The cold iron chains bit into Lyra Valencrest's wrists.

She slowly opened her eyes, her vision blurred by the harsh white lights hanging from the ceiling.

This wasn't a prison.

It was a laboratory.

Strange crystal pillars surrounded her, each engraved with ancient runes that pulsed with a faint blue glow. Dozens of scholars in white robes hurried from one magical instrument to another, recording symbols on glowing scrolls.

The air smelled of metal and burning mana.

Lyra frowned.

"...Where am I?"

Her voice echoed through the enormous chamber.

No one answered.

Instead, she noticed that she was standing at the center of a massive magic circle carved into the floor. Hundreds of intricate runes spread outward like the branches of a giant tree, connecting to seven crystal towers positioned around the room.

A familiar voice broke the silence.

"So, you're finally awake."

Lyra looked up.

Standing on a high platform overlooking the chamber was Duke Cassian Vermont, the head of the Imperial Research Institute.

The same man who had testified against her during her trial.

"You..."

Her voice turned cold.

"So it was you."

Cassian smiled.

"You should feel honored, Lady Lyra."

"You are about to make history."

Lyra's chains rattled as she struggled.

"What are you talking about?"

The Duke ignored her question.

He raised a hand.

The scholars immediately stopped working.

"The preparations are complete."

"Begin the experiment."

At his command, the crystal towers blazed with brilliant light.

The magic circle beneath Lyra awakened.

Blue flames spread across every rune.

An overwhelming pressure filled the chamber.

Lyra felt the mana in the air becoming unstable.

Her heart skipped a beat.

She had read about these symbols before.

Impossible...

"...A World Gate?"

Several researchers gasped.

"She recognized it!"

"As expected of Lady Valencrest."

Cassian's smile widened.

"Precisely."

"For generations, the Empire has searched for a way to open the legendary World Gate."

"A bridge connecting countless worlds."

He slowly descended the stairs.

"Our ancestors failed."

"Our greatest scholars failed."

"But then..."

He stopped a few steps away from her.

"...we discovered you."

Lyra glared at him.

"I've never seen this artifact before."

"No."

Cassian shook his head.

"But your blood has."

He held up an ancient crystal tablet.

The symbols engraved upon it matched those beneath Lyra's feet.

"Your family descends from the forgotten Gatekeepers."

"Their bloodline alone can awaken the Gate."

Lyra's eyes widened.

"...That's impossible."

"It was erased from history."

"Exactly."

Cassian smiled.

"And today we shall recover that history."

One of the researchers stepped forward nervously.

"My Lord..."

"The artifact has never been activated."

"We don't know what will happen."

Cassian's expression hardened.

"That is why she is here."

"If the experiment succeeds..."

"The Empire gains limitless knowledge."

"If it fails..."

He glanced at Lyra without emotion.

"We lose only a condemned criminal."

Lyra clenched her fists.

So that was the truth.

She had never been arrested because of treason.

The accusations.

The forged evidence.

The trial.

Everything had been carefully planned.

Not to execute her.

To turn her into a disposable test subject.

She laughed bitterly.

"So all those lies..."

"Were just to bring me here."

Cassian said nothing.

His silence was answer enough.

The chief researcher raised his staff.

"Commencing World Gate synchronization."

The seven crystal towers released beams of light.

They converged above Lyra's head.

The chamber trembled.

Ancient runes ignited one after another.

A deafening hum echoed throughout the laboratory.

The scholars cheered.

"It's working!"

"The Gate is opening!"

The air split apart.

A crack appeared in the empty space before Lyra.

Beyond it...

She saw another sky.

Two moons.

Floating islands.

A dragon soaring through endless clouds.

The vision lasted only a second before disappearing.

The researchers erupted into excited whispers.

"We've done it!"

"The legends were true!"

Cassian's eyes burned with greed.

"Stabilize the portal!"

But something changed.

The runes beneath Lyra suddenly shifted.

Their blue glow became silver.

The crystal towers began to shake violently.

