Chapter 38: Whispers of the past

Everything that had happened so far—every fight, every dungeon, every discovery—could be called nothing more than a prelude. The true event, the moment when Nytherra unveiled its true face, began with a sound that cracked the sky.

A blinding light burst above the city, followed by a deafening boom. At first, Shirou mistook it for fireworks, but the texture of the sound, the vibrant pulse of mana in the air, told him it was something else—magic.

Then came the music. Grand, orchestral, and impossibly loud. Lights danced across the streets, transforming the cobblestone roads into shimmering rivers of colour. The sky itself became a canvas, painted by illusion magic so intricate that it blurred the line between reality and performance.

Four massive images emerged above the plaza, towering over the city like gods. They moved—not like puppets, but like living beings. They smiled, they waved, they radiated charisma. Their forms shimmered with golden light, each representing a legendary figure.

Shirou stared, eyes wide. "That's..."

"Yes," Amelia said, her usual teasing tone gone. Her voice was quiet, almost reverent. "That's them. The four great heroes of Nytherra."

But Shirou's attention shifted. In the distance, a large crowd had gathered around something else.

"Hey, what's going on over there?" he asked, pointing.

Amelia followed his gaze and gave a small smile. "Oh, that? Come on. It's something worth seeing."

They made their way through the crowd. As they approached, the scene unfolded like a dream. A large, elevated stage sat at the heart of the plaza, surrounded by circular stone steps that acted as amphitheatre seating.

It was a drama performance, but unlike any Shirou had ever seen. The stage was brimming with life—actors in full regalia clashed swords, hurled spells, and danced through combat that felt dangerously real. Every movement had weight. Every magical flare left heat in the air. The illusion magic used to enhance the performance made it indistinguishable from reality.

Two groups fought on the stage. One was clearly outnumbered and outmatched, slowly being pushed back. The crowd leaned forward, breathless with anticipation.

Then, with a brilliant flash of white light, everything changed.

A woman descended from the sky, her silver hair trailing like a comet's tail. Her feet barely touched the ground as she landed between the two warring forces.

Shirou could feel the shift in the crowd as they erupted in awe.

"Astra!"

"Glory to Astra Eclipsyr!"

"Eclipsyr," Shirou murmured.

"That's her clan name," Amelia replied. Her face was unreadable now—no hint of her usual playfulness, only a quiet tension in her eyes.

On stage, Astra raised her hand. In a single, graceful motion, she swept her fingers across the air—and in the blink of an eye, the enemy forces turned on one another. Chaos erupted, and yet it was choreographed so beautifully, it felt like art.

Shirou opened his mouth, hesitant. "Astra was an illusio—"

He stopped himself as he glanced at Amelia. Her gaze was locked on the stage, her jaw clenched. Emotions flickered in her eyes: anger, sorrow, maybe even fear.

"I think I'm starving," Shirou said, gently placing a hand on her shoulder. "Why don't we get something to eat?"

Amelia looked surprised for a moment, then let out a small laugh. "You're just trying to avoid watching the rest, aren't you?"

"Maybe. Or maybe I'd rather hear it from you."

She smirked, the tension in her face easing slightly. "Smooth move."

They left the performance behind and found a quaint café nearby, sitting at a table outside under the glow of magical lanterns. They ordered a couple of cold drinks, and for a while, neither spoke.

Shirou finally broke the silence. "So… are you going to tell me?"

"Tell you what?"

"The story," Shirou said, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh right, that." Amelia leaned back in her chair, sipping her drink. "For your earlier question—yes, Astra Eclipsyr is an illusionist. In fact, the entire Eclipsyr clan is known for their illusion magic. However, like all clan-based powers, their abilities vary. Some can create powerful illusions, some only minor ones."

She tapped her glass with her finger. "Most people in Nytherra use their clan name as their surname. It gives away their power to the enemy, sure, but if you're confident, it doesn't matter. Besides, clan powers are considered a mark of pride."

"So the Eclipsyr clan can put people into illusions?" Shirou asked.

