**Lyra's Point of View**
The world turned into one terrifying point: that thin beam of corrupted red light, a spear of pure evil aimed at the center of my universe. There wasn't enough time to think, plan, or be afraid. There was only instinct, a basic need that took over all other functions in my body.
*No.
The denial wasn't a word; it was a force that came from deep inside me. It was the sum of all the sleepless nights, hungry days, and humiliating blows that had been taken for the sake of the small, perfect life that was now in the way of destruction. It was the strength of a love that had been tested by fire and had not only survived, but had become something that could never be broken.
The medallion on my chest didn't just glow; it *exploded*.
This time, a wave of emerald energy
