The Sunborn lands were unlike anything Alyssa had ever known. She had imagined a home surrounded by the echoes of her people’s voices, where laughter mixed with the storm’s hum. But now, only silence met her thoughts. Her parents’ laughter, the fierce guidance of her clan elders, the warmth of family—all of it was gone, ripped away when Zaros’s forces had fallen upon them.

Still, the sanctuary Raelan had created glowed with a soft warmth she hadn’t felt in a long time. It was peaceful, and Raelan had promised her it would be safe. For the first time in months, Alyssa let herself believe she might finally rest here. She could feel Raelan’s assurance, his powerful presence like a shield around them, and that comforted her. She didn’t want to be afraid anymore.

But today, something was different. Her instincts told her there was something dark clawing at the edge of their haven. A chill filled the air, making the trees shiver and the light tremble. She edged closer to where Raelan stood by the barrier, her gaze following his.

Then she saw him—Urskath, his form monstrous and cruel, with eyes filled with a malevolent satisfaction that turned her stomach. She could never forget that face, the face of the one who had torn her family from her, who had led the destruction of her clan.

Urskath’s entrance was like a floodgate opening in her mind, a torrent of memories crashing down upon her. She could see it all again, in horrible clarity: flames devouring her village, her parents’ cries as they shielded her, the brutal strength of Urskath cleaving through those she loved. She remembered being pulled away, hidden in a place her mother had told her was “safe,” though Alyssa knew it had only been a temporary hiding spot. She’d waited in terror, hearing the sounds of battle fade, then stop entirely, until there was only silence and smoke.

It was only by hiding in the dark hollows of the earth and running under cover of night that she had survived, her heart shattered and her spirit fractured. Now, seeing Urskath in the flesh, standing right before her, the pain of those memories twisted into something sharper—rage, dark and consuming.

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Alyssa felt something stir deep within her, something raw and unbound. The air around her seemed to tense, her breaths coming fast as that feeling spread through her veins, igniting her senses with an energy she couldn’t control. Her fists clenched, her heart pounding with a fury she hadn’t realized she was capable of. Her vision tunneled, the image of Urskath dominating her mind as pure hatred surged through her.

Without realizing it, Alyssa stepped forward, her trembling fingers beginning to spark with faint arcs of lightning, crackling and flickering. She didn’t understand what was happening—only that the storm, her family’s legacy, was beginning to awaken within her, fueled by her grief and rage. She wanted to strike, to make Urskath feel the pain she had carried since that day.

“Alyssa.” Raelan’s voice cut through the storm building within her, but she barely heard him, her gaze fixed on Urskath, her hands now wreathed in a blue glow that pulsed with rising intensity. Her mind screamed for revenge, for justice. Power surged within her, begging to be unleashed, but her young body struggled under its force, already showing signs of strain.

“Alyssa,” Raelan repeated, his voice gentle but commanding, and this time he moved closer, stepping between her and the monstrous figure. The warmth of his magic brushed against her, trying to soothe the wild energy coursing through her veins, but it only fanned her rage.

“He… he killed them,” she choked out, her voice breaking. “He took everything from me.”

“I know.” Raelan knelt down, meeting her blazing eyes with a steady calm. “I know, Alyssa. But you are more than that rage. I can see your strength, but this is not the moment to let it consume you.”

The lightning around her hands flickered, her resolve wavering as she looked into Raelan’s eyes. But her anger flared again as Urskath’s mocking voice rang through the air, taunting them. Alyssa’s hands shook as the magic within her reignited, growing more intense and chaotic.

But before she could act, Raelan reached forward, placing a hand on her shoulder. His touch sent a wave of calming energy through her, disrupting the furious storm inside. Her vision blurred, her strength fading as his magic gently guided her into an exhausted sleep.

“Rest now, Alyssa,” he whispered as she felt her mind slipping into darkness. “You don’t have to fight this battle alone.”

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As Alyssa drifted off, her storm magic faded, settling back into dormancy. Raelan lifted her into his arms, casting one last look at Urskath, his face set with quiet fury. He would protect her and the others from the nightmares that haunted them, even if it meant facing Zaros himself.

With Alyssa safe in his arms, he turned back to confront the darkness that had once again come to threaten those under his protection.