The seven of them stood around the twin pyres in silence, watching the flames climb high into the sky, the wood splitting and crackling under the heat. The yellow of the flames reflected in each of their faces, sorrow and loss weighing down their steady gazes.Lady Valda's eyes were ringed with red once again, only this time the tears did not fall - she would never cry in the presence of Lord Rhonan, regardless of how she felt toward Lance and Megan. No, she had already cried in front of Sephora and Lord Daemon when she'd come out from seeing the healer, and that had been enough for the Winged Lady.There had been worry as to why her wing still hadn't healed 12 hours after she'd been hit by Vince's spear of darkness. Turns out he hadn't just shot through her bone in her wing, but through some vital arteries as well. Her accelerated healing had stopped her from bleeding out altogether, but in doing so had stopped the blood getting to the important muscles in her wing that helped her to
AmbroseHis body trembled, his grazed and bloodied hands shaking. He wasn't entirely sure how he was still standing, not just from the exhaustion in his body, but from what he'd just witnessed - what his mate had just done.He'd been battling with Vince relentlessly, the sly devil had always been quick where he might have lacked power. But where Vince lacked power in his physical side - he'd more than made up for in his tactics and the strength of his Soulborn power. That hideous darkness had hit Ambrose again and again, obliterating several of his obsidian shields before Ambrose could even get close enough to scratch the dark Lord.And all the while, Ambrose had been bellowing for Sephora down their bond. Trying to warn her about the shard of veil-stone, that it would kill her, that he couldn't lose her again, not again. He could endure anything else but losing her.Because if Sephora died, there was nothing to stop this new side of Ambrose dying as well - the side that only his mate
SephoraHer plan had worked. She had poured every ounce of fear and love and anger, every shred of her heart and soul into that shard of stone in her hands as she gave a mighty roar.The blast of her power being unleashed rippled across the crowds, people crying out and wailing in terror, just as that shimmering wave of atmosphere began to descend over the town. Only to be stopped by a blazing sheild of fire. The same sheild of fire she'd once used to stop Ambrose from falling to his death by the cove, Sephora now used it to sheild her family and her people from that toxic Igritann atmosphere.A small part of her trembled though, at the knowledge of what she was doing, at what she was sacrificing for her people. She knew she'd never be able to see her family again, but to loose Ambrose after all that had happened...Sephora's heart bled at the thought, but grit her teeth and continued to pour her soul into that stone. This was bigger than just herself and her mate, this was about the f
SephoraHer plan had worked. She had poured every ounce of fear and love and anger, every shred of her heart and soul into that shard of stone in her hands as she gave a mighty roar.The blast of her power being unleashed rippled across the crowds, people crying out and wailing in terror, just as that shimmering wave of atmosphere began to descend over the town. Only to be stopped by a blazing sheild of fire. The same sheild of fire she'd once used to stop Ambrose from falling to his death by the cove, Sephora now used it to sheild her family and her people from that toxic Igritann atmosphere.A small part of her trembled though, at the knowledge of what she was doing, at what she was sacrificing for her people. She knew she'd never be able to see her family again, but to loose Ambrose after all that had happened...Sephora's heart bled at the thought, but grit her teeth and continued to pour her soul into that stone. This was bigger than just herself and her mate, this was about the
Sephora let out a piercing scream of grief and rage as she watched that pink red Veil slowly ripple away like a wave drawing back into the sea. All sense and reason vanished from her mind as her knees buckled from beneath her and the world swayed from under her feet.She vaguely heard Ambrose roaring from behind her, followed by the clashing of steel. Lady Valda was crumpled in a heap on the bloodied ground, Lord Daemon's face was pale as he ran for her. Ravyn was still crouched over Joe, blood continuing to gurgle from the General's chest, his lips turning a feint shade of purple.But none of that mattered now.With tears streaming down her face, Sephora burst into a sprint with all her strength, toward the broken remains of the Veil-Stones.Massive, pale opal-like boulders and rocks lay scattered everywhere, armoured limbs left slightly exposed beneath them from where Ambrose's men had been too slow to get out of the way. Sephora ran
[Ambrose]The Lord of mountains sprinted toward the dark Lord with a earth rumbling growl. Not even waiting for Sephora to give the order to attack, before Ambrose was summoning spears of diamond and obsidian to his hands and hurling them with all his immortal strength.Vince had barely enough time to respond, before his grey eyes went wide and he dodged, summoning shields of black mist to block the oncoming attacks. After 500 years of knowing each other, they both knew how each other moved, knew how powerful each other's Soulborn power was.So it was hardly a surprise to see the fear flickering behind the dark Lord's eyes, hidden carefully behind that serpentine grin of his. He knew what Ambrose was capable of doing, knew what kind of terrors he could achieve with his power.Ambrose was barely holding that side of him at bay. The mere sight of Vince, already stirring his rage into something dark and wild.Punches and cannon balls of flame shot past Ambrose, their heat and intensity en