We heard footsteps from below, and we turned our heads to see Bijarki rushing up to the platform. He stilled at the sight of us. He blinked several times until he noticed the charred body on the stone floor, as well as the other dead Destroyers that had not been tossed over the edge during our fight.
Bijarki had been injured, his right eye swollen almost shut in a dark, shimmering gray. There were multiple cuts on his arms and chest, and a sword stained with crimson in his hand. He’d had to fight his way up here before Azazel was taken down, apparently.
“Is that… Is that Azazel?” Bijarki croaked, but didn’t wait for a response, as he saw Vita on her knees, crying. “Vita!”
Her head shot up at the sound of his voice, and she immediately sprang to her feet.
“Bijarki!” she cried out.
He shot across the platform and took her in his arms, holding her tight and dropping dozens of kisses all over her face. He shuddered in her embrace, hiding his face in her hair as she ran her hands down his back and cried some more.
I exhaled, leaning farther into Draven, who dropped a few more kisses on my forehead, holding me tight against him.
“It’s actually over…” I whispered.
“I know, it’s… It’s unbelievable,” he replied gently.
“What’s unbelievable is that you and these other five Druids are perfectly comfortable standing here, buck naked,” Jovi shot back with a glorious smirk.
I couldn’t help but giggle, while the others burst into laughter. I glanced over at the Druids, now flustered and using their hands to conceal their private parts, while Phoenix and Field tore their shirts into several pieces. They handed them over for the Druids to temporarily cover themselves. They nodded their gratitude while their gazes darted across the platform.
Jovi helped Abrille up, as she’d regained consciousness and was quietly listening to us, a smile blooming on her pale face.
Thadeus and Patrik shook hands, then hugged, apologizing to one another for the fight they’d had to endure while under Azazel’s blood spell.
“Don’t feel too bad.” Patrik grinned. “You held your own in this. I truly appreciate your ability to show some restraint despite his control.”
“Same goes for you, Patrik,” Thadeus replied, patting him on the shoulder. “You had plenty of chances to kill me, but your mind proved to be a little bit stronger than your body.”
“I’ve been mentally fighting for years to regain control over my actions,” Patrik said. “The blood spell was strong, but I’d already conditioned myself to resist Azazel’s control. He would’ve had to kill me, eventually, because he wasn’t going to be able to hold me down forever.”
“He’s dead,” Phoenix said, taking Viola in his arms. “I still can’t believe it. It feels like a dream…”
“Yeah, but it’s all coming into focus now, isn’t it?” Field smirked as Aida came to his side. He held her tight, running his fingers through her hair as she settled into his embrace. “He’s gone. The fighting is done.”
“Eritopia is free.” Hansa finally spoke, looking at Draven and me.
We all went quiet, and gazed around us. Black smoke billowed from the fires below, but there weren’t any swords clanging. Thousands of voices could be heard on the ground, but there was no more fighting.
One of the shifters came to us, sniffing Draven for a moment before it huddled over to a dead Destroyer. It unfastened the wide belt around the beast’s waist, which had been fitted with a short layer of black fabric, then brought the garment over and dropped it next to Draven.
We gawked at the creature for several moments. The shifter’s eyes glowed violet, and the benevolent look on its face felt out of place, given its otherwise ferocious nature. Nevertheless, the gesture implied something extraordinary, a sense of true friendship and allegiance from the shifters.
The other two shifters immediately ran to the other side of the platform, each stopping to circle Phoenix and Aida, while Field and Viola confusedly watched them. The creatures purred and sniffed both my brother and Aida, resting on their knuckles, until Phoenix reached out and patted one on the head. Its eyes glowed violet with delight, its creepy grin with sharp fangs meant to be a smile.
“Guess you’ve been busy tearing Destroyers apart below.” Phoenix smirked.
Draven used the belt to cover himself as we finally stood up.
“Eritopia is free, Draven.” Hansa finally repeated her previous statement, emerging from her haze.
