For a moment after Starfania vanished from the chamber, the space did not dissolve. Cantina remained. Aeron, Violet, Atlas, and Drogo stood with her—drawn into the vision by forces none of them fully understood. The air felt heavier now, stripped of its sharp edge, as though the world itself was holding its breath. Cantina exhaled slowly. The sarcasm drained from her expression.
" I was supposed to end it," she whispered. No one spoke.
" The Battle of Endorse," she continued, her voice low, almost hollow. " That was where the war should have died. I had a chance. One last strike. One decision."
Her hands trembled—not enough to be obvious, but enough to be real.
" I hesitated," she admitted. " I was tired. Injured. Afraid."
A bitter laugh escaped her. " Too weak to finish what I started."
She turned away from them, shoulders rigid. " And because of that weakness…everything burned."
With a small, unconscious motion, Cantina twirled her fingers through the air. Light bloomed. An image formed between them—Starfania standing beside Atlas, her hand resting on his scales, eyes bright with determination she didn't realize she possessed. Cantina stared at it for a long moment.
" I lost my dragon," she whispered. " My friends. My family."
Her jaw tightened. " And the one person I loved enough to fight for the world."
Silence pressed on.
Then she looked back at them, eyes sharp again—but something raw lingered beneath the steel.
" And now," she said, gesturing to the image, " my problems move to an eighteen-year-old girl."
Her gaze lingered on Atlas, Drogo, then Violet and Aeron, then finally Starfania.
" I won't let history repeat itself," Cantina said. " I'll make sure I pay for my sins."
The image shattered into motes of light. And the world shifted. Taking a sharp breath, Starfania scanned her surroundings, searching for something familiar. Memories flashed through her mind like quicksilver—voices, faces, fragments of another place that already felt too distant. She realized she was lying on the garden floor. Concerned faces hovered above her. Violet's hand rested gently on her shoulder, while Aeron knelt beside her, his brow drawn tight with worry.
" Are you okay?" Aeron asked urgently. " What happened? Did you get hurt?"
Starfania closed her eyes for a moment, inhaling deeply before answering.
" I'm fine," she said, forcing a calm smile. Vi, ever practical, frowned slightly. " Maybe you should rest more. That looked intense."
Violet let out a sudden, embarrassed laugh she clearly hadn't intended, and despite herself, Starfania smiled. The sound eased some of the tension coiling in the air. Atlas lay beside her, his luminous eyes fixed on her face. His presence radiated steady reassurance, as though he fully comprehended the strange experience she had just endured. Carefully, Starfania pushed herself upright.
" Listen, everyone," she said, her voice carrying both anxiety and excitement. Their expressions shifted to attentive curiosity as she met each of their gazes. " I have something important to tell you."
Aeron's eyes narrowed slightly. " Are you sure you're not hurt?"
She nodded firmly. " No injuries. But you wouldn't believe what just happened."
Vi crossed her arms. " You were unconscious on the ground. What do you mean?"
Starfania took a steady breath. " It felt like I was pulled into another reality—not physically, but mentally. Like stepping into a dream while still being here."
Aeron tilted his head. " You were in two places at once?"
" Exactly," she said. " I saw Cantina. I spoke with her. It felt just as real as this garden."
Aeron frowned. " That's not something I've ever heard of."
" I don't fully understand it either," Starfania admitted. " Maybe it's part of my bond with Atlas. Or…something inside me opened a door."
He tapped his fingers against his chin thoughtfully. " What was she like?"
Starfania's eyes softened. " Wise. Sharp. Like she already knew my answers before I spoke. The air around her felt alive—charged with magic and purpose."
" Did she say anything important?" Aeron asked. Starfania hesitated, then nodded. " She wants me to go on a mission. To help Lyam, the leader of the Primara Nation."
She met their eyes. " And I told her I wouldn't go unless you came with me."
The garden fell silent.
" You'd really do that?" Vi said quietly. " Risk everything…for us?"
Starfania smiled, warmth steadying her voice " How could I not? You're the closest thing I have to a family. And I know you've both been carrying more than you let on."
Aeron ran a hand through his hair, unease flickering across his face. " But what if it's dangerous? What if we don't come back?"
Vi looked away, troubled. " We could lose everything."
Starfania drew in a breath, feeling the weight of their fear—and choosing resolve anyway.
" I know the risks," she said. " But doing nothing feels worse. If this world is changing…then we can't stand still."
Atlas shifted beside her, his presence unwavering. And somewhere far beyond the garden walls, plans already moving—threads tightening around a future none of them fully understood yet.