Ashton felt himself grow more anxious with each passing day.

The evenings grew dimmer, and the nights grew darker, and even the stars in the sky seemed to lose their luster as the approach of Nemesis' army hastened. It would only be a matter of time until his forces were on Enbarr's shores, and the battle for the fate of the capital would be waged. Ashton didn't know if his ilk would surround the city in a siege, or do away with traditional warfare and charge straight into the walls, looking for a weakness.

The party with Ella and Roland was a welcome distraction, but once it had ended, Ashton was again alone with his thoughts.

Most of the people within the city had been evacuated with plenty of time to spare. Ashton expected there to be some amount of chaos; panic spread like a disease at times, yet it had failed to take hold of the people of Enbarr. Many of them had been sequestered away in burrows in the great fields to the east and north, at the foot of the Oghma Mountains. The only ones left within the city were the troops and knights of the Empire.

Of course, it went without saying that the Knights of Seiros were there in full force. Ashton was ready. Not ready to die, but ready to fight all the same. The sound of his white armor clanking within empty hallways as he relayed messages to the Imperial Prince, or the sound of his warhammer jostling ever so slightly with each step, became familiar sounds that brought him comfort and anxiety in equal measure.

With all that said, with only a day or two left to spare before Nemesis' forces arrived, Ashton finally had time with Seiros.

Ashton wasn't expecting a grandiose or even a tender meeting. It was too soon till they would need to fight against Nemesis for that, but he was hoping for something, anything.

Thankfully, he got his wish. He found Seiros in her quarters within the temple of the Imperial Palace, on the balcony overlooking most of Enbarr. The city looked beautiful, even in the darkness of the clouds that choked the sun's light. No one had seen Ashton arrive, nor were there any guards. It was like Seiros was expecting him.

If I didn't know any better, I would say she was teasing me.

"One dashingly handsome knight, right on your doorstep. Come and get him while he's fresh," Ashton said with a smile on his face, most of his anxiety evaporating as he drew closer.

Seiros barely budged when he said that, and her voice rang in his ears.

"You are incorrigible. What sort of line was that? Who taught it to you?" she said, her voice missing any of the bite one would expect.

"Ella said it would be a decent fit for any maidens I would seduce," Ashton admitted.

"I am not some simple maiden," Seiros replied, finally turning around. "But then again, you know that, do you not?"

Ashton pursed his lips. "Thought I might try it regardless."

Seiros sighed, turning back around. "I appreciate the attempt, if nothing else. You said that to make me feel better, hmm?"

Ashton shrugged, approaching her again. "I know a little bit about what you were going through the last time we faced a battle of this scale. Thought you could do with a visit from your favorite human to help you out."

"My favorite human? Hah. How presumptuous."

Ashton smiled. "I do not hear you complaining. Or rebuking me."

"Why would I do that? You speak the truth. My only wish is that you would be less farcical about it." Seiros replied, playing with her bangs for a moment before turning to Ashton again. "I am glad you are here. These few days have been… draining, to say the least."

"I imagine," Ashton said, wrapping his arms around Seiros' shoulders and hugging her from behind. "I missed you, by the way."

Seiros clasped her hands against Ashton's, grasping his with a desperate squeeze. "I missed you, too. It is shameful for me to admit, but I was growing used to the normalcy. I almost let myself slip into delusion, thinking that, perhaps, for once, I could be happy with you. For a while, at least."

"One day we will be," Ashton whispered. "One day I will even introduce you to my father, when we have the time to continue looking for a way home. If you feel comfortable with it, that is."

Seiros hummed. "There will come a day when Saint Seiros will no longer be needed. And when that day comes, I will hold to that promise I made you. I have not discovered a way, but I will, one day. When both of our duties are done."

"I am looking forward to it," Ashton said.

Seiros turned around, looking up to him, before kissing him chastely on the lips. It was a brief contact, but when Ashton reveled in. A moment later, however, Seiros placed both of her hands against his shoulders.

