Ruinous Return

Several hectic days passed. Lyn first had to break the news of the loss of the armies to the populace and gave a solemn speech – written by Thomas with help from Trisha. She stood atop the fortress and amplified her voice through a spell.

"The armies that marched upon Valagonia were victorious, but many did not return. I grieve with you at the loss of our people. There is nothing that can replace the holes in our hearts, but be comforted in the knowledge that your family, your friends, your loved ones who gave their all for the Eternal Empire did so bringing Cecily Valagonia to justice. Her crimes against all who live on Ghomar have had their consequences meted out." She paused for dramatic effect as the sound of silence lay thick upon the crowd.

"Even greater still, they stopped a dreadful evil from spilling out into the world – that which lay trapped in the abyss would have been unleashed if not for their bravery. Now, we give in to our sorrow and weep for those who we lost. Be secure in the knowledge that somewhere on Ghomar, they are reborn, and let that assuage your sorrow."

"We would not stand here today if not for their service and sacrifice. As such, I declare this day to be from henceforth a day of celebration. Celebration of our brave soldiers who gave their all defending the Eternal Empire!"

There was raucous cheering mixed with sorrow-filled wails of grief. Lyn manifested her wings and flew off to the south of the Dragon's Maw, where the prisoners from Valagonia were gathered, guarded by the Ari marines and Sloren ram riders.

In all, out of the whole Human populace of Valagonia, only fifty thousand people survived. They were quite xenophobic, and as Lyn stood in front of them, she could feel the palpable aura of hatred directed toward her. She did not speak in a kind tone as she did with her people. Instead, she amplified her draconic voice and filled every word with as much dread as possible.

"I am Lyn Rivers, Empress of the Eternal Empire, and the Destroyer. Your kingdom has fallen, and Cecily has been destroyed utterly. You have but one option – submit yourselves to my benevolence. I will wipe clean your hatred of non-Humans. Resist this spell, and I know you wish for death." She gestured. The Ari and Sloren readied weaponry at the quivering, fearful, and enraged prisoners. "Choose. Kneel, and accept your second chance…or stay standing and die."

She began to utter a verse in Elenthir. One that would alter the memories of those who were afflicted. Removing all of Cecily's propaganda and fearmongering regarding non-Humans. Most knelt, but some stayed standing – and were cut down. I can't allow bigots in my empire, she thought as she felt her mana slowly deplete. By the time the spell had finished, a full third of the Valagonians had chosen death over submission. Lyn felt her stomach churn at the slaughter…but it was a necessary evil. They could not live in peace with other people, and she would not have a situation like what the country of her birth had with racial division. A small price to pay for lasting peace.

Lyn returned to Lynhold and helped with the festivities that were planned to celebrate the sacrifices of her soldiers. There were funeral games that awarded prizes of precious metal – statues, emblems, gemstone encrusted jewelry, and more.

At the end of the festivities, as the evening went onward, she led the large procession up the side of Shiverburn Summit where she threw a symbolic wooden statue of each race into the bubbling lava. A representation of the sacrifices each person had made, as the bodies were naught but bone inside metal, buried when Lyn destroyed Cecilaria. The old capital of a now-gone kingdom.

The night ended, and she went to her chambers. A lingering thought echoed through her mind. Something she had been putting off in the time leading up to this day. Am I ready to become a goddess? She had been mulling the concept here and there but now that everything had died down in the immediate aftermath of the war…she was left with her thoughts.

I could become a goddess and ascend…but that has larger implications. I wouldn't just be Lyn the Destroyer. I'd be a full-blown deity. What would people expect of me? Would I hear prayers in my mind? Would I change even more?

The scariest thought of the whole process was the possibility of losing herself. She liked who she was now. She was still Lyn, but Yheron and Raevan were within, and she knew that they were all of one mind now. What if she lost them and their council? The lingering question from Raevan's dungeon echoed through her head. One she had answered "yes" to.

Will you ascend?

Kory was moved from the cells to a fortified room with a metal-latticed window. He was able to peer out upon the residents of Lynhold, and despite his limited mobility with simple wooden prostheses that Trisha provided, he kept as active as he could. He was brought books, simple food, and water.

A fucking prisoner, he thought. For however long Lawrence wants me here. He was keeping his body and mind as engaged as possible, and looking out on people living their lives and being free to be who they wanted was…filling him with regret. I could have had this life. I just had to come here, listen to Lyn, let her swap out my Berserker core…

He broke down crying. He had only cried a few times in his life – when he was badly injured in sports, when his dad broke his arm the first time Kory stood up to the man, Gina's death, when he woke up in Trisha's hospital after panic-killing Jacobson, and at hearing Gina's message. I should have had a happy ending with her.

He knew Gina's suicide was not her fault, and he couldn't help but feel like he had contributed. He could have been more present and with her constantly, but instead he was focused on fighting. But her message had soothed his guilty conscience. And as he held himself in the fetal position on his bed, his door opened.

Sullenly, he turned and saw a fully Duskari Lyn. No draconic features were present, and she gently set a metal box with Elenthir inscriptions on the small bedside table. "I have done as you asked. You can pour mana into this – it'll take you a few hours with your mana core – and listen to Gina again."

"Are…are you going…to help us find each other still?"

"Yes. For Gina's sake – not yours. I don't think you deserve it." Lyn turned and left, shutting the door behind her.

Kory scrambled over to the cube, brought it back to bed, and held it to his chest as he poured his mana into it. It took two hours, but he heard the voice of the woman he loved. The woman who was torn away from him by her own actions brought about by madness and visions of futures that could be.

He did not move until dinner arrived, at which point he ate the scant food and kept pouring mana into the cube, staring out the window as he saw the gorgeous sky turn the deep orange before night fell and the stars filled the expanse above. Gina's words soothed him as he fell asleep.

Maria returned home to Kor's Hold with her sons. "A few years," she said. "Then you can go to school in Lynhold with your friends and come back home. Two weeks there, two weeks here."

The boys were not happy about losing their friends for a short while, but Empress Rivers was very, very kind and gave them wooden communication amulets. The whole journey back, the boys were talking to each other using the inscribed devices.

When she got home, James rushed out of the palace to hug her tightly. "I'm sorry," he whispered. "I tried my best, I swear."

Maria just held him close. "I know you did. It's okay."

He separated from her, gave her a kiss on the lips, and then grabbed both of his boys under each arm. "What have you two rascals been up to?"

The two boys alternated speaking. "We've been playing with Eli—"

"And Gil—"

"And Lyndra!"

James chuckled. "Oh? The Baxter kids? What about Lawry?"

Both boys pouted slightly and Tovol huffed. "He got to ride around on a raven! Flying!"

James looked at Maria, who smiled and nodded. "Finala has promised that she will work on a few ravens for the boys here. Companions to keep an eye on them." She stared down at the two, "And make sure that they don't get in trouble!"