Warning alarms echoed through the chamber.

"Mana overload!"

"The Gate is rejecting the synchronization!"

"No!"

"It's resonating with the subject!"

Everyone stared at Lyra.

Silver light surrounded her body.

The chains binding her wrists shattered into pieces.

"What is happening?"

One researcher looked at the readings in horror.

"The artifact isn't drawing power from her..."

"It's responding to her!"

"The World Gate recognizes Lady Lyra!"

Cassian's confident smile vanished.

"Impossible!"

The crack in space expanded into a massive vortex.

Ancient voices echoed through the laboratory.

A language no one understood.

The walls began collapsing.

Crystal towers exploded one after another.

Scholars fled in panic.

"Run!"

"The laboratory is collapsing!"

Cassian reached toward Lyra.

"Stop the Gate!"

But it was too late.

The silver light completely engulfed her.

Lyra felt herself becoming weightless.

She wasn't falling.

She was being pulled.

The laboratory disappeared.

The screams faded.

Everything became silent.

She drifted through an endless sea of stars.

Countless fragments of forgotten worlds floated around her.

Ruined castles.

Endless oceans.

Burning cities.

Ancient forests.

Then...

Two enormous golden eyes slowly opened within the darkness.

They were ancient.

Powerful.

Lonely.

A deep voice echoed across the void.

"At last..."

"The World Walker has returned."

A brilliant flash swallowed everything.

---

Cold grass brushed against Lyra's fingertips.

She opened her eyes.

Above her stretched a sky unlike any she had ever seen.

Two silver moons shone side by side.

Auroras flowed across the heavens like rivers of light.

The forest around her glowed softly with blue leaves and luminous flowers.

"...Where..."

She slowly sat up.

"...am I?"

A distant roar echoed across the mountains.

The earth trembled.

Several enormous winged shadows crossed the moonlit sky.

Dragons.

Real dragons.

Before Lyra could recover from the shock...

A low growl came from behind her.

She turned slowly.

Dozens of crimson eyes stared at her from the darkness between the trees.

One by one, massive wolf-like beasts stepped into the moonlight.

They had found the outsider.

To Be Continued...

The wolves did not attack immediately.

Instead, they slowly circled Lyra, their crimson eyes never leaving her.

Each beast was nearly twice the size of a horse. Their jet-black fur shimmered with crimson streaks that pulsed like flowing lava. Long fangs protruded from their jaws, and every growl sent chills racing down her spine.

Lyra took a cautious step backward.

Crunch.

A twig snapped beneath her boot.

The sound echoed through the silent forest.

The largest wolf lifted its head.

Its golden scar stretched across one eye, making it look even more terrifying.

It growled.

Every other wolf lowered its body at once.

"They're hunting together..."

Lyra whispered.

She forced herself to remain calm.

Running would only trigger their instincts.

She searched the clearing desperately for anything she could use as a weapon.

A broken branch.

A sharp stone.

Anything.

There was nothing.

She clenched her trembling fists.

"So this is it..."

She had escaped becoming a sacrifice for the World Gate only to die in an unfamiliar land.

The alpha wolf suddenly lunged.

The others followed.

The pack rushed toward her like a wave of darkness.

Lyra instinctively closed her eyes.

A deafening roar erupted across the forest.

Not a wolf's roar.

Something older.

Something far more terrifying.

The ground shook violently.

An overwhelming pressure descended upon the entire forest.

The wolves skidded to a halt.

Every beast lowered its head.

Their bodies trembled uncontrollably.

Even the alpha whimpered.

Lyra slowly opened her eyes.

Someone stood between her and the wolves.

A tall man clothed in black armor trimmed with silver.

A white cloak fluttered gently behind him.

His long silver hair reflected the moonlight, while a spear taller than himself rested loosely in his hand.

He hadn't even assumed a fighting stance.

Yet every wolf looked as though it had seen death itself.

The stranger spoke quietly.

"Leave."

His voice was calm.

Almost indifferent.

The alpha growled in defiance.

