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"A single petal may start a war.
A glance may end a kingdom.
But beware the silence of gods—
For they speak in broken dreams."
The storm raged through the valley, but inside the ruined fortress, the wind fell silent. Only the soft sound of dripping water echoed through the vast stone corridors. Moria stepped cautiously, her boots barely making a sound on the moss-covered floor.
Behind her, Jiang Yan sneezed.
Li Yuan sighed. "Do you have to do that now?"
"I have allergies!" Jiang Yan whispered. "Probably cursed mushrooms or haunted air or something."
"Or maybe it's guilt," Moria said without turning.
"Why guilt?!"
"You ate all the dried meat last night."
"That was you!"
Li Yuan suppressed a grin. Moria didn't.
Still, the levity faded as they entered the temple's inner sanctum. There, at the center, stood a throne carved of obsidian—its surface covered in ancient glyphs that pulsed faintly with crimson light.
Jiang Yan tilted his head. "Uh… Moria? That thing's humming."
"That's not humming," she whispered. "It's remembering."
She walked closer. Her fingers brushed the edge—and in an instant, the shadows danced.
Visions crashed into her mind:
A crown of thorns upon her brow.
Chains made of flame.
A battlefield soaked in moonlight.
Her own reflection… smiling at her with different eyes.
She gasped, stumbling back.
Li Yuan caught her just in time. "What did you see?"
Moria didn't answer. Her system whispered instead:
[World Fragment recognized: Throne of the Forgotten Queen.]
[Memory resonance at 37%.]
[Warning: Sealed personality echo detected.]
"Not now," she muttered to herself. "Not yet."
Suddenly, laughter echoed from the shadows. Cold, elegant, and unnerving.
A man stepped out.
He wore black silk robes embroidered with skeletal lotus flowers. His face was handsome but hollow—eyes silver and soulless.
"Welcome, Goddess," he said, bowing mockingly. "Or should I call you… Tia of the Fox Flames?"
Li Yuan stepped forward, sword drawn. "Who are you?"
The man ignored him. "I am Xie Wusheng. High Priest of the Forbidden Sect. Collector of souls… and admirer of lost queens."
He looked at Moria and smiled.
"Oh, I've waited a long time to meet you. You're even more beautiful than they said."
Jiang Yan whispered, "He's flirting with her?!"
Li Yuan growled lowly.
Moria rolled her eyes. "Cut the theatrics, priest. You're here for the Flame Lotus, aren't you?"
Wusheng's smile widened. "Partly. But mostly… I'm here for you."
He raised a hand. The air twisted.
From the darkness, came beasts—half-formed, stitched with bone and shadow, ancient failed experiments of the forbidden arts. Eyes glowing blue, bodies unnatural.
Moria didn't flinch.
"Li Yuan," she said calmly. "Cover the boy."
He nodded.
Moria stepped forward, her voice sharp.
"You're not the first to call yourself a collector, priest. But you might be the first to die with empty hands."
Her silver hair lifted, glowing with ethereal flame. The vines at her feet bloomed into black roses, thorns hissing.
Wusheng laughed again, but uneasily now.
Then came the fighting.
Jiang Yan ran to hide behind a pillar, watching as Li Yuan's blade danced like wind—striking down beast after beast. Meanwhile, Moria walked through the chaos like a storm in silk.
Every touch of her fingers turned shadows into dust. Her voice summoned curses older than the temple itself.
And in the center of it all, Xie Wusheng stood unmoving—until she reached him.
"You're hiding something," she whispered.
His smile returned. "So are you."
He pressed a charm against her chest. A shock ran through her body, her knees faltering.
"Sleep," he whispered.
The room darkened. Li Yuan shouted her name, but it was too late.
Moria collapsed.
Xie Wusheng caught her in his arms like a lover.
"To think," he murmured, "even a goddess can fall."
And with a flick of his robe, they vanished.
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End of Chapter 20