Chapter 10 – Lyra's Awakening
The air still trembled where the Obsidian Gate had stood. Kael stood at its shattered threshold, the echoes of infinite power radiating from his very skin. His eyes, once storm-grey, now shimmered with a depth that felt like eternity itself. Even the ground beneath him rippled as though the world struggled to contain his presence.
Aric and Selene exchanged wary glances, their weapons lowered but their hands tense, ready for the impossible. Eryndor, who had seen centuries of power and folly, stared at Kael as if witnessing a myth walking in flesh.
Only Lyra's gaze lingered not with fear, but with quiet sorrow.
She had watched his ascent, felt the Realm bend to his will, and seen him step through fire and shadow untouched. Yet with every breath Kael drew now, she felt the gulf between them widen. He was soaring into infinity, while she remained… ordinary.
How can I protect him if he no longer needs protecting?
Her fingers curled against her robes, the faint glow of her healing light flickering uncertainly. Once, her gift had been her pride—a source of comfort to the wounded, a miracle against despair. Now, next to Kael's infinity, it felt like a candle set against a rising sun.
"Lyra," Kael said softly, his voice resonant with power yet threaded with something achingly human. "Stay close. The Realm isn't finished with us."
Before she could answer, the air tore open.
From the fractures in the sky, corrupted shades spilled forth—echoes of the fallen guardians, twisted into abominations. Their forms writhed like smoke given teeth, each carrying shards of the Realm's malice. But unlike before, they did not rush at Kael. Instead, they circled, their hollow eyes fixed upon Lyra.
Her breath caught.
"They're after her," Selene hissed, raising her blade.
Eryndor's staff glowed. "The Realm tests balance. It fears what she might become."
The shades struck.
Lyra barely raised her hands before dark tendrils lashed toward her. Aric intercepted one, his sword flashing, but two more barreled through, claws reaching for her chest. She stumbled back, light gathering desperately in her palms.
I'm not strong enough—
The thought cut like a knife. But as the claws descended, she felt something stir deep within her chest. Not power born of rage, nor ambition, but something purer—a need to shield, to preserve, to hold Kael to his humanity even as infinity claimed him.
Her light erupted.
It wasn't the simple glow of healing she had known. It rang out like a chord struck upon the strings of creation. A wave of brilliance expanded from her, dissolving the shades upon contact. Where once her light had only closed wounds, now it resonated with the living soul, weaving threads of strength into her companions.
Kael staggered slightly, not from harm, but from awe. For the first time since his ascension, the overwhelming torrent within him felt… steadied. As if her light wrapped around the edges of his infinite flame, keeping it from consuming all.
"Resonant Healing," Eryndor whispered, eyes wide. "The rarest form of the old magics. She does not mend flesh alone—she restores balance."
Lyra's chest rose and fell, her arms trembling as the light dimmed slightly, then flared again, forming a shimmering barrier of silver fire before her. Another shade lunged, striking the barrier—only to vanish in a hiss of smoke.
Kael moved then, stepping to her side, his voice low but burning with pride. "You've anchored me, Lyra. Without you, I would drown in this power."
She looked up at him, her light still shining, tears gathering in her eyes. "Then maybe… maybe my place is not to keep up with you, Kael. But to remind you you're still human."
The ground quaked.
For a heartbeat, silence fell across the battlefield. Then, as though the Realm itself could not bear their unity, a voice echoed through the ruins—ancient, cold, and prophetic.
Light and Infinity, bound together… or doomed apart."
The last of the shades dissipated, but the words lingered, sinking into every heart. Lyra's barrier dimmed, fading back into her hands, leaving only a faint glow beneath her skin. She swayed slightly, exhaustion pressing down, but Kael caught her, steadying her against his chest.
"Don't ever doubt your worth again," he murmured.
Her lips parted in a trembling smile, her forehead resting briefly against his. "Then don't ever let go."
Around them, the others gathered, but none dared break the fragile silence. For though the battle had ended, they all understood—this was no simple awakening.
It was the birth of a bond that even infinity might not be able to sever.
And somewhere, far beyond the veil of the Realm, a new enemy stirred, watching, waiting, and fearing the union of light and endless power.