Selene...
As she stared up at the towering Archdragon in horror her mind went back to the final days she had spent with her father before everything fell apart.
Her eyes fluttered open as she woke up in her own bed burrowed underneath the covers of her soft blanket.
She slowly sat up and began rubbing her eyes as she heard her father speaking to himself in the other room. It wasn't that long ago when she had erupted into flames and several of the other kids at school had gotten hurt because of her. Since then they had moved to a home on the outskirts of town closer to Mt. Lunaris where no one could bother them. Despite that, her father assured her that there was nothing wrong and that she was safe with him but she couldn't help but think that he was stressed out because of what she did.
She pulled herself out from under the covers of her blanket and swung her tiny legs off the edge of the bed. She jumped down from her bed and she had to tip toe out of the room because of the cold wooden floor.
When she made her way into the living room she noticed her father looking through the windows.
“Dammit, where is she? what is taking her so long...?” he said quietly.
“Daddy? What’s going on?” she asked drowsily.
He seemed to be so deep in his own thoughts that he didn't notice that she was there and was startled when he heard her voice as he flinched. He turned around to look at her and hid his sudden surprise with a genuine smile.
“Oh Selene, what are you doing awake? You should be asleep.”
Adrian had scarlet red eyes to match his red hair and she wished that she had the same eyes he had. She did share his red hair, albeit with the streaks of white through it, but unlike him her eyes were the color of amber. Even he thought it was unusual for her to have the color of eyes that she did when he said that not even her mother shared them with her.
Her father was also very tall and muscular, as if he worked as a blacksmith for all his life. His eyes were a bit weary from being up so late and he had a scruffy unkempt beard. He was wearing a plain white shirt and jeans, but she had noticed he was also wearing shoes on like he was getting ready to leave.
He picked her up with an exaggerated grunt and said, “Oof, you’re getting heavier, and already you're growing up so quickly, haha!”
He pulled her into his arms and gave her a soft squeeze and walked her around the house.
"Did something wake you up?" he asked and she shook her head no.
"I just woke up for some reason and then I heard you. Are you waiting for someone?"
"Yes I am. She's someone very important to both of us. Would you like to take a guess as to who she is?"
"Hmm...Do I have a sister?" she asked.
Her father laughed as he asked, "Do you want a sister?"
She couldn't hide her excitement as she said, "Yes! I want a sister! Is she coming?"
"I'm sorry to disappoint you but no, you do not have a sister just yet. However, the one who is coming...I can ask her if she wants to make a new sibling for you. Your mother said that she is coming home and she should be here sometime soon."
"Where is she right now?" she asked.
"Hmm...That's a good question. She's been fighting in the Mordrinite war ever since you were born but...the way that things are looking right now it seems like she wants to come back as soon as possible. Its just a matter of when she gets here...," he said with a look of longing on his face.
"Is my mother pretty?"
Her father laughed again and said, "Oh yes. Your mother is very beautiful. She's so beautiful in fact that the first time I saw her I fainted!"
He put the back of his hand against his forehead in an exaggerated act of falling backwards as he pretended to faint while holding her in his other arm. He fell into the couch in the room and she held onto his shirt tightly and began to giggle from his act.
"You fainted? Is she really so beautiful?"
"Well yes she is but its not actually the reason I fainted. You see, there was a rumor going around where I lived that if any man happened to stumble upon her bathing, they would be turned into a deer and she would send her hunting wolves after them and tear them into mince meat. I fell into a stream while being chased by a bear and there she was stark naked in front of me! I didn't even have the time to appreciate the beautiful woman right in front of my eyes because the only thing going through my head at the moment was the threat of being eaten alive by wolves!"
The story was so ridiculous to her that she couldn't help but laugh at the thought of her father fainting from seeing a naked woman.
"But luckily I learned later on that it was nothing more than a tall tale spread by her wretched handmaiden, Upis I think her name was. She told that absurd tale to keep men from peeping on her while she bathed. She never did like me all that much after we met but I can't help but wonder if she's still alive and alright."
Just as her father was about to say something, she heard a knock at the door and he turned to face it. He then picked her up off of his chest and gently set her down on the floor.
"Stay behind me."
He walked over to the door and opened it just enough to peep through.
"Its...its you! I...I didn't know if I would see you again for some time!"
He then opened the door all the way and there, standing right outside their house, was a man dressed in a black leather trench coat and boots. He had choppy black hair and colorless eyes. However, the one thing that popped out at her about this man was the cracks on his face and around his eyes.
