Star-crossed - "The first day of the Fourth Age."

Written by Black-Draco
The World of Daykia, its peoples and gods belong to Rhanite, aka HeavyMetalMirage ( http://www.furaffinity.net/user/heavymetalmirage/ ) . Do not copy or distribute without permission.
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"They're retreating! Victory!!"

The deep voice of the commander boomed across the mountain pass and was soon accompanied by the cheering of a legions worth of knights, clan warriors, sorcerers, commoners and huntsmen. Kinnell O'Eadu fell heavily to his knees, dropping his blade in the process from sheer exhaustion. For four full days the detachment from Hope had been holding the pass. The invaders had been many, but large numbers means nothing when being bottled up in a narrow canyon. The price had been high, but this small victory had been the boost of morale that the wary Highlanders had been needing for quite some time.

The war had been lasting for over a year now. It all began when the first Legions of the exiled Empire had marched through the portals all across Daykia. Initial response had been slow between Humans, Lykin, Fae'lynn and Einharjers alike, as most portals were located in the remote wastes and forests of this world. When the true aspect of the invasion had finally dawned upon the leaders of the four races, it was too late. At that time the Empire had already gathered a nation's worth of well trained and disciplined warriors in camps across the realms. The Vashar'lynn, an ancient species which had dominated this world in an age long since dead, had been quick to use their destructive magic to break the armies that had come to face them. The surviving soldiers, who had managed to flee the initial onslaught, told tales of beings who exploded when being slain, taking their opponent with them in a ball of black flames. The surviving spell casters in return told of warlocks who could rip a dozen bodies apart with a single spell. When these survivors were ordered by the commanders to return to the battlefield to face their foe, only few follow orders. The rest either fled or committed suicide. So great was the effect of these tales that it took months before morale was properly restored. By then the sky had turned black from all the ash and smoke that emitted from the flaming countryside. It now became apparent to all that this would not be a war of domination, but one of survival. The invaders sought to extinct the free people of this world, and they showed a frightening zeal for that mission.

In the Highlands this information had meant that the Phoenix Queen had been forced to take a heavy decision. She had ordered every able bodied member of the clans, regardless of age, sex or skill, to enlist into the defense of the realm and to join forces with the armies of Man and Einharjer, in an joint effort to push the enemy back through the portals. The Fae'lynn was caught in their own theater of war, fighting the invaders across their island nation and on the seas of the world.

All members of his clan, except for those who lacked the strength to carry weapon and armor, had thus been enlisted. They were rapidly thought the basics of combat and prepared for the long road ahead to the fields of Rhûnhar. A week later the Highlander army had meet up with the forces of Man and the remnants of the Einharjer companies. At this time the frozen homeland of the Einharjers had been conquered and engulfed in black flames. The heat had melted the snow in such quantities that the land had become nothing more than an endless marshland. And from the north the enemy legions had marched to meet the defenders. The freighting memory of the endless mass of steel still had its hold on Kinnell. Spanning the entire horizon many times over, the numbers of the main force of the Vashar'lynn had taken everyone by surprise. More surprising was the fact that the defending force had been able to hold the enemy at bay for two full days. Had it not been for the Chosen; living avatars of the gods themselves, the army would have been washed away from the first strike. But even divine strength showed to be no match against superior numbers. The Highlanders had been forced to retreat back to their mountainous homeland, blocking the passes behind them. The humans retreated back to their walled cities, preparing for the incoming sieges. The Einharjers had stayed back. With nowhere to flee they had stand their grounds against the hopeless odds. The general of that army; Sigrund, Chosen of Castine, stood her ground long after the breath of her last troop had left his lips. Her initial fate remains a mystery.

While the fate of the outside world remained unknown for the lycanthrope clans, the state of their own land soon turned for the worse. After breaking through the blocked passes the legions of warlocks and immortals began to spill into the ancient land. The following months had been one of constant raids, sieges, retreating and salvage. In those months the earlier carefree young man Kinnell had grown into a seasoned warrior. Keeping the teachings of his father and mother at heart he had an arsenal of both illusion spells and spirits at his hand besides his claymore. He and his sister Skye had become famous among the clans for their efficiency to adapt to any situation and to take advantage of even the slightest opportunity. But regardless of their efforts, the Vashar Empire quickly gained total control over the Highlands. The survivors had fled to the valley of the Hearthland, the blessed lands of their Monarch the Phoenix Queen, Chosen of Solas. It was at the only pass leading into this land that Kinnell and his fellow Lykin had been able to achieve their first victory for the past two weeks. Now, if he could just get some rest for once, then he would be ready for the next two weeks.

