A windswept breeze blew into the cave, carrying the sounds of a soft melody. This effect caused the grounds to become foggy, and strange, dark purple flowers appeared.

Everyone drew their weapon, recognizing the poisonous miasma plant, Nightshade.

From a platform of rocks, a humanoid figure appeared. Their platinum blonde hair was like silk and a wavy ocean, swaying casually with no effort. A small wreath sat around their forehead. Their face was indescribably beautiful, with feminine and masculine features that made it impossible to look away in awe at their sheer beauty.

They were naked in front of them, but a long, white cloak wrapped around him. In his hand was an instrument similar to Alivier, and his gentle, manicured fingers strummed along the strings, playing the enchanting tune once more.

“So you have come.” The melodic voice sounded like an array of mixed voices speaking simultaneously. His eyes closed, making him seem eerie and profound.

“Let these people go!” Lyra shouted at the Void Beast. She knew it wouldn't, but she showed him she was unafraid.

“But first…” he said, raising his arm delicately in the air. “You must stay for the concert.”

His eyes snapped open, and a black abyss stared back at him, causing them all to shudder. A surge of negativity forced them to their knees in submission.

“It's to die for.”

Lyra gritted her teeth. She stabbed Riftblade into the earth to keep her balance and help her stand.

“Lyra…!” She heard the voices of Sly and Cassandra call out to her.

Lyra pressed on. Her teeth ground together, and she heard a chip on her tooth. The aura surge kept pushing her back down to her knees. The forcible aura continued returning like a strong current, but Lyra persisted.

“Please… Lumos… give me the Strength.” She whispered in a plea to Lumos. She could feel her muscles trembling and wasn't sure how long she could hold on.

The grip on her sword loosened, and her field of vision grew dark. She was fading. No amount of force could keep her upright.

Until a soft embrace rested on her shoulder.

“Whaa—” she tried to say. The darkness around her vision was expunged by light, and the weak state she was feeling early was replaced with sheer will—a familiar power she had recently visited.

“Lumos?”

Though she could not see her face, she could feel her smiling. A gentle caress settled on her cheeks, and a surge of energy that had not been there before replaced it.

“It is time to fulfill your duty,” she said. Lyra was confused about whether she was talking to Alivier when she responded.

“For if it is your will, Saint Lumos.”

The grip on her sword handle returned, and a glistening of light emerged from it. Lyra’s eyes widened at the blinding light from it.

“Shall we?” Alivier’s voice came from the sword. She was stunned at this revelation but couldn't question it.

“Yes.”

A gleam of fiery white flamed in Lyra’s eyes.

“Celestial stream of light!”

With blinding light speeds, Lyra zoomed across the field with unseen speed and was over to the Void Beast In milliseconds.

The gleaming sword of Riftblade protruded from Byleth’s naked abdomen.

The Void Beast let out a soft sigh. Head looked up to the sky, and his eyes closed. “Let the skies open up and swallow me; release me from this shell.”

The moment he spoke, his body broke away into ashes until there was no more.

Lyra breathed heavily. She dropped her sword to the ground and waited for the briefest of moments before turning back around again. That is until she stopped and looked down at the sword in her hand, still glowing a luminescent light.

The power given to her by Lumos had not gone away. Something was amiss.

Something isn't right. Wouldn't I lose these powers like before? Why stay with no explanation….

Lyra was right to be wary. From behind her, the Ash pieces of Byleth swept up together in a swirling vortex.

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

“Lyra behind you!” Sly shouted.

She turned around, eyes wide, and tilted up to see no longer just a humanoid figure. Their back had gossamer white wings in the shape of blades. Their blonde hair was longer, coiling around their body like a shield. Their face, however, was no longer human but the face of a monstrous insect.

“Do not falter here, Lyra,” Alivier’s voice said from the sword. “Let us press on!”

Right!

Lyra held up her sword in front of her face, crouched slightly to prepare her stance and generated insurmountable energy inside of her before propelling herself into the air with a war cry.

The Void Magycte Beast Byleth Responded in kind by tucking its wings back and dashed forward, too.

The two clashed together with a surge of light.

With the aura broken from below, Sly and Cassandra were able to free themselves from negativity's bondage.