"Exactly. But here's the twist—the illusions are created from the target's own desires. That's what makes them so dangerous. You don't even realize you've been trapped, because the illusion is everything you want it to be."

"But... you can't harm someone with an illusion alone, can you?" Shirou asked.

"Right again. The illusion is just a tool—to disable, confuse, and expose. Once the target is vulnerable, that's when you strike. But the illusion only lasts a few seconds. After that, the victim snaps out."

"A few seconds doesn't sound like much."

"In battle, it's more than enough. One second of hesitation can decide life or death."

Shirou tilted his head. "How do you break an illusion like that?"

Amelia looked him straight in the eye. "You don't. Not unless you realize you're in one. And even then, it takes a strong mind and willpower to break free."But that's the challenge. If you're experiencing your heart's desire, why would you question its reality?""

Shirou laughed dryly. "Sounds simple enough."

"Oh really?" Amelia leaned forward. "What if you're in one right now?"

Shirou's heart skipped a beat. He stared at her, the question settling into his bones. She was right. How would he even know?

She continued, "Like I said, most illusions from the Eclipsyr clan are your desires. You'd never question them. And if you're fighting someone from the clan, you know they're going to use illusions. But the catch is—you'll never know when. They could trap you multiple times, and each time you break out, the next illusion comes faster, more convincing. At the same time, the target's resistance to illusion also increases".

"Resistance?"

"Yes resistance", Amelia continued "The more you get exposed to the illusion again and again, the more your mind will start to resist it "

She leaned closer "There are some exceptions. I already told you that they put you in an illusion of your desire, didn't But there are some who can influence your illusion, meaning changing the illusion to make it seem real for the target".

Shirou felt a chill. "That's kind of overpowered. Do they have any weaknesses?"

"Yes. First, their physical strength is weak, especially when compared to warriors or elementalists of the same level. Second, most can only trap one person at a time—maybe two at most. And for the illusion to stay active, they need to focus. Which makes them vulnerable in group battles.Third, they need to look at their eyes for the illusion to work."

Shirou nodded slowly. "So, the Eclipsyr clan helped end the war by taking out the enemy army with their illusions?"

Amelia snorted. "Wrong on two counts."

"Two?"

"First, the enemy wasn't destroyed or killed. The war was only stopped. Second, the Eclipsyr clan did help, but the real credit goes to one person."

Shirou's lips moved before he could stop himself. "Astra Eclipsyr."

Amelia smiled faintly. "Correct."

"But… how? I mean, she's just one person."

"Not just one person," Amelia said. Her voice turned proud. "Even as a child, she was different. Her birth was kept secret for years until she was powerful enough to defend herself. But even then, no one knew her true capabilities until the first war."

Shirou leaned in. "What was special about her?"

Amelia's expression turned serious. "Her illusions had no limits. No weaknesses. She could trap someone in an illusion for the rest of their life—and they would never even know it. She could change memories, control actions, and alter perceptions. And she could do it to multiple people at the same time."

She lowered her voice. "Some say her illusions can only be broken if she wills it. No one—not even the strongest minds—have ever broken free on their own."

Shirou's breath caught. "So she could defeat an entire army... without lifting a finger."

Amelia spoke slowly, her voice thoughtful. "Not exactly. No one is that overpowered. Astra couldn't trap the whole world in illusions or anything like that—but she could place about twenty to thirty people under her spell at once. She could alter their perception of reality completely—make allies see each other as enemies, force friends to fight. That alone was enough to turn the tide of any battle."

She paused, then admitted with a wry smile, "Now that I think about it... it is kind of overpowered. Most couldn't even tell they were in an illusion, let alone break out of it. She could kill someone without lifting a finger."

Shirou leaned forward. "Wait—you said the war was stopped?"

Amelia nodded. "Yes. The higher-ups wanted total annihilation of the enemy, but Astra refused. She proposed a truce. At first, they rejected it… until they realized something."

"What?" Shirou asked.

"That everyone feared her. With Astra on their side, they could defeat anyone. The war didn't end through peace—it ended because of her."

"Astra Eclipsyr," Shirou whispered, staring into the distance as the name echoed in his mind.