In a swift, urgent motion, Aurelius tore a portion of his wife's dress and carefully tied it around the wound, doing what he could to stop the bleeding. His hands trembled, but his resolve was clear. After securing the makeshift bandage, he helped her rise to her feet, his anger simmering, but his wife put her hand on his as if trying to tell him that she will settle this and with a voice booming with authority yelled.
"Sister." She called out, her voice echoing across the shattered landscape, to her brilliant counter as she stood there watching their moment together in cruel amusement. "What do you want? What could possibly drive you to cause all this destruction?!"
Her eyes locked onto Ventris, gaze burning with a mixture of disbelief, sorrow, and a deep, unyielding need for answers.
"Oh, don't act like you don't know why I'm doing this," Ventris snapped, her voice filled with venom as her amusement quickly morphed to anger. "You took what was mine, so now I'll take what's yours. Slowly but surely, I'll build a kingdom far greater than anything you and that pathetic waste of space could ever imagine. And when Father sees... He will finally approve of me."
Her eyes flickered toward Solaria, her expression cold. "But sadly, sister, my plan doesn't involve you or your little mutt being alive. Though I do see why you like these... Ugh. Humans... They have their uses."
The malicious intent in her words hung in the air, her eyes burning with the conviction of her twisted vision as she slowly hovered toward the hooded figure, who had just stabbed Solaria, a dark smile curled on her lips.
"Especially this one..." She hummed as she walked around the hooded figure, trailing her fingers along his shoulder as she met her sister's fierce gaze.
With a slow, deliberate movement, she removed his hood, revealing the face beneath.
It was Zervas to the shock of the two.
"Look." She said with a wicked gleam in her eyes. "I even found a toy of my own."
Her voice was dripping with mockery, as she looked down at him, the once strong warrior now nothing more than a pawn in her twisted game.
The king's heart clenched, his gaze fixed on Zervas. He could hardly believe what he was seeing. There had to be more to this, at first he thought an illusion or imposter but the mana scent coming from him confirmed that it really was him. What was he hiding? What could possibly make him join her? His mind raced, desperately searching for an answer, not wanting to believe this betrayal.
He let go of Solaria and stepped forward, his voice low but filled with a quiet intensity. "Zervas... There must be something more to this. Tell me why."
As their eyes met, Zervas's gaze was cold, devoid of the warmth he had once shared with the king. He didn't speak, offering nothing in explanation.
The king sighed deeply, his heart heavy with the weight of his betrayal. There was no response to try and clear this up, no remorse in Zervas's eyes. With this... He has no choice but to treat him as an enemy. His gaze hardened, and with a surge of determination, he spoke.
"I pray to Asura that you have a good reason for this, brother."
The king spoke, his voice low but full of a chilling resolve as he bared his fangs at him.
"Or I will make you regret so much as existing. Not just for hurting my wife, but for taking part in all of this destruction. The lives lost here today...will not go unanswered."
His words were sharp, the promise of retribution unmistakable. The king's fury was evident, but there was also a deep sadness in his eyes, a sorrow for the brother he had lost to this dark path. Zeravas hadn't even reacted to his threat, eyes icy still.
"Alright, enough talk," Ventris cut in, her voice sharp and dismissive.
"Today is a special day for you two. I've spent the better part of the last 100 years preparing a gift for you both, too bad I can only do this once."
With a snap of her fingers, the world around them shifted. In an instant, Aurelius, Solaria, Queen Abella, King Barbarus, and his children found themselves in a completely unfamiliar realm. They stood in the middle of a barren wasteland, the ground beneath their feet jagged and black, littered with sharp, jagged rocks. Above, the sky was an unsettling canvas, filled with exploding stars and collapsing galaxies, a scene both beautiful and eerie, its grandeur overshadowed by a sense of foreboding.
In the distance, the fallen Castle Barbarus loomed, now nothing more than a broken shell of its former glory. The once-mighty fortress drifted in the strange void like a ghost, its collapsed towers standing as a haunting reminder of what had been lost.
The group looked around, confusion and trepidation growing in their eyes. They had no idea where they were, but one thing was clear: they were no longer on Oreath. And whatever this place was, they needed to find a way out.
