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Chapter 1: Violet Sky
Lyra Selanth had always thought her village of Eldermist was ordinary. Nestled between the dark, whispering Silverpine Woods and the jagged cliffs of Eldoria, life moved in quiet patterns. Her days were filled with sketching the skies in her worn leather notebook, gathering herbs with her grandmother, and sneaking out to watch the clouds turn pink and gold at sunset.
Today, though, the sky was different. Streaks of violet sliced across the horizon, glowing like molten glass, and the air hummed with a low, vibrating pulse. Birds circled erratically, their cries sharp and uneasy. Villagers froze in place, staring at the sky as if hypnotized.
"Lyra… look!" Joren, her best friend since childhood, grabbed her sleeve, his usually cheerful face pale with fear.
She followed his gaze, and her stomach dropped. A massive shadow swept over the village—a creature unlike anything she had ever seen. Its wings were vast, like fractured mirrors, catching the sunlight in shards of purple and silver. Scales shimmered in impossible patterns, and its roar echoed across the cliffs, shaking the stones beneath her feet.
"Run!" her grandmother shouted, grabbing Lyra's arm. But instead of fear, a strange warmth sparked in her palms, curling into her fingers like living fire. The creature roared again, its gaze locking onto her.
Lyra's heartbeat thundered. Something inside her stirred—a power she didn't understand, but instinctively knew was hers.
"This… this is just the beginning," she whispered, gripping the small dagger she had carved herself for protection.
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