Late afternoon sun gilded the Academy's courtyard in gold and shadow as Otoku descended the steps of the Terrace of Runes. Banners bearing the sigils of every realm fluttered at half-mast, awaiting the arrival of their champions. Noctis padded at his side, calm now after the Rift's trial, his fur faintly glowing with embers of shared light.
Arthelia joined him at the base of the stairs, her blindfold exchanged for a single silver eye patch—one eye seeing through inner sight, the other through mortal gaze. "They're gathering," she said, voice steady. "All the envoys, warlords, and scholars who pledged to the loop's new dawn."
Iseri and Korrin stood flanking Maeve, each bearing a fragment of the Rift's purified crystal. Lions of iron and ice, they embodied the unity of fire and frost. Otoku raised his hand, and a hush fell across the assembly.
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Proclaiming the Concord
Otoku held the Companion aloft. Golden-violet runes spiraled into the air, weaving between banners. The whisper of every loop echoed in his chest as he spoke:
> "Today we stand not as fractured kingdoms but as one heart bound by choice. The loop's light belongs to all who embrace its purpose: to heal, to guide, to uplift."
A chorus of assent rose from the crowd—voices rich with hope, tempered by the memory of strife. Lord Harvun of Crimson Fang stepped forward, taking Otoku's words in a steady bow.
Lady Fleurine of Verdant Veil placed her hand upon his shoulder. "We commit our healers to the new order."
High Lantern Seraphine raised her pale flame. "We will guard the loop's knowledge with open hands."
Even Ambassador Seradia of Vesperia, once opposed, inclined her head. "The Empire stands with you, Otoku of Ashveil."
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Binding the Final Oath
Otoku closed his eyes, recalling the Rift's children's laughter, the Elder Wraith's transformation, and every ally's sacrifice. He traced a slow rune in the air—a circle of starlight entwined with a ribbon of shadow.
> "By ember and echo, by dawn and dusk, we pledge this Continental Concord. May our fates entwine in peace, and may the loop's light shine undimmed."
Noctis growled softly, and the Companion pulsed once—bright as a newborn star. The cracked banner above them mended itself, glowing with the new Concord sigil: a looping star encircled by six petals of flame and frost.
---
An Unseen Promise
As cheers rose and the first Concord feast unfurled in the gardens, Arthelia lingered beside Otoku. "Everything changes now," she said softly.
He nodded, eyes following students dancing beneath lanterns that once held only secrets. "And yet, truth and trust endure."
Noctis pressed against his leg. In the hush, Otoku felt a new stir beneath the earth—far to the north, the Rift's ember-trail pulsed once more, a reminder that every beginning carries the seed of the next challenge.
Otoku smiled, resolute. "Then we will face it—together."
Behind them, the Academy's spires caught the last light of day. The Continental Concord was sealed