Page 125 of The Last Guardian

A dark portal formed, its archway crafted from onyx, with a puddle of liquid magic directly in front of us. Shades of gray and violet mix together, forming their own galaxy.

Her eyes flashed with an unusual intensity, their hue as dark as the deepest night. The crescent moon on her head shone the same shade, filling the entire moon carved on her flesh.

I jumped when a voice spoke to me. “Grab the railing,” Dax ordered. “Don’t let go until we pass through.”

I did as he said, grabbing the wood. I faced the darkness that swayed before us. I held on tightly, and the ship sailed into the darkness. Then, the ship was absorbed by the obscurity of Eirlys’ power.

The world spun around us, full of decay, darkness, and endings. The harder I tried to stop it, the faster it spun around me. All that was left was the wood I was holding on to.

I couldn’t see or feel anything, only spinning.

Stars, make it stop, I begged.

My being was turned upside down, and my head… Oh, my head ached so much! Would it burst open, or would the power cause my brain to liquefy?

I wasn’t sure if I was even breathing, but maybe I couldn’t? It felt like being submerged underwater, but in a blazing fire.

It was like being trapped in the dark, yet blinded by light.

I didn’t know how much time had passed since we went through it.

When I sensed the air filling my lungs and the undulating sea beneath the deck, I let go of the railing and closed my eyes.

At first, I felt the ground beneath my feet, my senses overwhelmed by the chaos of Hells. Then came the nausea and the scent of pine and fresh herbs.

In the background, a voice called my name. I couldn’t open my eyes or speak. I was too scared to vomit the first time I tried to open my mouth.

“Are you alright?” Dax’s voice arrived at my ear. “Nasty portal, huh? Some say that we get used to the feeling, but it always makes me sick, too.”

I focused on the timbre of his low voice and my mind returned right to reality. I breathed slowly, attempting to ease the nausea away. My hand traveled from my mouth to my stomach. And only when I was sure that I would not expel anything did I open my eyes.

I was greeted by the most beautiful town I had ever seen.

The ship was already arriving at port, and the crew members were preparing for our arrival in Lys. Even from this distance, I could see the city was teeming with life.

Perched in the hollow of the mountains, Lys stood proudly before us, its horizon opening onto the glittering expanse of the sea. On the far side of town, small hills formed a small waterfall that cascaded down from their peaks.

Laughter rang out from taverns, and children played on the bridges, audible even from the port. The harbor drew nearer, and⁠—

My heart skipped a beat as I straightened up and focused on what my eyes were seeing. My hands curled at the wooden railing, and a tear fell down my cheek.

Arthur’s brown hair, billowing in the wind. His gaze also fell on me. A hint of a smile played on his lips.

But what stopped me from breathing was something else… Because next to my older brother stood two more people.

Their smiles were brighter than ever.

Lyra, with her wild red curls whipping in the wind, and Dorian, with his broad smile.

THE MOMENT THE ship reached the harbor, my body moved on its own.

My hands trembled at my sides and my heart raced in my chest as all the emotions I had repressed since my escape rose to the surface. The fear, the anger, the tears, everything came back in force.

Crew members tossed heavy ropes to deckhands and harbor workers, who looped them over cleats or massive wooden posts to hold the ship steady. The sailors were in a frenzy, some rolling up sails, others cleaning the deck, and more lowering the gangplank.

I went down the plank, the wood shaking with my boots, vibrating within me until my feet reached the dock.

Arthur ran full speed toward me, fast, desperate, and the closer he got, the harder it became to see him. My vision flickered, blurred by the pain of tears that refused to stay still. I ran, my heart pounding in time with my steps. Every breath burned, every second brought me closer until the world shrank into itself. And then we collided.