The Protectors: Rising from Ashes [Progression Fantasy | Action-Packed | Epic Battles]

Elias stood at the doorway, one shoulder resting lightly against the frame. His presence didn't demand attention, but it held it all the same. His gaze swept over them—not harsh, not accusing, just open, raw, and steady. There was no fire in his voice, only a quiet honesty that settled deep in the chest.

"I would never think you're not worthy," he said softly, stepping forward. "Not now. Not ever."

The others stilled, every pair of eyes turning toward him.

Elias walked slowly into the room, not with hesitation, but with intention. For once, he didn't look for a corner to disappear into. His back was straight, his shoulders squared, not in defiance, but in quiet resolve.

"We're a team now," Elias continued, his voice gathering momentum. "Chosen or not, powers or not—each of us matters. Equally. The Eclipse Heart didn't pick me because I was better than you. It picked me because... maybe I needed to feel like I belonged, just like all of us do."

He stopped near the center of the room, his gaze meeting Aiden's, then Thorne's. Neither of them flinched under it.

Above the hearth, Ash shifted slightly, his scales softly catching the firelight as he moved. He lowered his head, ember eyes quietly tracking Elias with a thoughtful gaze. The warmth of the flames danced across his body, but he remained still, watchful, steady, and silently present.

"I didn't even know I had powers until today. I felt useless for so long. Powerless. But I've seen all of you fight, struggle, endure. You are already strong in ways that don't need magic or fire or claws."

He let the words hang in the air for a beat, then turned his head, catching Lyric's eyes, then Alice's. Lyric blinked, her arms slowly falling to her sides. Alice shifted slightly in her seat, her fingers tightening around the edge of the armrest.

Noir, perched quietly on the armrest of Alice's chair, gave a subtle flick of his tail. He leaned in, nudging against Alice's sleeve once before resettling, eyes half-lidded but alert. His fur rippled faintly, as if sensing the shift in the room's energy.

Elias looked toward the familiars, then back to the others. "And just like I felt my power awaken today... I believe each of you will feel yours too. One day. In your own way. When the time is right."

His voice dipped again, gentle, sure. His eyes returned to Aiden.

"You said you were afraid I might think you're not worthy to stand beside me. But I've always wanted to stand beside you. All of you."

The room fell into silence again, the only sound the soft, rhythmic hum of the Eclipse Heart somewhere behind the walls, like a heartbeat, faint but constant.

Aiden's brow furrowed, uncertainty still lingering behind his usually steady gaze. "But how do you not see it?" he asked quietly. "You're the one with the power now. The Heart chose you. It saw something in you that it didn't see in us."

Elias stepped closer, just enough that his presence felt grounding, not overwhelming. "No," he said simply. "It saw something in all of us. I was just the one who needed the push first. That doesn't mean I'm ahead of you. It just means I broke first."

That made Aiden pause. "Broke?"

Elias nodded. "I kept pretending I was fine. That I was okay being powerless, being... overlooked. But I wasn't. I was scared. Lost. And maybe the Heart knew I couldn't keep carrying that on my own."

He turned to Thorne. "And maybe it saw that you wouldn't let me fall. That you'd fight even when everything inside you said to give up. That counts for something. That counts for everything."

Ash shifted again, curling his tail a little tighter as a soft plume of smoke rose from his nostrils. He closed his eyes slowly, less like he was tired, more like he was thinking.

Across the room, Thorne's jaw worked. He didn't look up right away. His shoulders tensed, and something flickered in his eyes, shame, maybe. Conflict. When he finally spoke, it came out low.

"But you're the one who finished it. You're the one the Eclipse Heart responded to."

"And I only got that chance because you were beside me," Elias replied without hesitation. "You held the line when I couldn't. You all distracted the creature long enough for me to focus. You think that doesn't matter?"

Thorne exhaled slowly, his face twisting as if Elias's words cut deeper than any wound. He dragged a hand through his hair, looked down again.

"Damn it... now I feel like the jerk."

Alice's laugh was soft, teasing, but kind. "You kind of were."

Thorne shot her a narrowed glance, but the corner of his mouth tugged upward, betraying a reluctant smirk.

Noir remained still now, his head resting neatly on his paws, yet his gaze remained fixed on Elias, a flicker of reflection behind those glowing eyes, like he understood more than he let on.