Both boys grumbled slightly, but their eyes were alight with the anticipation of their very own animal companions that could carry them around through the skies. "They can take us to the Valley so we can do school every day with our friends, and then come home for supper!"

James set the boys down and tousled their hair before grabbing Maria around the waist and lifting her into his arms. "Come, my queen. Our palace awaits."

Maria grinned and hugged him tightly. Her hero. Her Paragon. The man who saved her from the streets, and whom she loved with all her heart.

James spent several weeks dealing with the tumult of the loss of a whole army. The duchies demanded compensation, and when he called upon Lyn to help solve the issue, she arrived with plentiful valuable gifts that could be utilized for the task. Thanks to the benevolence of his empress, his kingdom was on the path to recovery.

As he sat in the courtyard next to Maria, taking a small break from training his boys, he felt a light vibration in his coat pocket. He pulled out the small mirror and saw Lyn's face. "Hi. What can I do for you?" he asked in English.

"I am checking in. Anything you need help with?"

James shook his head. "Nope. We're good here. I…I did have a personal request for you."

"Shoot."

"Well…our boys told us that the Baxter kids were able to do some pretty hefty spells…did you give them dungeon cores?"

"I did."

"Could you do the same for our boys?"

Lyn's face was inscrutable, and she was silent for several moments. "Convince me. Give me a good reason. After all the crap you put me through, it better be inarguable."

"Our boys are becoming fast friends with the Baxter children. It's like…imagine if your best friend got a video game console, and they constantly flaunted it in front of you – unwillingly so, but still flaunting it. How would you feel?"

Lyn sighed and tersely nodded. "No, that makes sense. The Baxter kids aren't being cruel, I'm sure…and I know what it's like to feel your inadequacy compared to peers. Fine. I'll be there in a moment. It is painful – you know…so prepare them."

James put the mirror away and called the boys over. They both came to him wearing their wooden armor and weapons. He spoke to them in Khrelardian. "We have a very special guest coming. Empress Rivers has a present for you two."

"Is it our ravens?" Tovol asked.

"No…you know how Eli and your other friends can use spells? The impressive looking ones?" Both boys nodded. "Well…Empress Rivers is going to give you both the same opportunity."

Both of them gasped and were practically buzzing with enthusiasm. Maria looked at the two with a critical gaze. "It's a big responsibility."

"We can handle it!" Tevol shouted. His brother nodded.

There was a flash of blue light, and Lyn stood off to the side of James and Maria, in her draconic-Humanoid form. "You ready?" she asked curtly in Khrelardian.

James looked at the boys. "Alright you two. You have to be very thankful." He looked over to Lyn, who was reaching into a storage dimension, withdrawing wooden orbs, and held them out.

Tovol walked up and grabbed one of the spheres. "What do I do…Empress?"

"Squeeze it," she replied. Tevol walked up and grabbed the other dungeon core.

Both boys looked at each other, nodded, and squeezed at the same time. They were tense for a moment, and then giggled, laughed, and bowed. "Thank you," they said in tandem.

"You are welcome," Lyn said as the two ran off and began firing small water spells at each other.

"Thank you," James said to her. The sound of his boy's laughter as they blasted each other with simple water spells fueled with an insane amount of mana for their age filled him with gratitude he never knew he had.

"No problem." She closed her eyes and muttered the lightspeed travel spell as she vanished in a bolt of blue.

The two boys looked at their father with pure glee. "Teach us spells!"

"I want to shoot fire!"

"I want to make walls!"

James chuckled and raised his hands in surrender. "Alright, a few easy, non-harmful spells. Okay, let's start with a simple barrier…" He turned to his wife, gave her a deep kiss, and then instructed the boys to the center of the courtyard.

"Miss Finala? May I help?" Lawry stood at the top of the staircase of the Raven Tower. His Arinol was not the best, but Whisperwing, the raven that Empress Rivers had given to the young boy, was able to correct his pronunciation.

Finala looked back at the young boy and nodded. "Sure, come on! You can help with the hatchlings."

The boy ran forward, and the ravens parted for him. He had a knack for animalism spells, and he was extremely powerful for his young age. To be expected of the child of two heroes, she thought. As he got next to her, he plopped himself in front of the eggs that were moving back and forth. "Less than a minute," he muttered in Triskol.

Finala smiled and swapped to his home language. "Yes. Good eye."

"It's just a feeling," he replied. He placed his hand over the eggs.

"What are you doing?" Finala asked with genuine curiosity but also a feeling of urgency. These were her ravens, and she did not want to risk them being harmed by mistake.

"Using a spell," Lawry replied. "I asked Uncle Lawrence for help with it."

Ah, well, if the Shifter hero helped…I'm sure it'll be fine. She stood patiently as he muttered several lines of Elenthir seemingly from memory.

The eggs flashed a bright, vibrant blue-purple hue as the hatchlings cracked through the shells and began peeping. He deftly grabbed the pail of grubs and began feeding them gingerly. "What did you do?" she asked.

"I asked Uncle Lawrence to give me a spell that would make them able to turn into other birds."

That's…huh…okay. Finala was not sure how to feel about that. She felt an affinity for ravens, not other birds despite their number in the Valley of the Volcano's forests. "As long as they're happy and healthy."

He nodded. "Can we do the other ones?"

"Sure. We can absolutely do those." Finala walked over to the scripts that were etched in stone; an insistence of Empress Rivers to ensure that the verses were not mistaken, forgotten, or marred.

Whisperwing hopped over and looked down at the hatchlings. "Oh! It's always so nice seeing new hatchlings! Mind if I help feed them?"

Lawry held up the pail, and Whisperwing gobbled down several grubs before regurgitating and feeding the hatchlings until they stopped peeping and settled down to sleep.

Finala placed the slate in front of Lawry. "Let me know if any words are tricky to pronounce."

The boy nodded and began to slowly read off of the etched stone, and Finala felt a sense of accomplishment. I've found a non-Duskari and non-Ari apprentice. A fellow bird person. One that was naturally talented and truly seemed to bond with the avian creatures as Finala had.

Menora breathed in a deep lungful of the crisp, slightly salty air. She rode on an enormous raven amongst the clouds with a small cohort of Duskari operatives. They glided over the storms surrounding the Ruins of Elent and landed in the city which took her breath away. Thomas had told her what to expect, and after Empress Rivers had stated that Cecily had figured out some forbidden spell with charcoal rubbings, the antiquarian was sent to take charcoal rubbings of her own before destroying the originals.

It felt…slightly unnerving, destroying history. But her empress was firm in her requirements. As Menora explored the city alongside her guards, she couldn't help but feel a deep sense of connection to the ruined city. The central building called her, and she approached but found a sealed door. And this is what Thomas said I could not get past. She sighed slightly. I wanted to see what he found. Ah, well. She placed the 'charges' of inscribed items around the base of the building, and then extended an inscribed cord. Channeling mana, the entire structure exploded and then collapsed.

