But even as they fled, Violet knew that what had happened there was not the end. It was the beginning of something much greater, something that would change everything.

Seventh Part: The Boundary of Light

The air outside the cavern was icy and tense, as if nature itself held its breath. Violet and Xaden had barely time to step out before a deep rumble shook the mountains, causing rocks to tumble down the cliff. The dragons, Tairn and Sgaeyl, roared in unison as a shadow stretched from the cave's entrance, growing like a unleashed beast.

"Mount up!" roared Tairn, his golden eyes flashing with urgency.

Violet did not hesitate. She ran towards him, her boots sliding on the snow, and leaped onto his back. Beside her, Xaden barely managed to mount Sgaeyl when a colossal figure emerged from the cavern.

The creature was a venom, but much larger and more powerful than any they had faced before. Its body was covered in a kind of dark armor that gleamed with a pulsating energy, and its eyes were pools of intense red, burning and hungry. It was as if the shard of onyx that Xaden had touched had awakened it from a millennia-old slumber.

"This is not good," murmured Violet, feeling Tairn tensing his muscles, preparing for the battle.