Those words hung in the air long after Elder Aruya's voice faded.
The students sat in reverent silence, the weight of their ancestors' journey settling over them.  With a steady rhythm, the Elder gathered her bowls and herbs and, with a pace slow and steady, walked to each candle to put them out. Her ritual complete, history once again carried forward. Kana remained frozen on her cushion, staring at the carved reliefs spiraling up the stone walls. Years of training kept her posture perfect, her expression serene, the image of a future queen. To those watching, Kana was beautiful in a way that demanded attention. Her eyes were the pale blue common among Esharian mages, but hers held something more: a faint, ethereal glow that pulsed when she channeled ancestral Àse, making them difficult to meet directly. Her skin was a deep, radiant brown, and though she stood at just five feet three, she learned to carry herself with a commanding grace that filled whatever space she occupied.

A single white stripe ran through her long black hair, stark against the black like moonlight cutting through shadow. She wore it in intricate braids threaded with silver beads and magical charms, often pulled back into a ceremonial wrap that framed her face. Her layered robes in white, gray, and earthen red were trimmed with furs and etched with protective runes and symbols of the earth spirits. Everything about her was deliberate, sacred.

She sat studying the symbols carved into the wall. She'd heard this story dozens of times, but she preferred when the Elder told her the whole story in secret, how the first Ethereal, one of her many great-grandmothers, seduced and drugged the Demon King in an attempt to compel him to her will. A power move. In truth, she betrayed Bapht, and he became vengeful with a wrath the mages were unprepared for. The great migration of her tribes south, the Promise Narobei made with the land... The Elder's watered-down tale for the other scholars was simply to keep the history going. The familiar version washed over her like background noise.

But today felt different.

Today, it felt like Narobei’s presence had settled in her chest with unsettling pressure. It felt like a flock of restless birds trapped beneath her ribs, their wings beating against bone.

Why do I feel so nervous now? she wondered, watching Elder Aruya's weathered hands move with deliberate grace.

The old woman was beloved throughout Eshari, her stories drawing crowds from every corner of the city. Children begged their parents to bring them to her sessions. Adults quoted her tales in the markets and taverns. Even the wolves seemed to listen when she spoke.

Kana doubted she could ever command such reverence. Despite years of training, her voice remained soft, and among nobles, hesitation still crept in. It would never fill a room the way her mother's had.

The comparison stung because it inevitably led to thoughts of her mother.

Queen Kanaé's rule had been celebrated with festivals that lasted for days, their streets adorned with banners bearing her image. Poets composed verses about her wisdom. Musicians wrote ballads about her connection to the spirits.

Her Àse had been divine; she could call upon ice, wind, and earth with equal mastery, her power flowing like a river between elements. The spirits had loved her, answered her call without hesitation.

How could Kana ever measure up to that legacy?

"Class dismissed," Elder Aruya announced, her tone cutting through Kana's brooding. "Remember what you have learned today. The spirits listen."

Students began to rise, their conversations resuming in hushed murmurs as they filed toward the chamber's entrance.

Kana lingered, her mind still tangled in ancestral whispers and self-doubt.

She was loved, spoiled even the people of Eshari adored their young princess. Her protective older brother Kane served with honor in the army, ten years her senior and fiercely devoted to both family and nation. Her mother had braided her hair with her own hands instead of leaving it to the maids, those quiet moments between them still warming Kana's heart years later.

Everyone saw her as perfect.

Inside, she felt restless and hollow, unsure of her true path forward.

"Kana." The familiar voice drew her from her reverie. "You look like you've seen a ghost."

She turned to find Asher Zamani approaching, his tall frame moving with characteristic ease despite his youth.

His dark skin seemed to absorb the chamber's soft light, making his ocean-blue eyes appear almost luminous behind wire-rimmed glasses. As always, he carried a book tucked under his right arm, the silver glyphs embroidered on his layered white and pale blue uniform catching the glow from the Frostglass windows.

I may well be," Kana said, a breathless laugh escaping as she rose to join him. "The ancestors feel… unusually close today.

Asher's expression grew thoughtful.

At ten years old, he had already possessed the poise and precision of a seasoned scholar, his reputation as the smartest boy in Eshari well-earned through years of dedication to his studies. Even now, at twenty-one, that quiet brilliance had only sharpened. His family's bond with the Kana’s family ran deep; the Mbaya'Wolé had served as protectors for generations, their special connection to the wolves making them invaluable guardians and soldiers. Assigned to protect the Ethereals' family and bloodline. 

Elder Aruya's storytelling has that effect," he said as they stepped onto the walkway carved into the cliff face.

Snow drifted along the ancient paths. Eshari clung to the mountainside in layers.  The noble families and the Mbaya'Wolé lived highest, their homes carved directly into the cliff face. Most Esharians made their lives in the valley below, where the hot springs were plentiful and homes could be dug into warmer earth. Blue mana-flame flickered behind frosted windows. The air hummed with Àse, that ancient current of power that ran through everything here: the ice, the stone, the very wind that whispered past them in the language of the spirits.

In the distance, large white wolves moved like living shadows against the mountainside, their presence both comforting and otherworldly. One paused on a ridge, its breath visible in the cold air, eyes glowing faintly as it watched the walkers below. Above them, the sky shimmered faintly iridescent. Towering cliffs rose around them, frozen lakes caught between peaks, waterfalls locked mid-fall and glowing with trapped light. Crystals jutted from the rock face. Esharians had been harvesting them for generations, and still they grew.