There was plenty else to keep her busy. She traveled extensively and with the help of her Duskari operatives, took plentiful charcoal rubbings, and then dashed the original to bits. Black, spectral forms floated around but did not bother them. No artifacts on this trip, but… She unfurled a map of Ghomar and looked at the smaller section in the vassal-kingdom of Fosk. There were some reports there.

She would have to spend many days on this isle with the ruins of the first civilization. But she would be able to get back to what she loved soon enough. And even better, Empress Lyn was not just looking for inscribed items or artifacts – she wanted Menora to establish a museum. The antiquarian had much to look forward to in the coming years.

Seer Dran heard the footsteps and instantly recognized them. She was laid up in bed, readying for her death. She had lived a good, long life, and the service to Empress Rivers was all she could have asked for at the end of her days.

The empress came up to her and sat alongside the Newen diviner. She placed her clawed hand on hers, and Dran felt a deep sense of honor at the gesture. "I thank you for all of your service, Seer Dran," the empress stated. "Your service to the empire has been invaluable."

"Thank you," was all the Newen could wheeze out.

"I offer an easier passage, if you choose. A single word, and I can end the pain."

Seer Dran nodded and smiled. "Thank you…for letting…me serve."

"The honor was mine," Empress Rivers replied as she held her hand above the Newen's face. Dran closed her eyes, heard the words in Elenthir, and felt a deep sense of peace as the world went dark.

She found herself standing in a dark space with a bright, white door with the word Ghomar above it. Nowhere else to go, she thought, as she stepped through to whatever new life her goddess desired for her.

Zebed Ba'n Azir Shedai stood in the throne room of the Destroyer, Empress Rivers. The ruler that he owed fealty to. She entered, and he bowed deeply, his two boys behind him bowing as well.

The regal woman sat on the throne, crossed her leg over the other, and faced him. "Zebed, to what do I owe the sudden in-person visit?" she asked in Khrelardian.

Zebed gestured to his boys who walked up and bowed. "My sons, Felej and Gerod, are of age where they can work in the banking industry and the treasury. Felej has expressed interest in working under the steward, and Gerod is just like his father – a money counter and penny pincher."

The Destroyer cracked a slight smile and gestured for the boys to approach. They did so, to the foot of the dais, and stood there. She stood and walked down to them. "And, let me guess," she said toward Zebed as she circled the two boys like a predator sniffing out prey, "this is not done purely for altruism."

"If they are to take my position one day, they need to learn the inner workings of the empire's finances. I hope to one day have them prove their worth in your meritocracy, and rule jointly over the Free City of Bashinol."

Empress Rivers nodded. "Very well, they may serve if they choose." She looked at both boys, and her face became like a stone façade. Unreadable. "Do you both swear service to the Eternal Empire?"

Both boys knelt and spoke at the same time. "We swear our fealty to Empress Rivers. Please use our skills to help the realm prosper."

She looked past them at a grinning Zebed. "Well trained." She looked back at the two. "Very well. Seek out Steward Mol, and he will set you both to learning…and work."

The boys straightened, nodded with the faintest trace of smiles etched on their faces, and left the hall, following a Human dressed in fine robes – one of the fortress servants.

Empress Rivers sat on the throne and gestured for Zebed to approach. He did so, and she frowned slightly as she tapped her clawed hands on the throne. "I know you are plotting to place them in your position. I still hold the final decision in who will take over after you. They are not alone in these duties – others have already arrived in the hopes of climbing the ranks."

Zebed nodded curtly and shifted to his neutral "merchant" face. "I would not expect any special treatment, and they know not to ask for it. But…I am sure they will outclass anyone else vying for the position."

She smirked. "Good. Please, stay for dinner. I would be privileged to host you."

Strike Commander Slanosh looked out from the Dragon's Maw across the empty battlefield. Ever vigilant, he stood atop the wall with several freshly trained Newen, drilling them with practice equipment against an attacking practice force led by Marshal Remora.

They were training up the new recruits. Mandatory service had not been enacted – and wouldn't be for a few years – but they had plentiful applicants and fresh recruits. Empress Rivers did not anticipate any uprisings due to her benevolent rule…but as she put it, "Better safe than sorry and bent over a barrel."

"Alright! Release!" Slanosh shouted as his archers loosed practice arrows. Shafts with padded tips – a small bag filled with sand. Impacting those with armor would cause a slight pain, and against unprotected skin, it would bruise.

He heard flapping and watched as the empress landed atop the wall. "How goes the training, Strike Commander?"

Slanosh saluted. "They are drilling well enough. The ground formations below are working well, and the archers are improving their accuracy."

She nodded and looked out over the trainees. "Excellent. I wanted to let you know that I am elevating you to marshal, alongside Remora, to ensure we have both one of the long-lived and shorter-lived races on the council."

Slanosh bowed deeply. "Empress…I don't know what to say."

She smirked and held out a clawed hand. He looked at it nervously for a moment before clasping it. "You have served me well. And I think that having you at the helm of our military alongside Remora will provide a perfect counterbalance. Your caution, and her aggression. A potent combination."

He grinned. "Thank you, Empress."

Rashanna sat in the conference chamber across from Trisk's diplomat, Lurgen. They were discussing the distribution of a new calendar to mark the seasons, and how best to acclimate the current population of Trisk to the new system.

"It is curious, having this gap," Lurgen stated. "Why this whole week of no work in the middle of spring?"

Rashanna took a sip of her wine. "That is for the Remembrance Games. Competitors from across the empire will be allowed to compete in more local events that will be coordinated in the next year before the highest ranks will compete at Lynhold – hence why I haven't discussed it yet. We haven't rolled it out."

"Ah, tourney style games?"

"Close. A mix of competitions. The full rules will come out shortly, but there will be archery, horsemanship, dueling, singing, dance…all manner of activities where prizes will be awarded. Including…" She lowered her voice to a whisper. "A monster core to the winner of each game."

Lurgen chuckled and stroked his short beard. "That is an interesting prospect and a valuable prize. Empress Lyn is a most gracious ruler."

"That she is," Rashanna replied as she sipped the last of her wine. "Any more business?"

"Not that I can think of."

"Then what of our dinner plans?" she asked.

Lurgen stood up and offered his arm. "I have a chef ready to prepare a meal for us. Please, my lady."

Rashanna smiled and accepted his arm, walking down the corridors of the palace of Skir's Hold. Everything she wanted had come to fruition. She helmed a diplomatic corps of the Eternal Empire, wanted for nothing, and had even found a wonderful man to enjoy the company of…provided business was concluded.

The empire came first. But that didn't mean she couldn't enjoy life.

Bolvon picked the lock to the tower and slipped inside. He hugged the walls, blending with the shadows, thanks to an inscribed item from Empress Rivers – his goddess, his everything aside from Gael.

He was on a mission that utilized all his talents. Stealth, breaking into places, and assassination. Another target that had to be eliminated to ensure the safety of the empire. A rogue mage who had begun to harvest mana cores of the citizens that lived in this small section of the former duchy of Brol in the Shatterlands – the new name for the former kingdom of Valagonia.

