Help Me, Helps You

The morning after the meeting with Elowen Verdantia, the kingdom of Sanctora buzzed quietly with controlled chaos. Soldiers moved through the streets in small groups, discreetly summoning mages to the council office in carefully timed batches.

The operation was designed to avoid drawing suspicion from the citizens—after all, no one wanted rumors spreading about why every mage in the kingdom was being called away from their duties.

Inside the council chambers, preparations were underway for what many hoped would be a swift and uneventful process.

Elder Cedric Valois paced nervously near the entrance, muttering under his breath. "batch by batch, they said. 'won't disrupt daily life,' they said. I swear, if this goes on too long, someone's going to notice something's up."

Nearby, Elder Lucien Pendragon rolled her eyes, arms crossed. "oh, stop fretting, Cedric. If anyone asks, we'll just say we're conducting … oh, I don't know, a census of magical talent or something." Cedric shot her a glare. "a census? Really? You think people won't see right through that?"

Before Lucien could retort, the first group of mages arrived, looking nervous and confused. One young apprentice whispered loudly to another, "do you think we're getting promoted? Or maybe punished?" his friend shrugged.

"either way, I hope there's snacks." Inside the designated chamber, the atmosphere grew tense as each mage stepped forward to face Elowen, Elder Cedric, and Elder Lucien.

The Starlight staff sat prominently on a pedestal at the center of the room, its faint pulsing light casting eerie shadows across the walls. Younger mages approached hesitantly, trembling hands reaching out to touch the staff only for nothing to happen.

Senior mages, however, took the opportunity to bombard Elowen with questions. "what exactly are we testing for here?" one elderly mage demanded, stroking his beard thoughtfully. "is it raw power? Skill? Intelligence?" another chimed in, "and how does this contraption even work? It looks like it belongs in a museum!"

Elowen's patience wore thin quickly. She pinched the bridge of her nose, her fingers twitching as though resisting the urge to strangle someone.

"if I wanted a lecture," she snapped, her voice dripping with sarcasm, "I'd have invited my grandmother. Just touch the staff and let it do its job."

Lucien leaned over to Cedric, whispering dryly, "maybe we should've brought snacks. For her." Cedric stifled a laugh, earning a sharp glare from Elowen. After hours of failed attempts and inreasingly irritable exchanges, fatigue began to settle over the room.

The elders slouched in their chairs, while Elowen tapped her foot impatiently, her voodoo doll bouncing against her hip like an ominous metronome. "this is ridiculous," she muttered, rubbing her temples. "how hard can it be to find one measly savior?" just then, the door creaked open, and in walked Liora Belle.

Her presence was understated—she entered humbly, her warm smile lighting up the otherwise somber chamber. A few guards exchanged quiet whispers behind her back. "isn't that the girl who play with Evelyn all the time?" one murmured.

"yeah, the naïve one. Hardly seems like savior material." Even the elders couldn't help but harbor doubts, though they kept their thoughts to themselves. When instructed to approach the staff, Liora did so without hesitation, her expression calm and curious.

As her hand touches the staff, the room erupted in chaos. The globe didn't just flicker—it blazed to life, emitting a brilliant, multicolored light that pulsed rhythmically, almost hypnotically.

The spinning globe cast dazzling patterns across the walls, resembling nothing so much as a malfunctioning disco ball. Everyone froze, jaws dropping in stunned silence. Elder Lucien, ever the skeptic, broke the spell first.

"what in the name of Saint Felix is happening?!" she exclaimed, shielding her eyes from the glare.

Cedric stumbled backward, tripping over his own robes. "is… is this normal?!" he stammered, pointing wildly at the staff. Elowen stood motionless, her eyes narrowing as she studied the phenomenon.

"no," she said flatly, her voice cutting through the commmtion. "this isn't normal. Not even close." After what felt like an eternity, Elowen finally stepped forward, placing a firm hand on Liora's shoulder.

"Let go," she commanded sharply. Liora blinked, startled, but obeyed. The moment her fingers left the staff, the light dimmed, leaving the room eerily quiet once more.

Elowen wasted no time regaining control of the situation. Turning to the elders, she barked orders with military precision. " disperse the queue outside. Seal off the council office immediately. No one enters or leaves until further notice."

Lucien raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms. "and what exactly do you plan to do now, oh great 'Verdant Blade'?" Elowen shot her a venomous glare. "Figure out why the staff reacted like that—and whether your little flower girl here is truly the Light-Bearer."

She gestured toward Liora, who still look utterly bewildered. "miss Belle, you're not going anywhere. I'm gonna have to ask some questions."

The tension in the room thickened as reality sank in. this wasn't just some routine test anymore—it was the beginning of something far greater, and potentially darker. Whatever lay ahead, one thing was certain: Liora Belle's quiet days of playing with Evelyn were over.

As Elder Lucien exited the chamber to handle the growing crowd of mages outside, the room fell into an uneasy silence. Elowen seemingly unfazed by the gravity of the situation, reached into her pouch and pulled out a handful of sparkly dust, which she sprinkled over her voodoo doll.

With a flick of her wrist, the doll floated into the air, its straw limbs twitching as it began to mutter in a voice too faint for Cedric or Liora to make out.

