The reddish light of the setting sun tinged the Velarion sky with shades of orange and purple, a spectacle so beautiful that Aria Kallor always lost herself in contemplation. But on that day, this spectacle became a dark omen. Dark ships hovered in the sky with an oppressive presence, like birds of prey ready to pounce. They were larger than any other aircraft Aria had ever seen; their mirrored surfaces reflected the twilight in a disturbing way, as if absorbing the light instead of revealing it.
"What are those things?!" shouted Garen, the mercenary robot and Aria's only companion at that moment. His tone, normally sarcastic, was now filled with genuine unease.
"I don't know!" Aria replied, her voice faltering as she watched the horror unfold above her head. "We need... we need to warn people!"
The city of Velares, with its elegant buildings and monuments that recalled the glories of Velarion's past, was now transformed into a battlefield. Ships attacked with energy beams that disintegrated walls, covering everything in a cloud of smoke and debris. Aria felt her heart race.
"Let's go!" Garen shouted, extending his robotic arm of brushed metal, with a serrated blade that had been hidden until then. He had always been more than a simple robot; he had learned over time, and here he was acting more like a self-preservation instinct.
She hesitated, her gaze traveling over the people running in panic, trying to comprehend the magnitude of the destruction. The flames rose in great zephyrs, writing their own poem of despair.
"We need to move! Time to think is later!" Garen insisted, his commanding tone interrupting her rambling thoughts. She finally nodded, and together they ran through the streets.
The explosions echoed and the smell of burning hung in the air, mixed with the acidic odor of destruction. Aria couldn't stop thinking about her family, her mother and her brother, Arlen. "They must be home!" she thought, her panic growing.
"Aria, don't fall behind!" Garen shouted, pulling her closer as they avoided the rubble and fire that threatened to consume them.
Approaching the central plaza, the chaos intensified. Aria saw a familiar figure struggling to help the wounded. It was Master Arion, her mentor, a man who had taught her the value of courage and a passion for space. But now, he was fighting one of the shadow soldiers, a creature shrouded in black armor that seemed to absorb all the light around them. And with each blow Arion delivered, the creature only seemed to grow stronger.
"Aria!" he shouted, dodging another attack. "Come here! We need you!"
Aria's heart stopped, but an unfamiliar adrenaline surged through her. Looking at Garen, she prepared to run toward Arion. But before she could take a step, a blast of green energy shot from one of the shadowy ships, striking the plaza and unleashing a shockwave that sent her flying, knocking her down like a dry leaf.
Pain spread through her body as she fell. Everything spun, but an unknown fury began to bubble within her. She felt the echoes of the Ether, that unfathomable life force that flows through all things. Magic pulsed through her. It was as if every atom of her being called upon the energies that surrounded her world, clamoring to be controlled.
"Aria! Focus!" Garen's voice pulled her back to reality.
Forcing herself to stand, she saw Arion in danger. Her mentor was surrounded by shadows. With a cry that surged from her soul, she raised her arms. She looked at the flames, at the dust, and felt the energy of the Ether vibrating in response to her call.
A blue glow erupted from her hands, spreading like a cloak of light. She had never attempted anything like this before. With a swift movement, she redirected the energy, forming a tenuous shield around Arion and Garen. The shadows hesitated, their attack halting momentarily before the light that rose in defense.
"Aria! You did it!" exclaimed Garen, disbelief in his voice.
"Don't stop fighting!" Arion shouted, struggling to hold his own against the creatures. It wasn't just a physical battle, but a fight against the despair that threatened to consume them.
She took a deep breath, feeling the spark of determination ignite within her.
"Let's go together!" he announced, and their eyes met for a brief moment. There was an understanding, a connection that they were stronger together.
Aria lunged forward, channeling the Aether into a powerful strike, a jet of intense light that ripped through the air. The light exploded against the soldiers, engulfing them in a wave of heat. Arion attacked simultaneously, unleashing a magical blow that used his remaining energy. With the impact, the shadows split and began to fade, screaming as if swallowed by the very darkness they were feeding.
But the victory was far from complete. When the last of the soldiers disappeared in a cloud of dark smoke, Aria fell to her knees, exhausted.
"What was that?" she murmured, frightened and relieved at the same time.
"An awakening," Arion replied, a proud smile on his face. "You possess the Aether within you, Aria. But now we need to find your family."
Those words woke Aria, and she quickly stood up, despair replacing the momentary euphoria.
"The house! The house!" she cried, turning back to where her house should have been. But horror found her again. In front of what had been her home, only ashes and flames remained.
— Mother! Arlen! — the words echoed in her mind, the pain and loss crushing her. The shadows began to surround her again, no longer as physical creatures, but as the ghosts of her own sorrow. She felt the world crumbling around her.
"Aria, we need to keep going!" Garen insisted, pulling her back into the action.
His gaze reminded her of a battle that was more than just defeating shadows. It was about the hope that still remained, about the people who needed it. She took a deep breath, her determination building like a storm within her.
"Alright, let's go. Whatever they've done, I won't let them destroy all of Velarion!" she said firmly, determined to fight not only for her family, but for her entire world.
At that moment, she realized she wasn't alone. With Garen by her side, and with Arion, her mentor, they prepared to face whatever came next. The universe was vast and dangerous, but the flame within her was only beginning to burn.
And so, with her eyes fixed on the blazing sky, a new purpose was born in the young pilot, promising to honor the memory of those she had lost and confront the shadows of the threat that had settled over Velarion.