CELESTIAL FIRE

ira

er my feet di

t feel col

ust...

othing. But someh

stay steady. Darian walked ahead, quiet, his co

ust light. Gold, white, sof

e

sou

y hear

Boom

d under us, like water, like

Sword

ies.

i

dn't

re we?"

d, not looking back. "The

does i

alking. Turn

ru

ade my ches

ready f

kept w

orld behind u

t want to r

yn

like th

qu

st

she was shaking. Her body still glowed a littl

d to ca

she would

tayed

hed

d Dari

cold. Not cruel. Just... heavy

ght. The air felt thicker here

the circle stood

ll s

one. Or ma

rror. But not one t

s of light. Col

epped

rror g

howed

she w

somethi

ngs like suns. Ey

ga

her, but she

st

st

ira

l in the

oked l

no

ike fire in wind. Her hands glowed. Her fa

't kno

want

ed to

. The mirror rip

't tou

pulle

wasn't stan

s fa

fly

ime. Thro

w pi

tain o

with t

of w

outing my

n

t just

ti

arn

ire in his eyes. He touc

he Hera

in front of it, swo

th

et

fe

cho

ve so

p some

ars ex

ll wen

ian

was glowi

dn't s

n't

ut of her eyes, he

rward. "What's h

aid. "And the Archive is

. "What if it

she'll

it gently. I

e it w

't want he

t

we made it

the lig

ped to h

ds were

wasn't

look

her

't just bl

p. Like stars

ered, "I

ira

red the f

r. The

made before I

membered

ira. No

a

of t

or of t

n't feel

lt t

tand. His hands w

ed at

e, isn't the

nod

s pieces. But tru

he

inted

e stars bent. Formed

" he said. "

want to g

I ha

yn

wn the sta

glowed und

w a circle

e was someth

bo

ers. N

t l

"This is the

epped

ook o

t poured int

dn't s

't f

, she sto

sp

at the Her

looked

rift," she said. "It's try

" I a

she said. "Only I can do it aga

or her. "Then no

lt like ice

urned

't run

hat?" I

fi

ian

believe

be

f the Archive, watching Nyx glo

still

l un

wasn't

as ch

meant e

the edge of

s below

dows movi

r. Cl

aw it

foun

rew his

ed us into t

hive is waking. It's c

e dark

the

ira

rs turn

by

echoed thro

artb

not

hing

de

I saw

from th

gu

mor from t

ing. Some

al

ully

rdi

t o

yes glo

hey k

m

sp

born. We

"They were wai

odd

d the Arch

forward. "The

hat?"

what's co

urn

airs behin

was openi

e

the A

above

rald stepp

n. Bl

smil

ide

had

ll

rk

he He

hing

hing

the o

the

t-" Zer

odd

the one I t

w opened

were made

wa

ki

ng

it s

hould have s