Nicolette awoke on the temple floor, gasping for air. The crystal still hovered, but its glow had dimmed.
Kael knelt beside her. "What did you see?"
She sat up slowly. "A woman… a queen… She looked like me."
A robed elder entered—his eyes silver, his beard braided with light.
"You saw Queen Elyra," he said. "Our last Lightbearer. She vanished a century ago... without a trace."
Nicolette's pulse quickened. "You think I'm her?"
The elder shook his head. "You carry her spirit, not her name. The flame has chosen you. You are her echo—and her evolution."
He led her to a chamber lined with ancient scrolls. One unfurled on its own, revealing a prophecy:
> When the Heart Listener awakens and heals beast and man alike, the veil will tear, and the true war will begin.
"War?" she whispered.
Kael frowned. "The kingdoms have been restless. If the veil tears, magic and chaos will flood both our worlds."
"Both worlds?" she asked.
The elder met her gaze.
"Yes. Your world... and ours."