The first soft light of dawn filtered gently through the curtains of the chamber, casting a delicate glow over the room. A calm hush blanketed everything, broken only by the rhythmic breathing of two bodies intertwined beneath the warmth of a soft linen blanket.
Evon stirred, blinking slowly as he felt the tender pressure of a familiar figure curled close to his chest. Her warmth, her scent, the way her soft red hair spilled over the pillow like a cascade of flame—it was all unmistakably Lyria.
"Ywaaaan…" he let out a sleepy yawn, stretching one arm over his head while the other remained firmly wrapped around her.
Lyria murmured softly in her sleep, shifting slightly, her bare shoulder slipping into view. Her expression was peaceful, almost glowing in the morning light. Evon smiled to himself, brushing a loose strand of her fiery hair away from her face.
"Lyria…" he whispered, gently tapping her head.
She stirred, her eyes fluttering open, glimmering with a new depth—fiery amber irises now dancing with a unique spark, as if small embers floated within her pupils. Evon blinked, stunned by the change.
"You're… glowing," he said, his voice low, almost reverent. "Lyria, your eyes…"
Lyria blinked a few times, groggy but slowly awakening to his words. "What…?" She sat up a little, rubbing her eyes. "Evon… are you okay?"
He nodded, still staring in awe. "It's your eyes. There's a different fire in them. Not just the elemental spark—it's something else. Stronger."
Lyria blinked, then smiled faintly, brushing her hair back. "Maybe it's because I stayed with you the entire night… without rushing. Maybe something inside me settled… completed."
Evon reached out, sliding his hand gently through her hair. "You absorbed the power completely."
She leaned into his touch, her voice soft. "Then maybe… maybe this is how it's meant to be."
They shared a moment of silence, her head resting on his chest once again. Then, with a soft sigh, she sat up fully, wrapping the blanket around herself.
"Alright," she said, a hint of playful energy in her voice, "let's go wake up the others. I want to see what this power really is."
Evon smiled, nodding. "Let's do it."
After they dressed—sharing a few more lingering, affectionate touches—they stepped into the central hall of their residence. The early morning light was now spreading, and soft shadows danced across the walls.
They gently knocked on the other chambers, and one by one, Naia, Sythara, and Veyra emerged, all wrapped in robes, looking curious but still a little drowsy.
"What's the rush?" Veyra asked, rubbing her eyes.
Naia yawned. "It's barely morning…"
Sythara tilted her head. "Did something happen?"
Evon grinned, stepping aside to reveal Lyria, who now stood confidently in the center of the room, her expression calm but focused.
"Lyria has awakened something," Evon said. "She wants to show you all."
Lyria nodded. "I'll keep it brief for now, but I wanted to share this with all of you." She took a breath. "I've awakened a new ability… something that goes far beyond what I thought was possible."
The others exchanged glances.
Lyria closed her eyes and began channeling her power. In the next second, a gentle scarlet aura began to rise from her skin—subtle, yet commanding. Her hair shimmered, lifting slightly in the air as it morphed into pure glowing flame—no crackling, no burning—just vibrant, molten fire held together by her will.
And then—
**THUMPPP!**
A soundless shockwave surged outward from her presence. No heat touched the room, no smoke curled into the air—but everyone felt it.
An oppressive pressure filled the space, heavy yet invisible. Their skin tingled, their breath caught.
Veyra staggered back slightly. "Wh-what… is this?!"
Naia's eyes widened. "It's like I'm… burning—but there's no fire!"
Sythara took a half step forward, eyes narrowing. "This isn't normal flame. It's ancient. I've only felt something like this once, in the presence of an ancient volcano guardian…"
Lyria opened her eyes. "This is the True Fire."
She let the aura settle, and the glow receded like a tide. Her hair returned to its natural fiery red as the pressure lifted. Everyone let out a collective breath they hadn't realized they were holding.
Lyria smiled softly. "The True Fire doesn't burn the way normal flame does. It's heat… in its purest, most unforgiving form. It can sear a soul without lighting a spark. That's why it's so dangerous."
Evon stepped closer, laying a hand on her shoulder. "And yet, you control it perfectly."
"I can only begin to," she said. "The power comes with a path—a hierarchy of stages. Eleven in total. I've just entered the Eleventh."
"And the First stage?" Naia asked, still a bit shaken.
Lyria's expression turned determined. "Once I reach the First… I will become the True Fire Goddess."
The room fell silent again.
Veyra let out a low whistle. "So now you're really trying to live up to that temper of yours, huh?"
Lyria grinned. "Guess so."
Sythara chuckled. "First Naia, now Lyria. Evon… you really are unlocking more than just strength in us."
Naia smirked. "I wouldn't mind another session to test my own powers further."
Evon held up his hands. "Let's focus on one miracle at a time."
Everyone laughed, the tension broken.
---
Just as the laughter and warmth from Lyria's True Fire demonstration began to settle across the room like soft embers, a sudden chill sliced through the air.
