Page 96 of Eluvonia
The ground shakes beneath us, a deafening crash silencing whatever Kaida was about to say. I’m on my feet in an instant, Declan right beside me, both of us scanning the trees as another explosion rocks around us.
“What is that?” I ask, my voice sharp.
Before anyone can answer, the Earth Ymiral appears with a pop of displaced air. Her eyes are wide, frantic. “Dragons are attacking the Lunoryn Forest!”
I blink. “Wait—this is the Lunoryn Forest?”
Her head snaps toward me, one brow arching in exasperation. “You’ve been here for weeks, and you decide to ask that now?”
Heat rushes to my cheeks. “It’s not like there was a sign!”
She sighs, her gaze flicking to the trees ablaze in the distance. “Come. We must get you out of here.”
Kaida grabs my hand, his grip firm as he pulls me forward. We follow the Earth Ymiral through the forest, dodging low-hanging branches and leaping over roots that claw at our feet.
“Why are the Dragons attacking?” Declan asks breathlessly, running alongside me.
A tree crashes to our left, its branches engulfed in flames. Sparks shoot out, scattering like angry fireflies.
“Apparently,” the Ymiral says, her voice tight with frustration, “Kaida’s father ordered all the forests in Eluvonia burned to root out any Fae hiding within them.”
Declan mutters a curse under his breath, and Kaida growlslow in his throat, the sound guttural and furious.
“He’s going to destroy the entire realm just to conquer the Fae!” I shout, leaping over a fallen tree in our path.
The Ymiral skids to a stop and waves her hand, revealing a hidden path to our right. “Follow this,” she says, her voice urgent. “It will take you to the Lunoryn Cliffs. From there, fly straight over the ocean. You’ll eventually reach another set of cliffs. Just beyond that, past a meadow of wildflowers, is a portal to Vryngard.”
I hesitate, glancing back at her. “But Julien’s journal mentioned Sylvtharn.”
She nods, gripping my wrist. “Yes, but for reasons I cannot explain, only one portal can exist on a realm at any time. You’ll need to cross Vryngard, find the portal to Nývakra, travel through Skyrvell, and in Midgard, you’ll find the portal to Sylvtharn.”
My stomach twists. “Eluvonia could be destroyed by the time we cross that many realms!”
Her eyes soften, her grip tightening. “We Ymiral will do what we can while we still have strength. The realm tells me this is the only way. Now go!”
She gives me a gentle push toward the path, and I stare at her for a long moment, my throat tight. “Thank you… for everything.”
Her lips curve into a sad smile. “This is not goodbye.” Then she’s gone, disappearing into the smoke-filled forest.
Declan grabs my hand, his voice urgent. “Come on, Aer!”
We run, the forest collapsing and burning around us. The acrid scent of smoke stings my nose, and my legs ache with each step. The sound of roaring flames and falling trees fills the air, but ahead, a faint light beckons us forward.
Finally, we break through the treeline, stumbling onto the Lunoryn Cliffs. The ocean stretches out before us, vast and shimmering, the horizon painted in hues of gold and crimson as the sun dips low. Behind us, the forest burns, the smoke rising like a dark omen.
The air is thick with tension as the sun dips low, its golden light casting long, jagged shadows across the cliffs. The sky is a gradient of orange and purple, fading into the encroaching darkness. Kaida and Declan exchange a glance before Kaida tosses me his bundle of clothing, and Declan follows suit. I catch the crumpled fabric midair and crouch, shoving them unceremoniously into the satchels strapped to my thighs, along with the journal. It takes effort to stuff it all in, and I grunt in frustration as I force the snaps closed. “It’ll have to do,” I mutter under my breath, more to myself than anyone else. Their forms shift, the familiar crackle of energy signaling their transformation. Their bodies stretch and grow, scales replacing skin as massive wings unfurl. They move with practiced ease, but their eyes dart between the tree line and the sky above, their jaws set tight.
I scramble onto Kaida’s back, gripping the edges of his scales for balance. The texture is cool and smooth beneath my fingertips, a stark contrast to the heat radiating from him. I hold out a hand and summon the familiar hum of magic, pulling it into shape until a vine bow materializes. Its surface is rough and alive, the thorns along its curve glinting faintly in the dying sunlight. I brace myself, one hand clutching a ridge of Kaida’s neck, the other gripping the bow tightly.
Kaida and Declan leap into the air, their wings slicing through the twilight as they ascend. The wind whips against my face, and I squint, trying to keep my focus. Once we levelout, I risk a glance behind us and my stomach twists.
“Shit,” I hiss. “They’ve noticed us.”
Kaida growls low in his throat, the vibration rumbling beneath me. I narrow my eyes at the figures chasing us. There are Dragons, but something about them is… off. Smaller forms dart alongside the larger Dragons, and I strain to make sense of what I’m seeing, my breath catches as realization dawns. The creatures from before.
Declan’s head whips around, his golden eyes narrowing as he takes in the sight. A growl rumbles deep in his chest, guttural and angry. “How did they get demon blood?” I ask, the words tumbling out before I can stop them.
Kaida shakes his massive head, his voice gravelly as he answers,I do not know.
