Winter's dread drowned out the nuptial bliss after the new couple shared their last evening. Two plates of untouched food sat cold on the table as Selena lay restless—clothed in only blankets—with her eyes fixated upon her new ring emblazoned with the meteorite diamonds, and Silver enjoying what could be his final slumber. All her thoughts raced back to Thor, and she couldn't stop the tears swelling within her eyes, unable to imagine his torment: day after day, night after night, she never gave up hope that one day, he would finally respond.
Please, talk to me—even one word would suffice. Again, her calls went unanswered, and Selena silently wept from drowning in her sorrow when all she felt from him was darkness.
Her head whipped over the pillows to see her new husband sleeping peacefully and happily before the final battle, and she wondered what swirled within his dreamland. As a demigod, Silver probably hadn't slept since his initial transformation. Selena smiled and leaned in to kiss him on the cheek before slipping out of bed and taking advantage of their private balcony beyond the window, seeking solace in the cold evening. She looked heavenward to watch the black and silver clouds wafting overhead.
The winter solstice was nearly upon them, and the castle shuddered from the lingering eclipse creeping behind; the allies planned on leaving for the assault in the morning to make it on time. The Nidhoggr were fast fliers and would have no issues bringing their armies to Alfheim within a fortnight. Yet, Ebony still returned no response, but Selena hoped she would ultimately make the right decision.
She welcomed the chilling air kissing her naked body, her dragon blood keeping her warm even as the snow began drifting.
Thor, please know that I will be coming to save you. I promise.
She took a couple of steps back and sat on the cold stone with her legs crossed, eyes closed, and hands together as she bowed her head in silent prayer. Xyaxon, I need your wisdom.
The Divine made no hesitation in granting her an audience. Within seconds, the world paused, and Selena was whirled into the ethereal realm: Niflheim. She stood before the desolate castle of glass glimmering from the burning cosmos, but the god's gentle voice whispered across the empty air. "And you shall have it. My help is always available to you as long as you ask."
Selena remained puzzled and troubled as she looked around at the sparkling cosmos floating above her. "I need to figure out how to save Thor and the others. I know Thor isn't lost to me yet, and everyone keeps telling me Aydin is dead, but I don't believe that."
"Aydin is only but a broken man."
"That's not true. I know there is more to it. Silver showed me a few of his memories, but they were after Aydin began yielding to Venexus' control."
"Venexus is a primordial creature, older than existence itself; his task is to kill and destroy life. I watched young Aydin suffer, and it didn't take long for Venexus to possess him. Even before he met your mother, Venexus waited for the perfect moment to strike, and Aydin was his perfect vessel to help further his plans before the man was ever conceived. His fate remained sealed."
"What should I do?"
"If you wish to save Thor and the others, you must end the Lich once and for all with Revelation. Death is the only solace that Aydin seeks."
Selena's eyes shimmered, but they widened. "Aydin is still alive."
"He's only a shell of the man he used to be."
"I know, but I want to save him, Azrael, Thor, and everyone else. Nobody, not even Aydin, deserves this agony."
"I understand your reluctance, and your heart is in the right place, but Revelation will end Aydin's torment. What is the fate of one life to millions more?"
"But it was his life."
Xyaxon remained indifferent to Selena's gentle nature, and his answers sent a cold shiver down her spine. "His will be a noble sacrifice. You must do whatever it takes to protect your world." The Divine's voice vanished, and, with a flutter of her eyes, she found herself sitting on the balcony at Dark Blood Hold once more.
She swiveled her head to see that Silver was still sound asleep, and the world resumed spinning. With her new resolve, her breaths and steps grew heavier as she returned inside and made haste in scribbling out a letter intended for Silver, hand trembling and struggling to hold the quill: "Please forgive me, but I have to do this."
After folding up and displaying her small letter on top of her pillow, she rushed over to the washroom and cleaned herself before donning her dragonscale dress. Satisfied once ensuring Revelation remained safe within her pocket, she tied up her waist-length hair and belted Dragonheart to her hip but purposefully left her shield propped against the wall, no longer needing it.
