Made of Stardust

Gadriel's eyes burned with determination as he surveyed the chaotic battlefield. "Our mission is clear. We must rescue as many Kayronians as possible. The Tree of Death is on the brink of collapse. We need to advance and reclaim both the palace and the twin towers."

Ysabel, her gaze fixed on the horizon, nodded in agreement but with a note of caution. "The victory we achieved was surprisingly easy. We should remain vigilant. Our immediate objective should be to head towards the royal palace and confront the Queen of Void. Since arriving on Kayron, I've never felt such a surge of power."

Algos, a towering figure with an air of grim determination, added, "At long last, we are reunited. But let's ensure this battle is decisive. We will fight with all our might."

The God of Hunger, Gluttony, lounged decadently on an opulent banquet bed, borne aloft by two chained Minotaurs. His grotesque form was a testament to insatiable greed. Obese to the point of immobility, he was devoid of eyes yet possessed an acute sense of smell. His stomach was a maw of horrors, lined with tentacles that extended outward to ensnare prey.

His body, a viscous, liquid-like entity held together by a thin, membranous skin, threatened to spill its acidic contents at any moment. Drops of his substance were alive, capable of independent action before coalescing back into his form.

As the battle intensified, Gluttony's many manifestations appeared like a ravenous swarm, encircling their intended prey with a hunger that bordered on the primal.

Algos unfurled his immense black wings, their shadows cloaking the area in darkness. On Kayron, his presence was magnified, making him appear even more formidable. With a dark resolve, he led his forces into a charge against Ysabel and Gadriel.

Alasteir, amidst the turmoil, chanted a powerful incantation. "Haiku! Spellshield of Earth!" The air crackled with arcane energy as a protective barrier formed around their legion, a shimmering dome that momentarily held the forces of Gluttony at bay. However, the numbers of the enemy grew, and the barrier was soon shrouded by a multitude of Gluttonies, their presence so dense that the twin suns' light was obscured, casting an eclipse-like shadow over the battlefield.

Gadriel ascended into the sky, his lightning strikes crackling with fierce energy. Despite his efforts to fend off the Gluttonies, their relentless assault continued. Ysabel conjured colossal walls of ice, their crystalline surfaces shimmering with a cold, deadly beauty. Yet, the sheer volume of enemies proved overwhelming, and her ice barriers were rapidly being breached.

Algos, seeing the struggle, stepped in with his scythe. With a furious sweep, he cleaved through the ranks of Gluttonies, his weapon slicing through their forms with brutal efficiency. The ground beneath them began to shift and melt as Algos invoked a magma spell. "Magma Blast," he declared, and the terrain transformed into a lake of molten lava. "How will you advance now? It's like ants trapped in hell."

Armys and Gadriel, facing the daunting task of navigating through the lava and the encroaching acid, were momentarily trapped. The Haikus' barrier would not withstand this new assault for long. Armyt, her voice filled with resolve, announced, "They're trapped! The ground is collapsing, and the acid is overwhelming the barrier. I'm going out there."

Algos snapped his fingers, and a loud buzzing noise filled the air. Through the ship's windows, thousands of tiny dots were visible—flying creatures approaching in a vast swarm. It was too perilous to engage in air combat above the capital; they needed to avoid excessive collateral damage. The plan was to lure them towards the West Gate to assist with the evacuation of the Second Legion.

Ysabel turned to Gadriel, her determination unwavering. "Be ready to create a path for me. Our only chance is to destroy Algos."

At that moment, Armyt had already left the battleship, facing Algos with a mix of fury and sorrow. "Little one, have you come to be assimilated? Your poor mother could do nothing against me. What makes you think you can?"

Armyt's eyes blazed with a fierce intensity as her scarlet hair floated around her, surrounded by a red aura. "I apologize, mother. If only I had been less impulsive, you would still be with us."

Without waiting for a response, Algos unleashed a devastating spell. "Hellfire Ray!" Meteors rained down from the sky, creating a chaotic storm of destruction.

In response, Armyt's transformation was complete. Her body was engulfed in a torrent of flames, and she raced towards the meteors with incredible speed. An explosion of light and heat erupted, followed by a shockwave of fire that surged towards the warships. To everyone's astonishment, the shockwave reversed, forming a black cocoon suspended in the sky.

Algos, undeterred, invoked another spell. "SunFire!" Fireballs surrounded the cocoon, only to vanish as if absorbed by a vacuum.

As the cocoon began to crack open, a blazing entity emerged—Armys, now taking the form of a Phoenix. "Just like Queen Shiondreil, I have inherited this power from our ancestors, and today they shall judge you!" she proclaimed. "Calling of the Ancestors!" The four last Dragonauts Queens and Kings appeared in astral form, their ethereal presence piercing Algos from every direction.