He hugged the wall as a thuggish, Raptol woman walked past him. She was heavily muscled. She probably can't even fly, he thought as the bird woman's bulk suggested she would not be able to lift off. He continued creeping up the stairs and arrived at another locked door. This one was just as easily bypassed, and he slipped inside.

The mage was a Vharthon with eight tails. Bolvon crept forward, eyes peeled for any traps on the ground. He spotted a tripwire and gingerly stepped over it as he stood above the figure. Simultaneously, he placed his palm over their mouth and nose, and stabbed down with the artifact punch dagger he had been gifted.

The person did not scream. Their eyes flickered open, and the air escaped from their punctured lungs as he stabbed over and over to ensure the kill. As Bolvon ripped the torso open, he gripped the heart and squeezed. The mana core surged down his mana channel, and he felt a burst of power.

Another one down, he thought as he left the way he came. He had harvested the mana core from every person he had slain…and there would always be some dissidents who sought personal power over the good of the empire. He was dispatched to deal with them. Divine punishment from the hidden hand of the empress. Retribution. Judgment by his silent blade. The most powerful tool in his goddess' arsenal.

Gael looked up to the door as Bolvon walked in. "You look exhausted," he said as his lover collapsed into bed.

Bolvon groaned. "I need one of those mount ravens." The noise was slightly muffled by the pillows.

Gael chuckled and sat down, rubbing Bolvon's back. "Soon enough, I'm sure. Finala is working hard on it."

Bolvon rolled over and smiled slightly. "What have you been up to in the…fuck, ten days?"

Gael nodded. "Yup, that was a long mission." He looked over at the Titansteel armor set – shield included, as Vael had passed that on to him. "I was working with the marshals to prepare the new recruits. It's fun, not having to stand around Lyn's throne room all the time."

Bolvon wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. "Did she at least take you to bed?"

"Yes. We had an enjoyable couple of nights." He put his hand on Bolvon's thigh. "But I missed you."

"I don't have any missions pending. I should be good for at least a week. I'll come with you to work tomorrow. See what all the fuss is about."

"Fuss?" Gael asked as he pulled his hand away. "What fuss?"

"Oh, you know. People complaining about being worked to the bone," Bolvon said as he mimicked an annoying voice.

"Pff. Yeah. The lazy ones are being weeded out."

Bolvon sat up and kissed Gael. "You save some of that energy tomorrow for me, you hear?"

Gael grinned and returned the kiss. "Of course." He stood up. "I'll go get you some food."

Bolvon grabbed him by the waist and looked up with a lust-filled gaze. "I want this right here."

"Perfect fit," Vael said with glee as the feysmiths made the final alterations to her armor.

"There we go!" the master feysmith Wesker replied. "Another successful order."

Lyn uncrossed her arms and cracked a smile. "Good. Now I need another thirty-two."

Wesker looked at her with a stern expression. "That'll take a while."

She handed him a book. "I've got the payment. Supplies are right here," she said, gesturing to the pile of supplies.

"We'll get on it then," Wesker said with a bow. He whistled, and several pixies flew out from the trees, gathered the materials, and vanished through the fey-only transportation network back to their island.

Vael looked at Lyn and laughed. "I look like you now!" Her armor was a near-perfect copy of Lyn's. However, Vael's armor was a deep ocean blue.

"My Riverguard," Lyn replied with a grin. The new name for the empress's personal guard that kept the council members safe. "High Riverguard, I should say, for your title."

Vael smiled and willed the armor to recede just like she had seen Lyn's do so many times. It did so until she was nude in front of the empress. Nothing remained save the bracers and anklets. "That is handy," she stated.

"Put it back on, you exhibitionist."

Vael blushed and willed the armor to re-emerge. "What about weapons?"

"For now the inscribed weapons I made will do. First, we armor up the thirty-two remaining Riverguard. Then, we can get their preferred weapons." She gestured for Vael to follow, and the two Duskari women left the hidden grove of fey trees and entered the Conclave of the Fortress.

Lyn took a detour, and Vael followed her until they arrived in the old training hall. Now a space for deep-storage, Lyn walked over to the obsidian slab and sighed. "Two years ago. I can't believe it's already been that long." She knelt and cracked some of the rock with her clawed hand, squeezing it until it crumbled to dust.

"I remember first finding you. A hand cut off, bleeding out. I was lucky to be the one who found you."

Lyn chuckled and shook her hand clean of the debris. "Lucky? Maybe." She stood up and faced Vael. "I'm glad you found me first. Have you given thought to my offer about the backup body?"

Vael nodded. "As long as you do the same for Gael and Bolvon."

"I guarantee it."

She nodded. "Then yes, please."

Lyn smiled and waved for her to follow. "I'll notify Thomas. Come, we have new Riverguard trainees to put through the ringer."

Naila oversaw the construction of the new ironside vessel. Cannons had been taken from across Valagonia and were being repurposed and fit onto the new version of the vessels. They were being outfitted with what the Alchemist hero referred to as "fire retardant." Some type of canister of substance that doused fires instantly.

She looked up from her work as Vael approached. Naila hopped off the boat and barked a few last orders before she looked her woman up and down. "Not bad. The armor suits you."

Vael giggled slightly and grinned ear to ear. "Empress Rivers has given me permission to join you for half of the month on Sidalon when you go."

Naila felt joy bubble up in her. Empress Rivers had taken convincing, but eventually she was able to get the woman to agree; the Ari who came from Sidalon should be allowed to resettle their ancestral home. The city was still intact having been abandoned in the war, and after the ironsides were finished, Naila's navy would patrol the whole exterior of Ghomar, including up and down the rivers, a fleet of long boats and fifty ironsides at her command.

She would have to be in Lynhold one week each month, so that meant more time with Vael. Three out of every four weeks – a luxury, given their drastically different roles. She walked up and grabbed the slimmer woman by the back of the neck, kissed her passionately, and then separated. "Right. You'll have to wait until things are up and running, but I promise to treat you right."

Vael smiled and nodded. "I better be treated well. Hot springs tonight?"

"It's kind of warm," Naila replied. "I'd rather take you up to the mountain wall for a picnic."

"If that's what you want—"

"It is," Naila said firmly but with an endearing tone. "Now, off you get. I'll meet you at the stairs later."

The smaller Duskari nodded and walked off toward Lynhold, and Naila stared after her. It's crazy how love finds you when you're not looking for it. She turned back to the engineers who were building the ironside and got them back to work. "No slacking off! We have to finish this section tonight!"

She chuckled as they threw playful insults back at her, and the sailor banter continued well into the evening before she left for her date night.

The small council met in Empress Rivers' throne room. The obsidian table was brought out along with the chairs, and the four lead councilors took their seats. They each had an apprentice next to them. Remora had Marshal Slanosh seated next to her. Next to Thane Mol was one of the Ari elders from the Arin Isle, acting in a co-steward capacity as per the empress's desires for a split council of the long-lived and the short-lived races.