Selena had to meet the Lich on the battlefield and save Thor before Lord Godfrey's army arrived; she wanted to find Rahim and tell him of her plans, but she paused as she reached for the door, hand frozen mid-reach for the handle. She feared never seeing her friends and family again, but—no, they would stop and convince her to stay until their planned departure.
Instead, she hurried to the balcony, looking back at Silver once more before shifting into her dragon form and sweeping herself through the brewing winter storm, ribbons of Aether following each flap from her celestial wings.
*****
Hours later, when morning came, Silver awoke, but he panicked and scrambled around to find his wife missing. Only when he paused did he bother finding and reading the note she left on the pillow, and his face became like porcelain; he then noticed the opened window to their balcony, and his heart sank faster than a dragon spiraling from the sky.
While Silver jumbled in a frenzy to clean up and dress, Lord Godfrey and his allies prepared for their long trip. Among the clatter of preparations, Lord Godfrey, Colonel Cyres, and General Araneus repeated their planned stops supporting their schedule, allowing the army some rest before the eclipse. Satisfied, Araneus and Aracania led their newly harnessed Nidhoggr and riders towards the rest of the group from the nearby deep hills, the ferals admiring the massive gems blazing from the middle of their chests. Araneus couldn't excuse himself from laughing at how much they acted like dragons when hoarding treasure, but Aracania grew impatient; she clicked her talons against the rocks in anticipation as she ordered the ferals to take up formation, tail flickering and swishing side-to-side.
After Aracania cleared him from yesterday's maneuvers, Noctis took his position as leader of the second battalion that would handle Ashur's aerial raid. The only rider he would accept, aside from Selena, was Damien; the Prince of Shadows, with Rahim's help, ensured the new saddle was securely fastened and packed with weapons and provisions. Noctis swung his head and nudged Rahim's shoulder with his nose in between the deep-rumbled chittering vibrating from his throat.
As much as Rahim attempted to ignore Noctis' affections, eventually, he sighed and reached out to pet the feral leader. "You know what? You lot aren't so bad." Before he could brace himself, Eshara dove down from the circling flight above and joined in on his newfound friendliness, chirping to Rahim's touch. He grew nervous and stepped back as the two circled him, but eventually, he couldn't help but grin when the ferals rubbed their snouts against his open palms like cats showing affection.
The last of the suited soldiers—Kiba, Maru, and the rest of their pack—boarded the large metal ships lined with rows of benches covered in thick furs for comfortable seating. The rest of the ferals waited for General Araneus' command to carry them off. Lining the vessel walls were a plethora of weapons and extra armor, the extras carted off by the smaller weighted dragons in boxed crates. The Aynu, in wolf forms, followed their alpha leaders proudly into the ships, ignoring the others still wary of their presence. Maru snarled as the fur bristled upon his back when he noticed one soldier staring grimly at one of his pack members; immediately, the warrior averted his gaze.
The ground soldiers serving the general's formation assisted in loading Godfrey's trained warhorses inside their stable designed frigate with no regard to the blitz of activity; the beasts remained indifferent to the restless Nidhoggr, lining up calmly within their stationed stalls.
Meanwhile, Gromm and Beck ensured that Vulcan was ready for the long flight ahead, as they were part of the general's battalion and would help cover the right flank. Behind them was Volt harnessing Skyfyre as he was in the middle of gulping his last cow down to the hooves. Nearby were Lord Vanguard and Lady Maria; the two agreed to fight against the swarming Dreygur right at Oblivion's open gate. They and Vyrilion were instructed to use bombs and ranged aerial attacks to keep the undead detained and occupied for as long as possible. While Maria packed her supplies, Kain and Rahim discussed the possibility of Vyrilion creating a wall of dark Aether flames to barricade the Dreygur within Oblivion. However, the two feared the Dreygur would remain unharmed by Nidhoggr attacks, but it was worth the attempt.
