Unedited. Kinda a short chapter but I'm figuring out pacing of the finale so you know...

~

Sophie ducked as Maha pushed past her into the fray, creating waves of rocks that felt like mountains against their enemies. But there were so many soldiers. Too many.

"Lia, we are getting absolutely overwhelmed down there!" Alexios pointed over the side. Sophie leaned over, Kassandra able to finally walk on her own two feet and was even help fight back the swarm of Neverseen hiking up the mountain for her. The battle beneath was a disaster. Both her Spartans, Pirates, and her Assassins were overwhelmed. And the worst thing?

They weren't working together.

The Spartans were militant and a massive group, trying to use that to their benefit. But her Assassins were trained specialists, trying to get in behind enemies' lines and use their advanced training to take down enemies. But that only works when there is one assassination target, not a damn army facing them.

And the pirates were wild and unchecked, ignoring anyone's commands and simply swinging wildly.

Behind Vincenzo's army were the Ancient vatarians, who cowered in fear of the loud fighting and sharp weapons pointed their way.

(Concept art by Hugo Puzzuoli)

"I need to get down there." Sophie murmured. She was the only one that could properly reassemble the ranks. She knows both the Assassins, Pirates, and the Spartans can find out a way to get them to work together. But Kassandra was their goal here. If she falls into the Neverseen's hands and Mephala is released, it's all over.

Kassandra gripped her shoulder, her face surprisingly soft.

"Your men need you." She understands more than anyone here. She was a queen, a leader of thousands more men than this. She knows how it feels to stand by while your men are massacred.

Sophie gripped her hand, "I cannot leave you." She whispered.

Maha called through the storm, "I see the Throat of the World!"

Kassandra and Sophie watched as the Elders shuffled out of the building with dark cloaks.

"They... they're leaving." Kassandra gasped in disbelief.

No. No, the Elders are the ones to blame for Vincenzo's attack and revealing her and Kassandra's alliance, and now they are leaving just like that?!

An older woman hobbled out after them, cursing and waving her cane at them.

"Cowards!" Sanaa called after them, Iphi and Dewei behind them. The only ones that stayed.

Sophie stomped forward, roaring as she whipped her arm up, a wall of ice blocking the Elder's escape.

They all turned to her flabbergasted, Endre the one leading them out and the one Sophie focused on.

"Mentore-"

"I am the Heiress of Kynareth, you said that you respected me and my comrades, that you protect the Ancient Vatarians beneath your leadership! They are dying, and you are leaving?!"

Endre backed up from her, his face a scowl, "You know nothing of leading a civiliaziton-"

"Apprently, neither do you!" Everyone turned to Kassandra, who emerged from the snowy storm with a blank face, but coldness in her eyes. Iphigenia gasped, dropping to her knees right then and there.

"My queen!" Iphi praised, looking up to Kassandra in awe, "How-"

But Kassandra strode past Iphi to Endre, who gripped his cloak in fright when Kassandra's golden glow jewelry wrapped around his neck, pulling him off his feet to meet her eye line.

"You call yourself a leader, yet you flee? What boarish fool are you to lead these people to their doom and still call yourself their leader? One that they should respect?!" Endre began to sniffle, whimpering as Kassandra's hand tightened.

"Give me your blade, boy." Kassandra called behind her. Alexios perked up, apprehensively pulling his dagger from his robes. The same dagger Allesandro gave him when they started their training years ago.

"What are you doing-" Duwei started.

"You claim to be Ancient Vatarians, don't you?! Then we deal with treason and desertion like we did during the reign of our kingdoms!" Kassandra plunged the knife into Endre's gut, the man's eyes widening as he spluttered against Kassandra's golden claws squeezing around his throat. She twisted the blade, her eyes dark as she heard the snapping and squishing, before yanking the blade out and dropping Endre like trash. She threw Alexios's blade aside, glaring at the Elders.

"You know nothing of ruling." She snarled at them.

Sophie and Alexios stared in shock at Endre, his blood turning the white blanket beneath him ruby red. His blood was stronger smelling than the average Vatarian, the metallic luster fading from his eyes like powder settling at the bottom of water.

Sophie couldn't tear her eyes away from the red pool, even as Kassandra continued to lecture.

"Thavma... Herate..." Cynna's final words were her sister's names. Sisters she would've protected at all costs.

Cynna would've been a better ruler than these Elder fools.

"Amalia." Her name coming from her Great aunt's mouth tore her from the pool of blood. Kassandra stood tall, even with Mephala's soul-sucking the life out of here.

