The Aetherion Ascendancy

To the west of Amber Heavens lay the Aetherion Ascendancy, a realm where magic reigned supreme. Its capital, Zephyriel, was a city of floating spires connected by shimmering bridges of light, defying the very laws of nature. The land around it pulsed with arcane energy, giving rise to mystical forests, crystalline plains, and rivers that glowed faintly in the moonlight.

The Ascendancy was ruled by the Council of Seven Stars, an assembly of the most powerful archmages. Their leader, Archmage Lytheris Aeloria, was known as the Eternal Luminary, a title reflecting her mastery of time and light magic. Wise and calculating, Lytheris viewed Amber Heavens with both intrigue and caution.

The Ascendancy's military, the Stellar Vanguard, was composed of battlemages, elemental conjurers, and sentient constructs powered by the Aether Nexus, a vast reservoir of magical energy. The Ascendancy's scholars were unmatched, and their inventions had shaped much of the known world's understanding of magic.

While the Ascendancy rarely sought conquest, it guarded its magical secrets jealously. Amber Heavens' divine aura and rapid rise sparked concerns within the Council, who feared that Lyrus might uncover powers rivaling their own. Spies were dispatched, and secret research into the nature of Amber Heavens began.