Valdorne Square stood at the heart of the rebel encampment, once a crumbling plaza, now reborn through the labor of hundreds. Banners of the Free Provinces snapped in the wind, joined by the sigils of the Fourth Talon, the Servants of the Crest, and the shattered remnants of loyal noble houses. The fires of the past had not broken them. They had forged something stronger—a unified front.
Shin stood at the center, flanked by Zera, Laverna, Tessara, Maika, and Alexandra, with the Fourth Talon arrayed behind them in ceremonial armor. Guild Master Davis stood beside Father Grent, while Mira, Olga, Lyssa, and the rest of the Talon formed a protective ring around the stone dais.
Before them lay the Pact Circle—a newly inscribed ring of mithril etched into the plaza itself, glowing softly with blue and gold sigils. In its center, an ancient relic: the Oathstone of Aelis, capable of binding words with soul-light.
Father Grent stepped forward, voice steady, resonating through the square. "Today, we declare unity—not through bloodline or conquest, but by conviction. What binds us here is not duty alone, but choice. Will, forged in fire. We have endured betrayal, loss, exile... and still we rise. Let this circle not only mark an alliance of strategy, but of spirit. A family formed by fire."
Zera stepped forward first. Her armor gleamed like tempered gold, her emerald eyes fierce and proud. "The Dragonheart Crest," she declared, pressing her hand to the stone. Her sigil burned gold and green. "Let the record show we fight not for vengeance, but honor. For a future our ancestors would kneel to protect."
Tessara followed, serene and solemn. "The Blossomed Grace," she said softly. Her sigil flared violet, and petals scattered like spirits in the breeze. "We give life and guard it. I will not allow another garden to burn."
Maika stepped up next, rolling her shoulders, wild grin softening for once. "The Crescent Wolf Flame," she announced, igniting her sigil with a flourish of her crimson aura. "For the outcasts. For the hunted. For every soul who dared to hope again."
Laverna hesitated. Shin gave her a gentle nod. She stepped forward, her amber eyes steeled with resolve. "The Brand of the Broken Chain," she declared. Her sigil erupted in deep amber flames. "I was once a slave. Now, I swear by this circle, I will never be one again. Nor will I let anyone else suffer in silence."
Alexandra raised her chin, pride glowing from every inch of her presence. "The Crest of Sovereign Tongue," she said. Scarlet and silver light unfurled like a rising sun. "I pledge my body, my voice, and my will to the rebirth of our realm."
When Shin stepped forward, silence fell.
He knelt, placing his hand on the Oathstone. "By the Crest of Elders... and the blood of Soma... I vow to lead with truth, protect with fury, and never yield to the dark."
The sigil erupted in radiant red and white. It spiraled into every other mark, binding them with a resounding hum. The Pact Circle erupted in a silent pillar of light.
People gasped. The banners rippled. And in that moment, no one could deny it: the unbroken circle had formed.
After the light faded, cheers erupted through Valdorne Square. Citizens and soldiers alike raised their fists, crying out not just for victory, but for unity. For hope. The bell in the clock tower rang seven times, echoing across the camp.
On a raised platform, Shin stepped forward to address them all. His voice was clear, calm, and resonant.
"We stand here not because we are the strongest or most righteous, but because we refuse to kneel to fear. Let the tyrants come with their dragons and legions. Let them think their darkness can swallow the world. We—this circle—will burn brighter than their shadows. This is our promise, not only to the dead, but to the unborn. We will win not just with sword and spell... but with the strength of our bonds."
Applause thundered.
Later that night, in the quiet just before midnight, the Servants gathered in the commander's tent, where Shin's quarters were. The world outside remained celebratory, but here, their masks dropped.
Zera leaned against the central pillar, arms crossed. "Funny how the roar of a crowd makes you feel both invincible and small."
Tessara poured tea with graceful movements. "It's the weight of the moment. We all feel it."
Maika sat cross-legged, uncharacteristically contemplative. "I've seen so many die screaming. For once... I want to live long enough to see someone grow old."
Laverna sat beside Shin, head on his shoulder. "If you fall," she whispered, "I'll carry what's left of your dream. Even if I have to burn the sky for it."
Then, her lips barely brushing his ear, she added, "But tonight... I'd rather carry you somewhere softer. Another night like last, Master...?"
Shin's eyebrow twitched with a flicker of amusement.
Zera narrowed her eyes from the pillar. "Laverna, you're whispering like we're all blind and deaf."
Maika smirked. "Again? You just had your turn. I thought we agreed on rotation."
Tessara, sipping her tea, gave a delicate laugh. "It's not a schedule, Maika."
Alexandra raised an eyebrow, arms folded across her chest. "If it were, I'd be enforcing it. Strictly." She looked at Shin with a hint of playful authority.
Laverna gave a mischievous glance to each of them. "You're welcome to try and claim him. But I'm not stepping aside."
"Of course you're not," Maika said, winking. "Foxes hoard their treasure."
"Or share it," Tessara chimed in smoothly.
Shin sighed with a rueful smile, the warmth in his chest growing with every teasing word. "I thought we were discussing strategy."
Alexandra gave a regal nod. "We are. Strategic bonding, Master Regent."
Laverna squeezed his hand, her voice lower. "Then let's start with the heart, and work outward."
They all laughed softly, the firelight dancing on their faces.
Shin looked at them all—his family, born of chaos. "We march at dawn. And we do it together."
Outside, the silver hawk still circled.
But for once, the firelight below refused to dim.