Time flowed differently when it was not measured by the frantic, terrifying ticking of a war clock.
A peaceful, profound era had washed over the unified continent. The seasons turned with a gentle predictability, replacing the ash of the old world with the vibrant, flourishing blooms of the new. The young leaders, who had bled to save their shattered realms, had blossomed alongside their empire. They had matured into incredibly formidable, breathtakingly beautiful young adults.
Princess Mana was stepping into her fifteenth year. The slight, underestimated girl who had once hidden in the Emerald Palace was gone entirely. In her place stood a radiant young woman of unparalleled grace. Her dark hair cascaded like spun silk down her back, and her brilliant green eyes held the ancient, quiet wisdom of the deeply rooted forests. She commanded rooms without ever needing to raise her voice, her mere presence radiating a purifying, comforting light.