"Let's get started," Chancellor Vehenna stated in Shereldian as they settled in. "The empress will be absent for this meeting. I'll start us off." She cleared her throat. "Ahem, reports from Trisk and Khrelardia show nothing but positive results from our diplomatic corps. There have been slight disturbances in the Shatterlands as groups of individuals who feel as if they do not belong in society have taken up residence in the abandoned duchies. Efforts to reach out to them have been fruitless."

Marshal Remora nodded. "We should have forces adequate enough to go to each region and bring them into the empire proper or crush them."

"Ah," Spymaster Velenna interrupted. "There are rumors that they are banning together to demand vassalization with some…changes to the requirements."

Thane Mol spoke. "Wood the lass allow it?"

"Doubtful," Velenna replied. "I would anticipate that the empress would require them to be brought into her domain by force."

"We will be ready by midsummer," Remora said proudly. "Marshal Slanosh has been working on integrating the new forces into more spell-focused groups of troops, so we should be able to handle it ourselves without calling upon our goddess."

Vehenna smiled. "Good. I have heard no reports of internal threats or machinations. If the Shatterlands is all that Velenna has heard of…" She trailed off waiting for anyone else to provide input. But all was silent. "How are our coffers?" she asked the steward.

Mol grinned. "Aye. We've got many lads helpin'. Zebed's boys ar' bright'uns. Money is nae' an issue."

"Excellent," Remora replied. "There is some concern from the troops about hazard pay for entering the Shatterlands."

"We'll provide," Vehenna stated. "The empress always provides." There were murmurs of agreeing statements. "Anything else for the good of the order?" Silence answered her. "Then I conclude this small council meeting.

The councilors stood up and left, and Vehenna approached the throne. She placed her hand on the hidden inscription, waited until the room had cleared, and then activated it as she descended into the hidden vault below the dais.

It was here that Empress Lyn kept the various mirrors to contact the rulers of the different vassal states and kingdoms. Chancellor Vehenna sat down in the center of the room and began her day's duties of managing an empire on behalf of her goddess. The greatest privilege she could have asked for in her life.

Stellas stood deep in the Conclave of the Fortress. Empress Lyn and Thomas were finishing the last bit of inscription of what would hopefully be a stable tunnel-like portal to Earth. She felt the buzz of anticipation in her chest and her heart beating quickly.

Lyn looked up to her as she finished her side of the inscription faster. "You have the artifact?"

Stellas nodded and tapped the choker made by the feysmiths. "Yes. I have been practicing my terminology, and the auto translation is working." The artifact would allow her words to be interpreted by any who heard to this "English" language from Lyn's and Thomas's home world. That, accompanied with an earring that would translate what she heard, along with an inscribed belt that would change her external appearance to Human…she was ready.

Years of building up resources and getting the mage college in a ready state had finally come to fruition. Soon, she would see the world Thomas came from, and have access to the endless repository of knowledge available.

Thomas walked up to her and wiped his brow. "Remember, the inscribed ring is the emergency 'return' button. We don't know how the time dilation will work."

Lyn reached into her storage dimension of her choker and withdrew a small pouch. "Gold and gems. Take them to a pawn shop, sell them, and purchase an external storage device."

Stellas nodded, having spent much time with Thomas learning how the devices, these "computers" worked. "Right. Then I'm to purchase a laptop, a portable generator, and download this online encyclopedia." She smiled and tapped her temple. "I remember everything we've been practicing."

Lyn nodded and gestured to the elaborate inscription. "Remember, this anchor will keep a pinprick of a tunnel open. You have to channel mana into it to force it wide enough to return." She gestured to a lever nearby. "And pull that once you're back. We can't risk someone following you."

Stellas nodded and walked forward into the aperture of the inscription. The mission had changed from when she first broached the idea with Thomas and got Lyn to approve it. No longer was she going to learn…she was going to take. Every drip of information she could.

There was a knot of anxiety in her chest. She had no clue how long would pass relative to Ghomar's time. But the anticipation made her legs shake with joy. Thomas walked up and put a hand on her shoulder, pulling her in for a hug. "Thank you for saving me," he muttered.

"What?"

He pulled back. "You pulled me out of the dark place I was in after my wyvern died. Thank you for that. I don't know if I would have recovered as quickly as I did without you."

Stellas felt an odd emotion overwhelm her. "You're welcome," she whispered as Thomas separated.

"Right, activate the items," Lyn said as she knelt and placed her palm on the inscription.

Stellas nodded and pushed her mana into the objects, feeling her body shift and morph as the Human form took over her body. The feeling of her snout and tails receding, as her ears shifted, was quite uncomfortable in a gross way; there was not any actual physical harm. Within seconds, a black-haired and green-eyed Human stood where the Vharthon once did.

"Godspeed," Thomas said as he knelt alongside Lyn. The two of them channeled their mana into the inscription, and it lit with light blue and deep, cream white colors that overlapped and twisted.

Stellas saw a busy, stone city street, and walked through as she entered where the heroes came from.

Earth. The world of the heroes.

Lawrence breathed a deep sigh of relief as the third annual Remembrance Games ended. He stood up and walked down from the empress's box, onto the floor of the arena where all the competitors from across Ghomar had gathered. Lyn stood up, and the crowd quieted. She muttered a spell and gestured to Lawrence.

He spoke in English, and yet his words were translated to every person's native tongue thanks to a world-wide spell Lyn had cast. "Those who have come here and shown their mastery of a chosen discipline…we thank you for your hard work and dedication. Truly, you are the best of the best. As a reward, Empress Rivers has a custom-bred monster core for each of you."

He went to the solid gold case and approached the line of winners, pulling out the monster cores in their platinum, spherical containers. They held the objects in front of them until all had one, and Lawrence raised his hand. Once he closed his fist, they opened the spheres and consumed the monster cores – instantly gaining a large amount of mana capacity. Not as much as a dungeon core would provide…but an immense boost that would make them even greater than the average person.

"This is how our empress rewards those who strive to be the best," Lawrence stated. "And, in two years' time, we will have our first Champion Games, where you winners, and all else who qualify next year, and winners over the past two, may compete for the honor of a dungeon core."

This elicited cheers from the combatants, and the crew stood up and began to shout and cheer. Lawrence yelled out, his voice carried by Lyn's spell. "All hail Empress Rivers! All hail the Eternal Empire!"

His shouts were repeated, and he returned to Lyn's box as the closing performances began. She leaned over and spoke softly. "How are our resources?"

Lawrence smiled. "Excellent. I've got more than enough stockpiled for every industry. The duchy of Pictal required some extra steel, but we sent that along and have plenty in our stockpiles. I think we have finally hit that point of equilibrium where we don't need you using spells to create raw resources."

Lyn smiled. "Good. It was getting rather droll."

"You never use that word," Lawrence replied.

"I'm sure I've used it before."

"I don't think so."

She gently punched his shoulder and chuckled. "Come off it. So, how are the public works programs in Lynhold?"

