Chapter 353: The Chosen Treasures
Annalise’s heart raced as she opened her eyes after hours of constant elemental magic cultivation and found four of the treasures glowing brightly in her golden power along with the branch from the Tree of Elements.
A smile of pure satisfaction bloomed on her lips as gathered the glowing artifacts and prepared to leave the enchanting place. However, her smile of satisfaction faded quickly when she realized that more time had passed than she thought. With a sense of urgency, she rose to her feet, determined to find Esmeray.
But her poor luck had other plans. As she attempted to leave the garden, an inexplicable force pulled her toward the ruins of the Seelie Palace, the very place she had been trying to avoid all this time. She resisted at first, struggling against the growing tug, but it only intensified with each passing second.
Desperate to escape, Annalise made one final effort to break free, but the invisible force proved relentless. Reluctantly, she turned to face the imposing palace that loomed before her. With a sigh, she approached what appeared to be a door, her hand instinctively pressing against its ancient surface.
Just like she predicted, the door also had a ward cast over it. But to her surprise, the warding on the door yielded to her touch, granting her access immediately.
Feeling both surprised and slightly curious, she pushed the door open with a gentle exertion of her power. Darkness enveloped her initially, but as her eyes adjusted, beams of sunlight filtered through the cracks in the walls and ceiling, revealing the palace’s interior.
Annalise proceeded cautiously, her steps echoing in the dilapidated corridor, the floor covered in dust, debris, and decayed leaves. The walls held not only the rich history of the Seelie Court but also concealed secrets long buried.
Driven by an unseen force, Annalise continued her journey deeper into the palace, her every step guided by an irresistible pull. A small part of her brain tried to remind her that she needed to return by Esmeray’s side immediately but the bigger part was overtaken by that same force that was pulling her deeper into the palace.
Suddenly, the entire palace trembled, nearly causing her to lose her footing, but it was more than enough to cut the tug of the unknown force and bring her back to reality. Alarmed, she cried out, "What’s going on?"