Chapter 12 - Gathering the StormNews of the subterranean intruder and the subsequent revelation spread swiftly through the palace inner circle, but this time, there was no panic—only a grim, resolute determination. The people of Oakhaven had seen the truth of their queen; they knew her power was their ultimate shield.
In the grand war room, generals, scholars, and mages stood around a massive holographic map projected by Elina’s cosmic energy. It displayed not just the kingdom of Oakhaven, but the entire continent and the atmospheric anomalies forming above the southern ocean.
"If a sovereign from the Sky-Wept Reach descends," General Vance, a grizzled veteran of a hundred campaigns, spoke up gravely, "our conventional armies, swords, and catapults will be useless."
"They will not be fighting alone," Richard said, stepping forward with his golden-ringed eyes blazing with quiet authority. "We are not waiting for them to breach our walls. We will meet them at the threshold of the upper atmosphere."
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Elina raised her hands, and the holographic map expanded upward, revealing a forgotten structure lost in the clouds—the celestial spire of Aethelgard, built by ancient ancestors who once traded with the stars before history was rewritten.
"The spire still holds the anchor stones," Elina declared, her voice resonating through the minds of everyone present. "If we channel the collective willpower of Oakhaven through the spire, we can erect a planetary shield capable of withstanding an interstellar descent. But we have less than forty-eight hours before the rift opens fully."