Lawrence kicked up his feet on the banister in front of him. "Honestly? They're going great. We have an interesting new art movement kicking off – people who are…erm…what's the best way to put this—"

"You meant the sexualized artwork of me with various people?"

Lawrence laughed. "Yeah, wasn't sure if you'd seen it or not."

She tapped her clawed fingers on the armrest. "Honestly? I don't know. It's flattering, and I've never been shy about flaunting my figure and physique. I don't think it's disrespectful…what do you think?"

"Well, we could designate a section of the museum to artwork of the empress. Give those artists a place to put their expressive works, perhaps rotate artists given the size of the space, that way we don't have random city-goers and visitors seeing you in such a state."

Lyn smiled and nodded. "A very well-reasoned and thought-out approach. Thank you. You know" – she crossed her legs – "you are very well suited to your job."

"What can I say? I love city builders. And you gave me the ultimate cheat code."

"Oh? What's that?"

"Unlimited resources."

Ben ducked under Eli's punch and pulled his own jab as he knocked his eldest son's wind out of him. "Come on, I told you! Keep the abs tight!"

Eli staggered to his feet. Now a young man of fifteen, he took a deep breath in and entered a defensive stance. "Alright, old man. Time for me to finally beat you."

Ben laughed. "Oh?"

Eli muttered a spell, and his physique reached its maximum possible – the spell that Lyn had given Ben to teach the troops and his brawlers.

"Boy, I told you, skill will beat out raw strength any day."

Eli unleashed a flurry of hooks and jabs that Ben deftly blocked, not taking any offensive action as he relied on his reflexes and muscle memory. I have to admit, he's gotten better.

Gil shouted from the side of the ring, "Come on, Eli! Shin kick!"

Eli glanced sideways at his adopted brother, and Ben took advantage of that to sweep the leg and pin Eli on the ground. "Never take your eyes off your opponent!" He looked at Gil and grinned, "Good job, I'll get you that new sword you've been eyeing."

"You planned it?" Eli asked as he pushed his dad off.

Ben chuckled and reached down to pull his eldest off the ground. "Yeah, I told Gil if he could make you mess up, I'd buy him that new blade."

Eli looked at Gil and sighed as he took off the boxing gloves. "Asshole."

"Hey," Ben said. "No cursing at family."

Gil stuck out his tongue and laughed. Eli got the gloves off and hopped out of the ring, faking an exit before he turned and tackled his brother, grappling on the floor for a dominant position.

Ben leaned on the ropes, chuckling as the boys tousled. But his eyes also caught movement at the far end of the brawler's lodge. He raised his hand and waved, swapping to English. "Hey, Lyn."

She approached the teenage boys and stood over them; neither seemed to notice. She looked back to Ben. "Let me guess, you paid off Gil again?"

At hearing her voice, the two boys stopped and scrambled to their feet, saluting with the grasped fingers like a claw over their hearts. "Empress!" they both shouted in Shereldian.

Lyn smirked and swapped to the language. "At ease." She looked up to Ben as the two boys took up a relaxed stance, huffing and breathing hard. "I wanted to let you know I'm going to be gone for a bit. I don't know how long."

Ben nodded. "Scout core calling?"

"No, actually. I'm going to that dungeon. I've decided…it's time to ascend. Whatever that entails."

"What made you decide?"

She laughed. "You're getting old. Trisha is getting old. What, you're both in your forties now? I have to keep my word and bind you two together."

Eli looked at Ben. "Dad, what's she talking about?"

"A gift, from the empress for my service. She's going to make sure your mother and I find each other in our next lives. But, to do that, she has to do something huge." He looked back to Lyn and slipped out of the ring, walking forward and grabbing her in a bear hug that she returned. "Thanks, Lyn."

She pushed him away and smiled. "Of course." She turned to the boys and gestured to them, "Almost ready for your mandatory service?"

"Yes ma'am!" both boys replied.

"Gil, you have what, another two years until your eighteenth birthday?" He nodded, and she smiled. "Well, make sure you train hard. And you, Eli…do your namesake proud. Three years, yes? One behind Gil?" The younger man nodded. "Good boy."

Ben wrapped his arm around Lyn's shoulder. "You up for dinner?"

"Depends, are you making pizza again?" she asked, referencing the cuisine that had taken Lynhold by storm.

"Close. Not quite. Something closer to Indian food. Brad's pepper project finally produced some viable heat."

Lyn's eyes went wide, and she grinned. "Lead the way!"

Trisha walked Ginavieve and Misty back from the schools next to her hospital.

Misty was jumping with excitement. "And then! We learned the words for a cool new spell! It can make flowers bloom!" She was speaking rapidly in Triskol – the family's preferred language when at home.

Ginavieve was more reserved and brushed her long hair out of her eyes. "It wasn't that cool. I'd rather know how to make flame sparks, or turn into a dragon like Uncle Lawrence."

Trisha just chided them both. "You need to keep your studies up and practice every morning."

Ginavieve groaned. "Mom, it's boring! I have to sit in a cold tub for thirty minutes every day!"

"It's not that bad," Misty replied with a haughty, better-than-you, singsong tone. "You just have to be as good as me."

Trisha clicked her teeth, and the two girls quieted their slight bickering before it got any further along. The two were polar opposites. Misty was a bright, bubbly child who was fascinated with Elenthir, but Ginavieve took after Trisha and was studious, wanting to learn more about what she did at the hospital. It's only not cold to you because you have body enhancement, Trisha thought.

For some reason, the backlash from Misty's time spell five years ago did not reverse all of the changes to her body – just her age and her memories which were still locked away. She kept the body enhancements, even if she did not know it, as the changes to the skin were imperceptible.

"Trisha!" She looked up as she heard her husband's voice. He was walking next to Lyn, and her two eldest sons were walking behind the duo. "We have a guest for dinner tonight!"

Trisha smiled and waved. Misty ran forward and looked up at Lyn, shouting, "Please! Uppies!"

Lyn leaned down and scooped up the child. "How was school?"

"It was great! I learned a spell to make flowers bloom!"

Lyn giggled and set the girl back down. "Alright, go inside and wash up for dinner." Misty dashed inside, quickly followed by the more serious Ginavieve.

"Where is that rascal?" Ben asked aloud as he scanned the skies. "Did he get home before us?"

Trisha shook her head. Lawry spent every moment out of school up in the tower of ravens, working alongside Finala and tinkering with them. "No, he's probably just lost track of time." She picked up her communication amulet and envisioned her son. "Lawry! Dinner time!"

"One minute," he replied tersely. Focused. Always a quiet child, once he discovered his love of birds he became laser-focused on them. "I'll fly over in a minute."

"That better be an actual minute," Trisha replied as she let the amulet fall back around her neck. She looked to Lyn and gestured to the house. "After you."

She nodded and walked down the small garden path, entering the house. Trisha held Ben and gave him a kiss as Gil and Eli squeezed by. "Ah-ah!" she chided them as they stopped and turned. "Wash up before dinner."

