As Raayani was flying back with her injured daughter, she found herself contemplating the strange young man who had sparked such a change in Belan. For years, she had tried to teach her daughter the true meaning of strength, of dedication, of earning one's power rather than simply wielding it.
And now this young swordsman, in a single battle, had accomplished what years of maternal guidance could not. She glanced at Belan, who was staring at the distant horizon with, lost in thought.
-
"You're growing soft, brother," Ivyona remarked beside him, her peacock-feathered gown shimmering in the eternal light of Illumarhen. "I never thought I'd see the day when the mighty sealord would stand idle while mortals challenged his offspring."
Akurnni's laugh rumbled like distant thunder. "The ancient laws bind us all. Even I must watch from afar as she forges her own path." His eyes never left the scene below, where his daughter was.