Back on Oreath, Ventris stood tall above the army of angels, her presence commanding and powerful as she looked down at them. Her gaze was filled with cold confidence, the weight of her power evident in every step she took. The surviving angels stood in uneasy silence, unsure of what was to come.
"Look at them," Ventris began, her voice carrying across the burning city, smooth and persuasive.
"These creatures you serve, your rulers can give you nothing compared to what I am offering you. You stand at the crossroads of your future, a future in which you can transcend. Become something more. A future where you will be gods, true gods."
"You've followed orders, fought for a cause that will only lead you to your death. But why should you die for them? Join me, and I will make you more than just servants to lesser beings. You will be my fellow gods, ruling by my side, shaping the future as you see fit. No longer bound by mortal rules, no longer slaves to the whims of those unworthy of your strength. Together, we will build a kingdom that will rival the heavens itself. Power, glory, immortality. All will be yours. The choice is simple."
As she spoke, six angels stepped forward, their eyes filled with a mixture of awe and ambition. They had seen the truth in her words, the power she promised. They kneeled before her, pledging their allegiance, their once-strong loyalty to the king now shattered in the face of her tempting offer.
"I choose to stand with you, my Queen." One of them declared, his voice full of conviction.
The others followed suit, swearing their loyalty, and as the final words left their mouths, the atmosphere shifted. The remaining angels, their expressions filled with confusion and fear, had no time to react.
The air was pierced by the sudden, deafening sound of destruction. In a burst of raw energy, the angels who had not pledged allegiance to Ventris were wiped from existence, their screams swallowed by the void. Nothing but silence remained in the wake of their fall, as the six generals stood by her side, their eyes glowing with newfound power, ready to serve the goddess they had chosen to follow.
"Good." Ventris said, her voice cool and triumphant as she surveyed the generals who had chosen to stand by her. "You have made the right choice. But before we can take our rightful place as rulers, we must rid ourselves of the old ones."
With a flick of her wrist, she opened a rift in the air, a swirling, crackling vortex of dark energy. The rift pulsed with power, beckoning them forward, the promise of their future lying beyond it.
Without hesitation, Ventris stepped through, her new followers following closely behind, each of them eager to embrace the power she had promised them. Her new generals moved with purpose, their faces hardening as they crossed into the unknown, ready to claim what was rightfully theirs.
But Zervas, the last to move, hesitated. His eyes flickered between Ventris and the rift, doubt creeping into his expression for a brief moment. The weight of the past, of the bond he had once shared with Aurelius and Solaria, seemed to tug at him.
Ventris, sensing his pause, turned to him with a cruel, knowing smile. "Don't waste time, Zervas." She called, her voice dripping with mock sweetness. "You've made your choice. Come."
A shiver ran down his spine at her tone, but he knew there was no turning back now. With a reluctant breath, he stepped through the rift, vanishing into the darkness behind her.
On the other side of the rift, Ventris had transported them all to the same strange, desolate realm where she had sent the others. Aurelius and his family stood at the edge of a barren wasteland, watching as Ventris and her new followers made their entrances, stepping out of the portal one by one.
When Aurelius, who had been trying to comfort and aid his wife with her injury that refused to heal still, saw the six angel generals standing by Ventris, his heart sank. Betrayal. It was undeniable now. The weight of their treason pressed heavily on him.
It wasn't until he saw Zervas, his loyal friend and brother standing among them that his emotions boiled over. The rage, confusion, and a profound sense of loss flooded him. Zervas had betrayed him. His closest ally had turned against him, siding with the force that had destroyed everything he loved.
Without thinking, Aurelius rocketed toward Zervas with breakneck speed, his claws extended and ready to strike. His vision was clouded by anger, each wingbeat pushing him faster, more desperate to reach him.
But just as he was about to collide with Zervas, Ventris's mocking voice echoed through the air.
"Not so fast."
In one fluid motion, Zervas raised his hand and, with surprising strength, knocked Aurelius out of the air. The king was sent spiraling downward, his body crashing into the earth below. The impact sent a shudder through the ground.
