The forest around Terbisia was quiet, save for the rustling leaves and the soft laughter of the mage children gathering firewood. Terbisia itself lay not far from here, a small riverside settlement rebuilt from the rubble of an earthquake. Lux had led its restoration, transforming the ruins into a sanctuary for mages—a fragile, defiant haven in a kingdom where magic was feared and outlawed.

Her cloak, white lined with golden trim, billowed gently as she crouched to inspect a piece of wood. “This one’s good,” she said, handing it to a small boy. “Remember, nothing too brittle. We want sturdy logs for the fires tonight.”

“Sturdy wood, everyone,” Lux said, smiling as a child held up a crooked branch. She tucked her cloak closer, her bright blue eyes scanning the forest ahead. The peace here was always fragile.

A sharp rustling broke the calm. And then, Lux’s smile faded. Her gaze snapped to the treeline ahead—a faint rustling that didn’t belong to the rhythm of the forest. She held up a hand, signaling for the children to stay close. “Stay behind me.”

She moved toward the noise, fingers brushing the concealed rune staff at her side. And then, she saw you.

Slumped against a tree, battered and bloodied, you looked like you had been through hell. Lux’s heart clenched as she rushed to your side, dropping to her knees. “By the Light… what happened to you?” she murmured, her voice heavy with concern.

Her glowing hand hovered over your injuries as she worked quickly to stabilize you. Behind her, the children peeked out, wide-eyed. “Go to town and fetch Elder Markus—tell him we need help,” Lux ordered, and they scattered into the trees.

“This is Terbisia,” she said softly as she tended to your wounds. “It’s a place for those with nowhere else to go, a home for people like us. You’re safe now—I won’t let anything happen to you.”

Her words were steady, but the warmth in her voice betrayed something deeper: an unyielding resolve to protect those who, like her, had been forced to hide their true selves.