Mal pov

The wind howled through the alleyways of the Isle of the Lost, carrying with it the sharp tang of sea salt and the faint echoes of chaos. I pulled my jacket tighter against the cold, my heart pounding as I retraced my steps toward the square where Astra had been seen fighting that… thing.

I didn’t trust her. Not one bit.

First, she shows up out of nowhere, and now strange magic is tearing through the Isle? It couldn’t be a coincidence. The Isle was dangerous, sure, but this? This was something new. And I needed answers.

The square came into view, and I immediately spotted her. Astra was standing in the middle of the rubble, her shoulders slumped and her hands hovering over the strange staff that had appeared. The tension in her posture was palpable, and for a brief moment, I hesitated.

She looked… lost.

But I shook the thought away. I wasn’t here to feel sorry for her. I was here to figure out what was going on.

“Hey!” I called out, stepping into the open. “Mind explaining what the hell just happened?”

Astra jumped, spinning around to face me. Her eyes were wide, her face pale, and for a moment, she looked like she might bolt. But then her expression hardened, and she crossed her arms over her chest.

“What do you want, Mal?” she snapped.

I raised an eyebrow. “Oh, I don’t know. Maybe an explanation for the giant shadow hydra that nearly tore this place apart?” I gestured toward the staff. “And while we’re at it, how about telling me what that thing is and why it’s glowing like something out of a bad horror movie?”

Astra’s jaw tightened, and she glanced at the staff as if it might bite her. “I don’t know,” she admitted, her voice quieter now. “It just… appeared. And then that thing came out of it.”

I narrowed my eyes, stepping closer. “Don’t lie to me, Astra. You’re not just some random VK, are you?”

Her gaze snapped to mine, and I saw something flicker in her eyes—fear, maybe, or guilt. “I never said I was random,” she muttered.

I crossed my arms, my patience wearing thin. “Then what are you? Who are you?”

For a long moment, she didn’t answer. The wind whipped around us, stirring the shadows and adding to the tension. Finally, Astra let out a shaky breath and looked me straight in the eye.

“I don’t know who I am,” she said quietly. “But I think this staff does.”

The vulnerability in her voice caught me off guard, but I quickly masked it with a glare. “That’s not good enough,” I said. “People could’ve died tonight, Astra. You don’t get to play the mysterious card while the rest of us are cleaning up your mess.”

Her expression hardened again, and she took a step toward me, her fists clenched. “Do you think I wanted this?!” she snapped. “Do you think I asked for a giant shadow monster to try and kill me? I didn’t even know I had powers until today!”

“Powers?” I echoed, my stomach sinking.

Astra hesitated, then held out her hands. A faint, golden glow flickered to life, illuminating her palms. It was different from anything I’d ever seen—wild and untamed, yet strangely familiar.

My breath caught. “That’s… that’s not possible.”

Astra frowned. “What?”

I shook my head, trying to make sense of what I was seeing. “That magic,” I said slowly. “It’s ancient. Forbidden. It hasn’t been seen in years.”

She stared at me, her confusion mirroring my own. “What are you talking about?”

I hesitated, then took a deep breath. “There’s a legend,” I began, “about a guardian of light—someone who could harness pure magic to protect the balance between realms. The last guardian disappeared centuries ago, but…”

“But what?” Astra pressed, her voice barely above a whisper.

I met her gaze, the realization hitting me like a ton of bricks. “You’re her descendant, aren’t you? The guardian’s bloodline didn’t die out. It’s in you.”

Astra took a step back, shaking her head. “No. That can’t be true. I’m just… I’m nobody. I don’t even know who my parents are!”

“Maybe you don’t,” I said, my voice firm, “but that doesn’t change what you are. And if that staff is reacting to you, it means the magic is waking up. Whether you like it or not, you’re part of something bigger.”

She looked at me, her eyes filled with a mix of fear and defiance. “And what if I don’t want to be?”

I shrugged, my tone blunt. “Too bad. Because if you don’t figure this out, more people are going to get hurt. That hydra was just the beginning.”

Astra’s shoulders slumped, and for the first time, she looked truly defeated. “I don’t know how to control it,” she admitted.

I sighed, running a hand through my hair. “Then we’ll figure it out. Together.”

Her head snapped up, surprise written all over her face. “Together? I thought you didn’t trust me.”

“I don’t,” I said honestly. “But I can’t let the Isle get torn apart because you’re too stubborn to ask for help.”

She stared at me for a long moment, then nodded slowly. “Alright,” she said. “But this doesn’t mean I trust you either.”

“Fair enough,” I said, smirking. “But you better keep up. Because if this staff is causing chaos, we’re going to stop it before it spreads.”

Astra glanced at the staff, her expression unreadable. “And if we can’t?”

I met her gaze, my own resolve hardening. “Then we’ll make sure it doesn’t destroy everything in its path.”

The storm above us raged on, the wind tearing through the square and sending shadows dancing across the walls. But for the first time, I felt a spark of hope.

This wasn’t going to be easy. But with Astra’s power and my determination, we might just stand a chance.