The Celestial Hall was alive with an otherworldly brilliance, the kind only the higher realms could conjure. The massive marble chamber was etched with golden runes that pulsed faintly, forming shifting constellations above the gathered council. Twelve figures, each cloaked in shimmering robes of varying hues, sat in a circular formation. At the center stood Lyra, her ethereal presence commanding both awe and attention.
Her silver hair flowed like molten moonlight, and her eyes burned with determination as she addressed the council. "If we do not act soon, the balance will tip irreversibly. The Void stirs, and the mortals remain unprepared for what is to come."
One of the council members, a towering figure draped in emerald light, raised a hand. "Lyra, you speak as if we have a choice. The mortals brought this upon themselves. Their wars, their greed—it has given the darkness its foothold."
Lyra's gaze sharpened. "And who gave them free will? Who shaped their imperfect hearts? If the mortals fall, so too does our purpose.
A murmuring of discontent rippled through the council. They didn't really agree with her, what she was talking off wasn't their business, the humans had claimed supreme and so they had left them to make their own destinies and their fate, they had too much trouble on their hands than time to bother with these humans.
Another voice, softer yet imbued with authority, spoke from the far side of the circle. It belonged to a robed figure whose form seemed to shift like sunlight through water. "You place too much faith in Lex, Lyra. The task we sent him on was meant to break him, to test whether he was worthy. And yet... he has not returned."
Lyra stepped forward, her tone resolute. "Lex will return. He carries the fragment of Kael's essence, and with it, the hope we so desperately need. He—"
Before she could finish, a radiant burst of light engulfed the hall, silencing all conversation. The runes on the walls flared to life, and the constellations above realigned, focusing their light onto a single point in the chamber.
When the brilliance faded, Lex stood at its center. His clothes were torn, his face bruised and weary, but his grip on the staff was steady. The artifact pulsed with a steady, golden glow, its power undeniable.
The council rose as one, their voices a chorus of surprise and awe.
"Impossible..." one whispered.
"He completed the trial?" another murmured.
Lyra's face softened with relief, though her eyes remained cautious. "Lex," she said, stepping forward. "You've returned."
Lex nodded, his voice hoarse but steady. "The staff... it's done. I made the connection."
The council exchanged glances, their skepticism apparent. One of them, cloaked in fiery red, spoke with a pointed tone. "How could you, a mortal, have succeeded where even the divine faltered? What did you see in the valley?"
Lex hesitated, memories of the battle with Vyrax and the revelation of Kael's death flashing through his mind. "I saw truth," he finally said. "Painful, undeniable truth. Kael didn't fall in glory... he was betrayed by his own blood."
A hush fell over the hall, the weight of his words settling heavily.
Lyra's voice cut through the silence, steady but probing. "Who told you that?"
Lex met her gaze. He confirmed it. So, really, Kael was betrayed by Tharros, that threw him into the pitiable state that Lex had found him in. "it wasn't just words. I saw it—felt it—through the staff."
Kael's essence... it's still connected to this world, to me.
Another council member, robed in deep violet, leaned forward. "And the task we set before you? Did you truly bind the staff to your essence?"
Lex lifted the staff, its light intensifying as if responding to his will. "See for yourselves."
The golden light from the staff cascaded over the council, revealing glimpses of Lex's battle in the valley, his connection to the artifact, and the immense toll it had taken on him. The visions faded, leaving the council visibly shaken.
"It is true," Lyra said softly, her voice tinged with both pride and sorrow. "He did it..."
The fiery-robed figure spoke again, his tone laced with disbelief. "But what now? The staff alone cannot stop the Void. Does he even understand what lies ahead?"
Lex straightened, exhaustion clear in his posture but determination blazing in his eyes. "I may not know everything," he admitted, "but I know this: the staff is a tool, not a solution. The real fight is still to come, and I'll face it with everything I have."
Lyra stepped closer, placing a hand on his shoulder. "You've proven your worth, Lex. But the road ahead is perilous. The Void will not rest, and neither can we. You'll need allies, guidance, and strength far beyond what you possess now."
Lex nodded, his grip on the staff tightening. "Then tell me what to do. Where to go next."
Lyra's gaze flickered to the council, her expression unreadable. "The next step," she said carefully, "lies not in strength, but in understanding. There is more to Kael's legacy than the staff. If you are to succeed, you must uncover it."
The council murmured in agreement, though their skepticism lingered.
Lex squared his shoulders, his voice firm. "Then I'll uncover it. Whatever it takes."
As the light of the hall dimmed, the council resumed their seats, their collective attention fixed on the young mortal who had defied the odds.
Lyra's voice rang out, steady and resolute. "Then let us prepare, for the war has truly begun."