"You need to get down there." She pointed to the fight below the mountain with one of her blood-stained golden fingers.

"Your brother stays with me. Heiress of Byzanthar?" Maha froze in the light of Kassandra's attention, "You stay with me as well. We will help run evacuations through the crypt."

"The crypt? The Crypt of Royalty? The only entrance is atop the mountain and it is infested with Draugr." Alexios argued.

"The crypt runs throughout the entire mountain," Kassandra argued, "We get Tezca to blow new holes along the mountainside that the refugees can get through. Maha is the Heir of godly power, you a trained assassin, and I have the soul of a demon trapped within me. We are powerful enough with our strength combined to protect the people from the Draugr. Amalia, how many ships do you have?"

"Only 12, and they aren't the biggest rafts in the world."

"We will make it work. What is the closest island to here?"

"Hyda." Sophie answered again. She was blown away by how fast Kassandra came up with a plan. A true queen never lets her people suffer without giving it her all to save them.

Sophie admired her more with each word she spoke.

"We don't have a lot of time. I fear what will happen when the Neverseen or gods forbid Halvar find me." Kassandra murmured.

That's right. The Neverseen have Halvar. Eira is nowhere to be found. And they were actively looking for Kassandra and were right on their tails.

"Come on you fools, we haven't all day!" Kassandra barked at everyone.

Sophie and Ricin launched off the mountain, diving down the side and soaring above the battle beneath them. Kassandra waved everyone off to their jobs, finding Elrond's sword and sliding it out from its sheath. She twirled it around a bit, swinging it a few times before deciding it would work. Nothing deserving of a queen, but she must work with what she has.

Kassandra took a few steps and faltered, using the sword to hold herself up. Alexios sprinted forward, grabbing her before she faceplants. The sword was shaky as Kassandra tried to push herself up, holding Alexios for support.

When she looked up at her nephew, Kassandra's eyes were sad. "I don't think I have that much time left."

Alexios nodded, "I know. Let's just... get what we can done."

Ruy sidestepped around the lance, launching into the sky and plunging his blade into the earth. Massive waves of forcefields erupted from the metal, sending enemies flying back.

Ruy pushed back the hair dangling in his face, his eyes widening at the disarranged lines of Spartans and Assassins.

"No! What are you doing?! Cover the left flank, don't charge!" Ruy yelled over the soldiers. But no one was listening to him.

"You too, huh?" Nour asked, jogging up beside him.

"They aren't listening to me and they aren't listening to each other!" Ruy exclaimed.

"Same with me."

A roar sounded from the field. And it was two different pitches.

Sophie atop Ricin dove from the mountain above, lightning wreathing the two of them as if they were Kynareth incarnate themselves.

And then, from behind them, the dark shadow that was swarming atop the peak finally punched through the cloud cover behind them.

Ruy immediately recognized the second dragon from the azure crystal's visions.

"Tezca?!" Ruy gaped.

The second dragon was easily ten times the size of Ricin, his mouth aflame, and pointed it against the ridge of the mountain where the bulk of Esposita's forces was.

"Holy-" Tezca loosed his blast the same time Ricin loosed his. The earth split, and rocks tumbled from the mountain above. Esposita and Neverseen soldiers scrambled for nonexistent cover. Tezca soared back around the mountain, but Ricin skidded to a landing on a nearby destroyed hut, his deafening screech forcing all heads to snap to him.

"Get in defensive formation!" She yelled to the largest group of Spartans. To Ruy's shock, they all scrambled with their spears and shields to create cover as the Assassins crept back behind their defensive line. The head assassins sprinted up to their Mentore, "Mentore, we are doing what we can-"

"You will utilize all of the Assassin forces to help the refugees behind Esposita lines. There will be tunnels all over the mountain side made by the other dragon. Maha and my great aunt will also be there to assist."

The Assassins, who now have a clear directive, nodded and dispersed. Except one, who muttered, "Great aunt?" But he was hauled away to his duty. The pirates were already scrambling back to the ships at the mere sight of her, realizing they were supposed to be leading the naval offense, not going wild on the front lines.

Sophie caught eyes with Ruy, her eyes dark, "How did you let it get like this?"

The hostility in her tone took him aback, "I was trying my best Blondie-"

"Mentore."

Ruy's eyes widened, "What?"

"We are on the battle field. I am your mentore." She snarled. She gasped when a large explosion sounded from the other side of the field. A dark inky mass that Ruy had a feeling she knew.