Ysabel seized the moment. "Gadriel, now!" With a burst of holy energy, Gadriel created a path through the dome, propelling Ysabel as a beam of light towards Algos. She struck him directly in the chest, resulting in a powerful cry of "Purge!" Beams of light erupted from Algos, exploding with a final, blinding brilliance before he was obliterated. His flaming remnants fell onto Vega, creating a storm of destruction.

The spell "Purge" had devastating consequences, decimating the enemy's aerial forces. Corpses rained down from the sky, a grim testament to the battle's ferocity.

In the aftermath, Armyt saw the ethereal form of her mother, surrounded by ancient Kings and Queens. The sight was both heart-wrenching and comforting.

"Mother... I..."

Queen Shiondreil's voice, serene and full of love, echoed through the cosmos. "You have always possessed this strength within you. Do not fear your own power, my child. You and your sisters have always been my pride."

With a final, tender gaze, Queen Shiondreil dissipated into the sky, leaving Armyt with a renewed sense of purpose.

"Mother... for you, I will always be strong."

Armys turned her focus to Gluttony, still languishing on his grotesque bed. She approached him and placed her hand on his forehead. "Pyro Rage!" she declared. Her anger surged into him, causing his entire form to convulse and boil. The liquid within him swirled and roiled until his massive, abhorrent body melted into a pool of water, leaving no trace of his monstrous presence.

Commander Arjus approached Gadriel, his face a mask of disbelief. "Sir! You should see this..."

Gadriel, still reeling from the battle, examined the remains of Algos. His form had shifted; his once malevolent visage was now angelically beautiful. A familiar voice resonated from the remnants. "Nova, is that you, my brother?"

Arjus, understanding the gravity of the situation, immediately ordered everyone to clear the area. Gadriel stood in shock as he recognized the voice and face. It was Titheus, his dearest friend and Lisana's brother. How could this be? Gadriel had witnessed the fall of Titheus's ship with his own eyes.

Titheus, his form growing faint, spoke urgently. "I don't have much time. You have no chance of defeating the Queen of Void. The energy she has drawn from the Tree of Death has granted her immortality and transformed her into the dark counterpart of our universe. You have one chance, and only you can seize it. You must stop the transfer ritual. To do so, return to the exact moment when she is alone in her chambers. Follow these coordinates. You will have precisely 3 minutes and 25 seconds to kill her before I arrive with the gods of destruction to escort her away. Forgive me, brother, but this was the only way to warn you."

As Titheus's hand fell to the ground and his life ebbed away, Gadriel knelt beside him, overwhelmed by profound grief. Ysabel, arriving at the scene, saw Titheus's disfigured body and collapsed in anguish. "What happened? I don't understand! Where is Algos? Someone explain this to me! Titheus! Titheus! Why?" Her cries of despair echoed through the battlefield, and she fell into a state of grief-stricken collapse.

With Ysabel in a state of exhaustion and despair, Gadriel carried her to the medical bay of the mothership, where doctors worked to stabilize her condition. The victory had come at a grave cost, and the reality of Titheus's fate added a layer of sorrow to their triumph. Questions and mourning would have to wait, as their victory had to be ensured.

The mission to regain control over Kayron was critical. Despite their success, they remained cautious, aware that the apparent lack of resistance could be a trap. As their forces advanced, reclaiming cities one by one, Armyt continued to showcase her newfound power. Still in her Phoenix form, she struggled with her teleportation abilities but remained a formidable force in the battle to reclaim Kayron. Her presence was a beacon of hope, symbolizing the resurgence of life and vitality to a land long shrouded in darkness.

In the medical bay, Gadriel sat beside Ysabel's bed, his expression a mix of worry and sorrow. The traumatic events had taken a toll on her, and her state of agitation bordered on madness. In her delirium, she began calling out for Titheus, her grief manifesting in a distorted sense of reality. The doctors had been forced to induce a state of artificial coma to stabilize her condition, hoping it would provide her with the rest and recovery she needed.

Meanwhile, Admiral Helianthus, Commander Arjus, and Armyt were making significant strides. They moved through the liberated cities with renewed vigor, their resolve unwavering. The enemy's forces were scattered, and Kayron's once-tainted landscape began to show signs of healing. The roots of the Tree of Death, which had once poisoned the very life force of the planet, had disappeared, signaling a gradual return to normalcy.

Reports from allied planets were promising. Stories of their victories spread, and even the Trees of Death on other worlds were receding. The tide of war was shifting, and hope began to emerge from the shadow of despair.

In the midst of the recovery efforts, Gadriel, still haunted by the memory of Titheus, struggled to maintain focus. The revelation of his friend's transformation and the message he had delivered weighed heavily on him. His heart ached with the loss, and the knowledge that there was a final, critical mission ahead added a sense of urgency.

As the last remnants of enemy forces were dealt with, the time came to prepare for the decisive confrontation. The coordinates provided by Titheus led them to a secluded location in the Cabal Dimension, a place where the Queen of Void was rumored to conduct her dark rituals. It was here that the transfer ritual had reached its climax, and the fate of the universe hinged on their success.