Valoria City ki jeet ne Kaelen ki bagawat ko ek nayi pahchan di thi, lekin uske paas jashn manane ka waqt nahi tha. Elara ki shadi mein ab sirf 9 din bache the. Capital tak ka rasta Royal Army ke hazaaron sipahiyon aur jaaduwi barriers se bhara tha. Agar wo zameen ke raste jata, toh use har mod par ladna padta, jisse uska waqt aur taqat dono khatam ho jate.
"Humein badalon ka rasta lena hoga," Kaelen ne Valoria ke war-room mein kaha. Uske samne Garreth, Liora aur naye bharti hue commanders baithe the.
"Lekin hamare paas sirf ek Griffin hai, Kaelen," Liora ne chinta jataayi. "Baaki 1000 sipahi kaise udenge?"
Kaelen ne ek purana nakshe par ungli rakhi. "Valoria ke warehouse mein humein 'Ancient Floating Stones' mile hain. Hum inka istemal karke 'Sky-Sleds' (udne wali gaadiyan) banayenge. Astra (Griffin) in sleds ko kheencha karega, aur hamare mage-soldiers unhe balance karenge. Hum ek 'Flying Fleet' banayenge."
The Preparation for the Sky-Raid
Agle teen din tak Valoria ke karkhanon (factories) mein din-raat kaam hua. Kaelen ne apne silver mana se un Floating Stones ko 're-charge' kiya. Liora ne wind-magic ka istemal karke sleds ke liye aerodynamic shields banaye.
Garreth ne apne sabse bahadur yoddhaon ko chuna. "Sun lo sab! Hum hawa mein ladne ja rahe hain. Agar gire, toh haddiyan bhi nahi milengi. Isliye apne pairon ko chain se baandh lena!"
Kaelen ne Astra (Griffin) ki peeth par ek naya saddle lagaya. Griffin ki neeli aankhein aasmaan ki taraf dekh rahi thi, jaise wo kisi purane dushman ko mehsus kar rahi ho. Kaelen ko bhi wahi ehsas ho raha tha—fiza (air) mein ek ajeeb si violet boo thi.
Departure into the Unknown
Chauthe din ki subah, Valoria ke log hairat se dekh rahe the jab 20 vishal lakdi ke sleds hawa mein uthe. Har sled par 50 yoddha aur 5 mages sawar the. Sabse aage Astra tha, jo silver mana ki zanjeeron se in sabko kheencha raha tha.
"Chalo!" Kaelen ne garaj kar kaha.
Astra ne apne pankh phailaye aur ek aisi dahad maari ki badal phat gaye. Poori fleet ek teer ki tarah capital ki taraf badh chali. Neeche ki duniya tezi se piche chhut rahi thi. Unhone Royal Army ki teen badi checkposts ko upar se hi cross kar liya. Neeche khade Royal Guards sirf dekhte reh gaye, unke teer wahan tak nahi pahunch sake.
The Abyssal Disturbance
Jab wo 'Spine of the World' kahe jane wale pahadon ke upar se guzar rahe the, achanak mausam badal gaya. Suraj ki roshni gaayab ho gayi aur poora aasmaan violet badalon se dakh gaya.
"Kaelen! Mana levels unstable ho rahe hain!" Liora chillayi, uska staff tezi se chamak raha tha.
Astra ne achanak rasta badla aur ek zor ki dahad maari. Kaelen ne niche dekha. Pahadon ke beech se ek kaali chhaya (shadow) nikal rahi thi. Ye koi badal nahi tha—ye ek saanp ki tarah lamba, kaale scales wala dragon tha. Iske pankh fatte hue the par unse violet aag nikal rahi thi.
"The Void-Drake..." Kaelen ne gusse mein kaha. "Prophet ne ise sadiyon ki neend se jagaya hai sirf hamare liye."
Battle in the Heavens
Void-Drake ne apna muh khola aur ek vishal 'Shadow-Breath' ka gola fleet ki taraf phenka.
"Defensive Formation! Shield up!" Kaelen ne hukum diya.
Mages ne milkar ek sunehra barrier banaya, lekin Drake ka hamla itna taqatwar tha ki do sleds hawa mein dolne lage. Yoddha cheekhte hue niche girne lage, lekin Kaelen ne tezi se mana-threads phenke aur unhe hawa mein hi pakad liya.
