Lost Brilliance

Ayira glanced nervously at Zagan and Lucius as they stood outside Adira's closed door, their expressions etched with concern.

"Should we... should we knock again?" Ayira whispered, her voice barely above a hush.

Lucius shook his head, his brow furrowed in worry.

"I don't know... she hasn't responded to any of our attempts to talk to her since... since it happened."

Zagan sighed heavily, running a hand through his hair.

"I hate to say it, but I think we need to give her some space. She's been through a lot, losing her father like that..."

Ayira nodded in agreement, her gaze drifting back to the closed door.

"But what if she needs us? What if she's... I don't know, struggling alone in there?"

Lucius chewed on his lip, torn between respecting Adira's privacy and wanting to be there for her.

"Maybe we could leave her a note," he suggested tentatively.

"Just to let her know that we're here for her whenever she's ready to talk."

Zagan nodded, seeming to find some solace in the idea.

"That might work. We can tell her that we're all worried about her and that we're here to support her in any way we can."

As the three friends stood outside Adira's closed door, deep in conversation about how best to support her, they were interrupted by the arrival of King Themis and Damayanti.

Zagan, Ayira, and Lucius exchanged nervous glances as they turned to face the royal visitors.

"Your Majesty," Lucius greeted, his voice tinged with unease.

"We were just... uh, checking in on Adira. She hasn't been herself since..."

Ayira stepped forward, her expression earnest.

"We're worried about her, Father. She hasn't left her room or attended her training since... since the tragedy."

King Themis' face softened with sympathy as he regarded the trio.

"I understand. It's a difficult time for her, losing her father so suddenly."

Damayanti nodded in agreement, his eyes filled with concern. 

Zagan cleared his throat, feeling a swell of gratitude for the king's understanding.

"We were just about to leave her a note, to let her know that we're here for her whenever she's ready to talk."

Ayira nodded, her gaze steady.

"We want her to know that she can lean on us, that we'll be by her side through this."

King Themis smiled warmly at the trio, a sense of pride evident in his eyes.

"That's very commendable of you. I'm sure Adira will appreciate your support more than you know."

"Uhm, father, why are you here? Are you visiting Adira?" Ayira sought out. Themis just smiled and patted her on the head and then Damayanti spoke up, urging the three to leave because they had training to attend.

"We'll talk with Adira you three can leave now." 

 "We understand. We'll leave you to it, Your Majesty." Lucius spoke up, his voice tinged with apprehension. 

With a nod of gratitude, King Themis and Damayanti watched as the three friends departed. 

As Damayanti gently knocked on Adira's door, there was no response. With a solemn nod from King Themis, the two entered the room, their footsteps echoing softly in the somber silence.

The sight that greeted them was heart-wrenching. Adira sat upon her bed, her gaze fixed out the window, her expression vacant and hollow. The room itself seemed to mirror her inner turmoil, with scattered belongings and disheveled sheets adding to the sense of disarray.

King Themis approached Adira slowly, his heart heavy with sorrow.

"Adira," he spoke softly, his voice filled with gentle concern.

"We need to talk."

Adira didn't move, didn't acknowledge their presence. She remained lost in her own world, seemingly detached from the reality around her.

Damayanti exchanged a worried glance with the king before taking a step forward.

"Adira, we're here to help you," he said, his voice warm and reassuring.

"But we need you to tell us what happened. What happened to your father? And where is your sister?"

Still, Adira remained silent, her gaze fixed on some distant point beyond the windowpane. The weight of her grief seemed to envelop her, rendering her speechless and immobile.

With a heavy sigh, King Themis approached Adira. He gently placed a hand on her shoulder, offering what little comfort he could in the face of such profound loss.

"Adira," he whispered, his voice thick with emotion.

"You don't have to face this alone. We're here for you, always."

After hearing such words from the king, Adira's tears swiftly dropped. As tears streamed down Adira's cheeks, her voice trembled with anguish as she spoke.

"I... I'm sorry," she whispered, her words choked with emotion.

"I lied to you, Priest Damayanti. I lied to protect my sister."

Themis and Damayanti listened in somber silence, their hearts breaking for the pain radiating from Adira's every word.

"I thought... I thought if no one knew about Karasi's auras, she would be safe," Adira continued her voice barely above a whisper.

"But it was a mistake... a terrible mistake."

Her shoulders shook with each sob, her grief pouring forth unchecked.

"Now... now my father is dead, and I don't know where Karasi is," she confessed, her voice trembling with guilt and despair.

"It's all my fault... all because I couldn't protect her."