As he lay back against the cliff-wall his eyes scans across the troops that are under his grandfather's command. They are so few now. Even if the gods were to intervene directly and throw the invaders out themselves, the Lykin as a nation is no more. The Queen still rules over them, but their numbers have been dwelled rapidly the past month. Besides the troops here and the residents in the capital of Hope, there are no other Lykin. Even the barbaric tribes of the mountains seems to have disappeared. Everyone know that they will not be able to take back the Highland in their current state. As for the pass they won't be able to hold it forever either. Soon the Legions will be at the walls of Hope itself. And the last chapter of the Lykin will reach its end.
Kinnell closes his eyes. He knows that they will meet their fate soon. Only few believe that there is still hope for them, but even they do not really seem to believe it. There is nothing left than to die an honorable death.

"Soldiers, listen up!" Kinnell opens his eyes as the voice of his grandfather booms over the troops.

"A messenger has just arrived. We are to head back to Hope as soon as possible."

The disapproving mumbles were deafening from where Kinnell sat. As he got up on his feet the elderly Lykin continued.

"The message states that the enemy has found an alternative route into the Hearthland. We are to retreat now less we risk being overrun. Get up and move out. I want scouts ahead of the main force and at our flanks. And keep an eye for enemy movements from the pass. Just because we won doesn't mean that they're gone. Now move out!"



* * * * *



The city is a hub of fear and buzzing activity. Everywhere Kinnell looks there are someone preparing for the oncoming night. Stockpiles of supplies are being secured and equipment repaired. Young squires carries ammunition up to the ballistas in the towers while troops are heading for their posts. The children and the elderly are lead into the safest vaults of the palace itself. Above them the red rays of the sun barely penetrates the black clouds of smoke and ash from the burning villages and farmsteads scattered across the valley. The city is filled with refugees seeking any shelter available. And in all of this Kinnell is running across the cobblestones to find his parents.
The troops from the pass had just arrived when he had received words that his parents were looking for him. Wasting no time he now ran to their quarters. It took him some time to get there because of the living sea he found himself in. After some time he finally entered their room. The room itself had been a carpenter's workshop before the flood of refugees had claimed all the rooms at the inns. The workbench now served as an improvised dinner table. At the right wall bed sheets, blankets and pillows are stockpiled during the day until they are needed. Every night the residents sleep on the flood as any other furniture have long since been used as firewood. His parents are having a conversation at the workbench as he enters the room. His mother, a white rabbit with raven black hair comes over to him as soon as she notices him. She is wearing a dark red dress underneath a worn light armor. A bandage on her upper arm tells of an encounter with the foe a day earlier.

"Oh gods be praised you're unharmed."

Kinnell lets his mother bury her head into his neck as she hugs him tightly. He returns the hug carefully as to not accidently touch the two bloody bundles of black feathers that spurt out from her back. According to family history his mother once grew black wings while in the service of the Goddess of the night. While details remained vague the wounds had seemingly never healed fully, much to the agony of the experienced bard.

"Of course I am alright mother. Grandfather always keeps his promises."

Coven gave a single laugh of reliefe into his neck. His father, a wolf with grey fur comes over and gives Kinnells shoulder a squeeze.
"Good to see you safe and sound, son. News from the front is that the pass was Barraldown all over again."

Kinnell gives a slight nod. "We lost a lot of good men and women this time. McGnerrl lost the last of his sons during the final assault. He refused to come back with us when the order to retreat was given." The young Lykin sighs. "I doubt he's still alive at this point."
The elder wolf nods knowingly. "We're lost too much in this war. Almost an entire generation at the very least. If we survive this there will be few left to carry on."

"There is no end of this war, Karo." Coven says as she looks over at her husband. Karo says nothing but Kinnell can see in his eyes that he agrees. Coven lets go of Kinnell.

"Your father and I have been talking. There is no hope for the two of us to survive this, but we'll be damned if we let our kids die as well. That is why you and your sister will be taken away from here."

The young wolf blinks. "Cutting right to the case there, huh?"

"There's no time for long debates." Karo points out as he lifts a finger. "Listen. Can you hear the horns? The Vashar is outside the city already, most likely setting up their damnable siege engines as we speak."

"I know dad, we saw them at a distance as we came in. But I'm not leaving. The city needs me; it needs everyone to fight the enemy. I'm not running away."

