Realm of Rivalry: The Mother's Legacy

prologue

The girl with flowing blue hair strode down a hall adorned with portraits of mages, her footsteps echoing softly. At the end of the hall, she paused before a door labeled "left wing: mage Damon Zephyros" and pushed it open without hesitation.

"Still buried in the papers?" she inquired as she entered the room.

"Well, thanks to you-know-who," the mage replied, his focus on the documents before him.

Abruptly, she announced, "I'm going into seclusion."

The mage's quill slipped from his grasp, smudging ink on the paper. He looked up, startled. "Why all of a sudden?" he asked, concern creasing his brow.

"I've found a way to balance the erupting mana," she explained. "And I'm going to try it on myself."

"Why you? Why not try on someone else? What if it fails? What will happen to you?" he bombarded her with questions.

"Calm down," she urged.

"You don't have anyone to follow you, no disciple, no descendants." He replied.

"You already assumed me dead," she added unhappily.

"I won't be dead, don't worry," she reassured him.

"You can't guarantee that. You're a prodigy the world has yet to see. You haven't even revealed yourself as the archmage," he pointed out.

"Out with it," she replied firmly.

"At least... give me your eggs before you go," he hesitantly requested.

"What?!" she exclaimed, taken aback by the unexpected request.

"You know, as a precaution," he explained.

"I don't fail," she asserted confidently.

He remained unconvinced. "Fine," she relented.

Raising her hand, she released her mana towards her abdomen, extracting some eggs. With a flick of her wrist, she used ice magic to freeze them before handing them to him.

Little did they know the impending disasters that would follow.

Damon watched as the girl with flowing blue hair, now resigned from her position, appointed him as her successor before abruptly leaving. "And don't look for me," she added, just before disappearing from sight.

Damon felt a mix of emotions - concern for her safety, uncertainty about his new role, and a lingering curiosity about her mysterious plans. But he respected her wishes and turned his attention to the responsibilities she had entrusted to him.

Meanwhile, the girl made her way to a secluded cottage deep in the forest, its exterior adorned with protective spells to ward off any intruders. Inside, she stood before a specialized pod, its purpose known only to her.

Releasing her mana, a golden hue enveloped her as she began a complex ritual. Swirling her fingers in intricate patterns, she summoned mana of various colors, each representing a different aspect of magic. As the energies coalesced around her, she was lifted and gently placed into the pod.

With the swirling mana surrounding her, she descended into a deep sleep, her fate now intertwined with the mysteries of magic and the unknown.