News traveled faster than light within the Empire, especially when connected to Starnet, the mother network. The moment Ahce stepped into the battle, the divine fox collapsed onto her side, and the cub, crying weakly beside her, billions of viewers saw it live.
The drone captured her pale, shaken expression, the purple blood staining her hands, the crackling aura of a divine creature fading like embers in the wind.
They also witnessed the miracle. The dying mother fox lifted its muzzle weakly, its nine tails trembling as if weighed down by eternity. Divine beasts did not bow to mortals. They did not acknowledge humans. They certainly never entrusted their offspring to one.
Yet the fox lowered its head before Ahce.
Those watching across star systems fell silent.
