THE GIRL WHO SHOULD NOT EXIST
The silver pendant felt warm in Riva's hand.
Almost alive.
Almost aware.
As if it knew it had finally returned to the people it was waiting for.
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Nobody spoke.
The underground city had become eerily silent after the mysterious girl's disappearance.
Even the whispers that haunted the ruins had vanished.
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Aarvi broke the silence first.
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"So..."
She looked around nervously.
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"Did we all just chase a ghost?"
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"She wasn't a ghost."
Riva answered immediately.
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Everyone turned toward her.
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"How do you know?"
Eva asked.
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Riva stared at the pendant.
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"Because when I touched this..."
She hesitated.
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"I saw something."
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The group immediately became alert.
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Another vision.
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The pendant began glowing softly.
Silver light spread across its surface.
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And suddenly—
Everyone saw it.
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A memory.
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A young girl running through the underground city.
The same girl they had chased.
The same face.
The same eyes.
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But the city wasn't ruined.
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It was alive.
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People walked through the streets.
Children laughed.
Markets bustled with activity.
The underground civilization flourished.
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Then the vision shifted.
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The girl stood beside the crystal sphere.
Older figures surrounded her.
Scholars.
Guardians.
Leaders.
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One of them placed the pendant around her neck.
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And spoke words none of them could hear.
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The memory shattered.
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Everyone returned to reality.
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Silence followed.
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"That wasn't a random girl."
Parna whispered.
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"No."
Lyra agreed.
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"She was important."
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The discovery raised even more questions.
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If the memory belonged to the past—
Then who had they just seen?
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The girl looked exactly the same.
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That should have been impossible.
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Suddenly the compass reacted.
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Its needle pointed upward.
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Toward the surface.
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Toward the exit.
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Elias immediately noticed.
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"Something's happening."
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The ground trembled.
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A distant explosion echoed through the underground city.
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Then another.
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And another.
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The ruins began shaking violently.
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Dust fell from ancient buildings.
Cracks spread through stone pathways.
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Aarvi looked horrified.
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"Please tell me this place isn't collapsing."
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Nobody answered.
Which was not reassuring.
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The group rushed back toward the staircase.
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But halfway there—
They stopped.
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A massive shadow moved across the ruins.
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Not human.
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Not animal.
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Something much larger.
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The heirs stared as an enormous creature emerged from the darkness.
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Its body appeared carved from black crystal.
Ancient symbols glowed across its surface.
Blue eyes illuminated the ruins.
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It wasn't attacking.
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It was watching.
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Watching the heirs.
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Watching the pendant.
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Then something unexpected happened.
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The creature knelt.
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As though recognizing them.
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As though acknowledging them.
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The entire group froze.
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"What exactly is that?"
Eva whispered.
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Even Elias seemed surprised.
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"A Guardian."
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The word echoed through the ruins.
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"A guardian of the old civilization."
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The creature lowered its head.
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Then projected a beam of blue light from its eyes.
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The light formed another image.
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A map.
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The same star symbol appeared.
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This time connected to three locations.
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The underground city.
A distant desert.
And an unknown fortress hidden in snowy mountains.
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The projection vanished.
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The creature stood.
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Then looked directly at Riva.
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For a brief moment—
She heard a voice.
Not aloud.
Inside her mind.
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Find the Star Archive.
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The message disappeared immediately.
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The creature slowly stepped backward.
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Then vanished into the darkness.
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Gone.
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Everyone stood frozen.
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The story had just become bigger again.
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Before they could discuss what happened—
A familiar voice echoed through the ruins.
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"Interesting."
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Every heart stopped.
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Kael.
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He stepped from the shadows.
Not alone.
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Several cloaked figures stood behind him.
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Followers.
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For the first time, the heirs realized Kael wasn't working by himself.
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He had an organization.
A network.
A plan.
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Kael's eyes focused on the pendant.
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Recognition appeared instantly.
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Then excitement.
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"You found it."
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Elias moved protectively in front of the heirs.
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Kael laughed.
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"Relax."
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His gaze never left the pendant.
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"You've already done the hard part."
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"What is this?" Riva demanded.
Holding up the pendant.
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For a moment Kael considered answering.
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Then he smiled.
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"The key to a secret older than Aurelia."
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The same answer.
Another mystery.
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Another incomplete truth.
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Aarvi groaned loudly.
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"Does everyone in this world speak in riddles?"
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To everyone's surprise—
Kael actually laughed.
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A real laugh.
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Then his expression became serious.
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"You have three days."
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The statement confused everyone.
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"What?"
Eva asked.
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Kael looked toward the distant ceiling of the underground city.
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"As of today, others know you're alive."
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A chill passed through the group.
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"Others?" Parna asked.
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Kael nodded.
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"They're much older than me."
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Silence.
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"Much more dangerous than me."
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Even Elias looked alarmed.
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Which terrified the heirs.
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Because if Elias feared them—
They were a serious threat.
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Before anyone could ask another question—
Kael and his followers disappeared into the darkness.
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Gone.
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Just like that.
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Leaving behind more questions than answers.
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The ruins continued shaking.
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This time Elias didn't hesitate.
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"We leave now."
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No arguments followed.
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The heirs rushed toward the staircase.
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Hours later they finally emerged onto the island's surface.
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The sea storm had returned.
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Lightning illuminated the lighthouse.
Waves crashed against black cliffs.
The island felt different.
Restless.
Awake.
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The compass pointed west.
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Toward the desert location shown by the guardian.
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The pendant glowed softly.
Confirming the direction.
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Their next destination.
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The Desert of Mirrors.
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As the group prepared to leave the island, none of them noticed a figure standing near the lighthouse.
Watching silently.
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The mysterious girl.
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Alive.
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Her silver eyes followed the heirs as they sailed away.
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Then she whispered a single sentence.
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"They've finally begun."
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Far beneath the island, the crystal sphere shattered completely.
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And somewhere beyond deserts, mountains, and forgotten kingdoms, an ancient force stirred from its sleep.
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Not because of Kael.
Not because of Aurelia.
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Because the Star Archive had awakened.
And the heirs were moving toward it.