Karo steps forward. "The city fights to save its populace. WE FIGHT to keep our children safe. You and your sister is the reason that your mother and I still fights against these odds. We fight to save you. If you die, then we have failed that."

"I don't NEED protection, dad! I know how to fight and so does Skye. Why should we leave while the other sons and daughters of our neighbors die?"

"Because we have connections that they don't" Coven cut in.

Kinnell looks at his mother for a moment. "Connections? What connections do you…?" His eyes widen in sudden realization.

"Rhana?"

The silence is all the answer he needs.

"…Why? There are so many others that needs to get to safety than me, who am more important to save than me. Children that have yet to experience the fullness of what life have to offer. Craftsmen that can rebuild what we have lost. The Queen herself is by many lengths more important than me."

"She only wants to save you and Skye." Karo gives a sigh. "Believe me, we've tried. I've offered everything I have and am to save as many as possible, but my soul is not worth much after the payment I made in the Barrans all those years ago."

"… The homworld of the Empire? What does that have to do with this?" Kinnell asks confused.

"As you know, your father sought to free me from Rhanas influence to win back my free will. To do that he made a contract with her. As Payment he had to fulfill the mission he was already on. The details are unimportant, but that deal meant that your father's… 'Bargaining value' in the eyes of the gods got lessened severely. As a knife gets blunt from being used, its value is lessened."

Karo shrugs his shoulders. "I could still make deals with spirits easily after that, but in divine affairs, I'm a 'used' good. I knew that when I made the deal and I regret nothing, for in the end I won your mother."

"You mean I let you have me."

"Of course dear."

Coven smiles warmly for a while before returning to her previous mask.
"In any case, the Queen of the Night is only interested in helping her god children."

The young Lykin's eyes widen slightly, enough for Coven to notice it with a smirk. "So Adhena will come along too?"

"That's the deal."

"Good thing too, seeing how you fancy her." Karo adds with a smirk of his own.

"Dad, relax. We're only friends."

"So was your mother and I, but we found each other."

Coven rolls her eyes. "After almost ten years of you not notching any hints I gave you."

"True, but in the end I came through. And I did go to the end of another world to get you back."

"Yeah, it only took my will being sold to a goddess for you to grow the spine to pursue your feelings."

"Ouch, woman."

Kinnell groaned slightly. Even at a time like this his parents would tease each other as if they were still adventures. If he did not intervene them now it could very well go on for a long time.

Just then the echo of an explosion shaked through the small room. Outside the screams began to rise and the horns of the knights called to arms.

"Dammit, already?!" Karo calls as he quickly pulls over a hard leather breastplate that had been lying on the makeshift dinner table. "We need to run for it. Hurry!"

"Wait, what about Skye?" Kinnell asks as his mother pushes a bag into his arms.

"We have already talked to her and Adhena. They're waiting for us at the meeting place. Dammit, I thought it would take them longer to put those blasted engines together!"

Before more could be said Kinnell is pulled along by his parents down the streets, which in itself is no easy feat. Everywhere they are being pushed around by armed clansmen, fleeing elders and freighted children. It took several minutes to reach a small park at the foot of the palace's eastern wall. There they found Skye, a rabbit Lykin with long fur wearing the armor of a shining knight and the doe Lykin Adhena, who is wearing a blue robe.
"Finally! What took you so long?" Skye calls out.

"Mom and Dad had one of their love rants." Kinnell answers as he stops at her side.

"Of all bad timings for that…" His sister mumbles under her breath.

"That's a conversation for another day." Coven interrupts. She then becomes silent before finally tugging both her children into a bear hug. "Rhana will come along shortly. So…" Her voice breaks over as she tries to retain herself from crying.

"We know mom. We know." Skye answer quietly. Underneath her though surface she is just barely keeping herself from crying. All three feels additional pressure adding to the hug as Karo joins in. "Remember what we have taught you kids. Listen to your guts and everything will be alright."

"Of course father." Kinnell answers, his own voice growing weak. Looking to his side he notices Adhena standing there by herself. Opening his right arm he offers her to join in, which she does hesitantly. They all stand there for some time, saying their goodbyes in the midst of the chaos around them. After a while they are interrupted by someone clearing her throat.

"I could come back, but then I would be going against the agreement we have."

