Shining Tree was a precious species of tree from south of Saint Osore. Its seeds were rich in Light Element magic, and after being specially processed, the slightest vibration would make them erupt with sunlight-bright radiance, temporarily blinding anyone nearby.
The young man called Aife standing behind Delphine watched helplessly as the little elf threw the round ball-like object at him. He hurriedly shut his eyes and shouted at everyone present, "Close your eyes!" The Shining Tree seed traced a graceful arc before landing with a bang at the Chancellor's daughter's feet and rolling forward. Before anyone else could react, their gazes still fixed on the round object, it struck the wall on one side and stopped. A crack split it open with a sharp click, and a blinding white light shot out.
At that exact moment, a figure flashed through the passageway. A slender woman's hand reached out of thin air toward the Shining Tree seed and caught it in her palm. An invisible magic seemed to reside in that hand, binding the surging light together. The beams struck an unseen barrier and reflected back in all directions. The blinding radiance merely flickered before becoming gentle. All the light seemed to gather into a warm orb, firmly contained by that hand within a tiny area.
Everyone stared at the scene, dumbfounded.
The only one who had closed her eyes, Aife, heard no commotion for quite some time. Puzzled, she cautiously opened one eye halfway and saw the bizarre scene before her—a silver-haired woman in a white robe stood in the passage, holding a ball of light. The glowing orb floated in midair, its radiance illuminating the woman's cold expression. She was extremely tall, even taller than many human men, and her eyes glittered like pure silver. The light in