"When this battle is over," Seiros said quietly, staring deeply into Ashton's eyes. "I want to share something with you. Something that only I can provide."

Ashton raised a brow.

"I will not divest the details yet," Seiros said, her hands moving up to cup his cheeks. "I do not have enough time to prepare for it. Perhaps you will understand what I speak of, given enough time on your own. But know this: you are free to refuse it, should you wish."

Ashton could hear his heart beating in his ears as he stared into Seiros' eyes. After taking a few deep breaths, he placed one his hands against hers and nodded.

"I trust you," Ashton said quietly, pressing his forehead against hers. "I think I understand what you want to do."

"Do you truly mean that?" Seiros sniffled. "There is no known way to reverse what it does."

Ashton smiled. "Like I said, I trust you. I have trusted you this far, why would I stop now? And if it is what I think it is, it will ensure that I am with you for far longer than before."

Seiros leaned her head forward and kissed Ashton again, deeper and more needy than last time as she wrapped her arms around his neck, forcing him to stay in place. Ashton responded in kind, hugging her and moving his hands up her back, feeling her warmth against him. When they finally separated, they were both gasping for breath.

"It will be a few more hours until we need to go," Seiros said breathlessly. "Come with me. I need you. Now."

Ashton would never refuse her.

The hour had finally dawned, and Enbarr was ready for whatever Nemesis' army threw at it.

Ashton watched as the dark ships sailed over the horizon from the walls overlooking the docks of the city. They were large and broken things, but apparently, they sailed well enough considering their speed. They were within striking distance of the city within a few hours, and before long, a flaming hail of stone smashed against Enbarr's bulwark. The walls held together as he hunkered down and waited for the inevitable swarm of troops to appear.

By nightfall of the same day, the ceaseless barrage finally stopped, and the smoke of fires turned skyward around the city walls; Nemesis' troops had made landfall.

Then began the accursed waiting.

Ashton stood beside his fellow Knights of Seiros as the fields stretched out beneath him. He stared down at the swaying grass from atop the high wall of Enbarr, facing one of Nemesis' major encampments. Reports could not count how many troops he had with them. The only ray of hope in an otherwise hopeless situation was that most of them seemed to have been pressed into serving under the King of Liberation. Brigidese and Dagdan militiamen, darker-skinned peoples from further south, and others served as his frontline troops, no doubt thought of to be nothing but sacrifices so that the Elites could weather the defense of Enbarr down.

Ashton did not know much about Nemesis. He had barely seen the pariah once, battling against Seiros. He could still imagine her then, fighting against him with all her might, sword and shield in hand as magic danced between her fingers. In comparison, Nemesis looked like a cretin.

In the end, Ashton was ready for it. When the horns blew and the camps disbanded, and the inevitable tide of people crashed against the walls of Enbarr. The sun had not shone for days, obscured by the clouds, and so it was that they fought in the dayless night in Imperial Year 38, that the third true battle of the War of Heroes began.

The encroaching army was peppered with both arrows and boulders from the onset, the volleys crashing against them even as they moved forward, undaunted. Magic came next, Fire, lightning, wind and ice crashed against their ranks, taking out scores of men at a time, yet still they came. Ashton could see their terrified expressions even through the haze of burning fog and their helmets, and he wondered what they were afraid of: the impenetrable city in front of them, or what awaited behind them should they fail?

They came next with ladders, propping them up against the walls even as Ashton and his comrades threw them down. It was only a matter of time before their numbers grew too much, and the ladders would stay where they were.

That was when the battle truly began. It had been like shooting fish in a barrel before that point, but at that stage, Ashton would caught up in the first real battle he had since the end of the Second Battle of Fhirdiad.

When the first soldiers made it to the top of the walls, they were met with fierce fighters and sharp steel. Ashton swung his warhammer against the head of one of the ascending soldiers, hearing his skull crack like an egg as he was sent hurtling toward the ground, taking several of his fellows with him. Ashton held no real hatred for the men he was being forced to kill; they were unlucky souls pressed into service – how could he hate them? It was not so long ago that he was just like them.

