The Mornfeld Ruins rose from the ground like the ribs of a dead giant. Crumbling towers leaned over cracked stone pathways, and moss swallowed everything that wasn't broken.
"Wow," Rovan said. "It's beautiful."
Tegan squinted. "In what universe?"
"In the universe where I like broken things. I relate to them."
They walked deeper until Kaelis raised a hand. "Someone is here."
A growl rumbled behind them.
A woman dropped from a broken archway—tall, long black hair braided with silver feathers, golden eyes glowing like an animal's. She wore tattered scholar robes reinforced with leather armor. Flames flickered at her fingertips.
Lyra Vossbane, the Wolf Librarian.
She looked at the group with irritation.
"You idiots brought noise into my ruins."
Sylas bowed lightly. "Hi, Lyra. Still angry?"
"Always," she said. "Why are you here?"
Aeron stepped forward, though his legs shook. "I need help. My lightning… it isn't normal."
Lyra sniffed the air near him. Her eyes widened.
"Step back," she ordered.
Kaelis immediately moved defensively. "Why?"
"Because," Lyra growled, "the lightning inside him is not his. It is ancient. And it is watching."
Aeron felt his chest tighten. "What does that mean?"
Lyra circled him like a predator. "It means a force older than your blood has marked you. Something that should not exist inside a mortal."
Rovan muttered, "Perfect. He's haunted by electricity."
"Silence." Lyra snapped her fingers, and a small flame hovered over her palm.
"Aeron… when did this start?"
"When Cinder-Eyed touched me."
Lyra froze.
"Cinder-Eyed… the demon-elf assassin?" she whispered. "No. No, no, no. Aeron, you need to listen carefully."
Aeron swallowed. "I'm listening."
"The power inside you," Lyra said slowly, "matches only one recorded source—one creature ever documented. A being from beyond this dimension."
Kaelis stiffened. "What kind of being?"
Lyra's eyes burned with fear.
"A Dimension Wraith."
The air turned cold.
Rovan blinked. "A what-now?"
Lyra stepped back, gripping her flaming staff.
"If a Wraith's spark is inside him… then the boundaries between worlds are weakening."
Sylas exhaled sharply. "That's impossible. The barriers haven't cracked in thousands of years."
"They have now," Lyra said. "And this boy is the sign."
Aeron collapsed to one knee as blue lightning surged through his veins.
Kaelis grabbed him. "Aeron!"
Lyra shouted, "Get him inside! Before the spark expands!"
Thunder exploded overhead.
The storm wasn't natural—
something was coming.
Something that wanted the spark back.