The horizon shimmered with colors that no mortal dawn had ever painted. Gold bled into violet, violet into blue, and through it all, streaks of white fire crossed the sky like silent comets.
Lyra shielded her eyes as the wind rose. Starling's fur rippled with light, his gaze fixed on the heavens.
Something's coming, he whispered through their shared bond.
A shadow passed overhead—vast, elegant, and impossibly fast. The air trembled as a cry echoed from above, sharp and haunting, like the song of a long-forgotten god.
Lyra drew a slow breath. "A Sky Beast."
The creature descended in spirals of glowing feathers, each one large enough to catch the dawn's fire. When it landed, the ground itself bowed beneath its weight. Its eyes gleamed with starlight, ancient and knowing.
For a moment, Lyra felt small again—like the first time she had faced Rian's power, or stood before the dying sun in the old world.
The Sky Beast spoke, its voice layered with echoing tones that made her chest vibrate.
"Who carries the seed of Awakening?"
Lyra stepped forward, her hand glowing faintly with the seed's light. "I do."
The beast's gaze shifted between her and Starling.
"The Star Wolf's heir and his chosen guardian. You walk the path of renewal… but have you faced the cost of rebirth?"
Starling's eyes flashed. We will. Whatever it takes.
The beast's feathers flared, scattering shards of radiant light across the clearing. "Then prove it. Let the winds test your truth."
The air howled.
A storm of pure energy surrounded them, light and wind twisting together in a spiral of force. Lyra raised her blade, anchoring her feet as the ground split beneath her. Starling leapt into the air, his body glowing brighter than before, his voice echoing through the tempest.
Lyra! Trust me!
He dove into the storm's heart, and for a heartbeat, everything went white.
When Lyra opened her eyes, she was floating. The storm had stopped—but the world around her was gone. Only endless sky stretched in every direction, glowing softly with drifting lights.
And before her stood a figure—tall, cloaked in feathers of white fire, eyes of mirrored gold.
"Who are you?" she asked.
"I am the echo of the winds that carried your kind beyond death," the figure said. "The keeper of passage. If you wish to awaken this world, you must surrender your fear of what lies ahead."
Lyra's voice trembled, but she steadied it. "I've already lost everything once. There's nothing left to fear."
The figure smiled faintly. "Then show me the light you protect."
The seed in her palm pulsed. It flared—softly at first, then brighter, until it filled the sky around her. Images rippled through the light: Rian's face, the Star Wolf's eyes, the countless beasts who had fallen in the wars of the old realm.
And through it all—life, reborn.
When the light faded, Lyra was back on the forest floor. The Sky Beast stood before her, bowing its head.
"You have proven truth," it said. "The dawn remembers your courage."
Starling floated beside her, panting softly. That… was harder than I expected.
Lyra smiled and touched his head. "We're one step closer."
The Sky Beast spread its wings, scattering feathers that turned into fragments of crystal light.
"When the seed is planted, the skies will open again. But beware, Guardian. Not every star that shines wishes for peace."
With a final beat of its wings, it vanished into the clouds, leaving only quiet wind and the smell of ozone.
Lyra looked toward the glowing seed in her hand. Its pulse was stronger now—alive, eager.
"Come on, Starling," she said softly. "Let's find where the dawn begins."