With a solemn nod, Allen presented the yellow Moonstone to Magorian. The Centaur Chief accepted it with a profound, dignified bow—a gesture far deeper and more respectful than any human nobleman might offer—before producing a staff seemingly from thin air, or perhaps from a hidden sheath on his flank.
The staff was crafted from bone-white wood, straight and elegantly tapered, with a perfectly circular socket carved into its head. Magorian carefully positioned the Moonstone over this aperture. The moment the jewel hovered near the staff, an invisible magnetic force seemed to draw it in.
The previously inert staff instantly began to pulse with a cool, silver light, and the Moonstone didn't just sit in the hole; it flowed seamlessly into the space, becoming fused with the wood, making the staff appear to be crowned with a massive, luminous celestial orb.
Magorian raised the shimmering, newly crowned staff high above his head, took a few preparatory steps back, and then executed a breathtaking leap back onto the wooden platform. He did not slow his momentum. Allen's heart leaped into his throat; if he went any further, Magorian would surely crash headlong into the three colossal, vine-wreathed logs at the platform's center.
But just shy of impact, Magorian launched himself upward again, his powerful forelegs slapping the wooden platform in a resonant beat generated by the full force of his sprint. His magnificent body seemed to soar momentarily, a dark silhouette framed against the vast, full moon hanging in the night sky.
Upon landing with perfect grace, Magorian planted the Moonstone-adorned white staff securely into the tight space between the three giant upright logs.
No hands were needed to guide it; the staff immediately began to spin, slow at first, then accelerating rapidly, synchronized with the harsh, captivating hoof-music played by Firenzo and the other six Centaur Warriors of Chiron.
The complex patterns traced in silver dust around the wooden platform began to glow with increasing intensity. Countless fine silver lines rose vertically into the air, shimmering and suspended above the ground like the threads of a cosmic loom.
The pure white moonlight, now acting as a precise lens, focused itself upon these airborne patterns, concentrating into a direct, brilliant beam of energy that struck the rapidly rotating Moonstone.
The jewel, which had only been yellow and glowing, now became incandescent, radiating an extremely dazzling, almost blinding white light, like a tiny sun rising in the desolate valley.
Allen watched, utterly captivated, as the light emanating from the Moonstone washed over the gathered centaurs. Slowly, gently, halos of varying sizes and subtle hues began to materialize around the hooves of every centaur in the valley.
Each centaur wore an expression of profound relaxation and utter contentment. Allen suddenly felt the magic deep within his own core thrumming and jumping with an almost childish joy.
The overwhelming light that fell upon him caused no pain or discomfort; instead, he found it to be incredibly gentle and nourishing. It felt as though a great cosmic tension was being released, a magical sigh of relief that permeated the air.
Everyone present—human and centaur alike—was momentarily immersed in this supreme, collective pleasure.
After a long, suspended moment, Magorian raised his powerful hooves and struck the wooden platform in a sharp, rhythmic volley, shouting, "Accelerate the Rhythm! Faster!"
In perfect unison, all the centaurs raised their hooves and stamped them hard upon the earth, flawlessly matching Magorian's commanding tempo. Strangely, these violent, heavy thuds did not raise a speck of dust; instead, the halos around them began to rise slowly, transforming into vibrant, multicolored spheres of pure light.
These brilliant spheres ascended into the night sky, flying swiftly toward the spinning staff on the wooden platform. They began to converge, orbiting the Moonstone like stars surrounding a central moon. Allen realized with a shock of recognition that their collective positions mirrored the constellations and orbital paths he had seen etched on the stone walls in the subterranean castle.
The Moonstone continued to spin wildly at the apex of the staff, and the colourful, star-like spheres surrounding it grew brighter, their energy converging. Finally, they condensed completely at the very top of the staff, merging into a single, breathtaking, blinding white sphere of intense light.
Magorian executed another dramatic backward leap, sprung to his feet, seized the staff, pointed its now-glowing tip toward the Centaurs' Heritage Sanctuary, and roared, his voice filled with ancient power, "The Rite of Chiron is now COMPLETE!" As the final syllable left his lips, a dazzling white sphere of light shot from the staff's tip and streaked across the valley toward the destination Magorian had indicated.
Magorian leaped down from the platform and galloped immediately toward the sacred heritage site, followed swiftly by the Chiron Warriors and every single centaur in the valley; the combined pounding of their hooves made the ground visibly shudder.
