Her destiny looms, unknown and untamed,
To balance the world or shatter the frame.
And then, I realize:there’s more that we’ve never seen before.
But light unbound can blind the land,
A ruin born from an open hand.
The heavens will break, the Stars shall weep,
A blow must strike, or darkness keep.
The Lightborne shall rise, and truth shall ignite,
Unless the Sky destroys her light.
One truth must break, one vow must sever,
Or silence and shadow shall reign forever.
“It’s me,” Elyssara whispers, “I will be the ruin of Aevryn.”
“I will never let that happen, Duskae,” I soothe. “You’re too good, El. You carry too much light to be what they fear—you would never harm this world.”
“But I will,” she breathes. “The Stars have foretold it.”
“No—”
“There will come a time where you must decide between your own will, your heart, and fate,” Nehvara interjects. “You must continue walking the path of prophecy, dears. For on the other side of it, who knows what will be?”
“Don’tyou?” I snap.
The old woman laughs, “All I know is that the Flame-heart has been stirring, awaiting your arrival here, and the Flame-heart stirs for no one.”
Elyssara leans in, wiping her eyes as if to clear them, “The prophecy says it’s sleeping—so, how do weawakenit?” Her voice is raspy from screaming, and I wince hearing it.
“You must find the Flame-heart a worthy vessel to take form within,” Nehvara says.
A worthy vessel for a fucking dragon?
Before we can speak, Nehvara continues, “The Flame-heart is not just any dragon, Starbound. The Flame-heart is the soul of Tarrakai—the most powerful dragon in history. His form is gone, but his soul lives on in the Heart of Ashara—a jewel.” She holds her hands over her heart in reverence. “For Tarrakai to awaken in dragon form, he will need a worthy vessel—someone brave, who holds love for the Dravari line, loyal,” she explains. “You will take the Heart of Ashara and we will not stop you, but you will not awaken Tarrakai until it’s time.”
The words settle like stone in my stomach.Stars, let the vessel not be her.
“How will I know when to awaken him? How do I even do that?” Elyssara pleads.
“You will know,” Nehvara says with conviction, but I’m lost in her cryptic mysticism.
“And what happens to the vessel when it’s time to awaken Tarrakai?” I ask.
But Nehvara stands swiftly, draining the remnants of her mug and gestures for us to stand, “That is all for today. Tomorrow, I’ll take you to the Flame-heart.”
“One more thing,” Elyssara pleads. “How do we help you? How do we reunite you with the Vaythari? I made a promise to them,” Elyssara asks, desperately clinging to the good she can do in the world.
“Awaken the Flame-heart and all will be restored in time. Not today, and not tomorrow, but soon,” Nehvara says, and the fire dims to nothing, leaving us in darkness.
CHAPTER EIGHTY-THREE