She walked over to us and took us in a tight bear hug, her arms wrapped around our necks. I couldn’t help but laugh as I responded to the embrace with one of my own. One by one, the rest of our group joined in.
Jovi and Anjani. Phoenix and Viola. Aida and Field. Vita and Bijarki. Even Jax, Thadeus, and Patrik completed the hug, along with the six young Druids, while the shifters watched us with curious expressions.
The five former Destroyers stood awkwardly to the side as we laughed and cried and thanked each other for everything that we’d managed to accomplish, until Hansa pulled back and broke the group hug to look at Draven and me.
“You’ve managed to do something that many Eritopians didn’t think was even possible anymore,” Hansa said. “You stood up, and you brought the people together. You gave them hope. You fought back hard, and you wiggled your way through every tight turn. Even when your friends and family were in danger, you didn’t surrender. We all stand here today, free… because of you.”
“No.” Draven shook his head slowly, prompting Hansa to frown. “We’re here because of all of you. I did my part, and Serena helped keep us together.”
He gave me a sideways glance as he said that, then nodded at the others. “But you all had a crucial role to play in this. You all believed in me. You believed in Eritopia’s right to freedom and peace. You were brave even in moments when you thought it would all come crumbling down. We all made it happen. We are all responsible. And we all deserve to celebrate and come together as we rebuild our world.”
He then turned around to face the Druids on the edge.
“And you,” he added. “You cannot be blamed for everything you did while you were under Azazel’s control. You deserve freedom as well. You deserve a chance to start anew. Eritopia needs its Druids, even if there aren’t many of us left. Will you stand with us before the people and dedicate your lives to rebuilding this marvelous world?”
A few seconds went by before the Druids nodded and bowed respectfully.
“Thank you,” the female said. “We never thought we’d see this day, and yet, here we are, breathing freely for the first time in centuries. We are forever in your debt.”
“You’re damn right you are,” Jovi muttered, stifling a grin. Anjani clicked her teeth and gave him a nudge in the ribs, hard enough to make him groan and raise his hands in an apologetic gesture. “I was kidding…”
The young Druids joined the former Destroyers and shook their hands, welcoming them into the fold.
“There are a lot of wrongs that need to be set right,” Ori said, one hand covering a wound at the back of his head. “Eritopia is free of Azazel, and his control spell has come undone. Much chaos and uncertainty await, so we must act fast and restore balance across the kingdoms.”
We all nodded our approval, as Jax stepped toward the edge of the platform.
“The worst part’s over,” he said, looking below. “The head has fallen and the body will flounder. Whatever Destroyers were left across the other planets of Eritopia have now been returned to their original Druid forms. They must all be very confused right now. But Druids are inherently good creatures, save for a few rotten apples.”
“Like Goren.” Hansa grinned, patting her broadsword, its golden scabbard glistening under the afternoon sun. We’d left Stonewall in the morning, and by dusk we’d freed Eritopia. I was still grasping the concept, readjusting to a world without Azazel threatening our lives.
Anjani came to her side and placed a hand on her shoulder.
r />
“You’ve fought well, Sister,” she said.
Hansa snorted and took Anjani in a tight hug, surprising the young succubus.
“I’ve had you to look after,” Hansa said. “You were the fire on my heels.”
“I think it’ll take a while to adjust,” Field mused, half his face hidden in Aida’s rich, curly brown-and-gold hair. “We’ve been on the run and fighting for our lives for quite some time. It’s been so intense, we’ll need a few days just to readjust to our freedom.”
“No more hiding inside a mansion,” Aida added.
“No more marinating inside glass bubbles.” Vita scoffed. Bijarki dropped another kiss on her lips, his expression soft as he looked at her.
It was over, and I felt like I could breathe again.
I’d been so close to losing Draven. So close to losing this battle. But I hadn’t. We had stood strong and trusted each other to do the right thing, even when it all seemed to tumble down a path to certain death.
