Nightfall over Liria felt unusually quiet after the recent storm of chaos. Outside, the gardens glowed softly with patches of restored magic, while inside, the palace hummed with both relief and trepidation. The Eight Nation Leaders met deep into the evening, their confidence shaken by the emergence—and swift defeat—of the mysterious Bug.
A Council Divided
Emperor Magnus convened a secret session in the vault-like strategy chamber. Brass lanterns flickered over uneasy faces.
Lady Pyrra spoke first, her voice low: "We saw what unchecked power can unleash. That 'Bug'—was it sent, summoned, or a side effect of our own ambitions?"
Lord Umbra countered, "Every power has its shadow… and now, even our shadows fear echoes."
Sir Zephion was less philosophical. "We must strengthen our magical protocols, double-check all imperial defenses. If that thing got in, what's stopping more from coming?"
Emperor Magnus listened, then turned to the court mage. "How do we monitor the system now that the rules keep shifting?"
The answer was hesitant: "Prince Caelum remains our best hope… and our greatest risk."
Caelum's Reflection
In his room, Caelum gazed into a midnight-blue mirror. For the first time, the "admin interface" allowed him to glimpse a shadow of himself—another "user" somewhere far away, eyes bright with curiosity and longing.
A message flashed:
[Private Channel Request: Unknown Admin. Accept?]
Caelum hesitated, then, with a tentative smile, touched the mirror.
A vision unfolded: another realm, another child, different but hauntingly similar, surrounded by glitchy echoes and laced with the same blue code. "Hello?" the distant boy asked. "Do you also dream in commands?"
The mirror shimmered, and Caelum felt both fear and kinship—a universe of other "admins," some kind, some curious, some perhaps not so friendly.
Before the connection severed, a warning burned across the glass:
"Some mirrors lead to backdoors. Not all reflections want to be fixed."
The Patch Council
Later, Emperor Magnus announced a new imperial effort: the formation of a "Patch Council." Elders, mystics, programmers, and even children would test the limits of the world's system—and help guide Caelum as both guardian and peer.
King Alden looked at his son with new resolve. "You changed the impossible, Caelum. Let us help you so the world changes safely."
A Glimpse of Foes
Far away, beyond the Empire's borders, a shadowy league of robed figures whispered around their own screens of power.
"He's unlocked contact," one hissed. "Prepare the mirror. The age of system wars is about to begin."
Closing Scene
That night, as Caelum drifted to sleep, the interface didn't speak, but bathed his mind in endless possibilities—new worlds, new friends, and new dangers shimmering just beyond the code.
He smiled, not with certainty, but with hope.