Aiden gave a breathy chuckle, rubbing the back of his neck. "Thank you... I guess we kind of needed to hear that."

His face lit up, not with pride, but something gentler. Relief. Hope. "We all did."

Alice rose from her chair, her expression gentle as she met Elias's gaze. "And we're sorry, Elias. Truly. We should've been nothing but happy when you bonded with the Eclipse Heart, when you finally felt your powers awaken. That was a moment worth celebrating."

Elias shook his head gently, his voice warm. "There's nothing to be sorry about. I knew you were happy for me. All of you. You just... needed time to see that you're just as important. I never doubted that."

Lyric straightened and gave a sharp nod, her eyes blazing with renewed determination. Her voice rang with new fire.

"Well then. Since we're all done wallowing in self-doubt, how about we start acting like the protectors we're meant to be?"

Alice's eyes sparked as she grinned. "Now that's the Lyric I know."

Thorne stood and rolled his shoulders, his usual swagger returning in fragments. "Yeah, yeah. Let's just hope we get cool titles or something."

Elias let out a soft laugh, quiet but full of something solid. "I'm not sure we need titles. We have each other."

And this time, there was no silence, not the heavy kind, at least. A different feeling filled the air. The weight of uncertainty remained, yes, but beneath it, a new presence had taken root. A tether. A pulse.

Noir stirred, spreading his sleek feathers as he launched into the air with a graceful flutter. In a few smooth wingbeats, he settled on Alice's shoulder, his sharp eyes gleaming with quiet awareness.

Thorne's gaze flicked between Noir and Ash, who lounged by the hearth, scales catching the firelight. He smirked, nodding. "They may not shout it, but those two have more grit than most. Quiet fighters."

Lyric blinked, then let out a soft breath of amusement. Her voice carried the lightness of a shared thought. "Alice," she said, giving her a nudge with her elbow, "why didn't you bring them with us when we went to stop that invader? Maybe they could've helped us somehow."

Alice's smile hesitated, dimming at the edges. Her hand moved on instinct, brushing her fingers gently down Noir's side. He leaned into the touch, a faint, almost imperceptible purr rising from deep in his chest, steady and grounding in the lingering hush of the room.

Her reply came softer, not ashamed, but full of quiet weight. "Ash and Noir... they're not like other familiars. They aren't that strong, not in the way you think. And I can't afford to lose them. They're... my constant companions."

A low, metallic creak answered her words as Ash stirred from his perch above the hearth. He lifted his head, eyes aglow with quiet awareness. His tail curled across the warmed surface beneath him, slow and deliberate.

Aiden followed her gaze upward, then back to Noir resting at Alice's side. "Do they... struggle like you? With their powers, I mean?"

Alice nodded after a moment, her fingers still resting in Noir's feathers. "In their own way. Just like we do."

She paused briefly, then continued, her voice more restrained. "My sisters—Elara and Catherine—their familiars are powerful. Elara's is a storm hawk, sharp and wild. Catherine's familiar is a sleek black panther, with eyes that pierce through shadows and claws that seem to bend the darkness itself. Their familiars are strong because my sisters are strong witches."

Her fingers tensed slightly in Noir's feathers. "But Ash and Noir... they struggle because of me. They couldn't become stronger because they were bound to someone broken."

Noir leaned gently into her touch, a small, steady pulse of warmth beneath her hand. A quiet reassurance.

The room fell into a hush. No one interrupted. No one dared. Even Thorne, ever quick with a quip, looked unsure of what to say.

As if stirred by her sorrow, a flicker of starlight shimmered beside Lyric, soft at first, like a ripple through glass, then blooming into form.

Astraea.

She materialized in an instant, hovering inches above the ground, her body trailing soft cosmic light. Her sudden appearance shattered the stillness.

Aiden jumped back with a strangled yelp, nearly knocking over his chair.

Thorne froze mid-stretch, arms halfway up in a dramatic pose like he'd been caught in a "hero landing" gone wrong. "By the pits of Pyrranis—warn us next time you blink into existence like a ghost with a grudge!"

Even Ash and Noir reacted, Ash gave an indignant hiss, wings flaring before resettling with a metallic creak, while Noir launched briefly into the air with a surprised caw, then dropped onto the back of Alice's chair, feathers puffed in disapproval.

Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

Lyric, the only one unfazed, rolled her eyes with a knowing smile. "Honestly, Astraea. I told you, they're not used to your dramatic entrances like I am." She glanced around at her friends still catching their breath. "If they die of heart failure because of you, I'm not explaining that to the High Elders. Or Sentinel. Especially Sentinel."

Astraea tilted her head, eyes glowing faintly with starfire. "I apologize," she said in a voice like wind through crystal. "I sensed her pain. I came."

Alice's lips twitched faintly, touched but trying not to smile too much.

Thorne muttered, brushing imaginary dust off his sleeves. "Next time, send a polite knock or, I don't know, a glowing doorbell?"

Elias had remained quiet through it all, watching Astraea with wide eyes. Even now, as the shock settled, something gentler took hold in his expression, a quiet awe, like he was seeing magic not just with his eyes, but feeling it in his chest.

"She's... beautiful," he said softly, not to anyone in particular. "Like a piece of the stars decided to stay behind."

Astraea turned her glowing gaze toward him and dipped her head, as if in silent gratitude for the words.

Then, she looked back at Alice.

Her voice, crystalline and soft, shimmered through the room. "Alice... your struggle is not so different from Lyric's. You both carry doubt like a second skin. But the thing you must understand, what I need you to understand, is this: your magic is not gone. It was never absent."

Lyric glanced sideways at Alice, eyes wide but unreadable.

Astraea drifted closer, hands folding before her, a gentle hum of stardust following her movements. "The only thing holding your magic back... is your fear of it. Your lack of trust. I know you've been compared all your life, to your sisters, to others who wield power like breath, but you are not lesser."

"I am only a construct," she continued, her voice softening like a lullaby woven into light. "Made from the magic of those who loved Lyric. But even I can feel it, inside you both. A current. A spark waiting to ignite."

She reached out, her hand hovering near Alice's chest, not touching, but warm and close. "You must trust yourself, Alice. And you too, Lyric. Trust your magic. Trust what you are."

"Because I believe—one day—you both will become two of the most powerful beings the realms have ever seen."

A hush followed her words. Not the heavy silence of fear or doubt this time, but the kind that comes when something true has been said, something that sinks deep and lingers.

Alice blinked, eyes shimmering, lips parted but speechless.

Lyric swallowed hard, her shoulders lifting with a shaky breath, then nodded once, just once, but with all the weight in the world.

Ash shifted from the hearth, curling protectively around the base of the fireplace again, eyes steady and glowing.

Noir fluffed his feathers from his spot on the chair and gave a soft, approving tilt of his head toward Alice, as if silently sharing his belief with her from afar.

Aiden let out a low whistle, breaking the stillness. "Okay... that was probably the most inspiring thing I've ever heard from a floating sparkly being."

Thorne folded his arms across his chest, his cocky mask flickering. For once, he didn't have a smirk, just thoughtful eyes tracing the space where Astraea hovered.

"Right," he muttered. "Trust the magic. Not exactly what I'm good at."

Then, after a pause, he added with a half-snort, "But if Sparkle Sprite says you two are going to be the most powerful, I'm not betting against it. Just... warn me next time before she materializes out of nowhere, yeah? My heart's still trying to relocate my ribs."

Elias took a step forward, his gaze flickering from Astraea to Alice and Lyric. "You know," he said softly, "I always thought magic was something you either had... or you didn't."

His voice was calm, unwavering, and carried the warmth of a late afternoon glow. "But maybe it's also something you grow into. Something that believes in you as much as you believe in it."

He smiled, looking at both girls. "And I think yours has been waiting for you to catch up."

Astraea shimmered brighter for just a moment, like her magic responded to their belief as much as their doubt.

Lyric glanced at Alice, the corner of her mouth twitching upward.
"No pressure or anything," she whispered, "but I think the universe is officially rooting for us."

Alice met Lyric's gaze and allowed herself a soft, genuine smile. She reached out to lightly brush Astraea's glowing form, a quiet warmth spreading through her chest.

"Thanks, both of you," she said, her voice steady but touched with something hopeful. "I think... I needed to hear that."

"Alright," she said, clapping her hands once with mock seriousness. "If the magical therapy session is complete, and our glowing cosmic guest is done stealing the spotlight..."

She paused just long enough to glance toward the door, then added with a dramatic sigh, "We should go. Before Cassandra storms in and drags us out by the ears."

