The city faded behind them.
Arin didn't know how long they ran—through twisting alleys, abandoned courtyards, and narrow tunnels hidden beneath crumbling stone.
His lungs burned.
His mind burned even more.
Otto.
The betrayal replayed over and over, sharper than any blade.
Elara finally stopped beneath a broken archway covered in ivy. The air here was damp, untouched, as though no one had stepped foot in this place for centuries.
Arin bent over, gasping.
"Elara…"
She turned, her face grim.
"I know," she said softly.
Arin's voice trembled.
"He was my friend."
Elara's eyes held no surprise.
"The Order doesn't only hunt with swords," she replied. "They hunt with fear. With leverage. With people you trust."
Arin clenched his fists.
"I should've seen it."
Elara shook her head.
"No. Trust is not weakness, Arin. It is what makes you human."
For a moment, silence settled between them.
Then—
The pendant pulsed.
Once.
Twice.
Stronger.
Elara's gaze snapped downward.
"It's reacting…"
Arin pulled it out.
The glow was brighter than ever, casting pale light onto the stone beneath their feet.
And that's when Arin saw it.
Symbols.
Carved into the ground.
Ancient runes, half-erased by time.
Elara's breath caught.
"…Impossible."
Arin looked up.
"What is it?"
Elara stepped forward slowly, brushing moss away with trembling fingers.
"This is a seal."
"A seal for what?"
Elara swallowed hard.
"For knowledge that was never meant to be found."
The pendant flared.
The runes answered.
The stone beneath them began to shift.
RUMMMM…
Arin stumbled back.
The ground split open with a low groan, revealing a staircase descending into darkness.
Cold air rushed upward, carrying the scent of dust and old paper.
Arin stared.
"There's something under the city…"
Elara's voice was barely a whisper.
"The Hidden Library of the Shadow Throne."
The library below
The stairs seemed endless.
Each step felt like walking deeper into another world.
Finally, they emerged into a vast chamber.
Arin froze.
Shelves towered into the darkness, filled with ancient books and scrolls untouched by time. Lanterns lined the walls, though none were lit—yet the room shimmered faintly, as though the knowledge itself glowed.
Arin's voice was awed.
"This place… it's real…"
Elara nodded slowly.
"Legends said the Shadow Kings stored their greatest secrets here. Spells. Histories. Prophecies."
Arin stepped forward.
The pendant hummed.
As he passed a shelf, books began to tremble.
One slid free on its own, falling open in front of him.
Elara's eyes widened.
"It's responding to you."
Arin leaned closer.
The pages were written in an old language… but somehow, he understood.
Words formed clearly in his mind:
THE HEIR SHALL BE MARKED BY SHADOW.
THE THRONE SHALL AWAKEN THROUGH BLOOD.
AND THE VEILS SHALL FALL.
Arin's throat tightened.
"What does that mean?"
Elara's face was pale.
"It means… this isn't only about a pendant."
Arin looked at her.
"This is about a war."
Before Elara could answer—
A sound echoed through the library.
Tap… tap… tap…
Footsteps.
Not theirs.
Elara spun around, instantly alert.
"No…"
Arin's pulse quickened.
"They followed us?"
Elara whispered.
"They shouldn't even know this place exists…"
The footsteps grew closer.
A shadow moved between the shelves.
Then a voice spoke from the darkness.
Smooth.
Familiar.
"You always did run toward trouble, Arin."
Arin's breath stopped.
That voice…
He knew it.
A figure stepped into the faint glow.
Not masked.
Not cloaked.
But dressed in dark noble armor, eyes sharp like steel.
Elara stiffened beside him.
Her voice was barely audible.
"…Prince Kael."
Arin looked between them, confused.
"Prince?"
Kael smiled faintly.
"The Shadow Throne has been asleep for a long time."
His gaze fell to the pendant.
"But now…"
His eyes darkened.
"…it has chosen its heir."
Thank you for reading Chapter 8 of Legacy of the Shadow Throne!
Arin has discovered the Hidden Library… but a powerful new figure has appeared.
Stay tuned for Chapter 9 — The Gathering Storm is coming next!
Who do you think Prince Kael really is? Friend… or enemy?