The Forgotten Legacy
The central chamber of the temple pulsed with ancient energy, each rune on the walls glowing faintly, like whispers of a forgotten era. Isla’s steps faltered as her gaze fell upon a figure standing at the far end of the room.
The man was tall, his broad shoulders stooped slightly under the weight of years and regret. Silver hair streaked with faint gray framed a face that was strikingly familiar, with piercing blue eyes that locked onto Isla with a mixture of wonder and trepidation.
“Isla,” he said, his voice resonant but edged with hesitation.
Her breath hitched, her silver eyes narrowing. “Are you… my dad?”
He nodded, stepping forward, his movements deliberate. “I am,” he said, his tone softening. “My name is Kaelen. And you…” He paused, a shadow of emotion crossing his face. “You are so much like your mother.”
The words cut deep, stirring something raw in Isla’s chest. Kaelen extended a hand as if to touch her face, but she pulled back sharply.
“You abandoned me,” she said, her voice low and trembling with anger. “You left me and Seraphine to fend for ourselves. Why?”
Kaelen’s expression tightened, his hand falling to his side. Regret etched into his features as he met her gaze. “It wasn’t abandonment,” he said, his voice heavy with remorse. “It was protection. The world we lived in… it was too dangerous. You were—are—a beacon of power, Isla. A threat to those who would exploit it.”
Isla’s anger flared, her fists clenching at her sides. “You call that protection?” she snapped. “Do you have any idea what we went through? What we lost?”
Before Kaelen could respond, a beautiful older woman entered the chamber, her presence calm but deliberate. Her silver robes flowed behind her, her movements poised, her expression unreadable.
“Kaelen made sacrifices,” she said smoothly, her tone almost maternal as she stepped closer. “To save you both.”
Isla’s gaze darted to her, suspicion flickering in her silver eyes. “And you? Who are you in all this? What role did you play?”
“I’m Eira, someone who helped Kaelen when no one else would,” the woman replied, her faint smile calculated yet reassuring. “We all make difficult choices, Isla.”
The room fell silent for a moment, the weight of their words settling between them.
Isla turned back to Kaelen, her voice trembling but resolute. “Then start explaining. All of it.”
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