The world was fire. Golden flames writhed across the ruins like living serpents, coiling around Liora’s body, forcing her small frame rigid as the Queen fed her power into the child’s heart.The heat scorched stone to liquid glass, painted the night sky a furious gold. And at the center of it all, Adrien Vale crawled from the rubble, broken but unbowed.Blood poured from his mouth, his shoulder, his side. Every step was agony. But none of it mattered. Because above him, his daughter hovered, suspended like a sacrifice to the gods.And her heart, her precious heart, was about to explode. “No… please, no,” Adrien rasped, his voice cracking. He staggered forward, silver fire sparking weakly around him. “Liora… stay with me. Don’t let her take you.”Her eyes flickered down, twin infernos of hazel-gold. She gasped, voice torn between herself and the Queen.“Daddy, help me, she’s burning me”The Queen’s laughter shattered the plea, booming through the night. Do you hear her, Adrien Vale? Th
Her scream tore the chamber apart. Cracks split the stone, dust raining from the ceiling. Light and shadow warred in her body, ripping at her like storm winds.Adrien’s fire flared again, not from strength but from sheer refusal to give up. He surged to his feet, silver flames blazing, his voice breaking as he roared her name.“Liora!”Her eyes snapped to his. For one heartbeat, hazel returned, trembling, desperate. Then the Queen’s golden fire swallowed it. You want her? the voice hissed, echoing through the chamber. Then take her, if you can survive her.Liora’s body rose into the air, her small form suspended, golden fire spilling from her like a second sun. The chamber shook violently, the walls threatening to collapse.Adrien shielded his eyes, his fire straining against the onslaught. And then, her scream broke into words.“I… can’t… hold it… Daddy, help me!”Adrien’s soul split. He surged forward, hands outstretched, fire blazing. He didn’t care if it burned him. He didn’t care
Her scream tore the chamber apart. Cracks split the stone, dust raining from the ceiling. Light and shadow warred in her body, ripping at her like storm winds.Adrien’s fire flared again, not from strength but from sheer refusal to give up. He surged to his feet, silver flames blazing, his voice breaking as he roared her name.“Liora!”Her eyes snapped to his. For one heartbeat, hazel returned, trembling, desperate. Then the Queen’s golden fire swallowed it. You want her? the voice hissed, echoing through the chamber. Then take her, if you can survive her.Liora’s body rose into the air, her small form suspended, golden fire spilling from her like a second sun. The chamber shook violently, the walls threatening to collapse.Adrien shielded his eyes, his fire straining against the onslaught. And then, her scream broke into words.“I… can’t… hold it… Daddy, help me!”Adrien’s soul split. He surged forward, hands outstretched, fire blazing. He didn’t care if it burned him. He didn’t care
He pressed his hand to his chest, feeling the rhythm of his heart pounding against his ribs.“I don’t care what you are. I don’t care what chains you’ve wrapped around her. Liora is mine. She is my daughter, not your vessel.”The Queen’s golden eyes narrowed, the faintest flicker of curiosity crossing her face. Yours?“Yes,” Adrien hissed. “Mine. Not Kael’s. Not yours. Not anyone’s. She’s my blood, my light. And I’ll tear apart every throne in every void to keep her safe.”The silence that followed felt heavier than any scream. Then the throne trembled. The Queen leaned forward, her lips curving in something dangerously close to a smile.Then prove it, little flame. The chains around her snapped. Adrien staggered back as they fell one by one, crashing into the void with thunder that rattled his bones.Each shattered link bled shadow and gold, spilling across the abyss like rivers of molten power. The Queen stood.Her body stretched impossibly tall, her gown woven of shadow-fire and br
Adrien’s heart hammered. He forced his fire to flare, though it barely lit a few feet around him. A shape emerged. Not the cloaked figure.This one was taller, broader, its body shifting like liquid shadow, its eyes like suns eclipsed. It leaned close, and Adrien felt heat radiating off it, a heat not of flame but of consuming void.“You tried to take my daughter,” Adrien growled, teeth bared. “I don’t care what you are. I’ll tear you apart.”The thing laughed, a deep, endless sound that rattled the void. Your daughter…? No. She is not yours. She was never yours. Adrien froze.She carries the shard of the Queen. She carries destiny. You are only the vessel that delivered her. You are nothing. Rage surged through him, fierce enough to crack his ribs.He launched himself forward, fist blazing, and slammed into the shadow’s chest. The impact exploded silver fire across the void. The being staggered back. Then it smiled. Yes… burn for me.The fire didn’t fade. It spread. Silver light race
Zayn cursed under his breath, shoving Liora behind him and slamming his palms to the ground. Sigils flared, bursting into golden chains that whipped upward, catching the first of the beasts mid-leap. Flames roared through their bodies, scattering them into ash.But the chains shattered under the weight of the next wave. Adrien charged forward, silver fire erupting from every pore of his skin.His fists tore through shadow and bone, his roars shaking the ruins. Every blow was thunder. Every strike burned through another hunter. But there were too many.Claws tore across his chest. He staggered. A set of fangs clamped into his shoulder. He ripped the beast off, but blood streamed freely, splattering the stones. His glow dimmed for a heartbeat before he forced it back, rage dragging him forward.Zayn fought at his side, his magic cutting like a thousand blades. His face was pale, his jaw locked, sweat dripping down his temples.“They won’t stop!” Zayn bellowed. “They’ll throw every shado