Chapter 174 Aurora’s First Birthday
Elara's POV
"Guards, triple security," I commanded three days later. "The birthday celebration is a trap. They're coming for Aurora."
"Who's coming?" Drakon asked.
"All of them. Void Empress. Void-Helena. Morgana. I saw them in Aurora's room. They're planning to attack today."
"Then we cancel the party."
"No." I looked at Aurora, excitedly picking out a dress. "She deserves this. One perfect day. We just have to protect her while giving it to her."
Aurora ran over in dragon form. Tiny. Adorable. Shifted to human. "Is it party time yet?"
"Almost, sweetie." I kissed her forehead. "Go play with Aunt Lily."
As she left, I turned to Thorne. "Position archers on every roof. Mages at every entrance. Dragons in the sky. If anything void-touched gets within a hundred feet, I want to know."
The celebration began at noon. Thousands attended. All our allies. All the kingdoms. Everyone who'd fought beside us.
Aurora was the star. She toddled around in human form, greeting guests. Then shifted to tiny dragon, making people laugh. Then to her hybrid form, wings fluttering.
"She's remarkable," Queen Thalassa said. "Complete control at one year old."
"She's had more experience than most one-year-olds," I said wryly.
Aurora found me in the crowd. "Mama! Watch this!"
She raised her small hands. Ice magic poured out. But controlled. Precise.
A sculpture formed. Beautiful. Detailed. A perfect ice dragon.
"Wow!" Guests applauded.
Aurora beamed. Created another. This time an ice castle.
"She's showing off," Drakon said, arriving beside me.
"Let her. She's earned it."
More sculptures appeared. Ice wolves. Phoenix birds. Merfolk. Each one perfect.
"Aurora, these are amazing!" Lily hugged her niece.
"Papa taught me control. Mama taught me artistry." Aurora grinned. "Together, I learned everything."
My heart swelled with pride.
But I kept scanning the crowd. Watching for threats.
Nothing. Maybe they wouldn't attack. Maybe...
Aurora suddenly froze. Her eyes went wide.
"Mama," she whispered. "They're here."
"Where?"
"Everywhere."
The crowd shifted. Dozens of guests' eyes turned void-red simultaneously.
They'd possessed multiple people. Hidden among our allies.
"Trap!" I screamed. "Everyone back!"
But it was too late. The possessed guests attacked.
Chaos erupted. Fighting everywhere.
"Protect Aurora!" Drakon roared, shifting to dragon.
I grabbed Aurora. Ran toward the castle.
Possessed guests chased us. Using their hosts' magic against us.
"Mama, I can fight!" Aurora struggled.
"No! You're one year old!"
"I'm also incredibly powerful! Let me HELP!"
She had a point.
I set her down. "Stay close to me. Understand?"
"Yes, Mama!"
We fought together. My ice magic and her combined powers. Driving back possessed attackers.
But there were too many.
"We're surrounded!" Lily appeared, fighting beside us. "We need to..."
The Void Empress materialized. In person this time. Not possessing anyone.
"Hello, Aurora. Happy birthday." She smiled. "I brought you a present."
She snapped her fingers.
Reality cracked. Actually cracked like broken glass.
Through the cracks, void poured in. Corrupting everything it touched.
"The final rift," the Empress announced. "Today, I merge all realms. Light. Void. Everything. And you, dear Aurora, will be my key to doing it."
"I won't help you," Aurora said bravely.
"You don't have to help. Just exist." The Empress reached for her.
Drakon intercepted. Breathed massive fire.
The Empress absorbed it. "Cute. But futile."
She touched Drakon. He screamed and collapsed.
"Papa!" Aurora ran to him.
The Empress grabbed her. "Finally. Mine."
"NO!" I threw everything I had. Ice. Magic. Desperation.
Nothing worked.
The Empress held Aurora. Started dragging her toward the rift.
"Mama!" Aurora screamed.
I ran after them. But possessed guests blocked me.
I was going to lose her. Lose my daughter. Forever.
Then something unexpected happened.
All our allies, every single one linked hands. Formed a massive circle around the battlefield.
"NOW!" Queen Thalassa commanded.
They channeled power together. All seventy-five thousand. United.
A wave of combined magic hit the Empress. She dropped Aurora. Stumbled back.
"What, how..."
"Unity," I said, catching Aurora. "That's how. You can't beat all of us together."
The Empress snarled. "This isn't over."
She vanished. The possessed guests collapsed, freed. The rift began closing.
We'd won. Barely.
Aurora hugged me tight. "That was scary, Mama."
"I know, baby. But it's over now."
Except it wasn't.
Because as the rift closed, I saw something come through. Something small. Something that landed in the crowd and scurried away.
A void seed. Planted among us.
Growing. Spreading. Infecting.
"What was that?" Drakon asked, recovered now.
"Trouble." I looked at our celebrating allies. "The Empress failed to take Aurora. But she succeeded in planting void corruption in our kingdom. Among our people. And we have no idea who's infected."
The celebration continued. People unaware.
But somewhere in the crowd, void was growing. Spreading. Waiting.
And in three months, the school Elara had dreamed of would open.
Where magical and human children would learn together.
Where infected void seeds would have access to the most vulnerable: our children.
The Empress hadn't failed. She'd just changed her strategy.
And I had three months to find the infected before school opened.
Before void corruption spread to the next generation.
Before everything we'd built was destroyed from within.
The party ended. Guests left. Aurora fell asleep, exhausted but happy.
And I stayed awake all night. Watching. Worrying. Planning.
Because the war wasn't over.
It was just beginning.
And this time, the enemy was already inside our walls.