By the time the sun rose, the forest felt different.
The birds were quiet. The trees stood still, as if they were listening.
Kael, Serin, and Lira moved carefully through the winding path, following the glowing pull of Serin's ember compass.
Kael looked at Lira. "How are you feeling?"
Lira touched the earth shard in her wrist. "Strange.
I feel... heavy. But strong."
Serin nodded. "Earth magic is about balance. Patience.
When the time comes, you'll feel it."
Kael smiled. "That's what she said about fire too.
I ended up lighting a whole tree on fire."
Lira laughed softly. "Good to know."
By noon, they reached an open clearing filled with ancient stone pillars.
Moss and vines covered the ground.
"This place feels... old," Lira whispered.
"It is," Serin said. "A temple ruin. From the time before the Crown broke."
As they stepped into the circle of stones, the air grew cold.
Kael felt the emberstone in his pocket pulse hard. Lira's eyes widened as her earth shard glowed softly.
Something wasn't right.
Then—
Snap!
A rope trap yanked Kael into the air by his foot.
"Kael!" Serin shouted.
At the same time, vines rose from the ground like snakes and wrapped around Lira's legs.
Three figures dropped from the trees, dressed in dark robes and shadow armor.
One had a long spear, another a curved dagger, and the third... a whip of glowing green thorns.
"You're not very quiet for chosen ones," said the one with the whip.
His voice was cold and amused.
Whisper King's hunters.
Serin raised her staff. "You won't touch them."
The spear-wielder rushed her. Wind blew in a sharp burst, but he dodged and knocked her back into a pillar.
Kael swung in the air, trying to burn the rope, but the emberstone didn't respond fast enough.
"Lira!" he yelled.
Lira closed her eyes.
Her hands pressed into the dirt.
The ground beneath her shook.
Vines shattered. Stones cracked.
Then — with a shout — she raised both arms and the earth below the hunters exploded, throwing them backward.
Kael dropped hard to the ground as the rope snapped.
Lira stood in the center of the chaos, her eyes glowing brown.
Serin smiled. "Looks like she felt it."
The hunters scrambled to retreat, limping and growling.
"You can't stop the crown from rising," the whip-wielder hissed before vanishing into the trees.
Silence returned.
Kael stood and brushed off dirt. "That... was awesome."
Lira blinked. "I didn't know I could do that."
Serin walked over, breathing heavily. "You didn't think. You felt.
That's the power of earth."
Kael looked around. "They're going to keep coming, aren't they?"
Serin nodded. "Until they have all five shards."
Lira clenched her fists. "Then let's get to the next one before they do."