After a long silence, Layra began to speak again.
"So, what do you plan to do with this egg?"
"I have no interest in the egg itself. What I desire is the hatchling that will emerge from it. The egg is currently considered to be in the incubation stage."
"What do you mean by 'considered'?"
"That is precisely where my warning for you not to touch the egg becomes relevant. For the egg to enter incubation and for the hatchling to emerge, it requires a suitable mother candidate. This is necessary for the offspring to properly acknowledge its master and thrive. Had you touched the egg, it would have recognized you as its mother and imprinted your DNA, which would have made you the parent of the resulting hatchling."
"Then, since you stopped me, that means you have a mother candidate in mind, doesn't it?"
"Actually, I don't have a mother candidate in mind. The only reason I stopped you was because I didn't know if you wanted to be the parent of the future hatchling. If it's not a problem for you, go ahead."
Kael picked the egg up from the ground and extended it towards Layra. For a few seconds, Layra didn't know what to do and began staring at the egg and Kael with astonishment. In the end, she couldn't resist and touched the egg.
The instant Layra touched the egg, it emitted a powerful light. The radiance was so intense that the pitch-black forest was illuminated as if the sun had suddenly appeared.
Layra opened her eyes following the sudden flash of light only to find herself in a completely different place. The surroundings were enveloped in a fog so dense it was impossible to see more than a meter ahead, and the ground was covered in water up to her ankles.
Layra had taken only a step or two within the fog when a voice—deep yet gentle—rose from the mist.
"Do not be afraid, my child. We have no intention of harming you. I am here to bless your marriage."
Upon hearing the word 'marriage', Layra's face fell, and she looked more infuriated than she ever had before.
"Who are you, and what marriage are you talking about?"
"Who am I? As I told you, I am the envoy sent to approve and bless your marriage."
"I am not marrying anyone! What marriage are you talking about?"
"Did you not accept Kael Droconis as your husband and consent to be the mother of his child? This means you are married."
"Yes, but I did not know that consenting to be the mother of his child meant I would be married to him. Furthermore, what is this 'Droconis'? Isn't his name simply Kael?"
"In that case, you do not approve of the marriage, is that correct?"
Layra suddenly fell silent. The Envoy repeated the question, but Layra still offered no reply.
"Layra Serayn, do you accept Kael Droconis as your husband or do you not? Answer me."
"I need some time to think. I cannot instantly marry someone whose full name I have only just learned."
"So you are not rejecting the marriage then. In that case, I will give you time. We shall meet again when you are ready, but the child that is born will be of both your blood, and you will be its mother. There is no turning back from this now; you have already made your choice."
As these words ended, Layra realized she was falling backward and plunged into the water without being able to react. The water, which moments ago had only reached her ankles, suddenly deepened, turning into an abyss-like ocean with no discernible bottom. Layra was unable to move and continued to sink deeper and deeper. As she descended, her consciousness began to fade until, finally, she completely lost awareness.