The path they walked was old and worn smooth by countless feet, etched with protective symbols that had been refreshed so many times the stone itself seemed to remember the shape of them. Snowwood trees lined the lower terraces, their white bark ghostly in the dimness, blue sap glistening where branches had been carefully pruned for ritual use.

As they descended, the air changed warmer, thick with minerals. Steam rose from the hot springs below, where heat bled up from the mountain's belly into pools ringed with ancient stone. Jade-colored moss clung to the wet rocks. White-petaled flowers grew in tight clusters near the water, their roots drinking warmth from beneath the snow. Healers only picked them during the new moon, when they were strongest. In the coldest months, families came down to bathe in the springs, to soak in water that remembered the mountain's first promise.

"Though you seemed more affected than usual."

Kana pulled her fur-lined robe tighter against the mountain chill.

"The Vestige Ceremony is coming up. I can't stop thinking about it. I sense the ancestors trying to tell me something, it's a strange feeling I can't shake off."

Asher adjusted his glasses, which had begun to slip down his nose in the cold air. "What specifically worries you?"

The question opened floodgates she'd been trying to keep closed.

“All of it." She paused, her fingers teasing the silver beads in her braids. "The grandmothers who came before... their spirits watch feel like they’re watching me. What if they see only my limits?

"My Àse is limited to water and ice. I'm skilled, yes, but compared to my mother's vast range..." She trailed off, frustration coloring her voice.

Then she caught herself, straightening with practiced poise.

Then she caught herself, straightening with practiced poise. "I trust the vestiges will guide me. They'll show me how to connect with the other elemental spirits. That way I can continue pushing Eshari toward economic prosperity." The words came out rehearsed, confident, a speech she'd practiced many times.

Asher's expression softened with recognition. He'd seen her retreat behind protocol when the truth cut too close before.

Asher was quiet for a moment. "You don't have to do that with me, you know."

"Do what?"

"Sounds like you're addressing the council." He chuckled. His tone was gentle. "I'm not asking what your grandmothers think. I'm asking what Kana is fearing."

Inside, doubt gnawed at her.

The elemental spirits have been distant lately. I call to them, but they don't respond. What if the vestiges reveal that I'm not worthy of their lineage?

Asher stopped walking, turning to face her fully, studying her expression.

His eyes held steady compassion, the kind of understanding that came from years of friendship.

"Kana, the vestiges wouldn't waste their bond on someone unworthy. They chose you before you were even born." He paused. "Why don't you trust that?"

"But what if"

"What if you're exactly what Eshari needs?" he interrupted gently. "What if your struggles now are preparing you for something greater?"

Kana wanted to believe him, but doubt had sunk its claws deep.

How does he know? she thought to herself and smirked.

She was the beloved princess, showered with affection and admiration, yet inside she felt unworthy of the high esteem.

They resumed walking, their footsteps echoing off the carved stone.

Around them, other students made their way home through the network of bridges and terraces that connected Eshari’s various levels. 

"I heard something interesting today," Asher said, clearly trying to distract her from her anxieties. "There are rumors about unusual guests attending the ceremony."

"Unusual how?"

He lowered his voice, glancing around to ensure they weren't overheard.

"Diplomatic visitors. Demons, specifically." He studied her reaction. "My father was tight-lipped about the details, but he seemed... concerned."

A chill ran down Kana's spine that had nothing to do with the mountain air. "What kind of concern?"

"The careful kind." Asher's scholarly demeanor couldn't quite hide the worry in his tone. "Why do you think the Mbaya'Wolé would be nervous about a ceremony?"

Kana considered. "Because of who's coming?"

"Exactly. The Gathering will bring representatives from many nations. Your mother's offer has drawn suitors from across the globe, all hoping for political alliance through your hand in marriage."

He adjusted his glasses again. "Most assume a mage is the obvious choice. It would be fascinating to meet mages from different tribes, learn about their cultures and tributes to the spirits. But..."

"But?" Kana prompted.

"But with so many people here, our defenses must go up. Especially since we don't truly know everyone's intentions." His voice dropped lower. "And there are likely to be representatives from Xakora."

"That means he's already calculating defensive positions," Asher continued. "The scale of this event is significant enough to make my father uneasy."

Before Kana could respond, she glanced out one of the windows in the lantern-lit hall.

The world tilted.

Dizziness washed over her as the bright white moon suddenly pulsed crimson, like a great eye opening in the sky, watching her with ancient hunger.

The suffocating essence in her chest surged, responding to the vision she couldn't name.

As suddenly as it appeared, the image vanished. The moon returned to its normal silvery glow, beautiful and serene.

Asher noticed her lose her balance and placed his hand on her back. "Kana?"

"Did you see…" she began, spinning toward the window to search the sky.

Nothing. Only the familiar sights of home: carved stone, drifting snow, the distant forms of white wolves moving through their eternal patrol. Stars scattered across the darkness, and the full bright moon shone with unmatched beauty.

"See what?" Asher asked, concern replacing curiosity in his voice.

Kana shook her head, forcing a smile that felt brittle on her lips as she regained her posture and poised demeanor.

Nothing." The lie settled bitterly on her tongue. "A trick of lamplight, perhaps. Or my own mind is playing tricks on me.

But as they continued toward the royal quarters, she couldn't shake the oppressive tension in her chest, an unease she had never experienced before.

The wind picked up, carrying with it the faint scent of ash and distant fire, though no hearths burned in that direction.

Kana pulled her robe tighter and tried to convince herself it was only her nerves creating illusions in her mind.

She was not entirely successful.