Chapter Thirty-One
Ave Imperium!
In mere moments, Terrorblade's certain victory crumbled before his eyes.
Over the rise came rank upon rank of riders, their swords and lorica gleaming in the sunlight as the clouds began to part. Their red shields bore the golden sunburst of the Helio Imperium, charging towards the left flank of Terrorblade's host. Over them came the sphinx riders, and behind the riders came thousands of legionnaires on foot. Archers raised their bows and loosed a torrent of arrows towards the horde
Emboldened by the arrival of the Imperium soldiers, the surviving defenders charged too, straight towards Pudge. Pudge had no idea what to do, not knowing if he should deal with the two hundred suddenly hopeful fighters charging towards him, or turn to face the legions bearing down upon the rest of the horde.
Though Terrorblade still held the advantage of numbers, he knew that it would not matter against the legionnaires. They were well equipped, well trained, and they would gladly give their lives for their future Empress, and they had caught him completely unawares.
The arrows landed amongst his ranks, mere moments before both the survivors of Dragon Keep and the Imperium cavalry smashed into his forces, a fierce cry erupting from the Imperial riders as they collided with the un-dead.
'AVE IMPERIUM!'
They scythed into his ranks, crushing and cutting down whatever got in their way.
At the front of the horde, the survivors were fighting with an almost mad abandon. Emboldened by the turning of the tide, they went from a doomed and forsaken rabble to an unstoppable wave of steel and fury. Even Terrorblade's earth dragons could not stop them. Before Terrorblade's amazed eyes, the wounded, nullified Byssrak wrestled one to the ground with his strength alone. Eserren swung her bardiche into the exposed neck, severing arteries and snapping its spine. Lirrak and her water dragons swarmed another, spraying acid all over it.
He would not be defeated! Not here! Not now!
Terrorblade bellowed and called upon his stolen power. He would still have his victory.
Pudge bellowed and lumbered towards Davion, Marci and Bram as they worked together to take down another dragon.
He would not reach the dragon in time to save it, and he did not care. He just wanted to kill and eat.
Bram had just jabbed his longsword into the dragon's belly. Marci leapt as it shuddered and screeched, slamming her heel into its eye. As its head snapped round, blood bursting from its eye, Davion drove his flaming sword deep into its heart.
Pudge hurled his chains, catching a centaur. He yanked the centaur back towards him, cutting him in half with his cleaver, pausing only to shove one half into his wide mouth, before advancing on his chosen foe again. Terrorblade had warned him about the wurm-forged woman, how she could resist the influence of the Direstone. If he killed her, the day would still be theirs.
He stopped, feeling something slice his bulbous gut, stabbing into one of his stomachs. Something small and sharp and… fizzing?
He looked down, noticing a… was it a dart?
No. It was a crossbow bolt. A crossbow bolt fitted with a cleverly engineered head filled with volatile chemicals. Those chemicals were reacting with each other and his crudely fused flesh.
Caewyn had pierced him with one of her explosive needle-point bolts.
'Oh,' Pudge groaned. 'Sod it a—'
The bolt blew open his belly. His many obscene stomachs and ropey innards fell from his avatar as it collapsed, crushing several thralls under its bulk and trapping a young sky dragon before it could take flight. Half-eaten corpses spilled from his stomachs as they split.
His essence retreated back to the Hells in defeat, to face the punishment of his betters for daring to serve Terrorblade. It was not a punishment he would dare to face again.
The legions' sphinxes hurtled over their heads, joined by the surviving griffons and garudas. Auroth screeched as she soared overhead, freezing entire clumps of thralls with her icy breath.
An ionic dragon rose to meet her and they clashed in the air, grappling with their claws and fangs. Lightning flashed and freezing vapour sprayed. A sky dragon leapt to attack Auroth from behind as she tore into the ionic dragon.
Several arrows struck it, loosed by the sphinx riders. These arrows were not unlike Caewyn's explosive bolts. They detonated with yellowish flares as they struck the dragon, blasting scales free and scorching its hide. A pair of garudas fell upon the stricken dragon and began to lacerate its exposed hide, their beaks tearing into its throat.
Auroth forced from her, casting it to the ground, crushing a pair of hell-engines beneath it. They exploded, their fell energies engulfing the ionic dragon and causing it to rupture and fall apart, reduced to steaming paste.
The powerful hell-engines may have been able to bring down the airborne pests, but they were useless against targets which struck at them directly from the ground.