Cedric raised an eyebrow, leaning slightly forward. "uh… is that thing supposed to be doing that?" he asked cautiously, clearly torn between curiosity and mild alarm.

Elowen shot him a withering glare without turning her head. "do I question your methods when you're whispering sweet nothings to your rose garden, elder? No. so perhaps you could extend me the same courtesy."

Cedric opened his mouth to retort but thought better of it, settling instead for crossing his arms and muttering under his breath about "unconventional practices."

Meanwhile, Liora watched the scene unfold with wide eyes, clutching her hands nervously in front of her. When the doll finally settled back into Elowen's grasp, the mage turned to Liora, her expression unreadable but undeniably serious.

"So," Elowen began, pacing slowly in front of Liora like a teacher addressing a particularly dense student,

"it seems the staff has chosen you as the prophesied savior—the Light-Bearer destined to lead humanity against the demon race. Quite the resume upgrade, wouldn't you say?" Liora blinked rapidly, her face pale.

"m-me? But… I can't even heal a paper cut properly! Also, my uncle would never let me do something this dangerous—he barely lets me leave the house without reminding me to wear sensible shoes!" she paused, then added quietly, almost to herself, "and there's Evelyn… I can't just abandon her now."

Elowen tilted her head, narrowing her eyes. "miss Belle, focus on the bigger picture now: saving humanity from extinction. Surely that take priority over anything else, right?"

Liora frowned, her soft voice tinged with panic. "but what if I fail? What if I'm not strong enough? Cedric, who had been observing silently, chimed in with surprising gentleness.

"no one starts off ready, Liora. Even the greatest heroes were once unsure of themselves." Elowen paused, studying Liora's expression carefully. "You have something they didn't, though," she said, her tone softer now. "You have us—your friends, your mentors, and the entire kingdom rooting for you. You're not walking this path alone, Liora. Remember that!"

Her words hung in the air, a comforting reassurance that eased some of the tension in Liora's chest. Still, the enormity of the task ahead loomed large, casting a shadow over the fleeting sense of hope.

Liora's mind raced like a storm-tossed sea, her thoughts colliding in a chaotic swirl of fear, doubt, and guilt. "i—I just don't think I'm the right person for this," she stammered, fidgeting with the hem of her sleeve.

"what if… what if I make things worse? Or what if Evelyn—" she cut herself off abruptly, biting her lip as her voice trailed into silence.

Elowen's sharp eyes narrowed, catching the hesitation behind Liora's words. The mage cross her arms, studying the young woman before her with an almost unnerving intensity.

"you're holding something back," Elowen said flatly, her tone cutting through Liora's nervous rambling like a blade. Before Liora could muster another excuse, Elowen turned to Cedric, who was still lingering awkwardly by the pedestal where the Starlight Staff rested.

"Elder," she said curtly, jerking her head toward the door, "we need privacy. Unless you'd like to stay and hear every detail about miss Belle's bedtime routines?"

Cedric blinked, startled, then quickly raised his hands in surrender. "ah, no, I'll leave you to it." He replied, backing toward the exit with palpable relief.

As the heavy wooden door clicked shut behind him, Elowen turned back to Liora, her expression softening ever so lightly.

"now," she said, her voice quieter but no less firm, "let's try this again. What's really on your mind?" Liora's voice trembled as she finally let the truths spill out, her hands clutching at the fabric of her dress like it might anchor her to reality.

"I… I want to save Evelyn more than anything," she admitted, tears welling up in her shining eyes. "but I don't know how. Even if I did find a way, it would throw the entire kingdom into chaos. The council… the people—they're counting on this 'peace'." Her voice cracked under the weight of her frustration, and a single tear slid down her cheek.

"how can I protect her when everything feels so impossible?" Elowen watched silently for a moment, her usual sharp demeanor softening as she took in Liora's raw emotion.

Finally, she stepped closer, her tone steady but gentle. "listen to me, Liora," she said firmly, placing a hand on the young woman's shoulder. "if you accept your fate, I will personally ensure Evelyn is freed from the sacrifice. I'll speak to the council myself—and if necessary, I'll march straight into those caves and deal with the orcs myself. You have my word."

Elowen's words seemed to hang in the air, heavy with promise, and Liora looked up at her through tear-streaked lashes, hope flickering faintly in her gaze.

"But why?" she whispered. "why would you do all that for me?" Elowen's lips curved into a rare, genuine smile—one that softened the edges of her otherwise intimidating presence.

"because I see something in you, Liora. Something worth fighting for. From the moment I saw you with Evelyn, I knew you were special—not because of your magic, but because of your heart. This won't be an easy journey; the path ahead will test you in ways you can't imagine. But I'm offering you my help—not just for Evelyn, not just for Sanctora, but for all humanity."

She leaned in slightly, her piercing gaze locking onto Liora's. " embrace your destiny, Liora. Walk this path with courage, and I swear I'll walk it beside you. Together we'll save Evelyn, your kingdom, and maybe even the world. What do you say?" for the first time since the ordeal began, Liora felt a spark of resolve ignite within her—a fragile flame, but one that burned brightly enough to chase away some of the shadows.