Chapter 103 Princess Celestia's Judgment
Elara's POV
I sat beside my mother's body, numb with grief. She'd survived poverty, illness, and separation from her daughters, only to die just as we'd finally found peace.
"I'm so sorry." Drakon held me as I sobbed. "We should postpone the final battle preparations. Give you time to mourn."
"We can't." I wiped my tears, forcing myself to stand. "The ancient evils arrive tomorrow. Mother would understand. She'd want us to save the world first, grieve later."
Lily burst into the healing room, her face streaked with tears. "No! Mother can't be gone! We just got her back!"
I pulled my sister into a hug. We cried together while Drakon coordinated funeral arrangements.
The grief sat heavy in my chest, but I pushed through it. Had to. Too many people depending on me.
That afternoon, guards brought another visitor to my attention.
"Your Majesty, Princess Celestia requests an audience before her exile."
I almost refused. But something in the guard's expression made me reconsider. "Bring her to the private chamber. Alone."
Celestia entered looking small and scared without her royal bearing. "Thank you for seeing me. I know you just lost your mother. I'm sorry for your loss."
"Why are you here?" I asked tiredly.
"To warn you." Celestia glanced around nervously. "When I was working with my mother, I overheard things. About the ancient evils that are coming. They're not just mindless monsters."
"What do you mean?"
"They're organized. Led by something called the Void Emperor, the one who created the First Darkness. He's been orchestrating everything. Morgana, the crystal instability, the prison breaks. All of it was designed to weaken reality enough for him to cross over."
My blood ran cold. "Why didn't you say this at trial?"
"Because I wanted to be exiled first. Get away from all this." Celestia's voice cracked. "But I can't. Not knowing what's coming. You need to know the full truth, the Void Emperor can only be killed by destroying his physical anchor in this world."
"What's his anchor?"
"That's what I don't know." Celestia looked frustrated. "Mother never told me. But I know it's something in the Northern Kingdom. Something powerful and old."
"Could it be the castle? The throne? The crystal in my chest?"
"I don't think so. Whatever it is, it's been here longer than any of those things." She hesitated. "And Elara? When you fight him tomorrow... he'll target you specifically. He wants the crystal you carry. With it, he can unmake all reality permanently."
"Then I'll protect it."
"You don't understand." Celestia grabbed my hands urgently. "He's stronger than the First Darkness. Stronger than my mother. Stronger than anything you've faced. The only reason he hasn't won already is because he's still partially imprisoned. But tomorrow, when the seals break completely..."
She didn't finish. Didn't need to.
"Thank you for the warning," I said quietly. "It doesn't change what's coming, but at least we'll be prepared."
"There's one more thing." Celestia pulled out a small vial. "This. It's the last of my mother's dark magic. I kept it hidden. It can't hurt anyone anymore, but it can reveal magical anchors if you pour it on them. Maybe it'll help you find the Void Emperor's weak spot."
I took the vial carefully. "Why help us? You could just run. Hide somewhere far away."
"Because I'm tired of being a coward." Celestia's eyes were wet. "And because you showed me mercy when I deserved death. That means something. I want to earn that mercy by doing one good thing before I'm exiled."
After she left, I gathered our war council. Shared what Celestia had revealed.
"A physical anchor in the Northern Kingdom?" Thorne frowned. "That could be anything. A rock, a tree, a person."
"We need to search," Drakon decided. "Every inch of the kingdom. Find this anchor before the Void Emperor arrives."
Teams scattered to search. But as hours passed with no results, hope faded.
Then, just before midnight, Faye burst into our chambers.
"I found it! The anchor! But Elara... you're not going to like this."
"Where is it?" I demanded.
"It's not a thing." Faye's face was ashen. "It's a person. Someone the Void Emperor possessed centuries ago and has been using as his connection to this world ever since."
"Who?" Drakon asked.
"Your mother," Faye whispered. "Elara, your mother who just died? She wasn't sick. She was the Void Emperor's anchor. And now that she's dead, he's free to manifest fully."
The world tilted. "No. That's impossible. My mother was kind and gentle and..."
"And completely unaware," Faye interrupted. "The possession was hidden even from her. But when I examined her body for funeral preparations, I found dark marks. Ancient symbols. She's been his anchor since before you were born."
"Then the Void Emperor has been watching me my entire life?" Horror washed over me. "Through my mother's eyes?"
"Yes. He knew about Lily. About your poverty. About everything." Faye grabbed my shoulders. "Elara, he's been orchestrating your life. Making sure you'd end up here, in this kingdom, with that crystal. You weren't random. You were chosen."
I felt sick. Every moment with my mother, every hug, every kind word, every sacrifice, had the Void Emperor been watching? Using her?
"This changes everything," Drakon said grimly. "He knows our strategies. Our weaknesses. Our every plan."
"Worse." Faye's voice shook. "Your mother's death released him fully. He's not coming in tomorrow. He's already here."
The ground shook violently. Outside, screams erupted.
We ran to the window. A massive figure stood in the courtyard, fifty feet tall, made of swirling darkness and corrupted light. Where the First Darkness had been empty void, the Void Emperor was malevolent presence.
And he was staring directly at me.
"ELARA MOONSTONE," his voice boomed. "I'VE WAITED YOUR ENTIRE LIFE FOR THIS MOMENT. COME FACE YOUR DESTINY."
"He's a day early!" Thorne gasped. "Our armies aren't in position! The First Mages aren't here yet! We're not ready!"
The Void Emperor laughed, and the sound cracked the sky. "EXACTLY. I DON'T PLAY FAIR. I PLAY TO WIN."
He raised his hand. Dark energy gathered.
"Everyone run!" I screamed.
But it was too late. The Void Emperor's attack hit the castle.
And everything exploded.