The Shattered Oath Part 3

The path through the Wraithwood twisted through ancient ruins, remnants of a forgotten age swallowed by time. Vaelin kept a firm grip on his sword as they followed Nyara and the Oathsworn deeper into the heart of the forest. The deeper they went, the more the air crackled with Veil energy—Elira could feel it pressing against her skin like a whisper of something long-buried waking from slumber.

The Oathsworn’s hidden stronghold lay beneath the ruins of Kaelaros, an underground sanctuary carved into the bones of the lost city. As they descended through winding tunnels, torchlight flickering against the stone, Vaelin felt the weight of history pressing down on him. This place was old, older than the kingdom itself.

Nyara led them into a great chamber, its walls lined with carvings of warriors bound in chains, their eyes hollowed out. At the center stood an altar of black stone, its surface marred by ancient, dried blood.

“The truth begins here,” Nyara said, her voice echoing in the vast space. “You carry a name that was meant to be erased.”

Vaelin’s grip tightened. “Explain.”

Nyara motioned to the carvings. “Long ago, the Oathsworn were guardians of the Veil’s balance. We were bound to its will, neither master nor servant, but its protectors. Then, the Betrayal came.” She turned, her silver eyes locking onto Vaelin. “A warrior named Kaelvar shattered the oath, sacrificing our order for power. His bloodline was supposed to be purged.”

Elira inhaled sharply. “Kaelvar… Vaelin, your family name—”

“I know.” Vaelin’s voice was steady, but inside, a storm raged. “You’re saying I’m descended from the man who destroyed your order?”

Nyara studied him carefully. “Perhaps. Or perhaps you are something more.” She gestured to the altar. “Blood speaks truth. If you truly carry his legacy, this will reveal it.”

Vaelin hesitated. The idea of mingling his blood with ancient magic tied to betrayal and death sent a chill through him. But they had come this far. He drew his dagger and pressed the tip against his palm, letting a single drop fall onto the black stone.

The reaction was immediate. The entire chamber trembled as the carvings in the walls began to shift, their hollowed eyes flaring with blue-white light. Energy surged through the altar, wrapping around Vaelin like unseen chains.

Then, he saw it.

Visions flooded his mind—a battlefield soaked in blood, warriors falling as a lone figure wielded a blade wreathed in dark Veil energy. He saw Kaelvar standing over the bodies of the Oathsworn, his eyes hollow with power. And then, the vision shifted. A woman, her face obscured, whispering words of defiance, weaving a spell of binding. A curse. A legacy.

And it had not yet run its course.

Vaelin stumbled back, gasping for breath. Elira caught him, her grip grounding him in reality. “What did you see?”

Vaelin met Nyara’s gaze, the truth settling like ice in his bones. “Kaelvar didn’t just betray you. He stole something from the Veil itself.”

Nyara’s expression darkened. “Then the curse lives on in you.”

Before Vaelin could answer, the chamber’s entrance exploded inward.

A dozen figures poured in—Vowbound assassins, their silver eyes locked onto Vaelin. At their head stood a towering warrior clad in obsidian armor, his gauntlet crackling with black energy.

“You should not have come here,” the warrior rumbled. “Your blood is forfeit.”

The Oathsworn warriors surged forward, clashing with the invaders. Vaelin drew his sword, Elira summoning raw Veil energy to her fingertips. The chamber became a storm of steel and magic, the air alive with the hum of power and the screams of battle.

And in the chaos, Vaelin knew—this fight was only the beginning.

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All Parts of this Series

• The Shattered Oath Part 1
• The Shattered Oath Part 2
• The Shattered Oath Part 3
• The Shattered Oath Part 4
• The Shattered Oath Part 5