Seraphina gripped the staff tightly, her fingers curling around the shaft as the crystal pulsed with light—bright, blinding, alive with power. Mana coursed through it, channeled and focused, spilling out into the air.
She swung the staff in a slow, deliberate arc, preparing her blessing. Finn staggered back slightly as a wave of raw energy radiated from her. The crystal flared brighter—like a second sun, impossible to ignore.
Her eyes had been closed until now. When they opened, her emerald gaze shone like a moon over midnight waters. Finn froze. He couldn't look away even if he wanted to.
Everyone nearby stared in silence, jaws slack. Most of them had never seen Seraphina unleash something like this. Whispers in the church claimed she didn't need to. That her blessings were too great for ordinary battles, reserved only for the direst of moments.
