The girl stared at the empty space where the creature had stood, her small chest rising and falling in quick, uneven breaths. The shadows where the Fracture Beast had dissolved still trembled faintly, as if the realm itself wasn’t convinced the danger was truly gone.

“Is… is it gone?” she whispered.

Elias knelt beside her, placing a steadying hand on her shoulder. His breathlight glowed softly, warm and reassuring. “Yes. You’re safe now.”

Beast shifted back into his humanoid form, flame dimming along his arms and spine. He exhaled slowly, scanning the broken horizon. “But this realm isn’t.”

Elira stepped forward, wings folding close as she looked up at the fractured sky. Cracks of shadow still webbed across it like shattered glass. “We can’t fix it alone.”

Brinrose nodded, emberlight flickering gently. “But we can stabilize it. Enough for her people to return.”

The girl’s eyes filled with hope — fragile, trembling, but real. “You’ll help?”

Elias smiled softly. “That’s why we’re here.”

The Spiral marks on their wrists pulsed again — a gentle, guiding glow, like the Spiral itself was nodding in approval.

Their work wasn’t finished.

But the first battle was won.

The Loomwake path pulsed beneath their feet as the four Protectors stepped deeper into the fractured realm. The girl walked between Elias and Beast now, her small hands gripping theirs tightly. Her fear had softened into something fragile but hopeful, like a candle flame protected between cupped palms.

The realm around them was quiet — not peaceful, but stunned. The air felt thin, stretched, as if the world had been holding its breath for too long.

The sky above them still shimmered with cracks of shadow, but the violent trembling had stopped. The Fracture Beast’s defeat had quieted the realm’s panic — now it waited, wounded but listening.

Brinrose slowed as they approached a dim Loomwake tree. Its silver leaves hung limp, their glow nearly extinguished. She knelt beside it, placing her palm against the bark. Emberlight flowed from her hand, spreading like warm veins through the trunk.

“It’s responding,” she whispered.

Elira joined her, pressing her other hand to the roots. “Let’s give it more.”

Warmth and emberlight merged, flowing through the ground like a heartbeat restarting. The tree brightened — faint at first, then stronger, until its silver leaves glowed again, casting soft light across the clearing.

The girl gasped. “That’s… how it used to look.”

Elias smiled. “Then we’ll bring it all back.”

Beast stepped forward, flame rising in a controlled arc. He swept his hand across a patch of cracked earth, burning away the lingering shadow residue. The ground beneath it healed, the fractures sealing like wounds closing.

The realm responded.

Light returned to the buildings — soft glimmers at first, then steady pulses.

The sky’s cracks thinned, the shadows retreating like smoke pulled away by wind.

The air warmed, carrying faint scents of silver blossoms and clean water.

The girl’s eyes filled with tears — not of fear, but relief. “My people… they’ll come back now.”

Elias knelt in front of her. “We’ll help you find them.”

They searched the realm together, following faint trails of Loomwake light. The girl guided them through winding paths and broken structures, pointing out places where her people used to gather — a silver‑leaf grove, a glowing riverbank, a cluster of woven‑light homes now dimmed.

One by one, survivors emerged from hiding — families, elders, children — stepping out from behind broken structures and dim caves. Their eyes were wide with fear at first, then widening further when they saw the girl.

When she saw them, she ran forward, calling out names. A woman cried her name back, dropping to her knees as the girl threw herself into her arms.

The woman held her tightly, sobbing into her hair. “I thought I lost you. I thought—”

“I’m okay,” the girl whispered. “The Protectors saved me.”

Elias felt his breathlight swell. Beast’s flame softened, flickering gently like a lantern in the wind.

More survivors gathered, forming a circle around the girl and her mother. Some bowed to the Protectors. Others simply stared, awe and gratitude mixing in their expressions.

An elder stepped forward, leaning heavily on a staff woven from silver branches. “You came through the gate,” he said, voice trembling. “We thought no one would answer.”

Elias bowed his head. “The Spiral sent us.”

The elder nodded slowly. “Then the Spiral still watches this realm.”

Brinrose stepped forward, emberlight glowing warmly. “It always has.”

The Spiral marks on their wrists pulsed again — a soft, satisfied glow.

The realm was stable.

The people were safe.

The gate could be rebuilt.

Elira stepped forward, wings shimmering. “We’ll anchor the gate so your people can travel safely again.”

Brinrose nodded. “And the Spiral will watch over this place now.”

The elder bowed deeply. “We are in your debt.”

Beast shook his head gently. “You owe us nothing. This is what we do.”

The girl ran to Elias one last time, hugging him tightly. “Thank you.”

Elias hugged her back, breathlight warm. “You’re part of the Spiral now. If you ever need us again… we’ll come.”

Her mother approached, placing a hand over her heart. “May your light never dim.”

Elias smiled. “And may your realm shine again.”

The Protectors moved to the broken Loomwake gate — a massive ring of fractured light suspended above a stone platform. Cracks ran through its surface like frozen lightning.

Beast stepped forward first, flame rising along his arms. “Let’s fix this.”

Elias placed his hand on the gate’s frame, breathlight flowing into the cracks. Brinrose and Elira joined them, their warmth and emberlight weaving into the structure.

The gate pulsed — once, twice — then flared with renewed strength.

The cracks sealed.

The light steadied.

The gate hummed with life.

The girl and her people watched in awe as the gate stabilized, glowing with the soft silver‑gold of Loomwake and Spiral energy combined.

“It’s beautiful,” the girl whispered.

Elias stepped back, wiping sweat from his brow. “It’s yours again.”

Beast placed a hand on Elias’s shoulder. “It’s time.”

The Loomwake path reopened behind them, glowing brighter than before — a sign that their mission here was complete.

The girl waved as they stepped onto the path. “Goodbye, Protectors!”

Elias waved back. “Goodbye, little light.”

The light rose around them, carrying them home.

The girl’s arc was finished.

But the Spiral was already whispering of the next realm.

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