The orange sky was beginning to fade into violet as Gabriella and Indra soared through the clouds. The wind whispered around them, cool and high above the world. Below, the celestial towers of Solmere pierced through the mist like monuments of divinity, gleaming in the dying light of the sun. Their mirrored walls caught the last rays of daylight, casting golden reflections upward—scattering radiance across the heavens themselves.
"We need to report this to Taliyah and Murre immediately," Gabriella said, urgency lacing her voice as the towers came into full view.
"Agreed," Indra replied with a nod. "They'll need to know about Layla and Kayla too."
Their descent was swift. With practiced grace, they landed on the marble platform at the front of the main hall. The towering entrance, lined with intricate celestial carvings, opened without a sound as they approached—welcoming them into the heart of divine command.
Inside, the air was charged. A glowing celestial map hovered midair in the center of the grand hall, its surface alive with shifting lights and energy—depicting movements across the realms. Divine pulses ran through it like veins of starlight.
Taliyah stood beside it, arms crossed, her golden aura flickering faintly like a calm flame. Murre stood just off her shoulder—ever composed, his calm eyes tracking the map like a strategist watching the turn of war.
Taliyah turned at their approach, voice sharp and direct. "You're back. What happened?"
Indra and Gabriella exchanged a glance. Then Gabriella stepped forward, her voice steady but heavy.
"Varis wasn't just a random attack. We encountered two Zehirah. And… upper members of the church."
Taliyah's eyes narrowed. She turned slightly toward Murre, the light around her growing firmer. "Two Zehirah working together… That's bold, even for them."
"It was Layla and Kayla," Gabriella clarified. "Although… I don't know if you'd classify them as two anymore."
Murre adjusted his glasses slowly, thoughtful. "Not really," he said, tone low, "but this confirms my suspicions. The Zehirah are organizing under Hallel's command."
"Hallel? He's leading them himself?" Indra asked, stunned.
Taliyah folded her arms tighter. Her aura flared, then steadied. "Hallel rarely moves directly. If he's uniting The Zehirah, it means he's planning something big."
Indra stepped forward, tension rising in his voice. "Then we need to strike first. We can't let him gain any more ground."
Murre shook his head calmly. "No. Rushing in without a plan will cost us dearly. We need to regroup and gather more intelligence."
Gabriella nodded. "He's right. We barely made it out alive this time. We need to be smarter."
"I know…" Indra sighed, his shoulders lowering. "Joseph did save us. But we can't take too long. Every moment we wait, more people are at risk."
Taliyah's voice softened, but it remained firm. "I'll assign scouts to monitor their movements. In the meantime, you two need rest. You've done enough for today."
Both Indra and Gabriella bowed their heads slightly in unison. "Understood."
Later that night, the world had fallen into a hush.
The moon hung high, casting silver light across the celestial courtyard. The wind had stilled. The city shimmered in the distance—its towers aglow with divine energy, pulsing gently like a heartbeat beneath the stars.
Indra sat alone on a balcony overlooking it all. His arms rested on his knees, his swords lying untouched beside him. His back curved slightly with exhaustion, but his eyes remained open, locked onto the heavens.
How can I get stronger? he thought. I couldn't stop them… I wasn't strong enough to protect anyone.
The wind moved through his hair again, soft and quiet. The stars above twinkled in silence.
The heavens gave no answer.