Silver shapeshifted into a falcon through mid-leap off the balcony and dove towards the group of allied leaders to deliver the grave news. Their Former Imperial Majesties, Chaliss, Neith, Loki, and the Oracles were caught in a deep discussion, presumably continuing their previous plans of finding shelter during the upcoming battle.
Kain and Rahim paused in mid-conversation to see Silver descending upon them and morphing back to his usual guise. Loki rushed to hide behind Vulduin's legs through high-pitched howls and squeals and became ensconced within his bristling tail, but Silver ignored the scared fox. Before Rahim could give him an eye roll over his dramatic display, his knees buckled when he made sense of the delivered news. "Why would she leave now?"
Everyone froze, minus the smirking Oracles, and looked to Silver for a better explanation or hoping that he was playing a cruel trick. However, they shared horrified gasps when he paused mid-sentence, shaking his head while waving Selena's note in the air.
Lord Godfrey, overhearing the demigod's alarming message, excused himself from General Araneus and Obsidian, marched over, and snatched the parchment away to see for himself. "This doesn't change anything," he said after reading the letter, "the Queen of Dragons will still face the Dark Master. The eclipse is arriving soon, and our plan remains the same."
Silver, still unconvinced, paced, only to stop and point at Vulduin, questioning why he remained calm when Selena was missing, to which he and Aryl reaffirmed their complete confidence in their daughter's capabilities. Eshara stood on her haunches with wings completely unfurled, snaked her head back, and let out a series of chirps and clicks in approval; Rahim added in his assured opinion through a small smile, "Selena will be fine. She's a Divinity Dragon and a one-person army. Plus, we'll be right there if she does need us."
Kain clapped Silver's shoulder, tightening his grip to keep his old friend grounded. "If she was willing to save your arse by picking a fight with me, that necromancer won't stand a chance." He gave a hearty laugh, regaling in Selena's failed attempt at knocking him down with a tree branch upon their initial meeting.
"I couldn't imagine Her Majesty sitting back while Thor was in danger," Maria chimed in, "she will save him, and those two will be unstoppable."
Vyrilion joined in Eshara's glee and released a victorious roar. However, Silver counted their celebration unwarranted, but he couldn't help but grin when the others burst in with Selena's courageous stories, reassuring each other that she would succeed. After the group settled on the matter, Lord Godfrey dismissed himself to join General Araneus and Obsidian. Despite his rising faith in her power, Silver still loathed that she left in the middle of the night without saying a word; he hoped it wouldn't be the last time he would ever see her again.
Instead, he approached Rahim, watching and waiting as he strapped down his belongings and sacks to Eshara's harness after polishing the massive pearl gleaming upon her chest. She couldn't help but stare at the gemstone, a happy dragon owning a new treasure. When Rahim turned around, the silent Silver extended his hand as a truce, making amends for their past hostilities and discrepancies. Tight-lipped, Rahim bit down on his tongue but accepted the gesture with gratitude, and the two shared a smile. "Don't die out there, or I'll bring you back to kill you myself. Selena wouldn't forgive me if she lost her new husband."
Silver laughed, but his grip tightened. "I'm a demigod. Remember? I'll be a difficult kill."
"I suppose. Welcome to the family."
The smile faded from Silver's face when Vulduin demanded a private audience with him; Chaliss rushed past when Silver dismissed himself and waylaid Rahim for one final hug before leaving with the others.
"Genesis, I have a favor to ask." Silver scowled but didn't have the energy to fight Vulduin, not even when he asked to use his library as a haven for Aryl and the others. Silver agreed without hesitation, and Vulduin nodded to his wife; she beckoned the others seeking shelter to follow away from the main party.
Before the Oracles left, however, they turned and bowed to Silver in unison. "May your queen's Divine fire forever reign." Thinking of their remark as an act of respect, he accepted it, but his face beamed when given a moment to ponder.
When Chaliss left her son to finish saddling Eshara, Neith waved her over to Kayda, waiting on a nearby hilltop to ferry their group to safety. Those too small to fight—her twins included—circled the small female, impatient to fly away. Both Silver and Vulduin watched as they mounted Kayda and flew away from Dark Blood Hold. The hatchlings and younglings trailed behind their mother's party, nipping and squabbling. "Now, I have a second favor to ask."