Ash gave a low rumble from the hearth, while Noir gave an approving flick of his tail. Astraea faded slightly in brightness, her form growing fainter, but still lingering with a quiet hum.

"Let's move," Thorne said, stretching his arms overhead. "I'd like to leave this room with both dignity and eardrums intact."

"And without being hexed into frogs," Aiden added under his breath as they started toward the door.

Laughter rippled through the group, light and unguarded. The heaviness that had clung to them began to lift. Shoulders unknotted, eyes met without flinching, a fragile warmth threading through their glances and words.

They walked out of the common room together, leaving Ash curled by the hearth and Noir perched silently on the chair. Their boots tapped against the cold stone floor as they stepped into the corridor, moving in a rhythm still finding its shape.

Aiden glanced sideways, voice low but curious. "So... when's the next attack? And what kind of nightmare should we expect?"

Lyric's arms crossed tight across her chest, brows drawing together. Her voice was clipped, tense. "That invader wasn't mindless. It hunted. Calculated. Nearly broke us."

Thorne's jaw tightened, eyes darkening. "If that was just a scout... I don't want to meet the main act. It threw us around like rag dolls."

Elias swallowed hard, voice barely above a whisper. "We'd be dead if that boy hadn't told us what to do. We owe him everything."

Alice's usual spark dimmed, her voice low, steady. Her gaze dropped, fingers absently tugging at a loose thread on her sleeve. "He didn't hesitate. When he told us how to kill it, there wasn't a shred of doubt. Like he'd done it before, again and again.

Aiden's voice dropped, cautious. "He knows more than we do. Next time he shows... I want to know everything."

Lyric's eyes flicked to Elias. "Do you think Cassandra can track him? With that watch Alice gave her"

Elias nodded slowly, jaw set. "We can hope she'll find him through that watch. We'll ask her at dinner. One way or another... we need to track him down."

Alice lifted her chin, her voice steadier now. "She's a skilled witch. Finding that boy with something he touched? Won't be too hard for her."

Thorne cracked his knuckles, tension coiling in his stance. "We can't count on rescue next time. We barely scratched that demon. We were all swinging blind."

Alice snorted, a grin tugging at her lips. "I was swinging artistically, thank you."

Lyric rolled her eyes. "You tripped over your own boots."

"That was tactical," Alice insisted, hands thrown up dramatically. "'Falling with flair.'"

Laughter bubbled up again, brief, bright, a flicker in the shadow of their memories.

"But jokes aside," Elias said, quieter now, "we do need to train harder. If that demon was just the beginning... we won't stand a chance unless we sharpen everything, our timing, our teamwork, even our instincts."

Thorne cracked his knuckles. "I vote we ask for weapons practice. Maybe even sparring rounds. Real ones."

Lyric gave a fierce nod. "Agreed. I don't want to just survive next time. I want to fight back."

Ahead, the dining hall's warm light spilled into the corridor, voices humming like a distant tide.

Aiden slowed, a genuine smile lifting the corner of his mouth. "Alright. Let's eat, recover... and then train like we actually deserve to be called Protectors."

Alice bumped his shoulder with a teasing grin. "Look at you, Alpha in the making."

Elias's smile was softer, quieter. "One step at a time."

They pushed open the doors, warm golden light spilling over them as the rich aroma of spiced stew, honey-glazed root vegetables, and freshly baked cheese pastries filled the air.

Inside, Cassandra stood near the long dining table. With a flick of her hand and a calm voice, she said, "By silver's grace and evening light, set this table true and right."

At her words, silverware, plates, and goblets lifted gently from their stacks, floating through the air in a graceful rhythm before placing themselves perfectly around the table.

Next to her, Maris, draped in a twilight-hued gown that shimmered like morning dew, was shaping napkins into delicate flowers with subtle, glowing gestures. Each petal unfolded mid-air, settling onto the table in precise elegance.

Thorne gave a low whistle. "Okay, now you're both just showing off."

Cassandra arched a brow, guiding a pitcher into place with another flick. "Would you rather do it yourself? I'm sure your 'slam it until it fits' method has its... charm."

Alice leaned in with a grin. "Please let him try. I want to see a dinner plate get suplexed."

Maris chuckled, twirling a spoon through the air. "Magic isn't about muscle, Thorne. It's about grace."

