Starfania stood silently as Cantina spoke, every word landing with a weight she wasn't sure she could carry.
Her fingers curled slightly at her sides, nails pressing into her palms as if grounding herself might keep the moment from overwhelming her. She listened—but doubt still threaded through her chest, tight and unrelenting. The dragon remained still beside her. He did not intervene. Without roaring, he stayed back. He simply watched her. His ancient blue eyes traced every flicker of uncertainty across her face, every subtle tremor in her breath. He saw the hesitation she tried to hide, the fear she refused to name. At her hip, hidden from Cantina's view, the sword-pen pulsed faintly.
Not bright. Not violent. Just…aware. A soft, rhythmic glow breathed along its edge, as if it understood her turmoil—responding not to danger, but to doubt. Cantina, lost in memory, did not notice. The dragon did. One ear twitched. His gaze dipped briefly toward the glow, curiosity flickering—but he made no sound. No warning. Only quiet acknowledgement, as though filing the moment away for later. Starfania swallowed. Her voice, when it came, was unsteady—caught somewhere between disbelief and fear.
" Wait…" she said softly. " What do you mean? Why do I need to know about the history of the Dragon Savior?"
Cantina turned fully toward her. For a moment, she said nothing—only studied Starfania with that same timeless patience. Then her smile returned, gentler now, edged with something knowing.
" You'll come to understand," Cantina replied calmly. " For now, simply trust me."
Starfania exhaled, slow and shaky. She nodded, even though the storm inside her refused to settle. Questions clawed at her thoughts—Why me? What if I fail? What if they're wrong? —but beneath it was all something quieter. Trust. She didn't understand why, but she felt it. Cantina's voice shifted, deepened, carrying the weight of centuries.
" Throughout my existence," she said, " I have carried the responsibility of preserving the balance of Avalon. That balance is fragile—easily broken. My duty has always been clear: to protect it, no matter the cost."
Her eyes grew distant, as though time itself had folded open before her.
" More than a hundred years ago," Cantina continued, " a dragon known as GreekCosmo chose Kyeshia as the very first Dragon Savior. He was the beginning—the one who forged the path. Through him, the bond was proven possible."
She inhaled slowly. " One Savior followed another. Each carried the flame. Each paid a price. And eventually…that mantle passed to me."
Cantina's gaze snapped back to the present—sharp, unyielding, and impossibly clear.
" And now," she said, locking eyes with Starfania, " the flame must pass again."
The night seemed to hold its breath.
" Now the time has come for Starfania Asher Night to step forward," Cantina declared, her voice steady as stone, " and take her place as the Dragon Savior of this world."
The words echoed. Starfania's heart pounded violently in her chest. She looked to the dragon again—seeking reassurance, certainty, anything. He met her gaze without hesitation. No judgment. No expectation. Only quiet faith. And somehow…that terrified her more than anything else.