The man's eyes moved towards her and his eyes blinked in mild surprise and his mouth opened slightly as if he was about to say something.
He then looked back at her father and asked, "May I come in?"
"Of course. Selene, can you go to your room for a moment? I need to speak with him alone," he asked her and she nodded politely.
She walked over to her bedroom and made her way inside. She started to close the door but then her curiosity got the better of her and she left it open just enough to listen in on them as they talked.
"So...Ruvick, what brings you here?"
"I'm here to share some information with you. Now, as you already know, the war is coming to an end. Mordran is preparing to make one final push to turn things in their favor but I'm not certain as to what they plan to do."
"You also involved yourself in the war?"
"I have but for the same reason that I've always worked towards," he said.
Adrian sighed in exasperation as he said, "And here I thought you would have given up on that after all that has happened."
Selene saw through the crack in her door as Ruvick's brow furrowed in mild anger as he said, "Its been three hundred years for you since the Exodus but ten thousand years for me. Do you really think, after all the time I've spent fighting that I would give up now?"
"No, I guess not," Adrian said.
Ruvick let out a sigh as the anger drained out of him and he said, "I understand that you chose to abandon the effort. After everything that has happened between the two of you, you are deserving of some peace. However, I am here to tell you that with the way things are going now I'm not sure that you'll have that luxury for much longer."
Adrian's eyes snapped at him as he asked, "Is that a threat?"
"No. Like I said, I respect your choice to abandon the effort and if anything, I would like you to be able to enjoy the peace you have but I am concerned that you will be pulled back into it regardless if you or I want it or not."
Adrian's look of anger turned into confusion as he asked, "What do you mean? Are you saying that I'll be forced into it by circumstance?"
"Most likely. I'm not certain about this but I've been doing research and making notes on recent events and the appearances of certain individuals lately. When I arrived on this planet it was eight thousand years before Yeshua died. When you arrived it was one thousand seven hundred and seven years after he died. I've had these dates all confirmed by Kronos. I've met several others who have appeared in this world from Terra and I have charted down the dates of their arrival and they all line up in such a way that suggests that Yeshua's prophecy is approaching fast. Within the next thirty years in fact."
Adrian's mouth hung open in shock and the blood drained from his face in fear.
"Are you...please tell me you're lying," he said in a quite voice, almost too quiet for her to hear.
"I wish I could tell you I was. Do you understand now why I came here to warn you?"
Adrian laced his fingers together before resting his chin on his hands with a look of fear and worry in his eyes.
"What am I to do now? If what Yeshua said is true then no where is safe. Do you have a plan to prevent it from happening?"
"Unfortunately no. There is still too much information that I am lacking. However, with the way things are changing right now, I think that I'm getting closer to a solution. What about you? What will you do now with this information?"
Adrian was silent for a good five minutes as he contemplated everything while Ruvick waited patiently for his answer.
"I'll have to wait until she returns from the war before we can decide on anything. I need to make sure our daughter is safe before anything else and I can't have her mother come back just to send her off to another battle while I raise our daughter alone. Selene needs her."
"I understand. I'll try to keep in touch. For now I'll take my leave. Stay safe until things become clear and good luck," he said before he left and closed the front door behind him and their home became eerily quiet.
Her father sighed before he called out to her, "Selene? Are you still awake?"
She opened the door and said, "Yes...?"
"Come here for a moment and bring a blanket with you," he said as he patted the seat next to him.
She walked over to her bed and took the blanket from off of her bed. She then ran over to her the couch where her father was sitting and sat next to him.
"Who was that man?" she asked.
"He is an old friend of mine that I knew long before I came to this land. He's not someone you need to worry about. Come close to me," he said and Selene scooted closer to her as he lifted up his arm and placed it around her in a gentle and warm embrace.
"What's wrong daddy? Did he say something bad? You look scared," she said as she rested her head on his chest.
"I am scared, but I am determined to make sure nothing happens to you. So don't worry, I will make sure our family is safe," he said in a soothing voice.
She didn't fully understand everything that was going on but she had faith that nothing would be able to stop her father from keeping her safe and making sure everything was okay.
Her father placed his hand on her head and stroked her hair as she rested on his chest. She wanted to stay awake so she could keep an eye on him and make sure he was alright but the heat coming from his chest was so comforting and her eyelids started to get heavy that she could no longer stay awake.
"Your dad will make sure everything is alright," he said right before she was lulled to sleep.
