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**Chapter 136: The Judgment of the Past**
The air was charged with energy, pressing into the siblings as the echoes stood before them—not just remnants, but entities bound to the vineyard's history. Their forms flickered, as though shifting between time, neither wholly present nor fully lost.
Elena tightened her grip on the pendant, feeling its pulse steady, syncing with the rhythm of the land. "They're waiting," she murmured. "For us to acknowledge what was done."
Matteo's gaze was sharp, calculating. "They aren't threatening us," he observed. "But they aren't forgiving either."
Isabella took a deliberate step forward. "Then we don't back down," she said. "We face them."
Luca studied the vineyard's shifting shadows, instincts sharp. "The Veil has never been this strong before," he muttered. "It isn't just revealing the past—it's demanding something."
Carlo exhaled, his grip firm on the ornate box. "The vineyard was built on a decision," he said. "And every choice leaves a mark."
Elena turned to him, the weight of his words settling over her. "What kind of mark?" she asked. "What do they want?"
Carlo's gaze was unreadable, his silence stretching just long enough to fill the air with tension. Then, finally, he spoke. "A choice was made," he said. "One that saved the vineyard—but condemned something else."
Pietro let out a sharp breath, a bitter edge to his voice. "And now they want to settle the score," he muttered.
The wind surged suddenly, carrying a voice—clear, sharp, undeniable.
**"Remember us."**
Elena's pulse quickened.
It was not just a plea.
It was a command.
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