The red-eyed wolf stepped closer, each of its movements radiating a suffocating aura of menace. Lira felt paralyzed—not just by fear, but by the whispers coming from the creature. "The key… you are the key…" Those words resonated with her vision of the weakening gate seal and Malakor's awakening. Was her fall not merely the trigger, but part of a larger design?
"Lira, behind me!" Arka pushed her gently back, positioning himself in front of her, his machete raised defensively. His face was tense, but his eyes burned with resolve. He might not have any superpowers, but he wasn't going to run.
The creature growled lowly, its voice harsh and raspy—more like the grinding of stone than an animal's roar. It leapt, lunging at Arka with terrifying speed and brutality, far beyond that of an ordinary wolf.
Arka had no time to think. He swung his machete instinctively. The metal blade clashed with the creature's spiked back, producing a loud clang and a shower of sparks. The machete was knocked from his grip, and he was thrown back, crashing into a tree. Pain spread through his shoulder.
"Arka!" Lira screamed. She saw the injury on his shoulder, and suddenly, her fear was consumed by rage. This man, who had cared for her selflessly, was now hurt while protecting her.
In that fury, Lira felt something stir within her—not the gentle energy of the Celestials nor the grounded power of the earth, but a fusion of both, churning like a storm at her core. She instinctively raised her hand toward the wolf.
A burst of blue-golden light shot from her palm. It wasn't a small spark like during her training, but a powerful surge of energy, illuminating the mist around them. The beam struck the red-eyed wolf square in the chest. The creature howled in pain, thrown backward into the ruins of the ancient gate. The dark aura surrounding it faded slightly.
Arka, though in pain, was stunned by the power emanating from Lira. He had never seen her wield such strength.
Lira herself was shocked. This power… it was different. Rawer, wilder, but also stronger than anything she'd ever had in the Celestial Realm. It was the result of the fusion between earth energy and Celestial energy within her—a hybrid cultivation never taught in either world.
The wolf rose again, its body slightly smoking. Its eyes blazed red with fury. It roared, shattering the silence of the forest. This time, it didn't charge at Arka—but straight at Lira, as if it knew who the true target was.
"Lira, run!" Arka tried to rise, but his shoulder was numb.
But Lira didn't run. She stared at the creature with newfound resolve. She raised both hands, focusing the energy that now felt familiar inside her. This time, instead of a burst of light, a thin, teal-colored shield formed before her.
The wolf slammed into the shield with full force. A loud impact echoed, and the shield trembled violently, small cracks forming across its surface. Lira winced, feeling her energy draining rapidly. This power was still new to her.
Suddenly, from the darkness behind the wolf, another shadow emerged. Far larger, more terrifying, and its eyes radiated a red light far more intense than the wolf's. It was Malakor—or at least, a faint manifestation of him.
Malakor didn't attack. He simply stared at Lira, and from his dark form, a thunderous voice rang directly into her mind—not through her ears.
"Celestial Princess… you have broken the seal… and now… you are part of it… that power… will be mine…"
Lira felt an overwhelming wave of dark energy crash against her shield, far stronger than the wolf's earlier assault. The shield cracked, and Lira was thrown back, landing beside Arka. Her whole body ached, her energy completely drained. Her wings throbbed painfully, and there was a burning sensation where Malakor's light had touched her.
The red-eyed wolf now stood over them, ready to deliver the final blow. Lira tried to rise, but her body refused to obey. Death felt frighteningly close.
But before the wolf could strike, a silver flash suddenly shot down from the sky, piercing the fog and striking between Lira and the beast. The force of the attack hurled the wolf—and even Malakor's shadow—backward.
From the mist, the silhouettes of two winged figures descended. Not wolves, not dark shadows—but two fairies. One had flowing blonde hair, and the other bore familiar green irises.
"Lira! Are you okay?!" Elara shouted, her voice filled with relief and worry.
Fael landed beside Lira, scanning his friend's condition. "Thank the stars we found you in time!"
The presence of her friends from the Celestial Realm—whom she thought she'd never see again—felt like a miracle. Yet Lira also sensed something strange. They arrived with a powerful silver light, and they bore no signs of injury. Instead, there was an air of resolve and readiness about them, as if they already knew what they were coming into.
The red-eyed wolf rose again, glaring at the fairies with its burning gaze. Meanwhile, Malakor's shadow behind it began to fade back into the cracks of the gate, seemingly forced to retreat.
"They're protecting her," Malakor hissed into Lira's mind before his darkness vanished entirely. "But not for long. The key… will return to me."