha

N

one finger t

do

acked - fear flashi

ped - sound deep, broken, desperate. His paws scraped

o

t

silver -

houted h

g alone! The throne is waking -

louder - as though respondin

looked

Ari

g his frame, chains biting de

at refuse

t refused

answe

ered he

n sur

cho

- to Arion, to thro

ed for a fractio

e turned fro

straight to

ted from e

d - fear flickering li

N

lood pounded

es

ched th

wn-blade acr

palm into its

e B

expl

bering itself. Wind tore through the hall, ripping banne

fire. Her eyes glowed molten moonlight. Her pulse ra

equ

recoiling as though the thr

is not yours

ne whi

't yours

oom r

e B

ns around A

rom m

m h

ing the curse link by thread, by breath, by memory. His b

ped free on a

.. yo

ain sn

ano

h

ike thunder, c

shat

n st

wo

hu

ing be

right

uman-shaped - a breaking o

ing f

ew fire, throne-light blazing

im for year

orward - tall,

o not hold

d back - first

d Arion mov

bl

sh

defi

g behind them like th

ce dropped, da

t us fin

rld held i

final strike