Welcome to chapter nine! Or as I like to call it, the chapter where everything finally comes together! Do you think I forgot all those things I casually mentioned in the story and never really brought up again?

Hehehehehe.

Also, this chapter is SUPER LONG. But yeah, the next, maybe, three chapters are going to be super long and going help everything slide into its final place. Well, some of the stuff, and, no, I'm not ending the series yet. A lot of folks were worried about AAD ending, but no, this book will probably be as long as the last book.

But yeah, this chapter is super long and unedited. So, enjoy!

Biana's hands shook as she slumped down on the floor, her breathing short and hiccuped.

"What just happened?" Biana breathed slightly as Filomena paced.

"I'm guessing that the crystal leads to Foxfire, and the homing beacon is now active, meaning the Neverseen have our location-"

"No, Filomena, I mean... how did she know where this Foxfire crystal was in the first place? How did it get there? Why did she know there was a homing beacon in the nursery? Why were the crystal and honing device so conveniently close to one another?" Biana rattled off questions. With each question, Filomena's face only grew darker and darker. Biana stopped her babbling when she saw Filomena's face turn stern and empty with stale eyes.

"Filomena?" Biana asked.

"There really is only one explanation." Filomena pathetically chuckled.

"That crystal was never there when Vespera was captured, we made sure the nursery was safe for the children, and we would've spotted it. And Vespera knew exactly where it was and how to navigate to it before we could catch on in time. The fact that it was so close to a honing beacon too... and then, Amalia explained the fact that the Neverseen have detailed notes and blueprints on the Mirthless, almost like they had the book we captured at Exiullium, someone must have given copies to them." Filomena straightened her back, her eyes dark and clearly upset.

"We have a traitor among us." Filomena breathed.

Everything clicked in Biana's mind, and she only hummed in surprise and thought.

"What do we do?" Biana asked, getting up from the floor.

Filomena bit her lip; Assassins come piling in from outside the nursery after hearing the commotion.

"We keep it to ourselves; we try to root out the traitor before Amalia and those in battle figure it out; that way, they don't need to worry. But by now, I'm sure Vespera has arrived at the battle, and they know something is up... but we have to find the traitor before the Vatarian leaders return when Amalia returns. That is definite." Filomena decided.

The Assassins listen as Biana and Filomena explained what happened, and they all paled when Filomena explained with a shaky voice that five lives were taken today in their very home, the four guards protecting Vespera and the Caretaker. They all agreed with the fact that there was a traitor and the fact that they should keep it from the others on the battlefield right now to avoid panic.

"Biana, you seemed to gravitate towards the children; they liked you. Maybe you could help them calm down? They are all terrified, and not all of their parents are here." An Assassin proposed. Biana nodded vigorously and silently walked towards the door, her brain running at a million miles per hour.

"Miss Vacker?" Filomena called out. Biana turned, looking at Filomena over the shoulder.

"Even though the events weren't' the best, thank you so much for your help. I believe you saved lives today." Filomena smiled. The compliment warmed Biana's heart, making her smile, but she walked back into the halls, her smile turning cold again. The word traitor echoes in her mind, bouncing around and branding the terrible word into her head like hot steel.

Traitor...

Traitor...

Traitor...

Biana's steps turn cold. Her friends arrived at the same time when Vespera was captured. And that timeline is when the traitor placed the Foxfire crystal...

Is it possible that one of Biana's friends planted the crystal, that they are the traitor?

"No... no," Biana breathed, shaking her head, mad at herself for even thinking that. Biana turned into the main hall, where all the children were sitting with one another.

"Miss Vacker!" The little lith boy claimed happily, his bunny ears perking up. Biana smiled as the children got up and all piled around her, obviously calming down slightly. Biana leaned down as the lith boy gave her a big hug, thanking her for helping him. Biana hugged him back, helping him with his still shaking and scared body.