The man's golden eyes narrowed.

Without moving from where he stood, he released a faint pulse of invisible energy.

The forest fell silent.

The wolves cried out.

One after another, they backed away.

The alpha hesitated only a moment before turning and disappearing into the darkness.

Within seconds, the entire pack had vanished.

Only the rustling leaves remained.

Lyra stared in disbelief.

He had driven away an entire pack without lifting his weapon.

The stranger slowly turned toward her.

His golden eyes met her violet ones.

For a brief moment...

Time itself seemed to stop.

A strange warmth spread through Lyra's chest.

The silver pendant hanging around her neck began to glow faintly.

The man's expression changed ever so slightly.

"...Impossible."

His gaze remained fixed on the pendant.

"How do you possess that relic?"

Lyra instinctively covered it with her hand.

"It belonged to my mother."

The stranger remained silent.

His eyes revealed neither surprise nor disbelief.

Only confusion.

"That relic has been lost for over a thousand years."

Lyra frowned.

"What do you mean?"

Before he could answer—

A soft blue light spread from the pendant.

Ancient symbols floated into the air around Lyra.

They danced like tiny stars before disappearing into the night.

The stranger's eyes widened.

"So the prophecy..."

"...has truly begun."

Lyra took a cautious step back.

"Who are you?"

He lowered his spear.

"My name is Caelan."

"I am the Guardian of this forest."

He paused before adding quietly,

"...and the last Guardian of Elarion."

"Elarion?"

"The Forgotten Realm."

The unfamiliar name made Lyra's heart sink.

"So..."

"I really am no longer in the Empire."

Caelan nodded.

"You crossed the World Gate."

Lyra's eyes widened.

"You know about it?"

"I know enough."

His expression became serious.

"But this isn't the place to talk."

"The creatures of this forest have already sensed your arrival."

As if answering his words—

A shrill cry echoed high above the trees.

Both of them looked upward.

Dark shapes circled beneath the twin moons.

Their wings stretched wider than houses.

Their scales reflected the moonlight.

Dragons.

Real dragons.

Lyra held her breath.

She had only glimpsed one through the portal.

Seeing them with her own eyes was something else entirely.

"They're beautiful..."

she whispered.

Caelan looked at the distant dragons.

"They're searching."

"For me?"

"For the outsider."

His words carried an unusual weight.

Lyra hesitated.

"How do they know I've arrived?"

"Because the World Gate has been silent for one thousand years."

"The moment it opened..."

"The entire realm felt it."

A cold breeze swept through the clearing.

Leaves rustled violently.

Caelan suddenly gripped his spear.

His eyes narrowed toward the forest.

"We're not alone."

Several pairs of crimson eyes appeared once again between the trees.

But these were different.

Larger.

Higher.

More intelligent.

The shadows slowly emerged.

Humanoid creatures with twisted antlers.

Black skin covered in crimson cracks.

Their eyes glowed like burning coals.

Each carried weapons made from dark crystal.

Lyra instinctively stepped backward.

"What are those?"

Caelan's expression darkened.

"Voidborn."

"They should not be here."

The creatures stared directly at Lyra.

One of them tilted its head before speaking in a distorted voice.

"...World..."

"...Walker..."

The words echoed unnaturally.

Another creature slowly raised its spear.

"Capture..."

"...the Key..."

Lyra felt her blood run cold.

"They're talking about me."

Caelan stepped forward, placing himself between Lyra and the creatures.

"They've found you much sooner than I expected."

The Voidborn charged.

Caelan disappeared.

Lyra blinked.

He was gone.

A silver flash cut through the darkness.

One.

Two.

Three.

The Voidborn were thrown backward before they even realized he had moved.

His spear danced through the air with impossible elegance.

Every strike was precise.

Every movement effortless.

The monsters fought desperately, but none could even touch him.

Within moments, the clearing fell silent once more.

The surviving Voidborn retreated into the darkness.

One of them looked back at Lyra.

Its cracked lips curled into an eerie smile.

