As she stepped further in, the locket glowed brighter, illuminating the symbols on the floor.
She felt a cold breeze pass by her side. Then, from somewhere deep within the tower, a voice whispered faintly — a woman's voice, gentle and sorrowful:
"Elara… my daughter…"
Elara froze, her heart pounding.The light from her locket flared, filling the entire chamber with golden warmth.
And in that glow, she saw a faint, ghostly figure — a woman with long black hair and kind, tired eyes — standing before her.
The air inside the tower glowed faintly, moving like the surface of water.
Elara stood frozen, her breath caught in her throat.
The woman before her was made of light — soft and translucent, her outline flickering as if the wind could scatter her at any moment.
Yet her eyes… those gentle, knowing eyes — they held warmth that Elara had not felt in what felt like lifetimes.
"Mother…?" she whispered, her voice trembling. when she heard her own voice even she felt shocked it was really filled with deep emotions she never felt before.
The ghostly figure smiled faintly.
"My dear child," she said, her voice echoing softly like the rustle of leaves. "You've finally found this place."
Elara's knees weakened. "You… you're really her?"
"I am what remains," the woman said gently. "A fragment of memory bound to the locket. I left it behind knowing one day, when darkness surrounded you, it would guide you here."
Elara's fingers tightened around the locket. "You knew?"
"I did," the spirit replied, her eyes darkening slightly. "This family—your father's world—is not as noble as it seems. The poison that runs through your veins was never meant for you, but for me. Your stepmother was once one of them—the ones who seek the locket's power."
Elara's breath hitched. "Power?"
The spirit nodded. "The locket you wear is not just a keepsake. It holds a fragment of an ancient source — The Heart of Realms. It connects different worlds, binds destinies, and remembers every soul who once touched it."
Elara's thoughts raced. The locket remembered… That was why it reacted when she died. Why it carried her soul into this world.
"So that's how…" she whispered. "That's how I came here."
Her mother's form flickered faintly, the light dimming.
"The locket chose you, Elara. Because your heart held purity even in vengeance. It brought you to the body of my daughter — merging two souls into one. You are both her… and not her."
Tears welled in Elara's eyes. "You know...Then what do I do now?"
"Listen carefully," her mother said, her tone soft but urgent. "The poison is not ordinary one. It was made with spirit energy — a curse that weakens your body to make you dependent, easy to control. But within the eastern tower lies a seal — an ancient circle that I created before my death. It can reveal the truth of any energy that touches your soul."
Elara's eyes widened. "Where is it?"
The spirit turned, her hand pointing to the far wall. "Behind that stone crest. Speak your true name, and it will open."
Elara took a step forward, but her mother's fading light stopped her.
"There is more you must know," the spirit whispered. "Your stepmother serves a hidden sect — one that believes the Heart of Realms can open the gate between worlds. They will not stop until they have it. Be cautious, my child. Trust no one completely… not even your father. for now they don't know the power lies in this locket protect it hide it from them ."
Her voice trembled now, the glow around her fading rapidly.
"Mother, wait—!"
"Find the truth, Elara," the spirit said softly. "And when the time comes… let the locket decide your fate."
The light burst — and then, silence.
The tower grew still once more, the only sound the faint hum of the locket against Elara's chest.
She stood there for a long time, her eyes filled with both sorrow and fire.
Then she turned toward the wall her mother had pointed to — the one with the stone crest shaped like a dragon's eye.
Her lips parted, voice steady.
"Elara."
The air trembled. The wall shimmered — then cracked open, revealing a spiral staircase leading downward into golden light.