The song led us to a hidden balcony carved into the very peak of the Crystal Mountains. Below us, the ruins of the ancient Crystal City lay bathed in the soft, silver glow of the twin moons. It was beautiful, haunting, and silent.
"My home," Lyria whispered, her voice cracking.
I stood beside her, the cold mountain wind whipping my cloak. The bond hummed between us, a steady, warm vibration. I could feel her grief—centuries of it—washing over me like a cold tide.
"We will take it back, Lyria," I said, stepping closer. "I promise."
She turned to me, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. The moonlight caught the silver strands of her hair, making her look like a goddess made of starlight. "Why, Shakil? Why would you risk everything for a girl you barely know? For a world that is already broken?"
I didn't answer with words. I couldn't. Instead, I reached out and gently tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. My hand lingered there, my thumb brushing the soft skin of her jaw.
"Because when I saw you in those ruins, I didn't just see a princess or a 'star-shard'," I said, my voice barely audible over the wind. "I saw my whole world. And I'm not letting my world break again."
The air between us felt thick, charged with a magic far more powerful than any spell I had ever cast. Lyria's breath hitched. She leaned into my touch, her eyes searching mine.
"Shakil..."
Slowly, as if afraid she might vanish like mist, I leaned in. When our lips finally met, it wasn't like the violent jolt of the soul-bond. It was soft, like falling snow, yet it set my entire soul on fire.
The mark on my wrist flared with a brilliant, blinding light. The entire mountain seemed to respond—the crystals around us began to glow, humming a harmonious chord that echoed the song of the city below.
In that kiss, I saw fragments of her past, and she saw my heart, completely and utterly hers.
We pulled apart slowly, both of us breathless. Lyria's cheeks were flushed, a soft pink that I had never seen before. She smiled—a real, genuine smile that reached her glowing eyes.
"The prophecy forgot to mention one thing," she whispered, resting her head against my chest.
"What's that?"
"That the Guardian wouldn't just protect the Star... he would steal her heart."
I laughed softly, wrapping my arms around her. But the moment of peace was short-lived. Far below, at the gates of the Crystal City, a dark, oily smoke began to rise. The twin moons were suddenly eclipsed by a giant, winged shadow.
"The Dark Lord Kael," Lyria stiffened. "He's not waiting for the dawn. He's here for the final battle."
I gripped my ironwood staff, the blades of light snapping into existence. "Then let him come. He has no idea what he's up against now."