“Is it ready?” I ask, my voice echoing through the room. 

Avion, a tall man with jet-black hair and eyes like the night sky, nods solemnly. “It is, Your Majesty. But once you begin, there will be no turning back.” 

“I know,” I reply, my voice steady. 

Asmos, ever the stoic, stands beside Avion. His hulking frame is marked with the scars of countless battles, and his presence alone inspires confidence in any soldier. “We will buy you the time you need,” he says. “But if they breach the sanctuary—” 

“They won’t,” I cut him off sharply, my tone leaving no room for argument. “Melena, you will lead the retreat once the ritual begins. The three of you are to ensure that our forces escape. That is an order.” 

Melena’s jaw tightens, but she bows. “As you command, Your Majesty.” 

I move to the center of the room, standing before the largest altar. Atop it rests a bright, purple crystal, crafted from ancient magic and glowing with a soft, ethereal light. Reflected within the crystal is a vision of the near future—a newborn child cradled in her mother’s arms, sleeping peacefully, unaware of the divine turmoil that will soon befall her. 

“This is her?” Melena asks softly, stepping forward to gaze at the baby reflected inside the radiant crystal. “The vessel?” 

“Yes,” I whisper. “Her name will be Seira Xilsys. She is the one who will lead the age of gods to a new era.” 

The child is an elf, her tiny ears pointed and her skin pale, almost translucent under the magical light. A pang shoots through my heart as I look down at the girl inside the crystal. This innocent life, now entwined with the fate of gods and demons. 

“I don’t understand,” Melena says, her voice tinged with confusion. “Why her? Why an elf child?” 

“She was chosen by unknown entities,” I explain, my gaze never leaving Seira’s serene, sleeping face. “Her soul is pure. She has no ties to the divine realms. When the time comes, she will carry the essence of my power without being tainted by the corruption that plagues us.” 

Melena still seems troubled but says nothing more. 

The room grows heavy with tension as I step back, my golden armor clinking softly with each movement. I extend my hands, and radiant light begins to gather at my fingertips, swirling like a maelstrom of divine energy. My generals take their positions around the chamber, forming a protective circle, their postures resolute, ready to defend me with their lives. 

My voice rings out in a sacred chant, the words ancient and powerful, resonating with the very essence of Aetheris. The runes on the altars ignite, bathing the room in a blinding light as the ritual begins in earnest. The air crackles with magic, and the divine crystal glows brighter, as if responding to the immense power being channeled into it. 

My body trembles as the ritual progresses, my divine essence slowly but surely drawn out into the vessel that is Seira. Pain courses through me—I can feel my strength waning, my connection to Aetheris slipping away. But it must be done. For the future. For the realm. For all who would suffer under Idon’s tyranny. 

Just as the light reaches its peak, a deafening roar echoes through the chamber. The ground quakes violently, and the protective wards around the sanctuary begin to flicker. My heart skips a beat. 

“They’re here,” Asmos growls, his hand tightening on the hilt of his sword. 

Melena curses under her breath, drawing her twin blades. “Idon’s generals. They’ve broken through the outer defenses.” 

The light from the ritual pulses, and I grit my teeth. “We’re out of time. You must hold them off. Just a little longer.” 

Avion nods, his wings unfurling as he prepares to face the intruders. “We will not let them reach you, Your Majesty.” 

The doors to the chamber burst open with a thunderous crash, and the dark silhouettes of Idon’s elite generals step through. Colios, Camos, Ithys, Eilora, and Iros—each a god in their own right, each exuding an aura of death and destruction. 

“Go,” I command, my voice strained under the weight of the ritual. “I will finish this.” 

My generals rush forward, weapons drawn, colliding with Idon’s forces in a clash of divine power that shakes the sanctuary to its core. The sounds of battle echo through the chamber, but I remain focused, my mind singularly devoted to the task at hand. 

The ritual nears completion. The last of my essence flows into the tiny form of Seira, whose body glows with the brilliance of a newborn star. 

The human realm trembles under the strain—earthquakes ravage all corners of the world, colossal tsunamis annihilate coastal cities, and lightning tears across vast landscapes in chaotic bursts. With the small elf child’s awakening, the balance of the entire world shifted. 

I feel myself slipping away, my consciousness fading, but an overwhelming sense of peace washes over me. 

This is the end of my reign, but not the end of hope. 

With a final surge of energy, my soul fully transfers into the vessel. The light fades, and the chamber grows silent. The ancient divine crystal, now empty of its divine occupant and radiant light, lies dormant. 

In the distance, across a battlefield engulfed in chaos, gods and generals clash over the future of Aetheris, unaware that the true battle had just begun. 

------------------------------------------------- 

Somewhere in the human world... 

Seira Xilsys, the elf child, opens her eyes.