We were finally free.
Serena
“What about the pendant?” Anjani asked, looking down at the gold snake with ruby eyes left on the floor. It didn’t move anymore. The green flicker was gone, but there was still something about it that gave me the creeps, as if there were some Asherak residue inside it, lurking and waiting to fall into the wrong hands again.
Viola picked it up, analyzing it as she wrapped the broken chain around her fingers. She pursed her lips and glanced at Draven and me.
“There is still something in it,” she said. “Something dark and evil. I think Asherak’s soul returned to it. He cast a powerful spell on this object, something the other Druids couldn’t break thousands of years ago.”
The thought made my blood freeze.
“I thought he burst into nothingness when I expelled him.” Draven frowned, bringing his arm around my waist and instinctively pulling me closer in a protective gesture.
“I think that was just a reaction to his expulsion,” Viola said. “Like one last try to hang on, which obviously backfired. His soul is in here, but the snake isn’t moving anymore. I think his spirit is now once again dormant, rejected by the last host.”
“So what do we do with it?” I asked. I didn’t feel comfortable with that thing anywhere near me or Draven. It made my stomach churn.
“The Druids never asked the Daughters for help with Asherak’s pendant. They tried to destroy it themselves and failed,” Viola replied. “I will take it to Mount Agrith and toss it into the water that created us. The primordial liquid may be able to destroy it. If not, at least it will be lost at the bottom of the mountain, where no living creature could ever reach it.”
She turned to Phoenix and kissed him gently, touching his face with a reassuring smile.
“I’ll be back soon, I promise,” she said slowly.
Phoenix sighed, then nodded.
“I’ll be here.”
Without another word, Viola closed her eyes and dissipated into a pink mist right before our eyes. She scattered with the wind, off to put Asherak’s soul somewhere so far and deep that it could never be found again.
It felt as if a massive weight had been lifted from my shoulders.
Draven took my hand, and we both walked over to the edge of the platform. We’d all heard the fighting, the explosions and the shouting and wailing, but we hadn’t gotten to see the outcome of the allied forces’ siege, as we’d been busy with our own war up here.
Thick columns of smoke billowed from where explosions had taken place. The ground had been split here and there, and thousands of incubi lay lifeless in the tall grass around the castle. Silver blood glazed the hills and trickled down into the river.
Destroyer corpses, returned to their Druid forms, were scattered all over, while the traps that the imps had set also held Druids, free of Azazel’s spell. I counted about forty of them in total. The throngs of incubi that had turned against Azazel once the allied forces had besieged the castle were huddled into heavily guarded groups, cluttered on the side of the main road leading into the castle. I used my True Sight to get a better look, noticing the worried and regretful looks on their faces.
Hansa came to stand next to me, gazing down.
“They may have turned against Azazel,” she said. “But they will answer for their crimes and treason. The Destroyers had an excuse, after all. Or, at least, most of them did. But the incubi were given a choice, and they still sided with Azazel. We’ll have to interrogate all of them and find out where they truly stand. Chances are that those who sided with Azazel in the early days are those most likely to betray Eritopia again.”
“And the same will be done with the Druids,” Draven added. “We have truth spells to determine which of them had pure intentions and which ones joined Azazel willingly.”
I nodded slowly, then resumed scanning the battlefield below. The castle’s façade had been marred by explosive projectiles, but the structure and most of its walls were still intact, leaving room for localized repairs and restoration work.
The allies were celebrating, hugging and shaking hands and roaring with delight as they were reunited with the many prisoners still pouring out from the dungeons. The Dearghs had come to a halt, giant, quiet statues overlooking the castle and its bloody hills, their eyes simmering orange. Draven took my hand and squeezed it gently.
