Age Recommendation: 16+
Concluding from where Fury of Balavid left off, this is the story of Trei, and Ausosa.
She killed everything he ever cared about.
He can't die.
Summer played happily, dancing through the garden as she chased her daughter.
There was something she'd never imagined could be true. A miracle. She was the first Fae to give birth, ever. Her eternal people had never had a new generation before. Faith was a shining light in all the dark that happened so recently. She was the hope of every Fae, in every world.
The golden wings in front of her flitted as her daughter teased her, knowing she was faster than her mother could be without cheating. Summer grinned as she cheated, falling into a shift and reappearing in front of her as she caught the Faeling. The young Fae complained as she knocked them both to the ground, caught as her moth hugged her tightly.
When she was with Faith she felt safe, and whole. Even though Trei was absent, trying to arrange a peace treaty between the old pantheon of gods, and the one rising up under his leadership. He hadn't asked for it. He never wanted it. That was Trei. He'd never sought out power, but he had been handed it. From a dead blacksmith to one of the most powerful creatures in existence. He'd left his humanity behind a long time ago. Summer couldn't be prouder of him.
"Dinner, you two!" Luna called, waving from the house.
Summer stood up as Faith scrambled up to sit on top of her head. Summer grinned as she moved towards the house. She hadn't been this happy in so long. The only thing that came close was the day of her wedding, when she'd just about been sweating blood, terrified one of the attending gods would leap up and object to their union. Technically, Summer wasn't a god, or a Fae. She was the eternal, but not celestial, reincarnation of Sumner, the god of light. She couldn't remember being a god. Maybe that was one of Sumner's last mercies for her. To spare her from knowing why the god had sacrificed herself to create the Fae.
Claven was already sitting at the table, just about salivating as Luna began placing out bowls. She'd prepared a whole set. Bowls of peppermint leaves, sap chunks, and mixed petals. Luna was going all out, as she always did for her niece.
Summer caught Faith as she dove for the table, and smiled as the Faeling's fangs sank into her hand. "That's not how we express ourselves, Faith. Now, sit at the table. You'll get your food soon."
She rubbed her hand, healing it, and sat down as Luna came over. The white-haired Fae smiled at her, "Dig in. Any word from Trei?"
Summer shook her head, "Not yet. Not surprising. A roomful of gods. Can you imagine the measuring contests?"
Claven laughed with a mouthful of pink flowers, "Isn't Trei sort of in on that?"
Summer rolled her eyes, "He certainly does throw his authority around sometimes. Hopefully he and Kru aren't tearing a new hole in the 'verse."
"Shannon's there." Luna said, nibbling on a leaf, "Kru's probably taking her frustration out on her. The mortal who stopped a god."
Summer shot to her feet, turning, "Get Faith out of here, Luna!"
The front door crumbled to dust as the Fae swept up the confused, angry and hungry Faeling. Summer stepped forward, and winced as her face was burned by an enormous wall of flames. She twisted the wall, containing it to a single point, and then neutralised it.
The caster in front of her was a Fae. A Fae she knew, and hoped she would never see again. Her sister. Ausosa. The Dawn. She was the in-between for Summer and Luna. She was also supposed to be locked in the deepest circle of hell for what she'd done. Resurrecting Tyr. Her husband who ended up trying to kill her, Luna, and everyone else in a vendetta to wipe out the gods and magic. He'd nearly managed it too.
Ausosa smiled at her, "Summer. It is good to see you. I doubt you feel the same."
"Void." Summer swore, "How did you escape?"
Ausosa shrugged, "Hero. Yio gave him the responsibility of being my keeper. He just happened to be the most power-hungry mortal to have ever lived. Seducing him wasn't difficult. Don't worry, I'll make sure to kill him when we're done here."
Summer didn't get a chance to respond. Her sister was stronger than she could believe. She knocked aside Summer's magic like it wasn't even there, and stepped forward, grabbing her by the throat.
She gagged as she felt her throat collapse under her sister's fingers. Summer fell to her knees as Ausosa shot passed her, grabbing Luna halfway through a shift and tearing her back into reality. Before the Shadow Knight could respond, Ausosa slammed her fist down, shattering Luna's head against the ground. If she could still breathe, she would have gasped.
Ausosa picked up the struggling Faeling easily and turned, "I was hoping you'd survive to see this."
Claven appeared out of nowhere, screaming in rage. Luna was dead. Claven had snapped, just like she had last time. Lost all sight of sanity, just anger and violence on her mind. Her magic was without focus, but incredibly dangerous and powerful.
Ausosa grabbed Claven by the chest and headbutted her hard enough to break her neck. She dropped the red head to the ground and rolled her shoulders. "As I was saying. I wanted you to see this. To know that you made all this possible. Your daughter, Summer. She's part celestial, twice over. The old pantheon, from Sumner and you. The new pantheon from Trei. She represents the lifestream. She's an avatar of it. If she were to grow up, she'd be more powerful than Trei and you combined."
Summer's eyes were beginning to water. It took time for a Fae to suffocate to death, even if it completely disabled them.
Ausosa held up Faith in one hand, as she punched down into Luna. There was sickening crack as the ribs shattered apart. Ausosa lifted up the heart in her other hand. "Luna is the source of the Fel. The corrupted magic. I'm good with it, but Luna is still the source. And your daughter is the path."
Summer stumbled forward weakly, desperately trying. Ausosa erected a barrier spell without trying.
Forcing Summer to watch as her sister killed her daughter.
© Copyright 2024, James Milne