Chapter 16: 🌸 Chapter 15 — "The One Who Stays"

The bell rang, echoing through the wide halls of Valethir as students poured out into the courtyard, their laughter and chatter filling the air.

Dunira walked backward through the academy gates, grinning playfully at Kaelric.

“You can’t blame me! I told you to focus, but you were too busy dodging everything.”

Kaelric gave a crooked smile. “Yeah, yeah. Whatever.”

She giggled, tilting her head, a teasing glint in her eyes.

“Aww, don’t look so sulky. Want a rose candy to cheer up?”

But her smile softened, a shy flush blooming on her cheeks.

She turned around to walk forward — but Kaelric gently caught her hand from behind.

She froze.

The world felt still.

“I want you to stay like that,” Kaelric said softly.

Dunira glanced over her shoulder. “Like what?”

He met her eyes. “Like we used to be.”

Their gaze held — no longer playful, but quietly aching.

“It wasn’t all your father’s fault,” she whispered.

Kaelric frowned, confused. “What?”

“I wasn’t worthy of you, Kaelric,” she said, her voice steady but low. “Back then... I was just a girl caught between two clans. Barely surviving. I didn’t want you to look at me with pity.”

“Dunira—” he started, but she stepped closer and took both his hands.

“I didn’t want you to confuse pity with love. Or kindness with feelings. That’s why I pulled away. I needed it to stop before—”

She paused.

“Before what?” he asked, brows furrowed.

Her eyes shimmered. She blinked back tears.

“Before you made me fall… and if you keep doing this, I won’t be able to walk away next time.”

Kaelric gently reached up, cupping her face.

She leaned into his touch, her cheek brushing against his palm.

Kaelric whispered,

> “Then don’t.”

“Oh, skies…”

A voice stabbed through the moment like a mischievous arrow.

They both turned.

Sansa stood there with arms crossed and the world’s most dramatic grin.

“My lovebirds,” she declared like a theatre lead, “sorry to interrupt your tragic romance — but yeah… I’m leaving before I lose my dinner.”

Behind her, Drake stood frozen, his expression deadpan.

“I think I’m gonna puke,” he muttered.

Minsa breezed past, tossing her braid.

“Still outside academy walls and already triggering people with this cringe? Impressive.”

But as Sansa turned to leave, her eyes met Drake’s.

He smirked — slow, deliberate, mocking — then turned away without a word.

Sansa blinked. A flicker of irritation crossed her face.

“What does he even want?” she muttered, flustered, and marched off.

The air felt weird again. Quiet. Awkward.

Dunira shifted her weight and forced a small smile.

“Umm… I should go. Vespara wanted to see me.”

She turned to leave.

But Kaelric’s arm slipped around her waist from behind, pulling her gently into a warm, sudden hug.

“Practice well, sweetheart,” he whispered near her ear.

This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

Dunira’s breath caught.

Her heart fluttered so violently she thought her ribcage might shatter.

She slowly stepped away, face flushed, eyes avoiding his.

“Okay… bye,” she mumbled, and walked off toward the back path behind Valethir.

Kaelric watched her go, then chuckled to himself — low and amused.

“Cute.”

As Dunira reached the site of the hidden chamber, a thick wall of tangled vines and moss-covered stone stood before her, like nature itself was guarding a secret. She hesitated only for a heartbeat—then drew a deep breath and stepped through.

The world shifted.

For a moment, the air felt heavier… as if it remembered every secret ever whispered here.

Then—light flickered from within.

She opened her eyes.

The chamber was vast, hollowed deep into the earth, its ceiling arched with roots and glowing mineral veins that pulsed faintly in hues of aqua and emerald. The silence was sacred.

This place wasn’t just hidden. It was buried—intentionally.

Laid out before her were relics and weapons,

She began to walk in..her eyes cought..Aquablade – a crescent-shaped sword that shimmered like liquid, used by the warriors of Lunareth, known to channel water into cutting waves.

Wow dunira muttered under her breath ..

A few people glanced up as she entered. To her surprise, some gave her a respectful nod. Recognition sparkled faintly in their eyes.

From across the room, a tall man approached — broad-shouldered, neatly bearded, with eyes the color of steel. He looked around her father's age but moved like a soldier who hadn’t forgotten his training.

“Dunira,” he said, voice calm but firm. “We’ve heard much about you. I’m Hazek.”

He gave a slight bow. “I’ll take you to Vespara.”

As they walked further into the hall, a younger voice broke through the quiet:

“Is it true?” a boy said, keeping pace beside them. “That you’ve got two clan powers?”

He looked barely eighteen. Curious, sharp-eyed.

Dunira blinked.

“Uh… yeah. I just figured that out too.”

“Whoa,” the boy breathed. “I’m Hessar, by the way. Agent of Crestbore.”

She halted slightly, squinting at him.

