FaeNet was chaos. Beautiful, glorious chaos.
Aurealis was trending worldwide. Every channel. Every realm. The hashtag #AurealisDream was top of the charts, flooded with sparkling memes, emotional posts, tribute reels, and reactions from every corner of the continent. The realm had never seen anything like it. Magic and mortal alike were watching. Crying. Cheering. Begging to come home.
And Sasha, queen of snark and control, was eating it up.
"Initiating RuneCam Tour," she announced, her voice laced with smug satisfaction. "Let's show the world what divinity built."
One by one, the rune embedded cameras lifted from their discreet towers and soared into the sky, glowing with celestial blue and laced in protective wards.
The Royal Castle came first. It gleamed in the rising moonlight, a sprawling crystal and marble fortress perched on the edge of the cliff overlooking the Sea of Mist. Golden turrets crowned with enchantments pulsed like heartbeats. Floating lanterns danced over the bridges and balconies, and the central tower shimmered with the sigil of Rhiannan's house: a seven pointed star with a circle around it under a sky of stars. The surrounding gardens bloomed in hues of magic infused flora, and faerie lights sparkled like constellations in the hedges.
The Barracks buzzed like a hive of energy. Rows of sleek obsidian and stone buildings formed a crescent around the central combat arena. Training fields, obstacle courses, weapons forges, and spell testing ranges were alive with soldiers drilling under glowing moons. Sasha's overlay revealed the ten divisions, each color coded, with their designated squads. Their commanders' names scrolled down the screen with roaring fanfare from viewers.
The Outreach Centers pulsed with warmth. Nestled between the barracks and the Moonshade River, these sanctuaries brimmed with soft lighting, healing energy, and love. Families reunited. Orphans found arms to hold them. And Sasha zoomed in on the newest outreach center nestled in MoonHollow where the rescued frost refugees laughed and danced by the fire for the first time in years.
Then came the villages, and the entire continent held its breath.
Emberreach was flame and sky. Built along the high bluffs, it radiated warm tones, floating bridges, air lifts, and solar lanterns powered by elemental magic. The village square pulsed with music and celebration, artisan forges, bakeries, trade stalls, and a towering amphitheater carved from molten glass. The orphan home here had a rooftop garden and spell infused playground.
MoonHollow nestled deep in the enchanted woods. Treehouses, spiral staircases, suspended walkways, and glittering waterfalls framed this nature-infused paradise. The village bloomed in twilight shades of blue and green. At its center, a crescent shaped lake reflected the stars above, and bioluminescent flora glowed along every path.
Thornhelm Vale stood strong in the cliffs. Carved right into the mountains, this village thrived with stone dwellings, echoing forges, dwarven taverns, and runic carvings etched into every beam. It was hearty, proud, and unshakably grounded.
Starlight Ridge shimmered like something from a dream. Built on rolling hills under clear skies, the buildings had star-metal roofs and moonbeam lanterns. A university and mage tower rose at its edge, drawing scholars and inventors from across the land. The surrounding plains were dotted with windmills and light gardens.
Hillshire Plains spread across golden fields and rivers. It looked like a painting of peace...wheat swaying in the breeze, water wheels spinning on rivers, and small enchanted farms. Its market was vibrant, and every home had a flower box, a rune circle for protection, and a hammock in the yard.
Sasha panned out.
All of it connected. Wards shimmered in massive circles that spread from the castle like a heartbeat. Roads, glowing with embedded safety glyphs, wound through the entire kingdom. And to the west, the long stretch of road to be snaked toward the glittering sea, dotted with soldier outposts, inns, and future merchant stations.
Aurealis wasn't just a kingdom.
It was hope made real.
Messages poured into FaeNet:
💬"HOW DO I MOVE HERE??" 💬"I'LL CLEAN TOILETS, LET ME IN." 💬"I'M SOBBING. THIS IS WHAT A KINGDOM SHOULD BE." 💬"FAENET IS AUREALIS'S BIGGEST FAN."
Even Sasha's circuits glowed pink for a second. "Registration for citizenship is now open!" She declared, and applications started rolling in.
And in the heart of the castle, Rhiannan wiped away tears as she watched the realm rejoice.
Her people were building something beautiful.
And the world finally saw it too.
The first rays of dawn kissed the kingdom of Aurealis, golden light spilling across the mountains and valleys like a celestial blessing. Birds chirped as if in celebration, and every inch of the land felt alive with magic and promise. It was a new day. And what a damn glorious one.
Inside the castle, Sasha flickered to life, her crystalline interface glowing above the central comms hub.
"Good morning, Aurealis," she chimed. "Registration for citizenship is officially open. Each village can accommodate 5,000 residents, with a 7,500 max when including outskirt settlements. Current available population space: 37,000. Applications now processing."
The comms lit up with a cascade of names, races, skills, and scanned identification sigils. Sasha's processing speed made most systems look like drunk slugs trying to read runes.
Meanwhile, down in the grand hall, Reyna, Veena, Gailia, and the rest of the royal council devoured breakfast while watching the influx pour across the screens. Sasha streamed it all directly to Reyna's comm.
"By the gods, look at this," Veena muttered, eyes wide.
"We knew people would come," Gailia said, sipping her tea carefully to avoid a spill. "But this is..."
"A fucking flood," Reyna finished, grinning.
They got to work, vetting each application with Sasha's help. Background checks, skill assessments, housing needs. By noon, they were elbow deep in hopeful new citizens.
In the royal chambers, however, the vibe was much less administrative.
Rhiannan groaned as she shifted on the padded divan, glaring at her swollen belly like it had personally insulted her.
"I swear to the stars if these babies don't come out soon, I'm going to rip them out myself with a fucking salad tong," she growled.
Kaelith gently rubbed soothing balm onto her ankles. "It will be soon, My Queen. The moon aligns within days. They're just gathering strength."
"So am I," Rhiannan hissed. "To destroy the goddess for doing this to me."
Liam leaned in, brushing hair from her face. "Do you want me to hunt down the goddess and politely slap her for you, my love? With my penis?"
Kaleb snorted. "Only if I get to headbutt her first."
Arwen winked. "I have rope. And cuffs."
Sable, arms crossed, grunted, "I have explosives."
Elisha looked pained. "Let's not blow up the divine realm, please."
Azarion simply knelt beside her, holding her hand as he pressed a kiss to her knuckles. "I will carry you through this. Every breath, every push. You're never alone."
Rhiannan gave him a watery smile. "That's hot. Also, I might actually murder all of you."
Brimma, one of her ever loyal nannies, cackled. "We'll get the birthing basin ready, just in case."
By the time the sun began its descent, 37,000 citizenships had been approved.
The castle was buzzing. Application scrolls flew. Builders were already plotting new structures. Mages finalized warding updates. Healers prepared for arrivals. And Sasha, ever efficient, pinged Faenet with a message that would ripple across the globe,
"Citizenship approvals complete. Aurealis welcomes 37,000 new souls. The roads are open. Begin your journey. We are ready to receive you."
Cheers erupted across the kingdoms.
And within the royal bedchamber, Rhiannan's belly clenched.
The time was near.