The shards seemed to hum. Alive.

Talia knew it wasn’t real. But she could almost hear it. Magic leaked from the broken stone. Whispering secrets meant only for her.

Kelan had laid out the pieces on the table like a puzzle. But these weren’t just stones. Something ancient.

“One of our scouts found this, Lady Talia,” Kelan said. His voice low. Like the shards could hear.

Talia crossed her arms, sighing. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost, Kelan.”

Still, curiosity tugged at her. She leaned closer, fingers hovering over the shards. Symbols were carved into them. Worn. But the power still pulsed.

Talia traced a rune. The magic snapped through her. Sharp. Electric.

“These… these are older than anything we’ve ever seen,” she said, trying to keep her voice steady. “Older than even the Elven texts.” A shiver crawled up her spine.

Kelan frowned, scratching his head. “Could they be from the Mythical Wars? The legends?”

Talia shot him a look. “What? Floating cities? Reality-warping magic?” She scoffed. Though her voice wavered. “Don’t be ridiculous.”

Kelan leaned in, eyes narrowing. The symbols twisted. Shifted. Played tricks on his mind.

Talia’s fingers stopped on a larger shard. A swirling vortex.

Kelan gasped. “That looks like… Could it be tied to the new Mythical? To what happened that night?”

Talia blinked. That night. The new Mythical in Drudgery Forest. The energy readings. Chaos. Air heavy with magic. Everything spinning out of control.

Talia’s heart pounded. The artifact had been destroyed recently. The magic felt fresh. Too fresh.

Then it clicked for her. “The energy spike in Drudgery. Just before the surveillance grid crashed.”

Kelan’s face paled. “You don’t think—”

“I do.” Talia’s voice was tight. “The artifact was shattered in Drudgery. That’s no coincidence.”

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Silence. Thick. Heavy. Both of them felt it.

“But who?” Kelan whispered. “Why destroy something so powerful?”

Talia clenched her jaw. “That’s what we need to find out.”

Kelan swallowed hard. “Drudgery’s crawling with those exiled ‘heroes.’ Zane, Lyra, Darius. Could they be involved?”

Talia’s eyes narrowed. “We can’t ignore the possibility. Their sudden appearance there? Way too convenient.”

“Maybe the King sent them,” Kelan suggested. “What if he knows more than he’s letting on? What if he ordered them to destroy it?”

Talia scoffed. “Sure. Because trusting the kingdom’s three ex-heroes makes sense.” She paused, doubt creeping in. “Still… the King has secrets. But why keep us in the dark?”

“Fear?” Kelan guessed. “Maybe he thought we’d try to take it for ourselves.”

“He’s not wrong. The Guilds are full of power-hungry idiots,” Talia said. “But would he really trust Zane and his crew?” She shook her head. Something didn’t add up.

Unless…

“He’s using them as pawns!” Kelan blurted out. “They’re disposable. If they succeed, great. If they fail? The King loses nothing.”

Talia tapped her fingers on the table. It made sense. But still. Something was missing.

And then Kelan said it. The thing she didn’t want to think about. “What if they’re not working for the King at all? What if they’re working for someone else?”

Talia froze. Blood cold. “The ancient civilization?” Her voice barely a whisper. “No. Impossible. Just stories.”

“But what if they’re not?” Kelan insisted. “The timing of the Mythical, the artifact’s destruction, their exile... It all fits too well! What if Zane, Lyra, Darius... what if they’re the descendants of that lost civilization? What if they’ve come to reclaim their ancestors’ power?”

Talia groaned, rubbing her temples. “Kelan, your imagination is going to be the end of me.”

But the idea stuck. What if there was something to it?

“We need answers,” she finally said.

Kelan blinked. “What? You’re actually considering—”

“We need to know what Zane and his friends are really after. The whole kingdom could be at risk.”

“But why destroy the artifact?” Kelan asked. “Wouldn’t they want its power?”

“Unless it was too dangerous,” Talia whispered. “Or… they destroyed it to keep it out of someone else’s hands.”

Kelan’s eyes went wide. “You think they’re playing a bigger game?”

Talia’s gaze snapped to his, sharp as a blade. “We can’t rule it out. Zane, Lyra, Darius—they were the best, once. What if their exile was all part of a plan?”

Kelan gulped. “To make their enemies think they were weak?”

“Exactly. What if they’ve been the masterminds behind everything all along?” Talia slammed her hand on the table.

Kelan jumped.

Talia smirked. “Don’t be so jumpy, Kelan. It’s just a table.” She spun, fire in her eyes. “I’m going to Drudgery.”

Kelan’s mouth fell open. “What?! But it’s dangerous! The new Mythical, Zane and his crew—they’re still out there!”

Talia gave him a sly smile. “Secrets have a way of finding me, Kelan. And when I figure out what Zane and his gang are really up to…”

She didn’t finish the sentence. She didn’t need to.

No one was ready for what came next.

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