Nonetheless, he swung his warhammer over and over again, watching as bodies hit the floor down below or along the walls, decorating the stone with their blood. For every Knight of Seiros that the enemy were able to put down, nearly a hundred of theirs were sent either screaming to their deaths or joined their friends as decoration for the walls.

Ashton didn't know how long he and his comrades were up on the wall for, slaughtering men and women left and right. It could not have been more than a few minutes before he felt a familiar chill sensation crawl up his spine. There was something coming. Something powerful, and Ashton had an inkling on who it was based on that feeling alone.

He's back.

Red light glared from the encroaching soldiers, and Ashton knew what was coming. Doubtless some of the Elites could break through the walls with their ungodly weapons alone – there were several spellcasters among them, after all.

Before long, though, he had his answer as he heard a loud crashing sound reverberate throughout the entire wall, nearly knocking him to his knees with its intensity.

They've broken through.

"Below! Below!" Ashton heard a voice shout out, recognizing it as Lycaon's. "Move below! Do not let them into the city!"

Ashton and the remaining Knights of Seiros moved as quickly as they could, the sound of clanking armor so loud that Ashton felt as if he would go deaf. Once they were on the ground, the battle started anew. Even as thunder roared through the air and the sound of battle drowned out any other sound, the world felt strangely quiet as he beheld an old enemy.

The same sword Ashton saw all those years ago, cutting through men like butter on the fields outside of Enbarr, was no in front of him, impaled through the Knight of Seiros before the poor fool was cast aside, and Maurice was all that was left. In the little light available, Maurice's blackened armor almost seemed to glisten like a beetle's carapace.

When their eyes met, Ashton could almost feel sparks fly between them.

"Well," Maurice drawled, lowering his sword to his side as he stood tall. "You are not who I was expecting to see. Was the priesthood too hard for you?"

"No," Ashton replied, shaking his head as he grasped his hammer tighter. "I just thought I'd start cracking heads with a hammer instead of books."

"How droll." Maurice replied, holding his sword up. "There will be no Saint to save you this time. I will make sure I finish the job."

"Not going to ask me for my last words?"

Grasping his sword with both hands, Maurice held it high. "No."

Lunging forward, Maurice was as fast as he always was, nearly impaling Ashton within an instant. Ashton was ready, moving to the side just in time. Years of training had paid off since their last bout, and Ashton was not going to let Maurice trounce him in combat like last time. With a mighty swing, Ashton hit the Elite square in the chest. He heard the 'clang' of metal against metal as Maurice stumbled backward.

Any other man likely would have died from such an attack, but predictably, Maurice was not any ordinary man.

Maurice hummed. "Better."

Ashton didn't wait for Maurice's next move. He hurled himself forward and bowled into the Elite, sending them both forward. Ashton kept going despite feeling Maurice raise his sword, ready to behead him even as he kept going. Thankfully, before Maurice could deal a finishing blow, they hit a wall. Ashton could feel his bones creak under the strain of such a massive blow, but judging by the sound he heard from Maurice, the Elite took the brunt of the impact. Ashton pulled away and watched as Maurice held one arm over his stomach.

"Much better!" Maurice spat out. "Show me more!"

Ashton snarled as he swung his hammer, only for Maurice to block the blow and lunge forward, striking Ashton across the face with a punch. Ashton pulled back with the punch before delivering one of his own, directly to the same spot that Maurice was holding just a moment before, hearing the Elite gasp in pain.

Maurice lost all sense of grace after that. He charged at Ashton, yelling all the while as Ashton narrowly avoided one blow, only to have the wind knocked out of him as a kick from Maurice brought him to the ground. Maurice raised his sword high and slammed down on Ashton, who was barely able to move out of the way in time as chunks of rock flew into the air from the blow.