King Themis approached her, his heart heavy with sorrow. He knelt beside her, gathering her into his arms in a comforting embrace.

"Adira," he murmured.

"It's not your fault. You did what you thought was best to keep your sister safe."

Damayanti joined them, placing a reassuring hand on Adira's shoulder.

"We will find Karasi, Adira," he assured her, his voice gentle yet resolute.

"And we will do everything in our power to bring her home safely."

After their heartfelt conversation with Adira, Themis and Damayanti wasted no time in rallying their forces. With a solemn nod between them, they turned to their mages, their expressions firm with determination.

"Spread the word," King Themis commanded, his voice resonating with authority.

"We must find the girl with three auras and white hair. We cannot afford to let her fall into the wrong hands."

Damayanti echoed the king's sentiments, his voice resolute as he addressed the assembled mages. "Use all of your resources," he urged them.

"Leave no stone unturned until we locate her. The safety of the kingdom depends on it."

The mages nodded in understanding, their faces etched with grim determination as they dispersed to carry out their orders. With each step they took, they vowed to search tirelessly for the missing girl, their hearts heavy with the weight of their duty.

-

-

-

Avra approached Lucius and Ayira with concern evident in her eyes, noting their lack of concentration during the training session.

"Is everything alright?" she inquired gently.

Ayira's eyes glistened with unshed tears as she spoke softly, her voice tinged with longing.

"I miss Adira," she admitted, her words heavy with sorrow.

"I wish she were here with us."

Lucius remained silent, his thoughts consumed by guilt and regret.

"If only I had arrived sooner," he murmured, his words filled with self-blame.

"Maybe... maybe this wouldn't have happened."

"Adira is strong," Mike appeared beside them and reassured them.

"She'll come back to us, and when she does, she'll destroy Zagan in second."

Zagan interjected with a boisterous laugh, his confidence unwavering even in the face of uncertainty.

"In your dreams," he teased, a smirk playing on his lips.

"But I do hope she returns soon. We need her back in training to keep us on our toes."

"Argh! I miss Adira," Mike said, pulling his hair in frustration. 

"I wish the mages could find Adira's sister immediately. Her sister is all she has." Avra remarked, prompting all four to nod. 

Ayira let out a heavy sigh, her gaze distant as she spoke.

"It feels like something's missing, you know? Without Adira here, the training camp just seems so... dull."

Lucius nodded in agreement, his expression reflecting a similar sentiment.

"She always brought a sense of energy and determination to the camp," he remarked.

"Without her, it's like a piece of our spirit is missing."

Mike chimed in, his voice tinged with concern.

"I just hope she's okay," he said softly.

Zagan, ever the optimist, attempted to lighten the mood with a jest.

"Come on, guys," he exclaimed with a playful grin.

"We can't let ourselves get too gloomy. Adira wouldn't want that. She'd want us to keep pushing ourselves, even in her absence."

Avra nodded in agreement, her eyes flickering with determination.

"Zagan's right," she agreed.

"We need to stay focused on our training and be ready for whatever challenges come our way. Adira will be back before we know it, and we need to be prepared for when she returns."

Mike leaned forward, his expression serious as he addressed the group.

"Listen, guys," he began, his tone firm.

"I know we're all missing Adira like crazy, but we can't let that distract us from our training. We need to stay focused and keep pushing ourselves. Because when Adira comes back, she's going to be stronger than ever, and we need to be ready."

Avra nodded in agreement, a small smile playing on her lips.

"Mike's right," she chimed in.

"We can't afford to slack off now. Adira's absence might make us feel a little lost, but it's also an opportunity for us to step up and become even better."

Zagan let out a cocky chuckle, leaning back in his chair with a confident smirk.

"Come on, Mike," he retorted, his arrogance shining through.

"We all know that when Adira comes back, she's going to be no match for me. I'll be the one taking her down in training."

Lucius, ever the modest one, interjected with a humble shrug.

"I don't know about that, Zagan," he said, his voice calm and collected.

"Adira's skills are unparalleled. We should all be prepared for a challenge when she returns."

"You're right," Ayira said, her voice steady despite the lingering sadness in her eyes.

"We can't let Adira's absence weaken us. We have to become stronger, not just for ourselves, but for each other. We'll train harder than ever before"

"Yes, Your Royal Highness," Zagan quipped, a hint of sarcasm lacing his words.

Ayira rolled her eyes in mock annoyance, but there was a hint of amusement in her expression.

"Oh, please," she retorted.

"Save the formalities for the court. Right now, we're just a team training to be the best soldiers we can be."

Ayira's response earned a chuckle from the group, breaking the tension and lightening the mood.