Chapter 3 The ties that bind

The sun had barely risen when Alec and Lina left her small, hidden cabin in the forest. Despite the early hour, the air was already thick with the weight of the coming storm. It wasn't the weather that concerned Lina, but the uneasy silence that hung between them as they walked through the dense woods. Alec's presence beside her felt both unfamiliar and unavoidably familiar, as though the universe had conspired to bring them back together at this exact moment, despite all their efforts to avoid it.

She had tried to push away the doubt that gnawed at her insides, the growing fear that whatever fate had in store for them was far darker than she had anticipated. Her visions had shown her a future in which she was not only a passive observer but an active participant in the destruction of the kingdom. The weight of that knowledge pressed heavily on her chest, but it was nothing compared to the unbearable pull of destiny that tethered her to Alec.

The two walked in silence, the only sounds the crunch of their boots on the forest floor and the occasional rustle of branches swaying in the wind. The path before them seemed endless, winding deeper into the wilderness, where no one but those seeking refuge in forgotten corners of the world dared to tread.

I thought you'd be more resistant,Alec finally broke the silence, his voice rough with a hint of something akin to curiosity.

Lina glanced at him, her lips tight. I'm not doing this for you, she said, her tone sharp. I'm doing this because I know what will happen if I don't. And because I can't outrun this fate.

Alec's expression softened, just for a moment, but his gaze remained intense.I didn't ask for any of this either. You think I wanted to be the person at the center of a prophecy that's supposed to destroy everything I've ever known? That I wanted to have my life dictated by something out of my control? His voice was low, almost bitter, and Lina could hear the weight of years of running, of defying fate, in every word.

They walked for hours, the landscape around them shifting as they ventured deeper into the heart of the forest. The further they traveled, the more Lina's senses began to tingle with an unfamiliar pressure in the air. It was as if something ancient, something far beyond her comprehension, was watching them. She couldn't shake the feeling that they were being led down a path that had been waiting for them, carefully laid out by unseen hands.

"We're close", Alec said, breaking the uneasy silence once more. His voice carried a note of finality, as though he, too, could feel the weight of what was to come.

Lina said nothing in response, but she couldn't suppress the sense of dread that was slowly growing in the pit of her stomach. Despite her reluctance, she had seen glimpses of this moment in her visions her and Alec walking together toward an unknown fate. She had tried to run from it, to ignore it, but it had always been there, pulling her closer, as if the very fabric of destiny had stitched their paths together in ways neither of them could ever understand.

Finally, they arrived at a clearing where the trees opened up to reveal a massive, ancient stone structure. It looked like a ruin, but not one that had simply crumbled with age. There was an unmistakable energy here, a lingering presence that hummed through the air like the last notes of a forgotten song. The stones seemed to pulse with power, their surfaces etched with intricate symbols that were both foreign and familiar. It was as if the place had been waiting for them.

"This is it," Alec said, his voice barely above a whisper. He stepped forward, his hand brushing the cold stone wall, as if testing the integrity of the place. The Oracle said we had to come here. There's something hidden within this place something that will help us understand the truth of our fates.

Lina stood frozen in place, her heart hammering in her chest. The energy of the place was overwhelming, the pull so strong she could almost taste it on the tip of her tongue. She had never been here before, but it felt as though she had walked these paths in her dreams. This was where everything would change, she knew it with a certainty that terrified her.

"You've been here before"? she asked, trying to keep her voice steady. She wasn't sure what she expected from Alec, but it wasn't the stoic expression he wore as he surveyed the ruin before them.

"No," he answered, shaking his head. “But the Oracle said this is where our paths would cross with the answers we need. And that's where we'll find her.

Lina's pulse quickened. "Her?"she asked, her voice tinged with a mixture of curiosity and dread.

"The Seer", Alec said, his gaze intense. The one who knows the truth. The one who has been watching us.

The air around them seemed to hum louder, like an electric charge building in the atmosphere. It wasn't just the stones that were alive with energy it was the entire clearing. As if waiting for the two of them to step forward and claim their place in the intricate web of destiny that had been spun long ago.

Alec took a deep breath and stepped forward, his boots crunching on the overgrown stone pathway. Lina hesitated for a moment longer before following him. They moved through the ruins, past shattered columns and broken statues, until they reached the center of the structure. There, at the heart of the ruin, was a stone altar. Atop it lay a shimmering crystal, glowing with an ethereal light.

The moment they reached it, the ground beneath their feet seemed to shift. Lina gasped as the stone altar cracked open with a deafening sound, revealing a narrow passage beneath it. The air grew colder, and the sensation of being watched intensified. Something or someone was waiting for them below.

This is it, Alec said, his voice low and urgent. This is where it begins.

Lina looked down at the passage. She could feel the weight of fate pressing against her, the tug of inevitability that seemed to grow stronger the longer they stood there. She couldn't turn back now. They were already here, and whatever lay ahead was a part of the story they were both bound to.

"Let's go", she said, her voice firm despite the fear churning inside her.

Together, they descended into the passage, the walls narrow and slick with age. The air grew colder still as they moved deeper into the heart of the ruin, and the silence was broken only by the sound of their footsteps echoing in the dark. Every step felt like a step closer to the inevitable, and Lina couldn't help but wonder if they were being led to the answers they sought or to their doom.

Finally, the passage opened into a vast chamber, lit by the soft glow of torches along the walls. In the center of the chamber stood a figure a woman cloaked in silver robes, her face hidden in shadow. The moment Lina and Alec stepped into the room, the woman turned, her eyes glinting with an unnatural light.

"You've come", the woman said, her voice low and resonant, as though it echoed from somewhere deep within the earth itself. I've been waiting for you.

Alec stepped forward, his voice steady. Who are you? he demanded. What do you know about our fate?

The woman's lips curled into a slight smile.I know everything. I am the one who has watched over the threads of your lives, Alec, Lina. And I know what you must do to fulfill your purpose.

Lina's heart skipped a beat.Purpose?she whispered, the word hanging heavy in the air.

The woman nodded, her gaze shifting between them. You are not merely bound by fate. You are its weavers, and the choices you make will either unravel everything or restore balance to the world.

Lina felt a chill wash over her, but there was no turning back now. They had crossed the threshold, and there was no more running. The truth was within reach whether they were ready for it or not.