"Shit. He's here." She murmured.

She launched off without a second word, leaving Ruy reeling and Nour thoroughly confused.

Nour awkwardly coughed, "Did you two have a fight or something?"

Ruy glared at the now distant black creature, sliding his sword in his sheath. The Spartans were now efficiently holding off the tiring Esposita front line.

"Let's just stay focused."

"Hey," Nour grabbed Ruy's shoulder, "She just is scrambling right now. Don't take it personally."

Ruy shoved off Nour's hand, "Let's just stay focused. She wrangled them for us, so let's get this done."

Sophie held onto Ricin with shaking hands, her eyes furiously scanning the area below. The inky black power of Halvar made the air smell of decay and rotting flesh, the magic floating up into the air in a dark mist.

A dark figure stood in the middle of the magic, his helmet off and his wings splayed around him. Sophie knew his face. She saw it in her nightmares.

"I should've known." She muttered.

Elrond panted, the cracks of his armor hissing black steam as he wielded Mephala's angry spirit. So much anger and vicious violence. Of course, Elrond and Halvar were one and the same.

He was fighting someone. He was tired, however. How could anyone besides the gods match his strength?

"How could you?!" A woman screeched from the other side of the field.

Her cloak was the same as it was that fateful night. But her voice was filled with anger, tears streaking down her hooded face.

"This isn't what our father would've wanted, Halvar!" Eira screamed over the battlefield.

Elrond spat out the blood pooling in his mouth, glaring daggers at his sister, "How dare you tell me what our father wanted! He was a good man and that bitch up there killed him!" He argued, pointing to the mountain where Kassandra resided.

"She saved our lives by taking the bulk of Mephala's power! She tried everything she could to save him! Even after all these years, you are blinded by grief-"

"Revenge, Eira. Not grief, but revenge! Justice finally served." He screamed, voice cracking.

"Don't lie to yourself." Eira snarled.

Elrond panted louder and louder, his arms reaching for the sky as the sky turned dark. Shadows and death gathered between his fingertips, and his arm aimed down for his sister.

"If you won't help me avenge father by killing all of the Morretti trash, then I have no need to keep you alive! Your part of Mephala's should will be mine!"

Eira couldn't possibly jump out of the way in time, the blast of utter darkness shuddering her way.

Blue and purple lightning cut through the black vapor, Sophie's cry forcing lightning and ice to spark with life.

The lightning shot through the black magic, moving with speed unmatched by the naked eye. Elrond's eyes widened, screaming in agony as it stuck his face, the ice spreading under the cracks of his armor and the lightning shuddering his entire body.

The dust settled, Elrond was on his knees with weak breaths.

Sophie turned to Eira, holding out a hand for her.

Eira glared at the hand before apprehensively taking it. Sophie was still unable to peek under her hood.

"You are that girl that I-"

"Yes, I am." Sophie answered, her eyes still focused on Elrond. Eira yanked her hand back, "I can't trust you."

"Then we can fight after we take your brother down. One enemy at a time." But Eira shook her head, lifting a hand to Sophie.

"No, neither of you can be trusted with Mephala. I'm going to get Kassandra and we are running. Neither of us are safe!"

Suddenly, it was a stand-off.

Elrond, the Butcher of Inalia, Agent of Mephala, and the son of Egil.

Eira, the mysterious daughter of Egil and agent of Mephala.

And Amalia, the Mentore of the Cyevan guild and Kynareth's heiress.

Sophie glared at Eira, ice slowly beginning to coat her hands, "Eira, be sensible. I'm here to help you. Together we can take down Elrond-"

Eira scoffed, "Help me like you helped Cynna? I'm here to get Elrond to see reason and collect Kassandra. I don't need help. "

Sophie paled, her fists tightening. Eira glanced at the flickering light surrounding the ice coating Sophie's arm to the gold filling Sophie's irises.

"You both," The two women turned to Elrond, who shakily got to his feet. Blue and purple lightning marks bubbled beneath his skin, burns from Sophie's brutal surprise attack.

Elrond found his footing, raising his sword in the general direction of them both, "Are in my way."

Sophie too got ready, sword in one hand, powers in the other. Ricin landed behind her, vapor pooling out of his snarling mouth and a tail cautiously wrapping around his companion.

Eira lit both of her hands with black inky magic, the power making her float gently above the ground. One hand pointed at Sophie, the other at Elrond.

Elrond smiled at both of them and then lunged.

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_Sibylline_