The chaos had finally subsided. The town lay in ruins, choked by smoke and scattered debris. Carts were wrecked, homes reduced to splinters, and the cobblestone streets pitted with craters. What was once a refuge for weary travelers had become the aftermath of a battlefield.
Aura turned to the group, her emerald eyes fading to their natural color as she let out a deep breath. The immense power that had surged from her moments earlier seemed to sink beneath her skin, dormant once more like a sleeping beast.
"Well," she said with a slight smirk. "That was certainly a reunion I wasn't expecting today."
Meara lowered her bow, a small chuckle escaping her lips. "Always one for dramatic entrances, aren't you, Aura?"
Aura smiled playfully as the tension in the air began to fade. "What can I say?" she said with a shrug, brushing a strand of green hair from her face. "Some habits are hard to break. Besides, I'd hate to disappoint my audience." She motioned toward the stunned Oreon and the princesses, who were still blinking in surprise.
"Regardless, I'm just happy my warning got to you in time," Meara responded.
Aura nodded. "Lena's message took a while to reach me, but I'm glad I arrived in time. When I got here, I sent her and the others to the docks until the situation was under control."
"Aura…" Oreon approached slowly, his body protesting every step. The moment she saw him, Aura's eyes widened and her face lit with comic surprise. She lunged forward, leaped from the earth tendril, and threw her arms around him in a possessive hug.
"OREON!" she screamed as she wrapped him in a tight embrace. The half-breed's face flushed, his eyes widening with embarrassment and surprise. Aura held him close, smiling warmly like a girl reunited with her favorite teddy bear.
"Aura—I—" Oreon tried to speak, his face turning even redder as her embrace tightened. He could feel the eyes of everyone on them. "Could you—maybe –loosen up a bit? I can't…breathe…."
"Oh! Sorry, sorry!" Aura released him at once and stepped back with an apologetic smile. Still, her hands stayed on his shoulders as she looked him over. "The last time I saw you, you barely reached my waist and ran around with twigs for weapons." She pinched his cheeks playfully, ignoring his mortified expression. "Now you're wielding your mother's daggers and fighting the Order."
Oreon squirmed in her grip as Aura hugged him again, radiating pure delight. "It's good to see you too, Aura, but…"
"But nothing," she interrupted, ruffling his hair before finally letting him go. "Your mother would be proud—and terrified. Mostly terrified."
Celestia exchanged a glance with Sylvanie, both still trying to process what they'd just witnessed—the battle—no, the absolute dominance Aura had displayed—left them speechless. And now, seeing this powerful elf act like a doting older sister toward Oreon was…jarring, to say the least.
Sylvanie leaned closer to Celestia, whispering just loud enough for her sister to hear. "Is this really the same elf who just ragged-dolled Vexes?"
Celestia could only nod slowly, her sapphire eyes still wide with disbelief. "I-I believe so," she murmured, watching Aura fuss over Oreon.
Aura finally stepped back from Oreon, though her hands lingered on his shoulders for a moment before she let go. Her emerald gaze swept over the group, noting their battered condition, Celestia's torn dress concealing cuts and bruises, Sylvanie leaning against the wall in exhaustion, and even Meara's slightly singed clothing.
Then her attention shifted directly to the Velyrian sisters. "Well, well," she said, pulling Oreon back into a possessive hug and pressing his face to her chest once more. "The daughters of Vel'Andria. I never thought I'd see the royal sisters so far from their fallen kingdom." She spoke with respect while Oreon comically struggled for breath in her grip. "Celestia and Sylvanie Velyrian, if I'm not mistaken."
Celestia stepped forward, maintaining the regal composure ingrained in her since birth despite their circumstances. "You have us at a disadvantage," she said carefully, her voice measured and diplomatic. Her eyes studied Aura, noting the casual strength with which she held Oreon. "You know our names, but we know little about you beyond what we've just seen."
Aura tilted her head thoughtfully, finally releasing Oreon from her suffocating embrace, once again. The half-dragonborn stumbled back, gasping for air while Aura smiled serenely as if nothing had happened.
