The preparations were more than sufficient, and Mulan had no intention of waiting any longer.
All the materials had already been secured at the appropriate nodes. Mulan opened his left hand, letting Evan's notebook fall to the ground.
Mulan stepped back, drew Fang, and ran his hand over the blade before handing it to the Raven Queen.
Gray mist kept pouring from the blade, but before it could drift away, the Raven Queen caught it in her hand. Meanwhile, the flames of the Book of Dawn were growing stronger, and fire appeared in the Raven Queen's hand as well.
The mass of gray mist grew pure beneath the burning flames, then vanished with a gentle squeeze of the Raven Queen's hand.
The Raven Queen gently closed her eyes, pressed her right hand against her shoulder, and tilted her head slightly upward, as though attempting something. Vast magic power gradually surged from her, turning into a storm that swept outward.
The fierce wind carried a scorching heat and soon swept through the entire Secret Realm. Even the World Tree's branches and leaves swayed in it. Countless ravens flew out of the World Tree, but they made no noisy cries, merely circling through the sky until they seemed to form a black vortex above the tree.
No one dared disturb the Raven Queen at that moment. Her magic power continued to grow, and even stronger flames poured from the shoulder beneath her right hand.
"Whew."
The Raven Queen released a long breath, then slowly lifted her right hand. A feather with a golden sheen along its edges had appeared on her shoulder.
The Raven Queen turned to Mulan and gave a slight nod. Understanding her meaning, he gently pressed the hand holding the Book of Dawn against the World Tree's trunk.
The