Contents
Chapter 46 — Oro
Overview
Oro surfaces to learn Isla chose Grim, and his heartbreak unleashes a catastrophic surge of power that ravages the island. Enya risks her life to reach him, prompting Oro to regain control as Zed saves their group from the collapsing cliffs. As calm returns, a terrifying creature erupts from the tide pool, escalating the immediate threat.
Summary
Oro emerges from the tide pool alone, realizing the portal worked and that Isla chose Grim. Overwhelmed by grief and rejection, he channels his pain into raw power, tying his turmoil to the nexus-bound island as cliffs collapse and the sea churns around him.
Letting go of restraint, Oro ignites into flame and wind, forming a towering fiery cyclone that boils the ocean and pulls debris into its spiral. Enya steps into the tempest to reach him, but the vortex starves her of air. Seeing fear in Enya’s eyes and flames reflected in his own, Oro remembers their lifelong bond and the love anchoring him beyond Isla.
Oro crashes down, ending the cyclone and rushing to Enya, who survives but is barely conscious. He then spots Zed holding Maren, Calder, and an unconscious Cinder aloft on a slice of wind after the cliff’s collapse, evidence of how close Oro came to killing them all. Shaken by the destruction he caused, Oro resolves not to lose control again.
Before he can process further, the tide pool ripples. Hope that Isla might return is shattered when clawed limbs burst forth and a monstrous creature erupts from the water with a sky-splitting roar, threatening them all.
Who Appears
- OroKing of Lightlark; devastated by Isla’s choice, unleashes a destructive storm, nearly kills Enya, then regains control.
- EnyaOro’s lifelong friend; enters the cyclone to reach him, nearly suffocates, anchors him back to himself.
- ZedSkyling; saves the group by holding them aloft on wind after the cliff collapses.
- MarenStarling; holds an unconscious Cinder after expending energy to power the portal.
- CinderFaints from portal-making strain; unconscious and carried by Maren.
- CalderWith Zed’s group during the collapse; survives on a wind platform.
- Unknown creatureClawed monster that bursts from the tide pool, posing a new immediate threat.