Both boys nodded, but Gil let out a slight groan as they went around the back of the building to an outdoor shower. One that only had cold water.

Ben grabbed her around the waist. "Anyone else invited?"

"Brad's bringing the new hot sauces. I invited the rest of the heroes, but Thomas is busy, and Lawrence has a political dinner with Thane Mol."

He nodded. "Well then, my lady love."

Trisha entered her house and felt quite content. Life is perfect, she thought. Moving to Lynhold was the best move we could have made.

Brad left the Baxter house walking alongside Lyn. "I can't believe how fast they're growing," he commented in English as they walked toward the fortress.

"You'll outlive them with your backup."

"No, that's not what I meant. They just are getting big fast. Those boys are almost Ben's size. I mean, I expected that from Eli…but Gil?"

Lyn cracked a slight smile. "I may have had something to do with that. I promised one of our fallen friends that I would take care of their kids. Part of that is making sure they have every advantage possible."

"Oh? What did you do?"

"With Trisha's permission, I cast some spells on them." She held up her clawed hand, and the prismatic sparkling energy of both creation and destruction crackled in her palm. "I can only do small feats of creation, but that includes altering existing creation." She held up her other hand and the same sparkles manifested, but they were tinged with the blue color of her flaming iris. "Destruction, on the other hand, comes a lot easier."

Brad nodded as she extinguished the magical energy. "So, you're really going to do it?"

She nodded. "Five years is enough putting it off. I have to do this. I've talked with Raevan and Yheron a number of times now, and we agree…I agree with myself, I should say…it's time."

Brad nodded and put his hand on her shoulder, giving it a squeeze. "I get it. You have something you need to do. I hope you come back the same. I like this new Lyn."

She pushed his arm off and flipped him off. "I've always been amazing."

Brad chuckled and pushed back his hair from his eyes. "Hey, what can I say, you actually let me bang you."

"If not for the prosthetic I wouldn't invite you over so often. You should be thanking me."

Brad nodded and let out a cackle. Lyn had made a…custom inscription for him to swap out when he felt like having a more…pronounced piece of equipment. Plus, she had loaded it with lots of inscriptions for all manners of physical sensations. Needless to say, she had made it partly for Brad, but mostly for herself. He didn't mind being used in that way – it was a mutually beneficial situation. He got to bang an Empress, a hot one, at that, and she got all the pleasure she wanted.

She continued as they kept walking. "Anyways…I should stay the same. All the research I've done, the discussions with Raevan…consulting Thomas…" She looked at him, and he could see the trace of fear in her eyes. "I won't lie. I'm a bit scared."

Brad frowned and nodded. "I get it."

"You're the first hero – the first old classmate that actually accepted the new me for what I am. So you'll have the best read if I do change…just don't lie to me if I come back different. Okay?"

Brad nodded. "I promise. You won't get any bullshit from me."

She nodded, and her face shifted to a jovial expression. "Good. You're the last person I want blowing smoke up my ass."

"Oh, that's something we haven't tried in bed. Could be kink—"

She put a clawed hand over his mouth and tried to hold back a giggle. "Stop!" She failed, and laughed. "Okay, that was pretty funny."

"Happy to make you happy. So…tonight? Your place?"

"Maybe later. I've got one person left to talk to."

Brad nodded. "I'll go and prepare my equipment."

Lyn split off from him and walked toward the hero's small wing of the fortress. "Get Gael also! Tell him I want you both tonight!"

Brad waved at her as he descended into the tunnels of the conclave.

Thomas sat up as the door slammed open. "I'm awake!" he said as he stood up to face the door.

Lyn shut it behind her. "Asleep at the desk again? That's going to kill your back."

Thomas smiled and turned around. "Mind getting it for me?"

She walked up behind him, grabbed his crossed arms, and cracked him out as he let out a grunt of relief. "Better?" she asked, setting him down.

He turned and nodded, glancing out the window. "How late is it?"

"An hour after nightfall."

"Not too bad." He went and sat on the bed. "What do I owe the pleasure of this visit?"

She sat on the bed next to him and, to his surprise, put her arm around his shoulder. "I'm going to pull the trigger. It's ascension time."

"Holy shit. Finally?"

She nodded. "I... I'm scared I might change. But it needs to be done. I have to keep my word. To Gina, Ben, and Trisha."

Thomas turned toward her and hugged her tightly. "It'll be fine, I'm sure. You've got a strong will. If anything, I bet it's just going to be an insane powerup."

She shook her head, and he could feel her trembling slightly in his grip. "Why do I feel like something bad will happen?"

"Have you used the Oracle core?"

She shook her head again. "I'm trying to follow Gina's advice."

Thomas pulled back from her. "It couldn't hurt."

Lyn closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "What if I don't like what I see? Every possibility turns out shitty?"

"Then just don't clear the dungeon. Simple as that. Keep the status quo."

"But, Ben and Tri—"

Thomas grabbed her shoulders and shook her slightly. "You are the empress. They are friends, yes, but ultimately you don't owe them anything. You keeping who you are intact is more important. You'll outlive them by millennia."

Lyn swallowed and nodded as she gently pulled Thomas's hand away. "You're right…but promise me something."

"What?"

"If I come back some type of tyrant that is hellbent on remaking the world entirely or starting from scratch – some shit like that…try to stop me, will you?"

"I promise."

Lyn appeared in front of the dungeon that had moved. No longer at the Eastern Archipelago, her inscribed bracer let her track the dungeon to its new location – far above Shiverburn Summit, right up next to the edge of the atmosphere. Against the black of the night sky, she could make it out clearly. Almost like a portal to another dimension.

She took a deep breath and fueled her full suite of spells – internal Berserker spell, external Guardian spell, mana-charging Cataclysm with raw destruction. She also chugged down a very potent version of Stim that Brad had crafted just for her to use. It slowed the world down to a crawl. She would pay for it with a massive migraine in an hour when it wore off – but she could fix that with an internal regeneration spell.

At this singular moment, she was the deadliest force on Ghomar. She flapped against the thin air and moved through the film, entering the circular chamber with the octagon in the center. She heard the voices that she did previously in Elenthir. "You are here."

"Yes," she replied, placing her hand on the pedestal.

"You are worthy. Now begins the trial of destruction." The octagon pillar sank into the ground, and the walls fell away.

Lyn was floating in space. A vast, dark entity floated in front of her – a monstrous, leviathan-like form of writhing black tentacles and hungry, gaping maws. I was not expecting that, she thought as she tried to flap her wings but found no air to push against. Somehow, she could breathe normally – but movement wasn't possible through conventional methods.

The creature dwarfed her – it was a planet, and she was an insignificant speck of dirt. Less than that, even. She was akin to a grain of sand against the whole world.

It growled and began to move toward her. How the fuck do I beat this thing?

She took a deep breath and focused on the Oracle core, quickly filtering through the multitudinous possibilities before her. But she saw none – all ended in blackness after she moved. One possibility stood out to her as not leading to her immediate demise.

