The smoke of many fires rose in the air, tainting the already darkening sky where thunder roars with a force that resonated with the carnage below. Citivas Pacis was a shadow of its former glory. It's pearly white streets stained with the blood of fallen brethren but still the fight raged on for it was not over yet. All around, in the gathering darkness, her people fight to defend their grand city. The shrieks of the demons mingled with the battle cries of the Seraphim.
The demon horde led by the cunning Nephilim Cassius Vlad along with his bloodthirsty brothers and sisters pushed back their forces till they were nearing the fortified walls of the palace Citivas Pacis.
Elara's boots thundered over the pools of blood that flooded the streets, her heart racing, her breath ragged. The last battle nearly depleted her of all her magic but she could not stop. Not when there was something she needed to do. This may very well be her last chance.
She raced past two young Lightbringers, their swords of fallen stars held high as they fought back a bibitsanguis, a vicious humanoid demon more than four metres tall with ichor-dripped pincers for a face. It charged at them blindly, guided by its acrid sense of smell. Distracted by her presence, it turned to her. She raised her bow and notched an arrow but there was no need. The two Lightbringers used it's distraction to their advantage.
Together, they wove their aura, a brilliant canopy of red and blue, and form a powerful Banishment rune. The spell released a powerful blast of magic fire, setting the beast aflame.
With a roar of agony and rage, the demon disintergrated into dust.
Elara lowered her bow with a sigh and turned to the warriors. A boy and girl with too serious expressions. When their eyes met hers, they bowed their head in unison, "Your Eminence."
"No, no. Don't call me that. You know I am not worthy of that title." The two merely exchanged looks.
"How fares the fight?" Elara asked, though she dreaded the answer.
"Not well, I'm afraid," the boy replied, his grey eyes grim, "The Lightbringers have managed to hold down the fort in Michael but-"
"We've lost too many," the girl finished. Elara nodded; she expected as much. Vlad seemed to be holding nothing back.
"What about Commandant Nightlark's legion? Have they managed to seal the portals?" Elara hid her real question. Is he still alive?
The two exchanged looks again but this time they didn't not look at her.
"Well?" Elara snapped, her temper flaring, "What is it?"
"Your Eminence, we thought you knew," the boy admitted hesitantly.
"Knew what?" she asked though of course she knew, she had felt it in her very bones...she just didn't want to believe it.
"Your Eminence, they've managed to seal the portals...but not before the Commandant made his final stand," the girl reported, her tone hinted as her nervousness but also her sympathy.
Elara's heart tightened painfully and for a moment she could not draw breath. He's gone. He's really gone. She could hear the warriors ask if she was alright, their concern evident but it sounded very far way.
Slowly she turned and walked away in a daze, her heart pounding in a more furious tempo. Sebastian, you fool. I told you not to do anything stupid. But when has her husband ever listen to a thing she said? He was a stubborn mule, always has been then again...it was one of the reasons she loved him.
But now it was only her and...
Elara gasped out of her daze at that thought. Her mission was clear. She needed to protect the last of their legacy...even if it would by the end of her.
She began to pick her pace until she was fully sprinting through the deserted cobbled streets. The sound of battle still went on, clashes of metal on demon hide.
She raced by countless of other fights like the two young warriors'. Timeless monsters being felled before the star-forged blades of her fellow Seraphim but she couldn't stop to help them so she ran on.
Passing through these streets she'd wandered through ever since she was but a child and seeing it destroyed, reduced to smouldering rumble broke her inner child's heart. An unbidden tear slid her dirty cheek as she took in the destruction of Murphy's sweet shop at the city's public square. Its mulberry painted walls stood burning, its innards littering the street.
She ran past it, through the square to the far western side of the grand city towards Lion's Jaw.
Elara was panted hard when she finally reached their little cottage that overlooked the bay. Maywell cottage was like a beacon, drawing her to it. She staggered up the incline, relief loosened the tautness of her heart.
But it was short-lived..for there stalking around her home like an unwanted guest was a creature she knew should not be here.
A wyvern. A menacing sight with gleaming green scales and slitted yellow eyes. At the sight of her, reared its large head with its leathery black wings outreached and bellowed in rage.
The roar was so powerful, it nearly blew her off the cliff. Elara's booted feet skidded over the loose rocks but at the last second she grabbed an embedded rock to anchor herself.
The wyvern's roar ended and charged at her at full speed, its maul open to reveal three jagged rows of serrated teeth. Elara threw herself to the side in a nick of time. The wyvern turned with a snarl and whipped at her with its barbed tail and she flew back several feet.
She landed hard on the edge of the cliff, her fingers braced in the rock was the only thing keeping her from falling down into the inky depths below. The wyvern walked over to survey its prey, its yellow eyes brightened with mirth at her struggle.
Elara's jaw clenched and she reached one handed to unclasp the black band at her right arm, the one with a silver talisman forged into the shape of a curved knife.
The talisman in her hand grew to its full size and with a grunt she threw the knife at the beast's beating heart. The knife found its mark, embedding itself in its chest and with a startled cry of agony, the wyvern turned to solid stone.
Elara pulled herself over the edge and stood to eyed her work. The Maledictus blade was not to be used lightly but she had no choice. She ripped out the knife and the petrified wyvern crumbled into dust.
Elara turned way and raced to the cottage. She shoved open the door. Her home was exactly as she left it. The interior was vast, ridiculously so but that was because of the complex runes that ran throughout the home made it that the outside seemed smaller than it was inside.
She ran down the entry hall to the grand staircase leading off the other floors of the house, her footsteps pounded upon the white tiled floors.
"Evan?! Wynter!" she called as she charged down the hall to the family lounge. She turned the knob of the wooden door and...dodged an arrow to her head.
"Great Benaiah! Evan?!"
"Sorry, Mommy. Thought you were a monster," her five year old son said with a sheepish look. Evan lowered his crude bow with a gleam in his blue eyes.
"MOMMY!" Behind him was his four-year-old sister who ran and nearly tackled her to the ground.
Elara laughed and lifted her child in her arms, "My snowflake," she murmured as she pressed her forehead to hers. She knelt to gather her son in her arms, the dull pain in her heart returning at what she must do.
"Mommy, where's Daddy?" Wynter asked, her dark eyes searching over her shoulder as if he would walk in at any moment.
Elara swallowed hard at the lump in her throat, "Um, he's not here, honey. He...He left."
She could feel his son's intelligent gaze watching her, could sense he understood what that meant and kept silent. He was always too smart for his age.
"Now, children," she said, an urgentness entering her voice, "I want you to understand something. Your father and I, we love you so, so much. And wherever you are, even if you can't see us, we'll be with you. In here," she pressed a hand on her chest, "And remember, my brilliant children, nos ignis numquam exurere. 'We of the fire-
"'Never burn out'," her children finished for her. Elara smiled and pulled them in for another hug and under her breath, she said, "Lishon."
Her spell poured out of her mouth like a puff of cloud and her children went limp. Elara sighed and with a wave of her hand formed a portal to the Surface. It shimmered before her in a riot of swirling colours and with on last glance to her home, she stepped through....
24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVE3Injws0b
然後按「加至主畫面」