Marci partially unleashed and drove her foot into the leg of a hell-engine, snapping the many bones forced to hold it upright, forcing it to collapse. She leapt onto Sagan's back as Rylai hurled a spear of ice into the hell-engine's heart, outrunning a blast which engulfed the earth dragon which tried to snap at Sagan's tail.
Legion cavaliers brought more down in hit-and-run attacks, too fast for the clumsy monstrosities to hit.
The Imperium infantry had joined the clash, advancing steadily behind their shield walls, brushing aside and hacking down any revenant which tried to stop them. On the edge of the battlefield, the sappers had set up scorpions and ballistae, which they used against the few airborne dragons Terrorblade still had to call upon. These weapons rivalled the ones the Dragon Knights had used against dragons, and the skill of their crews made them just as effective.
A sky dragon swept in, landing and snapping at Fymryn. Fymryn cast a shadow arc, slicing through its scales. A golden hammer smashed into its side, cracking bones.
As the dragon turned to attack him, Purist cried aloud a prayer-spell, slowing the dragon and leaving it helpless when Luna drove her blade into its maw.
'They're falling back!' Donté hollered. 'Let's finish them off!'
A large formation of Imperial cavalry wheeled around, shadowed by sphinx riders, and charged towards the retreating enemy. Terrorblade had taken position on the rise, looming up before them, his rage making his tattered avatar seem even larger than before.
Upon his right flank, the Direstone flared red.
'Wait!' Mirana cried. 'Stop!'
Too late.
The riders and their horses all slowed, their mouths dropping open and their eyes turning to the Direstone. As one, they turned towards it and began to approach. Each man or horse which touched it became yet another un-dead thrall, their flesh twisting, ageing and decaying, their minds dissolving, their wills usurped by the Direstone and controlled by Terrorblade.
Sphinxes fell from the sky as the Direstone struck them too, further reinforcing Terrorblade's depleted army.
Across the bloodied ground, corpses which were still mostly intact rose to continue fighting, catching soldiers unawares. Even fallen dragons stood again to kill once more.
'Damn it!' Luna hissed. 'We'll lose the advantage! Every soldier we lose is another Terrorblade can claim.'
Terrorblade was still creating his storm, raging close to the Direstone with his remaining thralls.
Davion handed Marci his sword. 'Go for the stone, Marci. We'll get Terrorblade out of your way.'
Marci nodded, accepting his greatsword once again. She whistled for Sagan and leapt onto his back as Davion transformed, letting Slyrak take control.
Purist climbed up behind Luna and they rode after Marci.
'Protect the Eldwurms!' Mirana shouted. 'Defend them with your lives!'
The legionnaires came together, forming a wall of red and gold shields. Archers formed ranks behind the Eldwurms and sphinx circled overhead, accompanied by Auroth.
'Your victory lies in ashes, Terrorblade!' Slyrak taunted. 'You are undone not by dragons, but by mortals. You will never rule Creation. You will be what you always have been: nothing!'
Terrorblade bellowed with anger. 'I have suffered for ages beyond counting, Slyrak! I will have my freedom, even if I must tear apart all of existence to have it! I will end everything to have what I deserve!'
He advanced, his avatar roaring as it leapt forwards. His remaining thralls followed, lurching towards the wall of shields. The archers began to loose their arrows and the sphinxes dived towards Terrorblade.
Roaring with inchoate fury, Terrorblade unleashed the booming storm. Sphinxes, griffons and garudas fell from the sky like rain, smashed to pieces against the ground along with their riders.
Rylai and Aiushtha did their best to shield them from the lightning strikes, but they could not be everywhere at once. Auroth was forced to the ground, lest she be struck down too.
Terrorblade charged, and Slyrak hurtled forwards to meet him.
The Direstone pulsed, trying to warn Terrorblade that it was being threatened, but in his rage and mad desire to claim his victory, he did not respond. Instead, the Direstone continued to raise more corpses. It was surrounded by hundred of them, piled up around it in grotesque lumps of limbs and decaying matter.
Marci jumped from Sagan's saddle, already feeling the rasping noise of the Direstone in her mind, tugging at her will, urging her to give in.
'Go, Marci!' Purist dismounted too and lifted his hammer. 'We'll watch your back.'
Marci heard him smashing something with his hammer. He and Luna could not hold them off forever, even with Sagan and Nova to help them. She had to hurry, and if she took long, Terrorblade would surely overwhelm Slyrak, and that would mean Davion's death too.