Solaria hated that all she could do right now was watch. Pain was something she had never experienced before and her body and mind were reeling, trying to adapt to it. The blade was removed from her body and yet still the wound it left behind had sapped her strength and left her feeling... Weak. Another thing she was not used to feeling. She had to gather her bearings and do so quickly. She couldn't let Aure face them, face her sister on his own.
Aurelius lay still for a moment, pain surging through his body, the shock of the fall leaving him breathless. But he knew he couldn't stay down. The fire of vengeance still burned in his eyes as he pushed himself to rise, his body aching, yet filled with the determination to keep fighting. It wasn't over, not yet.
Aurelius pushed himself to his feet, his body aching from the fall, but his resolve stronger than ever. He was ready to charge again, his fury boiling over. But once more, his efforts were halted by Ventris, who stood with a wicked smile on her face, watching him intently.
With a casual motion, she pointed toward his family. Aurelius's eyes followed her gesture, and his heart sank as he saw them once again trapped inside a cage. The spear of light was pointed directly at them, poised to strike at the slightest movement.
The proud king, feeling the weight of his helplessness, slowly lowered his wings. His arms fell to his sides, and his chest tightened as he gave in, showing that he would not resist. His heart clenched at the sight of his family's danger, his love for them outweighing his fury.
"Good boy," Ventris taunted, her voice dripping with mock approval. "Now power down, both of you."
Aurelius hesitated, pain evident in his eyes. But he knew the only way to keep them safe was to comply. Reluctantly, he and Solaria, despite her injuries, began to return to their human forms. The golden light that had surrounded them dimmed as they shrank in size, their once-great powers weakening.
Solaria, still bleeding from the wound she had received earlier, struggled to stay upright, but she did not falter. She stood beside her husband, their gazes locked in a shared, silent understanding. They had no choice but to comply for now... but this was far from over.
Suddenly, six angels appeared behind Aurelius, their movements swift and silent. Before he could react, they seized him, forcing him to his knees before Ventris. The king struggled, his muscles burning with the effort, but their strength was overwhelming. They held him firmly, their grip like iron as he was made to kneel before his sister.
Ventris let out a cruel, maniacal laugh, her voice echoing through the barren realm. With a dark glint in her eyes, she flew down toward him, her feet never actually touching the ground. Her presence was suffocating, her power radiating like an oppressive storm. She hovered above him, her smile twisted with triumph.
"How the mighty have fallen," she mocked, her words dripping with scorn.
Solaria, seeing her beloved husband in such a position, sprang to her feet, her heart aching with desperation. But as she moved, the pain from her wound, deep and still untreated, paralyzed her. Her body betrayed her, and she fell to her knees, gasping in pain. She could barely even move..
Ventris, noticing her sister's struggle, glanced over with a malicious smile. Her eyes gleamed with dark amusement as she watched Solaria's efforts falter.
The sight of her sister's agony brought an even more sinister satisfaction to Ventris's heart. She relished in the power she now wielded, knowing that with every painful moment, her victory was inching closer.
"That blade you were stabbed with earlier," Ventris said with a dark smile, her voice dripping with malice, "was cursed with my blood, sister. Though I would never truly fight you in earnest, I can, however, weaken you and trap you." She stepped closer, her eyes gleaming with satisfaction. "That curse is meant to siphon your power into me, into us."
Her gaze shifted to her six generals, now visibly brimming with the stolen power from Solaria. Their energy surged with each moment, their strength heightened by the curse that had drained Solaria's magic. Ventris's smile widened at the sight, a feeling of victory settling in her chest.
"However," she continued, her tone cold and calculating, "this is just in terms of your magical power. Sad to say, you still have enough physical strength to give us a good fight, you are a goddess after all." She looked at Solaria with a sneer. "But the pain from your wound should be enough to stop you."
Ventris stepped closer, her voice dripping with venom as she added, "Feels awful, doesn't it? You've never actually felt pain before, have you, sister? But I have... The pain of Father taking away my title, my honor. I was supposed to lead that world into greatness, and then every other world, all guided under my hand. But then you just had to come in with your goody-goody act, didn't you?"