With the tears of a forgotten spring safely in the vial, Arthur and Elias began their urgent journey back to Aethelgard. The path was long, but their hearts were lightened by the successful completion of their quest. They had faced and overcome two of the ancient traps meant to guard Juliana's dark magic, and they now held the key to protecting the kingdom.
When they returned to the city, the atmosphere was thick with tension. The week-long ultimatum from Lord Valerius was nearing its end. Guards patrolled the walls with grim determination, and the city's inhabitants moved with a quiet, somber resolve. King Ottachi, though defiant, knew his armies were no match for the magical force that Valerius was said to command. He had been preparing for the worst, hoping that Arthur would return in time.
Arthur and Elias, with no time to spare, went straight to an old, abandoned laboratory in the castle's deepest cellar. This was a place forgotten by time, a workshop from the ancient age of magic. Dust lay thick on the floor, and old alchemical tools lay scattered across stone tables. With the ancient book as their guide, they began the delicate and dangerous process of creating the Elixir of Starlight.
Elias carefully unsealed the pouch containing the moonpetal blossoms, their silver light illuminating the dusty room. Arthur placed them in a large, stone cauldron, and as they touched the bottom, they began to dissolve into a glowing liquid. He then, with a shaking hand, poured the tears of a forgotten spring into the mixture. The two elements swirled together, a brilliant clash of magic and light that filled the cellar with a soft, humming energy.
A final, cryptic instruction in the book required a catalyst. Elias, his eyes fixed on the ancient runes, whispered the words of a forgotten incantation. Arthur, focusing his pure magic, added a drop of his own blood to the potion. The moment it touched the liquid, the mixture flared with a blinding light, and a soft, golden vapor rose from the cauldron. The Elixir of Starlight was complete. It glowed with a pure, uncorrupted light, radiating power and hope.
As they poured the elixir into a small, unbreakable flask, a deep, resonating sound echoed through the castle, a sound that shook the very foundations of the city. Lord Valerius's week-long deadline had expired. The battle for Aethelgard was about to begin.