He appeared in a pitch-black void. Beings of cosmic scale fought before his eyes. They fought and fought. Fought against the unending swarm. An endless multitude of amorphous flesh. Morphed into tentacles, morphed into worms, morphed into bubbles, morphed into flesh, flesh and flesh. These beings came from the deep, from the depths of the cosmos, from the chambers of the chaos. They plucked out planets, They plucked out stars, They plucked out galaxies. They were...

The Nine Monarchs Beyond The Veil

"Do you actually love her more than me?" Selena said in a feeble voice. "I know you do not really love me but still." 


“Whatever that means,” Vincent raised an eyebrow and added. “Well, of course, the daughter of a demigod is far more adoring to me than her." 


"At least you are honest," Selena sighed in relief. 


"But that might change," he gave a playful smile. 


"What do you m--" Selena said in confusion. 


"Shhhh," he said; skeletal wings arched out of his back, and he glided down the cliff with Selena in his arms. 


"Kyaaaa!" Hertha screamed in fright when they landed beside her. 


"Oh, it's you! Vincent," she calmed down and placed a hand on her chest. 


"You two reconcile and hug each other," Vincent said and pushed Selena towards Hertha. 


"The feeling is mutual! humph!" Selena said. 


"Just pretend you are on good terms for now," Vincent said. 


"Alright!" Hertha opened her arms and gave a feigned smile. 


Selena knitted her brows and leaned closer. 


"I am sorry, Selena," Hertha said in a soothing tone. 


They hugged like long lost sisters until Hertha gave a mischievous smile and pulled on her golden hair. 


"Alright, that's enough," Vincent separated the two. "We have to leave." 


He turned to Celeste and pointed at his skeletal wings. She ran around him until two tiny skeletal wings pierced out from her back. 


Vincent then looked back at the disgruntled Selena and the grinning Hertha, "I can carry you two, but what about Nathaniel?" 


Swoosh! A long silhouette latched onto the tallest peak on the mountain range. Green bladed scales shrouded its body. Black eyes along with two small horns protruded out of its elongated head. Leathery wings grew out of its two front limbs and attached to the sides of its body. 


"The legions left this behind!" Nathaniel shouted, riding atop its back. 


"A wyvern? Hmm, a nice find," Vincent nodded. 


Celeste flew towards the wyvern and observed it in curiosity. The wyvern turned its head towards her and blew smoke out of its nostrils. 


Celeste’s face scrunched up at the burnt smell. Then she hissed and threw rocks at the wyvern. 


The wyvern let out low growls and crawled up to her in annoyance. 


She flew back and sat on the top of Vincent's head. 


"Celeste! Don't disrespect your father! Get down!" Selena said. 


She pouted and sat on his shoulder instead. 


"It's okay, haha," Vincent laughed and soared into the skies. 


He flew east, carrying Selena and Hertha by their waists; Celeste sat on his shoulder and looked towards the vast expanse in excitement. 


"Where are we going?" Nathaniel flew behind on the wyvern. 


"The harbour city of Dawnkiln," Vincent replied. 


Two figures watched them leave from the base of the mountain range. 


"Emperor, are we really letting them leave just like that?" Kendall asked. 


A man in ceremonial robes said, "We really don't have a choice in this, especially now since I lost a portion of my divinity." 


He floated a meter above the ground; a bloodied cloth was wrapped around his left eye while his other eye flared in golden lightning. 


"Should have known it was a trap to lure me in. I was careless," The Emperor said. 


"Did we do the right thing back then?" Kendall sighed. 


"Yes, we did. I would have done the same thing again if I had another chance," The Emperor declared. 


Black clouds rumbled and churned, lightning streaked across and discharged into sparks. A formless pressure descended upon Kendall from above as dawn turned to dusk. 


"But things are different now. I will drag him back to the Empire one way or another once I have recovered," The Emperor said with confidence.


They Hugged Like Sisters.