Chapter 256: Episode 256.

The bolt never touched her. However, it came close enough for Aire to feel the heat, and close enough for the air around her to split with a deafening crack.

Every instinct inside her screamed to move but before she could, something else moved first.

Pain exploded inside her chest.

It felt as though something buried beneath her heart had suddenly awakened after centuries of sleep.

Aire gasped.

The half cresent mark behind her ear blazed silver. Then, a wave of light burst out of her.

It wasn’t a magic she cast. She hadn’t lifted a hand, or spoken a word. The silver force erupted from the center of her chest like a heartbeat made visible.

BOOM!

The corridor disappeared beneath blinding light. The dark purple lightning struck the silver wave.

Instead of breaking through, it shattered.

Thousands of violet sparks scattered harmlessly across the palace floor before dissolving into nothing.

Silence fell on them. Complete silence. Every Light Fae, and Dark Fae stopped. Even Aire stood frozen.

She looked down at herself. Silver ribbons still drifted lazily around her body. They circled her without touching. So protectively.

She hadn’t done that, and she didn’t know how. Another scream echoed outside.

The battle remembered itself.

The world exploded back into motion.

“Protect her!”

A Light Fae captain shouted. It was too late.

Dark shadows poured through the broken walls. They weren’t ordinary soldiers. They moved with terrifying precision, straight toward Aire.

Their objective had never changed. They wanted her. Dead, or alive.

One reached her first. His blade descended, and the silver ribbons around Aire reacted again.

They whipped upward like living creatures.

CLANG!

The sword never reached her.

Instead, the ribbon wrapped around the blade. Wrapped another around the warrior’s wrist, and another around his throat.

Before anyone understood what was happening, he was thrown backward with enough force to crash through three marble columns.

Aire stumbled. She stared at her own hands. “I didn’t…”

“Aire.” someone called. The voice came from the battlefield beyond.

Lysander.

He stepped through the smoke as though the war itself parted to let him pass. He still wore her face.

Every feature, every strand of silver hair, and every expression. Except the smile. That smile had never belonged to Aire.

It stretched unnaturally wide.

“I knew it.” He laughed softly. “I knew the old stories weren’t exaggerating.” His golden eyes glittered. “The realms protect you.”

Aire’s stomach turned.

Seeing herself smile like that, made her want to be sick. Behind him, another figure landed lightly beside him.

Morrigan.

Her red eyes never left Aire.

“There you are.” She smiled. “My little experiment.”

Aire took one involuntary step backward. The silver ribbons immediately shifted with her, like frightened wolves surrounding their Alpha.

Morrigan noticed.

“So…” She murmured. “It already recognizes you.”

Lysander’s laughter echoed through the ruined hall. “This just became far more interesting.”

Without warning, Morrigan lifted one hand, and the floor erupted. Thousands of black vines burst through shattered marble.

They raced toward Aire.

The silver ribbons reacted instantly. They reacted violently, and exploded outward. Every ribbon became dozens, and dozens became hundreds.

The silver light crashed into the vines.

Instead of merely cutting them, it reduced them to glowing ash before they reached her.

Morrigan’s smile disappeared. “Impossible.” She whispered.

Lysander tilted his head. “Powerful.” He sounded fascinated. “Beautiful.”

Aire kept backing away. “Please stop. I don’t want to hurt you, Lysander.”

“You wouldn’t dare.” Lysander answered. “I’m Lyse, remember?” He smiled at her.

He pointed directly at her heart.

“You are the Realm Tree, the old magic, and the first covenant.” His smile widened. “Just incase no one told you.”

Dark Fae attacked again. About fifty of them, from every direction. The silver light answered every single one.

Spears shattered, magic dissolved, and blades bent.

Anyone who crossed the invisible boundary surrounding Aire was hurled backward before touching her.

It was beautiful, terrifying, and untouchable.

Aire couldn’t control any of it. She could barely breathe. Every burst of silver made her weaker.

She dropped to one knee, and every strand of her hair lifted past her shoulders, floating softly around her.

Her vision blurred. “Please….” She whispered. “It hurts…”

The light dimmed slightly.

Morrigan saw it immediately.

“There.” She smiled again. “She’s exhausting herself.”

Lysander nodded. “The magic protects, but the vessel breaks.” He turned to Morrigan. “Let’s wait a while, shall we?”

Morrigan raised both hands. Dark runes spread across her arms. “Let’s break the vessel already.”

Every remaining vine inside the palace answered as she lifted both hands. Thousands of them burst through walls, the ceilings, and the floors.

An entire forest exploded into existence.

The silver ribbons destroyed wave after wave, but slower now.

Aire cried out.

Blood trickled from one nostril, and her knees buckled.

The silver shield flickered.

Morrigan moved. She vanished, then appeared directly beside Aire. Her hand glowed dark violet.

Aire tried to move. It was too late.

CRACK!

The blast struck her shoulder. Agony exploded through her entire body.

She screamed in pure earth shaking angony, and the silver ribbons scattered. Her body spun sideways.

She felt herself falling.

The world tilted, and everything became distant.

So…. This was how it ended. She heard birds chirping in her ears, and the sound of the ocean waves.

She swallowed softly, and shut her eyes, ready to rest permanently.

Suddenly, a storm answered. A wind unlike anything she’d ever felt roared through the shattered palace.

Every Dark Fae was blown backward, and every vine ripped itself from the ground.

“Away from her.”

Asterion’s voice shook the heavens. He descended surrounded by an ocean of silver wind.

His eyes burned brighter than Aire had ever seen.

He raised one hand, and the space itself tore open. He created a blinding portal of silver light.

“NOW!” He yelled, and the wind obeyed.

Instead of touching Aire, it wrapped around her gently.

She never hit the floor.

The wind lifted her like a feather. Then, hurled her toward the waiting portal.

“No!”

Morrigan screamed. She lunged forward, but it was too late.

Aire disappeared into the silver light. Morrigan slammed both hands against the ground.

Every surviving vine after Asterion’s answered her call. One final monstrous mass of black vines erupted.

They shot forward faster than arrows, straight into the closing portal, and right behind Aire. The portal snapped shut, and the vines vanished with it.