Kael appeared beside her in a blur of movement, his hand swatting toward her with force that would have obliterated Folds.
Riya dodged easily, flowing backward with grace that suggested she'd been evading Kael's disciplinary attempts for thousands of years.
"Riya!" Kael's voice thundered with stern disapproval. "If you cannot be respectful, keep your distance from the Ancestor! Your behavior is unacceptable for-"
"Ancestor this, Ancestor that, loosen up." Riya muttered under her breath, rolling her eyes.
But soon after, her expression brightened, mischief dancing across her features. She floated upward, positioning herself in front of both Noah and Kael with a flourish.
"O Great Ancestor," she said, her tone dripping with sarcasm as she rolled her eyes, "it would be our dearest honor to present to you your grand Civilization. The Emergence Protocols have been initiated, and the Citizens of Mana cannot wait to bask in your glorious, magisterial unfiltered presence."
