Moonrise ✔ [Complete]

07 Saber

A/N: Remember to check the Extras glossary if you need it. Thank you for reading!

After the introduction that had inspired anxious excitation in the room, both the Beran Council and Master Den sat at the table and proceeded to the alliance treaty's signing. But it was all a blur to Maeyune as her mind fell out of focus.

She had never felt a power so strong before. In all her lifetime, she had been the strongest, the main source of energy for her team and the celestials of Suolan. Her mind whirled, and she could not decide what it was that made her feel so unnerved, so...apprehensive.

Was it distrust? Or was it because she knew she was no longer the dominant being in the room? After all, she had just met the source of the moon's light, which essentially was the source of her power. She was in the presence of someone as powerful as she was, and maybe even more so.

He could be powerful and dangerous. Those were Jorin's words to her the morning she had left Suolan.

She glanced in the direction of the Sun Goddess incarnate. He stood rigid with his hands folded behind his back. His narrowed gaze was directed at the floor a few feet in front of him, but his eyes appeared unfocused.

Was he thinking the same thoughts as she was? Were they the same allies who had protected the planet twenty years ago? Or had two proud countries turned them into rivals?

It was as if her stare had alerted him. He turned his head and met her gaze. She looked away, at the floor, at the councilors, at anything but the dark eyes that hid the power of the sun.

"Mr. Castell, Miss Ereni," Ristoff called. Maeyune tore away from her thoughts as the Head Councilor beckoned her over. She and the Sun Goddess incarnate approached the table where the treaty waited.

"All that we require now are your signatures," Ristoff said, smiling at her. He set the pen on the table.

Maeyune stared at it. Beside her, Reo made a polite gesture for her to sign first. Without question, she took the pen and admitted her signature below Master Den's name on the long white document. After Reo had signed his name, he set the pen back down. The councilors and Master Den stood from their chairs, and everyone clapped.

The rest of the afternoon went by like an obscure dream.

It was only a little after noon when the Beran Council appeared on the front steps of the Council Hall with both the god incarnates and their teams beside them. With the massive size of the street below, the crowd that had gathered was twice the size of the one at King Chiyan's coronation.

Jubilant music played from city speakers. The citizens leaped up and down on their feet, screaming with as much fervor as their lungs would allow. At the bottom of the steps, two dancing groups performed a celebratory display. Each group carried a prop of a serpent dragon, with one dragon silver and the other gold.