Scene 1: Echoes of the Past
The foyer of the Andrews estate fell deathly silent.
Tiffany stood frozen near the entrance, her eyes darting from the dropped tray to the towering man now staring at her as if he'd seen a ghost. The maid who had dropped the tray backed away slowly, eyes wide, hands trembling.
"...Aurora?" the man finally whispered.
Jeremiah turned sharply, confused. "Dad?"
Ezra Andrews' expression shifted—disbelief, then awe, then something far deeper: sorrow. His voice cracked as he repeated, "Aurora… is it really you?"
"No," Tiffany said hesitantly, her voice barely a whisper. "My name is Tiffany…"
Ezra stumbled forward, his hand trembling as he touched her face, then suddenly pulled her into an embrace. "You… look just like her. My Aurora."
Tiffany was too stunned to react. Her arms remained stiff at her sides. She could feel his tears dampen her hair as he whispered things she couldn't yet process.
Katherine stepped forward carefully, watching the scene unfold. Jeremiah stared at his father, a mixture of shock and quiet dread rising inside him.
"You knew her?" Tiffany finally asked, pulling back.
Ezra looked her in the eye. "Yes. I knew her better than anyone. She was my world."
Jeremiah's chest tightened. "Dad… what's going on?"
Ezra's lips trembled, then tightened as he took a step back. "We need to sit. There's something you all need to hear."
---
Scene 2: The Story Beneath the Silence
They sat in the main living room of the estate—ornate and warm with golden curtains drawn halfway. Tiffany sat beside Jeremiah, eyes glued to Ezra as he poured himself a glass of water with shaking hands. Katherine sat close, her hand brushing Jeremiah's for comfort.
"I met Aurora Hallow during the Meta Wars, back when I was still a commander," Ezra began slowly. "She was a diplomat… and a fighter for the Hydrokinesis Clan. We weren't supposed to fall in love. But we did."
He paused. The weight of memory hung in the air.
"We fought together. Bled together. But the war turned... ugly. Her clan was hunted. She left—to save what was left of her people. We were separated in chaos. I never found her again. I didn't even know she was—" he stopped, choking on the next words.
"She was pregnant," Tiffany finished quietly.
Ezra nodded slowly. "I didn't know. Gods… I didn't know."
Tiffany's fingers curled tightly into her lap. "She died two years ago. I was born far away, hidden. She told me nothing of you. Only her sorrow. Only her fear."
Jeremiah looked between them, stunned into silence. "So that means… you're my sister?"
Tiffany's eyes glistened, but she gave a slow, hesitant nod.
Milo, seated at the far corner of the room in her fox form, finally spoke. "That explains why your energy mirrored hers the moment you met. Aurora's spirit lingers in her bloodline."
Ezra lowered his head. "I've lost so much time…"
---
Scene 3: The Obsidian Tremor
Far away—deep within the volcanic chambers of the Obsidian Citadel—the spiritual seer of the Obsidian Court knelt before a wall of flickering magma. His eyes blazed silver as he meditated over the spiritual echoes pulsing from Earth.
A tremor.
A ripple of raw water energy, ancient and ancestral, had awakened.
He opened his eyes.
"Hydrokinesis bloodline… awakened anew."
He rose and strode toward the throne chamber.
Inside, King Leonard leaned over a carved obsidian table littered with maps of Earth's power centers.
"My King," the seer said, bowing. "There has been a resurgence of forbidden energy. One connected to the ancient enemy."
Leonard's brows narrowed. "Where?"
"Earth. The girl… carries Aurora's gift. I sense she is untrained—but the potential… is dangerous."
The king stood, his shadow casting long across the fire-lit room. "Then we must act. Prepare the watchers."
---
Scene 4: Family and Fractures
Back at the Andrews estate, Ezra led the teens to a private study. The walls were lined with photos of battles, old allies, and faded newspaper clippings. At the center sat a framed picture of Aurora Hallow, younger, smiling—wearing the blue robes of the Hydrokinesis Clan.
Tiffany gasped. "That's her…"
Jeremiah touched the photo, still reeling. "I don't even know what to say."
Ezra placed a hand on both their shoulders. "You don't have to say anything now. You just need to know the truth. And that I'm here… for both of you."
Silence followed—broken only by a knock at the door. A butler peeked in.
"Sir… dinner is ready."
Katherine stood, glancing toward Jeremiah. "If you want, I can stay a little longer."
He nodded, then surprised her by taking her hand. "I'd like that."
As they filed out toward the dining hall, Tiffany lingered behind, her eyes locked once more on her mother's portrait. Milo padded to her side.
"Your journey is only beginning, child. The world will not wait for you to catch up."
Tiffany looked down. "Then I better catch up fast."
From the shadows outside, a flicker of movement disappeared into the wind—an Obsidian scout cloaked in invisibility, already reporting what he had seen.