Samuel barely had time to catch his breath before the city’s alarm bells rang out again, their sharp cries piercing the night. He turned, scanning the battlefield, and his stomach twisted.Reinforcements.A fresh wave of enemy soldiers poured in through the broken gates, their banners emblazoned with the crest of the Brook family.“Damn it,” Cassandra hissed, still clutching her ribs. “They just keep coming.”Evelyn, despite her broken wrist, straightened. “They must have planned for this. The Elder was just a distraction.”Samuel tightened his grip on his sword. “Then we hold the line.”But deep down, he knew they were outnumbered.And the enemy knew it too.A familiar figure emerged from the ranks—a man draped in crimson armor, his golden hair gleaming under the moonlight. His icy blue eyes locked onto Samuel with a smirk that sent a shiver down his spine.Lucian Brook.One of the Brook family’s most ruthless commanders. And Samuel’s sworn rival.Lucian strode forward, sword resting

The golden symbols pulsed like a heartbeat, casting a dim glow across the cavernous space. Samuel’s breath came in shallow gasps as he traced the crest embedded in the stone door. His family’s crest.“What does this mean?” Cassandra whispered, her voice laced with unease.Samuel didn’t answer immediately. His fingers brushed against the carved emblem, rough beneath his touch. His family had never spoken of underground tunnels, let alone a hidden chamber filled with magic. If his father were alive, would he have known about this place? Or had this been buried in the past, forgotten by generations?Evelyn stepped forward, eyes narrowing at the markings. “This is old magic. Pre-dynastic, maybe older.” She exhaled. “We shouldn’t be here.”Samuel met her gaze. “We don’t have a choice.”A distant clatter echoed through the tunnels above. Lucian’s men were still searching.Cassandra tensed. “They’re getting closer.”Evelyn nodded toward the door. “Then we better hope whatever’s behind this i

The moment Samuel laid eyes on the ancient crest, a chill ran down his spine. His family had hidden this place for a reason—one he was about to uncover.Cassandra and Evelyn stood frozen beside him, their breaths shallow. The soft golden glow of the symbols pulsed, as if responding to their presence.“We shouldn’t be here,” Cassandra muttered.Evelyn ignored her, running her fingers along the intricate carvings on the door. “This magic is old. Older than anything I’ve ever seen.”Samuel clenched his fists. His family’s insignia was right in front of him, carved into something ancient and powerful. What had they been hiding?Before he could react, the ground beneath them trembled.The symbols flickered.Then, with a low groan, the massive stone door began to shift.“Step back!” Samuel ordered.Dust rained down as the door slid open, revealing an eerie darkness beyond.A sudden gust of air rushed past them, carrying whispers—faint, indecipherable voices that sent a shiver through Samuel

The weight of the city’s magic settled around Samuel like a second skin. It pulsed in his veins, ancient and powerful, demanding to be wielded. He flexed his fingers, still feeling the residual energy from the altar, and turned to face Evelyn and Cassandra. Their expressions were unreadable, caught between wariness and something else—expectation.Evelyn was the first to break the silence. “So, what now?”Samuel exhaled, steadying himself. “Now, we make sure Lucian never sets foot in this city.”Cassandra let out a dry laugh, shaking her head. “That’s easier said than done.”“I know,” Samuel admitted. He turned back to the Guardian, who stood with the same unshaken calm they always had. “You said others would come. How do we protect this place?”The Guardian’s silver eyes gleamed. “The city is alive, Samuel. It has slumbered for centuries, but now that the seal is broken, its defenses will begin to stir.”The ground beneath them rumbled slightly, as if in agreement. Dust trickled from

The city was alive in the dead of night.Samuel moved through the streets like a ghost, his cloak drawn tight around him as he and Evelyn wove through the labyrinth of alleyways. The air smelled of soot and damp stone, the remnants of another day under Lucian’s rule. Even in the darkness, the city felt suffocating, like it had been shackled in invisible chains.Guards patrolled the main roads, their torches flickering against the walls. Lucian had fortified his grip on the capital, and Samuel could feel the weight of it with every step.“We shouldn’t be out here this long,” Evelyn murmured beside him, her voice barely audible. “If they catch us—”“They won’t,” Samuel said, though he wasn’t sure if he believed it.Their goal was simple: find any surviving allies still hidden in the city and bring them back to the watchtower. But so far, they had found only abandoned hideouts and cold trails. Either the survivors had gone deeper into hiding, or worse, they had been caught.Evelyn stoppe