Biana didn't have time to deal with the traitor; the Assassins asked her to take care of these children, to help them with their trauma.

But the echoing fear of a traitor chilled Biana's spine

Mansi clutched onto the back of the chair, focusing on her breathing.

"Are you running out of power already?" Alvar asked.

"Yeah, but I can keep going-"

"No, you are burning up," Alvar whispered, rubbing her back.

"I'm a Pyrokinetic, Alvar, that is what I do." Mansi chuckled.

"Yes, but you are burning up more than normal." Alvar countered.

From the other side of the room, the councilors were whispering, but Bronte spoke slightly louder than the others.

"There is a reason that Pyrokinetics are outlawed," Bronte whispered, looking worriedly at the wall of fire. Mansi scoffed and looked at all of them.

"Yes, you outlawed them because the elves are too weak to control it, and your little egos couldn't possibly allow that to happen." Mansi snapped. They all looked at her, startled.

"And even if you tried to control it, all were too scared of them to try to provide the proper safety and training. So instead, you all banned what you couldn't control, and hundreds of innocent children with a wonderful ability were forced into your backward talentless shit show. But right now, it is my wall of fire keeping the bloodthirsty Mirthless and insane Neverseen members away from you pompous jerks. So stop being so stubborn and keep helping your people." Mansi spat. All of them were quiet, including Mansi and Alvar.

"Hell yeah babe, you tell 'em." Alvar chuckled. The councilors nodded slightly, and they all dispersed.

"How could you stand living with them running the place?" Mansi asked Alvar, leaning on him as her body grew weaker and weaker.

"Mansi, seriously, you need to take it easy," Alvar whispered.

"No, no, no-"

"Mansi, sit," Alvar commanded, guiding her to a seat. Alvar kneeled by her, tucking strands away from her sweat plastered face, whispering to her. On his hand was a solid band of bright silvery metal, which matched the beautiful glittering jewel on her finger.

"Why is your power running out so quickly?" Alvar whispered. Mansi shook her head.

"I don't know, I have been sick recently. But nothing that bad, a scratchy throat, throwing up every once and a while." Mansi breathed.

"Throwing up? When?" Alvar asked, annoyed she hasn't told him.

"Before you wake up. Alvar, I'm fine, really." Mansi smiled, putting a delicate hand on his cheek.

"Can you try to stay out of the fight? When the wall does go down? At least for as long as possible." Alvar asked.

"Alvar, we don't have that luxury. Lia needs everyone out there holding them back-"

"Lia would agree with me if she had known you were sick," Alvar argued. Mansi bit her lip.

"Fine." She lied. Alvar looked at her in suspicion, but he glanced at his parents, who just seemed to notice him. He was obviously torn about the issue, but he knew his fiance, and he loved her enough to know that she wasn't budging.

"I should probably-"

"They deserve to see you again, Alvar, they have been through a lot. I'll be fine." Mansi breathed

"I love you," Alvar breathed.

"I love you too. Now talk to your parents, I think they deserve to know what their son has been up to."

Mansi watched as Alvar nervously got up and walked over to his parents, who bundled him you in their arms and spoke to him in frantic but hushed tones. Mansi focused on her breathing, focused on her fire being intense and hot. But the firey wall started to flicker and grow smaller, no longer thick enough to block out the images of Mirthless and Neverseen soldiers roaring and waiting on the other side.

"Mansi?" Fitz asked, walking over.

"Hey, how are you?" Mansi asked through panted gasps, trying to distract herself. Her future brother-in-law kneeled by her side, and sweat dripped off her head and splattered onto the ground below.

"I'm worried. About you. The wall is going to go down eventually, and you should be okay to fight once it does."

"What are you talking about? I'm fine." Mansi smiled at Fitz. Fitz puckered out his lip and shook his head.

"Elwin, Linh? Do you mind helping out?" He called out. Linh and a dark-haired man turned to him and came over.

