Chapter 92 – Perfect Bloom

Far above, in the endless expanse of the morning sky, a shadow cut through the drifting clouds.

A great owl soared effortlessly across the heavens, its vast wings slicing through the wind with a ghostly grace. Perched atop its back were three figures, concealed by both height and the chaos below—Shawn, Makara, and Selena.

Shawn exhaled sharply, his grip tightening on the owl’s feathers as he scanned the battlefield below.

“Looks like we made it just in time,” he muttered, his voice steady despite the exhaustion lining his face. He cast a glance over his shoulder at Makara and Selena, his expression a mix of relief and disbelief.

Selena leaned forward slightly, her keen eyes locked on the surreal scene beneath them. One hand gripped the owl’s feathers for balance, but her posture was tense, alert. “Barely.” Her voice was edged with urgency. “Another minute, and those armies would’ve torn each other apart.”

Behind her, Makara let out a low chuckle, unfazed by the tension in the air. He tilted his gourd back, taking a slow sip before speaking.

“Well, aren’t we the heroes of the day?” He smirked, wiping his mouth. “Though I’d say it was cutting it a bit close, Shawn.”

Shawn turned his head slightly, feigning indignation. “Cutting it close?” he echoed. “We flew through the night without rest.”

Selena gave a slow nod. “You’re right. That was reckless but necessary.” Her sharp gaze flicked to him, then back to the monstrous vine tree below. “But that seed… What in the abyss was that? It looks just like Princess Thyra’s vines.” A pause. Then, realisation hit. Her blue eyes widened slightly “…Wait. Was it hers?”

Shawn hesitated before nodding. “Yeah. It was a seed given to me by Princess Thyra. She told me it might be useful to stop the war.” He exhaled, glancing at his open palm as if expecting another miracle. “I had no idea it would grow into this.”

Selena scoffed. “Well, something is better than nothing.”

Makara, ever the realist, arched an eyebrow. “A massacre delayed is still a massacre waiting to happen,” he pointed out. He tapped the side of his gourd before securing it back to his waist. “We’ve bought time, but not much. The question is—what’s our next move?”

Shawn adjusted his position on the owl, peering down at the battlefield. The once-moving sea of soldiers now looked like statues, their battle interrupted mid-step. His expression hardened.

“First things first, we need to locate King Azure.” He exhaled. “And find if I can reason with him…”

Selena cut him off, her voice sharp, almost scolding, “Reason?”

She turned, locking eyes with him. “Are you serious, Shawn? We rushed here as fast as we could so you could have a word with him. Do you honestly think words will change the mind of the person who came here to burn an entire region to the ground?”

A tense silence followed.

The only sound was the rhythmic beat of the owl’s wings, carrying them forward over a battlefield that no longer roared with war, but had instead fallen into an unnatural stillness.

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Long before the big vine tree emerged

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The night stretched endlessly as the trio soared through the heavens, their only companion the pale glow of the moon. Their journey from Mount Elspian, where Princess Thyra’s sanctuary lay hidden, had been gruelling—every moment spent racing against time. Below them, the vast forests spread out like a sea of darkness, the treetops swaying gently beneath the whisper of the night wind.

For hours, the great owl beat its wings rhythmically, carrying its passengers across the boundless sky. But as the night wore on, its movements became sluggish, each flap of its massive wings slower than the last. What had once been effortless now felt strained—the weight of three passengers and the relentless journey taking their toll.

At the back of the owl, Makara was the first to notice the change. He narrowed his eyes, his sharp senses picking up on the faint tremors in the bird’s flight.

“We need to stop,” he said suddenly, his voice cutting through the quiet hum of wind. “The bird’s exhausted. If we keep pushing it like this, it won’t last much longer.”

Seated near the middle, Selena turned, her expression taut with urgency. “We don’t have time to stop, Makara. We’re only halfway to the Plains of Rohea. If we rest now, we’ll be too late.”

Makara shot her a look and gestured toward the owl. “And if we don’t rest, the bird will collapse mid-flight. Then we won’t make it at all.”

Shawn, who had been silent until now, sat at the front, gripping the owl’s feathers tightly. He exhaled, his mind working through their dwindling options.

“There might be another way,” he said at last.

Makara arched an eyebrow “And what way is that?”

Shawn turned his gaze forward “I might be able to help the owl.”

Makara frowned, already wary of where this was going. “You’re talking about using your power, aren’t you?”

Shawn gave a firm nod. “I can strengthen it. Give it the energy it needs to keep going.”

“That’s risky.” Makara’s voice was sharp with doubt. “You don’t know how much of your strength it’ll drain and if you burn yourself out before we even get there…”

“…it won’t matter,” Shawn interrupted. “If we don’t make it in time, then what I have left won’t matter. The war will have already begun, and once it starts, nothing will stop it.”

Selena heard the conversation and finally let out a slow breath, “Are you sure about this?”

“I am.” Shawn’s voice was steady.

He didn’t wait for further debate. Moving to the very front of the owl, he placed a hand atop its feathered head and closed his eyes. A soft blue mist began to seep from his palm, tendrils of energy swirling around the owl’s body. The mist shimmered like stardust, weaving through the bird’s feathers before merging into its form.

The owl let out a low, resonant cry, its body trembling—then, all at once, it began to change.

