Bliss.

It was pure bliss.

Three days he'd spent with his beloved, reliving all their sweet moments together in his very flesh. Of course, she did notice he was being unbelievably touchy, and had caught him sobbing into her embrace more than once - but she, perceptive as always, must have sensed he was not quite prepared to talk about why he was so relieved, and merely comforted him through his bouts of joyful tears.

And truth be told, Darkon had more or less forgotten about that deal he had struck with The Dragon of Time.

After all, the villainous lizard had disappeared quite abruptly after transporting him to Astravia. Had he gotten lost in The Timestream, perhaps? Or maybe some other miserable sod had caught his attention, so he abandoned Darkon to torture somebody else. In either case, by the third day of 'No Dragon' The Astravian Prince finally stopped looking over his shoulder, and instead began to look forward - into the future he would build.

For as it stood, he really did have a tremendous advantage over... heavens, just about everything. Although he did not have the sheer combat power he enjoyed as a vessel for The Joker (his body has likewise regressed to match the time-period), he had the experience of overcoming all his past challenges once already. How should he handle that traitorous brother of his? Or The Empress, or The Arcana? Had he any use for taming The Arcana at this point? Surely politics and shrewd trickery were sufficient for taking down his adversaries.

Strategies and plots aside, Darkon found himself filled with a wonderous hope.

A hope for a better future. A steadfast hope of one who had already lived this story from beginning to end. What a wonderful kingdom he would build! What joy he would partake in! Surely nothing could touch him now!

But alas...

He is walking arm in arm with Suki when it happens.

They are on their way to the great feasting hall, walking in from the private royal quarters. From not far ahead, the sounds of festivities can be heard through the walls. Trumpets and violins and singing voices, the smell of delicious food and the chatter of drunken guests dancing on each-other's toes. It's the sound of fun and revelry, and then suddenly...

It stops.

Silence - as if the world had turned to velvet. As if they had been transported into the vacuum of space.

Suki frowns. She is dressed in a superfluous ballgown, yet lifts her skirts and runs to one of many display armours to seize a halberd from its hollow metal fingers. Her eyes are fixed on the door. She's ready for combat.

But Darkon... is not.

Because he feels the telltale rumble of time folding in and upon itself.

The vibration that rings through the ground, he hears it through the heels of his feet.

The cruel, wide-eyed laugh echoing through the hallways.

And Darkon... he's scared.

Not because The Dragon is strong. Not because he's afraid to fight him. Not because he fears death, or pain.

But rather... right now, he has so, so much to lose.

He stutters out the words.

"Suki, my love... run. Please run! The Dragon is here!"

"Darkon, you know I won't."

He knows Suki is silently offended. She is a paladin, and paladins don't run from a threat - but what paladin can face a god?! A god who cannot be killed, who cannot be slain. Who twists and wraps very timelines about his cruel and merciless talons. Who has destroyed nations seeking a thrill, who has plunged the very world into a state of madness so he might be entertained. She cannot fight him. She cannot survive this battle.

And if Darkon must lose his beloved again, he might really break.

"Suki! Pleas-"

*bang*

The tall ball-room doors slam open as a figure walks through, predatory, panther-like.

Behind him, a sea of red. The guests are splattered across every surface of the feasting room.

It's him.

The Hero.

The Dragon.

And his wide, sharp grin stretches from one ear to the other as he approaches and bows low - a terrible greeting on his lip.

"Goodness Darkon... having such a wonderful time without me?! I'm feeling quite left out, I must say. I think it's about time I joined the fun, don't you think?"