VI

Still reeling from the disorienting sensation of being lifted by an energy bubble, the twins found themselves placed inside a mode of transportation that was odder still: a spherical, floating carriage drawn by a pair of winged horses. Before Kiro could even speak, Kara had already rushed toward the magnificent white beasts, cooing softly as she stroked their muzzles.

"We have to go, Kara. Board the carriage."

She whirled on him, her features tightening with indignation. "Did you just give me an order?"

Kiro raised an eyebrow. "Yes. As your leader. Get in now."

Flustered by his authoritative tone, Kara hurried into the carriage, joining Lyra and Reya. As the winged horses beat a powerful rhythm through the air, the twins took in the splendor of the Sovereign City. It was a metropolis more perfect than any on Earth. Prismatic rainbows danced through the avenues, and each building, crafted from the enigmatic substance known as aerystal, shimmered with a breathtaking luminescence in the midday sun. The inhabitants themselves were works of art, their attire a seamless blend of futuristic and medieval fashion.

Suddenly, a familiar humming emanated from Reya's bag. She retrieved a small, light-blue sphere that was pulsing with light, reminiscent of a mobile phone.

Kiro leaned forward. "Those are tele-spheres," he explained. "Our method of long-distance communication in Oria. Reya's, of course, is the latest model."

With a theatrical sigh, Reya set the device aside. "I do like to stay current," she remarked with a wink, drawing a laugh from the twins.

The rest of the journey passed in quiet conversation until Kiro abruptly rose and gave the horses a silent command. As they came to a halt, he vaulted from the carriage with practiced ease. His sudden tension was palpable, and Reya stood as well. Kara gasped as a familiar, tranquil energy washed over her—the same presence she had felt in the forest, emanating from the man who called himself a dragon.

"Kara, what is it?" Lyra whimpered, her own senses slower to register the change. Then she felt it too: the voice in her mind, no longer a faint whisper but a tangible presence that seemed to reverberate through the very stones of the city. Reya ordered the girls to stay put as Kiro strode toward a disturbance down the street.

As the source of the commotion drew nearer, a figure emerged from the crowd: a man with wild, silver-white hair streaked with black and violet. He was disheveled and filthy, his arms gripped tightly by two large guards in Sentinel armor. Kiro shouted for them to halt.

"So," Kiro began, a menacing grin twisting his handsome features. "You thought you could betray the Princess and simply walk away?"

The man remained silent, his gaze fixed on the ground.

"Well? What do you have to say for yourself, traitor?" Kara flinched at the raw, cutting edge in Kiro's voice. When the prisoner offered no response, Kiro’s patience frayed. "What kind of creature are you? Say something!" he snarled, thrusting his face close to the unkempt man's. "I gave you a direct order, Runo!"

Kiro grabbed the front of the man’s shirt, forcing his head up. For a moment, the girls saw his eyes, and the raw power radiating from them was so intense it made them gasp. The man—Kael Runo—seemed to look past Kiro, his amber-gold gaze locking directly onto them.

Suddenly, the prisoner erupted into a fit of uncontrollable laughter. A triumphant smirk crossed Kiro's face as he spat at the man. The laughter died instantly. Kael murmured something unintelligible, and Kiro, his patience snapping, roared in anger and drove his fist into the man's gut.

"Take him away!" Kiro growled, stalking back to the carriage. His fury seemed to evaporate as quickly as it had appeared. The twins exchanged bewildered looks as the carriage resumed its journey in a tense, heavy silence.

Sunlight streamed through the throne room's crystalline windows, casting shifting rainbows across the ruby-red carpet. The throne itself, carved from white marble to resemble a great tree, dominated the far wall. Upon it sat Her Royal Highness, Princess Calista. With her long, pale-blond hair, a flowing white gown, and deep blue eyes, she possessed an otherworldly beauty.

Bored, Calista rose and strolled across the vast floor, its expanse broken only by a pattern of elaborately carved runes. A strange, almost ravenous smile touched her lips as she affectionately traced the largest of the symbols: a pair of wings encircling a small, perfect circle. The sound of approaching footsteps startled her from her reverie. She glided back to her throne just as Kiro entered, waiting to be formally announced.

Already dressed in a formal white and silver tunic, Kiro strode forward and bowed with fluid grace. "Your Royal Highness, Princess Calista. Commander Kiro Jidaka, reporting."

Calista leaned forward, her expression an invitation for him to continue.

"We reached the Sovereign City without incident," Kiro stated. "However, we encountered the traitor, Kael Runo. His presence in the Palace, coupled with his previous attack, heightens the risk for the ball. I would advise—"

"Kiro."