The wind surged around them as the bird’s form expanded, its wingspan stretching wider, its muscles strengthening. The once-weary flaps of its wings became powerful strokes, slicing through the air with newfound vigour. Where before it had been struggling, now it soared, renewed by the energy coursing through its being.

Shawn opened his eyes, exhaling with relief as a faint, satisfied smile crossed his lips, “Wow,” he said, “I never thought it would work.”

Makara, arms crossed, studied him with an unreadable expression. Then he gave a slow nod, the barest hint of approval in his voice, “Well… let’s just hope you don’t regret that decision later.”

As the sun rose to the position where the war was about to start, the trio finally arrived at the Plains of Rohea. The battlefield stretched vast and endless beneath them, a sea of trampled grass and soil scarred by the weight of countless marching boots. Rolling hills bordered the plains in the distance, their gentle curves a stark contrast to the violence about to unfold below.

To the south, the Tri-Kings’ Army stood in disciplined formations, their banners fluttering in the morning breeze, sigils of their respective kingdoms gleaming under the rising sun. Thousands of soldiers lined the field, their armour polished but their faces hardened with the grim anticipation of battle. War horns echoed in the wind, their eerie calls sending shivers through the landscape.

To the north, King Azure’s forces loomed like a dark storm on the horizon. Their numbers were staggering, a massive tide of warriors clad in grey-silver, their ranks stretching beyond what the eye could see. The banners of King Azure’s kingdom rippled like restless shadows through the air.

From their vantage point high in the sky, Shawn, Selena, and Makara had a clear view of it all—the two mighty armies, poised at the edge of destruction, waiting for the signal that would ignite the bloodshed.

Shawn’s eyes narrowed as he took in the sight. He exhaled sharply. “Looks like the war has begun.”

Selena followed his gaze, her golden eyes glinting in the sunlight. “We barely made it in time.” Her voice was calm, but the tension in her shoulders betrayed her concern.

Makara, ever the pragmatist, rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “So, how exactly do we stop a war between two armies?”

Shawn’s thoughts were coursing through his mind. Then something pulsed within him, followed by a whisper, distant yet familiar, echoed in his mind—a memory of Princess Thyra’s words, “use this seed… it will help you stop the war—temporarily.”

His fingers instinctively curled into a fist, and as he did, a faint mist seeped from between his knuckles, wisps of blue escaping through the cracks. Selena and Makara both noticed.

Selena’s eyes flickered with curiosity. “Shawn, what is that?”

Shawn replied, “I might have something that can stop the war… at least for now.” He then unclenched his fist, revealing a small, unassuming seed resting in his palm.

Then Shawn, without hesitation, stepped to the edge of the owl, held the seed over the battlefield, and dropped it.

Makara raised an eyebrow, watching him with mild disbelief. “You said it would stop the war, and you just dropped it”

Shawn nodded. “Yes. I dropped it.” And with that, the seed fell. It drifted downward, almost lazily, catching the light as it spiralled toward the ground. For a moment, it was just a speck against the vast battlefield.

Then the seed landed, followed by the earth trembling. A low, deep rumble spread through the soil, rolling outward like waves in a storm.

From that single point, something began to grow.

At first, it was just a tiny green sprout, fragile and unassuming. But within seconds, the sprout surged skyward with unnatural speed, its form twisting and stretching as if time itself had been accelerated.

In mere moments, it had transformed into a colossal vine tree. Selena and Makara stared in shock — and even Shawn was left speechless.

Then, dozens of buds began to emerge along the massive vine tree.

The battlefield froze to see this big vine tree sprout up in the middle of the battlefield.

Before anyone could react further, the buds began to bloom.

Magnificent flowers unfolded, their petals radiant as they caught the morning sun. A soft pink mist unfurled from within, spiralling outward and engulfing the entire plains. Then, the fragrance spread, and everyone was frozen on the plains.

High above, Shawn, Makara, and Selena watched the unfolding spectacle.

Selena let out a slow breath she hadn’t realised she’d been holding. “It did stop the war… but I never imagined it would turn into something this massive.” Her voice was laced with disbelief. Her gaze sharpened. “These vines… It’s similar to Princess Thyra’s vines. Is it hers? …Wait, is it hers?”

Makara, still watching in awe, smirked. “Same fragrance, too.” He turned to Shawn. “I take it she didn’t tell you?”

Shawn, his gaze fixed on the battlefield, spoke softly. “No. She only said it would help me stop the war.” His fingers curled slightly, “and we have stopped the war… for now.” His eyes flickered with quiet resolve. “But what happens next… will decide everything.”

Makara turned to Shawn and asked, “What’s next on our agenda?”

Shawn, his gaze fixed on the battlefield below, answered, “First and foremost, we need to locate King Azure.”

Selena, hovering beside them, scanned the chaos below. “I don’t see him anywhere in the battle,” she noted, her brow furrowed.

As they soared high above the battlefield, their eyes swept over the frozen armies below, searching for someone—a single figure lost amid the chaos. Then something caught their attention: a ruined castle clinging to the edge of the cliff. Through the shattered roof, the throne room slowly came into view, and there, seated in the heart of the wreckage like an unshaken titan, was King Azure.

“There!” Makara shouted, pointing. “There he is!“