Several days passed since Ruvick stopped by at their home and they found that the army of Duranell had arrived in Lunaas. When they did he went into town for any information on where her mother was and when he heard that her mother would be arriving with Duranell's army he took Selene with him but apparently she had been delayed and wouldn't arrive for another few hours.
She had no idea why Duranell's army was even occupying Lunaas in the first place and Adrian seemed even more nervous than usual because of it. He carried Selene in his arms as he wandered around asking for more information but everyone he talked to told him that they hadn't heard anything new about it.
Several hours passed and there was still no sight of her mother anywhere. While they were waiting for her to appear, Duranell's army began preparing a defensive line on the west side of town as if waiting for something.
"Daddy, what is going on?" she asked.
"I...I don't know but it doesn't look good. We need to move," he said as he picked her up and carried her in his arms.
Just as he was about to take her back to their home on the mountain he was stopped by Principal Anderson.
"Adrian! Where are you going?"
Her father stopped and turned around to face him. Principal Anderson was decked in full armor and even carried a sword as he was preparing to jump into battle as well.
"Anderson? What is going on here?" her father asked him.
"You haven't heard...? Adrian, an army of Wraiths are approaching from the west. It is Mordran's final push to end the war."
"An army of Wraiths? But...how is that possible? How are they commanding an entire army of them to attack us?"
"They have allied with the Archdragon Malthael and he is leading them to our town at this very moment. We cannot hope to hold them off on our own without your flames," he said.
"I...I cannot help you until my wife arrives to keep our daughter safe. I'm sorry but I need to make sure Selene is safe before I get involved," he said and Anderson gritted his teeth in anger.
"Will you not simply leave her with one of the soldiers instead? Without your strength we will surely perish!"
"I'm sorry but I cannot help you until Selene's safety is assured," he said with a stern tone and Anderson's nostrils flared.
"What of OUR safety? What of OUR townspeople's safety? Would you truly risk dooming us all for the sake of your child?"
Her father looked him straight in the eyes, unflinchingly, and said, "Yes. I would do it over and over again for the sake of my daughter. Weighing your lives against my daughter's, her life is far more important to me than yours."
Anderson couldn't find the words to express his anger and frustration in the face of her father's willingness to defend her over them. At the end of the day, she was his first priority and Anderson understood that even if it angered him.
"Damn you Adrian! Very well, take your daughter far from here but as soon as you are certain of her safety I beg that you aid us. Can you do that much?"
"I promise, as soon as Selene is safe with her mother I will help you," he said and Anderson nodded.
However, just as the two of them were about to go their separate ways, she heard a screeching sound coming from the sky. It was a terrifying sound that she would remember for the rest of her life.
Selene looked towards the sky and watched as a figure glowing with a dark flame descended and crashed in the center of their town. The force from the impact was devastating a large cloud of air appeared and continued to expand as it reduced all of the surrounding buildings to rubble.
As the expanding shockwave approached, her father clutched her close to his chest and put his back between her and the explosion. He stood firm as he planted his feet in the ground even when the other soldiers were blown away.
Her ears were ringing after the shockwave slammed into them and her vision became blurred as her father ran as fast as he could to get her to safety.
He ran as fast as he could with her in his arms, and even though he held her so tight that it hurt she didn't complain because she knew he was doing all he could to protect her.
When they finally reached their house on the mountain her father set her down and rushed to his room. She followed after him as she watched him flip his bed over and fell to his knees as he pulled on a hidden compartment on the floor. He rummaged around until he pulled out a wrapped-up bundle of cloth. He unfurled the bundle of cloth and pulled out a sword. It had an unusual design to it. Instead of a double edge, it looked like the entire half of the blade had been removed and there was even an opening on the pommel and on the guard as if another sword had to be inserted to complete it. It had an engraving of a sun on the face of its guard with a small crescent opening next to it.
He then gripped the hilt tightly in his right hand before his head perked up in surprise as if he sensed something.
"Selene! We need to move, now!" he said as he ran towards her and reached out his arm. She quickly held onto his shirt as he wrapped his arm around her to pick her up and they dashed out of the house just as a giant claw crashed into their home.
Selene looked up at the black dragon larger than Mt. Lunaris itself and her body went deathly still in fear.
With this massive beast bearing down on them, her father was unfazed and unafraid. He gripped his sword tight and she could feel power welling up within him as he stared up at the dragon. Her father brimmed with power and flames exploded from his body and along the length of the blade. The ground underneath him started to glow red hot and turned to molten rock but she could not feel the intensity of the flames.
The dragon looked down at him and sneered in disappointment as he said, “Pah! You are not the champion I wish to fight. Begone!"
