When the Prince of Death called, we gathered once more at the old shrine. It was not the first time we had seen each other since our alliance. My son had met his sisters many times, and one of them was almost a regular visitor. We had shared information as needed or as the Gloam-Eyed Queen demanded.
Yet this was the first time we had gathered at once. There was no time left for secrets. If our alliance failed to slay the Lord, there would be no hiding from the Frenzied Flame, not even for the witches. We shared the state of our domains and what information we had about the Lands Between.
Scouts had confirmed the presence of archdragons unearthed beneath each of the fallen Divine Towers. In fact, more were arriving or rising from beneath the earth as the years passed. All gazed unflinching at the Lord's kiln like scavengers waiting for a beast to die. Perhaps our homes would be safe even if we all fell.
Caelid was still ruined. The Chaos Witches wished to take the land of Frenzy-ash and Rot for themselves, but the Queen and Prince of Death denied them. It would spread our lands and defenses too thin, to say nothing of breaking the delicate balance between our domains. The witches could take it after the Lord was slain, at the same time as we would expand into Altus. One land above, one below. Equal and equally subject to Death.
Development of each of our domains had gone about as expected. The Prince held up his end of the bargain. A cadre of smiths wearing golden helms and bangles of the Golden Lineage brought fine new weapons made from his own flesh and blood. He now walked among us as a wizened titan of bone, every bit of Godwyn's body cast to the forgefire.
By now, I had long taken up a sword myself to better inspire the knights and for its versatility. It was an old relic of the early Erdtree era, simple and effective. With the new ore woven into it, even shattering stone was not impossible.
Such was no proper god-killing weapon, but the necessary scales of the primeval Dragonlord had been scarce even before the land had turned to ash. Further, slaying the Lord was not our duty, and weapons so empowered would be more than enough to repel his minions.
The Queen and her assassins departed now. Blackflame was all they needed. Of them, only a handful remained with us, to give the appearance that they too were attacking from the front. Among them was my former guide, who now felt fully one of our own.
Between the weapons of the Dead titan and Destined Death, we felt secure as we could be. And should the worst come, my wife had one final option.