The Center Points
The High Emperors and Empresses watched attentively. All of them—including Eldora and Braylon—were suddenly hopeful. With every bit of understanding the new Emperors and Empresses made, the old guard became stronger and stronger.
As they watched, their bodies slowly realigned with Sidus Serpens and their full powers began to slip back like containers slowly filling with cool liquid. All of them knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that this was all due to the new Emperors and Empresses overcoming the challenge Sidus Serpens set them.
It would be through Ardyn, Varric, Atina, and Seraphis successfully moving through the back door that Sidus Serpens would return to itself. Reconnecting to the cornerstones was only half of it.
Sidus Serpens had to reconnect with itself.
The pillars suddenly grew a bit taller. The Emperors and Empresses all smiled. "Sidus Serpens knows what we do not."
Everyone nodded absently at Ryvvan's words as they all looked at the scene before them—their eyes were fixed and their minds were locked onto what they were seeing.
Ardyn continued to calm herself. She felt that her rage was causing them to fail and she decided they would not go through the loop again. Ursi Viridis spoke to her; the great forest pleaded as if it felt she would abandon him.
Ardyn frowned; her sense of duty had her wanting to help their great forest but her instincts gnawed at her and this caused her to hesitate. In her hesitation, Atina's soft, weak voice came to her over their soul tether. "Mistress… Allow it to be… If we pass over we will know."
Atina felt distant, like a wisp of what she once was, but so much stronger as well. Her magic seemed to roar within her. It churned and continually redoubled on itself—Atina was advancing to another level, maybe even rising two levels.
It caused true pause within Ardyn. How was Atina advancing, and how so rapidly? Ardyn trembled and the great forest around her did the same. Ursi Viridis called out to her again, this time with an even greater sense of panic and urgency.
Ardyn became anxious and she felt an odd pull; at the same moment, Seraphis spoke into her soul. "Mistress, you have to stay calm; the illusion pulls when you are agitated. The loop will begin again."
Before Seraphis finished, Ardyn had already calmed her anxiousness and the pull stopped immediately. She frowned—the illusion was centered on her. She drove the mechanics and caused the loop.
She calmed herself more and thought for a long moment, then reached out to Varric. He was distant—very similar to Atina—his power was also surging and swelling, but he seemed whole all the same. When he finally answered, she sensed a difference. "We will be together soon, love. Soon we will be in Sidus Serpens and we will build all things new."
"We are in an illusion, Varric—a looping illusion."
"An illusion?" Concern welled up within him, then an intense need to save Ardyn.
Ardyn almost immediately felt the pull. "Calm, my love. The loop will reset. You and I are driving this. You and I need to end it."
Almost instantly Varric calmed, but it was too late. The trigger had already snapped and the loop restarted.
Eldora sat back in an exasperated sigh. "I thought they would make it out of this that time."
Braylon nodded. "They lasted much longer."
Salton smiled. "Did none of you notice the obvious?"
Braylon scowled. "Stop with the smirking and just tell us what you know!"
Salton's smile broadened. "Ardyn and Varric had discovered something. Their magic has calmed and it now fully resonates with Sidus Serpens." The majestic Shark-orca paused as every eye turned to look at the sphere and smiles broke out on all of the High Emperors and Empresses' faces. "It's almost over."
Sidus Serpens trembled gently around them. Shylah looked up to the sky, her wings still stiff from the eons of disuse. "Sidus Serpens is settling back down to its natural state. Elsa has truly saved us."
As she spoke, three pillars rose amongst the rest. They were half the height of the other seven and sat grouped to the left of the circle.
Eva smiled as she watched her daughter walk to the grouping—as if compelled. "It would seem that Elsa and her students have earned seats amongst us."
Elsa sat on a pillar, and, as if Sidus Serpens gave its approval, it rose ever so slightly and glowed a brilliant white. Elsa felt her connection to Sidus Serpens grow stronger and change subtly, as if she were given greater access and more responsibility. She looked to the silver sphere and saw everything within the valley in greater detail. She smiled. "They will be here soon."