Lucien was the first to break the silence. His voice was hushed. "That matches what I've read. The prophecy fragments I have been studying mention the bonds of blood and duty that anchor you to this world. The Wanderers are not just an army. They are cursed beings, bound to the Witch Queen's will, but unable to find rest. Their curse is linked to the same celestial alignment that marks you as the Chosen." He stepped closer to the bed, his academic focus taking over. "If you were to willingly sever your own bonds, the very thing that defines your purpose, that act could fracture the prophecy itself. It could confer legitimacy on your chosen status or undermine it entirely. If they won you to their side, or even just neutralized you, they could use that fractured power to break their own curse. A world with no chosen protector is a world they could claim."
"So they want Aveloria because they believe she can break their curse," Theron said.
