Within the guest quarter of the Elven outpost, curtains woven of pure starlight parted upon an ever-churning nebula. Eloise stood at the window, her fingers closed tightly around the deep-violet gem, feeling the pulse of Viretta's presence and the breathing rhythm of the Star Core within.
Two days had passed since the tribunal—by elven reckoning. In the human world, scarcely half a day had slipped by.
The luminous veil of the doorway rippled, and Aurora entered. She had exchanged her ceremonial robes for silver-gray light armor, over which hung a dark blue mantle of diplomatic office.
"The delegation is ready. We depart in one hour," Aurora said. Her voice was gentler than before, though vigilance still sharpened her gaze. "Speaker Eluën has named me commander of the mission. Selene will serve as my second. Four Starwardens will accompany us as escort. Lady Viretta shall travel as special advisor."
"And Elinor?" Eloise asked.
"She remains in the Court." Aurora's tone carried a thread of conflicted feeling. "She says she must learn again how to live in freedom—and help the Dove faction stabilize matters from within, lest the Hawk remnants strike back. She asked me to tell you this: 'Thank you for your courage, bearer of the Time Anchor. Take care of my sister.'"
Eloise inclined her head. Three centuries of bondage could not be undone in a single dawn.
"And what of the Association?" she asked. "How will they respond?"
Aurora's expression hardened. "That is why I came to warn you. Our intercepted signals reveal a schism within the Industrial Thaumaturgic Association. The Dove faction welcomes the embassy. But the Hawks—especially those who once traded secretly with Kainos—may act to sabotage the peace. And they likely know it was you who exposed him."
"So the moment we return, we may be hunted."
"Yes. Yet that danger is also our opening." Aurora continued, "Gianna Archer contacted me through encrypted channels during the tribunal. She will support us inside the Association—but she needs proof. Not only elven testimony, but concrete evidence of the Hawks' dealings with Kainos."
Eloise recalled the files taken from the museum and Croft. "We have Morl's journals. They mention certain officials—but not by name."
"Then once we return, we must uncover something more decisive. Gianna will arrange a secure landing site. From there, we plan our next move."
An hour later, the delegation assembled upon the teleport platform. Alongside Aurora, Selene, and four Starwardens stood Viretta—her full Star-Singer form veiled beneath a hood to avoid drawing notice. Eloise, Zoe, Leon, and Redmond accompanied them as human liaisons.
The gate opened. Their destination: an abandoned meteorological station outside Saint Astra City.
The passage felt familiar—like being wrapped in liquid starlight, then dropped gently back into gravity. When they stepped out, the damp air and distant murmur of traffic felt unreal.
The station was derelict, but cleared. Gianna Archer waited within, flanked by two tense middle-aged officials in Association uniform.
"Welcome back—and welcome, honored elves," Gianna said briskly. Her eyes lingered on Viretta. "Time is short. The Association now stands divided into three factions: the Doves, whom I lead; the Hawks, under Vice-Chairman Malcolm Black, who favor confrontation or annihilation; and the great undecided middle."
She activated a projector, revealing a lattice of names and power lines.
"After you exposed Kainos, Black severed all visible ties with the elven Hawks. But in secret, he pursues another scheme." She summoned a file. "He has been funding an extremist group called Psyche Purity. Their aim is not peace—but to use elven magic to forge weapons that obey humans alone, and cleanse the elves in return."
A chill passed through Eloise. "So the Hawks want not war, but slaughter and enslavement?"
"Plunder," Gianna corrected coldly. "Black believes elven core magic will grant him immortality and absolute authority. Sebastian Morl—the 'Collector' you encountered—was his spiritual mentor. Most of Morl's research is now in Black's hands."
Viretta stepped forward, starlight flickering in her eyes. "Then he continues Morl's work—stripping and exploiting elven cores."
"Yes. And he is close to success. We have intelligence that in the northern industrial ruins he holds a secret laboratory. A wandering elven civilian—left behind after the war, weakened and alone—has been captured. On the next full moon, Black will perform a core-extraction ritual."
Aurora's starblade flared into being. "He dares."
"Restraint, Commander," Gianna said. "A frontal assault will alert him. Without evidence, we cannot topple him. We must infiltrate the lab, retrieve the data, and rescue the captive elf."
"When?" Eloise asked.
"In three nights, at full moon."
Roles were assigned. Aurora and the Starwardens would secure the perimeter. Eloise's team would infiltrate the interior. Viretta would locate the captive through resonance. Gianna would stall Black within the Association and prepare an impeachment vote.
"But beware," Gianna added grimly. "Black is no Kainos. He is clever—and cruel. His lab is layered with traps and automata. And… he may already know you have returned."
That night, beneath Saint Astra's electric glow, Eloise and Viretta stood outside.
"It feels like leaving one battlefield for another," Eloise murmured.
"Peace is never forged in a single stroke," Viretta replied. "Three centuries ago I failed. This time, we are not alone."
"Are you afraid?"
"Yes," Viretta said after a pause. "But more than fear, I feel anger—and resolve. I will not allow another soul, elf or human, to suffer as Elinor and I did."
The gem warmed in Eloise's hand. She remembered her father's last words: Humanity must repay light with equal light.
"We will end this cycle," she said.
Three nights later, under a cloud-veiled moon, they entered the abandoned textile mill. Beneath it lay Black's laboratory.
Through rusted tunnels and soul-thread alarms, they advanced. Below, machines hummed like iron insects. In the center stood a transparent containment chamber. Inside, a frail elven woman lay bound by tubes draining silver soul-light from her veins.
Viretta trembled. "Star above… how can they—"
"Hold," Eloise whispered. "Data first. Then rescue."
They split. Leon and Redmond triggered a diversion. Eloise and Zoe reached the server chamber.
But then—
Red light flooded the lab.
A voice boomed from every screen:"Welcome, uninvited guests. I have been expecting you."
Malcolm Black appeared, gray-haired and hawk-eyed.
"This laboratory is a snare. Especially for you, Viretta of Starlight. Your core will be my finest prize."
Steel doors slammed shut. War-machines descended from the ceiling.
"Evolution," Black cried. "Humanity will rise on elven bones!"
Battle erupted—starblades against plasma fire. Zoe hacked the systems. Shields fell. Aurora severed the tubes. Viretta caught the collapsing elf.
Then Black triggered self-destruction. Walls glowed red with heat.
Desperation seized them.
Eloise saw the soul-reactor. "Viretta—can you bind the blast for seconds?"
"I will try."
The reactor screamed. Viretta pressed her hands to it, starfire wrapping the raging core.
"Now!"
The explosion came—but folded inward, trapped for three heartbeats. They fled through the torn gate as the lab vanished in flame.
Viretta collapsed into light, fading back into the violet gem.
By dawn, Gianna had the data. Black was arrested. His faction fell. Talks began.
Peace, at last, seemed possible.
Yet at the celebration banquet, unease lingered.
Then Gianna arrived, pale.
"Black has been taken… by attackers using elven magic."
At that moment the gem shuddered violently.
"Eloise… beware… a familiar and terrible starlight draws near… it cannot be… he should be dead…"
"Who?" Eloise whispered.
"Kainos. He has escaped. And… he is coming."
Across the heavens, a blood-red star streaked toward Saint Astra City.
The road home had found its shadow.