The world outside had never seemed so alive. Sunlight filtered through the trees of Irys Vale, sparkling on dew-laden grass. The Hollowing had been sealed, but its echo lingered—soft, like the afterimage of a dream.
Elara, Kael, Mira, and Liora stood on the ridge overlooking the valley. At its center, a faint shimmer disturbed the morning air: Sareth and others of his kind had arrived.
"They've come," Elara said, the Eighth Marker glowing faintly against her chest. "The Starborn."
---
Arrival of the Awakened
Sareth stepped from the shimmer, his silver eyes reflecting the dawn. Behind him, eleven others appeared—each unique, each powerful, yet unmistakably otherworldly. Some had wings, some bore runes across their skin, and all radiated light like small stars walking on earth.
Sareth approached cautiously. "Elara Veyra," he said, bowing his head slightly. "You've done what no other could. You stopped the Hollowing and stabilized the Markers."
Kael's jaw tightened. "Why now? Why the Starborn return after all this chaos?"
Sareth's gaze softened. "Because the world is not whole. The Hollowing's collapse revealed more than it consumed. The Markers are safe, but the balance has shifted. We must convene a Conclave to restore the natural order."
Elara frowned. "A Conclave? Sounds like politics."
"Not politics," Sareth corrected. "Preservation. Guidance. And… protection."
---
The Conclave Convened
The Starborn led them to a natural amphitheater carved into the cliffs, formed of crystalline stone and flowing light. At its center, a circular platform hummed with energy, resonating with the Markers.
One by one, the Starborn spoke:
Teryn, winged and ethereal, spoke of restoring ley lines corrupted by the Hollowing.
Veylis, a being of molten gold, recounted the dangers of magical overuse and warned of rogue artifacts still hidden.
Amara, her voice soft like a river, shared visions of human and Starborn cooperation to prevent future breaches.
Sareth watched Elara, silent but observant. Finally, he said, "And you, Flame-born, are the bridge. The one who connects humanity and Starborn magic. Without your guidance, the Conclave cannot function."
Elara swallowed hard. "Me? I'm still… learning."
"You have learned," Kael interjected. "We saw what you did in the Hollowing. You don't need to doubt yourself."
---
Secrets Revealed
Sareth approached and held out his hand. "There is something you need to understand."
He guided Elara to a pool of liquid silver that reflected not just her image, but all the timelines the Hollowing touched.
"You see," he explained, "when you sealed the Hollowing, fragments of memory and possibility scattered. Some of them still linger—hidden worlds, alternate paths, echoes of what might have been. The Starborn were awakened to correct these deviations."
Elara's eyes widened. "So… there's more work?"
Sareth nodded gravely. "Much more. The Hollowing was only the beginning. What you face now is the restoration of existence itself. And you, Eighth Marker, are central to it."
---
Allies and Choices
Mira stepped closer, scanning the Starborn. "Do we have to trust them? Or just… tolerate them?"
Sareth's eyes were gentle but firm. "Trust is a choice. The Conclave will provide knowledge, but not power without responsibility."
Liora muttered, "I've already seen what happens when we ignore responsibility. Let's just get this done before more horrors appear."
Kael placed his hand on Elara's shoulder. "Whatever comes, we face it together. Starborn or not, nothing breaks our bond."
Elara smiled faintly, her resolve hardening. "Together. Always."
---
The Test of Starborn Magic
As part of the Conclave, Sareth guided Elara to a massive crystal formation—a focus point for the Starborn energy.
"You must attune yourself," he said. "The Eighth Marker allows you to bind human and Starborn magic. But first, you must prove that you can hold your identity against their power. The Starborn can overwhelm your sense of self if you are not prepared."
Elara placed the Marker against the crystal. It flared, golden light meeting silver. A surge of energy coursed through her—visions of past, present, and possible futures rushing like rivers.
Her mind resisted, and for a moment, panic flared. Faces of those lost in the Hollowing appeared, whispers of fear and doubt clawed at her resolve.
But Kael's hand on hers grounded her. "I'm here," he whispered. "I remember. We remember."
The Marker's glow stabilized. The visions coalesced into patterns of light. Elara opened her eyes, radiant and calm. She had succeeded.
Sareth bowed his head. "The bridge has held."
---
The Shadow Stirring
Not all had been contained. Somewhere beyond the cliffs, in the remnants of Hollowing's reach, a faint darkness began to stir. A whisper, low and hungry, carried on the wind:
> "You think it is over? I am always here. And I wait."
Elara felt it in her bones. The Hollowing might have been sealed, but its essence—its hunger—was not destroyed. Something worse could still be coming.
She glanced at Kael, Mira, and Liora. "The Starborn may help us restore balance… but we cannot rely on them alone."
Kael squeezed her hand. "Then we do what we always do. Fight. Protect. Remember who we are."
Elara nodded, the Eighth Marker pulsing in agreement.
Sareth watched silently, a mixture of pride and caution in his gaze. "The path ahead will test you beyond anything you've faced. But I believe the Flame-born can walk it."
---
A Moment of Calm
That night, under a sky newly alive with stars, Elara and Kael found a quiet place on a cliff above the valley.
"You're tired," Kael said, brushing a strand of hair from her face.
"I am," she admitted. "But I also feel… ready. Like the Hollowing was only a lesson, not the end."
Kael smiled. "We've come a long way."
"And we still have farther to go," Elara said.
He leaned in, their foreheads touching. "Whatever comes, Flame-born… I'm not leaving."
Her smile was soft, glowing with quiet strength. "Neither am I."
The stars above twinkled like a thousand eyes, watching, waiting, promising that the story was far from over.