A Year Later—
Far beyond the iron ruins of Varkhast—
where smoke no longer stained the sky—
another kingdom stood beneath the sun.
Solmire.
The central jewel of the Five Kingdoms.
Land of radiant towers.
White stone roads.
Golden banners that danced across the wind.
A kingdom where rivers crossed marble bridges, markets rang with music, and knights wore polished armor bright enough to mirror daylight itself.
Unlike Varkhast, where law watched from every wall—
Solmire breathed openly.
Its people laughed in the streets.
Children chased drifting motes of harmless light aether.
Merchants called from colorful stalls.
Bells rang not for mourning—
but celebration.
Because today—
a new king had taken the throne.
At the heart of the capital rose the Sunspire Palace.
Its gates stood open to the people.
Its great plaza overflowed with citizens gathered shoulder to shoulder beneath countless banners.
Petals rained from the upper balconies.
Trumpets sounded from silver towers.
Voices joined as one.
"Long live the King!"
Upon the elevated throne dais stood a young ruler clad in white and gold.
His crown was newly forged.
Lighter than those worn before him.
Yet no less heavy.
Rein Solmire Aurelius.
Same age as many knights who now bowed before him.
Too young, some whispered.
Too untested, others believed.
But the people cheered all the same.
Because in uncertain times—
hope often wore a younger face.
Rein raised one hand.
Cards of glowing aether spun between his fingers like stars in orbit.
A spade.
A diamond.
A heart.
A club.
They circled once—
then burst into harmless light above the crowd.
The plaza erupted louder.
He smiled with practiced ease.
Confident.
Bright.
Every bit the king they wished to see.
Only those nearest noticed the tension in his jaw when no one watched.
The throne had been won.
Keeping it would be harder.
At the right side of the dais stood another young figure.
No crown.
No need.
Rose Solmire Aurelius.
One year younger than her brother.
Dressed in ceremonial white lined with silver armor beneath.
Elegant posture.
Measured gaze.
Hands folded before her like a noble lady—
though the sword at her side told a different story.
Where Rein shone outwardly—
Rose observed.
Every noble's expression.
Every captain's stance.
Every whisper lost beneath the cheers.
An advisor.
A knight.
A shield no one announced.
A child ran too close to the guard line and stumbled.
Rose moved before anyone else.
She caught the child gently and returned him to his mother with a smile so brief it almost seemed imagined.
The crowd adored her for it.
Then—
her fingers tightened suddenly around her wrist.
A pulse of pain crossed her face.
Gone in an instant.
She lowered her sleeve.
Straightened.
No one reacted.
No one had seen.
Except Rein.
His smile never broke.
But one of the glowing cards in his hand burned away.
From the noble balconies above the plaza—
not all applause was sincere.
A gray-bearded lord leaned toward another.
"…A boy king."
A woman in jeweled robes answered quietly.
"…Then guide him."
"…Or replace him."
Below them, captains of Solmire's Magic Orders stood in formal ranks.
Some proud.
Some loyal.
Some unreadable.
Even in light—
shadows remained.
Far from music and crowns—
at the kingdom's outer entrance—
a lone traveler approached on foot.
Dust clung to worn boots.
A dark cloak concealed the body beneath.
A hood hid the face entirely.
At the traveler's side rested a sword wrapped near the hilt with faded blue cloth.
Old cloth.
Carefully tied.
The guards at the gate straightened.
Hands on weapons.
"State your name and purpose!"
The traveler stopped.
Wind moved through the open fields behind.
The great walls of Solmire gleamed ahead.
No answer came.
The guards exchanged looks.
One stepped forward.
"Remove the hood."
Silence.
Then a gust of wind swept through the gate road.
The hood shifted—
only slightly.
Just enough.
White hair.
A moon-shaped birthmark beneath the right eye.
A scar crossing the jawline.
Older than the boy who had left Varkhast.
Harder.
The hood fell back into shadow.
The traveler took one more step toward the kingdom of light.
And somewhere far above—
one of Rein's glowing cards split cleanly in half.