The following morning, Allanon woke next to Ryllae on the floor of the Ellcrys' temple. He kissed her forehead to wake her up.

"Good morning," she said with a groggy half smile.

"Morning to you," he replied, "We need to get ready for the battle. I won't be seeing you again until I rejoin you outside of the temple and I will be here as soon as I can. Please be safe and don't do anything rash," he requested as he leaned down and placed a soft kiss on her lips before reaching his hand down to her stomach, "Protect our future."

"I will," she said back as she put her hand on top of his, "I'll be waiting here for you and I will only fight what comes. I promise not to go looking for danger."

"Thank you," he said as he kissed her once more and then stood and left the temple.

Ryllae already had everything she needed so she gathered her things and moved outside the temple to wait. She sat down on the ground and tuned her ears to listen for anything that could mean the danger was coming her way.

Ryllae sat in silence for the entire day until night fell but once the darkness came, the fight came too. The army began joining her on the hill of the temple.

"Some of you need to go inside and guard the doors from there," Ryllae ordered, "If they come, we need to do everything we can to defend it until Amberle arrives."

The crew nodded as they set up but it wasn't moments later when the entire demon army came storming the hill. Ryllae readied her sword and began fighting them off one by one. Each demon weakened her more as she was one of the few in this battle. She hoped the low numbers didn't mean that most of the army was gone.

A different demon appeared at the top of the hill and Ryllae knew it was the Dagda Mor and she also knew she had to everything to keep him from getting inside the doors. She rushed forward with her sword but the Dagda Mor raised his staff and hit her with a ray of red magic sending her backwards onto the dirt. She took a deep breath after hitting the ground and got back up to run again. It didn't matter how many times it hit her as long as she kept him out.

As he hit her again with another burst of magic, Allanon, Amberle and Will appeared at the top of the hill.

"Open the doors!" Allanon yelled as he fought his way through the army of demons.

Ryllae stopped for a moment to watch him fight and as she did, the Dagda Mor saw Amberle and refocused his attentions. He went straight for them but Allanon beat him to the moment and gave them time to get inside.

Allanon fought against it with his own magic but Ryllae was horrified to see how easily the Dagda Mor threw Allanon around. She took a deep breath and raced around the back and got in one hit with her sword on him before he reared back and hit her in the stomach with his arm, sending her back to the ground again.

As she gathered herself and stood back up to watch Allanon continue to try to fight this monster, she felt a gush from between her legs and she closed her eyes as she reached down to see what it was. When she brought her hand back to her eyes, she saw it was blood.

All she had left was Allanon and she wasn't going to let that creature kill him as she lunged again and continued to attack each time Allanon landed on the ground.

She followed their battle into the temple and saw Will holding it back from Amberle with his stones. She watched Amberle run to the tree but she didn't know what was going on as she saw Will weakening and Allanon on the floor.

As she was about to try and strike again, Allanon rose from the ground and extended his sword to swiftly behead the monster. Ryllae leaned back as she saw it's head hit the ground and as it did, it turned to dust.

Ryllae looked up and the tree began to bloom again but she didn't see Amberle anywhere. Allanon rushed to her as she looked around.

"Allanon, are you alright?" she asked first.

Allanon nodded as he began to look at her, "What about you? You should not have gone after him. That was a risk you were not to take."

Ryllae closed her eyes, as she reached up and grabbed his upper arm, "I had to fight him before he could get in but I lost the baby in the war. I'm so sorry, Allanon. I can only hope we'll get another chance," she said as she looked down.

Allanon grabbed her in his arms, hugging her tightly to him. When he finally let go, she had the courage to ask, "Where's Amberle?"

"She is the Ellcrys now," he answered, "She was the seed that had to be purified."

"My sister is gone?" Ryllae asked, the tears stinging her eyes before she could register that she was even crying.

"I'm so sorry but her sacrifice saved all of us," he said as he hugged her tightly to his chest once more, "Let's get you some sleep and a clean set of clothes. You'll feel better after you've slept. I promise."

"I don't know that I'll ever feel completely myself ever again," she replied softly, "Amberle was more then a sister to me. We were so close. I don't know how to live in a world that she isn't a part of."

Allanon scooped her into his arms, "I know you don't believe it now but someday you will be ok. I'm taking you to bed for now but we have another journey ahead of us. One that concerns me almost more then what we just faced," he revealed.

"Don't tell me now, Allanon," she pleaded, "I can't take anymore right now." She grew quiet for a moment before she tightened her grip around his neck, "Allanon?" she said.

"Yes, my Princess?" he replied, ignoring his own wounds and pains to hold her securely in his arms.

"I am glad I still have you," she whispered, "I love you."

Allanon closed his eyes for a moment as he thought about how he was slowly dying and he would leave her too but that wasn't a conversation for this moment either so he told her the only truth he could, "I love you too, my dear Ryllae. Now sleep," he said as he laid her down.