Twilight Inferno The Elemental Crown

CH 17 Azula - Shadows and Flames intertwined

As the sun rose on another day in the Fire Kingdom, I found myself restless, pacing the halls of the palace. The events of the past few days weighed heavily on my mind, the earthquake, the volcano's brief awakening, and the unsettling calm that followed. It was as if nothing had happened, our kingdom showing no signs of the power dwindling that had plagued Umbraleion.

I spent hours with Eclipsa, pouring over ancient texts and histories, searching for any clue that might shed light on our situation. We learned about creatures of legend, but nothing concrete emerged to explain the recent events.

As we sat in the library, surrounded by towering shelves of books, I found my mind drifting back to a conversation we'd had earlier:

"There's another part of the legend," Eclipsa had said, her voice barely above a whisper. "One that's even less known. It speaks of a prophecy, a way to either restore Umbravellion to its original purpose or to defeat it once and for all."

The memory of her words sent a shiver down my spine. "And what does this prophecy say?" I had asked, my heart racing.

"It speaks of two individuals," Eclipsa had replied, her eyes meeting mine meaningfully. "One born of shadow and one born of flame. Together, they would have the power to either save our world or plunge it into eternal darkness."

Now, as I sat across from her in the dim light of the library, those words echoed in my mind. One of shadow and one of flame. The demonstration with Tenebris flashed before my eyes, the way our powers had intertwined, creating something beyond either of us alone.

"Azula?" Eclipsa's voice pulled me from my reverie. "Are you alright? You seem distracted."

I shook my head, trying to clear my thoughts. "I'm fine. It's just... that prophecy you mentioned. I can't stop thinking about it."

Eclipsa leaned forward, her eyes bright with curiosity. "What about it?"

Before I could respond, a commotion outside caught our attention. The sound of hurried footsteps and raised voices echoed through the halls, seeming to lead towards the main royal hall.

Eclipsa and I exchanged a glance before jumping to our feet. As we raced towards the source of the noise, we collided with a solid figure rounding the corner. I stumbled, about to fall, when strong arms caught me, holding me tight against a sturdy chest.

I looked up, my breath catching as I met Tenebris's intense gaze. For a moment, the world seemed to fade away, leaving only us, locked in an embrace that felt both foreign and strangely right.

A pointed cough from Eclipsa broke the spell. Tenebris released me, and I stepped back, my cheeks burning.

"We should... we should see what's happening," I stammered, avoiding Tenebris's eyes.

We hurried to the royal hall, pushing through the gathering crowd. My father, King Pyreus, stood at the centre, a scroll clutched in his hand. His face was grave as he surveyed the room.

The guards stomped their feet, calling for silence. My father's eyes swept over the assembled crowd, his gaze lingering on me for a moment before he began to read.

"A message from King Onyx of the Terranox Kingdom," he announced, his voice echoing through the hall.

As he read, a chill settled over the room. The Earth Kingdom was suffering strange consequences,  weakening trees, infertile soil. Their yearly animal spirit choosing ceremony, guided by the Moon Goddess, had gone awry. Many children received no spirit animal at all, while those who did endured great pain in the process.

King Onyx's son, Jasper, had become the only living rare animal spirit, the phoenix. But this miraculous event was overshadowed by the troubles plaguing their land.