The single word silenced him. An flicker of irritation crossed Calista's face as her fingertips toyed with a red-jeweled bracelet. "And the other Fated one? The Aether Mage, Kara. Is she as powerful as I anticipated?"

Kiro swallowed. "I believe so, Your Majesty. I fear she may be even more powerful."

Calista fell into a thoughtful silence. Kiro resolved then to have her and her retainers removed from the Palace. It was too dangerous with Kael imprisoned within its walls, and he had no desire to provoke her notorious wrath. As he escorted her from the throne room, he leaned close and murmured something for her ears only. She smiled, that strange light returning to her eyes as her fingers tapped the bracelet in time with her pulse.

Later, as stylists fitted them for silver gowns in their assigned chambers, the twins finally found a moment to discuss the strange prisoner.

That man was... unsettling, Kara projected to her sister.

I think I know him, Lyra sent back, her mental voice a hushed whisper. There was something so familiar about him.

When the attendants finished, the twins turned to face each other and gasped. They both wore elegant, sleeveless silver gowns with a high slit on one leg and a chic keyhole cutout at the chest.

"You ladies look divine," one of the stylists said with a playful smile. "But I imagine you grow tired of looking identical. Close your eyes."

The twins obeyed. A tingling sensation washed over their skin. When they opened their eyes, the stylists were gone, and their gowns had been transformed. The hem of Lyra's gown now bled into a deep scarlet, with stylized flames licking their way up the skirt to meet the pure silver of the bodice. A sophisticated, crimson flower now adorned her hair.

"Whoa! This is incredible! Kara, your dress, I love it!" Lyra cried, spinning her sister toward the mirror.

Kara's gown was a marvel of shifting light; as she moved, patterns swirled out from the keyhole in a cascade of violet, silver, and pale blue. Her hair was held in place by a simple silver tiara set with a single purple diamond.

"I feel like we're going to prom all over again!" Lyra said, her own eyes shining as she pulled her sister toward the door.

Kara laughed, but the sound caught in her throat as the world dissolved around her. The last thing she registered was the look of alarm on Lyra's face.

The vision plunged her back to the precipice she had seen before. The battling figures were still there, their identities obscured. Below a surface of shattered ice, shadows writhed. A familiar voice cried out in a roar of agonized fury. The scene shifted. Beneath a broken crystal spire, a dark-haired man held a girl in a purple-blue dress. The figure turned, and before the vision shattered, Kara saw its impossibly green eyes.

She came to on the floor, surrounded by Lyra, Kiro, Reya, and a man she didn't recognize.

"I don't think I'll ever get used to you doing that!" Lyra sobbed with relief.

Kiro was now in a more formal white uniform. Reya, in a sea-green gown, offered a reassuring smile. But Lyra had already turned her attention to the newcomer.

"This is Aden," Kiro introduced, a faint blush on his cheeks. "Master of the Elements, and a dear friend."

Aden, a man with a shock of unruly orange hair and electrifying blue eyes, offered a dramatic bow. "An honor to meet our new Sentinels and Fated Mages." He took Reya's hand and kissed it. "My friend Kiro left out a key talent. You are aware, Lieutenant, that I am an eternal romantic?"

Reya, flushing, snatched her hand away.

Muttering about the time, Kiro ushered the twins away before they could tease the flustered lieutenant. He led them down a magnificent corridor and up a wide staircase toward a set of towering doors. The low murmur of hundreds of voices drifted from beyond. Kara, who had always suffered from stage fright, felt her blood run cold. Lyra sensed her sister's fear and sent a wave of comforting energy toward her.

Kiro turned to face them one last time. "Reya and Aden will enter immediately after me. Once you are announced, I will personally introduce our newest Sentinels. This ball is in your honor."

"Can we just get this over with?" Kara snapped, her voice sharper than she intended.

With a frustrated nod to the others, Kiro turned. Aden confidently offered his arm to Reya, and they swept toward the gleaming doors, which turned translucent just long enough for them to pass through. A wave of polite applause met them as a booming voice announced their arrival.

Next, Kiro himself strode through the doors. As the applause for him faded, Lyra took her sister's hand and squeezed it.

"Here we go," she whispered, walking confidently toward the entrance.

Kara hesitated, the details of her vision still searingly fresh in her mind. A knot of dread tightened in her stomach. She hurried to catch up just as Kiro's voice, amplified by the hall's acoustics, resonated through the vast space.

"...proud to present Oria's newest Sentinels and the Fated Aether and Pyre Mages, Kara and Lyra of Earth!"