Slyrak was barely supported, his allies too busy contending with the remaining un-dead fighting alongside Terrorblade.
Marci sprinted across the blood-soaked earth, slashing lurching corpses apart with Davion's greatsword. The noise grew more intense as she drew closer to the stone, and her thoughts began to slip and slide, giving way to visions of rotting meat being torn by her own teeth, blood gushing and filling her mouth.
'Behind you!'
Marci barely registered the voice. She flicked a throwing-knife at her attacker, sending it straight into its rotted skull.
'Do not stop, Marci! All of Creation depends upon you now.'
Marci cut another shambling form in half and raced onwards. There were too many between her and the Direstone, and her thoughts were becoming incoherent, her focus wandering to the stone.
'Unleash, Marci! Unleash!'
She did not need telling again. She would not fail, not this time. She could not!
Marci let it fill her. She let her power flow. Her heart thundered in her chest. Unstoppable strength filled her body. Light blossomed around her and her eyes filled with light.
Marci charged, scything through flesh and bone, wielding the sword with one hand, a whirlwind of light and fire. Her thoughts were her own again, and her mind bent towards one goal and one goal alone: destroying the loathsome Direstone once and for all.
She would not stop. She would not relent. She had to save her friends!
The Direstone pulsed, its evil will desperately trying to claim her mind, to summon more un-dead, to bring Terrorblade to its defence.
Marci hurled herself into the air, her fist sheathed in blinding light, her mouth open in a soundless cry.
Her fist struck the Direstone.
A horrible, quavering wail, inhuman, desperate, despairing, foul, echoed across the battlefield as cracks and fissures spread through the Direstone. It rose higher and higher, piercing and fell.
And then it ended. It ended when the stone shattered into tiny fragments, skittering across the ground, their red glimmer fading away as the Direstone's horrible will evaporated.
Marci hit the ground, the crystals falling around her and melting away. About her, the un-dead came to a halt. As one, they all uttered unearthly sighs, as if relieved to be free of the Direstone's control, and slumped, falling limp and unmoving.
Terrorblade paused in his attempts to kill Slyrak as all that remained of his army fell into ragged heaps, useless and utterly dead.
'Now finish the fight, Marci,' the voice whispered. 'Bring the Battle for Creation to an end. They need you, Marci.'
Yes. They needed her. The fight was not over yet.
Marci gripped Davion's sword tightly as she ran towards Terrorblade. It was time to end this!
'Now!' Mirana yelled, seeing the un-dead fall into lifeless piles around them. 'Bring him down! No fear! No quarter!'
The legionnaires cheered and struck. Arrows rained down on Terrorblade from above and below. The soldiers and riders charged without fear, not seeming to care if they lived or died. Spells blasted and smashed against his avatar's scales, breaking them loose.
Terrorblade roared, unleashing as much power as he could. The earth was rent asunder under groups of men, swallowing them up and crushing them. Bolts of lightning crashed down around him, blasting attacked to pieces. He leapt in and out of reality, tearing ranks apart. Gusts of wind swept forth, knocking his foes off their feet.
They were not powerless either. When he tried to use Vahdrak's power to confuse Garrisan into killing Fymryn, Aiushtha countered it. His attempts to kill Slyrak with lightning were thwarted by Rylai, who lifted chunks of ice to intercept the bolts.
He knew what had happened, and he was enraged. He wanted to rend the wurm-forged handmaiden limb from limb for what she had done. He was also furious with himself for letting Slyrak goad him so easily.
Slyrak had denied him his dream from the very start. Slyrak had perhaps been his greatest foe. He might not have been the most powerful of his kind, but he had proven to be the most determined, sacrificing his very existence as a dragon to stop Terrorblade, and he had at last proven himself to be more cunning.
Maybe not cunning. Accepting. He had accepted his mortal allies, he had worked with them to achieve this goal.
No matter. Even if Terrorblade lost his avatar today, he would retain the souls of the Eldwurms he had murdered. He would find another avatar capable of channelling their power and return to see his plans through. He would learn from his mistakes. He would not fail again.
They could not hope to stop him forever.
'This battle is yours to finish, Dragon Knight.' Slyrak declared in thought. 'End his avatar. Strike at his heart, as you did with Uldorak. Drive him from this world, and then we can see about stopping him for good.'
With that, Slyrak withdrew, letting Davion resurface and take his human form again.
