The Manifestation of the Next Antrunie
The Ambruce Realm was just as beautiful and vibrant by night as by day. Stars, a myriad of vibrant colors, seemed close enough to touch, hovering above the ground and casting an ethereal light as if the surface were reflective. Three moons—one light blue, one soft yellow, and one the slightest shade of pink—hung like opaque gems within a sea of sparkling gems.
Rachel, Rebecca, Cramnal, Struns, and Smral sat together on ornate, carved stones etched with intricate swirls, knots, and runes. The placement of the stones was precise, forming a ritual circle for a ceremony that would change this realm forever. In the center, a more elaborately etched stone awaited Ambruce. Its seat dipped slightly, and unlike the others, its rune continually flowed with changing colors from top to bottom.
The ritual for Ambruce had to be unique. Most Antrunie were acknowledged by the realm once the Milana acknowledged them, but the ceremony served as a plea if the realm deemed the Antrunie insufficient. For Cramnal, the realm acknowledged him, but Rachel forced the issue when she knew he wasn't ready. Smral, conversely, was drawn to the realm by fate itself to become an Antrunie—a path Rachel did not "know," as active knowledge of one's own fate was a dangerous gamble resulting in erasure. To prevent this, Rachel maintained five circulating spells that ensured she never saw a fate line concerning herself.
Ambruce was different. As a realm, it possessed strong, dense fate lines, far beyond those of beings like Anis, and on a scale Rachel's instincts told her were greater than any Milana had ever seen. Ambruce possessed a greater fate than Rachel, meaning the required soul well/sea connection—made of realm magics, not personal magics—would be difficult to solidify. Realms were entities beyond rationale; they were sentient to some degree and capable of creating life and allowing it to thrive and evolve.
This ritual would help the connection between Ambruce, the Milana, and the other Antrunie adhere and would convince Trannisa Realm that Ambruce was a worthy choice.
Rachel tilted her head upward, partly in admiration and partly in anticipation. The others followed her gaze as a translucent, vertical funnel of spinning light appeared.
Ambruce manifested: tall and decisively feminine. She stood slightly over eight feet, her voluminous breasts seeming to strive for separate existence. Her waist was narrow, her hips ample, mirroring her top half. Her hair, a soft, wavy cascade of golden amber with evenly dispersed rainbow streaked strands, fell to her ankles. Her eyes were clear amber, like entrances to an alternate dimension, set within a small but full face sporting deep dimples.
Rachel laughed outright—she had never seen Rebecca stunned to silence.
Smral smirked at Rebecca. "Guess there is no question what gender was chosen here."
Rebecca silently shook her head, mouth slightly agape.
"Please sit, Ambruce," Rachel commanded, controlling her amusement. "I assume you have chosen to become an Antrunie since you have taken on a human form."
Ambruce nodded in respect. "I have."
Rachel sat forward, serious now. "You are okay with splitting your soul, connecting with us, and walking outside your realm?"
"I am. I understand the consequences and I accept them." Ambruce smiled broadly.
"You answer too quickly, Ambruce," Rachel said, slightly exasperated, repositioning herself. Her eyes flicked reflexively to Ambruce's obscenely large chest and back to those bewitching eyes before she shook her head again.
Ambruce's smile did not waver. "I see you have made up your mind and will not change it." Rachel's eyes flicked to Cramnal. "You can change your mind later and break the connection."
She saw a subtle shift in Cramnal—the thought of an escape route—and smirked. She knew her brother too well.
"I will not change my mind, Milana, and I would like to speak with my parent." Ambruce's voice held a wistful note. "I have not been able to hear them clearly since I left them, and I know I will learn and grow a lot if I follow you."
Rachel nodded in understanding.
The carved stones lit up with brilliant light. Ambruce walked to the center, sitting confidently on the central stone. All confident now, Rachel mused, raising an eyebrow.
Rachel spoke words of power that seemed to solidify the air. A runic circle flared to life, warming the stones within. Lines of runes threaded from the circle into all six seats. Ambruce's seat flared brighter than the others, forming a thick rainbow connection to Rachel's, threaded with faster-flowing yellow and gray strands.
Ambruce felt her soul stir, dividing into two uneven parts. One-eighth of her soul separated and flowed toward the realm's origin well, causing the realm to shimmer and coalesce. Two strong connections instantly formed between the realm and Rachel, and between the manifested Ambruce and Rachel. Connections formed between the others and Ambruce, weaving a seven-braided link connecting all five Antrunie individually and through Rachel.
Ambruce felt a startling surge of power flow between them. She knew Rachel and Smral were powerful, but the others held immense power as well. She felt the magic of her parent, Trannisa, filling every atom of her being. Her true body—the realm—swelled with power and a profound new sense of awareness. Knowledge she had never been able to grasp now solidified her understanding of self and the existence of others.
She looked to Rachel, a broad, ethereal smile on her lips. "I did not understand, Milana. I had things confused and thought it was clear. Because of you, I have grown more than I was previously capable of. I thank you for helping me."
With the final sentence, she bowed deeply. When Ambruce straightened, her clothing changed: she wore gold and purple sorcerer robes that fell in feathery layers, pooling slightly at her feet and moving faintly in a non-existent wind.
Rachel nodded, her own eyes having been opened during the ritual. She stood, signaling the others to leave the circle, and proceeded to seal it. "This will be a good place to perform rituals." She then sent them all the runes they would need to reactivate the circle with their soul wells/sea.
She sighed. "Let's return to Trannisa. We need to ensure the abyss is stable, see to the punishment for Shain, Sublyme, and Althius, and the Trannisa corporation may need to be dissolved."
Rebecca sighed. "We have a lot of work to do." She smiled at Smral. "Maybe we need to rest a bit before we begin this."
Ambruce tilted her head curiously, looking between Rebecca and Smral. "Rest? You seem well-rested, Rebecca. Are there different types of rest?"
Rachel simply opened a door several feet from them and began walking toward it, resisting the urge to face-palm.