Malthael’s eyes shifted to look at Selene as she stared at him unable to think or move.
Adrian turned to look at her with worry in his eyes but then shifted his attention back to Malthael as he shouted, “You’ll never get the chance!”
Malthael pulled his head back and released a wave of black and orange flames down on them.
Adrian thrusted his left hand in front of him and released his own powerful torrent of flame. Selene closed her eyes tightly as she waited for death to claim her but she only heard the grunt of effort from her father as he repelled the Archdragon's assault.
He stood there, unmoving as he held back Malthael's flames from reaching her. He looked behind him and his eyes widened in surprise.
Selene turned around just in time to see a blinding flash of light appear in front of her as the figure of a woman stood above her. As the light faded and Selene's eyesight returned to normal, this woman wore a white hooded cloak that was covered in dirt and dried blood. Her arms, legs, and torso were wrapped in white cloth wrappings that kept her armor together. Underneath her hood, her face was filthy as it too was covered in dirt and blood but still, she was beautiful. Her white hair poked out from underneath her hood and her eyes shined with silver light. She was huffing from exhaustion as it seemed that she had fought through an army to get here.
"Go! Take her far from here! I will handle this!" Hearing that, the woman in the white cloak nodded and picked Selene up roughly. Not knowing who she was, Selene fought against her tight grip because she didn't want to leave her father alone to fight Malthael even though she could do nothing to help him.
In seconds they were already dozens of miles away as they landed near a forest and she could see a bright light illuminating from Mt. Lunaris as her father battled against the terrible dragon.
Now...
"Selene!" Artemis shouted and she snapped back to reality as the dragon roared into the sky.
"You need to focus right now! Come on!" She shouted once again and pulled Selene to her feet.
"H-how do we handle this," Selene asked as she tried to focus.
"We can't fight them both at once or we'll be destroyed. We need to split them up and take Jiroh to somewhere far from here so we don't destroy Lunaas by accident. Marcus!"
"Yes?"
"You will have to fight Malthael alone. My moonlight can't pierce his scales and Selene's flames won't be enough to destroy him without the risk of annihilating the town along with it. You need to use the Mark of the Conqueror to absorb his magic and wear him down enough to land a finishing blow!"
"Got it!" Marcus shouted as he took off leaving a trail of lightning behind him.
"Selene! We need to move Jiroh somewhere that won't affect Lunaas so we can kill him!"
Selene remembered the field where her and Marcus trained for the past two weeks.
“Will you be able to follow me even if I teleport the two of us to it?"
"Of course," she replied.
Selene took a deep breath as she disappeared in a burst of flames and reappeared in front of Jiroh.
Jiroh took a startled step back before he pulled back his arm as if to punch her but she was much faster as she grabbed him by the throat and the two of them disappeared once again. A blink and the two of them appeared in the spot of land that she had shared with Marcus as they trained for weeks.
Not even a split second passed as Artemis crashed onto the ground right next to her with her own sword brandishing her gleaming moonlight.
Jiroh tried to hide his mild surprise as he looked at them in amusement and asked, “What did you hope to accomplish by bringing me here? Distancing me from Malthael isn’t going to sever my connection to him. I’ll still be just as powerful as ever, so why?”
“We brought you here to kill you,” said Artemis.
“We brought you here, so we won’t get in Marcus’s way when he kills Malthael,” said Selene.
Hearing that Jiroh began to laugh hysterically.
“Do you really think he has a chance?” he said without a hint of worry at his current situation.
Selene looked at Artemis and the memory that surfaced in her mind not too long ago confirmed her suspicions. This woman standing next to her was the same woman who had saved her all those years ago when Malthael bared down on her and took her father's life. Now the two of them stood together to avenge him.
Selene met her eyes as she said, “Shall we?”
Artemis smiled and said, “Yeah.”
Standing side by side the two of them tightened their grip on their swords, drawing from the well of magic within themselves, and brought it all out.
From Selene, a brief thermal pulse released from her that set everything within half a mile ablaze. Her body then ignited completely as torrents of fire rolled off of her.
From Artemis, a deep humming sound reverberated throughout her entire body as moonlight sparked from her and struck the ground, splitting it apart and shattering it like glass. Shockwaves buffeted the area around her as even the atoms in the air were split apart.
Jiroh stared at the two women before him, not exactly fearful but definitely wary. He was clearly no fool to take them lightly. If he was then he never would have survived as long as he did through the Mordrinite war to see this moment through.
Yet despite all of that smiled as he said, “This is gonna be fun.”