Davion shook his head, looking up to see the corpse of Vylgranox, possessed by Terrorblade, looming over him, roaring with hatred.
One of Mirana's arrows struck him in the eye and he howled. More followed, billowing into harsh flares of blue light, smashing through his hide and scales.
Terrorblade attempted to swat Davion, only for a flaming sword to piece his avatar's hand, hurled like a javelin by Marci.
Davion seized it as Terrorblade staggered, hit by a ballista bolt, and wrenched it free, swinging it around into the possessed dragon's leg. He sprayed molten fire at its chest, hoping to melt through the scales.
A spear of ice smashed into Terrorblade's chest. He tried to beat his wings, but they had been torn and perforated by arrows and bolts. Auroth swooped down upon his head, biting and clawing at his remaining eye. Still using her power, Marci launched a barrage of punches and kicks into the dragon's side, smashing scales and cracking bones.
'Eserren!' Davion yelled. 'Attack his chest! Break his scales!'
Eserren simply nodded and ran forwards. Purist dismounted Sagan and joined her. Terrorblade tried to crush them under his bulk, but Byssrak powered into the flank Marci was attacking, bowling him over and pinning him down. Marci ran around, joining Eserren and Purist as they slashed and smashed his scales away.
Terrorblade howled and they felt the earth shake. Lightning flashed in the sky and he tried to phase away again.
'Now, Davion!' Purist bellowed.
'Do it!' Slyrak barked.
Davion ran forwards, his sword wreathed in flame. He rammed it into the exposed flesh, pushing it in until it scraped bone. A sickly green glow battled with the tongues of flame coursing along the blade.
Terrorblade's avatar writhed as Davion tried to force the sword in deeper.
Marci's hands joined his on the grip and the sword began to move again. Eserren brought down her bardiche again, opening the wound, spraying them all with blood.
Davion and Marcu pushed again, forcing the blade in up to the hilt, past the guard, blood gushing over them.
With a rattling gasp, Vylgranox's corpse slumped. Its limb twitched twice, the ravaged body shaking.
The evil green glow faded from its eyes. The risen dragon was dead once more.
Marci helped Davion to pull his sword free.
He bent, panting, his blade touching the ground, and lifted his visor, wiping his face clean before straightening up. He was aware of how his arms and legs were shaking now, and the sweat and blood damp against his skin.
Marci was also shaking as the glow retreated from her eyes. They stared at each other, almost disbelieving.
A small smile formed on her face as she stepped forwards and hugged him. But there was barely any feeling of victory.
They had won this battle. Yet that victory had come at a great cost, and they weren't done yet. Defeating Terrorblade here meant nothing if they did not stop him from returning.
Davion turned to see Mirana approaching with Auroth, now back in her human form.
'How many?' Davion asked heavily.
Mirana shook her head. 'I don't know.'
The field was littered with corpses beyond counting. The ground was red with blood, squelching under the boots of the survivors. At a guess, they had lost about five-thousand legionnaires. Of the two hundred who had emerged from Dragon Keep, ninety survived. Many were wounded, some beyond any hope of recovery.
Some victory. And it still wasn't over.
'You did well, Dragon Knight, you and your friends.' Slyrak assured him. 'You are right though. Our fight is not over yet, little mouse. Now we must pursue Terrorblade to his own domain, and do battle with him there, one last time.'
'I know.' Davion murmured aloud.
'We don't have long,' Auroth declared. 'The Fell-Speakers are coming now, to open the portal.'
'You know that we must go, Davion. Terrorblade cannot be killed, but he cannot retain the gifts and burdens of my fellow Eldwurms, or else the world will suffer for it. Unless that power is taken from him, the cycle will end.'
Davion did not question this, not now. Just us?
Slyrak hesitated. 'Others may come if they wish. But Foulfell is a place intended to torment Demons. I cannot guarantee that we will survive.'
Davion sighed. He was almost tempted not to ask anybody if they wanted to help, but he knew that it was pointless. He did not even need to ask.
Marci laid her hand on his arm and gazed into his eyes. She wanted to follow him, and he knew there would be no dissuading her. In truth, he would be glad to have her by his side when he faced Terrorblade for the last time.
He looked to Mirana, who gave him a single nod. Of course she would come to, not just because Marci was going, but also because he was her friend too.
Fymryn nodded too when he met her eyes. Eserren hefted her bardiche onto her shoulder by way of answer. Caewyn offered a small smile.
