Then came the shattering truth—the revelation that tore through me like a blade. My mother, the once-revered queen of Solaris, had been an evil ruler all along. Her scheming, her manipulations—they had poisoned the very kingdom that was meant to be my birthright. The people, pushed to their breaking point by her tyranny, rose in defiance, overthrowing her in a tide of anger and despair. Amid the chaos, I was thrust into the role of queen, a crown heavy with betrayal and guilt. Armand stood steadfast by my side, guiding me through the treacherous waters of royalty. Yet even with his support, the crown slipped through my grasp, grains of sand trickling between trembling fingers.
Salvatore emerged next—his darkness a reflection of my own, his blade clashing violently with mine. We fought with ferocity, but I knew he held the upper hand. Desperation overtook me, and in a moment of courage and despair, I severed the blades—their power splitting apart, cascading into the abyss, a desperate act to protect what remained of Solaris.
The memories swept me further, carrying me from the familiar streets of Solaris to a foreign realm—a place of rolling hills and sprawling forests, both beautiful and treacherous. Earth. In this strange new world, I found Armand again, his soul intertwined with mine as if the universe had willed us together. Our love grew like tangled vines, resilient and unyielding. But just as we had built a fragile sanctuary, it was ripped from us. A fiery blaze consumed everything we had created, ignited by the treachery of Mathias—a man devoured by his darkness. He destroyed not just our home but a piece of my soul, leaving me adrift in a world that felt more alien than ever.
Each memory collided within me, forming a mosaic of beauty, tragedy, hope, and despair. They whispered of a legacy in my veins, a lineage of immense power that had coursed through generations uncounted. I was more than Olivia James Alexander; I was the bearer of a bloodline that commanded the very fabric of time—a legacy I could no longer deny.
“Who are you?” Lazarus’ roar cut through the storm of thoughts, reverberating like thunder around me. His question demanded an identity that transcended lifetimes. The weight of his gaze pinned me to the spot, forcing me to confront the fractured selves within me.
The answer slipped from my lips like an incantation, my voice steady despite the tempest raging in my mind.
“Once upon a time, I was Isabelle Farcourt in my past life. In this life, I am Olivia James Alexander. My blood is Timeborne, Timebound, darkness... and I can wield the power of a Shadow Lord.”
Each syllable resonated with the echoes of my former life, weaving together the threads of my existence into a tapestry of undeniable truth.
Lazarus nodded slowly, a gesture heavy with gravity that sent ripples through my soul. “Yes, you are,” he said. He leaned closer, his piercing gaze unrelenting. The corners of his mouth twitched—was it approval or merely the weight of expectation?
“But you forgot to mention one more thing...” His voice hung between us, a riddle poised at the edge of revelation. I could feel the answer welling within me, pressing against the confines of my consciousness, eager to be spoken and complete the incantation that bridged my past and present.
Summoning the remnants of my courage, I raised my chin defiantly. The storm within me quieted as clarity took hold. With unwavering determination, I met Lazarus’ expectant gaze, the final piece of my truth burning on my tongue.
In one sweeping glance, I took in the sea of faces surrounding us—the army of darkness that had once been the shadowy specters of my nightmares. They stood before me, real and tangible, their eyes glinting with readiness, waiting for the command I hadn’t yet realized I held the authority to give. This was the moment to unite the fractured pieces of my existence and embrace the destiny that had pursued me throughout my lifetimes.
The power within me stirred, rising like an unstoppable tide. It filled every corner of my being, igniting an unrelenting force I could no longer deny. Drawing a deep breath, I broke the silence, my voice cutting through the charged air like a blade.
“I am the lost queen of Solaris,” I declared, each word imbued with the authority of my reclaimed title. “And it’s time to reclaim our realm and fight for our legacy. Together, we will restore the lost kingdom of time.”
The army stood still, their breath collective and suspended as though the universe awaited what would follow. Within a heartbeat, Salvatore materialized before me, his presence suffocating. His piercing eyes burned with unbridled rage, his aura so dark and oppressive that it choked the air around him. The world around us seemed to shrink beneath the crushing weight of his power.
“Where is my father? What did you do to him?” I demanded, my voice trembling with a potent mixture of anger and desperation. My words echoed through the heavy air, each syllable a plea for desperately needed answers. But Salvatore didn’t flinch. He remained still, his cold indifference cutting deeper than any blade could. It was as though my plea was nothing more than a whisper carried away by the wind.
