Seconds stretched toward eternity.

Doubt began creeping into everyone's expressions.

Vlad's shoulders tensed, prepared for the realization that the rejection would doom them all.

Then softly one symbol glowed.

Far to the north, where the tide surged up and down like waves, someone placed their hand on a golden symbol. A thin stream of light rose toward the sky, arcing across distance toward Marie's position in Helios.

Then another symbol was activated, which was a different location and a different person. Another stream joined the first.

Then another, and another.

Then dozens simultaneously began glowing with the streams that varied wildly.

Some were thin threads barely visible against the sky, while others were thick beams shining with large amounts of magic. Some spiraled elegantly, and others flickered uncertainly.

But all flowed toward the same destination, toward Marie standing with wings spread and hands holding a growing sphere of light.

They came from everywhere.

Destroyed villagers scattered across Eastern Hesod, from atop broken trees, on buildings where others sat down, and more.

From every location touched by Brunhilde's symbols, light began rising.

All the adults were contributing, even though they were not being a Beast Master.

Their streams still carried colors reflecting their life and the magic locked away in them.

Some streams were bright with hope, others dimmed by hardship endured, but they all continued heading over.

Elders gave what little they had. Their contributions were smaller but burned with intensity, suggesting a desperate desire to see the homeland survive.

Seekers across the continent responded to their leader's call. Black-coated warriors placing hands on symbols, sending magic upward without hesitation.

Luminous Knights joined despite being outsiders. White-robed figures recognizing the Eastern Hesod people needed their help, and so they gladly gave it.

Marie gasped as air filled with radiant rivers. Her golden eyes widened, tracking countless streams converging on her position. The sight was overwhelming, the visual representation of collective will made manifest.

The sphere glowed violently.

Then it expanded dramatically from a boulder size to something that forced Marie to extend her arms fully up.

The radiance intensified until it cast shadows like midday sun despite it, and her wings arched wider, feathers blazing with new life as magic poured through her.

Streams of light curled around her body in elegant spirals. They wove patterns resembling constellations, creating a temporary galaxy centered on a single human channeling impossible power.

The people who contributed glowed faintly. The light from within their own belief, by choice to trust despite centuries of division. The light wasn't just Marie's; it belonged to everyone, merely gathered and focused through her Beast Spirit's capabilities.

Amiya trembled as soft gold shimmer rose from her chest while Joseph's eyes shone gold.

All the countless natural elements were swirling around him as if responding to the collective energy. His breath came in sharp gasps as more than expected flowed outward.

Janus's entire form is illuminated in gold. His spiritual armor blazed with light, making him appear carved from sunrise itself. Tears streamed down his face despite or because of the beauty of what they accomplished.

Veryn radiated pale gold as her mind struggled to process that everyone in Hesod was really sending their magic over.

Brunhilde glowed with the color of dawn as she smiled with a soft expression, nodding her head at Vlad, whose aura surged pure gold.

"Good work, Vlad, you moved all of them."

The last Ancestor trembled as a smile appeared on his face while his expression showed something approaching peace. "For the first time in a long while, we are all united."

Gold consumed unique hues, unifying diverse contributions into a single harmonious radiance. Magic poured into streams rushing toward Marie, feeding a sphere that continued expanding beyond all reasonable size.

Marie felt everything flowing through her, not just magic but emotion. Belief that their home, Eastern Hesod was worth saving.

Hope that the nightmare truly ends, and determination to protect the land that raised them despite its flaws.

The collective will of thousands, which quickly reached ten thousand and continued rising. It was pressing through her consciousness, seeking an outlet through her outstretched hands.

The sphere rose above Marie's head and floated independently now, sustained by gathered power rather than her physical support.

It finally grew larger than a building, humming with layered harmonics like a choir singing from within a golden shell.

The brilliance swept outward in waves.

Each pulse washed across Joseph and the others, illuminating their faces while softly caressing them. The sphere continued rising. Higher and higher toward barrier overhead, a golden cage Charles had created to contain catastrophe.