“Wait—you? You look way too young to be part of Crestbore.”

Hazek chuckled.

“Hasser.”

“Father, well... she’s one of us now,” Hessar said with a smirk.

Dunira smiled, raising a brow.

“Oh, so you two are family?”

Hazek’s expression softened.

“My lineage has served Commander Sirevan’s family since before Crestbore was ever founded.”

“Oh... I see,” she said quietly, taking that in.

They descended deeper now — the stone steps spiraling into a quieter level of the chamber. The air here was thick. At the end of a short passage, a reinforced door stood — carved with circular runes, humming faintly as Hazek pressed his palm to the center.

A click. A soft grind of stone.

The door opened inward.

The room beyond was like the heart of the chamber — low ceiling, wide stone table in the center, scrolls, glowing orbs, and pinned maps scattered across it. Thick iron walls and soundproofed wards made it clear: this was a bunker meant for planning, hiding, and surviving.

Inside, Vespara and Commander Sirevan were seated mid-conversation. They both looked up as she entered.

“Dunira,” Vespara greeted with a knowing smile. “We were just speaking about you. Come, join us.”

“Thank you, Hazek. Hessar,” Sirevan added, glancing briefly at the two men.

They gave a nod and quietly stepped out, sealing the door behind them.

Dunira approached and sat at the edge of the table. The room felt strangely warm despite its purpose

Before her lay a large parchment, already unrolled — a map.

It depicted the outer regions of Lunareth, drawn in stunning detail. Forests, ridgelines, river splits. But one thing caught her eye immediately.

A small lake — inked in glowing green — tucked deep in the woods.

Her eyes narrowed. Her breath caught.

“I know this place,” she whispered.

“We’re aware,” Sirevan said, his voice firm yet edged with concern.

“That’s why we need to know clearly… Did you enter the lake?”

Dunira blinked.

“Enter the lake? How would I—? No, I mean… I didn’t think I did.”

Vespara and Sirevan exchanged glances. Their silence spoke more than words.

“That lake,” Sirevan continued, “might seem ordinary to people like us. But for them—the shadowborn—it’s more than water. It’s a portal. A gateway.”

“That’s how they’ve remained hidden.”

Dunira’s eyes widened.

“Now it makes sense… When we fought them, I remember—three of the shadow warriors ran toward the lake and vanished. I thought it was a trick.”

She paused, then whispered:

“Wait… is that the place? Where they’re keeping the kids? Where they took Lira?”

Sirevan’s face didn’t reveal anything. But Vespara stepped forward, voice laced with quiet urgency.

“We don’t know what their next move is… or what exactly they’ve been doing for all this time. But when we tracked the location of their energy—everything led to that lake. We tried to breach it with spells and force, but… we couldn’t enter. During one of those attempts, I dropped my pendant. The same one Kaelric later found.”

Dunira felt the weight of realization settle in her chest.

“If we want to win,” Sirevan added darkly, “we can’t just chase them. We need to stay two steps ahead. But right now, we don’t even know what direction to take. And even if we did… battling shadow magic isn’t like fighting with the others. Their power is older. Deeper. More ruthless.”

Vespara turned to her.

“But you… you’re different. You’re not just any student. You’re the chosen one. And we can’t afford to sit around waiting for a prophecy to fulfill itself. We need to act—now. Before the real storm begins. That’s why we’re preparing.”

She swept a hand across the chamber.

“This base… this isn’t just a vault of weapons. It’s a hidden military outpost—built in secret, passed down through generations of warriors. Only a few in Crestbore even know it exists.”

Sirevan stepped forward. His voice carried the weight of legacy.

“My ancestors—Durakar’s finest—built this during the ancient wars. They bled for Auralis when the world turned to ash. Their sacrifice carved the peace we live in today. And we—” he looked around the chamber, “we honor them not by repeating war… but by preparing for it only when all else fails.”

His gaze turned to the flag mounted on the corner wall—the banner of Allforen.

Seven interwoven circles, shaped like a wildflower. Each petal a symbol of the elemental clans. A symbol of balance.

“War never proves who was right. It only leaves empty homes and silent laughter.”

“A true soldier never wants war.”

A hush followed.

Dunira looked at them both, watching their pain for ancestors she barely knew. Her mind raced with questions—Who were these shadowborn truly? What was the source of their power? Who was Luna? How did she stop them alone… and why did she marry a Noctherian?

So many answers were buried. But the threat was very real.

She lifted her chin.

“And the Noctherians? Where have they been hiding all this time? Why now?”

“We’re trying to find out too,” Sirevan replied.

Dunira took a long breath.

Then, with sudden resolve in her voice:

“I’m ready. When do we begin training?”

Sirevan and Vespara turned to her. A flicker of hope lit Vespara’s eyes.

She smiled faintly, but her voice was razor-sharp.

“From now.”

Next chapter drops Saturday ✒️

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