Darkness.
Cold stone.
Chains.
Lyra woke slowly.
Guild prison.
Her powers were suppressed by glowing restraints.
A man stepped forward.
The Guild leader's second commander.
"You caused us trouble," he said.
Lyra glared.
"I'm just getting started."
He smiled.
"We'll see."
He attacked her mentally.
Visions.
Fear.
Memories.
Trying to break her mind.
Instead something unexpected happened.
Her absorption power activated
automatically.
She began absorbing his psychic energy.
His smile faded.
"What are you"
Lyra broke her restraints.
Power exploded outward.
The prison cracked.
Outside, Kael, Rylan, and the stranger were already fighting their way in.
She stepped out.
Stronger.
Angrier.
More confident.
Together they destroyed the prison guards.
Lyra stood between them.
"I'm done running."
They all saw it.
She had changed.
The Guild leader himself had now taken interest.
And he was coming personally.
To prepare for the final war, they traveled deeper underground.
To the forbidden magical undercity.
Even Kael looked uneasy.
"This place gives me bad memories."
Rylan joked nervously:
"If I die here I'm blaming all of you."
Lyra walked between them.
Despite danger… she felt calm.
Stronger.
More certain.
Creatures watched them from shadows.
Ancient beings.
Old magic.
"This is where power was born," the stranger explained.
"And where it dies."
They reached an ancient shrine.
Lyra touched it.
Her power reacted instantly.
Visions flooded her mind.
A prophecy.
A girl of fire and shadow.
Loved by three warriors.
Hunted by darkness.
Destined to change everything.
She stepped back.
Breathing hard.
"What did you see?" Kael asked softly.
Lyra looked at them.
"I think… we were always meant to meet."
Silence followed.
Then a voice echoed through the ruins.
"I've been waiting for you."
Darius stepped forward again.
Stronger now.
Fully Guild corrupted.
"This time," he said,
"I'm not leaving without you."