---
The fire crackled softly as the stranger sat up, still pale but stronger now. Elian and Lyra sat close, watching him cautiously.
Elian broke the silence.
"Who are the shadow beasts?"
The stranger looked up, face tight with pain and frustration. He let out a short, bitter breath.
"They're not just beasts," he said quietly. "They're part of something darker. An evil organization that wants to destroy everything good in the world."
His voice grew tense.
"They've been hunting us for months—burning villages, chasing down anyone tied to ancient magic. We've been forced into hiding."
Lyra's eyes widened.
"And they want the book?"
He nodded grimly.
"They can't touch it directly, but if they ever find a way to unlock it... they'll use its power to finish what they started."
Elian leaned in.
"What do they want?"
The man's expression darkened.
"They seek to bring back Great Aethera… and bind her power to their dark cause. If they succeed… it will be a problem for the entire world. And the secret to her return lies within this book."
Elian tightened his grip.
"We won't let them have it."
The man's eyes turned to him, and a faint smile crossed his lips.
"I'm Lyrien," he said finally. "The closest apprentice to the old man who spoke to you."
But then his expression shifted.
His gaze lingered on the glowing book in Elian's hands.
"You're too small to keep the book," he said sharply. "Give it to me."
Elian stepped back.
"What?"
Lyrien reached for it—
—but a sudden burst of light flashed from the book. A glowing barrier appeared in the air and struck his hand, throwing him back.
He stared at it, stunned.
"It's… protecting itself."
Elian looked down at the book. The glow pulsed in rhythm with his heartbeat.
Then, to their surprise, Lyrien slowly lowered himself to one knee.
"You are the chosen vessel of the Great Aethera," he said solemnly.
"The book has accepted you. That means her spirit lives through you now."
Elian's eyes widened.
Everything was changing—and fast.
---