I just don't move. Lyn shifted Cataclysm to its bow form – the one good thing she got from Volio – and drew back a phantasmal arrow of pure destruction. She channeled all her mana into the weapon as the arrow grew and expanded, encompassing her whole body and becoming larger. Until it was as big as a meteor.

The creature moved through the starry sky – a target impossible to miss. Lyn let loose, and the arrow of raw destruction slammed into the creature, disintegrating it within an instant. The walls of the dungeon returned, and she landed gently on the floor, collapsing to the ground as all of her body enhancing and external spells faded from the lack of mana.

The door at the far end of the hallway opened, and she let out a laugh of relief. "I get it," she huffed out in between recovery breaths. "A singular deity…will draw the attention…of threats. I have to…be able to deal with…those threats."

She lay there as she waited for her mana to refill – one hour of lying there and pondering the sheer scale of what she had destroyed. Is that what awaits me after ascension? Fighting off enormous…things like that?

It made some sense to her. Once she acquired whatever power this was at the end of the dungeon, she would probably have so much mana she would shine like a beacon and draw whatever horrors lurked beyond the stars. She knew from what Nami had told her so many years ago that Ghomar was in a different reality from Earth.

I have to do this, she thought as she pushed herself up, her mana refilled after the long wait. She walked into the next room – an octagonal chamber with a circular pillar at the center. She placed her hand on it.

"You are worthy. Now begins the trial of creation."

She found herself inside an open space once more. Nothing existed but a gray void. In front of her, in Elenthir, was the phrase "Tanlor lef rhivhan." Forge your reality.

She closed her eyes and envisioned a planet. A simple one. A world with a single landmass…maybe a few large islands off the coast. Temperate climate with an annual cycle of weather between seasons.

As she opened her eyes, she could see something akin to a blueprint or schematic floating out in the void in front of her. Now I bet I just pour mana into it. She focused her will on the outline and pulled up the immense power of the Destroyer core from within. It roiled with a volatility she had not felt since she first found she had it, when she had her fateful return to Earth.

The mana surged up her mana channels uncontrollably, and the neon-blue lava arced from her hand before exploding into a shimmering, prismatic, sparkling display. She felt the mana draining precipitously and pulled all of the excess she had stored in the amulet Yheron had left behind. Once a crutch she relied upon, now a tool of last resort.

Every drop of mana surged out of her, and yet, somehow, even more continued to pour from her. The hero cores, consumed and pushed underneath the Destroyer core as a part of it, began to release some hidden reserve. It filled her up to the brim with a torrent of physical sensations across the whole spectrum of what could be felt. Joy, rage, elation, anger, love, loneliness…she felt the whole range of emotions churn through her.

The prismatic mana flared brightly and continued to weave and wend around the outline. Only when the whole sphere was covered with mana did it flash with a radiant, blue light…and where once was nothing in a gray void, a planet rotated slowly in space.

Lyn felt her vision dimming as the walls returned and she collapsed to the ground as the door opened to the next part of the dungeon. Just…damn. Fine, another hour.

She lay there, contemplating what had just happened. She had been fully tapped out of mana, and yet somehow there was a hidden reservoir within all the hero cores. Why didn't I have access to that before? She closed her eyes and focused on her Destroyer core, willing herself to enter it mentally.

She stood in the darkness as Raevan and Yheron manifested before her. "Interesting," Raevan muttered. "You were able to create a whole world just like the being I was split from. It looked remarkably like Ghomar, didn't it?"

Yheron nodded, and his deep voice growled out. "It is strange that Ghomar is what you envisioned."

Lyn shrugged. "It's my home. It's my reality."

Raevan smiled softly. "Regardless, that is one more trial completed."

Yheron said, "What if this is something else?"

Lyn looked up at him. "What do you mean?"

"This was a signifier that you are truly the master of this world. The master of Ghomar. To the point that you could recreate it if required."

Lyn chuckled. "I hope I don't have to do that. I'd rather fight those enormous, star-sized creatures like the first chamber."

Raevan shook her head. "Your mana will draw more. Such is the nature of that level of power. I fought them, as Aelor and my combined presence drew them. But when Aelor split himself into pieces, we stopped being such a bright beacon. Expect to fight more."

"Well, at least I won't ever be bored," Lyn replied. "Whatever happens…thank you both. We've done great things for Ghomar, but I couldn't have done it without you both with me."

Yheron smiled, and his enormous teeth shone with a white pearlescence. "You're very welcome, Lyn Rivers. Once Scout, now Destroyer, and soon single deity of this world."

Raevan bowed slightly. "'In the new age where heroes vanquish the Destroyer, whatever form it may have taken, a new vessel will rise. Thus, the cycle will continue endlessly, until all are combined.' I can't be prouder."

"Thank you," Lyn said as she felt herself tearing up. "You know, I think of you both like mentors…parents, even. Guiding me over these past years."

Yheron chuckled. "Oh? Daddy dragon, am I?"

Lyn flipped him off, and the trio shared a laugh. "I mean it," Lyn said as they all regained their composure. "I can't be more grateful."

Raevan hugged her. "Go and take what is yours. You paid the price for saving this world. And now…you have the right to rule it. Forever. We'll be with you."

"From now until the end of eternity," Yheron added. "And, if you decide to take over your old world…we'll keep doing what we do best – providing you guidance."

Lyn willed herself back to her body and stood up. She walked down the hallway and entered the reward chamber. Upon it was a single, pure white box made of stone. She opened it and saw a simple ring. Here goes nothing.

She slipped it on her finger.

And waited.

Five seconds…

Ten seconds…

Thirty seconds…

Then, it blended into her body and melded with her.

I don't feel any different, Lyn thought. She reached into her locket's storage dimension and pulled out a full-length mirror. After setting it down, she took a step back and sucked in a breath of shock.

Her horns and scales were completely black with what looked to be sparkling cosmos and starlight within. The claws for her hands and feet were the same color, save for the tips, which shifted across a rainbow spectrum. Her horns were replicating the color shifting. Pulling out Cataclysm, she poured her mana into it.

The blade was no longer of blue lava mixed with elements. Instead, a pure, black blade of sheer darkness – the same as her scales – imbued with sparkling starlight jutted out of the hilt. It crackled with slight gray, prismatic energy. I guess I did it. I don't feel any different.

She focused on her Destroyer core and found herself in the black space again. Raevan and Yheron manifested once more. "Oh, would you look at that, we are still here," Yheron muttered. He looked to Raevan. "I win."

Raevan smiled and looked at Lyn. "We bet to see if we would still be here once you claimed divinity. I'm happy to be wrong. Go, go back to Lynhold. See your friends. We'll be around."

"Together forever," Lyn replied as she returned her consciousness to her body. Placing her hand on the altar, she was ejected from the dungeon and began to free-fall toward Shiverburn Summit. The inscribed cloak billowed from her armor and slowed her descent. First things first, she thought.

I have promises to keep.