TBATE: Let The Truth Be Known {Completed}

Chapter 45: Untimely Reunion

As the aether enters the egg, it glows brightly. It becomes completely enveloped in purple that swallows Arthur's arm to the elbow. It calcifies to form a five-foot diameter sphere. Cracks splinter all across the surface as shatters, revealing a young woman around Ellie's age with wheat-blonde hair and thick black horns that span from her temples to her chin and curl up once more toward the back of her head. She hovers mid-air in a fetal position, knees tucked firmly to her chest.

She floats gracefully to the ground and comes to a rest as her hair drapes gently over her shoulders. Her eyes open to reveal golden irises before she observes her surroundings. Upon her realization, an ear-to-ear smile forms on her face. "I'm back, Papa, Uncle Regis."

Arthur sinks to his knees, placing a hand at the back of Sylvie's head and pulling it to the crook of his neck. "Welcome back, Sylvie. Do I need to explain everything?" Tears stream down Arthur's face as he struggles to coherently speak.

"No, Papa. I was always bonded with you. My body attached to yours. I was always with you, but I couldn't talk to you," she answers. "I'm always going to be by your side. Now let's go win this war."

Sylvie wraps her arms around Arthur's neck and deepens their embrace. I'm left standing and staring in shock. The feelings deep within my chest feel wrong. I'm glad Sylvie's back, but I feel like I'm now second fiddle, the second favorite.

"I can feel your confliction, Regis. You're my brother, not my son. It will always be different. You and I are equals. I owe you a form of independence, but I always have to look after Sylvie. I still love you both the same," Arthur comforts. I sink to my knees alongside them and join their embrace.

"Thank you, Arthur. Welcome back, Sylvie," I mutter.

"Don't think you aren't allowed to feel, Regis. As far as I'm concerned, you're more real than any of those that misconstrue themselves to be gods," Sylvie reassures.

"Thanks, Sylvie."

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SYLVIE INDRATH

The earth beneath my feet quakes. The homeland of my kin remains scarred beyond recognition. Craters and ravines litter the ground and corpses of every race of asura are strewn about the chaos.

In the distance, flashes of every color of the rainbow decorate the sky and land beneath. Pantheons, Basilisks, Leviathans, Titans, and Pheonixes square off against the Dragons, Sylphs, and Hamadryads. My father and grandfather are among them.

"Are you as scared as I am?" Arthur asks from my side as we hover thousands of feet above the ground.

"I don't think so. I've been silently preparing for this ever since you awoke in the Relictombs," I answer. "But if you need a hug I'll give you one."

Arthur scoffs. "You're going to mock me in a time like this?"

"Stop stalling, Arthur. The longer we avoid involvement, the more people die," I remark. He sighs heavily and looks into the setting sun.

"Let's go dance with death," he groans as he rockets toward the fray. A sonic boom echoes as he breaks the sound barrier and arrives at the battlefield in a matter of seconds.

"Us too, Lizard Princess. Let's go," Regis' wings that emerge from his back flap soundlessly and shed small feathers of pure aether.

"Alright, let's go," I reply as we dart after Arthur.

Cruising through the air, we rapidly descend to the battlefield beneath and leave dust to form a cloud in our wake as we impact the dirt.

Immediately as we land, spells fly at us as we're forced to stay on the defensive. I deflect a stray wind blade that was aimed at my throat. I'm forced to fight.