The Stormborn Prophecy

 The weather had been restless for weeks, shifting unpredictably between violent storms and eerie calm. The people of Eldermere whispered of omens, of something stirring beneath the land, something older than the town itself.

At the heart of the village, in the ancient library, Elias Thorne poured over forgotten texts, his candle casting flickering shadows against the stone walls. His fingers traced the faded ink of an old prophecy—one that spoke of the return of the Stormborn, beings said to control the skies themselves.

A sudden knock at the door startled him.

"Come in," Elias called, closing the book.

The door creaked open, revealing Mira Valen, a hunter known for her sharp instincts and even sharper blades. She stepped inside, carrying a bundle wrapped in a cloth, her expression unreadable.

"You need to see this," she said.

Elias unfolded the cloth, revealing a small orb, its surface swirling with storm clouds. Electricity crackled within.

"Where did you find this?" Elias whispered.

Mira hesitated. "Near the old ruins. The storm seemed… alive."

Elias exchanged a glance with her. The Stormborn weren’t just legends.

They were waking.

---

The ruins stood atop the cliffside, overlooking the raging sea. Waves crashed violently against the rocks as the wind howled through the broken pillars of an ancient temple.

Elias knelt before the crumbling statue at the center of the ruins, its features weathered by time but still unmistakable—a figure with eyes like lightning, hands raised toward the sky.

"This was once a shrine," he murmured. "To the Stormborn."

Mira stood beside him, gripping the hilt of her dagger. "Then why was it abandoned?"

Elias pointed to the inscriptions on the base of the statue. "Because they were betrayed."

According to legend, the Stormborn were once guardians of balance, wielding the power of the storms. But the people of Eldermere feared their might. They turned on them, sealed them away beneath the land, and erased their existence from history.

And now, the sky itself was breaking their seal.

Elias placed the orb in a crest carved into the statue. The moment it settled, a deep rumble shook the earth.

The sky above darkened, and from the cliffs, a voice echoed.

"You have remembered."

Mira drew her blade. "That doesn’t sound like a thank you."

The clouds above swirled, forming the shape of a massive, shifting serpent. Its eyes burned like twin suns, its body made of wind and lightning.

Elias swallowed hard. "It’s one of them."

The Stormborn had returned.

---

The air crackled as the serpent coiled above them, its gaze fixed on the mortals who had awoken it.

"Why have you called me forth?"

Elias stepped forward, voice steady despite the fear gripping him. "The world is changing. The balance has been lost. We need the Stormborn to restore it."

The serpent’s eyes flickered, considering his words.

"You sealed us away. You feared us. Why should we help you now?"

Mira spoke before Elias could answer. "Because if you don’t, this world will fall apart."

Silence stretched between them.

Then, the serpent lowered its head, staring into Elias’s soul.

"Prove your worth."

Lightning struck the ground between them, carving a glowing sigil into the stone. Elias recognized the challenge. The Stormborn demanded a trial.

Heart pounding, he stepped forward, placing his hand over the sigil. Energy surged through him, filling his veins with the storm’s power.

Visions flashed before his eyes—of the past, of the betrayal, of the coming catastrophe. He saw the land breaking, the sky splitting apart. And at the center of it all, the last Stormborn, waiting.

Elias gasped, stumbling back. The serpent watched.

"You have seen what is to come."

Mira helped Elias to his feet. "What did you see?"

Elias turned to her, his voice grim. "The seal is breaking, but not just for the Stormborn. Something else is waking. Something worse."

The serpent rumbled.

"Then you must choose. Will you aid us… or betray us once more?"

The storm swirled violently above, waiting for his answer.

And for the first time, Elias realized the future was in his hands.