The moon hung low, casting pale light over Eldoria's silver rivers and quiet forests. Aris walked among the Dawn Circle, her steps deliberate, senses sharp. The fragments pulsed faintly beneath the earth, as if impatient for what was to come.
A figure appeared at the forest edge, cloaked in shadow, yet moving with an uncanny grace that betrayed no ordinary human. The Dawn Circle froze, their collective breath caught between curiosity and fear.
> "Who goes there?" Aris called, voice steady but firm.
The stranger stepped forward, revealing a face partially hidden beneath a hood. Eyes glimmered like onyx in the moonlight, sharp and calculating.
> "A seeker of truths… and perhaps, a witness to what should not be forgotten," the stranger said, voice smooth as silk but carrying a subtle threat.
Aris's hand hovered over the fragments buried beneath the silver vines, feeling the familiar pull. Something ancient and cunning had returned, drawn by the remnants of a crown that should have stayed broken.
> "Eldoria thrives in peace. Leave if you seek only power," Aris said.
The stranger's lips curved into a faint smile. "Power? No… I seek restoration. A crown whole again, and a kingdom that remembers its blood."
A hush fell over the circle. Even the wind seemed to pause, carrying the stranger's words like seeds of unease.
> "You speak of the past," Aris replied, "but the past is gone. Only balance remains."
> "Balance is fragile," the stranger said, stepping closer, eyes never leaving hers. "And fragile things break when tested. I am here to see if Eldoria can endure."
A low murmur rose from the Dawn Circle. Wolves growled softly, sensing tension. Ravens cawed warnings from the trees.
Aris straightened, resolve hardening. "Then you will learn what balance means."
The stranger inclined their head slightly, enigmatic and composed. "I will learn… and so will the fragments. They remember everything."
As the cloaked figure melted back into the forest shadows, Aris turned to her circle. The fragments pulsed beneath her feet like a heartbeat, stronger and more insistent.
> "This is only the beginning," she said quietly. "We have peace, yes—but now, we must guard it. Shadows return, and Eldoria's light must shine brighter than ever."
And somewhere beyond the trees, unseen, the fragments called again—summoning not just one shadow, but a gathering of forgotten echoes, hungry for what had been lost.