Vulduin's demands put a pucker in Silver's brow. "I seem to recall more than two that you've asked of me."
Not taking his eyes away from Kayda's faint silhouette disappearing over the horizon, Vulduin, unamused, ignored Silver's sarcasm. "You will fly me directly to Vidar's office. I have a score to settle with him."
"Are you sure that's wise?"
Vulduin's heated gaze made Silver flinch. "I can handle Vidar."
"That wasn't my question. I don't believe that's the best idea, and he will fall once Selena defeats the Lich."
"That won't be good enough. Vidar will pay for his crimes, and he will answer to me. I want you to enchant my chains so I can attack him."
"Now, thrice you've asked for a favor, and that's just today alone." Silver moaned when Vulduin's expression hardened at his witticism, but he didn't argue; instead, he touched the thick crimson jacket, imbuing the fabric with a touch of blue Aether energy. "With this," Silver began explaining, "you should be able to penetrate any of Vidar's wards."
Vulduin raised a brow. "Even if it's the Lich's magic?"
"Light Aether will nullify the darkness."
While Silver and Vulduin made their separate preparations, General Araneus and Aracania landed near Colonel Cyres, the two vampire nobles, and their battle tactician with their air fleet right behind them, ready for taking off. The general dismounted, giving them a hearty salute while Noctis ensured Eshara, Ysyra, and Obsidian were in position.
After settling on their plans, Silver looked to every one of his allies and gave them all a firm salute. They returned the gesture. "Goodbye, everyone. Today, we meet destiny. Let us hope she's kind." He transformed into his wing-less dragon character with a small harness, allowing Vulduin to climb aboard.
General Araneus bowed to everyone. "Today, we work to fight for Alfheim."
"For Armageddon," Lord Godfrey corrected.
"Aye. For Armageddon, and the world."
General Araneus mounted Aracania, and the two took to the skies after His Former Imperial Majesty and Silver; their battalion snatched the metal vessels with their long, sharp talons as the soldiers within closed the doors from the inside.
After Vulduin gave the signal, Silver slithered skyward away from the cheering and roaring camp. When everyone separated into their assigned formation groups, they followed the general's air fleet for the final battle in Alfheim.
*****
Concurrently, in the fallen elven city, Thor and the Lich watched and waited over the next fortnight until it was time: Oblivion's portal ready to open, and the unconscious Azrael impaled between the two spires that would support the gate. While the Destroyer of Worlds perched on the wall's debris, wispy shadow wings unfurled, Fafnir and Jade circled above, gathering the Nidhoggr army behind the mountain metropolis of Rune Citadel. Arawn and his companion remained close to the Dark Master's side until it was time to lead the Dreygur.
The black crystals, already powered up from the dragon eggs, were set to power open the portal: two in the mortal realm and two in Oblivion. The gems floated above Azrael's pinned heads with dark Aether pulsating and writhing around the stones, tethering them in place. The Mythic Flight eggs were kept within Rune Citadel in Vidar's office for now, waiting to join the Lich's undead creations eventually; the Dark Master's new Mythic Flight would be unstoppable.
Venexus, while riding Thor's new saddle, gave the command, the smoldering red pupiled-slits burning from his frayed skull. Open the portal.
Thor's eyes flickered as he opened his jaw and unleashed a black blast at Azrael; what remained of the fallen Divine's Aether energy contorted around his body, then to the pillars, creating a swirling maelstrom of dark magic erupting in between the bloody circle. "Dark fire will cleanse this stagnant world, and a new one will be reborn from the ashes." In response to the necromancer's declaration, Thor's terrifying roar made the earth tremble in fear at announcing its dark fate.
The sky burned red and orange as the dark morning arrived. Meanwhile, haste was Selena's only ally, and she was right on the outskirts of Alfheim's ruins. The blazing sun burned fiercely over the horizon behind her as the moon began draping it in darkness.