"Nolan."
Emory’s voice cut through the chaos, sharp and absolute.
"Take Miss Talien and the children and retreat."
The elf prince hesitated for a fraction of a second, his gaze lingering on the convulsing girl, but he recognized the tone in his brother’s voice.
It seems like the situation was very serious right now.
"Understood."
Nolan grabbed the stunned Miss Talien by the arm, steering her toward the exit where the terrified children were huddled.
"We are leaving! Now!"
Emory simultaneously turned to the Senior Resonator, who was struggling to stand against the rising pressure.
"You too. Go for safety. I will handle the rest."
"But-! The backlash will be-"
"Go."
The single word carried enough weight to silence her.
She nodded frantically, scrambling after Nolan and the others.
Bang.
The heavy oak doors slammed shut, sealing the hall.
Silence returned, save for the ominous crackling of energy in the center of the room.
Emory stood alone before the storm. He glanced at the small blue bird perched on his shoulder.
"Kai," he whispered. "You know what to do."
"Yes!"
The bird nodded solemnly. It took flight, circling the perimeter of the room.
Whoosh!
A ripple of ancient, invisible power expanded from the small creature. It washed over the walls, the windows, and the doors, solidifying into a faint but impenetrable barrier that cut the room off from the rest of the world.
CRASH!
At that exact moment, the crystal barrier Emory had set up earlier finally shattered into a million shards of light.
A wave of scorching heat exploded outward.
The floorboards hissed as the moisture within them evaporated instantly. The air shimmered, turning the room into a furnace.
Inside the circle, Shaela screamed, her back arching as the torrent of power sought to incinerate her from the inside out.
Emory watched calmly, his mercury eyes reflecting the blazing light.
He raised a finger.
Flick.
A stream of silver, ethereal mist flowed from his hand. It spiraled toward the girl, wrapping around her trembling form like a cool, protective shroud.
It was his Moonlight Aura.
The silver mist hissed as it met the heat, but it held firm, seeping into her skin to soothe the scorching agony she was enduring. It acted as a balm, a gentle anesthetic against the violent reconstruction of her body.
However, he remained an observer beyond that single act of mercy.
This was her trial.
This was the moment she had to claim for herself.
To interfere further would be to rob her of the strength she would need for the future.
"Claim your birthright," he murmured, his voice lost in the roar of the energy.
Suddbely, the blinding azure light that surrounded Shaela started to shift.
The deep blue, the color of the ocean she had always felt connected to, began to burn away.
In its place, a brilliant, blinding gold erupted.
Shaela’s hair, once the color of the deep sea, began to bleach and brighten. The blue faded, replaced strand by strand with the lustrous, radiant hue of molten gold.
Behind her, the swirling aura condensed.
A massive, spectral image manifested in the air — a blazing sun, radiating authority and life.
Then, the laws of physics seemed to bend in reverence.
Gravity released its hold on her.
Shaela’s body lifted gently from the floor, ascending until she hovered in the heart of the golden inferno. Her hair floated around her like a halo, and her clothes rippled in the updraft of pure power. Suspended there, bathed in the solar brilliance, she looked less like an orphan girl and more like a sun empress descending to earth.
Emory narrowed his eyes.
His skin began to itch uncontrollably. A deep, primal discomfort rose within his blood. As a Moon Elf, his very essence rejected this overwhelming solar purity. The light felt abrasive, like sandpaper against his soul.
Yet, he ignored it.
He stood his ground, witnessing the impossible unfold.
Shaela’s ears, previously round and human, began to elongate, tapering into elegant points. Her features shifted, gaining an ethereal, ageless quality that transcended humanity.
The heat reached its peak. The golden light swallowed the room whole.
And in the center of the inferno, the orphan girl vanished.
In her place sat a being of royalty and fire.
Emory exhaled slowly, slightly shielding his eyes against the brilliance.
He was witnessing history.
The birth of the Solar Heir.
The prophesied Daybringer!
The one destined to scour the lands of darkness, to offer salvation to the downtrodden, and to ignite the flames of hope where despair had taken root.
And...
The hammer poised to shatter the Lunar Tyranny.
She was the mortal enemy of his blood.
The Archenemy of the Moon Elves.
However, Emory remained unmoved by this revelation. He viewed the spectacle with the detachment of an author watching a play he had written.
He understood the tapestry of fate in its entirety.
He held the keys to every locked door of history.
Indeed, he stood as the sole keeper of the ultimate truth. Deep within his memories lay secrets that even Kai, his most loyal shadow, had never touched.
He exhaled a long, heavy breath. His fingers curled into a tight fist, his nails digging into his palm.
"This time..."
He whispered into the roaring light, his voice firm with absolute resolve.
"I will fix everything."
As the last syllable left his lips, the overwhelming radiance began to recede.
The massive spectral sun dissolved, its energy spiraling down and rushing back into the girl’s small frame. The golden light retracted into her pores, leaving the room in a sudden, dim twilight.
With the power gone, gravity reclaimed its rightful place.
Shaela, now unconscious and floating ten feet in the air, began to plummet.
Emory gestured with his index finger.
A gentle cushion of air caught her, slowing her descent until she touched the floor with the lightness of a feather.
She lay there, breathing rhythmically, her new golden hair spread out like a fan around her head.
Emory lowered his hand.
Suddenly, a cold glint passed through his mercury eyes.
He tilted his head slightly, his senses expanding beyond the room, beyond the orphanage, and reaching into the sky above.
"Kai," he murmured, his voice dropping to a whisper. "Let’s go."
"Yes."
The blue bird immediately swooped down, landing back on his shoulder. However, it hesitated, shifting its weight from one foot to the other.
"This... is it alright to leave again?" Kai chirped, its tone laced with concern. "I mean... without telling anything to that brat?"
Emory remained silent.
His gaze pierced through the heavy oak doors, ignoring the wood and stone to land on the figure standing in the courtyard.
Nolan.
The elf prince stood guard, holding two terrified children close to his chest, his crimson eyes fixed on the main hall with unwavering worry. He looked ready to kick the door down at the slightest sound of distress.
Emory watched him for a long second, his expression softening imperceptibly.
Then, he turned his gaze upward, toward the heavens.
High above the clouds, a dozen powerful familiar signatures were descending rapidly.
"He will be fine," Emory replied aloud, his voice devoid of emotion.
’Sorry, little brother.’
He added the apology only in the sanctuary of his own heart.
’I have to go... For your sake.’
He stepped forward, standing next to Shaela’s unconscious body inside the charred remains of the conduction circle.
He flicked his finger.
Hum.
Beneath the blackened floorboards, a second, hidden geometric pattern flared to life. It was a teleportation array, concealed within the foundation of the conduction circle itself.
The intricate lines glowed with a pale, silver light.
In an instant, Emory, Kai, and Shaela dissolved into a cascade of shimmering particles.
The light swirled once, then vanished, leaving the main hall completely empty.