The next morning, Prince Aldric's army appeared on the horizon. Dark magic writhed around them like living smoke, and the corrupted sorcerers of the Shadow Court floated above the ground, their eyes black with malevolent power.
Seraphina stood on the palace walls, her three Guardians beside her. The silver marks of their bond gleamed against their skin, visible to all who looked upon them.
"People of Aethermoor," she called out, her magically enhanced voice carrying to every corner of the kingdom. "Today we face those who would enslave us to fear and hatred. But we will not bow. We will not break. We are united by something stronger than their darkness—we are united by love."
She raised her hands, and the combined power of her bond with her Guardians erupted skyward. A dome of silver, gold, crimson, and shadow expanded over the entire kingdom, beautiful and impenetrable.
Prince Aldric's army reached the barrier and recoiled as if burned. The dark magic of the Shadow Court struck the dome again and again, but it held firm.
"Impossible!" Prince Aldric screamed from beyond the barrier. "I am your rightful king! You cannot deny me!"
"I am no man's property," Seraphina replied, her voice carrying clearly through the magical dome. "And I choose my own destiny."
The battle raged for hours, but the barrier never wavered. The combined love and power of Seraphina and her three Guardians proved stronger than any dark magic. As the sun began to set, Prince Aldric's forces retreated, defeated and demoralized.
Inside the dome, the people of Aethermoor cheered for their Queen and her Guardians. The council members who had opposed her stood in awed silence, finally understanding the true scope of her power.