SWNOVELS Chapter 89
The sun hung low on the horizon, painting the sky in hues of amber and rose as Lyra stood atop the watchtower of New Haven. The settlement had sprung up in the months following their victory over the Void, a symbol of hope and resilience for those displaced by the cosmic conflict. From her vantage point, she could see the bustling streets below, filled with humans and magical creatures alike working together to forge a new future.
A warm breeze carried the scent of blooming wildflowers, nature’s response to the receding corruption. Lyra closed her eyes, savoring the moment of peace. It was still a novelty, this quiet after so many months of constant struggle.
“Copper for your thoughts?” Fenris’s deep voice rumbled behind her as strong arms encircled her waist.
Lyra leaned back into his embrace, a smile tugging at her lips. “Just marveling at how far we’ve come,” she replied, gesturing to the thriving community below. “Sometimes it feels like a dream.”
Fenris nuzzled her neck, his beard tickling her skin. “If it is, I hope we never wake up.”
Their moment of tranquility was interrupted by the sound of running footsteps on the tower stairs. Aelindra burst onto the platform, her normally graceful movements hasty with urgency.
“They’re here,” the elf announced, slightly out of breath. “A delegation from the Western Plains. And they’re asking for you both.”
Lyra and Fenris exchanged a glance, a flicker of concern passing between them. The Western Plains had been one of the regions hit hardest by the Void’s corruption. Reports of the damage there had been… troubling.
“We’ll be right there,” Lyra assured Aelindra. As the elf departed, she turned to Fenris. “Ready to face the music?”
Fenris’s expression hardened, determination replacing the contentment of moments before. “Together,” he said simply, taking her hand in his.
As they made their way through the winding streets of New Haven, Lyra couldn’t help but notice the way people reacted to their presence. Some offered smiles and words of gratitude, while others watched with wary eyes, whispering behind raised hands. Their actions during the final battle with the Void had elevated them to near-mythic status, a fact that still made Lyra uncomfortable.
They found the delegation waiting in the town square, a group of travel-worn individuals whose haunted expressions spoke volumes about their journey. At their head stood a tall woman with silver-streaked hair and eyes that had seen too much.
“Greetings,” Lyra said, stepping forward. “I’m Lyra, and this is Fenris. Welcome to New Haven.”
The woman inclined her head in acknowledgment. “I am Mara, elected speaker for the survivors of the Western Plains. We’ve come seeking answers… and justice.”
A murmur ran through the gathered crowd. Fenris tensed beside Lyra, his voice low as he addressed Mara. “Justice for what, exactly?”
Mara’s eyes flashed with a mixture of grief and anger. “For the devastation wrought upon our lands. For the lives lost and the futures stolen. We know it was your combined power that sealed the rifts and banished the Void. But at what cost?”
Lyra felt a chill run down her spine. They had known there would be consequences to their actions, but the full extent was only now becoming clear.
“Perhaps we should continue this discussion somewhere more private,” she suggested, gesturing towards the nearby council chambers.
Once inside, away from prying eyes and ears, Mara and her companions wasted no time in laying out their grievances. Maps were unfurled, showing vast swathes of land rendered uninhabitable. Testimonies were given of strange phenomena – time flowing differently in certain areas, pockets of wild magic that defied the laws of nature.
“The sealing of the rifts saved our world, there’s no denying that,” one of Mara’s advisors, an elderly man with a scholar’s bent, explained. “But the backlash of such immense power… it’s changed things. Perhaps irreparably.”
Lyra listened with growing horror, her mind racing to process the implications. She and Fenris had been so focused on stopping the immediate threat of the Void, they hadn’t fully considered the long-term effects of their actions.
“We didn’t know,” Fenris growled, frustration evident in his voice. “We were trying to save everyone.”
Mara’s expression softened slightly. “We don’t doubt your intentions. But good intentions aren’t enough to rebuild shattered lives.”
A heavy silence fell over the room. Lyra could feel the weight of expectation pressing down on her, the hopes and fears of countless people resting on her shoulders. She turned to Fenris, seeking strength in his unwavering presence.
“What do you propose we do?” Lyra asked finally, her voice steady despite the turmoil in her heart.
Mara exchanged glances with her companions before responding. “We need your help. Your combined power reshaped reality once. Perhaps it can do so again, to heal the wounds left behind.”
Fenris bristled at the suggestion. “You have no idea what you’re asking. The toll it took on us last time…”
“We’re aware of the risks,” Mara interjected. “But you’re our best hope. The only ones who might understand enough about what happened to set things right.” Before Lyra could respond, the door to the chamber burst open. Veridian strode in, his face ashen. “We have a problem,” the former coven leader announced. “A big one.” All eyes turned to the elderly mage as he spread a scroll across the table. “Reports are coming in from all over. The areas most affected by the Void’s corruption… they’re experiencing temporal anomalies. Time itself seems to be unraveling in those regions.” A chorus of gasps and muttered oaths filled the room. Lyra leaned in to examine the scroll, her heart sinking as she took in the extent of the affected areas.
“How is this possible?” she breathed, tracing the outlined zones with a trembling finger.
Veridian’s expression was grim. “Our best theory is that the Void’s influence weakened the very fabric of reality in those places. When you sealed the rifts, it created a sort of… temporal vacuum. Now time is rushing in to fill the gaps, but it’s not flowing evenly.” Fenris growled low in his throat, a sound of pure frustration. “And let me guess – you think our ‘combined power’ is the key to fixing this mess too?”
The silence that followed was answer enough.
Lyra closed her eyes, taking a deep breath to center herself. When she opened them again, her gaze swept across the assembled faces – Mara and her desperate delegates, Veridian with his wealth of arcane knowledge, and Fenris, her partner in all things.
“We’ll do it,” she said firmly, cutting off Fenris’s protest with a raised hand. “But not blindly. We need to understand exactly what we’re dealing with before we attempt any large-scale magical intervention.”
Mara nodded, relief evident in her posture. “What do you need from us?” “Everything you have,” Lyra replied. “Maps, witness accounts, soil samples if you’ve got them. And we’ll need to assemble a team – the brightest minds from every magical discipline we can find.”
As the room erupted into a flurry of activity, Fenris pulled Lyra aside. His amber eyes searched her face, concern etched in every line of his rugged features. “Are you sure about this?” he asked softly. “We barely survived channeling that much power last time.”