"I can be graceful," Thorne said, straightening his back. "I once bowed before punching a cursed mirror."

Elias shook his head. "And then apologized to it after."

"That mirror had a smug vibe, alright?"

Lyric rolled her eyes, smiling. "This place is somehow more chaotic and classier than I expected."

Cassandra turned to face them at last, hands resting on her hips, a flicker of amusement in her eyes. "Good. You're here, and looking in good shape now. Sit. Eat. You'll need the energy."

Maris gestured toward the chairs, a gentle wave of her fingers sending a final flourish of glowing fruit drifting down into a polished bowl. "And just so we're clear, start a food fight, and I'll enchant your boots to squeak for a month."

Aiden raised his hands innocently. "Loud and clear. No fruity rebellions tonight."

They slid into their seats without hesitation, the scent of spiced meats and fresh bread pulling them in like a tide. In moments, they were helping themselves, laughter mingling with the clatter of cutlery and the crackle of candlelight.

Between bites, Alice glanced up. "Cassandra, have you prepared everything to track that human boy?"

Cassandra took a sip from her goblet, then nodded. "Almost. By tomorrow, I should have everything I need. The watch carries enough of his essence to form a trace, unless something interferes with the link."

Elias leaned forward, fork paused mid-air. "And the demon's knife? Did you examine it yet? Did you find anything?"

At that, the others quieted, turning toward Cassandra with expectation flickering in their eyes.

She shook her head. "Not yet. I haven't dared to touch it alone."

Thorne raised an eyebrow. "Seriously?"

"We don't know what that blade is," Cassandra said, her voice firm. "Or what kind of curse or energy it holds. I won't risk activating something unpredictable without another magic-wielder present."

Maris gave a slow nod. "Wise choice. Some artifacts don't react until you're already bleeding."

"Comforting," Aiden muttered.

Cassandra's gaze swept over them. "When I do examine it, one of you will be with me. Agreed?"

A chorus of nods circled the table, agreement woven with unease. But they kept eating, the warmth of food and fire warding off the chill of what waited beyond these walls.

Just as the clatter of forks and quiet conversation settled into a rhythm, the heavy doors of the dining hall creaked open once more.

Everyone turned.

Sentinel stepped inside, his cloak trailing behind him like a shadow stretched thin. His golden eyes swept over the table.

"Looks like you all are healing well," he said, his voice as calm as ever, but edged with something unreadable.

Thorne leaned back in his chair, grinning. "We bounce back fast. Pain and bruises build character, at least, that's what I tell myself every time I fall down stairs."

A rare smirk tugged at the corner of Sentinel's lips as he made his way to the head seat and sat down, posture sharp and commanding. "So," he said, lacing his fingers together, "what's the topic of tonight's feast?"

Cassandra cleared her throat, setting down her goblet. "We were just discussing the demon's knife, the one we retrieved after the attack. And tracking the boy with the watch."

Sentinel's eyes narrowed slightly. "Both need to be dealt with. We'll attempt to trace the boy tomorrow morning. As for the knife..."

"I still have a few things to prepare before the tracking spell is ready," Cassandra interjected. "I was planning to finish them by tomorrow afternoon."

"No," Sentinel said, his tone suddenly sharp, final. "We don't have that much time. Be ready before morning. Everything must be in place."

A heavy silence fell.

Everyone exchanged looks, confused, uncertain.

"Why so urgent?" Elias asked, his brows furrowed. "What's going on?"

Sentinel opened his mouth, but before words could form, Vaelthar stirred behind his eyes.

Now. They need to know. Or they won't be ready.

Sentinel's jaw tightened. He gave the slightest nod to no one in particular... and then looked up at them all.

"Because tomorrow morning," he said, voice low but ringing through the hall, "the vampire elders are coming. They're demanding answers for what happened at Duskveil Plaza."

Chairs scraped sharply against the cold stone floor.

Elias sprang to his feet in an instant. The crimson liquid in his glass trembled violently with the sudden movement.

"What?!" His voice cracked, slicing through the tense silence like a whip.

The weight of those words settled over them like a gathering storm. Shadows deepened in the corners, colder and more oppressive.

Every flicker of warmth from the room, every ounce of fleeting comfort, drained away.

Tomorrow would come, relentless and unforgiving.