The group lets go of each other to face the goddess standing hidden among the trees. Rhana, the Goddess of Night, the Mother of All Demons, Lady of Fear, Queen of Naharess… The entity in front of them had a reputation that not only covered all ages this world had lived through, but also a multitude of personalities; Cruel conqueror, benevolent entity, enslaved power, trickster goddess, raven mother. She had been anything and everything, taking on the role that served her best at that specific time. This complex personality was hid behind a somewhat simple yet frightening appearance. Her body is covered in black fur all over except for her lower arms and hands, which is covered in dark green scales. Her face is that of a black jackal. Raven black wings grow out from her shoulders which could span the entire night sky if she so desired. Long black hair ran over her back and blood red dress down to where her knees would be. The fabric of the dress itself made circular waves like when drops hit the water surface. Finally there are her red eyes. Besides glowing with an illuminating light, anyone looking directly into then could risk being lost in their own worst fear.
These eyes now looked down at then with a bored expression.

Karoteigh clears his throat "Yea, we should get moving. Me 'n Coven are needed at the wall, but before we go, we need to give you something." He turns toward his daughter and hands her his shield. "Ever since you were five winters old you've liked my mirror shield. Take it, it will serve you well."
Skye took the shield. The metal of it was as clear as glass and it mirrored everything, yet it did not reflect any light made by the physical world. Engraved in the metal are a raven and a wolf that circles around one another across the frame. The eyes of the two animals are made by blue gems.

"I have told Feghween to come if you use the shield for summoning. She will keep you safe in my absence." Karo adds. Skye answers by hugging him tightly. No words are required.

In the meantime Coven has walked over to her son. "As for you my son, we give you this." She hands him a ring made in bone. "Use it well my son and you may receive what your heart most desire." She then embraces him. Kinnell in return is confused. What does she mean about that?

Before he can ask her any further a roar of flames is heard above them. As they all looks up a ball of black flames and purple smoke crashes into the palace tower. Instead of exploding however the flames starts licking across the white stonework, digging its tendrils into the stone like hooks. Soon after the fire pulls together, a motion that rips a good part of the wall out. It does not take long for the tower to fall; spreading with its derbies sparks of black fire which will continue the same action as it will begin to spread throughout the city. In the distance the horns sounds anew.
With this Karoteigh and Coventina quickly turn around and runs toward the sound of battle.

"Finally. Now come along now children. There are a lot of things that needs to be done before we reach our destination." With that the black wings covers the young Lykin and in the following moment all four have dissapeared.



* * * * *


The darkness is broken by a sudden flash of bright light. It takes some time before the three mortals can see where they are. The group stands on the top of a barren rock formation. The air is hot and dry, and the sky is clear. Behind them a vast desert of dark sand disappears into the horizon, only broken by the blue string of a river running west. Underneath them spans an ancient metropolis of grey sandstone that stands against the surrounding mountain walls.

"This is Naharess." Adhena notes as she eyes the gigantic palace that stands in contrast to the sprawling streets underneath it.

"Quite so young one" Rhana notes as she turns toward them. "Wait here, I'll come back." With that the goddess once more fades away into the shadows.

Moments later the queen appears in her throne room. A large table in the middle of the room is covered by a thick blanket of documents and maps. At the table stands a large female jackal-headed humanoid wearing a highly decorated golden harnisk. In her belt two large hand-axes of sharp black stone have their holds. Across of her stands a hooded figure wearing a heavy grey-red rope. Its face, arms and hands are wrapped into long rolls of written scrolls, like some kind of mummy. Both figures bows deeply before Rhana.

"What's the situation?" The goddess asks as she walks down the stairs.
Bast, the jackal-headed Najja, straighten up. "The invaders entering from the north disappeared in the woods. We suspect that the Puppet-master have added them to her collections by now. The invading force that came up the river has been pushed back, but is still holding out near the coast. As for the east and south, we have lost contact with our troops there."

The hooded figure nods. "They have reached the mountains by now, but they are unable to scale them. I have seen to that."

"Good. Everything goes as suspected." Rhana turns toward the hooded figure. "Kharalas, it is time to begin the final stage." The spirit answers with a deep nod before stretching out its arms. The wrapped paper starts to unravel, an action that soon unravel all of Kharalas. The paper fly around the room in a large curle under the ceiling. The documents and maps from the table are lifted into the air and are joined with the tornado of energy that is displayed. Within this storm the documents and maps starts to merge with one another until there is only one heavy scroll left which places itself in Rhana's waiting palm. Kharalas is nowhere to be seen. She turns toward Bast. "Keep fighting the Vashar until the end. Any Najja you find worthy is to follow me after they have done the Ritual of Rebirth. I do not want any memory of this world to remain within them."

Bast bows again. "As you command my Queen."

