The Warrior’s Broken Mate novel Chapter 75

Lyra’s POV

As I began to come to, I slowly pushed myself upright, my eyes scanning my surroundings to realize I was in a place I had never seen before.

Beneath me, the ground felt solid and unyielding. It wasn’t soil–it was stone. Sharp, uneven stone. The sky overhead was a flat, endless gray. There was no sunlight, no sign of anything living.

I gradually got to my feet and started surveying the area around me, only to spot a massive volcano looming not too far in the distance.

When I looked down at where I stood, I realized it wasn’t just rock–it was hardened lava. The

surface was cold, but the volcano looked like it might erupt again at any moment.

Instinct kicked in, and I began sprinting in the opposite direction, away from the looming volcano. I reached a slope and climbed it, only to find more desolation–a barren desert stretched out endlessly before me.

There were no signs of trees, no flowing water–nothing but an empty wasteland.

Standing at the peak of the hill I had just climbed, I turned and looked in every direction. Even peering around the volcano, there was still nothing to see.

I knew I didn’t have any real options. I had to move. I just needed to decide where to go. That decision alone was the hardest.

Eventually, I chose the direction furthest from the volcano and began the journey, already aware that it was going to be long and grueling. I had no food, no water, no supplies- absolutely nothing.

After walking for what felt like hours, the harshness of the desert began to wear on me.

My mouth was parched, my body exhausted, and every step sent pain through my legs. Still, there was no visible end to the barren landscape.

No movement, no vegetation, nothing living in sight.

This place felt like a true hell dimension–one I didn’t understand or recognize.

The only thing I was certain of was that I was completely alone and had to figure out how to get back home. But first…I had to survive. And staying alive in this place would be the greatest obstacle.

Before long, I noticed shadows flitting across the ground. When I looked up, I saw birds circling high above me.

The sight sparked a bit of hope–birds don’t linger in deserts without water or food.

I tried to speed up my pace, though exhaustion made it nearly impossible. Still, I moved in the direction the birds seemed to be flying, hoping they were heading toward something- anything–different.

I’d never laid eyes on this place before, but right now, following them was my only chance to live, so I took the risk.

It wasn’t long before I realized something about them was off. Their movements were unpredictable and wild–not like any normal birds I’d seen before.

They began to dip lower, and it was then I noticed just how massive they were. These weren’t ordinary birds like the ones back home.

As one came nearer, I saw clearly that it had four talons instead of two, and it was flying closer and closer toward me. It resembled a horse more than any kind of bird.

I watched in horror as it zeroed in on me, and that was when I turned and took off running in the opposite direction.

I was already well aware that bizarre creatures inhabited this place. I’d encountered a few, and if they were any indication of what else lived here, I had absolutely no desire to meet more.

I tried to escape, to outrun the beast, but there was no chance of succeeding. Its massive front talons clamped onto my shoulders and effortlessly lifted me off the ground.

It soared upward, climbing higher and higher into the sky. I thrashed and resisted, but the sharp claws only sank deeper into my skin, and I felt warm blood trickle down my back.

I couldn’t say how long I had been airborne, but eventually I realized we were flying over land filled with trees. I spotted a shimmering lake beneath us, and just the sight of it made my mouth water, but the creature continued to fly much farther than I had hoped.

I noticed now that it wasn’t alone–it was flying in formation with others of its kind. When they began to descend toward the earth, the one holding me suddenly released its grip, and I dropped from the sky, falling about twenty feet to the ground.

I hit the earth hard, rolled instinctively, and sprang back to my feet. The creature, along with the others, landed right in front of me.

“You won’t last out there on your own,” the leader said.

“Don’t underestimate me,” I shot back.

“Lyra, you’re vital–not just to your world, but to this one too,” he said.

“Who are you, anyway?” I asked suspiciously.

“We’re called the Aetherion Clan. I am Malric, their leader,” he introduced himself.

“Yeah, I kind of gathered that already,” I muttered.

“Lyra, we can’t allow you to leave just yet,” he said seriously.

“You can’t keep me here. I don’t care what it takes–I’m going to find my way home. Back to my mate,” I declared.

“I understand. And we’ll do what we can to assist you. But you can’t succeed alone. Will you allow us to help?” he asked.

“Trust isn’t exactly something that comes easily to me,” I admitted.

“Then let us earn it. Let us show you that we mean you no harm,” he said.

“Fine. I’ll stay. But only temporarily. I will return home,” I agreed.

“Thank you. Please, come with me to our camp,” he said.

I glanced around at all the Aetherion creatures surrounding me, realizing that I didn’t have much of a choice. So, I began walking with them toward their camp.