The light approached the pattern, radiance meeting the barrier created by the Star Jewel in an inevitable collision.

Slowly, the sphere began clashing with the barrier before trying to push through it. The cage resisted, lines of force holding against gathered will.

But cracks appeared, spreading from the contact point, but even then, that still wasn't strong enough to break through the barrier made by the Star Jewel.

Marie's expression shifted from wonder to concern as she felt resistance. The energy, while massive, still lacked enough to overpower the creation of the cage.

It needs to be stronger; more energy is required inside the sphere to fully break through and accomplish what must be done.

But how? They were all gathering magic from all the people in Eastern Hesod, and even two First Class Beast Masters.

As Marie kept wondering what they could do, the crimson-black tide near them trembled.

Everyone's attention snapped toward crimson-black flames spreading across the landscape. The corruption's surface rippled violently, waves forming without wind to drive them, and something was emerging.

The Star Jewel burst from under the tide.

Golden orb trailing crimson-black corruption, metal claws gleaming as it rose into the air. It soared upward, over the roots and ground, before landing near Marie.

Disbelief appeared on everyone's face.

As they stared at the artifact Charles had stolen, which Honor had died obtaining, it was now somehow here.

But it's then Marie, and everyone heard Reinhard's words simultaneously.

Use the Star Jewel to ask the Forerunners people for help as well. Not just the Golden Warriors, but every single Forerunner from the past, that should be enough!

Everyone blinked, their confusion lasted a second before they hit, and their eyes lit with understanding.

First was that Reinhard was doing fine somehow against the Saint, and he was able to take away the Star Jewel.

The second was them gathering magic from those who'd passed, whose sacrifice built the foundation the current generation stood upon.

Brunhilde waved her hand, magic surged from her gesture, creating an invisible force that grasped Star Jewel. The artifact rose higher before it rushed towards Marie while the flames fully left it.

Marie's hands opened up to catch the Star Jewel, fingers closing around metal claws carefully. The artifact glowed against her palms, making her smile at how familiar it felt, and then she closed her eyes.

She began calling.

With the help of the Star Jewel, a wish was formed in her mind, and that was to summon all the previous people. Toward everyone who'd died building Eastern Hesod, defending it, sacrificing themselves so future generations could exist.

Forerunners of the past. I ask for your help to save Eastern Hesod. To save the home you built and died for. To help keep your Golden Age going right after the Dark Silence has ended.

Silence answered with surprisingly no memories rushing to her, before then a beautiful light bloomed from the Star Jewel.

It was an explosive radiance, golden brilliance erupted across the entire continent simultaneously. And within that light, figures began appearing.

Golden forms materialized around Marie first. Translucent shapes suggesting human anatomy without concrete details. Men and women, young and old, warriors and civilians, all bearing the same golden translucence.

Their faces showed smiles, expressions of joy and pride at being called, at having the opportunity to help one final time.

The golden figures reached toward streams of light. Their translucent hands grasped radiance flowing from living contributors. And they added their own magic that had been theirs in life but still remained in their souls.

But it wasn't just near Marie.

But across the entire Eastern Hesod, on every piece of land touched by Brunhilde's symbols, golden figures appeared.

In destroyed villages, they manifested standing on debris. On buildings, they materialized along rooftops and broken balconies. Among trees, they emerged standing on branches or floating between trunks.

Everywhere symbols glowed, Forerunners appeared. Thousands upon thousands of them, all smiling before reaching towards the light.

…

A man standing on a tumble building gasped as a golden woman appeared beside him. She smiled, placed a translucent hand on the symbol he'd activated, and added her strength to his contribution.

The stream flowing from his position doubled in intensity.

Families on the mountain path watched in awe as golden warriors materialized around them. The spirits nodded encouragingly, gestured for the family to continue giving, then added their own power to the rising light.

Throughout the entire Eastern Hesod, the living and dead worked together, all united by a single purpose.

Saving their home.

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