The silence of the Abyss was broken by a soft, melodic hum. As Azeal held the unconscious Vaelora in his arms, the celestial creature—the Stellar Drake—descended from the mists. Its scales glowed with a rhythmic light, and as it drew closer, it exhaled a breath of pure, silver stardust over Vaelora.
Instantly, the vacant look in Vaelora's eyes vanished. The fog in her mind cleared, and her soul, which had been taken by the Gate, was returned to her—but it was different. It was stronger, humming with a power she had never felt before.
"Vaelora?" Azeal whispered, his heart leaping.
She looked at him, and this time, she saw him. "Azeal... I remember. I remember everything."
The creature bowed low, its massive wings folding gracefully. "Welcome back, Princess of the True Flame. The sacrifice was a test, but the blood does not lie."
The creature then summoned the Book of Origins, but instead of giving it to Azeal, it floated the obsidian book directly into Vaelora's hands.
"For centuries, this book has waited in the dark," the creature spoke, its voice like velvet. "It did not wait for a Prince of the Seven Kingdoms. It waited for you, Vaelora. You are the direct descendant of the First Fire. The royal blood of Aetheron flows purely in your veins—the destiny of the Drazhin is yours to carry."
Azeal stood frozen, his hand slipping away from the book. "She... she is the heir? Not me?"
Vaelora stared at the glowing book in her hands, her breath hitching. "This can't be... I was just a ward, a Princess of a fallen house. Azeal is the son of the King!"
"The King's blood is scattered," the creature replied solemnly. "But the Source chose you. This is the truth that was hidden even from King Aetheron himself."
As Vaelora touched the cover, the book flared with a blinding gold light. A prophecy etched itself into her mind:
"When the True Daughter takes the throne, the age of Drazhin shall reach its final peak. Seven kingdoms will clash in a war of fire and blood. The sky will rain embers, and every creature of shadow will turn to dust. But from that dust, a new world—the world of Humans—shall be born."
The creature began to fade, its task complete. "You have passed the Trial of Truth. You have the Book. But remember: your reign is the beginning of the end."
Azeal and Vaelora looked at each other in the fading light, the weight of the book between them. They were finally going home, but the world they were returning to was no longer the one they knew. Azeal wasn't the King, and Vaelora's crown was a death sentence for their kind.