As the sun dipped lower, painting the sky with streaks of pink and amber, calm had settled over the Marquess's residence. The stillness was broken only by the occasional murmur of attendants preparing for evening duties. But suddenly, a powerful gust rattled the doors and windows, and within moments, the entire house was caught in a furious gale, as if a storm had descended upon it.
Books and papers flew from desks; drapes flailed like tattered sails in the wind. Attendants stumbled, bracing themselves against the force, eyes wide with confusion and fear. The Marquess burst from his study, his stride urgent as he scanned the hallways, his loyal staff trailing closely behind.
He entered the main hall just as the front doors were flung open by a violent gust, and there, framed against the dimming light, stood Seren. Her face was a mask of barely restrained rage, hair whipped wildly by the wind.
"Seren, what in the heavens are you doing?" the Marquess demanded, lifting an arm to shield his face.
"They took her, Horace!" Seren's voice cut through the roar of the wind, filled with fury and despair. "They took your little girl! Now she's stuck in that damned city!" Her words unleashed another wave of wind, making even the foundations of the residence shudder.
The Marquess raised his voice over the chaos. "Seren, calm yourself! Come inside let's discuss this without frightening everyone!"
"Horace!" Seren's voice cracked with frustration. "Didn't you hear me? They took Cynthia! How can you stand there and not be filled with fury?"
The entire hall seemed to tremble in sympathy with her anger. The Marquess lifted his wand, a faint glow emanating from its tip. "Calm Mind!" he commanded, his voice layered with gentle power. A warm glow swirled around Seren, softening the raging winds just enough to bring a fragile quiet over the room.
"Please," he said, his voice calm yet firm, "come up to my study. Let us talk this through no need to keep the attendants in fear."
For a moment, Seren stood silent, the anger on her face cooling to a simmer. With a tense nod, she agreed. "Very well."
The Marquess gestured for her to follow, after reaching the studies the marquess turned to his head butler. "Jake, keep everyone here," he instructed. "I'll speak with her alone."
Jake inclined his head as the Marquess closed the door behind them, shutting out the concerned gazes of his staff as he led Seren into his study.
With tension lingering thick in the air, Seren took a seat as the Marquess settled into the chair opposite her. After a brief, charged silence, he spoke first.
"So, it was Cynthia's energy I felt earlier today, surging from Lumenoth," the Marquess said, his gaze sharp.
"Yes," Seren replied. "When it happened, the girls and I were stunned by the power surge. At first, we thought it was just part of her wand awakening. But then... when Cynthia emerged, one of the girls pointed out that her hair had turned white."
The Marquess's brows shot up. "Her hair turned white?"
Seren nodded, confirming. "Yes, from what I heard."
At this, the Marquess began to laugh, an unexpected and unsettling reaction that caught Seren off guard.
"Care to explain what's so amusing, Horace?" Seren asked, struggling to understand his sudden mirth.
"Seren," he said, his laughter subsiding as he regarded her with a knowing look. "Have you perhaps forgotten why we're here?"
"Of course not," Seren retorted. "I've dutifully tracked the shards all these years."
The Marquess leaned forward, his voice dropping to a measured tone. "Then you should already have realized what is happening."
In an instant, the winds outside fell silent, the air around them shifting as if held in suspended animation. Seren felt an eerie stillness settle over the room, pressing in like the weight of time itself. "What are you trying to say, Kairoth?"
At the sound of his true name, the Marquess's expression darkened. His eyes began to glow, the irises taking on the unmistakable shape of hourglasses.
"You must have a very good reason to invoke my true name, knowing the risks involved in calling Stratosill," he warned, his voice edged with a power that made the very air in the room grow heavy.
As Seren began to glow, her form seeming almost translucent, her voice echoed with a solemn intensity. "Make no mistake I know exactly why I invoked your true name." She looked at him, her expression unreadable behind her blindfold. "Kairoth, I had expected you to be Cynthia's guide, ensuring the task would unfold as intended."
Kairoth's shoulders sagged slightly. "Circumstances beyond my control have brought us to this point," he replied.
"What do you mean by that?" Stratosill's frustration was barely contained. "We cannot afford to fail. You know as well as I do that if Cynthia falls or strays, both of us risk annihilation. Our essence depends on this mission."
Kairoth's expression softened. "It's easier for you to think about the future, Stratosill. Once this mission ends, I will dissipate regardless. But take heart Cynthia's new role as a Lumenoth council member grants her protections few can rival."
Stratosill's head tilted in surprise. "Disappear? What do you mean?"
With a resigned sigh, Kairoth looked out the window, a faint, sorrowful smile on his lips. "Once the task is completed, I will return to the fallen place I belong to. Our paths are not the same I am tied to the one who fell, and my purpose is bound to his legacy. I only seek to complete my mission and finally return."
Stratosill's voice wavered, laced with uncharacteristic concern. "Is there no way to preserve your existence? Could you not join the new entity?"
Kairoth shook his head slowly. "No, Stratosill. While they are connected, they remain distinct individuals. Besides, she has her own guardian one who was destined to awaken the moment she received her spark in Lumenoth." He offered her a weary smile. "I've grown tired, Stratosill. Without my master, my only wish is to finish what I started and reunite with them."