When he met Purist's eye, the Omniknight placed his hand against his blood-streaked cuirass. Aiushtha dug at the ground with her hooves, tapping her staff against the soil. Luna simply grunted as she cleaned her kriegsmesser.
Rylai and Auroth exchanged glances, both of them nodding their assent. Garrisan and Donté both saluted in their own fashion.
Bram and Jorsen stepped forwards. Bram clapped Davion on the shoulder. Jorsen just shrugged.
Last, and perhaps most surprisingly, came Ritterfau. He made no sign, he just stood with them, one hand resting on the pommel of his sword.
The Fell-Speakers slowly paced before the corpse of Vylgranox, chanting harsh, guttural words of Ozkavosh. These thirteen had been kept from the battle as much as possible, and now they fanned out to form a star, extending their arms.
Davion barely heard them over his own breathing and the beating of his heart. Marci held his hand, giving it a little squeeze. Beside her, Mirana held Marci's other hand.
Dark red lines, glowing with power, formed upon the ground, forming into the thirteen-pointed star, rings of burning power spreading from the Fell-Speakers' arms to form a circle around it. In the middle, a shifting, billowing mass formed, glimpses of something beyond this world just visible within.
'It's almost ready.' One of the Warlocks turned to face them. 'Make yourselves ready. Even we rarely dare to travel to the Hells, and no Warlock has set foot in Foulfell for hundreds of years.'
'How many have tried?' Fymryn asked.
'Four.'
'Oh. Did they make it?' Caewyn inquired.
'Two did.'
'That's… good. What did they see?'
'They never came back.'
'That's… not so good.'
'You don't have to come with us, Caewyn.' Aiushtha reminded her.
'You are!'
Aiushtha bristled. 'I want to stop Terrorblade as much as you do!'
Caewyn cocked her head. 'Then why are you surprised that I'm going with you all?'
Aiushtha shrugged. 'You've made your point.'
'Fymryn,' Dierdd kept his distance from the group, speaking in elvish. Davion got the gist of what he was saying. 'You needn't do this. We still have need of you. Leave this to others.'
'No, Dierdd,' Fymryn spoke in the common tongue. 'I'm a part of this. I must see it through. My friends need me too.'
Dierdd did not argue. 'Then may Mene bless you, Fymryn.'
'May She bless us all.'
Ritterfau sighed. 'Terrorblade has brought the Dragon Knights to ruin. It seems… fitting, that a Father be there to make him answer for it.'
'Aye,' Jorsen nodded. 'And he will answer for what he has done.'
Garrisan inclined his head when Mirana looked to him. 'I will not try to dissuade you, Princess. I am yours to command, and if I am to be one of your Sun Guard again, then I must follow you.'
'Only if you want to, Garrisan.'
'Nothing would bring me greater honour than to fight at your side.'
'We could still have that end worthy of song,' Donté mused. 'I can think of worse causes to die for.'
'Yes,' Auroth concurred grimly. 'And I would also see my father avenged.'
'Come back alive, Auroth. I do not want to lose you too.' Lirrak grunted softly. She had been injured in the final assault, and Terrorblade might still be able to nullify her powers. Though he could perhaps affect some of Auroth's abilities, she knew enough alternatives to still be a threat to him.
'I will, Mother.' Auroth vowed. 'I will.'
'Please do!' Caewyn piped up. 'The world would be lesser without your poetry.'
Auroth managed a slight chuckle. 'I imagine I will have plenty to write when we're done.'
'You think we can survive this?' Bram raised his eyebrows.
'We've made it this far.' Eserren stated, her voice full of conviction. 'And even if we die, we may still make a difference. If Rylai is right, we can still trap Terrorblade forever.'
'I plan to survive.' Mirana declared. 'And I hope you do too, Marci, and you, Davion. We all have something to live for now.'
Davion could not bring himself to answer with words. He just nodded. Marci smiled and squeezed their hands again.
'And that goes for you too, Luna.' Mirana added.
Luna sighed. 'Are you giving me an order, Princess?'
'Should I?'
'Maybe.'
'Then consider it an order.' Though her tone was somewhat forceful, Mirana half-smiled when she finished.
Luna smirked. 'As you command, your majesty.'
'When this is over, we shall share a few more bottles of Icewrack White,' Donté decided, 'get very drunk, and celebrate the day we defeated the Demon Marauder. And then we shall set out on the road and claim more glories, and become heroes of legend.'
'I'll settle for serving the will of the Omniscience.' Purist said.
