**The Corruption**
Alyssandra's skin shimmered with faint blue veins.
Kaelen watched her sleep, her breath uneven. The Time Wraith's words replayed in his mind: *"The Maw claims its bride."* He traced the Chronos mark on her wrist—the same symbol from his nightmares.
Alyssandra stirred. "You're still here."
"Where else would I go?" He forced a grin. "You're stuck with me, princess."
Her smile didn't reach her eyes. "Liar."
---
**The Vision**
Dawn brought no relief.
Alyssandra's mark flared again. She doubled over, clutching her head. Kaelen caught her, but she shoved him away.
"Don't touch me!" Her voice was a snarl. "I saw… I saw you. Chained. The Maw's *voice* in your blood."
Kaelen paled. "What?"
"You're Nullborn," she whispered. "Born to resist time magic. But the Maw… it's twisting you. Like it's twisting me."
---
**The Hunted**
They moved at dusk, the desert air thick with smoke.
Malric's scouts circled—a dozen **Soulforged Knights** mounted on **Sandreaver hybrids** (their bodies fused with obsidian scales). Kaelen's Void Wolves darted ahead, scouting.
A pup returned, its fur matted with blood. *"They're not alone,"* it growled through the bond. *"The Wraiths ride with them."*
Alyssandra's dragon form flickered. "We can't outrun them."
Kaelen's jaw tightened. "Then we fight."
---
**The Blood Pact**
Alyssandra's magic surged.
She shifted mid-air, wings casting shadows over the Knights. Fire rained, but the Wraiths countered with **temporal shields**—bubbles of frozen time that trapped her flames.
Kaelen summoned a **Sky Basilisk**, its serpentine body slamming into a Knight. The Basilisk's scream echoed: *"The Nullborn resists!"*
Alyssandra froze. *Nullborn?*
A Wraith lunged, its decaying hand gripping her throat. *"He's ours. The Crown's *key*."*
Kaelen's dagger tore through the Wraith. "Get back!"
---
**The Truth**
They regrouped in a canyon, Alyssandra's scales receding.
"You're Nullborn," she repeated. "Why didn't you tell me?"
Kaelen cleaned his blade, avoiding her eyes. "Seraphine said it'd make you trust me less."
"Trust?" Alyssandra laughed, bitter. "The Maw just tried to *claim* me. Your silence nearly got us killed!"
A sandstorm swallowed her words. When it cleared, a figure stood before them—**Lady Seraphine**, alive but scarred, her eyes hollow.
"Kaelen," she said. "You've failed the oath."
---
**The Betrayal**
Seraphine's wolves surrounded them.
"Mother?" Kaelen's voice cracked. "You're *alive*?"
"Malric's mercy," she spat. "I serve the Crown now. And you—" She pointed at Alyssandra. "You're the Maw's pawn."
Alyssandra's dragon form erupted. "I'm no one's pawn!"
Seraphine raised a hand. The wolves attacked, their teeth dripping black magic. Kaelen stepped between them. "**Stop**!"
The wolves froze. Seraphine's smile was cruel. "The Nullborn's loyalty is to the Crown. Not you."
---
**The Choice**
Alyssandra's mark burned.
"Kaelen," she whispered. "Your mother's right. You should leave."
He turned, his eyes blazing. "My *oath* is to you."
Seraphine's laugh echoed. "Oaths mean nothing to the Maw. It'll devour you both."
Alyssandra's fire engulfed the canyon. When it faded, Seraphine was gone. Kaelen's hands trembled.
"She's lying," he said. "Right?"
Alyssandra didn't answer.
---
**The Vortex**
Night fell.
Alyssandra's magic spiraled. She shifted uncontrollably, her dragon form dissolving into mercury mist. Kaelen caught her, his Nullborn blood resisting the corruption.
"Fight it," he urged.
"I can't!" Her voice was a scream. "It's in my *blood*!"
The ground split. A **Temporal Vortex** yawned open, pulling them toward the Chronos Maw. Kaelen's dagger (the one that killed the Sandreaver) glowed blue.
"**Use it**," Alyssandra gasped. "Before I become the Maw's bride."
---
**The Descent**
Kaelen plunged the dagger into her chest.
Alyssandra's scream echoed across timelines. The vortex collapsed, but her dragon scales turned black, her eyes glowing like the Maw itself.
"Kaelen…" Her voice was a growl. "You shouldn't have done that."
He backed away. "Alyssandra—"
She lunged, her claws inches from his face. *"The Maw's awake. And it's *hungry*."*
---
Alyssandra's dragon wing pinned Kaelen to the canyon wall.
"**You're mine**," she hissed, the Maw's voice twisting her words. "The Nullborn's oath can't save you now."
But her human hand trembled, reaching for him.
"Help me," she whispered—then the Maw's roar drowned her.