Ash's smile only widened.
He inclined his head slightly, wings rustling like velvet night. "Celeste," he repeated, tasting the name.
"A fitting title for someone who shines as brightly as the stars."
A few elders shifted uncomfortably; The Patriarch cleared his throat, but Celeste raised a delicate hand, silencing him without looking away from Ash.
"Your offer still stands," she said, her voice steady as starlight. "Freedom for my people, the continent untouched. In return… an alliance with your Originat Clan, and Astralis beneath your banner."
Ash stepped closer, bronze skin glowing in the crystal pillars' refracted light.
"Exactly. Mutual growth. Your ancestors' wisdom, your legions, your resources—shared with a clan destined to rise faster than any in history."
An elder scoffed. "Shared? An unrated clan dares to—"
Celeste's gaze slid to him, calm yet commanding. He stopped mid-sentence.
She turned back to Ash.