A somber silence fell between them before Stratosill finally spoke. "I never realized the burden you carried."
Kairoth simply waved it off. "Think nothing of it; this is my burden alone." He shifted in his chair as if to dispel the weight of his own words. "Now, tell me what progress have you made with the shards?"
Seren hesitated, then answered. "I've located two of the five."
Kairoth raised an eyebrow. "Only two? Is there a reason you haven't tracked down the others?"
"I am not like you, Kairoth," Stratosill said, a hint of frustration creeping into her voice. "My abilities have limitations. I can't sense them from a great distance; it took a great deal of effort to locate even these."
Kairoth nodded, his expression thoughtful. "Understood. I'll assist you however I can from here."
Seren glanced at him, her curiosity evident. "If time is so short, why don't you join me directly in the search?"
He looked away, his face marked by a tired smile. "I wish I could. But each day, I feel myself weakening, a slow decline I had anticipated but didn't think would accelerate so quickly."
Stratosill's face grew solemn. "Then we really don't have much time left?"
Kairoth nodded. "Once I'm gone, the allotted time ends. Everything hinges on what we accomplish now."
A heavy silence settled over the room until Stratosill finally spoke up, breaking the tension. "I'll continue the search for the remaining shards. The one I found this time is… unusual, though."
"Oh? What did you find?" Kairoth asked, his curiosity piqued.
"It's the shard of Temporal Absorption. Unfortunately, it bonded with a non-mystic a mortal whose life has become a living nightmare. He drains the life from everything around him, seeing himself as a cursed pariah, living in isolation."
Kairoth frowned. "The shard of Temporal Absorption… existing as a parasite in a mortal. And he's been alive for how long?"
"Since the shards vanished, nearly two and a half millennia ago."
Kairoth's gaze hardened. "The shard sustains itself too well thanks, no doubt, to the master's interference. And where was this one located?"
"The Yoman Empire."
Kairoth pondered this, nodding thoughtfully. "So, we have one on the Eldorian Continent, with the Owl Clan, and another in the Yoman Empire. I believe I know where the third might be, but as always, I'll rely on you to confirm."
"Tell me where I need to go."
Kairoth's expression turned serious. "There's a hidden island floating in the Newronis Ocean. I believe one of the shards is hidden there."
Seren's form solidified as her resolve strengthened, and Kairoth's hourglass shaped eyes faded from their ethereal glow. The stillness of the room broke, time seeming to resume its natural flow.
Seren rose, her calm exterior masking the storm of emotions within her. "I'll see that Cynthia receives the Zephyros she requested, but I'll leave it to you to present it to her," she said as she reached the door.
The Marquess nodded. "Thank you, Seren. And… be safe."
As Seren left, Jake entered, bowing his head respectfully. "Shall I bring you some tea, my lord?"
"Yes, please. I think I'll need it." The Marquess sighed, gazing out the window. As the weight of their conversation lingered in his mind, he whispered to himself, "So… the next phase begins."
In the dimly lit room, the gentle glow of floating lanterns cast a soft, ethereal light over Cynthia's suspended form. Dressed in fresh garments, she hovered peacefully above her bed, her expression serene, untouched by the turbulent transformation she had undergone. The air around her shimmered faintly, infused with the lingering energy of her awakening.
Opal took a moment to study the Young Miss, brushing a loose strand of hair back with a tenderness that seemed both motherly and reverent. "I hope she wakes soon," she murmured, a hint of worry crossing her usually composed face.
Jennifer, holding the basin of water they'd used to cleanse Cynthia, paused before making her way to the adjoining shower room. "We can only wait and see," she replied gently. "She'll wake when her Psy abilities have fully settled within her. Until then, all we can do is keep her safe and comfortable."
As Jennifer disposed of the water, Opal remained by Cynthia's side, watching the faint rise and fall of her breathing. It was strange to see her so still, so quiet, when just yesterday she had been full of youthful energy and curiosity. But this was a new chapter, and Opal knew it would change Cynthia in ways neither of them could predict.
Jennifer returned, her movements soft and respectful as she joined Opal. The two women exchanged a final glance of understanding before bowing slightly to the floating form of the Young Miss. "May your rest be peaceful," Opal whispered, a hopeful smile touching her lips. Jennifer echoed the sentiment in her own way, her gaze lingering on Cynthia's face before they both stepped back, careful not to disturb the gentle energy in the room.
With practiced care, they closed the door behind them, sealing Cynthia in her cocoon of rest. Outside, however, they found an unexpected sight four women stood silently by the door, their expressions a mixture of concern and curiosity. Opal raised an eyebrow, but kept her composure, gesturing for them to follow.
"The Young Miss is not to be disturbed at this time," she said firmly, her voice low but commanding. "Come with us, please."
The women nodded obediently, casting brief glances at each other as they fell in step behind Opal and Jennifer. Without another word, they followed the two attendants down the hall, leaving the quiet of Cynthia's chamber undisturbed.