Legacy of the Dragon Lord

A chill ran down Shira's spine as she walked through the academy halls, her fingers tightening around the straps of her bag. The feeling had been growing for days—an eerie sensation creeping into her bones, as if something dark was watching her, waiting. She hadn't told Elias or the others, but she could feel it. Something was coming.

The lanterns flickered overhead as she reached the courtyard, where Elias and Lyra were talking in hushed voices. Their expressions were tense. Shira didn't have to guess what they were discussing—tensions had been high ever since Darin had started acting strangely. He barely spoke to her anymore, and when he did, there was an edge to his voice that hadn't been there before. And Lyra… something about her felt different, though Shira couldn't put her finger on it.

Elias noticed her first. "Shira," he called, straightening. "We were just talking about—"

A scream tore through the night.

Shira's breath caught in her throat as a second scream followed, then a third. The air suddenly turned thick, charged with an energy so foul it sent goosebumps racing over her skin. The academy trembled beneath her feet.

Then she saw it.

A monstrous figure emerged from the shadows at the far end of the courtyard, its body shifting like liquid darkness. Eyes the color of molten gold burned from within its inky form, and its massive claws left scorched marks on the stone as it advanced. The demon was unlike anything she had ever seen, and yet, somehow, it felt familiar.

The Hellbore.

The realization slammed into her like a punch to the gut. The gates between realms were weakening. Something—someone—had begun the process of opening the Hellbore. The only way that was possible was if someone had made a deal with the darkness beyond it.

Her stomach twisted. Darin. Lyra.

"Run!" Elias shouted, grabbing Shira's arm as chaos erupted around them. Students fled in all directions, screams filling the night air. The demon lunged, striking down a professor who had been trying to cast a ward. The man collapsed, unmoving.

Shira wanted to fight. The fire inside her—the power of her blood—begged to be released. But she couldn't. Not here. Not when Elias and the others were watching. They didn't know what she was, and if she revealed herself now… she wasn't sure what would happen.

"We have to get out of here!" Elias urged, pulling her toward the academy gates. "The First Temple of the Dragonlord—it's the only place we'll be safe."

Shira's heart pounded. The First Temple. She had read about it in the ancient texts, had dreamed of it in visions she had never spoken of. If Elias thought that was the place they needed to go, he was right. But what he didn't know was that she wasn't just seeking refuge—she was going to that temple to awaken the power already inside her.

They reached the outer walls of the academy just as another explosion rocked the earth. Shira turned, her gaze locking onto Darin, who stood on the opposite side of the courtyard, watching her with cold, glowing eyes.

Her breath hitched.

Darin wasn't himself anymore.

Neither was Lyra.

Shira didn't know how, but she knew one thing for certain.

Darkwind had already won them.

The first demon struck, its razor-sharp claws slashing through the air. Elias barely managed to duck in time, rolling to the side and drawing his blade. Shira followed instinctively, dodging as another creature lunged at her. The school grounds had turned into a battlefield—students and teachers alike trying to fend off the shadowy creatures clawing their way into the academy.

"Shira, behind you!" Elias shouted.

She twisted just in time to see a demon descending upon her. Reacting purely on instinct, she raised her hands, summoning a burst of raw energy that sent the creature hurtling backward. The impact left it writhing, smoke rising from its body.

Elias gaped at her. "What was that?"

Shira had no time to answer. More demons emerged, their twisted forms moving unnaturally fast. She and Elias fought side by side, their movements fluid—almost synchronized. Shira used her agility to weave through the attacks, while Elias, with his swordsmanship, cut through the creatures like a storm. But they were outnumbered.

Then, a voice echoed through the battlefield, stopping Shira in her tracks.

"You're fighting a losing battle," Darin said coolly, standing atop the ruined academy steps. His golden eyes, once warm and full of emotion, now gleamed with eerie violet light.

Beside him, Lyra stood with the same expressionless gaze. The air around them crackled with dark energy.

Elias stiffened. "Darin? What's going on? What is this?"

Darin smirked. "This is what happens when you embrace true power."

Shira felt her stomach drop. She had known—deep down, she had known—but hearing him confirm it made her blood run cold.

"You did this?" she whispered. "You opened the Hellbore?"

Lyra chuckled, tilting her head. "Not yet. But soon."

Elias gritted his teeth. "You're possessed. This isn't you. You can fight it!"

Darin's expression darkened. "Fight it? No, Elias, you don't understand. We aren't possessed. We've been chosen. Darkwind is more than just a shadow lurking in the Abyss. He is power itself. He has existed since the dawn of time, cast aside by the gods who feared his strength. But now, he is returning. And we are his heralds."

Shira clenched her fists, anger and grief warring inside her. "Darkwind is using you! This isn't power—it's control!"

Darin's gaze flickered for just a second—something almost human behind the violet glow—but it was gone before she could grasp it. He raised a hand, and the demons surged forward, their howls filling the night.

"Run to your temple if you want, Shira," Darin called after her. "It won't save you. Nothing will."

Shira hesitated for just a heartbeat, but Elias grabbed her wrist. "We have to go! Now!"

With one last, pained look at Darin and Lyra, Shira turned and ran. The battle was far from over—but first, she needed to uncover the power that had been sleeping within her all along.