Chapter 18:

Embers Falling Before the Storm - C3

The Lost Kingdom | Nova Terra Chronicles

P18 C3.1 Into Stasis

The battlefield was chaos, but time... time slowed in the instant it mattered most.

A burning beam of condensed crystal-light arced across the frontline--an attack from Rez, redirected by a jagged mirror shard conjured by Kuro. Unpredictable and violent, but perfect.

Gem didn't see it coming.

But Kite did.

"GEM!" Kite shouted, her voice cutting through the roar of war. She shoved the healer aside, arms glowing with her shielding sigil.

The beam collided with her chest.

A crackling BOOM of energy burst outward, throwing them both across the battlefield.

Abstra's eyes widened as she felt the pulse through the magical field.

"Kite..."

She teleported instantly, appearing just as Kite's body hit the dirt--sparks of magic burning at the edges of her robes, her breath shallow.

Gem rushed to her, sobbing. "No--no no no--! I can't--I can't fix this! I'm trying--please!" Her staff flickered. Healing light wavered.

Abstra placed a firm hand on Gem's shoulder. "Step back."

The airship's side hatch opened with a low mechanical groan. Abstra yelled at Glonk to hold down the field as she lifted Kite's limp form with careful magic and floated her into the ship. Inside, the stasis chamber hissed open. Gently, Abstra placed her new friend inside.

"Temporal lock. Mana suppression. Neural hold. Come back to us."

With a whisper of a spell, the wounds stopped bleeding--but didn't close.

A frozen moment of hope.

Gem sat curled outside the chamber unable to go back into battle, fingers digging into her sleeves. Abstra placed a hand on her shoulder in silent support.

P18 C3.2 The Final Trial Begins

Far away, atop the floating islands of Deus-Dynasty, five figures stood at the threshold of the final trial.

Toku.
Rikushi.
Blaidd.
Valentine.
LuLu.

An ancient gate parted before them, revealing a world of endless mirrors, flickering illusions, and echoes of their past selves.

A disembodied voice echoed:

"To ascend... you must overcome the shadows of your past."

The space warped--splitting them each into isolated realms.

Toku found himself alone, staring into a reflection that wasn't quite his. It was him--but older, twisted, afraid. Weak.

"You're not strong enough," the reflection spat. "You've always needed others to protect you."

Toku dropped his spear.

"Maybe," he muttered. "But I still kept going."

The reflection snarled, lunging with a shadow-spear.

Toku dodged, rolled, and grabbed it mid-strike--twisting it into mist. His body surged with heat, earth, wind, and spark.

A new weapon appeared in his hands, a double-headed spear pulsing with elemental veins.

Flames at one end. Wind at the other. Water running through its Rock spine.

He whispered: "I don't need to be saved anymore."

The world shattered around him, and Toku emerged--eyes glowing, tattoos of old gods newly etched across his forearms.

Rikushi stood amidst fire, mastering its will--his saber now infused with radiant white flame, capable of purging dark mana.

Blaidd's daggers had become ethereal, made of frozen will and sharpened focus. His katana now phased between dimensions.

Valentine unlocked the power of kinetic manipulation--his punches now rippled through armor like shockwaves.

LuLu walked out with her scythe wrapped in shadows that whispered truths. She could now channel magic through her swings--memory, fear, and loss turned to power.

P18 C3.3 Power From The Heavens

All five regrouped before a blinding light.

Above them, celestial beings, formed from mist and divine aura, stared down.

"You have proven worthy."

"But the price of power is urgency."

"Your village... it bleeds."

Images flashed: Kite in stasis, Gem weeping, Glonk surrounded, Davie approaching, TLK charging up again...

The final god spoke.

"Return with haste. Or they may return to ash."

Back at the village, the cloaked figure on the mountain had not moved.

But now, his hand twitched.

A pulse emanated from him again--faint, like a bell rung in reverse.