The light of the moons painted silver patterns on the scorched grass as Asahi stood alone in the aftermath of his first battle. The air buzzed faintly with residual magic. His heartbeat had begun to settle, but his hands still trembled from the spellwork.
He looked at his reflection again in the shallow pool nearby. His new form glowed softly—delicate features framed by long, moonlit hair, eyes a deep amethyst with flecks of silver. Feminine, but not fragile. Elegant, but not distant. A form sculpted from both desire and liberation.
"You are still stabilizing," LUX said gently. "Shapeshifting draws on mental clarity. You are re-aligning identity threads."
"Does it always feel this intense?" he asked, his voice now a melodic contralto.
"Only the first few times. Your emotional core affects your shape. Once you gain control, changes will be smooth—even subconscious."
Hooves broke the silence. The ground vibrated slightly.
Asahi turned to see them approach.
Six riders clad in radiant armor crested the hill, sunlight forged into silver and crimson plate. Their cloaks rippled like banners in the night wind. At their lead rode a woman with obsidian skin and braided crimson hair, her spear etched with runes that glowed faintly as she dismounted.
She moved like a predator—but paused when her eyes met his.
He braced himself, heart tight. Was this the part where they called him unnatural?
Instead, she knelt.
"Eidolyn," she said in a low, reverent voice. "By the Light… You've returned."
He blinked. "I… what?"
Another knight, younger, stepped forward. "Lady Kaela, it's clearly a Wildborn. The system signature is raw—untrained."
Kaela gave him a sharp look. "And yet, she bears the Mirror Sigil of the Eidolyn. That is not raw. That is reborn."
"That's… new," LUX whispered inside Asahi's mind.
Asahi stepped back slightly, unsure. "I'm Asahi. I… just got here."
Kaela stood, her presence commanding but not hostile. "We will escort you to Emberhold. You've made quite the entrance."
"Do not resist," LUX advised. "This faction is known for honor. And power."
He nodded slowly. "Alright."
The Ride to Emberhold
They rode beneath glowing trees that whispered in the breeze. Magical fireflies lit the trail like starlight fallen to earth. Asahi rode behind Kaela, awkward on the unfamiliar saddle, but the air was kind, and the roads enchanted to cushion travel.
She spoke little, but her soldiers whispered with awe and confusion—about the Skorvyn, about the shattered rift, and most of all, about him.
"Looks like a fae prince…"
"Did you see the way the magic folded around them?"
"Eidolyn blood hasn't surfaced in two centuries."
It was strange being talked about in reverent tones. Back home, Asahi had been an outcast in silence. Here, he was mystery and myth.
He didn't know how to feel about that.
The Mirror Sanctum
Emberhold rose like a fortress carved from amber and obsidian, half-grown from the mountain's heart and half-sculpted by elemental flame. Within its gates, they led him not to the barracks, but to the Mirror Sanctum—a towering dome of reflective crystal and living vines.
Kaela turned before entering.
"I have questions," she said, "but first, you must face the Mirror. It reveals the truth of your spirit. It may explain… what you are."
Inside, the walls shimmered like polished starlight. A pool rested at the center, surrounded by sigil-stones. Asahi approached hesitantly.
"What do I do?"
"Place your hand into the pool," LUX said softly. "The Mirror will reflect your inner form—not what you choose, but what you are."
He took a breath.
And reached in.
Reflections
The water rippled… then went still.
His reflection shifted. He saw a version of himself that burned with light—not male or female, but ethereal. Hair flowing like smoke, a robe formed of threads that flickered between suits and gowns. His eyes contained galaxies, and from his back, wings of folded crystal unfolded like a prism.
He gasped.
"That's… me."
Kaela stepped forward, her eyes wide.
"You are Eidolyn. Not by blood… but by essence. They were a lost line of soul-weavers—beings who reshaped spirit and form with will alone. They vanished when the Mirror Realms collapsed."
He stared at the figure in the pool, heart racing. "So I'm not just… someone new. I'm someone rare."
"No," Kaela said. "You are someone impossible."
A Room of One's Own
They gave him a private chamber—lit by ever-flame, lined with velvet and mirrors that shimmered with ambient magic. Asahi stood before one, exploring the details of his new form.
He experimented—shrinking an inch, deepening his voice, curving his hips, tightening his jawline. With every breath, he discovered freedom.
"You may design yourself to reflect truth—or fantasy," LUX said. "Most beings in Elysera wear masks. You, Asahi, are the mask and the truth."
He sat on the silken bed, fingers brushing the embroidered sheets. It felt like too much, too fast. But it also felt like… fate.
"Hey, LUX?"
"Yes?"
"Is there anyone else like me?"
"There may be. But none with your exact blend of traits, class potential, and shapeshifting scope. You are an anomaly. A gift."
He swallowed.
"Then I'll make sure this world knows it."
Outside, the bells of Emberhold chimed midnight. Somewhere beneath the city, the rift pulsed faintly—still lingering.
The world was watching now.
And Asahi, for once, was ready to be seen.
End of Chapter 3