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“The fae aren’t just a threat to this temple. The entire city is at risk,” Orias explained, his voice sobering. “Our warding network should reach beyond these walls.”
Erin paused, taking in his words. The thought was intimidating. Warding an entire city seemed like an astronomical task. But she knew he was right. “You mean, we need to ward the entire city?”
Orias nodded, his dark gaze unwavering. “Exactly. It’s a monumental task, no doubt. But we cannot leave our city unprotected.”
Resolute determination settled on Erin’s features. “We’re in this to protect everyone, not just ourselves. If we can do it, we should.”
Orias chuckled. “That’s the spirit, Erin. We’re all in this together.”
Erin turned her gaze to the temple looming behind them. It was no longer just a religious sanctuary. It had evolved into a strategic center, a beacon of hope amidst the looming danger. “When this started, I never envisioned my temple becoming such a pivotal space.”
Orias shook his head, a knowing look in his eyes. “No, it’s much more now. It’s the city’s fortress against darkness.”
“And we’ll stand together,” Erin said, her voice filled with resolve. “Whatever comes, we’ll face it as one.”
Erin strode into the temple foyer, her eyes seeking her companions—Nadir, Azimuth, Kobol, and Blaine—who were chatting with Finn and Nia. The grandeur of the temple hummed around them, yet the space felt intimate, alive with the comfort of camaraderie. Erin’s gaze fell on her newfound family, gratitude flooding her.
“You’ve all been busy,” Erin commented, a smile playing on her lips. “I can feel the wards humming all around the temple.”
As Blaine detached from the group to greet her, Erin felt the familiar warmth of his arms encircle her. He leaned in, his voice barely above a whisper, vibrating against her ear. “I just got word from the council chairman. While we’ve been busy warding, Maria has taken advantage of our absence. She convinced the chairman to appoint her interim mayor until a proper election can be held.”
Pulling back from his embrace, Erin searched Blaine’s gaze, seeing his anxiety over this news mirrored her own. This news was a twist she had not expected, and it stirred up a mess of conflicting emotions within her. Was her absence from the council putting her temple at risk? Or were her efforts to protect it, ironically, the very thing leaving it vulnerable? The irony wasn’t lost on her.
Even so, the safety of their city was at stake. Politics seemed so petty when faced with the enormity of their actual problem. “Politics? In the middle of this?” she retorted, frustration seeping into her tone. “We have bigger problems. We have a fae threat on our doorstep.”
Blaine, ever the calm in her storm of worry and determination, nodded in agreement. “I thought you’d see it that way. The fae threat should be our priority. But we’ll also need to address this political hiccup. The council will have to be convinced to see the larger threat.”
“That’s a problem for tomorrow,” Erin replied, her mind already churning with the challenge of balancing leadership duties and a supernatural threat. It seemed the battle on both fronts had just begun.
As the sun cast long shadows across the temple grounds, they all gathered around the ancient stone table at the heart of the foyer. The murmur of conversation filled the air, each voice a thread in the fabric of their united front.
Blaine cleared his throat, his voice deep and resonant as he spoke. “Hoping for the best and preparing for the worst doesn’t seem adequate here. We need to be proactive.” His words struck a chord, inciting a rumble of agreement that swept through the room.
Erin stood tall at the head of the table, her eyes meeting Orias’. She nodded, appreciation for his input spreading across her face. “Exactly. Orias and I were speaking about this out in the gardens. We can’t just react; we need to dictate the pace here. Our wards have been set, yes, but the next step is expansion.”
“Expansion?” Kobol asked, arching his brow.
“We need a city-wide network,” Orias replied. “Covering the city. It’s our best shot at protecting as many as possible.”
She looked around the room, catching each of their eyes. “We will not sit idly by, waiting for the fae to strike. We’re going to fortify our city. We’ll weave a blanket of wards, a shield to keep our citizens safe from their ill intent.”
“Our cabal can gather the necessary supplies,” Azimuth chimed in, his gaze firm on Erin’s.
Nadir nodded. “We’re available to help,” Nadir added, her voice calm yet resolute.
“I can petition the council for resources to aid us,” Blaine offered, his words underscoring the importance of Orias’s proposal.
As Erin returned their pledges with a grateful smile, the enormity of their shared mission weighed heavily on them all. The rising tide of determination within her echoed the shared resolve of her newfound allies. Their alliance, born of necessity, was beginning to flourish into a bond of camaraderie, threading its way through their collective purpose.
With the looming shadow of the fae threat ever present, their united resolve continued to grow stronger. Yet Erin knew that unity alone would not be enough. They needed to understand what they were up against.
“Many centuries ago, there was a great war against the fae,” Orias recounted, his voice low and somber. “Their power threatened to consume the mortal realm. A compact was made. The fae agreed to retreat from the mortal realms, never to return. Until now.”
Erin absorbed this knowledge, her mind churning. “We need to understand why they’ve broken the compact after all this time. What’s changed to embolden them?”
Azimuth spoke up, his tone grave. “The fae are mercurial beings, their motives ever shifting. But the rules have changed, that much is clear. We must uncover what has drawn them back in order to protect the mortal realms.”
Erin nodded. “You’re right. Only by understanding their reasons can we hope to curb their chaos.”
