The blizzard raged outside, howling against the thick walls of Wintercrest Fortress.Inside, the atmosphere was tense yet quiet — the calm before another inevitable storm.
Arden stood beside the bed where the mysterious girl lay, wrapped in soft white sheets. Her long golden hair spilled over the pillow like sunlight scattered across snow. Faint motes of divine light shimmered from her skin, flickering like dying embers.
Her breathing was steady now, but unstable waves of energy pulsed around her. Each breath she took caused the nearby candles to flicker.
"She hasn't woken since we brought her back," Lyra said softly, placing a glowing hand over the girl's forehead. "The divine fragment inside her is trying to merge with her soul. If she loses that battle…"
Arden finished her thought. "She'll cease to be human."
Lyra nodded silently.
Elyndra leaned against the wall, her bow resting by her side. "What do you want to do, my lord? If she loses control, she could level half the fortress."
Mira crossed her arms, ears twitching uneasily. "Then I'll knock her out before she does!"
Arden's gaze softened slightly. "No. We'll give her a chance. She didn't choose this."
He stepped closer, resting a hand over her chest. His Qi surged, intertwining with the divine flame within her — calm, steady, like a master taming a wild storm.
Slowly, the chaotic light began to settle.
Lyra gasped. "You're… stabilizing it?"
"Not for long," he said, sweat beading on his forehead. "But it'll buy her time."
Hours passed before the girl stirred. Her eyelids fluttered open, revealing eyes of radiant gold — bright yet filled with confusion.
"…Where… am I?" Her voice was weak, trembling like a candle in the wind.
"You're safe," Arden said quietly. "You were captured by the Church. We stopped the ritual."
She blinked, looking around the unfamiliar room before focusing on him. "You saved me?"
He nodded once.
Tears welled in her eyes. "Then… thank you."
Lyra smiled gently. "Rest, child. You've endured much."
But as she sat up, her aura suddenly flared. The divine flame burst forth from her body, searing the air around her.
Mira yelped. "She's glowing again!"
Arden moved instantly. His hand pressed to her back, channeling Qi into her body, forcing the raging divine energy back down.
The golden light subsided, leaving her gasping.
"I'm sorry," she whispered, clutching her chest. "It happens when I'm afraid. I… I can't control it."
Arden met her gaze steadily. "Then I'll help you learn how."
She stared at him, wide-eyed. "You… will?"
He smiled faintly. "Of course. You're under my protection now."
By the next day, the girl had regained some strength. She introduced herself hesitantly.
"My name… is Seraphina. At least, that's what they called me in the Church."
Lyra frowned. "You don't remember anything else?"
Seraphina shook her head. "Only flashes. A temple… chains… and light. So much light it hurt."
Mira clenched her fists. "Those bastards at the Church will pay for this."
Elyndra placed a calming hand on her shoulder. "Revenge can wait. We have a bigger problem."
She laid down a new parchment on the table — the Empire's official seal burned into it.
"It's a proclamation," Elyndra said grimly. "The Emperor has declared a Holy Crusade against the North — to 'retrieve the stolen Saint of Solaria' and 'purge heretics.' Every kingdom loyal to the Church will join."
Selene entered the hall at that moment, her face unreadable. "In short — half the continent is marching against us."
Mira's tail flicked angrily. "Let them come! We'll crush them all!"
Arden stood silent for a long moment, staring at the map of the continent.
"The Empire moves fast," he murmured. "Faster than I expected. But they've made a mistake…"
He looked up — his golden eyes gleaming with cold fury.
"They think they're marching against a man. They're marching against a storm."
Preparations began immediately.
The North mobilized — blacksmiths forging new weapons, warriors training from dawn till dusk, and the great Direwolf Riders patrolling the icy borders.
At the heart of it all, Arden trained Seraphina personally.
She stood in the courtyard, her breath fogging in the cold air, hands trembling as golden light flickered between her palms.
"I can't… focus," she said, frustration in her voice. "The power keeps slipping."
Arden circled her calmly. "You're trying to control it. Don't. Feel it — let it flow, then bend it with will."
He extended his hand. Golden Qi surged from his palm. "Like this."
Seraphina watched in awe as his energy merged with hers, intertwining without conflict. The divine flame steadied, glowing softly.
Her eyes widened. "It's… calm. For the first time."
He nodded. "Remember that feeling. That balance between chaos and peace — between heaven and earth."
She smiled faintly, her cheeks flushing. "You make it sound so easy."
Arden chuckled. "It never is. But you'll get there."
As twilight fell, Lyra approached him quietly. "You've taken quite an interest in her."
Arden glanced toward the training yard, where Seraphina practiced under the snow. "She's the key to this war, Lyra. The Empire will stop at nothing to reclaim her."
Lyra's eyes softened. "And yet… I see something else in your eyes when you look at her."
He didn't answer. Instead, he turned his gaze to the horizon — where lightning flashed far away, painting the clouds crimson.
"War is coming," he said finally. "And before it ends, gods and men alike will kneel before the North."