The forest swallowed them immediately, shadows thickening as they ran. Aeloria's pulse raced—not only from fear but from the sudden awareness of the men flanking her. The vampire's presence was a constant chill at her side; the dragon's heat radiated from the other; and the Beastborn's raw, animal energy throbbed behind her like a protective drumbeat.
Branches scraped against her arms, tearing at the cloak wrapped tightly around her. She stumbled over roots and stones, but none of them slowed to help. Somehow, instinctively, she knew they expected her to keep pace. And somehow, she did.
The vampire's voice finally broke the silence. "Do you understand what you've done?"
"I… I don't know!" Aeloria gasped, her voice raw. "I didn't mean to… the Mark… the magic—"
He cut her off, his crimson eyes darkening. "Magic without control is dangerous. Uncontrolled power can burn everyone you love—every life you touch."
The dragon snorted, shaking his head. "Little star, do you even know what you just did? The Mark flared in response to threat. That is ancient power. Even I—" He gestured to his tattoos, glowing faintly in response to her pulse—"cannot control it fully. Only the Bond can."
"The Bond?" Aeloria echoed. "What… what's that?"
The Beastborn's amber eyes caught hers in the dim forest. "The Celestial Bond. It's your true identity. You are the living embodiment of all three bloodlines. The seal your mother placed was to keep it dormant until now."
Aeloria's mind spun. "I'm… a… hybrid? A… something?" Her voice trembled as her fingers instinctively traced the glowing sigils on her wrist. They pulsed softly beneath her touch, almost alive.
"Yes," the vampire said quietly. "And every power you awaken will attract attention. Some will come seeking protection, others… destruction."
The dragon moved closer. "And some will try to bend you to their will. You are the key, little star. Every crown in Veloria will want a piece of you."
Aeloria swallowed hard, terror mixing with a strange thrill. The idea of being powerful terrified her—and a part of her, she couldn't deny, thrilled at the thought.
The Beastborn growled low in his throat, as if sensing her thoughts. "Your powers will grow, whether you want them to or not. That is why you must come with us."
They continued through the forest, the sounds of the burning valley fading behind them. But the danger did not. Aeloria could sense it—the whispers of hunters, the glint of steel on hidden eyes, the faint traces of magic reacting to hers.
"Where are we going?" she asked again, voice barely more than a whisper.
"The High Sanctum," the vampire repeated. "A place older than kingdoms, older than our bloodlines. There you will learn control. There you will be safe, for now."
"Safe?" Aeloria scoffed, though it was weak. "The valley was safe. That's where I knew who I was. Here… I don't even know who I am."
The dragon stepped closer, his warmth brushing her back, a force of both comfort and fire. "You are the Celestial Bond, Aeloria. And the world will remember you whether you like it or not."
The Beastborn added, voice low and resonant: "You will have to choose your alliances carefully. Every step from now on will be measured in life or death. And in desire."
Aeloria shivered—not entirely from fear.
Desire.She didn't understand why, but that word settled in her chest, intertwining with the pulse of the Mark. Her powers, her destiny, her heart—it all felt tangled in ways she had never anticipated.
Suddenly, the ground shook beneath their feet. A low, rumbling growl filled the air, one that seemed older than the forest itself. The trio froze, eyes scanning the darkness. Aeloria's breath caught.
From the shadows of the trees, shapes moved—dozens of them. Faster than human, silent as shadows, and hungry. The Silent Order had reinforcements.
The vampire hissed. "They never give up."
The dragon's claws scraped against the dirt. "Nor should we. Let them come."
The Beastborn bared his teeth, the muscles in his arms rippling as he prepared to leap. "They will learn fear."
Aeloria's pulse accelerated. She realized she wasn't just scared for herself anymore. She was scared for the men who had just risked their lives to save her. And for the first time, she understood something terrifying: she had to learn control, fast.
The forest erupted as the Silent Order struck. Blades clanged against claws and teeth. Magic streaked through the trees like fireflies caught in a storm. Screams echoed, some human, some otherwise.
Aeloria fell to her knees, her hands instinctively clenching the air. The sigils on her wrist flared violently, and a shockwave rippled outward. The attackers screamed as roots and branches burst from the earth, throwing them into the air.
The vampire caught her arm, steadying her. "Control it, Aeloria! You must control it!"
She swallowed, focusing on the burning, painful energy in her veins. Slowly, shakily, the flare calmed, the ground settling once more.
The dragon let out a low, impressed whistle. "Well. That's… more than promising."
The Beastborn growled. "Promising or not, we have a long road ahead. Come. The Sanctum awaits."
Aeloria nodded, heart pounding, lungs burning, and the world alive with danger—and possibility—around her.
She didn't know what she was stepping into.But she knew one thing:
Her life would never be her own again.