She paused, her gaze locking onto each theirs.
" We're stronger together," Starfania said quietly but firmly. " I believe we can overcome whatever lies ahead."
Vi shifted where she sat, her fingers curling into the grass. A flicker of hope broke through the fear she had been holding onto for days.
" You really think we can make a difference?" Violet asked, her voice barely above a whisper—but there was a spark there now, small and brave.
" Absolutely," Starfania replied without hesitation. " Each of us brings something unique. And with Lyam's help, we can protect Avalon in ways never imagined."
Aeron studied her for a long moment, then nodded slowly. Concern still lingered in his eyes, but excitement stirred beneath it.
" Alright," he said. I'm in. But we need a solid plan. We'll do this properly—together. Step by step."
Vi straightened, drawing in a steady breath as courage settled into her chest. " Then we prepare. Supplies, routes, information. If we're leaving VulcanFire, we need to be ready for anything."
Atlas lifted his head, letting out a low, approving rumble, while Drogo flicked his tail, sparks dancing faintly along his scales. They exchanged determined looks, each feeling the weight of the choice they had made—and the pull of something greater than themselves.
By nightfall, the garden became a quiet war room. Routes were whispered. Timing was debated. What could be taken, what must be left behind. Starfania listened, contributed, learned—her mind already moving beyond the girl she had been that morning. As the moon climbed higher, she placed her hand over her heart.
" Wings up," she said softly.
" Heart steady," Aeron and Violet echoed. And somewhere deep within VulcanFire, plans began to move.
High above the castle, hidden behind stone and spellwork, the Castle Keeper stood alone. A shimmering sphere hovered before him, its surface swirling with images—Starfania, Atlas, the garden, the quiet resolve forming among them.
" So," he murmured, fingers tracing the air just shy of the sphere. " The Dragon Savior chooses flight."
He smiled—but there was no warmth in it. He already knew who she was. What she was becoming. And that made her dangerous. Slowly, deliberate, he adjusted the runes etched into the floor.
The image shifted—not to Starfania, but to Cantina, standing amid echoes of a war long past.
" Not yet," he whispered. " Death would be too kind."
With a flick of his wrist, a shadow peeled itself from the wall, slipping through hidden corridors, carrying his intent like a blade wrapped in silk. A false trail would be laid. A warning was delivered. A whisper sent where it would fester. A message. I see you. I am patient. And I'm always watching. The Castle Keeper stepped back into the darkness, the sphere dimming as his presence vanished. The game had begun. And the shadows were already moving.