A pulse of golden energy rippled from the Imperial Seal in Mei Lin's hands, sending a powerful shockwave through the vault. The assassins staggered back, their eyes widening in disbelief.
"The Seal has recognized her," one of them hissed. "This isn't possible!"
Mei Lin barely heard them. The moment she touched the Seal, a surge of memories flooded her mind—fragments of a past life, images of a grand imperial palace, voices calling her name in reverence.
She had once been royalty. The true heir of the Celestial Dynasty.
The power within the Seal coursed through her veins, burning away the poison in her body. Her vision cleared, her breathing steadied. She lifted her gaze to the assassins, her eyes glowing faintly with golden light.
Li Sheng noticed the change immediately. His grip on his sword tightened. "Mei Lin…?"
She turned to him, a sense of calm determination settling over her. "I remember now."
Before she could say more, the assassins attacked again, their hesitation vanishing.
The first one lunged toward her, his dagger aimed at her heart.
But this time, Mei Lin didn't retreat.
She lifted her hand, and a barrier of golden energy erupted around her, sending the assassin flying backward into a stone pillar. He coughed up blood, his face contorted in shock.
"What kind of power is this?!"
Mei Lin felt it—the Imperial Seal wasn't just a symbol of authority. It carried the ancestral energy of the Celestial Dynasty, a power that had laid dormant for generations.
She raised the Seal, her voice steady. "You said you came to erase me?" She stepped forward, her presence overwhelming. "Then let me show you why you can't."
The remaining two assassins exchanged wary glances, but before they could retreat, Li Sheng struck.
His blade moved like a deadly whirlwind, cutting through the air with precision. One assassin barely dodged, but Li Sheng twisted his sword, slicing through the man's leg. The assassin let out a strangled cry, collapsing to the ground.
The last assassin, seeing his comrades defeated, turned to run.
Mei Lin clenched her fingers around the Seal. "No."
With a simple thought, the energy of the Vault responded to her will. The stone walls shifted, closing off the exit. The assassin skidded to a stop, panic flashing across his face.
Li Sheng stepped forward, his sword pressed against the man's throat. "Who sent you?"
The assassin's breath hitched, but he forced a smirk. "You think you've won?" He chuckled darkly. "You may have unlocked the Vault, but your enemies are already moving. The Northern remnants, the shadow court—they all know now. They know the heir has returned."
Mei Lin's fingers tightened around the Seal.
This wasn't over. It was just beginning.
She took a deep breath and looked at Li Sheng. "We need to leave. Now."
Li Sheng nodded. "We'll face whatever comes next. Together."
As the Vault doors rumbled open, Mei Lin stepped into the light—no longer just a healer, but a ruler reclaiming her destiny.