THE GIRL WHO OPENED THE FORBIDDEN DRAGON GATE

The crystal staircase spiraled infinitely upward, glowing with an ethereal white light that reflected the desperation of the two sisters.

Aria ran first, her bare feet nimble and quick from years of dodging guard patrols in the city streets. Lyra followed right behind her, her silk gown ripped at the knees to allow her to sprint.

"How are we going to stop him?!" Lyra panted, her heart hammering against her ribs. "He has dark magic! We just have a street girl and a princess who has never held a real sword!"

"We have this!" Aria held up her right hand, where the golden crest continued to pulse with warm, ancient heat. "And my mother said we need each other!"

"I don't even know what that means!" Lyra yelled back.

Before Aria could answer, a dark wave of pressure slammed down from above, forcing both girls to stumble onto the steps.

At the top of the staircase stood a massive domed chamber, open to the vast subterranean cavern. In the center of the chamber floated the Dragon Crown—not a piece of jewelry made of gold and diamonds, but a floating ring of pure, molten blue starlight, revolving slowly around a hollow core.

Lord Malrec stood before the floating crown, his arms stretched wide, inhaling the radiating energy. His hair floated in the anti-gravity force field, and dark veins were popping out across his face and neck.

"Magnificent!" Malrec laughed, a sound that echoed throughout the entire cavern. "The unlimited energy of the ancient sky-serpents! With this, I will tear down the high walls of Arkenfall! I will build a new empire upon the ash of the old world!"

"Malrec!" Aria shouted, stepping onto the marble platform of the upper chamber.

Malrec slowly turned around. His eyes were entirely black now, liquid dark magic oozing from the corners of his eyelids like tears of ink. "Ah, the street rat and the spoiled princess. You are too late."

He reached his right hand into the center of the floating ring of starlight.

BBZZZZT!

A blinding arc of lightning shot out from the crown, slamming into Malrec’s arm. He screamed in pain, but he didn't pull back. The dark magic surrounding his body began to wrap around the blue starlight, slowly corrupting the pristine light into a sickly, venomous purple.

Down below in the cavern, the sleeping dragon statues on the ceiling began to crack open violently!

CRACK! CRACK! CRACK!

Chunks of stone fell like a devastating meteor shower. Massive dragon heads broke free from their stone sleep, but their eyes didn't glow blue or silver—they opened to reveal terrible, violent crimson flames. The slumbering guardians were awakening as mindless, destructive horrors under Malrec's corrupted hold.

"He's corrupting the entire dragon hive!" Lyra gasped, clutching the marble railing. "If those dragons break out to the surface, the capital will be destroyed in minutes!"

"Aria!" a weak voice echoed from the bottom of the stairs.

Aria looked back. King Aldric was standing at the threshold, holding Serena in his arms. He was looking up at his daughters with absolute faith. "The bloodline is not just power, Aria! It is harmony! You must bridge the gap!"

"Harmonize?" Aria looked at her hand, then at Lyra. "Lyra, give me your hand!"

"What?" Lyra blinked.

"Give me your hand!" Aria shouted, reaching out.

Lyra hesitated for a fraction of a second, looking at her clean, manicured fingers, then at Aria’s dirt-streaked, scarred hand. She stepped forward and gripped Aria's hand tightly.

The moment their fingers locked, something extraordinary occurred.

The golden crest on Aria’s palm flared with double its original brightness. The golden light shot up Aria's arm, traveled across her shoulders, and bled down into Lyra’s arm.

Beneath Lyra's skin, a second crest appeared—identical to Aria's, but glowing with a brilliant, serene silver light.

Gold and Silver.

"What is this?" Lyra whispered, looking at her glowing hand in absolute awe. She felt an sudden wave of energy rush through her veins—a feeling of ancient strength, clarity, and unyielding courage.

"The royal blood and the dragon blood," Aria realized, a fierce smile spreading across her dirt-smudged face. "Father carried the royal seal, and Mother carried the dragon spark. Together... we are the whole key!"

Malrec turned, his face twisting in horror as he felt the overwhelming surge of pure ancient energy. "Impossible! The bond was broken three hundred years ago!"