The air in the cavern was still, almost sacred. Seraphyra's once-blinding radiance dimmed into a soft, pale glow that wrapped around her colossal form like mist.
I stood frozen, clutching the orb she had given me a sphere of shifting gold and silver light that hummed softly in my palm.
Without a word, Seraphyra reached out with her claw and brushed the orb with her talons. From beneath one of her scales, a shimmering thread of white essence unraveled thin as silk, yet glowing faintly like starlight.
"Wrap it with this," she said, her voice calm but trembling at the edges. "This strand carries a part of my essence. It will cloak its light from those who seek it."
I hesitated, then carefully wound the glowing thread around the orb. The moment it was sealed, the radiance faded. What had been a divine, celestial sphere now appeared as nothing more than a smooth, pearl-white stone ordinary, almost forgettable.
As I studied it, lost in thought, Seraphyra's head slowly lowered until her snout pressed gently against my chest.
"Seraph?" I muttered, startled.
A faint pulse of warmth spread through my body. Her golden markings flared, then faded into her scales as if being absorbed. Pain lanced through my chest a deep, twisting ache that stole my breath. I gasped, falling to my knees. When I looked down, there was blood on my shirt, but no wound.
Seraphyra's breath came shallow and uneven. The brilliance in her violet eyes dimmed, replaced with a dull, amber glow. The glowing runes that had once adorned her body flickered, then vanished entirely.
"W-what did you do?" I asked, voice trembling.
She smiled weakly. "I gave you… the last of my blessing. It will keep your mana core stable… even when I am gone."
"Don't say that," I said quickly, shaking my head. "You're not"
But the air shifted cold, oppressive. She felt it too. Her gaze hardened.
"There's no more time."
"Time for what?"
Her wings rose slightly, casting a shadow over me as the cave began to tremble.
"Someone has found us."
"Who!"
She silenced me with a glance. "You must go, now."
A shimmer bloomed behind me a swirling oval of gold and violet light. The portal hummed softly, its pull gentle but firm.
"I will open a path near the outer ridge," she said. "You'll find people there. Do not look back, Virel. No matter what you hear."
"Wait," I said, panic rising in my chest. "Let me help you"
Her claw brushed my cheek. "If you remain, they will use you. And I cannot allow that."
Tears blurred my vision. "Then come with me!"
Her throat rumbled, a sound between a laugh and a sob. "My dear Vir… if only it were that simple."
A glowing tear rolled down her scaled cheek. Then, with a soft breath, she whispered, "I have one last request."
Her voice quivered, softer than I'd ever heard. "Make sure to see the world before your time comes."
I clenched my fists. "I promise. I'll see it all, no matter what."
Her smile gentle, warm, heartbreakingly human was the last image burned into my mind.
"Thank you, my child," she whispered. "Stay strong… Reincarnator."
And with one final push, I fell backward into the golden light.The portal closed. Silence returned.
---
Seraphyra stood alone.
The faint echo of the portal's hum lingered before fading into the dark. She lowered her head, exhaling slowly, eyes soft with exhaustion.
Then, a voice cut through the stillness smooth and sharp as a blade.
"Lady Seraphyra. So this is where you've been hiding."
A tall figure emerged from the cavern's shadows, his armor black as obsidian and etched with red sigils that pulsed faintly. Two curved horns swept down from his temples, framing a pale, expressionless face. His eyes glowed a dull crimson beneath his hooded helm.
"Daevar," Seraphyra muttered bitterly. "I expected you would come."
He stopped several paces away, his tone deliberate. "You've caused quite a disturbance, old friend. The High Council demands your return."
Seraphyra's wings shifted, scraping stone. "You may tell your Council I am done obeying chains."
Daevar's eyes narrowed. "Then perhaps you can tell me something else." He tilted his head slightly, voice turning cold. "Where is the boy?"
Seraphyra said nothing.
"And the orb?" His tone hardened, the sigils on his armor pulsing brighter. "Don't test my patience, dragon."
Her lips curled into a faint, defiant smile. "Far beyond your reach."
For a heartbeat, silence. Then Daevar moved faster than sound. A wave of dark mana burst from his hand, slicing the cavern floor in two. Seraphyra's claws slammed into the stone, her tail sweeping in a blinding arc that sent shards of rock raining down.
The blast met her wing mid-swing light and shadow clashing with a deafening roar. Golden sparks erupted, scattering across the walls.
Daevar leapt back, cloak whipping like living smoke. "Still proud, even at the end."
"Still free," she hissed.
Her jaws opened, a beam of molten gold erupting forth. It tore through the cavern, swallowing Daevar in radiance. When the light faded, he stood unscathed, his armor steaming, sigils burning crimson.
"You've weakened," he said, stepping forward. "The blessing you gave that boy cost you dearly."
"Then perhaps," she growled, "it was worth the price."
He vanished teleporting behind her in a shimmer of shadow. His blade met her scales, carving a deep gash across her side. Seraphyra roared, the sound shaking the entire mountain.
With a surge of golden mana, her tail lashed upward, striking the ceiling. The cavern cracked. Debris rained down, and light streamed in through the fissures above.
Daevar steadied himself, raising his blade for the final strike. "You cannot hide him forever."
Seraphyra's wings unfolded one last time, her voice echoing like a dying storm. "Then I shall bury you with the truth."
She slammed her claws into the ground. A massive surge of divine energy erupted outward an explosion of gold that swallowed the cavern in brilliance.
For a moment, there was nothing but light.
Then darkness reclaimed the mountain.