Days had passed since the thefts began—three of the five sacred gems, stolen in silence and shadow. The kingdoms stirred. The balance of the world trembled.
Now, beneath the vaulted stone of the Heart of the Fairfolk—where the Lords of the Old Realms once walked and the gods listened to mortal pleas carried by the wind—the rulers of the Five Kingdoms had gathered. The temple, once quiet, now echoed with voices filled with fear, anger, and desperation.
Everyone was there: Elthara, the Great Sorceress of the Fairfolk; the most skilled mages from each kingdom; and the kings, queens, princes, and princesses of Fire, Water, Earth, Air, and Ice. At the center stood the Seven Divine Messengers—ageless beings chosen by the gods, guardians of balance, and bearers of divine truth.
Gavriel – Speaker of the Vow
Eirwen – Bringer of Silence
Fenris – Watcher of the Threshold
Naima – Keeper of Memory
Alaric – Recorder of History
Dameain – Voice of Prophecy
Ivorak – Awakener of Light
The silence of the temple broke with the voice of the Queen of Ice. "We must call upon the gods," said Queen Frysthaelle Nivareth Lysveil of Thryssvessra, her voice trembling with fear. "Three gems are gone. We cannot wait for the last two to be taken."
King Aeralion Sylphar Veylithros of Zepherionne nodded, his gaze sharp and cold. "You're right, Queen Frys. But I assure you, the gem in our care will never be taken," he said with confidence.
But not everyone agreed.
Queen Emberessa Kaelithra Vulkhaen of Ignetharion stood, her hair flickering like flame. "While the thieves move like ghosts we cannot see? Fire does not fear, but it is not blind. If we don't act as one, we will all burn. We are ready to protect our gem—and we will catch them if they try to take it."
King Thalorion Ondrelis Caelquessir of Myrrhvalen spoke next, calm but firm. "Water knows how to listen. But even rivers rage when blocked. Words are not enough. We need action—unity. They took our gem without us knowing. This time, we will fight to protect what remains."
From the back, a heavy voice echoed. Eirwen, Bringer of Silence, spoke for the first time. "The gems are sacred. Passed down through generations to protect the world. They hold the soul and power of a king who broke the law. If all five are lost, the world will fall into danger. We don't know what will come—but the gods have been silent for a long time. If you call them, be ready to listen."
The room fell quiet.
Then Princess Glacielle Eirnoxa Thryssavelle stood, her voice cold but clear. "If the gods do not answer, we will become the gods of our own fate. But we cannot do that if we keep blaming each other. We must stand together. We, the new generation, will do everything we can to face what's coming."
The hall erupted again.
The princes of Earth—Dromak, Terren, and Gairos—suggested strengthening the guards in every kingdom.
The princesses of Air—Sylphariel and Skynessa—proposed using cloudbirds to watch the skies.
Prince Kaelvyrion of Fire offered to create a flame that never dies, to guard the gems.
But in the middle of it all, Fenris, Watcher of the Threshold, rose and spoke to everyone. "The real danger is not the thief. It is the division in your hearts. If you wish to call the gods, do it not as five kingdoms—but as one world. We are here if you need us. As guardians of the temple and messengers of the divine, we will not just stand by when danger comes—we will fight with you."
While in the hollow, people are worried about the situation of one of their members. The four people involved in the mission are already awake from their unconscious state, but their leader is still unconscious. No sign of awakening.
It's been 1 week since that mission, and Lior is still in her deep rest.
"Lior was the one who pushed herself to the limit during that mission. She used the last of her strength just to bring us here…" Kira said softly, her voice filled with sadness as she gently held Lior's sleeping hand.
Keal sat quietly in the chair beside the bed, his arm wrapped in a healing brace that extended up to his neck. His eyes were fixed on Lior—filled with sadness, worry, and fear. "She did everything to make sure we got home safe… but she didn't think about herself," he said, his voice heavy with guilt.
Jex stood near the window, his head wrapped in bandages, with smaller ones scattered across his arms and chest. He couldn't bring himself to look directly at Lior. "She risked her life for us… and what did we do? Nothing. We just stood there, helpless," he said bitterly, his voice shaking with anger and shame.
"Why does she always do this?" Thorne snapped, his voice rising. "She never thinks about her own safety. She knew her powers were unstable, and still she pushed herself. Why are you always like this, Lior?" he asked, his voice cracking as he looked at her unconscious body.
They all blamed Lior with their words—but deep inside, they were angry at themselves. Angry that they couldn't do anything to help her. Angry that they were powerless to wake their friend.
Their fear grew stronger with every passing moment. Lior lay motionless in the healing chamber, showing no signs of life.
The room fell into silence… until a voice broke through.
"Lior never failed her team."
They all turned at once. Standing at the doorway was Auren—heir to the next generation of leaders. The moment they saw him, they stood in respect.
"Roko Auren…" they said in unison.
"I know you're upset with what my Zeya did," Auren said gently, walking toward the bed. "But I also know you're worried. She did this for you. That's what a true leader does."
He reached for Lior's hand—cold and still—and held it with care. "Come on, Zeya… wake up. We're all waiting for you," he whispered, pressing a kiss to the back of her hand.
But Lior couldn't hear him. Not in this world.
Because somewhere deep inside her mind, she was trapped in a memory—a memory she didn't understand, one that pulled her further away from the voices calling her back.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lior stood quietly, her eyes fixed on two figures standing in the distance. They were watching her with gentle smiles on their faces—like a family waiting for someone they loved.
