The massive beast hovered above the floating kingdom, its enormous wings blocking out the light from the sky. Ira stood frozen for a moment as the creature's purple eyes stared directly at him. There was something strange about its voice, something that made his chest ache as if a memory was trying to return.
Elara stepped closer and grabbed his arm. "Ira, are you okay?" she asked. He wanted to answer, but the words refused to come. The voice inside his head had become louder, repeating a name he had never heard before.
"Arven..." Ira whispered.
Elara stared at him. "What did you say?"
Ira shook his head and pressed a hand against his forehead. "I don't know. I don't even know why I said it." The moment he spoke, the mark on his hand began burning, and a strange image flashed through his mind.
He saw a vast battlefield covered in darkness. Hundreds of warriors stood beneath a broken sky, while a younger version of himself stood in the middle of them. Beside him was someone Ira couldn't see clearly, but he could feel their presence.
Then the vision disappeared.
Ira stumbled backward, and Elara quickly caught him. "What happened?"
"I saw something," he said, breathing heavily. "A battlefield. I was there, but I wasn't... me."
Before Elara could ask another question, Lord Veyron moved.
The enormous beast opened its mouth, and a dark beam shot toward them. Ira reacted instantly, pulling Elara away as the attack destroyed the ground where they had been standing.
The explosion sent rocks flying in every direction. Ira raised his arm and created a shield, but the force still pushed him backward. Elara grabbed his shoulder and helped steady him.
"That thing is insane," she said.
Ira looked toward the creature. "Then we need to find a way to bring it down."
Kael suddenly stepped between them and Veyron. The general raised his axe with both hands, and dark energy gathered around his body.
"Everyone from the Shadow Legion," Kael shouted, "fall back!"
The creatures obeyed immediately.
Ira stared at him in surprise. "You're running?"
Kael looked over his shoulder. "You don't understand what you're facing. Lord Veyron isn't here to fight you. He's here because your awakening has disturbed something that should have remained asleep."
Ira's expression became serious. "Then tell me what you know."
Kael hesitated.
That hesitation was enough for Ira.
"You know something about me," Ira said. "You knew about the Bound Star before I did. You knew about my bond with Elara. And now you're acting like you know who I used to be."
Kael's eyes narrowed.
"You were never supposed to remember."
Ira felt his heart skip.
"Remember what?"
Kael didn't answer.
Instead, Veyron roared again, and the entire floating kingdom shook. Several islands in the distance began breaking apart, sending huge pieces of stone falling into the clouds below.
Elara looked around in fear. "We can't stay here."
Ira nodded. "Then we find somewhere safe and figure out what's happening."
He grabbed Elara's hand and pulled her toward the ancient gate.
The moment their hands touched, their bond reacted.
A silver glow spread from their marks and traveled across the ground. The ancient symbols around the gate lit up one after another, forming a path that led deeper into the unknown world beyond.
Ira stopped.
Elara looked at him. "What is it?"
"The gate is responding to us."
Kael stared at the glowing path behind them.
"No," he whispered. "It's responding to him."
Ira turned around.
Kael's face had changed. The confidence he had shown earlier was gone, replaced by something close to fear.
"The Bound Star isn't a power," Kael said. "It's a key."
Ira's eyes narrowed. "A key to what?"
Kael looked toward the enormous beast in the sky.
"To the prison of the first Shade."
A cold silence followed.
Elara's grip on Ira's hand tightened. "First Shade?"
Kael nodded slowly.
"The Void Shade you know isn't the original. It is only a fragment of something much older."
Ira looked up at Veyron.
The creature's purple eyes were still fixed on him.
Suddenly, Veyron spoke again.
"Do you remember the last time you stood before me?"
Ira's breathing stopped.
Another memory struck him.
A burning city.
A broken sword.
Elara standing beside him.
And himself screaming as a massive shadow swallowed the sky.
Ira fell to one knee.
"Elara..." he whispered.
She crouched beside him. "I'm here."
His eyes widened as another part of the memory became clear.
The person standing beside him in the vision wasn't a stranger.
It was Elara.
But she looked different.
Older.
And she was crying.
Ira stared at her in confusion. "Why do I remember you?"
Elara went completely still.
"Ira... what did you see?"
Before he could answer, Veyron suddenly descended.
The beast's enormous body crashed toward the ground, sending a shockwave across the kingdom. Ira grabbed Elara and threw them both behind a stone wall as the impact shattered the ground.
Kael was thrown several meters away.
Ira slowly rose.
Dust filled the air.
Then two purple eyes appeared through the smoke.
Veyron stepped forward.
"Enough hiding," the beast said. "It is time for you to remember who you truly are."
Ira clenched his fists.
The silver mark on his hand began glowing brighter than ever.
And for the first time, he wasn't afraid of the memory waiting inside him.