The cathedral doors slammed open, the resounding echo silencing the bustling halls of Isantanah's holiest structure.
Servants and clerics froze, their prayers and tasks abandoned as they turned to see Maguaien, the Water Archon, storming through the sacred space.
Her usual serene presence was replaced by a fury they rarely witnessed. Her robes shimmered like flowing water, each step leaving faint ripples on the polished marble floor.
"M-my lady!" a cleric stammered, stepping aside hurriedly. Others bowed deeply, afraid to meet her gaze.
Maguaien ignored them, her focus sharp as she descended into the reliquary below the cathedral.
The air grew colder, heavier with the weight of ancient power as she reached a grand case adorned with shimmering pearls and coral-like carvings. She placed her hand on the on it, whispering an incantation.
With a soft *click*, the case unlocked, a golden key was inside. She took it and approached a towering archway inscribed with glowing glyphs. Sliding the key into the lock, she turned it, and the archway burst into light, revealing a portal to another realm.
Maguaien stepped through and into a world unlike any other—a hollow sphere that defied the laws of nature. Above her, massive floating structures hovered like small moons or islands, each one adorned with ethereal architecture. The core of the inverted world glowed with an intense golden light, a sun-like orb encased in celestial rings of gleaming structures.
She ascended, her body carried effortlessly by a current of invisible power. Her destination was a floating citadel, its crystalline spires refracting the golden light like a prism. As she landed on the platform, a familiar voice greeted her.
"You're here… *En.*"
She turned to see a tall, tanned man leaning casually against a pillar. He wore the traditional garb of Parthemia, his sharp features framed by windswept hair.
"Vayu…" Maguaien inclined her head in greeting.
The Wind Archon smiled faintly, his amber eyes watching her with mild curiosity. "Troubling times, isn't it? I suppose that's why you're here."
She looked around the citadel, her gaze sharp. "No word from Luciel?"
"Nothing, as usual," Vayu said with a shrug. "Three centuries of silence. Must be busy contemplating the light, or whatever it is she does these days."
A small figure fluttered toward them, his body glowing with the iridescence of stained glass. His childlike features were deceptive, for he was one of the oldest among them.
"Luciel never shows up unless the world's about to end," the Fairy King chimed in, his voice like a musical chime. "But enough about her. You, Maguaien, are full of surprises! So… when does the war begin?"
Maguaien frowned. "What war?"
"*What war, she says!*" A booming voice rang out as a man clad in fiery robes approached. His presence was overwhelming, like standing in the heart of a volcano. Zhulong, the Flame Archon, grinned, flames flickering around his dragon-like cloak. "Don't play coy! That burst of mana earlier—it came from your realm, didn't it? What are you scheming, oh peaceful goddess?"
"I'm not scheming anything," Maguaien replied evenly.
"Liar," another voice interrupted, cold and cutting. A man with long silver hair and sharp, calculating eyes stepped forward. His hakama flowed like shadows as he moved. "That surge of power… it was no ordinary anomaly. If you're planning something, you'd best come clean."
"Tsukuyomi," Maguaien said, her tone firm, "I don't have time for your accusations. The mana burst wasn't from me or my realm."
Vayu interjected with a laugh. "Come now, do you really think Maguaien of all people would start a war? She's probably the least warlike of us all."
"That doesn't mean she's innocent," Tsukuyomi countered.
"Stop it, you paranoid fool," a new voice interrupted. A man in a black animal headdress—Seth, the Earth Archon—strode into the conversation. "Maguaien wouldn't do something so reckless. If anyone here is planning a war, it's Zhulong or you, Tsukuyomi."
"Oh, don't drag me into this," Zhulong said with a grin. "Although… I *do* think a good fight could liven things up. The last Archon war was centuries ago. Don't you miss it, Maguaien? The thrill of battle?"
Maguaien's patience was thinning. "I am not interested in war, Zhulong."
"Enough of this," Vayu said, raising a hand to calm the rising tension. "The real question is: where did the mana burst come from?"
A voice chimed in, soft but firm. "It came from the direction of our outer islands."
The group turned to see Azer, the Metal Archon. Though she had renounced her position long ago, her presence still carried the weight of her former power.
Tsukuyomi's eyes narrowed. "Why are you even here, Azer? You gave up your seat among us."
"I may have stepped away, but that doesn't mean I'm blind to the world's dangers," Azer replied calmly. "And this… this is no ordinary disturbance."
Zhulong stood at the edge of the floating platform, his fiery robes smoldering faintly as he crossed his arms. "If no one admits to it, then it's clearly Maguaien's fault. It came from *her* territory, didn't it?"
Maguaien's expression remained calm, though her eyes flashed with irritation. "You're jumping to conclusions, as always. That mana burst was unlike anything I've ever felt before. Do you honestly think I would unleash such power just because?"
"Ha! As if you'd admit it even if you had," Zhulong retorted, his grin sharp.
"Your paranoia is showing," Seth said, his deep voice cutting through the argument. The Earth Archon leaned against a stone pillar that had formed under his touch, arms folded. "Why would Maguaien, of all people, start a war? She has no reason to."
"Exactly," Vayu added, his tone light yet firm. "You know Maguaien. She's no warmonger. If anything, she's been the most level-headed among us."
"Level-headedness doesn't mean innocence," Tsukuyomi interjected coldly. The Dark Archon stepped forward, his silver hair catching the faint glow of the golden light above. "If it wasn't you, Maguaien, then prove it. Investigate the source yourself."
Maguaien met his gaze evenly. "And leave my realm undefended? So you can invade while I'm gone? I'm not a fool, Tsukuyomi."
The Archon smirked faintly. "You flatter me, but your distrust isn't unfounded. Perhaps someone else should investigate, then?"
"You mean *you*?" Azer's voice cut through the rising argument as she stepped forward, her small frame belying the sharpness in her tone. The former Metal Archon's golden eyes glinted as she addressed Tsukuyomi. "Let's not pretend you wouldn't use this as an excuse to expand your influence."
"And what about you?" Tsukuyomi shot back. "Why are you even here, Azer? You gave up your title and responsibilities long ago. This is no concern of yours."
Azer's gaze didn't waver. "I may have stepped down, but I still care about the balance of this world. Whatever caused that mana surge is dangerous, and it's our duty to investigate it."
"Balance, you say?" Zhulong scoffed, his flames flaring briefly. "You talk about balance, yet you walked away from your position when the world needed you most. Spare me the lectures."
"Coming from the man who would burn half the world for fun, that's rich," Azer snapped back.
"Enough!" Maguaien's voice rang out, a ripple of water-like energy spreading from her feet. The platform quaked slightly as her power silenced the group momentarily. "This isn't getting us anywhere. The mana burst wasn't me, and accusing each other will solve nothing."