Kicking his leg out, Ashton hit Maurice in the knee, although the Elite didn't seem to care much as he slammed his sword down again, nearly cutting off Ashton's right arm from the shoulder down. Ashton needed to get up; Maurice would just keep slashing down until he hit something vital, and probably long after that if his animalistic snarling was any indication.

Ashton rolled away on his side, watching Maurice hit the ground one last time and leaving a gaping hole in the ground where he had been laying just a moment before. Getting to his feet, Ashton hefted his warhammer and swung, only to hit nothing but air as Maurice jumped back. Almost as fast as Ashton could blink, and with a swift strike that almost seemed to glow an angry red, Maurice swung, hitting Ashton across the stomach. Ashton could feel his armor take a majority of the blow, but even then, he could hear a rib or two crack, and when he felt his armor there, his hand came back stained red.

This is not good.

Maurice abandoned all reason, roaring like an animal as he charged forward again. It took everything in Ashton's power to make sure he wasn't skewered by his sword, or cut in twain. Even as the battle raged on around them, and the world became a blur of noise and blood, he could see the red in Maurice's eyes. It was like he truly lost himself.

Fortunately for Ashton, the battle would end in a draw. Not because of his own martial skill, but because they were interrupted.

A roar rang out across the city of Enbarr, even as more soldiers poured in and the glow of more Relics sprang up in the dark. Even from such a distance that he heard it echo, Ashton could feel his ears ringing as even Maurice gave up his assault, his eyes losing their dangerous glint as he stared up at the sky.

When Ashton saw her – and he knew it was her – he nearly fell over himself.

Over the palace of Enbarr, a massive, winged form fell through the clouds. White scales covered her body, curved horns adorned her head like a crown, and her wings, nearly as large as herself, spread out as if to reflect the light that came in through the new hole she had punched through the darkness. When she roared, Ashton couldn't tell if he was in awe or absolutely terrified.

"The Immaculate One!" he heard a Knight of Seiros say. "The Immaculate one has come! The Goddess has heard our prayers!"

Another roar rang out through the air as the dragon descended. In a single moment, she opened her maw and a glowing beam shot out, brighter than anything Ashton had ever seen. He was nearly blinded and, shockingly, chilled by it as it carved a path through the ranks of Nemesis' forces.

The triumphant cries and cheers from the Empire soldiers and Knights of Seiros rang in Ashton's ears as he was transfixed on the Immaculate One, the only person on that battlefield who knew her true identity.

After a moment, he snapped out of his reverie and swung his warhammer at the still stunned Maurice, hitting him across the head and knocking his faceless helmet off, whereupon it tumbled across the ground before coming to a stop. Maurice was nearly sent to the ground with the force of Ashton's blow, and he spat out a tooth with a spray of blood as he glared at Ashton.

"This is not over," Maurice snarled. "I will return for you, Ashton, my enemy. I will see you sundered before me."

"I am still standing right here," Ashton said, holding his arms out.

Maurice looked like a dog that had been kicked to the side of the road, even as his men retreated, he looked as if he still wanted to fight.

"Go on, then. Scurry home to your master. Run, before the Immaculate One destroys you, or before I do."

A roar came from Maurice, then, more animalistic than any noise he had produced before that point, catching Ashton off guard. He held his hammer up as if Maurice was about to pounce on him, but all he saw was his retreating form, moving into the hole he had made in the great walls of Enbarr.

Even as the armies of Nemesis retreated past Enbarr's gates, the Immaculate One did not give up her chase. Ashton scaled the walls of Enbarr, passing by the bodies of countless people before he was at the top. He saw her land, creating a dust cloud that nearly covered her completely. A contingent of soldiers stayed to try and fight her off, only to be swatted away near-instantly by her tail. Ashton was again transfixed on her, watching her effortlessly turn the armies of Nemesis into nothing but ash and bones.

Before long, she was alone on the battlefield, with only bodies to keep her company.

And then, an act that almost chilled Ashton's bones were it not for knowing who she was, she turned to stare at him. How she was able to see him, or even notice him, from such a far off distance was unknown to him, but he could feel her gaze on him.