"Liora, fleet ko sambhalo! Garreth, mages ko cover do! Main iske saath nipt-ta hoon!"
Kaelen ne Astra ko ishara kiya. Griffin ne apni speed badhayi aur sidha Dragon ki taraf dive kiya. Drake ne apne panje maare, lekin Astra ne hawa mein hi ek kalti (roll) maari aur uske hamle se bach nikla.
Kaelen Astra ki peeth par khada ho gaya. Uska silver aura itna tez ho gaya ki wo khud ek chote suraj ki tarah dikhne laga.
"Silver Lion Style: Fifth Form — Thunder-Clap Strike!"
Kaelen ne apni talwar Ghost-Biter se ek sidha prahar kiya. Silver bijli ka ek vishal danda Dragon ke sir par laga. Drake dard se karah utha, lekin wo mara nahi. Usne apni dum (tail) se Astra ko thokar maari.
Astra aur Kaelen dono hawa mein ladkharaye. 30,000 feet ki unchai par agar Astra ka ek bhi pankh toot jata, toh sab khatam tha.
The Sacrifice and the Sovereign's Awakening
Drake ne dubara hamla karne ke liye muh khola. Uske gale mein violet aag ikatha ho rahi thi. Kaelen jaanta tha ki agar ye hamla fleet par laga, toh koi nahi bachega.
Kaelen ne apne dil par hath rakha. "Sovereign's Heart... Overdrive!"
Usne apne mana circuits ko unki limit se bahar push kiya. Uska khoon ubalne laga aur uski aankhon se silver aasu nikalne lage. Usne Astra ko chodd diya aur sidha Dragon ke muh ki taraf kood gaya.
"KAELEN!" Liora ki cheekh badalon mein gunji.
Hawa mein girte waqt, Kaelen ne apni talwar ko ulta pakda. Usne Drake ke gale ke andar apna hath daal diya aur apni poori shakti wahan release kar di.
"Sovereign's Art: Soul-Shattering Resonance!"
Dragon ke andar se ek chonda dene wali silver roshni nikli. Drake ki aankhein phat gayi aur uske sharir se violet dhuan nikalne laga. Wo vishal monster aasmaan se niche girne laga.
Lekin Kaelen bhi behosh hokar gir raha tha.
Usi waqt, Astra ne ek gohta (dive) lagaya aur zameen se takrane se pehle Kaelen ko apne panjo mein daboch liya. Griffin ne badi mushkil se use wapas sled par rakha.
The Cost of Victory
Jab Kaelen ko hosh aaya, wo Liora ki god mein tha. Uski skin par silver nishaan (scars) ban chuke the—zyada shakti use karne ka inaam.
"Hum bach gaye?" Kaelen ne thukte hue pucha, uske muh mein khoon ka swad tha.
"Hum bach gaye... par humne teen sleds aur 150 sipahi kho diye," Garreth ne sir jhukakar kaha. "Lekin humne Dragon ko maar giraya. Capital ke darwaze ab dikh rahe hain."
Kaelen ne dur dekha. Capital 'Astrum City' ki sunehri deewarein ab saaf dikh rahi thi. Lekin wahan ka nazara khaufnak tha. Poore shahar ke upar ek vishal violet dome (gumbad) bana hua tha. Prophet ne ritual shuru kar diya tha.
The Prophecy Unfolds
Astrum Palace ke andar, Elara ek safed shadi ke jode mein khadi thi. Uske charon taraf Void-Priests mantr padh rahe the. Uske samne Prince Julian khada tha, lekin uska chehra ab ek mask ki tarah thanda tha.
"Aaj raat," Prophet ki awaz goonji, jo ek bade aaine (mirror) se nikal rahi thi, "Moon aur Void milenge. Aur purani duniya raakh ban jayegi."
Elara ne khidki se bahar dekha. Use aasmaan mein ek silver chingaari dikhi. Usne dheere se muskura kar kaha, "Kaelen aa gaya hai. Tumhara andhera ab khatam hone wala hai."
Prophet ne hansi chhodi. "Wahi toh main chahta hoon. Sovereign ka silver mana hi wo aakhri chiz hai jo is portal ko puri tarah kholne ke liye chahiye. Wo mujhe rokne nahi... mujhe mukammal (complete) karne aa raha hai."
Chapter End Note: Kaelen capital pahunch chuka hai, lekin kya wo ek aisi jung lad raha hai jisme jeetna hi sabse badi haar hai?