They walked through the portal into their world back .
Lyra had expected warmth and a lively world like she left it once,but it was nothing like she imagined. Houses were broken, the sky was dark and covered with black clouds, and there was no sign of life — as if everything was dead.
Beside her, Kairis froze. She looked around, wide-eyed.
Lyra spoke in a low tone. "What happened here?"
For a long moment, Kairis said nothing. Then she knelt down, pressing her hand to the soil, trying to sense any sign of life — but there was none.
Her voice cracked. "This is Frontland, a region of our own kingdom… Our home, Azel… Ilythra… did they fail? The deities who should've protected it… they're gone. All of them."
Lyra looked at her and knelt beside her, steady despite the tremor in her own chest. "It isn't over. We'll find a solution. If they failed, we shouldn't dwell on it. Instead, we should try to do what they did — protect what's left.
Deep inside she felt too
what happened here? Why is this place ruined? Why now ? Is this my fault?
Questions bursting in her mind
Kairis looked at her, startled by the sudden boldness. For a moment, she saw the Lyra she once followed through fire and war.
Before Kairis could respond, the ground trembled. A low growl rolled through the silence.
Lyra looked around and took Kairis's hand. "We need to hide. Something's coming our way," she whispered.
They slipped behind the hollow of a broken wall as shadows stretched across the ruins.
A beast lumbered past. Wolf-shaped, but wrong — its body was a cage of bone, an amber fire leaking from its hollow chest. Its claws scratched on the stone as it walked, then it moved its head to sniff the air.
Lyra watched the beast while hiding behind the hollow house.
The creature looked around, searching for its prey, before walking further into the ruins.
"That was a corrupted essence merged with a few others," Kairis whispered. "A soul twisted into nothing but hunger."
Lyra stood, brushing dust from her hands. She looked around. "Then let's keep moving. Ruins keep secrets. We might find something useful there."
Kairis nodded.
Lyra gave her a faint smile before she started exploring the ruined houses. Kairis followed, and together they searched, but there was nothing — as if someone had already taken everything.
Lyra slowed. "Someone's been here."
Kairis whispered, low and cautious, "Maybe. It seems they took everything before leaving."
Lyra continued observing the surroundings. Slowly, they reached the center of the village. Unlike the other ruined houses, these showed signs of survival — faint traces of use, patched walls, replaced timber, trails worn into the dirt.
Then suddenly, a knife shot past, striking the stone where Lyra's head had been. Poison hissed against the wall.
They turned as a figure emerged from the shadows — a young man with blue hair, his patched clothes worn from travel. A knife spun idly in his fingers, his smirk sharp.
"Well," he drawled, eyes observing them. "New faces. Walking straight into Eryndor's graveyard."
Kairis glared at him but eventually calmed herself.
"Do you want us dead?"
"If I wanted you dead, I wouldn't have missed." His gaze flicked between them, quietly assessing. "You're not from around here — too clean, too steady."
Kairis's grip on her blade tightened. "We came for answers, not trouble."
He chuckled low. "Answers? In a place like this? Brave words." His eyes shifted to Lyra. "But bravery breaks quickly. Tell me — are you brave, or desperate?"
"Neither," Lyra said. "Just determined."
That stilled him. After a moment, he lowered his knife. "Name's Kael. And this village… belongs to those strong enough to claim it. Tell me, are you strong enough to walk these ruins, or will they eat you like the rest?"
Lyra met his stare. "We'll survive."
For the first time, Kael's smirk softened. He gave a single nod.
"Then follow me. But remember — survival here isn't free."
Kairis glanced at Lyra, uneasy. Lyra only nodded. Together, they followed Kael into the shadows of the ruined homes.