"What do you need?" Elwin asked, wiping his hands off on his jacket.

"Her stamina is running out too fast; we are worried something may be off," Linh explained, she overheard the conversation from earlier.

"I have never treated Vatarians before." Elwin sighed, a hand on the back of his neck.

"Could you just try?" Fitz asked. Mansi placed a hand on Fitz's shoulder in thanks, and Elwin nodded. The Elvin physician flipped down his glasses, running a ball of light over Mansi's shaking body.

"Her cells and internal structure look fine, but she has a bad fever, and her digestive system-" Elwin stopped dead. He squinted his eyes at her abdomen, and his face blanched. He looked like a gaping fish, as if trying to figure out what to do.

"Elwin? Is she okay?" Ling asked, squeezing Mansi's hand.

"A doctor's order, I'm giving you a doctor order." Elwin repeated, his face gaunt, "You are not going anywhere near a battlefield." Elwin stated, getting up and pushing his glasses up his nose.

"What?! No, no, I need to be fighting out there. Amalia needs me to help-"

"But," Elwin cut her off, his voice quiet but sharp, "I don't think she would approve of sending a pregnant woman to battle." Elwin breathed.

Mansi's jaw dropped.

Sophie's mouth was agape as she and Vespera drifted in the black plane, no gravity holding them to the center of anything. Their hair drifted around as they both glanced around.

"The hell-"

"Don't address them like that!" Vespera snapped. Sophie glared at Vespera, rolling her eyes slightly.

"Who? And what the hell is this place?!" Sophie scoffed.

"Please, relax, Amalia. It will all make sense in a moment's time." The voice called out again, echoing through the empty abyss. Now that Sophie could properly focus again, the voice sounded distinctly female, a cold crisp voice with the slightest hint of warmness. Sophie whipped her head around, trying to place the sound. Vespera let go of the golden cord, taking small steps around them. The rope just floated in the air, as if stuck in time. Sophie let go of the wire as well, carefully twirling around, trying to grasp where she is.

"My lady?" Vespera called out. Sophie whipped her head at Vespera, watching as if Vespera was addressing someone who was floating above her. But there was no one there at all.

"Uh, Vespera?"

"I did all of this to come to meet you!" Vespera sighed, still talking to the ghostly figure.

"Vespera-" Sophie's words went in one ear and out the other.

"I'm not assertive, my lady!" Vespera whined. Sophie decided to stop trying to get a hold of Vespera and instead listened to her mindless babbling.

"My lady, please, just listen to my requests-"

Silence sounded as Vespera cringed, almost like the mystery figure snapped at her.

"No! Requests, not demands!" Vespera bartered. Sophie carefully watched as Vespera's face morphed from impatient bartering to snapping annoyance and anger.

"Is this truly how you treat your Heiress?" Vespera asked, crossing her arms. Sophie's lip puckered out as Vespera asked that.

What the hell was an Heiress?

"Wait! My Lady-" Sophie scrambled back as Vespera desperately reached out to where the mystery figure was supposedly hovering in the air. Vespera slowed in her reaching pose, her legs and arms outstretched, and her hair whipped around her head. But nothing moved, Vespera didn't even blink.

Vespera was frozen as if she was a stone statue. Sophie gulped, tapping Vespera on the cheek, trying to get a response. Her naturally deathly pale skin was warm, so she was still alive-

"Amalia." The female voice called out. Sophie straightened, she stopped trying to look for a source to the sound.

"Who. Are. You?" Sophie seethed, angry about being left unnoticed and dragged into this abyss against her will.

"Amalia, look at me. There, you will find your answer." The voice answered. Sophie felt the warmth of a hovering body right behind her, but Sophie didn't turn. She continued to glare at Vespera.

Whatever this was, it was beyond her world. Vespera was so still it was almost like she was a porcelain doll.

"If I do, are you going to freeze me like her?" Sophie asked.