In a strange way, it was comforting. He could feel his heart slow down, the adrenaline left his body as he relaxed.

She flapped her wings several times, soaring into the air almost completely silently, before ascending high above the clouds, leaving another hole that allowed light to bleed onto the fields that surrounded Enbarr.

Ashton had to keep himself from collapsing, holding himself up with his warhammer.

It was over.

Nemesis' army had not been truly defeated.

His army had been scattered and broken, but no sign of the man himself taking the field had arisen. No reports from the knights and soldiers sent to clean up whatever remained of his army spoke of seeing his visage among the ranks.

There was a celebration at Enbarr, even as several parts of the city were left in ruin. Nemesis' forces had not made it far into the city, so only the outer edges and the walls were in need of repair. Ashton did not feel in the mood to celebrate, but he was pulled along regardless.

In the end, though, he didn't need to attend for long.

Around half way through the celebrations, as his fellow knights were drinking merrily and sloppily singing hymns, a familiar woman in a white robe pulled into his peripheral vision. Ashton watched her approach, and when she was right beside him she grabbed his hand.

"Come with me," she said quietly.

Ashton couldn't help but laugh. "Just like old times, huh?"

Seiros flashed him a smile, and gently tugged him until he got up and went with her.

Before long, they found themselves in a dark alleyway, far away from the light of the party from before. The buildings were old, but still intact, despite being so close to the biggest part of the battle. Ashton leaned against one of the walls, crossing his arms as he let his muscles relax.

"So, that was you, hmm?" he finally said as Seiros settled herself beside him.

"Yes," she nodded. "The Sky Dragon is the epithet my mother granted me, when I was born. Such titles feel meaningless, though, with no one but others of my kind to know them. The people cannot know what I am, lest they begin to question everything about who we are."

Ashton nodded. It made some amount of sense, although he doubted he understood the full picture. Manipulation never sat well with him, but he knew that Seiros, at least, had her heart in the right place.

"Guess I am one of those privileged few," Ashton noted, "How lucky I am."

"Oh, extraordinarily so, my dear Ashton," Seiros whispered, pushing herself away from the wall to stand in front of him. Sometimes it was easy to forget that he and Seiros were near the same height, with Ashton only having around an inch or two over her.

In only a few moments, a mounting tension build between them even as they only stood there and stared into each other's eyes, before finally they broke, lunging at each other. Seiros pressed her lips against Ashton's hungrily, wrapping her arms around his neck and head. Ashton responded by moving his arms up and down her back, just as she liked. A pleased hum came from her as he did so, pressing her lips against his less forcefully afterward.

After a moment, they finally parted, and Ashton was left breathless.

"I-I once heard that people can get… well, feisty after going through a life or death situation," Ashton said, trying not to stutter. "I suppose going dragon would count, huh?"

"I searched for him," Seiros said, her voice low. "But he did not take the field. He is a coward, through and through. He did not slaughter my mother one on one – he fell upon her while she slept, and took her body for his own. But… enough of that, my dear Ashton. I will not recount such horrid times. For now, I wish to rejoice."

Ashton hugged her, pushing his hand inside the hood of her cloak and lightly stroking her greenish-blonde hair. "I'm sorry. You're right."

Seiros closed her eyes for a moment before opening them and staring at Ashton for a few seconds.

"Ashton, do you remember what I said, before the battle began?" she asked.

"You were going to tell me something," Ashton said, nodding. "I guess the time's now, then."

"Ashton," Seiros murmured. "Will you accept a Crest?"

Boom, another cliffhanger. Well, not really, but the spirit of one at least. Another short-ish Chapter but let's be honest - 4k words for a single chapter is above the industry standard, and me insisting every chapter be over 6k before was stupid. So I'm fine with the way it is.

Anyway, here's a link to our Discord server: discord .gg/9XG3U7a

See you guys next time! Whenever that is.