It wasn't merely a cold breeze or a passing sensation.
No—this chill seeped into their very bones, like invisible frost crawling beneath the skin. A hush fell across the group. The crackling torchlight on the walls dimmed, as though even fire hesitated in the presence of something more ancient, more commanding.
Evon inhaled sharply, goosebumps rising across his skin. "...This feeling—"
The others turned instinctively, drawn by an unseen presence, and their eyes landed on Naia.
She stood perfectly still, her posture elegant, her form wrapped in soft, flowing garments. Her eyes were closed, lips parted ever so slightly as if in a trance. Her long hair, usually calm like a tranquil sea, now billowed around her as though suspended in gentle waves.
A luminous, icy blue aura enveloped her entire body. It shimmered with layers—like the surface of a frozen lake over deep, flowing waters. The air around her seemed heavier, yet purer, and every breath they took felt as if it had been filtered through glacier winds.
The temperature in the room continued to plummet.
Sythara stepped back slightly, her draconic senses prickling. "It seems… Naia also fully absorbed your seed, Evon," she said softly, her tone laced with both admiration and a faint tremor of caution.
Evon didn't respond right away. His eyes remained locked on Naia—entranced, fascinated. Her awakening wasn't a display of wild power or chaos. It was silent… divine. As if nature itself knelt before her, surrendering to the elegance of her aura.
Veyra let out a slow breath, watching her fingers trembling from the cold. "It's beautiful," she murmured. "But that chill—it's on the same level as Lyria's True Fire. No… it might be deeper. It's not just freezing our skin… I can feel it in my soul."
Lyria nodded solemnly, her fiery aura subtly flickering as if in respectful withdrawal. "Yes… It's as if the very concept of warmth is being rewritten. I've never felt this kind of stillness before. I want to see what she's truly become."
Evon, still silent, allowed himself a small smile. Not of pride—but of awe. He was witnessing something sacred.
The glow around Naia began to ripple and pulse, as if her energy was in perfect synchrony with the air itself. Slowly, she opened her eyes.
A collective gasp passed through the room.
Her eyes no longer held their previous calm ocean blue. Now, they gleamed with an otherworldly light. Inside each iris floated a glowing water sigil—ancient and fluid, ever-changing yet balanced, as if it held the wisdom of forgotten seas and frozen times.
The energy from her faded like mist dissolving under sunlight, but its impact lingered. The frost didn't vanish—it simply settled into the room's bones, like a memory carved into stone.
Naia turned her head, her expression serene. She smiled—genuine, radiant, and impossibly gentle.
"I'm sorry if I startled you all," she said softly, her voice like clear water echoing in a forest glade.
Evon finally spoke, his tone warm. "You didn't startle us, Naia. You… overwhelmed us."
Naia giggled, placing a hand over her chest. "Then let me explain."
She stepped forward, every movement flowing like a tide. "This power I've awakened is called the Immortal Water."
The room grew still again.
"It is an ancient force—older than I can describe," she continued. "The Immortal Water is composed of two divine aspects: the first, the water of life and purity… and the second, the immortal glacier—the deepest cold, the stillness of time, the power that can freeze not just matter, but essence."
Her gaze swept across her friends, her sisters-in-arms. "This power allows me to purify any corruption… to erode even the darkest of shadow energies. But it also gives me control over an ice that goes beyond temperature—it reaches into the spirit, into time. If I master it, I could stop the heartbeat of an entire island… or preserve a life at the brink of death."
Everyone stood silent. Not out of fear, but reverence.
"There are nine stages in this path," she added. "And I've just stepped into the ninth. Once I reach the First… I will become the Immortal Water Goddess."
Lyria was the first to break the silence. "Naia… that power… It's beautiful. Terrifying. But beautiful. You looked like a goddess even before. Now… you truly embody it."
Sythara smiled, arms crossed. "Seems like you've joined the club."
Naia tilted her head. "Club?"
Sythara nodded. "The 'Evon's Divine Women' club. So far we've got a True Fire-in-progress, a colossal divine dragon, and now the Ice Queen of Eternity."
Veyra chuckled. "What about me?"
Sythara grinned. "You're next, of course."
Evon stepped closer, reaching out a hand. "Naia, how do you feel?"
She took his hand, lacing her fingers through his, and smiled with pure gratitude. "I feel… whole. Like everything inside me has found harmony."
Their eyes met, and for a moment it was just the two of them. No magic. No battles. Just trust. Just connection.
Evon squeezed her hand gently. "I'm glad."
Naia leaned in, whispering, "Thank you… for helping me awaken."
Veyra raised an eyebrow. "Alright, lovebirds. Can we have breakfast before the walls freeze over?"
Laughter filled the room again.
But deep in each of their hearts, they knew: the journey ahead had changed. The tide had shifted.
With the awakening of the Immortal Water, the stakes had grown higher.
But so had their strength.