No.25's POV
"Forgive me… My dear children"
My fingers tightened around the spear.
Then I struck Iskha'vel against the ground.
PUFFFFF!
The earth trembled.
White ethereal flames erupted from beneath my feet.
They did not explode violently.
They bloomed.
Thousands upon thousands of strands of white fire unfurled across the ground like luminous roots, spreading outward in perfect circles.
The flames passed beneath the feet of my people without burning them.
Instead, they wrapped around them.
Gentle and Warm.
Almost tender.
Like the embrace of a mother gathering her frightened children into her arms.
The people were lifted from the ground.
"N-NO!"
"MY LORD!"
"PLEASE, DON'T LEAVE US!!"
"MY LORDDDD!!!"
Their hands reached toward me.
Some fought against the flames.
Some screamed.
Some begged.
But the flames continued carrying them toward the Umbra Sanctum.
My heart tightened.
Their cries became distant.
But I could still hear them.
I could still feel them.