A Rift Settled at the farthest ends of the Altar.

“I think I see the Rift we have to close,” Cassandra called out.

Within seconds, Veilspawn responded by appearing and blocking their way to the Rift.

Sly hummed. A smile perched on her loops. “Looks like we'll have to cut through them if we want to pass. Are you up for that?”

Cassandra let out a laugh. Her axe arm that had once been wounded twirled her Weapon gracefully around.

“Never been better. On your mark.”

Sly nodded. While Lyra and the Void Beast, Byleth, battled, they would get toward the Rift and close it.

Sly brought herself up in the air and swept across a line of Veilspawn in one fell stroke. Cassandra darted from under her and cried out, striking opponents with a deadly bash to the head.

One by one, dozen by dozen, the Veilspawn fell, and the two claimed victory.

They hurried to the Rift. Sly got their first and called upon the Wellsprings' power—they swirled together in a beacon hue. Cassandra stayed by her side, taking out Veilspawn, who dared to get too close.

“Finish it off, Lyra!” Sly shouted into the heavens. The Rift closed with every inch as the Void Beast lost power every second.

Right! Are you ready, Alivier-sword thing?

“Your words wound me, but at my mark. Focus on its weak point. Do you see it?”

A glowing orb appeared from the Void Beast's chest when Lyra focused. A gift from Lumos herself to aid her in finding the enemy's weak points when they were weak enough.

I see it!

“Then, do it. NOW!”

With her sword lunging back, Lyra let out a war cry and plunged the blade into the enemy's weak spot. The sword cried and staggered about, but Lyra kept holding it.

She could see Sly close the Rift almost wholly–a crack was left.

Lyra screamed at the top of her lungs and shoved the sword deeper. The Void Beast's screech turned to a hollowed-out cry, and everything fell silent.

It exploded in a beam of light just as the Rift closed simultaneously.

The Altars surrounding, the same as last time, started to rumble.

“It’s going to implode!” Lyra called out when she landed on her feet as Sly and Cassandra rushed over to her. Malakyh should be closing it from the outside. We have to get General Morgan and the soldiers out of here pronto.”

The two women nodded, and the three returned to the crevice where some soldiers were already piling out.

“With me, everyone!” Sly gestured for the soldiers to follow her out of the crumbling Altar.

•†•

“...Had it not been for you, I'd be dead, and that Altar would have been my grave.”

After all the soldiers and General Morgan were out of the rumbling Altar, they safely retreated to Eden's base, where the Eden Imperial army and Eden's Locksmith honored Lyra and her company for saving them.

Many of the soldiers, including the General, were bandaged and taken care of.

“It's the duty of a Locksmith, General, sir. I hope you can forgive us for being insubordinate.”

The General grunted, clearing his throat. He wore his gold button uniform and coat, one part of which was loosely at his side since his arm was in a sling.

“I think we can forgive and forget, just this once. Now about these…Altars.”

Lyra looked to the others, who nodded, saying it would benefit some people to know what was happening.

Lyra explained the Altars as briefly as possible, how they were created, by whom, and why, without getting into the specifics of the Astral Contract itself.

“Hmm, I see. This very well adds up to why negative anomalies have happened. So you're traversing throughout the regions to try and stop these Void Beasts? By Lumos’ grace, to think legends are coming true. Does the Empire know of this, though?”

Lyra pursed her lips. Unsure how to tell the General.

Sly, thankfully, spoke up first. “The Empire has its way of doing things. We are handling ours and by our duty.” Leaving it at that. They were unsure how much to tell him and risked exposing themselves.

However, the General could sense in the room that something else was happening that they couldn't reveal. He hummed, thinking to himself.

“Perhaps I can do something for you on your journey. To avoid causing further misunderstandings, you all have permission to pass through Ravens Country to Gearford.”

Everyone was surprised by this and his willingness to help.

“Really, General? Thank you.”

“Of course. What you have said is true, and given the situation, you all seem to be a better fit for stopping this anomaly. May Lumos guide and bless you on your path.”

Lumos… Lyra touched her back where Riftblade rested in its sheath. It had stopped glowing brightly but still held a faint dim, and Alivier still had not returned. There were more secrets behind Lumos and the Lichtkrieger that seemed to have something to do with her.