"You're every bit as diplomatic as your mother raised you to be," Aura said calmly, placing a hand over her chest. "But where are my manners?" She gave a small, elegant bow full of both grace and playfulness. "I'm Aura Haizea. You may also call me the Eastern Guardian, former protector of the Eastern Grove—whichever suits you best." She paused, considering her many titles. "Or, if you prefer, a thorn in the Order's side. My current favorite, though, is Ghost of the Eastern Woods. It has a more ominous ring, don't you think?"
Meara snorted from where she stood. "They call her that because she's supposedly been killed at least three times. The Order even celebrated the last one."
"It was quite lovely to watch from the forest," Aura added with a wink. "The wine they opened for the occasion was exquisite," she said. "Who knew the Order could celebrate so well after a hard-won false victory?" She commented as her gaze lingered on the elves for a moment. "Though I imagine my reputation reached even the sheltered courts of Vel'Andria before its fall."
Sylvanie's eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "Wait…The Eastern Guardian?" She pushed herself off the wall, wincing slightly. "The one from the stories? The elf who supposedly massacred an entire battalion of the Order's forces forty years ago?"
"Fifty years, actually," Aura corrected with a modest smile. "But who's counting?"
"Then you became the rogue elf who abandoned the courts to live among the wilds," She added. "Mother told us all kinds of stories about you."
"Ro—rogue? Well, that's not exactly how it happened—rogue elf?" Aura repeated, one brow lifting as she stumbled over the phrase. "Is that really how your mother described me? Geez." She ran a hand through her hair. "Out of all the things she could've called me, I'd prefer…independent. Free-spirited, even." She waved a hand dismissively. "Court life was far too stuffy for me—too many rules, too many smug attitudes, and I was never one to bite my tongue."
Celestia's expression softened, curiosity slipping past her diplomatic mask. "My mother spoke of you with…mixed feelings," she admitted. "There was respect, but also frustration. She said you were brilliant, though the two of you were always arguing."
Aura laughed, a warm, genuine sound that felt almost out of place among the ruins. "Ah, yes… Xalith and I had our disagreements." Nostalgia softened her expression. "Your mother was every bit as brilliant as I am—fierce and stubborn as a mountain. We clashed constantly over philosophy, tradition, and the proper use of magic…" She paused, her smile turning bittersweet. "But I respected her deeply. She was one of the few who could truly match me in debate and make me question my own views." She let out a slow breath. "That's exactly what I'd expect from someone I considered one of my dearest friends."
The air grew heavier with that admission. Celestia's eyes widened slightly, and even Sylvanie's defiant posture softened just a fraction.
"You were…friends?" Celestia asked quietly, her voice barely above a whisper. "Mother never mentioned that."
"Of course she didn't," Aura said with a sad smile. "Your mother was always careful about what she revealed, especially regarding me. After I left the courts, our relationship became…complicated." She crossed her arms, her gaze distant as memories surfaced. "The nobility didn't take kindly to my departure. Called me a deserter, a traitor to our people. Your mother defended me publicly at first, but eventually…" She trailed off with a shrug. "Politics. She had a kingdom to rule, and I'd become a liability.
Sylvanie's eyes narrowed. "So, you just abandoned her?"
Aura blinked and tilted her head. "Abandoned? For the love of the grove, No." She raised both hands slightly in defense. "We found other ways to stay in touch and meet beyond the court's eyes and ears." She glanced over her shoulder at Oreon. "It was Xalith, me, and your mother, too, little dragon." She glanced over at Meara. "And of course the one who made sure we didn't get into too much trouble."
Meara crossed her arms with a dry smile. "Someone had to keep you three from starting a war or burning down a tavern every time you got together."
"That only happened twice," Aura protested with mock indignation. "And one of those was technically Xalith's fault." She sighed, her gaze sweeping over the group. "As much as I enjoy reminiscing, we should continue this somewhere less exposed." She glanced across the ruined village, her smile fading. "The Order will return in greater numbers once Vexes reports back, and we need to prepare our next move."
"Sisters of Vel'Andria," Aura said, her tone turning grave. "There is much we need to discuss." The group fell silent, all eyes turning to her as her expression hardened.