The sun set slowly beyond Heartland's Holy Land,
its last rays touching the silver rivers, the Sovereign Gardens, the Spirit Trees.
And as darkness fell,
the stars blossomed like fire across the endless sky.
But here, beneath the Sovereign Pavilion,
a greater light burned.
The light of family.
The light of Sovereignty.
The light of dreams fulfilled.
The Feast Begins
Kaelen sat at the head of the long Sovereign Table —
no crown upon his head, no scepter in hand.
Only his presence.
Only his Will.
At his sides:
Aria, radiant in silverfire armor, smiling more easily than she had in years.
Mira, cool but visibly relaxed, a faint smile teasing her lips.
Riven, tossing fruit into the air and catching it with bursts of flame, drawing laughter.
Selina, serving small plates of Sovereign-blessed fruits and laughing gently at Riven's antics.
Damon and Eren, arguing good-naturedly over who could drink more Sovereign Cider.
Lyanna, weaving small light-runes over the table, making miniature constellations float above their heads.
Lyra, perched nearby on a spirit-branch, humming a melody older than the winds.
Kaelen's parents, Elena and Darian Drayce, sat proudly nearby —
watching their son not as a distant ruler,
but as their blood,
their pride,
their dream made flesh.
And across from them,
seated with easy grace,
Queen Isolde Valerian and Queen Elowen Sylvara —
no longer distant monarchs,
but part of something deeper.
Something eternal.
Laughter and Light
The air was filled with music and laughter.
Mira actually laughed out loud when Riven tried (and failed) to juggle Spirit Pastries —
only to have Selina freeze the pastries in midair with a flick of Sovereign Light.
Damon and Eren challenged each other to an eating contest —
failing spectacularly when the Holy Land food proved too potent even for them.
Lyanna and Lyra orchestrated a floating dance of light-runes above the table —
drawing cheers from younger Sovereigns nearby.
Kaelen's mother, Elena, told embarrassing stories of Kaelen's childhood:
How he once tried to "train" Spirit Deer by chasing them with a wooden sword.
How he promised at age seven to "build a kingdom where no one ever cried again."
Kaelen buried his face in one hand while everyone roared with laughter.
Even Queen Isolde laughed — a genuine, golden sound few in her realm had heard in decades.
And Queen Elowen smiled a rare, true smile —
her crystal-blue eyes soft with memory and hope.
The Toast
As the feast wound down,
Darian Drayce rose, lifting a goblet of Sovereign Wine.
His voice cracked slightly at first —
but strengthened with every word.
"To our dream,
forged in broken streets and burning fields.
To our family,
found in bonds stronger than crowns.
To our future,
brighter than any star.
May the gods we defied weep in envy.
May the worlds we build stand eternal.
To Heartland.
To Sovereigns.
To Us."
The Sovereign Pavilion shook with the answering roar of toasts and cheers.
Kaelen rose, lifting his own goblet high.
"To Family.
Forever.
Eternal."
System Notification
[System Notification]
[Eternal Sovereign Family Bond Strengthened.]
[Holy Land Core Strength +5%.]
[Future Sovereign Generations: Blessed.]
[Hidden Legacy Awakening: Preparing.]
Quiet Moments Under the Stars
Later, when most had drifted to the Sovereign Gardens to rest or sing,
Kaelen sat quietly with Aria, Mira, Riven, Selina, Damon, Eren, Lyanna, Lyra —
and across the fire, Queen Isolde and Queen Elowen.
There were no more titles.
No more boundaries.
Only people.
Only family.
Queen Isolde broke the comfortable silence first, her golden eyes glinting with rare mischief.
"I think…"
"I could learn to love a world like this."
Queen Elowen smiled softly, whispering a blessing in ancient Elven tongue —
a song of hearth and heart, of Sovereign dreams and eternal bonds.
And Kaelen?
He closed his red-golden eyes, listening to the laughter of his family under the stars.
He had built a Nation.
But more importantly —
he had built a Home.
And in the Heartland of Sovereigns,
that would last forever.