By this time, the two girls had received recommendations to the second most prestigious school in all of Eclipsa. Meanwhile, our two main heroes, whose powers had the potential to destroy all of the Four Realms, had to settle for a lesser-known school. The elders feared that if the boys attended a higher-ranking academy, the teachers might become curious about their origins, as they bore little resemblance to the known four races. While they shared some traits with the Valorians, they lacked official birth records, unlike the girls, who were of higher status.
Each elder gathered with their respective child to reveal a crucial piece of information: they were not alone. There were others like them, and they would meet them at the upcoming Eclipse Festival in a few days. Naturally, the children bombarded their elders with a flurry of immature and curious questions.
"How tall are they?" Elijah asked confidently, proud of his height.
"Are they strong?" Jayden questioned, eager to put anyone who disrespected him in their place.
Jayden's elder chuckled and replied, "A true gentleman doesn't abuse his strength against the weak." Despite the advice, the elder secretly believed Jayden was the strongest of the four. Meanwhile, Elijah's elder, with a playful smirk, remarked, "Well, we can't be sure. You still refuse to drink your milk after all—"
Before he could finish, Elijah bolted to the kitchen and gulped down two cartons of milk in seconds. By the time the elder caught up, Elijah was already reaching for a third. The elder burst into laughter at the sight.
Meanwhile, Yuna sat quietly with her elder but soon broke the silence with a haughty remark. "Are they smart? Sir Nerith taught me not to waste my time with those beneath me." The elder sighed, thinking, *Why did I ever believe that a foolish phantom would be a good mentor?* He chuckled and patted her head, knowing her sharp tongue was something only time could temper.
Seraphine, however, appeared anxious. Scratching her stomach nervously, she whispered, "What if I hurt them? Or worse... kill them?" Fear clouded her eyes. Her elder took her hand gently and reassured her, "That was months ago. You've grown since then, and your flame control has improved. Besides, they won't be easily hurt, they must have been training too." His calm words brought a bit of comfort to Seraphine.
The Day of the Festival
When the day of the Eclipse Festival finally arrived, the girls donned elegant, designer dresses, while the boys showed up in their usual worn out clothes, not bothering to dress up for the occasion.
Suddenly, Jayden's younger sister, Lyra, barged into his room, pleading to join him. "Oh, please, big brother! It's always been my dream to see the Eclipse up close!"
"No way. Who's going to be responsible if you get hurt? I can't have the elders scolding me for something as stupid as your little dream," Jayden said in annoyance, barely wanting to go himself.
"Pretty please? I promise I won't get hurt. You're not the only one who's been getting special training," she added with a mischievous smirk.
Jayden sighed. "Fine. Just don't get caught. If you do, I'm not taking the blame for this one."
"Thank you! Don't worry, I'll take full responsibility if I get caught!" she shouted, bolting to her room to change. Jayden let out a small smile and muttered, "What am I going to do with her?"
The Meeting
Two hours later, they all met at the center of the festival. Lyra clung to the back of Jayden's shirt, intimidated by the others. Yuna clicked her tongue in irritation.
"Wasn't it supposed to be just us four? What's with this kid?" she sneered.
Jayden's eyes narrowed, anger bubbling beneath the surface. "You got a problem with it? Come say something to my face, I dare you."
Yuna smirked, unbothered. "Maybe I will. But I doubt you've got the guts to lay a hand on me."
Jayden clenched his fists but remembered his elder's advice about being a true gentleman. He didn't respond further, hoping to de-escalate the situation. He allowed Lyra to run off and explore the festival on her own.
Meanwhile, the elders, along with Nerith, watched the scene unfold through a crystal ball in Valoria.
"This isn't going well," one elder muttered.
"Hahaha! I think it's going great! That's my Yuna—not taking crap from anyone, just as I taught her!" Nerith boomed proudly, earning exasperated stares from the others.
Suddenly, the doors to the room slammed shut, and the walls, ceiling, and floor became plated with centaynium—the strongest metal known to the realms.
"What's going on?!" shouted the Elunaran elder.
"I don't know!" the Valorian elder responded, as the Stoneclad elder attempted to break down the door with stone-coated fists. His efforts were futile, leaving his fists shattered.
"It's unbreakable," he muttered grimly.
Before they could form a plan, the crystal ball flickered and went dark. A phantom appeared on the screen. "We've got them, boss. Come talk to the—"
Before he could finish, his head was severed by a larger, more menacing figure—a dark phantom whose presence even made Nerith tense.
"I am the Lord of Shadows. As we speak, my men are at the festival, killing anyone in their way. You thought you could hide those four children from me, but you failed." His voice echoed with malice, striking fear into the elders.
The Elunaran elder, trembling, pleaded, "P-please, spare the children. They aren't ready to fight you. Punish us instead!"
The other elders stared at him in shock. "What are you talking about?" demanded the Valorian elder.
With a shaky voice, the Elunaran elder confessed. Years ago, when the children were only two, he had sold out their origins to the Phantom King in exchange for a high-ranking position in his kingdom. Even the former elder of Elunara had been involved, secretly drugging Seraphine to make her powers uncontrollable.
"You took an oath to protect Elunara and Seraphine!" the Valorian elder roared.
Nerith had heard enough. Without hesitation, he drove a blade through the traitor's heart. "I have no time for traitors. Go to hell with your lies."
As the traitor's lifeless body hit the ground, the other elders remained silent, their thoughts consumed by the danger looming over the children.
"What do you gain from tormenting us like this? You already rule Aeloria," the Valorian elder asked, his voice laced with anger and desperation.
The Phantom King sneered. "I have no need to explain myself to you foolish elderly and a traitor like Nerith." With that, he severed the connection, preparing to lead the assault himself.