The air in Eryndor shimmered, heavy with magic and possibility. Kristina and I stood at the center of our fort, breathing hard from the encounter with the scout. She clutched her pencil tightly, sweat glimmering on her forehead, but the sparkle in her eyes remained.
"We did it… Kris!" she said, grinning, though her hand trembled slightly.
I noticed it, the tiniest flicker of unsteadiness, but I forced a smile. "Yeah… we did. But that was just one scout. More are out there."
Grandma's voice echoed softly in my mind. "Be vigilant. The Bouie Bloodline is strong, but this world is alive. Shadows gather."
Malachor's Command Center — Noctyra
Far away, in a dark fortress carved from obsidian and shadow, Malachor stood overlooking a sprawling map of Eryndor. Red lights glowed where his scouts had spotted the Bouie siblings. His generals, each from different bloodlines, waited at attention.
"Report," Malachor's voice boomed, cold and commanding.
A tall, muscular figure with smoke curling around his arms stepped forward. "My lord, Tier-Two scouts confirmed the children have entered Eryndor. They used the fort method. Their bond is strong… stronger than expected."
Malachor's crimson eyes narrowed. "Stronger? Hmph. Let them be strong. The girl is cursed, and the boy… the boy will learn his place soon enough."
Another general, with icy blue eyes and control over water magic, leaned forward. "Lord Malachor, the scouts cannot approach directly. The children's imagination constructs are powerful, but… if we use combined bloodline units, we can corner them."
"Good," Malachor said, stroking his chin. "But remember… the Bouie Bloodline is legendary. Never underestimate them. Every plan must account for the boy. He is… the greater threat."
A third general, clad in shadow with piercing violet eyes, chuckled darkly. "Do not worry, my lord. They are children. They are still learning. They will burn before they ever reach full potential."
Malachor's lips curled into a thin smile. "We shall see. Prepare the army. Begin the ranking deployment. Let every soldier know: failure is death. And when the Bouie children meet Tier-One, Tier-Two, and Tier-Three forces together… let fear greet them."
The generals bowed, their voices harmonizing. "As you command, Lord Malachor."
Back in Eryndor — Training Intensifies
Kristina slumped against me. "Kris… I feel… weird again," she whispered, her voice trembling.
I glanced at her, concern knotting my chest. "You're okay… we'll take it slow."
Grandma's presence filled the room, her voice firm. "It is subtle now, but the curse you are under has begun its work. Focus, Kristina. Kristopher… protect her at all costs."
I squeezed her hand. "I won't let anything happen to you, Kristina. Ever."
Kristina nodded, though her eyes flickered with unease. Her constructs wavered as she tried to summon a protective wolf. I could see her energy slightly unsteady, but she was still strong enough to fight.
First Full-Scale Battle in Eryndor
The shadowy scout returned, this time with reinforcements. Three humanoid creatures, each crackling with the essence of a different bloodline—fire, shadow, and illusion—emerged from the horizon.
Kristina's eyes widened. "Kris… it's… it's more than before."
"Don't worry," I said, trying to sound braver than I felt. "We've got this."
I summoned energy chains, looping them to form a cage around the approaching enemies. Kristina drew a shimmering wall with silver runes, her constructs darting around to intercept. The creatures hissed and attacked, each with unique abilities.
The fire-bloodline scout launched streams of flames, almost melting Kristina's constructs.
The shadow-bloodline scout moved like smoke, passing through barriers effortlessly.
The illusion-bloodline scout created duplicates, trying to confuse us.
"Focus!" Grandma shouted, her aura stabilizing the constructs. "Imagination is your weapon. Bond is your shield."
Kristina's small form flared with silver light, a protective wolf leaping forward. "We… we can do this!" she yelled.
I combined my energy with hers, creating a swirling force that pushed the enemies back. Our first major battle in Eryndor had begun—and it was nothing like we had trained for on Earth.
A Subtle Warning
After the skirmish, we collapsed inside the fort. Kristina's hand trembled, and she rested her head against my shoulder.
"I… I feel tired… more than before," she whispered.
I frowned, worry gnawing at me. "The curse… right? It's starting?"
Grandma's eyes were grave. "Subtle… but yes. Kristina, you must learn to control your energy. Kristopher… you must remain vigilant. The real threat is approaching, and the girl's condition will worsen if ignored."
Kristina looked up at me, her eyes shining. "Kris… no matter what happens, promise me we'll always… fight together."
I gripped her hand tightly. "I promise. Always."
Far away, Malachor watched from his dark tower, his smile twisting in anticipation. "Let the shadows test them. Let the girl falter… but the boy… the boy will be the storm that shakes everything."
And somewhere in Eryndor, the wind whispered: the first true battle was over, but the war was just beginning.