The tent was dim and hushed, lit only by a single crystal lamp whose pale glow struggled against the heavy darkness outside. The canvas walls rustled faintly with the wind, but even that whisper felt muted — as though the forest still mourned.
Luca sat at the edge of his makeshift bed, the communication crystal glowing in his hand. Its pulsing light cast wavering red reflections across his face, sharpening the exhaustion still carved around his eyes.
He took a slow breath, squared his shoulders, and activated the call.
Light surged upward — a swirl of crimson and gold twisting into a holographic form. And then she appeared.
Empress Celestia Dragonair.
Even through a projection, her presence was overwhelming.