The woman simply chuckled.

"I thought you didn't like Vespera?" She asked cooly.

"I can't stand her, but I am going to use her as an example to take precautions with people who can freeze time. I'm logical, not empathetic to her." Sophie countered.

"Amalia Hera Morretti, turn around." The woman commanded, her voice steady and sharp. Sophie bit her cheek, but she slowly turned on her heel, glancing at where the source of the warmth was coming from.

Hovering above her, floating as if she were underwater, was the most beautiful person to ever grace Sophie's eyes.

Her skin was as pale as clouds, her hair stark white as it fell around her back in a mass of loose strands of hair and braids scattered amongst the white hair. Her ears were in sharp points, complimenting the four dark blue, so dark they looked black, set of curling horns. One set of the horns curled around her ears, the other pointed backward, almost laying flat against her head. Around her body were decals and tattoos of swirling winds or small pointed jewels, glowing brightly with white light. Her body was almost entirely bare, but a continuous big fur wrapped around her chest and hips, leaving her stomach and legs exposed. The only other clothing was the jewelry on her bare feet, small golden chains spreading from her toes to her ankles. Her eyes were so pale blue, they looked white.

Sophie had no clue who the hell she was. Her brain raced with possible answers, but when she spoke, her words came out naturally, as if she knew the answer all along.

"Kynareth." Sophie breathed. The floating woman simply nodded her head in recognition. Sophie's breath stopped, her hands shook, and she ran her hands down her face in shock.

"Wha- how- How is this possible?! What happened to the battle?" Sophie breathed.

"The golden cord is a rare object, an object created at the dawn of time. It was given to the Vatarians, the only thing that is capable of contacting the gods. The last link between the gods and mortal plains. Right now, you are in Limbo between the godly realm and mortal one, as the cord brought you here." Kynareth explained, her cold face uncrackable.

"When the elves decided to separate off from the Vatarians, the Vatarians gave it to them as a parting gift. The Vatarians felt like it would be safer for the cord to be in the hands of the Elves, as the war between the Dunmer and Vatarians was beginning, and they were worried about it getting into Dunmer hands. Here it has been held in the school for thousands of years." Kynareth chuckled.

Sophie's mind racked for questions to ask and answers to demand.

"Why did Vespera want to try to contact the gods?" Sophie asked.

"She believed she was my heiress," Kynareth stated plainly.

"Heiress?" Sophie asked.

"Every godly figure has the ability to select one if wished. We select them as they are born into the world or if they owe a debt to us. They hold our powers as well, a small wedge of our ability, the strength of them unimaginable by your standards. They are known by many names in many cultures and tongues, but the Vatarians see them as Heirs. Anybody who has been touched by our power is considered an heir." Kynareth explained.

"Why did Vespera think she was yours?"

Kynareth was quiet, her pale eyes scanning Sophie quietly before she snapped her fingers, and the scene changed.

Sophie gasped as her eyes set on Inalia.

Well, it was Inalia, but it is different. The buildings didn't have the scorch marks from the Fall of Inalia; some of the buildings were still standing. The clothing was a little bit older than what Sophie knew, their palla's shorter and darker colored, or their sandals laced with black leather instead of brown cord.

"Inalia?"

"Inalia from your father's time. You can tell, evidently, different clothes, different trends, and such compared to your time." Kynareth answered. Sophie heard a familiar laugh from the flashback, whipping her head around staring at the sound. Draped across a bunch of crates and barrels, was Allesandro Morretti. Sophie's hands flew to her mouth as her father laughed with Maria and Leto, along with his other large crowd of friends. Allesandro had to be around 16, Maria maybe 15. Maria's brown hair still fell in gorgeous curls and silver pins, holding a few delicate stands out of her face as she casually and happily adjusted the ruffles of her dress. Allesandro was much more rough around the edges, just as Sophie knew him, a loose white shirt with dark brown trousers and grimed boots.