Transmigrated as the Villainess Princess - Chapter 172

Chapter 172: The Quake
The ground beneath their feet trembled violently, and a low, ominous rumble filled the air. Cracks snaked across the floor, splintering the ancient stone as the walls groaned in protest.

Dust cascaded from the ceiling like falling ash, and shards of rock splintered off, tumbling dangerously close to Aryndale and Azedreo.

The dim glow of the floating blue orbs flickered, their light dancing wildly with each jolt of the earth.

“The place is coming down!” Azedreo shouted, his voice barely cutting through the thunderous roar.

Aryndale grabbed Zefaniarina’s arm, pulling her away from a falling stone beam just in time. “We have to get out of here!”

Before anyone could move, a flash of silver light erupted in the center of the room, a swirling burst of energy that seemed to warp the air itself.

From the center of the light stepped a familiar figure, Ahcehera.

Her silver hair whipped around her face as if caught in a storm, her eyes blazing with urgency.

Her robes, adorned with faint traces of glowing starlight, shimmered like liquid silver.

“Ahcehera!” Aryndale’s voice caught in his throat, relief and shock colliding within him.

“There’s no time!” Ahcehera shouted, her voice sharp with authority.

Without another word, she raised her hand, and a wave of celestial energy surged outward, enveloping the group in a warm, luminous glow.

The chamber’s walls gave a final shudder, and the ceiling began to collapse.

Huge slabs of stone tumbled down, but before they could strike, the glowing energy twisted and warped, yanking Aryndale, Azedreo, Zefaniarina, and Ahcehera out of the room.

The world spun for a brief moment before they found themselves standing on open ground.

The air was cold and crisp, and the starlit sky stretched above them. Behind them, the academy ruins were swallowed in a cloud of dust and debris.

“That was close,” Azedreo muttered, clutching his chest.

But Ahcehera wasn’t finished yet. She turned sharply, raising her hands once more. Lines of celestial energy spiraled from her fingertips, weaving intricate patterns in the air.

The symbols glowed brighter until a swirling portal, deep blue with silver veins crackling along its edges, appeared before them.

“Through here!” Ahcehera urged. Without hesitation, the group stepped into the portal, feeling a sudden weightless sensation as space twisted around them.

They emerged inside the metallic interior of a starship. The smooth silver walls hummed faintly, illuminated by soft cyan lights that lined the corridors.

Control panels blinked with streams of data, and the faint vibrations of the ship’s engines echoed beneath their feet.

Waiting just ahead were two familiar figures, Rohzivaan and Richmond.

“Ahcehera!” Rohzivaan’s voice carried the panic he had been fighting to contain. He rushed forward, his eyes scanning her for injuries.

He cupped her face with trembling hands, his fingers brushing against a faint cut on her cheek.

“Are you hurt?” he asked, his voice low and tight with concern.

“I’m fine,” Ahcehera assured him, placing her hand over his. “I had to act quickly.”

Rohzivaan’s shoulders sagged in relief, and he wrapped his arms tightly around her. “Don’t scare me like that again,” he muttered.

Meanwhile, Aryndale and Azedreo stood frozen in place. Their eyes locked on Ahcehera, their beloved sister, the youngest of their siblings, standing right before them.

“Ahcehera…” Aryndale’s voice broke. Without warning, he crossed the distance between them and pulled her into a tight embrace.

Azedreo followed a second later, wrapping his arms around both of them.

“You’re alive…” Azedreo murmured, his voice shaking.

Ahcehera smiled softly, though her expression held a hint of sorrow. “I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you sooner.”

Aryndale pulled back, still gripping her shoulders. “Why did you leave? What happened?”

Before Ahcehera could answer, Richmond stepped forward. His dark eyes were grim. “We don’t have much time.”

“He’s right,” Ahcehera added, her tone urgent. “There’s more going on than you realize.”

“Then start explaining,” Aryndale demanded. “We’ve spent days searching for you. We found records about Mother, about her being a Celestara seer.”

Ahcehera’s face darkened. “I know… and that’s exactly why I had to disappear. Someone forcibly erased my memories.”

Rohzivaan glanced at her with concern. “We should tell them everything.”

Ahcehera hesitated, then nodded. “You deserve to know.”

She gestured for them to follow her deeper into the starship.

They walked down a narrow corridor until they reached a private chamber where the walls projected a glowing holographic map of the Andromeda Galaxy.

The map shimmered with several red marks, each one pulsing faintly.

“These are the points where disturbances have been detected,” Ahcehera explained.

“I discovered that someone, or something, has been targeting celestial energy across the galaxy.”

“These disturbances are linked to ancient sources of power… and our mother’s sealed flame is one of those sources.”

Aryndale clenched his fists. “You mean Mother’s power is still active?”

Ahcehera nodded gravely. “Barely, but yes. Someone’s trying to awaken it, and if they succeed, it could destabilize the galaxy’s cosmic balance.”

“But why you?” Azedreo asked. “Why did you have to run?”

Ahcehera lowered her gaze. “Because I inherited the celestial flame. My soul can appear anywhere without my physical body, in multiple locations at once.”

The silence that followed was deafening. “The one you saw wasn’t me, that was a soul shard searching for information.”

“You…?” Aryndale whispered.

“It’s why I had to leave,” Ahcehera said softly. “Dad’s task for me was not only to check Agartha, but to explore the destructions in the galaxy.”

“Did he…”

“If I stayed in Sirius Kingdom, I would have endangered everyone. The ones hunting me, they’re powerful, far stronger than anything we’ve faced before.”

“Who’s after you?” Richmond asked, his voice sharp.

Ahcehera’s eyes flickered with both fear and determination. “The Order of the Void.”

Aryndale’s breath caught. “The Void? But they were destroyed decades ago!”

“Not entirely,” Ahcehera corrected. “Some of their followers survived. They’ve been gathering strength in the shadows, waiting for an opportunity like this.

“They believe the celestial flame is the key to controlling the fabric of the universe itself, along with other flames.”

“And if they find you?” Azedreo asked grimly.

Ahcehera’s face hardened. “They’ll use me to ignite the flame… and burn everything in their path.”

Rohzivaan stepped forward, his gaze fierce. “That’s why we’re here. We won’t let that happen.”

“We’ve already gathered information on their movements,” Richmond added. “We’re tracking their ships, but they’re fast and unpredictable.”

Aryndale exchanged a glance with Azedreo. “Then we’re staying with you,” he said firmly.

Ahcehera opened her mouth to protest, but Azedreo cut her off. “We’re family. We’ll face this together.”

For a moment, Ahcehera hesitated, her eyes glistening with emotion. Then she smiled, her shoulders relaxing for the first time in what felt like years.

“Alright,” she said quietly. “Together.”

The starship rumbled beneath their feet as the engines roared to life.

The glowing map shifted, pinpointing a new disturbance in the galaxy, one dangerously close to the Sirius Kingdom.