The city of Aerithal drifted among the clouds, towers of crystal shimmering under the light of twin suns. Skyships buzzed like giant insects between spires, carrying merchants, adventurers, and mercenaries alike. But for Kaelen, it wasn't the grandeur of the city that mattered—it was home.
Or at least, it had been.
Years ago, the Ashen Crown, a ruthless guild obsessed with dominating the floating cities, had attacked his hometown. Homes burned, families vanished, and among the smoke and chaos, Kaelen had lost Lyra, the girl who had shared his laughter, dreams, and secrets since childhood. Only a charred pendant remained—a fragment of a life he would never reclaim.
Kaelen gritted his teeth as he steered his skyship, the Crimson Gale, through the storm-swept skies. Lightning cracked across the horizon, reflecting in his storm-gray eyes. His crew, loyal to him through countless raids and battles, sensed his tension.
"Captain… are you sure this is wise?" asked Ryn, his second-in-command, her voice steady but concerned.
Kaelen didn't answer. He didn't need to. Every fiber of his being screamed that the Ashen Crown's fortress loomed ahead—a massive floating citadel suspended on chains of enchanted steel. Within it lay the answers he had been searching for, and the revenge he had waited years to enact.
As the Crimson Gale approached the fortress, Kaelen's mind wandered to memories of Lyra—her laughter as they raced through the crystal fields, her fingers brushing against his as they promised to always protect each other. No matter what happens, we'll find each other. The memory ignited a fire in his chest stronger than any storm.
"This is it," he whispered to himself. "Time to bring her back… and burn their empire to ashes."
The fortress gates erupted in flame and arcane fire as alarms blared. Winged guards, infused with the Stellar Flame, swooped down, their eyes glowing red. Kaelen leapt from the ship, landing on the outer chain of the fortress with a graceful twist. Sparks flew as his skyblade clashed against enchanted weapons.
Each strike, each parry, brought him closer—not just to victory, but to Lyra. The air around him shimmered with heat and energy, and the smell of ozone and smoke filled his lungs. As he fought, Kaelen realized the fortress itself seemed alive, its walls shifting and pulsing like a heartbeat, testing every step he took.
Finally, atop the highest spire, he saw her. Lyra stood bathed in the glow of the Stellar Flame, hair like molten gold, eyes sharp and unyielding. In that instant, his heart caught—her presence was real, but so was the distance between them.
"Lyra…" he called out, voice barely audible over the roar of battle.
Her gaze met his, and for a fleeting moment, something flickered—recognition, confusion, maybe a hint of the girl he had once known. But it vanished as quickly as it came, replaced by the cold, commanding aura of a warrior loyal to the Ashen Crown.
Kaelen's jaw tightened. She's mine… even if it means tearing this fortress apart.
A sudden explosion shook the chain beneath him, sending shards of crystal flying. Ryn shouted from below, warning him of more guards descending from the sky. With a swift leap, Kaelen landed on a spinning spire, rolling to absorb the impact. Sparks from his skyblade danced across the steel as he slashed through two guards in a single arc.
Every strike, every maneuver, was fueled by love and vengeance. He thought of the years he had spent training, the battles he had fought, the nights staring at the sky, wishing he could see her one more time. And now she was here—so close, yet so far.
Above the thunderous roar of battle, a vow echoed in his mind: "No matter the storms, the flames, or the enemy… I will bring you back."
And with that, Kaelen sprinted up the spire toward the heart of the fortress, his silhouette cutting through the storm-lit sky like a comet. The first battle for Lyra's soul—and for the kingdom of Aerithal—had begun.
END OF CHAPTER I...