"I, too, wish to challenge Calista"
The silence that followed those words seemed to swallow the air. People held their breath. Even the wind fell still. And he stood there. Simply... stood, in the center of the arena, wearing that same calm expression he had worn for years.
But inside, something was screaming.
Not from fear. But from something worse. Something quieter and far more painful.
"I said it," he whispered to himself. "There's no turning back now."
***
It was the Awakening Courtyard.
A few decades ago
They stood side by side. Twins. Inseparable. Two reflections of the same blood.
Lyrian smiled gently. That same smile Kaelis knew so well—warm, calm, full of belief.
"Ready?" he asked, nudging his shoulder.
Kaelis nodded, trying to hide the tremble in his hands. It was the day of their awakening. The day that would define their future forever.
Lyrian went first. A burst of light. Silence. And then... shock. Divine roots.