As Firenzo raced past Allen, he didn't slow down but deftly scooped up the young wizard, tossing him onto his back with a practiced movement. Allen, taken completely by surprise, could only grab tightly onto Firenzo's waist/upper body, gripping the centaur's fur fiercely to prevent being thrown off by the sudden, rapid sprints and aerial leaps of the galloping herd.
When they arrived at the Centaurs' sacred inheritance site, all the centaurs involuntarily slowed their pace and gazed in silent wonder at the astonishing transformation before them. Where before there had been only dry earth, a silver lake had suddenly materialized.
The water was absolutely still, like a plate of polished silver, yet perfectly clear, appearing to have brought the entire starry sky down to rest on the forest floor.
Magorian walked toward the newly formed lake, bent down his noble head, scooped up a handful of water, and drank it, savouring the taste for a long, silent moment. All the centaurs watched him with eager, expectant gazes.
Allen understood that the physical manifestation of the water was a byproduct of the dazzling white sphere of concentrated starlight, but he was clueless as to its strange magical properties. He watched Magorian intently, trying not to miss even the slightest flicker of emotion in the Chief's expression.
Magorian closed his eyes for a suspended moment, lost in profound thought, then suddenly opened them; his eyes now shone with an intense, bright starlight. "My people," he proclaimed, his voice ringing with renewed authority,
"our sacred lands are now graced with a new, holy Star Lake, which we must protect with our very lives! This lake shall serve as a sacred place of baptism for our descendants. Its waters are now imbued with the harnessed power of the cosmos, capable of assisting our young foals in awakening their latent prophetic abilities and unlocking the deepest secrets of their heritage. Now, in the name of the Centaur Race, I name this blessed body of water: Star Lake!"
The entire herd of centaurs erupted in celebration of the birth of Star Lake, raising their forehooves and stamping them hard upon the ground, their cheers melding into a deafening, unified roar of joy.
Magorian lowered his hands and continued, "The formation of Star Lake is due to the generosity of one man: the compassionate human wizard, Allen Harris! We must ensure this memory is forever etched into the very soil of our sacred ground, so that Allen's kindness to the Centaurs may live forever in our hearts. Let us now raise our voices and shout his name!"
"ALLEN! ALLEN! ALLEN!" The collective shout was deafening, a sound that shook the leaves on the ancient trees. Allen felt a wave of profound gratitude radiating from the centaurs, reflected in their joyful, starlit eyes.
"My people, the Chiron Ceremony is complete. I know you all desire to experience the effects of this celestial baptism. Disperse, now! Go observe the shifting celestial orbits and feel the guidance destiny has newly afforded us!"
Magorian's command caused the centaurs to disperse immediately in twos and threes, standing or lying down under the clear night sky, their eyes fixed intently upon the stars. While they varied wildly in size, mane colour, and posture, their expressions of joyful focus and concentration were identical.
"The Moonstone and the Chiron Gift seem to have worked flawlessly. Allen, thank you deeply," Magorian said, walking over to Allen and expressing his gratitude with sincere emotion.
"It was nothing extraordinary, Chief Magorian. I simply happened upon the Moonstone by sheer coincidence," Allen replied with genuine modesty. For him, the strengthened friendship and respect of the centaurs were payment enough. Allen and Magorian began to walk and talk along the newly formed, breathtakingly beautiful Star Lake.
"Magorian, the Moonstone was said to be cursed. Are you certain that utilizing it directly in this fashion won't bring any lingering problems or misfortune?" Allen couldn't help but ask, mindful of the tragic fates of the Moonstone's previous, unhappy owners.
"The Chiron Ritual does more than just purify the centaurs; the immense, focused star-power it releases is sufficient to shatter the specific curse that bound the Moonstone," Magorian explained with a proud confidence.
"This counter-curse capability is a unique and ancient legacy of our Centaur Tribe. The jewel is now entirely cleansed, Allen, no longer carrying the baggage of its past owners. It is simply a conduit of lunar energy, awaiting its next purpose."
Magorian paused, his starlit eyes meeting Allen's. He spoke slowly, emphasizing every word with the weight of his office:
"Allen, you generously gifted us the means to secure the future of our prophecy, willingly forfeiting the possession of an object that we Centaurs have sought for generations. We are now indebted to you for the formation of Star Lake, a resource of immeasurable value to our people. To address this debt, we must offer you a reciprocal gift of equal, or perhaps even greater, weight."
"Chief Magorian, your friendship and this extraordinary sight are already immense rewards, truly. I ask for nothing more."