"...The Sovereign..."

"...will come for you..."

Then it dissolved into black mist.

Silence returned.

Caelan stood motionless, his spear resting lightly at his side.

Not a single drop of blood stained his armor.

Lyra stared at him in amazement.

"You're incredibly strong."

"I've had a long time to practice."

There was no pride in his voice.

Only exhaustion.

He turned toward her.

"The Voidborn know about you now."

"Which means every powerful being in Elarion soon will."

He extended his hand.

"If you remain here..."

"You'll die before sunrise."

Lyra looked at his outstretched hand.

Only hours ago, she had trusted the Empire.

It had betrayed her.

She had trusted the scholars.

They had treated her as nothing more than an experiment.

Now another stranger was asking for her trust.

Her heart warned her not to.

Yet...

His eyes held no greed.

No deception.

Only quiet sincerity.

After a long silence, she slowly reached out.

The moment their hands touched—

A brilliant silver light erupted around them.

Ancient runes spread across the forest floor.

The pendant around Lyra's neck shone brighter than ever before.

Caelan's golden eyes widened.

"...Aether Resonance."

"The Gate has bound our destinies."

Before Lyra could ask what he meant—

The forest itself began to tremble.

Far away, deep within the mountains, an ancient roar shook the heavens.

It was unlike anything she had ever heard.

Caelan looked toward the distant peaks.

His calm expression disappeared for the first time.

"...It has awakened."

"Who?"

He tightened his grip on his spear.

"The Ancient Dragon Emperor."

"And he never awakens without a reason."

To Be Continued...

The roar echoed through the mountains long after it had faded.

Even the wind seemed to hold its breath.

Lyra instinctively looked toward the distant peaks, where rivers of molten gold flowed between jagged black mountains. Although they were miles away, she could still feel the immense pressure emanating from that direction.

"...The Ancient Dragon Emperor?" she asked quietly.

Caelan's golden eyes remained fixed on the horizon.

"Yes."

"You said he awakened because of me."

"I don't know."

His reply was honest.

"But dragons do not awaken without reason."

He turned toward the forest path.

"We have to leave."

"The sanctuary isn't far."

Lyra followed silently.

As they walked, she couldn't help but observe the strange world around her.

The trees were unlike anything she had ever seen. Their trunks were silver instead of brown, and luminous blue leaves drifted gently through the air without ever touching the ground.

Tiny glowing butterflies fluttered around flowers that bloomed even in the darkness.

The forest felt...

Alive.

Not merely filled with life.

It was as though the forest itself was watching them.

"Don't wander from the path," Caelan suddenly said.

"There is only one path."

"There are many."

He pointed ahead.

Lyra blinked.

To her eyes, there was only a narrow trail stretching through the trees.

Caelan stepped off it.

Immediately, another path appeared beneath his feet.

Moments later it vanished again.

She stared.

"...Illusion magic?"

"The forest protects itself."

"It only reveals the true path to those it accepts."

"And it accepts you?"

"It tolerates me."

His answer was so matter-of-fact that Lyra almost laughed.

For someone called the Last Guardian, "tolerated" seemed like an odd choice of words.

After nearly an hour of walking, the forest gradually became brighter.

The trees parted.

A breathtaking sight unfolded before Lyra.

Hidden within the heart of the forest stood a tranquil lake whose crystal-clear waters reflected the twin moons above.

At its center rose a small island.

Upon the island stood an ancient stone sanctuary covered in flowering vines.

Dozens of glowing spirits floated peacefully around it.

The atmosphere was so calm that the terrifying events from earlier seemed like a distant dream.

"This..."

Lyra whispered.

"...is beautiful."

Caelan nodded slightly.

"This is the Moonlit Sanctuary."

"It has existed since before the Seven Kingdoms."

A narrow stone bridge stretched across the lake.

The moment Lyra stepped onto it, the water beneath her rippled with silver light.

Ancient runes appeared beneath every footstep before disappearing again.

Caelan noticed.

"So even the sanctuary recognizes you."