"Solastra…" called a soft, melodic voice. It came from a beautiful woman who waved at her, inviting her to come closer.
Lior turned around, wondering if someone else was behind her. But when she looked, there was no one there. Confused, she turned back to the woman, her curiosity growing.
The woman smiled sweetly and began walking toward her. Lior instinctively stepped back, unsure of what was happening. But something felt strange—every step she took felt small, almost like she wasn't moving at all. It was as if her legs had become shorter, her body lighter… like a child.
The woman gently placed a hand on Lior's shoulder and crouched down so their eyes could meet. Her voice was soft and kind. "Why are you just staring at us, my child?" she asked, then gave Lior's cheek a gentle pinch.
Lior wiped her cheek, and when she looked at her hand—her heart skipped. It was small. A child's hand. Her eyes widened, and she stepped back in shock. The woman's smile faded into concern.
"Is something wrong, Sol?" the woman asked, her voice filled with worry.
Lior didn't answer. She looked around, searching for something—anything—that could show her reflection. When she spotted a large, still lake nearby, she ran toward it, her breath quick and shallow.
She reached the water's edge, hesitating. The two figures watched her closely, concern written on their faces. They saw the uncertainty in her movements, the way she paused before leaning over the calm surface.
Then Lior knelt down and stared into the water.
Her reflection stared back—young, innocent, familiar. It was her. But not as she was now. It was her as a child.
She touched her cheek, unable to believe what she was seeing. How had she returned to this form? How was this possible?
Suddenly, a gentle hand rested on her back, comforting her like a warm breeze.
"Who are you?" she asked, her voice trembling.
The two figures exchanged surprised glances. They didn't expect her question. But even so, they smiled—softly, lovingly—and the woman reached out to caress her cheek again.
"That's not a joke, Solastra," she said, her voice carrying a hint of fear. "We are your Alo and Luma…"
Lior looked at them, confused. "Alo? Luma? What does that mean?"
Their smiles faded. The woman's eyes filled with worry. "Did your Tavo come?" she asked, her voice shaking as she pulled Lior into a protective hug.
Lior pulled away, overwhelmed. "What are Alo, Luma, and Tavo? I don't understand. Who are you? Where am I?" Her questions came quickly, her voice rising with confusion.
The man wrapped his arms around the woman, as if pleading for her to remember.
"We are your parents," he said gently.
The woman pointed to the man beside her. "He is your Alo—your father."
Then she pointed to herself. "And I am your Luma—your mother."
Her voice softened, but sadness lingered. "Tavo is your grandfather… my father."
Lior's confused expression faded. Her face became still, unreadable. She couldn't explain what she was feeling.
Then, like a wave, a memory returned. A dream. A portrait. A woman who felt familiar.
Her eyes widened. She realized she was inside her dream—and the child she saw was herself.
She looked around. The place felt familiar. She knew it… but couldn't remember where she had seen it before.
"Where am I?" she asked.
Her Luma reached out and held her hand. "You're home. This is where we always spent time together as a family."
Family?
Lior looked at her. "Family? And I'm…?"
"Solastra… your full name is Lioraen Shadewyn Solastra," her Luma said softly. "Your Alo gave you that name. But I love calling you Solastra—it means Celestial Fire. You are my star, my sky, my heaven… you are everything to me, my child."
Her smile faded, replaced by worry. "Please remember us. Don't let the spell your Tavo cast take you away." Tears rolled down her cheeks.
Something stirred inside Lior. She didn't understand why she was in this dream, but she felt it—this was a forgotten memory.
She raised her small hand and gently wiped the tears from her Luma's face.
"Luma…" she whispered, just loud enough for them to hear. "I may not remember everything, but… can you help me remember? I don't know what Tavo did, but I want to remember you. And Alo."
Her parents smiled, relieved.
After their talk, they showed Lior around—a place they said was her favorite hiding spot, known only to Alo and Luma. They walked with her through the land, hand in hand.
It was vibrant. Flowers bloomed in every direction. Trees swayed with life. The wind was fresh and gentle. Everything felt alive—including Lior, who had felt so tired before. Now, she felt renewed.
She couldn't recall this life fully, but she knew one thing: she didn't want to wake up. She wanted to stay—happy and whole.
Her power felt strong here. As strong as it had been when her grandfather was still with her.
She stayed, not knowing how many days had passed. She forgot the outside world. She simply enjoyed.
Everyone treated her like she was the most precious person in the world. They gave her favorite dresses, her favorite desserts, and always brought her to that beautiful place filled with flowers.
She could sleep on the soft ground, listening to the wind rustling through the leaves. It calmed her. Deeply.
"What is our Solastra doing?" a gentle voice asked.
Lior opened her eyes and saw her beautiful Luma.
She smiled sweetly, stood up quickly, and hugged her. "It's so peaceful, Luma. I want to stay here—with you and Alo."
She looked toward the man in royal robes walking toward them.
She let go of her Luma and ran to him. He opened his arms, ready to catch her. When she reached him, he lifted her high into the air—and she felt the wind rush around her.
Lior stretched out her arms. She felt like she was flying.
In her life, she had never felt this way. She had always focused on power. But now—she wouldn't let this moment pass. She would be herself. A child. She would do everything she never got to do.
He lowered her gently and carried her in his arms. Her Luma walked toward them, looking like a goddess—her yellow dress flowing in the wind, her hair dancing with the breeze.
Lior couldn't stop admiring her. That sweet smile. That warmth.
She didn't know how long this dream would last. But for now, she was home.
