Dimensional Descent

Suddenly, the orb in Aurora's palm shattered, catching her off guard. She was thrust into a state of confusion, not quite understanding. She had only caught it with enough pressure to maintain control, she hadn't put in nearly enough effort to crush it. Just considering the speeds the orb had withstood just to fly over here in the first place, it would take hundreds of times more strength than she applied to crush it like this.

Suddenly, her heart skipped a beat. Could it be? Aurora panicked and her aura flared out. She entrapped the bits and pieces of the orb that she could, and she directly destroyed the ones she couldn't.

Obviously, she thought that Leonel had expected this to happen. So, he set the orb to detonate as a way to get around her defenses and make it to the Pillar of Truth anyway. If those pieces touched the pillar, then her stopping it wouldn't matter anyway.

But unfortunately, she miscalculated.

That was never Leonel's intention at all.

Instead, the world watched as a supposed elite Owlan panicked at the thought of the shards touching the pillars and rushed to stop them.

Was the Pillar of Truth really so fragile that it couldn't stand such a thing? Why were the Owlans trying so hard to stop it?

Aurora blanched when she realized how bad the optics of what she had just done were. She stood frozen, unsure of what to do. However, when she looked up at Leonel, his smile had never faded.

"If this was such a problem, you could have just said so. Why did-"

Leonel was silenced and his lips seemed to be pressed close under some mysterious power.

It would have been perfect if Celestia had done it, but the Owlans weren't such fools. Instead, it was Talon and the Dream Asura who had taken action.

However, Leonel didn't seem fazed in the slightest as he turned his smile toward them.

have a rebuttal for what they were going to say. Leonel really wanted to hear what they could possibly have to say that

their rebuttal was perfect and unimpeachable, the optics would only get worse. And, clearly, Talon knew that. However, this

Or two, should they take action

you had to

topic during this debate. I won't make any accusations about what may or may not have happened between yourself and

his pillar glowed as well. It was inevitable. Now, he was roped into a three-way battle. In addition, when he finished speaking, it seemed that the pillar had taken it

the next hour... he

I didn't expect such a thing from the member of the

the second time you've mentioned another's Race entirely

say anything further, but Leonel's pillar began to dim

had taken all of Minerva's self-control for her expression to not become a gloomy mess. She seemed to finally realize that Leonel was playing the same game she was. He had never come here expecting this to be a completely

suddenly couldn't see his depths. Why

at Leonel. But now, Leonel had disparaged the Cloud Race, and now he was doing the same with

this would benefit him

descendant here say that the reason the four of you were able to reach the same exact standard is because of your upbringing? Wasn't that implying that you did better because

looked toward Lumina with a quick side glance before focusing

Somnus suddenly

world seemed to resonate and listen. His voice was gentle, yet masculine, soothing, yet