Erik and Thea waited before Draconia’s wide open gates, as from the distant armies they came.

First to arrive, Nerick and Kayle leapt off their pegasus, both almost toppling Thea over as they embraced her. Nerick stepping away then, as sister held sister, tears streaming down their eyes.

“You-You’re-alive…” Kayle managed to say through the sniffling and hiccupping, pulling in her sister and holding her tightly, as if she would disappear if she didn’t.

“I’m alive, and I’m never going anywhere ever again.” Thea replied, holding Kayle just as close, for several long moments they held one another.

During which the others arrived, Ivyieth coming to a stop with her own pegasus nearby, Zentha and Pyra then appearing in a burst of combined shadow. Followed by Alan and Findri, who soared down and landed by them all.

Letting her sister go, Thea nodded to Kayle before turning to the rest. “Thank you…all of you, for trusting him.” She said, gazing at each of their smiles, “For no matter how crazy his plans, I can only thank you all for believing in him.”

“No, Theaviss, thank you.” Findri then said, stepping forth from the group to then holding both Thea’s hands. “You did what none of our kind ever could, you helped Erikathyr find his way.” Glancing then at Erik, Findri nodded in acknowledgement, as he did also.

As they all then turned to the city, “There are a few more, we should show our gratitude to.” Erik mused, as Thea pulled away from Findri and held onto his arm. Facing the gates as four figures walked out, and immediately as they saw Erik, three of them kneeled.

All but one, Makaela’s and Thea’s eyes widened at seeing one another.

“You’ve chang-” Thea was about to say, but was cut off midway as Makaela suddenly embraced the both of them, both Thea and Erik.

“I’m so glad…” She muttered out in Elven, “I’m so glad you’re both alive!” She exclaimed in common, tears wetting her own face then as awkwardly she pulled away. Coming to stand before the both of them, “Sire…we’ve won?” Makaela asked.

“Erik,” Thea then said, pulling Makaela back in, she hugged her now. “Call us by our names, we’re no royalty…we’ve been and always will be friends.” Thea said, meeting the now Dragon Elf’s eyes, they both smiled. “Plus, I can’t have my fellow empress thinking she’s beneath me now, can I?”

Her words striking Makaela hard as she froze both in expression and thought. “You-”

“I was dead, not elsewhere.” Thea mused with a grin, “And you’re the only one I’ll allow.” She then said, as the both of them glanced at Erik, a chill going up his spine at their gazes.

“I-Uh-Ahem, Ascal! You did well.” He then turned to the Lich, avoiding the conversation entirely and causing Thea to chuckle, as once more she hugged a stunned Makaela closely.

“I couldn’t have done it without this little monster,” Ascal sighed, “But I guess what is, is for a reason.”

“Gotten wiser from losing some flesh have you?” Erik mused, fully expecting Ascal to try and take full credit.

“If not, then humbler.” Ascal said with another sigh.

As Erik looked over him, then over Kailu.

Sensing the strange and ancient energy within his scythe, something he hadn’t sensed earlier.

Erik kneeled down before the young Xilfir, laying his hand over Kailu’s shoulder, the young boy dared not meet the Dragon’s eyes. “You wield great power now, and great power comes with both great authority and heavy burdens. Use it wisely, use it morally, but most important of all, use it.” Erik told him, as Kailu’s chest swelled up with pride.

“Y-Yes, my lord.” The young Xilfir managed a stuttered reply.

(“Hah, so there are people who can break your shell.”) The voice spoke into his mind.

(“Shove it Z.”) Kailu responded, the moment completely ruined.

(“We have yet to agree on that short ass name!”) The devil grumbled.

As Erik now rose, then turned to face the last of them.

Not recognising the creature at first, they rose to face him. Pale white skin, long gleaming blonde hair and glistening green eyes.

And a pair of white feathered wings, spanning widely from their back.

Erik knew it was a Seraph, and angelic being.

What he did not know though, “What can I say? Chalk it up to accidental holy purification, and a painful one at that.” was that it is Azkel, realizing that as she spoke. She was no longer a Devil. “You change people in many ways, Dragon.” Azkel mused, glancing from the Lich, the Scythe, the Chosen and the Dragon Elf.

Then the Djinn, the Hero, and the young Drake. “You’ve accomplished a lot,” Azkel said with a smirk, “From fate’s slave, to Emperor of it.”

“Yeah,” Erik sighed as he stepped to the gates, gazing up at the citadel before him. All then turned to follow him, as Thea and Makaela each took one of his arms. “I’ve come a long way…” Erik mused out loud, “We’ve come a long way.” He said, glancing to each of his comrades, they began to walk into the city.

Through the silent streets, dimly lit beneath this night sky, they roamed.

Heading towards the castle, as behind them the Xilfir also came.

Gathering behind their leaders, warriors and heroes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6CAUc-YyCZY

“From the desolate lands of the lost world…” Erik whispered, his mind straying.

“To the fields and dying farmlands of Druvia.” Thea mused as she held on tighter.

“And the village, with that first clash.” Kayle added, also sinking into Nerick’s arms.

“Then the city’s bustling streets...and Azruxan.” Nerick who then mentioned the battle.

Alan chuckled, “The port and taverns of Daldorth, a day I’ll never forget.”

“The wide-open ocean,” Erik also mentioned with amusement, “I will miss my Lair dearly.”

“The Dragon’s Lair we destroyed too.” Thea said with a giggle.

Erik chuckling too at that, “Then there was the sands and dunes of Sinbeni, its cities we felled open.”

“The…P-People, you freed.” Kailu muttered out sheepishly.

“The people we revived.” Makaela corrected, “their spirits healed.”

“The fortress of Swain, and the Orcin hordes we herded.” Nerick said, continuing to reminisce, smiling as well as the rest.

“The Zrosian jungles…” Ascal mused, glancing down at his now bony body, and his demon wielding disciple.

“The plains of Zrosa that now surround us…” Erik then said, pausing before the castle’s steps.

“What…do we do now?” Thea asked, as all looked at him.

As Erik let go of her and Makaela, rising a single step before turning to them all.

To his loved ones, to his comrades, to his people.

“My story, ends here.” He proclaimed, “We’ve won.” Erik announced, and cheers slowly but surely rose from the formed crowd of Dark Elves. “But it doesn’t end here,” He then growled, regaining their silence and attention.

Erik spread his wings wide, forwarding both hands to his queens, Thea and Makaela both took it, and he pulled them up to his side. “My story ends here, but our story…Your story, Draconia’s story, has just begun. And each one of you, of us, can add upon its paper with our ink. Let us not take this victory lightly, let us use it to its fullest potential and create something…greater.”

Erik took a deep breath, “We’ve suffered, we’ve risen, we’ve fought and conquered!” He exclaimed, his draconic voice reverberating throughout the city and the plains beyond its walls.

“Now…Now we build.” Erik announced, “We build a kingdom like no other, to bring order to this world, and protect it. We shall build, with our own two hands, with our mighty minds and strong hearts. We shall build a dynasty that shalt not fall to time.”

His eyes shone a bright gold, with a tinge of crimson swirling within.

As suddenly, the ground quaked.

The buildings and streets shook, as raw energy flowed through it.

As the black stone changed, replaced with pure white and a pale golden gleam.

Above them, the sky also pulsed with magic, as lights rained down upon them.

Spirits filled the air, shining a multitude of colours, the previously dark and solemn city was alit with life and power.

“A dynasty that nor hell,

nor heaven,

shall ever break.”