Before I could speak again, Lazarus stepped forward, his presence a defiant counterpoint to Salvatore’s suffocating darkness. His voice broke the silence like thunder, unwavering and filled with the force of a man unbowed by time.
“After all these years, we meet again, Salvatore,” he said, his tone sharp, each word challenging. Though he no longer carried a blade, his resolve was sharper than ever.
Salvatore’s lips curled into a cruel smirk, his dark amusement glinting in his eyes. “Oh, Lazarus,” he sneered, his voice dripping with venom. “Look at you... how old and frail you’ve become. A shadow of the man who once dared to challenge me.”
Lazarus’ laughter was low and dangerous, slicing through Salvatore’s mockery like a finely honed weapon. “And you,” Lazarus said, his voice steady and cutting, “you shroud yourself in power and arrogance, Salvatore, but I see through the cracks in your carefully constructed facade. Beneath that illusion lies a truth you cannot hide—you are neither invincible nor untouchable. Weakness has already begun to fester within you, and no amount of posturing can conceal it.”
Salvatore’s smirk widened, his dark confidence filling the space like a suffocating fog. He raised the Blade of Shadows with a flourish, its energy crackling and humming with raw power. “Weakness?” he spat, his voice a commanding roar. “You speak of weakness, yet I hold the blade. I have your son, Jack—yes, the keeper of the scrolls, hidden in plain sight all this time. You will never see him again. He is mine now, as is Solaris. I will reshape this world, claim what was always meant to be mine, and rule with a darkness that will extinguish every glimmer of rebellion.” His eyes narrowed, his voice dropping to a venomous growl. “You’ve lost, Lazarus. I am the most powerful of you all. I am the greatest Lord of Shadows. And soon, the entire realm will bow at my feet.”
Lazarus’ expression didn’t falter. He stepped closer, his presence unwavering and his words calm but razor-edged with defiance. “Good luck, Salvatore. Continue your desperate climb to power. But know this—I have trained my son, Jack, for years, and his strength already surpasses yours. You may hold him now, but his loyalty and power are beyond your grasp. I’ll see you in Solaris, Salvatore. And when I do, you will face the consequences of your arrogance.”
Salvatore’s mask of confidence twisted into something darker, something feral. He turned to me, his gaze as sharp as daggers, piercing through every barrier I tried to summon.
“You dare challenge me for the throne?” he snarled, his words cracking like a whip. “You think, even for a fleeting moment, that you can stand against me? Againstthispower?” He raised the Blade of Shadows higher, its energy rippling like a thunderstorm ready to strike. “My army is unstoppable. My dominion is inevitable. And you—” his voice dripped with scorn, his eyes boring into mine, “—are nothing but a fleeting spark in a storm I have already unleashed. You will fall, Olivia, just as everyone before you has fallen. And this time, there will be no rising.”
My heart thundered in my chest, fear clawing at the edges of my resolve, but I refused to let it consume me. I glanced at Lazarus, his presence a storm of righteous fury, grounding me as the moment’s weight pressed down on us both. He stepped forward again, his voice now a cold, dangerous growl.
“I have waited a lifetime for this,” Lazarus said, his words like steel cutting through the tension. “You may wield the Blade of Shadows, but it will not save you. Your reign will be nothing but ash, Salvatore. Solaris willneverbow to you.”
Salvatore threw his head back, his laughter exploding like a bomb of malevolence, sending a chill down my spine. It was a sound of pure darkness, a declaration of his unshaken confidence.
“Stop me?” he mocked, his tone thick with disdain. “You, Lazarus, are nothing but the echo of a long-forgotten man. And you, Olivia,” he turned his fiery gaze on me, burning through the last of my defenses, “are the embodiment of futility. A fool clinging to fragile hope in a world that already kneels before me.”
He leaned closer, his whisper venomous and intoxicatingly cruel. “When this battle ends, you will understand what it means to lose. Solaris will not crumble; it will thrive under my rule, reborn in darkness. Its light extinguished, its people my servants, its throne a testament to my eternal supremacy.”
Before I could reply, before the storm raging in my chest could erupt into words, Salvatore’s lips curled into a grin—a wicked, calculated expression that dripped with the promise of chaos.
“Let the final battle begin,” he hissed, his words heavy with unshakable certainty. Then, in a swirl of shadow, he vanished, leaving mocking laughter lingering in the air like a curse.
The weight of his declaration pressed down like an avalanche, but I refused to flinch. This wasn’t just his fight—it was ours. For Solaris. For freedom. For everything we held dear. And we would not fall.
The Journey Continues….
