Power thrummed through Amanda's veins. Each heartbeat sent ripples of warmth flowing through her body. She lifted her hands, watching in quiet wonder as she flexed her fingers. Strange light danced across her skin, catching on her nails like fireflies.
A smile bloomed across her face. Soft and real. It was the first true smile since her prison.
The rune on her chest pulsed with her heart. As her fingers traced the complex pattern, memories stirred within her. They felt old and familiar, yet somehow new.
Her gaze drifted to the horizon, past the castle's crystal windows. The forest stretched endlessly below. Though distance hid the details, her new senses could feel him there. His presence was a bright light in the web of power that now spread across Elderglade.
"Thank you for coming for me," she whispered. Her voice carried thanks and something deeper, an understanding that went beyond words. The surrounding air shimmered in reply, as if it felt her emotions.
Drawing in a deep breath, she pulled in the spirit of Elderglade itself. Amanda closed her eyes as power gathered around her like a gentle tide. The air hummed as magic began to take shape.
Darkness bloomed across her skin, flowing like ink in water as it took shape. The fabric materialized with exquisite precision, settling around her with perfect grace.
It was simple. Black. Clean lines. Deep neckline, white patterns stitched across the torso in a design that looked half floral, half arcane. The sleeves ended just under the arm.
Amanda's eyes opened slowly. The twin crimson orbs now held primal light, showing power and kindness. Her gaze swept across the room. She saw the kneeling warriors, the trembling Halodor, and the great weight that now rested on her shoulders.
The rune pulsed once more, as if offering comfort.
Amanda's spine straightened.
A beautiful, sharp clarity settled over her, changing everything.
Her attention returned to the Earth Elder, eyes softening with curiosity. "Tell me about this prophecy you mentioned."
The massive elf flinched, his entire frame tensing like a startled deer. He bowed lower, his forehead nearly touching the floor. "The prophecy is well known in the Eldara clan, where it says..." His voice trailed off, uncertainty creeping into his tone. "Where it says..."
A groan escaped his lips as his body seemed to fold in on itself, his head dropping completely to the ground.
His voice, when it came again, trembled
"My deepest apologies, my Queen," he stammered.
"I... I cannot recall the words."
He faltered, his brow furrowing as if unseen hands were plucking the words from his mind.
Amanda paused, her breath catching as something strange began to happen. Reality peeled away like layers of cobweb silk, fine yet revealing something huge and endless. Her breath hitched as Elderglade unfolded before her. Each light was a heartbeat in the living web she now belonged to.
The solid walls of the castle became see-through. Her gaze could pierce through stone and wood as if they were nothing more than morning mist.
All of Elderglade spread before her new sight. Countless elven forms appeared as shapes of light. Their spirits burned like stars in the sky. Even the old branches, thick as castle walls, seemed no more solid than thin paper held up to sunlight.
As she scanned the wide land, patterns appeared. Most of the shapes glowed with a steady, even light. But others stood out. Their light was stronger, more layered. Her gaze returned to the Earth Elder. She studied the unusual light around him. It burned bright but broken somehow, like a colored glass window with missing pieces.
"Where are the other you?" The words left her lips before she fully understood their meaning, carried on an instinct older than thought.
The Earth Elder lifted his head slowly, confusion etching deep lines across his weathered face. "My Queen, your words confuse this old soul," he replied, "but if you speak of the other Elders, they attend to pressing matters throughout our domain."
As he spoke, Amanda's new senses felt something far below. It was a problem at the very roots of Elderglade. Though trouble was everywhere in their safe place, this felt different.
Important. Needed. Like a heartbeat slightly out of step, it called to her with a strong pull.
Whatever waited in Elderglade's ground called to her. It was not a threat, but a wounded part of the land itself, aching for her to mend it.
Her new powers surged as she understood this. It sent ripples through her strange new sight. The shapes flickered like candlelight in a breeze. Each one carried stories she was only beginning to understand.
The rune on her chest pulsed once more. Its light reached out toward that distant problem. Something old stirred in Amanda's blood.
The time for questions was never-ending. But now was a moment for action.
Energy exploded around her. Air rippled as her form blazed into pure light. In an instant, she rushed past the Earth Elder. Her bright trail burned the air in the room like lightning. The brilliant stream she left behind hung in the air for a heartbeat, like the spot you see after lightning burns into your eyes.
The light carried with it the faintest hint of morning warmth. Entirely different from the tight feeling that had filled the room moments before.
Halodor, still sprawled where he had fallen, reached out with a trembling hand. His mind was a storm of fear and regret. The ghostly streak Amanda left behind seemed to mock him. Its beauty was a reminder of what he had almost destroyed.
His fingers closed on empty air, and a hollow sob escaped his lips.