“They’ll be okay,” he said. “We’ll reignite the volcanoes once we restore some basic order here. They’ll come back to life, except for the Dearghs who sacrificed themselves in turning the fiery mountains off. Unfortunately, they are gone for good…”
I then glanced over to Zeriel and Tamara, who were standing in the middle of their garrisons. The Lamias and Tritones had joined forces, overpowering Luceria’s defenses on that side of the castle. They had been laughing, but stilled as they looked up and saw us. The whole crowd erupted in a massive cheer as they brought their hands, their shields, and their weapons up.
The allies banged metal against metal in a rhythmic beat that made me shudder. I felt overwhelmed with pride and sheer awe at what we’d accomplished. They had every reason to celebrate. They’d earned their freedom, and they’d lost many loved ones in the process.
Wren was also in the crowd, hugging succubi from different tribes as they gathered in front of the castle’s main gate. The Maras and the Bajangs had also come together as they’d begun to clear the meadows of incubi and Destroyer corpses, piling them one on top of the other. They kept the allied victims separate, while the imps and some of the Tritones started gathering wood for a funeral pyre.
“What happens to the dead?” I asked.
“They burn,” Hansa replied swiftly. “There is no time to mourn or honor those who betrayed Eritopia and fought against the free people, even when they were given a chance to be on the right side of history. Those who fought with the alliance will be given a funeral pyre ceremony. They’ve earned eternal glory for their sacrifice.”
A scream pierced through the joy and celebration below. I immediately located the source, as the others in our group rushed over to the edge of the platform.
Zeriel looked somber as Tamara fell to her knees. The body of a Lamia had been lain before her by two Maras. She looked an awful lot like Tamara, albeit younger, with platinum hair and green and yellow scales covering her arms and neck. Her chest had been pierced by a poisoned spear, and was covered in crimson blood.
Tamara took the Lamia in her arms and held her close, crying. Her emotions were so raw, her grief so intense, it broke my heart. As much as we’d knocked heads before, I couldn’t help but feel sorry for her.
“That’s Kyana,” Aida gasped as she recognized the lifeless Lamia.
Patrik immediately rushed down the stairs.
“Oh, no… Poor Patrik.” Vita sobbed and hid her face in Bijarki’s chest.
He’d lost the love of his life. He’d spent centuries fighting Azazel’s control, he’d done everything in his power to keep Kyana alive, and yet in the e
nd, the war had claimed her. I couldn’t even begin to imagine what was going on inside him. The mere thought of losing Draven had pushed me over the edge, and it was the kind of pain I wouldn’t wish upon my worst enemy.
We all hurried downstairs after Patrik, quickly glancing around as we moved from one level to the next. Allies were already clearing the corridors and living quarters, arresting the incubi who had been part of the defense forces and caring for the wounded.
As soon as we arrived downstairs, we ran into Jasmine, Rebel, and the wards, while Patrik raced ahead to get to Kyana. Jasmine took Draven in a hug, holding him tight as tears of joy streamed down her cheeks.
“You’ve done it, my darling nephew,” she sobbed. “I cannot believe it, after all these years. You are truly your father’s son, and worthy of Almus and Genevieve’s extraordinary heritage… I am so proud of you!”
Draven blinked several times, his eyes flickering black. There was a mixture of shyness and pride roiling inside him as he tried to get used to physical contact with a family member. He eventually responded to her embrace, while Rebel offered me her hand.
I shook it, and she pulled me into a bear hug, purring with delight.
“Thank you, Serena,” she said. “You did not disappoint.”
“Neither did you.” I smiled back, then frowned, not seeing Thorn anywhere nearby. “And your brother? Is he okay?”
“Yeah, he’s on the north side, helping with the injured.” She nodded.
Jax showed raw emotion for the first time when he hugged each of his wards. They looked pale and awkward, but the corners of their mouths twitched as they responded to his embrace. They’d been trained and marked to protect him, and, after having been separated to keep Destroyers at bay, they were relieved and happy to see him alive.
“Oh, come on, I’ve only been gone a few years, and you’re already getting soft! You’re hugging people now?!” a male voice boomed from the other side of the hallway, its dark archway leading down to the dungeons.