'If you say so, my friend.'
Marci stood on tiptoes for a moment to peck Davion on the cheek. He couldn't help but smile now, though it was a rueful smile. He leaned down and kissed her lips.
'Aww!' Caewyn exclaimed.
'It is time!' the Warlock announced. Now the globe in the middle of the star had expanded, pulsing and thumping almost like a heart, strange sounds not unlike screams filling the air around it. 'Those who wish to proceed, go now.'
As Davion turned away from Marci, Ritterfau leaned in close to whisper to him. 'Are you sure about this, Davion? Remember the deal you made.'
'It has to be this way, Father. I have to go.' Marci and Mirana had already stepped past him, looking curious, but approaching the portal at the behest of the Warlock. 'Remember what I said, Father. Even if I die, my companions are to go free.'
Ritterfau nodded. 'I can't vouch for Carliven—'
Davion narrowed his eyes.
'I would see it done, Davion.'
That would have to do. Davion shouldered his sword and stepped into the circle, feeling it wash over his armour like a flood of warm water.
The inside of it was hot, and he began to sweat at once. At the same time, goosebumps broke out across his body and he shivered.
To think that his simple choice to volunteer to hunt an earth dragon outside Barreltown had led to this.
A chance encounter with the woman he would fall in love with. Having an Eldwurm fuse his soul to his. Becoming mixed up in a quest to retrieve a goddess' lotuses. Sent forth to battle a powerful Demon's army in seemingly hopeless battle.
And now this. A journey through the Hells, into Foulfell itself, to do battle with Terrorblade in his own prison, to end his threat to Creation once and for all.
He almost laughed at the absurdity of it all. He'd almost forgotten about the bleeding moon and Mene's return. Would he end up dealing with that too?
Probably. If he survived. One battle at a time.
'Wait.'
Davion turned. It was Purist who had spoken, and his voice was grave. His shoulders had sagged.
'Our goal is to retrieve the souls of the fallen Eldwurms from Terrorblade, and trap him by shattering his mirrors.'
'Yes, we know that.' Fymryn muttered.
'Davion must live.' Purist stated. 'And he must return to this world. As must Princess Mirana. But one of us must remain behind, in Foulfell.'
'What?' Mirana stared at him.
'We will need to use one of the mirrors to return. But one of us must remain behind to destroy that last mirror, or this will all be for nothing.'
Marci sighed.
'Don't even think about it, Marci!' Mirana ordered.
'She won't have to.' Luna stated, taking in a deep breath. 'I'll do it.'
'Luna!'
'Mirana, there's no questioning what I've done. I'm the Scourge. I was Selemene's pet murderer. The blood on my hands can never be washed away, no matter what I do. But perhaps I can at least give better people a chance to live.' She half-smiled grimly. 'I was always going to end up in hell, Princess. I'm just going there sooner than expected.'
'Luna…'
'I've made my choice.'
'Didn't I just give you an order?'
Luna sighed. 'I've made my choice. Better me than Marci.'
Mirana bit her lip. 'Just… maybe there's another way. Maybe we can figure something out when we're there.'
'You need to go now,' one of the Warlocks told them. 'Figure this problem out later.'
Davion took in a deep breath, gripped his sword tightly, and stepped closer to the portal.
Next to him, Marci and Mirana spared him a glance. He offered them as reassuring a smile as he could manage, knowing that it could be the last.
Marci returned the smile, and his spirits lifted, as they always did, whenever he beheld that beautiful smile.
It was time to finish this fight.
Davion took one more step forwards, into the portal, and out of the world he knew.
Foulfell was where he and Slyrak were bound, and Terrorblade awaited them.
If you're experiencing deja-vu, I'm not surprised. I had to take this chapter down for some editing, then got stuck trying to write the next chapter. It's not been a fun time in terms of writing, a bad burnout followed by a worse block. I attempted NaNoWriMo and failed dismally. I haven't had a block this bad for a while.
But I'm happy to say that I'm back! And it's thanks to my good friends and writing buddies: Annbe11, March4fun and BarissOffee99. I am really grateful to you all for helping me through this, and for putting up with me, even when I was at my worst. You are the best.
As for my readers, thank you for waiting. I'm sorry for the delay. I fully intend to keep writing Ascension until it's finished, but I'm also going to take more breaks to try to avoid burnouts. Only a few chapters left in Requiem though, so buckle up! The ride isn't over yet.
