Elysara woke with a start. The quiet serenity of the night had been replaced by the distant sound of shouting, the clash of metal, and the crackle of magic. The house trembled as though the forest itself had come alive in fury.
Her bedroom door flew open, and her mother, Lyanna, burst in, her face pale and streaked with sweat. Her robes, usually pristine, were torn and stained with soot.
"Elysara, wake up!" Lyanna's voice trembled, but her movements were swift as she waved her hands, weaving a spell into the air. The room shimmered faintly, and Elysara felt a tingling sensation run over her skin.
"Mother, what's happening?" she asked, fear lacing her voice as she sat up.
"There's no time to explain," Lyanna said, kneeling by her daughter's bed. Her trembling hands cupped Elysara's face. "You need to listen to me, my love. Stay quiet, stay hidden."
Before Elysara could respond, her father, Valen, appeared in the doorway. His staff glowed fiercely, and his usually calm demeanor was replaced with urgency.
"Lyanna!" he called, his eyes darting between them. "They're coming. We need to move now!"
Lyanna nodded, her lips tightening. She pulled Elysara to her feet, her hands shaking as she fumbled with something around her neck. A necklace with a strange, shimmering stone—one Elysara had never seen before—slipped into her mother's hand.
Tears glistened in Lyanna's eyes as she fastened the necklace around her daughter's neck. "This will protect you," she whispered, her voice cracking. "Never take it off. Do you understand?"
"Mother, I don't—"
"Promise me, Ely," Lyanna interrupted, gripping her shoulders. "Promise me you'll keep it safe."
Elysara nodded, her throat tight. "I promise."
Valen stepped into the room, his staff raised as a wall of light erupted in the doorway behind him. "They're breaking through the wards," he said, his voice grim. He turned to Elysara, his expression softening. "Run, Ely. Run as fast as you can and don't look back."
"But I can't leave you!" she cried, clutching her mother's robes.
"You must," Lyanna said, her tears falling freely now. She stood, her hand glowing as she reached toward the window. A soft, melodic hum filled the air, and moments later, a Veylith emerged from the shadows. Its antlers glowed like starlight, and its silver eyes were filled with quiet understanding.
Lyanna placed her hands on the creature, her magic mingling with its aura. The Veylith bowed its head, as if accepting her silent plea, before turning to Elysara.
"It will take you somewhere safe," Lyanna said, guiding her daughter toward the creature. "Go with it. Don't stop for anything."
"No, please, I can fight—"
"You're so brave, my little star," Valen said, kneeling to pull her into a tight embrace. His voice was heavy with sorrow. "But you're more important than you know. We love you, Ely. Never forget that."
Lyanna pressed a kiss to her daughter's forehead, her tears falling onto Elysara's cheeks. "Go now. Quickly."
The Veylith nudged her gently, and with one last, desperate look at her parents, Elysara climbed onto its back. The creature moved swiftly, carrying her through the open window and into the forest.
The sounds of chaos grew fainter as the Veylith carried her away, its glowing antlers lighting their path through the dense trees. But then, a chilling scream echoed in the distance—her mother's voice, raw with pain.
"Mother!" Elysara cried, twisting in her seat to look back.
The Veylith quickened its pace, as if understanding her anguish, but nothing could block the sounds that followed. Her father's bellow of rage, the clash of magic, and finally, the deafening silence that left her breathless.
Tears streamed down her face as she clung to the creature's back. The forest blurred around her, and her heart ached with the realization that she was alone.
Days passed in a haze. The Veylith stayed with her for a time, its presence a quiet comfort, but it eventually left, disappearing into the forest as if its task was complete.
Elysara wandered aimlessly, too weak to call for help, too grief-stricken to think. She didn't remember falling to the ground, but she woke to the sound of a familiar voice.
"Oh, my sweet girl," her grandmother, Aureth, whispered, her face lined with worry as she gathered Elysara into her arms. "What have they done to you?"
Elysara sobbed into her grandmother's chest, her body shaking with the weight of her loss. She tried to speak, to tell her what had happened, but the words wouldn't come.
"Shh, it's all right now," Aureth murmured, her hand glowing faintly as she brushed Elysara's hair back. "You're safe with me."