Dear diary,
The next morning we set up the fake ritual to draw our former ally Anaya. We had picked the chamber with the Heart of Air as our ambush site, seeing as that would make it look more genuine. The giants, not fully trusting us, stayed present in the room, to make sure nothing happened to the Heart of Air.
As soon as Luke started the ritual, voices started filling his mind as the four elemental Hearts activated. A colourful aura swirled around my brother, growing in intensity as the ritual dragged on. Lightning crackled around him and suddenly a beam of electricity struck out from the Heart of Air, hitting Vespera. With a cry of anguish, the giant transformed into a tempest spirit, a massive air elemental.
The Heart summoned more giantlike elemental creatures around it, and the fight was on! As soon as the brawl broke out, Anaya teleported herself into the room. Before any of us could react, she wove magic around her and a brilliant wave of light rolled across the chamber, blinding us. I quickly shrugged it off, but not quick enough to stop her from forming a forcecage around herself and Luke. My brother was alone in this for now.
The rest of us dealt with the summoned elementals, while at the same time attempting to reach my brother. But we were too late. I saw Anaya point a finger at him and utter a single word. I didn’t need to hear it. I knew what that was. Luke’s eyes went wide and then devoid of life as he crumbled to the ground. And still we could not reach him, nor reach Anaya. We could only watch in frustration as she bent down to retrieve the Hearts.
But then something strange happened. The aura around Luke’s body intensified for a moment, and then drew into him completely. His eyes snapped open and I could see the elemental power swirling within them. The primordial elemental who had been imprisoned in the Hearts had made a deal with my brother and fused with him to bring him back to life.
Anaya had not seen this however and was caught by surprise as Luke unleashed a massive ball of fire right in her face. The mythical mage staggered back in pain and surprise, and then chose discretion over valour, teleporting away.
Even though I was glad to see my brother back alive, I am afraid that our efforts had led to disaster. We had failed to capture Anaya, and the four Hearts were now inert, having fused with Luke. Understandably the giants were less than pleased with this. The power to move their flying fortress was gone. Our promise to secure it was broken. Worse of all, my darling brother was now an incubator for the primordial elemental. An egg if you prefer. At least that is what Myrrdin explained had happened after investigating him.
Fusing with the Hearts may have brought him back alive and granted him strong elemental powers, but in reality the Primordial was now feeding on Luke’s power, preparing himself to hatch into our world.
I really cannot leave you alone for one minute can I my beloved fool of a brother?