"I don't understand."

"Neither do I."

That answer unsettled him more than he wished to admit.

---

Inside the sanctuary, everything was simple.

Stone walls.

Wooden shelves lined with old books.

A fireplace.

A table.

Nothing suggested this place belonged to someone who had lived for centuries.

Caelan lit several crystal lamps.

Warm golden light filled the room.

"You may rest here."

Lyra looked around cautiously.

"You live here... alone?"

"For the most part."

"For how long?"

He paused.

"I stopped counting."

His expression remained unchanged, but something about those words carried a loneliness that Lyra couldn't ignore.

Trying to change the subject, she glanced toward a large map hanging on the wall.

The map depicted a vast continent divided into seven regions.

"The Seven Kingdoms?"

Caelan walked beside her.

"Elarion."

He pointed toward a mountain range burning with crimson light.

"Ignisar."

"The land of dragons."

His finger moved toward a massive glowing forest.

"Sylvaris."

"The Spirit Forest."

Then frozen mountains.

Floating islands.

An endless sea.

A crystal desert.

Finally—

His hand rested over a ruined city drawn in faded gold.

"Astralis."

"The Divine Capital."

"It was once the heart of this world."

"What happened?"

Silence.

Then he answered softly.

"It fell."

"One thousand years ago."

Before Lyra could ask another question—

Her stomach growled loudly.

The sound echoed embarrassingly throughout the sanctuary.

She immediately covered her face.

"...I'm sorry."

For the first time since they had met...

Caelan smiled.

It was faint.

Almost imperceptible.

Yet it softened the coldness in his expression.

"I suppose heroes from another world still need to eat."

"I'm not a hero."

His smile disappeared.

"No."

"I don't think you are."

A short while later, he placed a bowl of steaming vegetable soup and freshly baked bread on the table.

Lyra stared.

"You cooked this?"

"I've had time to learn."

She hesitated before taking a bite.

The soup was surprisingly delicious.

"I wasn't expecting this."

"Most people don't."

She looked at him curiously.

"Have many outsiders come here before me?"

His hand stopped.

"...No."

"You are the first."

"Then why did the Voice call me 'World Walker'?"

Caelan looked into the fireplace.

"Because legends speak of someone who crossed the worlds long ago."

"They vanished before the Sundering."

"No one knows what became of them."

Before Lyra could respond—

A sharp crack echoed outside.

Caelan immediately stood.

His spear appeared in his hand as if summoned from thin air.

"Stay here."

"What happened?"

"Someone crossed the sanctuary barrier."

He opened the wooden door.

Outside, one of the glowing spirit lights had turned black.

Another shattered into countless fragments.

Caelan's expression darkened.

"Impossible..."

"The barrier has never been breached."

A cold laugh drifted through the trees.

"So..."

"The Guardian finally found his little guest."

A man stepped from the shadows.

He wore a long crimson cloak, his face hidden behind a silver mask.

Behind him stood dozens of black-armored figures.

Unlike the Voidborn, these were human.

Each carried weapons forged from dark crystal.

The masked man slowly applauded.

"Congratulations, Guardian."

"You've hidden her for almost an entire hour."

Caelan lowered his spear.

"You shouldn't be here."

"Neither should she."

The masked man looked directly at Lyra.

His silver mask reflected the moonlight.

"Our master has searched for the World Walker for a very long time."

Lyra's heartbeat quickened.

"Who is your master?"

The man smiled beneath the mask.

"When you meet him..."

"You'll understand why every world fears his name."

He raised one hand.

The black-armored soldiers drew their weapons.

Caelan stepped forward, shielding Lyra.

His voice was calm.

"Run."

"What?"

"Follow the path behind the sanctuary."

"I'll hold them off."

Lyra shook her head.

"There are too many!"

"They're not my concern."

His golden eyes never left the enemy.

"My duty..."

"...is protecting you."

At that moment, the masked man pointed his sword toward Lyra.

"Capture the World Walker."

"Alive."

The soldiers charged.