Elara clutched her chest as the dark pulse surged through her. It wasn't pain — it was recognition. A thousand voices whispered in her mind, flickers of forgotten memories clawing their way to the surface.
A field of fire… silver wolves bowing before her… a crown of glowing embers on her head…
"Elara!" Kael knelt beside her, grabbing her shoulders. "What's happening to you?"
"I… I don't know," she gasped, her voice trembling. "It's like I'm seeing pieces of someone else. But they feel like me."
Elena approached, her face pale with awe and horror. "The Moonblood didn't just trigger magic… it triggered reincarnation. You weren't just born with fire, Elara — you've been the Flameborn before. In another life."
Ravynn cursed softly. "This is worse than we thought."
Vael's voice echoed through the vale. "She remembers. Not fully yet, but enough. Enough to know the truth I speak."
Elara forced herself to her feet. The shadows parted around her, as if they recognized her now — or feared her.
"You used me," she said, voice steadier now, stronger. "You baited me here to awaken something you couldn't control yourself."
Vael tilted his head. "Not to control, Elara. To unleash. You think this war is about you and Kael? It's not. It's about bloodlines older than kingdoms. About power buried by the Moon herself."
He pointed at her, eyes burning. "You're not just Flameborn. You were once my equal."
Elara recoiled. "No. I would never stand beside you."
"You already did," he said softly. "Before the Moon cursed us. Before she tore us apart."
The air crackled. Magic surged around Elara, heat shimmering in waves. But it wasn't wild anymore — it bent to her will, coiling around her arms like armor.
Kael stepped beside her, his voice low but unshaken. "You're not alone this time."
Elara met his eyes, her heartbeat slowing. "I know."
As the moonlight poured through the clouds, her flames rose, brighter than ever. And in that moment, she felt it — not just her power, but her purpose.
This war wasn't just about destiny.
It was about reclaiming what was stolen.