Maria snapped her fingers, and all the illusions around them vanished in an instant. Everything returned to the place where it had begun.
Watching in awe, Nujah whispered, "I absolutely have to learn that spell."
Maria smiled. "Illusions that require such strong will demand a lot of practice. If you truly wish it, I'll train you until you surpass even me. But for now… our mother is calling. We must go."
"Do you know who came?" Nujah asked curiously.
"No," Maria replied, "we'll see once we arrive. Now, hold on to me."
"But why—" Nujah began, but before he could finish, Maria sprinted with incredible speed. In the blink of an eye, they stood in the throne room.
Naraka frowned. "Slow down Maria. Your brother is still trapped in the body of a three-month-old baby child."
"I'm fine…" Nujah whispered, his voice weaker than usual.
Maria quickly apologized and handed him a flask of water. After drinking, Nujah regained his strength. "Looks like our guest isn't here," he remarked.
"Our guest, Valuva, could not come for certain reasons," Naraka said.
"With respect, may I ask who Valuva is?" Nujah asked politely.
"Of course," Naraka answered. "She is one of the Firstborn Spirits of the Shiora universe. She dwells in the Void, governs both time and eternity, and across all three realms she is known as Valuva, Firstborn Queen of the Eternal Spirit. As her name suggests, she is a being of immense dignity. Why such a vast entity would take interest in us, I cannot say for certain. I have my guesses, but Valuva is nearly impossible to read. She is far older and far wiser than I."
Maria interjected: "The moment you appeared, you caught her attention. The only one she ever truly spoke to before was our sister Vercurius. For you to interest her as well… that's no small thing."
Nujah thought silently, "I don't understand any of this… best to remain quiet for now."
"There is nothing you must do," Naraka said gently. "She only wishes to speak with you. No matter how old she is, I am still hundreds of times stronger. You need not fear." Then she added: "For now, you should rest. Tomorrow you will begin walking on your own, and your body needs proper growth."
"But I don't feel tired," Nujah protested.
"That is a trick of the Soul Core," Naraka explained. "From the outside, your body looks utterly exhausted. Your heart was shattered and then reforged within the Core. At the moment it works perfectly, but such perfection may not last forever."
"Then let it be as you say, Mother," Nujah replied quietly.
Naraka snapped her fingers. Nujah's energy dropped from infinity to zero in an instant, and he fell asleep as though his battery had run dry. Naraka lifted him gently and laid him back in his bed. As Maria turned to leave, Naraka called her name.
"Did you enjoy yourselves?"
Maria smiled faintly. "Yes, Mother."
Naraka's gaze hardened. "Is there nothing you forgot to tell me?"
Maria lowered her head. "I began training him without your permission… I'm deeply sorry."
"Everything," Naraka said firmly.
Maria drew a deep breath. "When he used the illusion spell, I noticed small fragments within his light. I thought they were remnants from his human form. Also, because the transformation was not entirely successful, and—"
"And?" Naraka pressed.
Maria continued, "Even though he was right next to a massive explosion, he suffered no harm. I don't know how… but he remained completely unscathed."
Naraka suddenly laughed. "You need not worry so much, my daughter. I accelerated his growth. That is why he is already more resilient and stronger than expected. There is nothing to fear. Now go—tend to the other matters of the day."
As Maria stepped outside, she immediately summoned Vekhir to her chambers.