Chapter 86: Aurora of Blood and Stars – The Oath of a New Dawn
I. Beneath the Star Tree – The Nest of the Aurora
Night enshrouded the citadel as the Sect of the Purple Light retreated, biting the dust of humiliation. The silence was dense, pregnant with both history and the future. The plaza, still vibrating with energy, was a mosaic of wounds, suppressed laughter, tears, and sighs.
In the center of the great courtyard, beneath the Star Tree—that colossus of white bark and crimson leaves that bore witness to every clan oath—the Morningstar family gathered. They met not to discuss strategy or to train, but to heal.
Samael, still with the dust of battle on his robes, knelt beside Celeste. The little girl, still trembling, reached for his hand. —"Daddy… will they come back for me?"
Samael stroked her hair. —"They may return a thousand times, little star. But you are the root of this clan. And as long as we have strength left, no one—absolutely no one—will cross that line."
Violeta and Eris surrounded her, pulling her into an embrace. Violeta, the "Void Winter," looked ethereal with her hair whiter than snow and her piercing deep-blue eyes. Beside her, Eris, the "Flame of Ruin," provided a stark contrast with her long black hair and the dark ruin tattoos that seemed to pulse with heat on her skin.
Kael, his sword still sheathed, crouched and handed her a star-shaped pendant. —"I made this for you. Every time you touch it, remember that we are twenty hearts beating alongside yours."
Seraphina sat beside her, wrapping her in a mantle of frost: —"You are my sun in the storm, Celeste. If the night returns, we will face it together."
One by one, the elders left personal objects at her feet: a rune from Cedric, a leaf from Elowen, a petal from Lys, a coin from Sela, and a piece of metal from Torian. —"May our strength safeguard you," they said in unison.
The Great Elder Lilith stepped forward. She was a figure of ancient majesty; despite her age, her skin held a faint, healthy glow, and her eyes burned with the wisdom of a thousand fires. Her presence was like a dormant volcano, radiating a comforting yet terrifying warmth. Placing her burning hand on Celeste's forehead, she murmured: —"By blood, ash, and aurora, I swear that no dark destiny shall ever snatch you from our embrace."
II. The Call of the System and the Great Trial
While laughter and songs filled the night, Samael felt the familiar hum of the System. This time, the voice was solemn, deep—almost ancestral.
🛑 EPIC MISSION ALERT: "Awakening of the Invincible Aurora"
Conditions: Faced with the threat of the Sect of the Purple Light and the Alliance, the clan must transcend the limits of lineage and power to survive.
Objectives:
Gather the Elders and the Matriarch at the "Altar of Lost Origin" for an evolution ritual.
Samael, as Patriarch, must conquer the "Path of the Three Trials" and break the final limit to reach the Saint Realm before the war begins.
Bonus: All Morningstar-blooded prodigies and disciples will have their potential multiplied during the ritual (High probability of breakthroughs and realm ascensions).
Rewards:
Mythic Bloodline Heritage
Access to the "Palace of Eternal Aurora"
Unlocking the "Imperial Sequence"
Fortune Multiplier x1000
The right to claim a Supreme Law
Samael looked up, his aura trembling between doubt and desire. He knew what had to be done. He stood and announced it to the clan. —"Tonight, the aurora is not just a promise. It is a threshold. Tomorrow, the pillars of this lineage—the elders, the matriarch, and I—will walk toward the Altar of Origin. Whatever happens, nothing will ever be the same."
III. The Ritual of Lost Origin
At dawn, before the ancestral altar—a stone circle surrounded by seven obelisks of frost and ash, hidden from all but the direct bloodline—the council gathered.
The ritual began. The seven members of the high council took each other's hands, closing the circle. Samael, at the center, invoked the System.
[Ascension Ritual: "Awakening of the Seed Blood"! Warning: Only those who overcome the trial of the heart and lineage will break the limit.]
The altar glowed, and an immense pressure descended.
Seraphina was the first to advance: her frost transformed into living ice, her soul touching the limit of the Semi-Saint Realm.
Marcus hardened his mind, crossing the threshold with the determination of a mountain.
Livia allowed the flow of memory to purify her Qi, ascending alongside her kin.
Torian elevated his spirit through the sacrifice of metal and ancestral flame.
Sela accepted the reconciliation of her past, allowing her shadow to become even deeper and more powerful.
Final Ascension Results:
Great Elder Lilith: Semi-Saint Realm, Stage 4
Matriarch Seraphina: Semi-Saint Realm, Stage 3
Elders Marcus, Livia, and Torian: Semi-Saint Realm, Stage 2
Elder Sela: Semi-Saint Realm, Stage 1
Branch Elders: Origin Realm, Stages 6-9
IV. The Roar of New Blood – Awakening of Sequences
As the elders ascended, a shockwave of Qi swept through the citadel. Every disciple and sequence member felt the call of the lineage.
Kael roared as his Qi jumped to Origin Stage 8, surrounded by dragon fire.
Violeta and Eris saw their lineages of space, ice, and ruin expand, unlocking new fusion techniques.
Cedric and Xylia ascended to Origin Stage 3.
Lyra and Lys reached Origin Stage 2.
The rest of the Top 20 advanced one to two full stages, some reaching the very threshold of the Origin Realm.
V. The Path of the Three Trials – Samael's Ascension
Only Samael remained at the center of the altar. He faced three ethereal gates:
The Gate of Shadows: He faced the fallen Morningstars and the weight of their mistakes. He accepted the pain and chose to be the bridge.
The Gate of Void: His Qi was devoured repeatedly. He held on through the memory of Celeste's laughter and Seraphina's gaze.
The Gate of Time: He saw a future of defeat and solitude. But Celeste's voice reached him: "You will never be alone, Daddy."
Samael screamed as blood, void, and space Qi exploded within him.
[CONGRATULATIONS!
Samael Morningstar: Ascended to Saint Realm, Stage 1.
Unlocked: Law of the Crimson Destiny.
Access Granted: "Crown of Eternal Aurora."]
The altar exploded in light. Samael emerged, his Qi resonating like the song of a thousand suns. The clan fell to their knees in jubilation.
VI. Epilogue: Aurora of War
That night, the scouts confirmed the unthinkable: —"Three True Saints (Stage 3+), four Semi-Saints, and elite troops. The full power of the Alliance is coming."
But the clan no longer trembled. Samael looked at his daughter, his wife, and his people. The future was no longer a promise; it was an oath. The Morningstar Aurora was finally ready to devour the night.
[End of Chapter 86]