The sky dimmed to deep cerulean as Aria, Lyrien, and Arinthal emerged from the mountains into the third realm—**Vael'Nareth**, the City Beneath the Waters.
This realm was unlike the others. No land greeted them, only a shimmering lake that stretched endlessly in every direction. At the edge of the shore stood a boat shaped like a crescent moon, carved from glasslike crystal and etched with glowing runes.
"This is it," Arinthal whispered. "Vael'Nareth was once a thriving city of knowledge... before it sank. Now it sleeps beneath the waves."
Aria's palm buzzed again. The mark shimmered faintly beneath her skin, reacting to something hidden deep below.
They climbed into the boat, and as they settled in, it moved on its own, gliding silently across the mirrored surface. The silence was eerie, broken only by soft ripples. Below them, shapes danced in the water—ruins, corridors, broken towers, and statues of forgotten gods.
Suddenly, the boat dipped downward. Aria gasped, but a transparent dome enveloped them, allowing them to breathe as the vessel dove into the depths.
Beneath the water, **Vael'Nareth revealed itself**: a sunken world of crystalline buildings and flowing light. Fish with glowing fins darted between archways, and translucent trees swayed in the underwater current.
"This place is beautiful," Aria whispered, awe in her voice.
"And cursed," Arinthal replied grimly. "Be on your guard. The guardian of this realm is one of Xandros's most cunning."
As they neared the heart of the city, the boat stopped before a shattered temple. Its once-grand doors were torn open, and the inside pulsed with a dim blue glow.
Inside, they found **the Echo fragment**, floating above a pedestal carved from coral and ivory. It pulsed in rhythm with the mark on Aria's palm.
But just as she stepped forward—
A hiss split the air.
From behind the broken pillars slithered a creature of liquid shadows and bone—**Nirava**, the Whispering Warden. It had no eyes, but its mouth curled wide across its featureless face. Its voice was a chorus of whispers.
"Key-bearer. Youdaretake what was lost to the sea?"
It moved like smoke, wrapping around Aria in a blink. Her sword was drawn instantly, but Nirava wasn't attacking yet. It was... reading her.
Lyrien lunged forward. "Let her go!"
Nirava flicked its tendrils, and Lyrien was slammed into a wall of coral. Aria screamed, but Arinthal threw up a shimmering barrier before the creature could crush him.
"Use the mark!" Arinthal shouted. "The Echo is resonating with you!"
Aria closed her eyes and focused on the pulsing in her hand. Her mind blurred, thoughts drifting like silt in water. She could *feel* the Echo—its frequency, its hum. She reached toward it, but Nirava reacted instantly.
"You are not worthy," it hissed.
**Dark illusions** filled the temple—visions of Aria's failures, her exile, the people she couldn't save. Her mind was being drowned in her own doubt.
But then—
A hand touched hers. Warm, real.
Lyrien stood beside her, battered but breathing. "None of that matters," he said firmly. "You're not alone."
The illusions cracked.
The Echo flared, sensing the connection. The mark on her palm lit up, threads of power weaving from it into the fragment. Aria reached out with both hands, channeling not just energy—but *clarity*. She rejected the illusions. She saw herself. Flawed, yes. But growing. Fighting.
**She grasped the Echo.**
Light exploded. Nirava screeched, dissolving into mist, scattered like sea foam. The fragment melded with her mark, and for a moment, Aria felt the world's sorrow—the ancient weight of Vael'Nareth's fall—but also its hope.
As the temple settled, the trio sat in silence, catching their breath.
Arinthal finally spoke. "That was one of the harder ones. You did well."
Aria nodded slowly, staring at her hand. The mark had changed—slightly. A new ring of runes had appeared around it.
Lyrien nudged her. "You didn't just win. You *grew*. That matters more than power."
She smiled at him, something soft stirring in her chest. "Thanks. For pulling me back."
He shrugged, a rare smile tugging at his lips. "Well, someone has to keep the Chosen One grounded."
As they ascended back to the surface, Aria looked down at the glowing city and whispered, "We'll fix this. All of it."
They emerged from the waters and stepped into the light of the next path—leading toward the fourth realm.
The journey was far from over.
But Aria had one more Echo. One step closer to stopping Xandros.
And she was beginning to believe... she might actually be enough….
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