AVELINE Darkness surrounds me. Silence stretches endlessly, pressing down like a heavy, suffocating blanket. It's cold. Bone-chilling cold.

Where am I?

Am I... dead? Again?

I try to move, but the weight of nothingness keeps me frozen. Time seems meaningless here. The cold bites into my skin, and I can't help but wonder if this is the end.

"Aveline."

A soft voice cuts through the silence. Gentle, warm, and filled with a concern that feels... familiar.

I turn, and in the inky blackness, a figure emerges. A woman with cascading white hair and eyes that mirror mine. Her presence radiates warmth, a stark contrast to the cold surrounding me.

"Come here, daughter," she says, extending her arms.

Before I realize it, my feet move of their own accord. I step closer, the darkness peeling away as her light surrounds me. When she wraps her arms around me, I feel a sense of safety I haven't known in years.

"Mother?" I whisper, my voice trembling.

"Yes, Aveline," she responds, her voice tender.

Tears well up in my eyes as I ask the question that has been haunting me. "Did I... did I die again?"

She gently pulls back, cupping my face with hands that feel so real, yet impossibly ethereal. "You're still alive, my brave daughter."

"But... how?" I choke out, confusion and desperation overtaking me. "How am I still alive? I was—"

"Because you are a Skyefyre," another voice interjects.

I whip around to see a second figure emerging from the shadows, her posture regal, her aura commanding. Her silver hair gleams like moonlight, and her eyes burn with the wisdom of centuries.

"Grandma?" I whisper, my voice barely audible.

She nods, a small smile gracing her lips. "Yes, child. I am Katerina Skyefyre, and you... you are my legacy."

Her words strike something deep within me. "I don't understand," I mutter, shaking my head.

"You are a Skyefyre, Aveline," my mother says, stepping beside her. "This is who you are. You carry the blood of a lineage meant for greatness, a lineage tied to dragons, to power, and to the balance of this world."

Grandma's voice is firm yet kind. "This is just the beginning, child. The trials you've faced have been but the foundation for the strength you now hold."

"I don't—" My words falter as my mother gently takes my hand.

"You must be strong, Aveline," she says. "You must rise and fight. Defeat those who threaten what is sacred. Protect what is yours."

Grandma steps closer, her gaze piercing. "You are more than just a knight or a mage. You are the daughter of the Skyefyre bloodline, and you are meant to burn brighter than anyone else. Remember, we are always with you."

Both of them grasp my hands, their warmth seeping into me, driving away the cold. "This is who you are, Aveline," my mother says, her voice steady. "Be one with Elryx. Tell her we miss her."

Before I can ask what they mean, the world shifts around me. The darkness collapses, and the cold is replaced by an intense warmth.

My eyes fly open.

Blinding light surrounds me, and I can feel it radiating from my body. My mana, once a steady flame, now roars like a wildfire. Power courses through me, every nerve alight with energy.

What is this? Is this what Mother meant?

I look down and realize I'm floating, glowing with an aura I've never seen before. My gaze sweeps across the battlefield. Father... Xavier... they're both injured, but they're alive. Their bloodied forms stand amidst the chaos, determination burning in their eyes.

"ELRYX!" I call out, my voice echoing like a thunderclap.

Elryx, sensing the shift, soars toward me. Her shimmering silver scales reflect the light pouring from me. As she hovers before me, I press my forehead to hers, feeling the bond between us solidify into something unbreakable.

"I can feel you," I murmur, closing my eyes. Her mana pulses alongside mine, the two energies intertwining.

"And I can feel you, Aveline," Elryx replies, her voice tinged with awe. "What is happening? You're... glowing."

"Grandma told me to be one with you," I say, a small smile tugging at my lips.

Elryx blinks, confused. "What?"

I chuckle softly. "We'll figure it out later. For now, let's finish this."

Elryx growls, her wings beating powerfully as she lifts us higher into the sky. From above, I take in the chaos below. Monsters swarm, their blackened forms writhing against the imperial knights. Father is holding his ground, and Xavier is leading a group of knights to protect the citizens.

But the true threat lies ahead: Malzareth, his crimson eyes blazing with rage, and Duke Cedric Brown, desperate as he summons more creatures with his black magic.

"You dare defy me, child?" Malzareth roars, flames licking at the corners of his mouth.

"You underestimated me," I reply coldly.

He unleashes a torrent of fire, but Elryx and I dodge effortlessly. I counter with a blast of water magic, the torrent slamming into his chest and forcing him back.

Malzareth stumbles, his movements sluggish. His power is waning.

"NOW, ELRYX!" I command.

Elryx roars, her body glowing as she channels my mana through her. Together, we unleash a powerful beam of energy, its light cutting through the battlefield like a sword. It strikes Malzareth, and for the first time, the demon king falters.

"NO! I WILL NOT BE DEFEATED BY A MORTAL!" he bellows, summoning a dark vortex of energy.

But I'm ready.

"Elryx, keep him contained," I command. She circles him, her movements precise, her flames forming a barrier around him.

I close my eyes, focusing all my mana. The words of my grandmother echo in my mind: You must rise and fight. Protect what is yours.

A seal begins to form in my mind, ancient and intricate. It's something I've never seen before, yet it feels as though it has always been a part of me.

"Malzareth, your time here is over," I declare, my voice steady.

He snarls, thrashing against the flames, but he cannot break free.

Channeling my mana, I create a massive magical sigil in the sky, its glowing runes spiraling outward. The light grows brighter, enveloping Malzareth entirely.

"By the power of the Skyefyre bloodline, I bind you to the abyss from which you came," I chant, my voice ringing with authority.

The sigil pulses, and beams of light shoot down, piercing through the vortex. Malzareth roars in agony as the magic surrounds him, chains of light binding his form.

"This isn't the end, girl!" he snarls, his form flickering. "I will return, and when I do, you will regret this!"

"You'll have to get through me first," I retort.

With a final burst of power, the sigil seals shut, dragging Malzareth into the void. The battlefield falls silent as the light fades, leaving only a faint shimmer where the demon once stood.

Elryx lands beside me, her breathing heavy but triumphant.

"We did it," she says, her voice filled with relief.

I nod, my body trembling as the adrenaline fades. My gaze falls on Duke Cedric Brown, who now looks pale and terrified.

"I think it's time we have a talk, Duke," I say, my tone cold and unyielding.