Palace District.
After his brief chat with the Prince, Adam returned to his temporary residence. He paced around his bedroom, hands clasped behind his back.
A contemplative look shadowed his face as he thought to himself:
In the ti I’ve spent with Anna, the number of tis she spoke about her father and elder brother can be counted on one hand.
The person she spoke most about and the one she loved the most was her mother. To think that I’d et that person today was... surprising.
Even before setting foot in Amberfall, Adam knew that he would eventually et Anna’s family. But when he actually t the Queen today, he couldn’t help but beco slightly nervous.
After all, when he was a child and listened to Anna speak about her mother, he had naturally begun to imagine her as his own mother as well. Having already lost his family, he instinctively thought of Anna as her elder sister, and by that sa childish logic, her mother beca his mother too.
At least, that was how the world made sense to an eight-year-old Adam.
Adam closed his eyes and sensed the telepathic link he shared with the serpent he’d just left behind with Marlow.
A mont later, his eyes snapped open, and he spat, "Dragonshit!"
He ran a hand through his dense white hair, then curled his mustache upward. "Twisted mind of a scribe? Is that any way to talk about your elders? Hmph!"
Soon, Adam’s expression turned solemn, and he couldn’t help but think to himself:
Judging by their conversation... it seems that Anna hasn’t sent her family any ssages, notifying them of her well-being.
Why didn’t she do it? This is unlike her. Given how close she is to her mother, she should have, at the very least, let her know... that...
Suddenly, his eyes narrowed, and he understood the reason.
I see, he mused.
So that’s why.
After the Battle of Ravenfell, Anna and her entourage took refuge within the protected confines of the Soaring River Secret Plane.
As a secret plane, it existed in a pocket dinsion embedded within the material world. Its laws of space were tightly contained and deliberately hidden. As a result, those inside the secret plane were unable to summon creatures into it or anything out from within its boundaries.
That was why the Fireborne family hadn’t received any correspondence from Anna. It wasn’t because she didn’t write. It was because she couldn’t.
Thinking of the reason, Adam couldn’t help but massage his temples and heave a helpless sigh.
Her family is worried sick, he mused.
And knowing that she’s alive, yet receiving no ssage from her, will only deepen their panic, forcing them to imagine the worst possible circumstances that might be preventing her from reaching out.
How long has it been? Almost twenty-five years...
Just what must her family have endured all that ti?
Recalling the conversation that Marlow and Amira had just had, Adam’s lips curled up into a sad smile.
Anna, your elder brother still hasn’t stopped looking for you after all these years.
Your mother still thinks of you, wishing that one day you will return to her.
All this while, they had no other option but to cling desperately to a ray of hope, to believe that wherever you were, you were well.
But it doesn’t have to be like that anymore, does it?
I’m here now.
As your little brother, how can I allow your family to continue drowning in uncertainty and grief?
In that mont, he took a deep breath and ca to a decision. His hands slowly rose and weaved a few hand seals, erecting a formless barrier around him.
Adam then willed the Faceless Mask, and in the next mont...
His height started to diminish, his aged skin smoothened into sothing clear and unblemished, and his hair gradually shifted to a bright shade of crimson.
In a matter of monts, the transformation completed seamlessly.
And when it ended...
Anna Fireborne had erged in Amberfall after decades away!
***
Amira Fireborne sat by the arched window within the palace, the cool night breeze brushing past her as she gazed at the twin moons hanging in the sky. Their pale light spilled into her private chamber, casting soft shadows across the stone floors.
Clutched in her hands was a small, worn toy. It was sothing Anna cherished deeply as a child. Amira’s fingers tightened around the toy, as if afraid to let it go.
In the quiet of the night, the grief in her heart finally spilled over, and she began to sob in silence. She could no longer rember the last ti she hadn’t cried.
When she gazed at the toy in her hand, her heart pained even more as she wondered about what her dear daughter must be going through at the mont.
She closed her eyes and wiped her tears away.
When she opened her eyes and turned towards the scene outside the window, she froze.
Unbeknownst to her, a familiar bird had appeared and now stood on the window ledge, curiously gazing at her. The bird was tiny and seemingly harmless. Its feathers looked bright as flas and appeared quite fancy.
"Chirp! Chirp!"
Amira’s eyes widened.
She instantly recognized this fantastical creature. How could she not? This was her daughter’s summons!
The Queen rose to her feet and quickly reached out for the bird. But the tiny flaming bird tilted its head in an adorable manner and gave her a playful wink before vanishing in a soft puff of flas, leaving behind a small, octagonal disk.
Amira’s mind was a ss, and her heart churned with turbulent emotions. For all these years, she had waited to hear from Anna, and now that the mont had finally arrived, she couldn’t believe her eyes.
Although she couldn’t quite understand why the flaming bird disappeared so abruptly, she couldn’t be bothered about it. Resting on the window ledge was an item that radiated the unmistakable remnants of her daughter’s mana.
She would recognize that mana signature anywhere.
The mont Amira noticed Anna’s mana within the disk, she cried tears of joy and quickly clutched it to her chest. Then, she hastily infused her own mana into it, and following that, a life-sized illusion of her daughter appeared standing before her.
Amira covered her mouth and began to sob as she gazed upon her daughter — although an illusion — for the first ti in so many years.
Anna’s ruby eyes flashed with love and warmth as the ssage activated. Her lips parted, and she said gently:
"Dear Mother..."
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