"Depending on the outcome you are to be the last of your kind to leave this world, if you so deserves. I trust that you will not fail me."

"Of course your Highness."

Rhana nods at her as she disappears into the shadows, only to reappear besides the Lykin. "I am done here. Now we leave for the meeting."



* * * * *


Once again a bright light catches the Lykin off guard, but this time it does not originate from the sun. Here the sky is covered in black clouds just as it was in the Hearthland. Instead the blinding light originates from a circle of gigantic beings that stands waiting in a circle. It takes some time for Kinnell to figure out where they are; they are on the top of Pyrepeak, the tallest mountain in all of Daykia. Being part of the mountain rages that surrounds the Highland and Hearthland he knows it well. Beneath them he can see the black pillars of oozing smoke that rise from the burning land. In the distance he sees what he thinks may be the City of Hope. From the smoke and red illumination it seems as if the invaders have set most of the city ablaze.

Looking back at the towering figures he notices that Rhana have grown in size as well. Standing amont the gods of this age there are beings which are from a much elder age than even that of the Vashar and Najja. None of the powerful beings seemes to care about the presence of the mortals as the gods begins their meeting.

Veija, the goddess of the wilderness is the first to speak. "The Einharjer lands are lost. Even if En-kur remade them the Vashar energy will prevail. It will corrupt any repairs we do."

En-kur, a massive being of stone nods as he continue in a deep, rumbling voice. "The same goes for anywhere else on this world. The Vashar energies have reached the roots of this plane, I can feel it."

"Can't you just dig deeper for the materials?" Ereis, the goddess of wanderers and luck asks.

The Hamadria shakes his head. "No proper pottery can be made from poor clay, just as no bad steel makes a quality blade. It requires powers that have not been here since the end of the second age."

Silence follows.

"What about the mortals then?" The question comes from Vanus, the god of craftsmanship and civilization. The recent fall of mortal civilization have left the former head of the pantheon in a weak state. By all accounts he have become nothing more than a strong spirit, yet his words still holds weight in the council. "Are there any hope for them?"

"No." The blunt answer came from Libra, the goddess of death. Normally the goddess was quiet and kind of nature, crying for each and every mortal that came to her domain. The ongoing extinction of the mortal species had changed that however. The last year had taken its toll on the goddess as she had been gathering thousands upon thousands of slaughtered families at every hour of the past year. The process had left her cold and empty of tears. Now she could only cry blood for the suffering masses, yet even this had no longer any effect on her. "The underworld is bursting its walls. The sea of mortality is almost drained. Too many souls will never find rest and will be stuck on the physical plane, fated to haunt this world for ever. The Einharjers are gone for good. The same goes for Man. King Nicolai and his people hold out admirably long, but Greythorn keep fell this morning. The last human bastion is Tylwin, but it will too will fall by the first evening hour. As for the Lykin, they will perish soon. Hope has already fallen."

To this Kinnell perked his ears. "What? How? The siege of the city is barely an hour old"

Ira, the goddess of slaughter and storms face the young Lykin. "You keep quiet in the presence of your gods, mutt. These matters are none of your concerns."

"Like hell it is! That's my people down there! We have been praying and begging for divine intervention for months, and all you do is observing? Just what kind of gods are you?"

"Watch your tongue, meat!" Ira hiss as she steps toward Kinnell. The manic goddes stopped in her track though when recieving the threatening glance from Rhana.

"These mortals are here by my blessing, don't forget that Ira. They are the last of their kind in an age that will end tonight. I believe that entitles them to some kind of answers." Ira says nothing, but the whips that made her hair cracks in response as she stands back unwillingly.

"We have been unable to stop this tide, less we destroy this world." The god of the sun, Solas, a great warrior phoenix steps forth this time. "If we gods were to intervene directly in the affairs of mortals, we would risk tearing the world apart. That has always been the case. That's why we have the Chosen to watch over and guide you for us. But the Vashar is from another age, from when most of us here were nothing more than just very powerful spirits. Only the Hamadrias holds the power to stop them, yet imprisonment, exile or death has divided them and left the rest weakened. Those that are left no longer hold the mantles as they once did." The Hamadrias that were presents shared a look briefly. Solas continues. "The surviving Lykin are so far holding up in the palace. The Phoenix Queen is the strongest there is and even the Vashar will not be able to kill her." He was silent for a while before continuing. "It will be the death of her people that will ultimately break her. Already the Vashar have found their way into the vaults and is eradicating the last generation of innocents. The Phoenix Queen may very well be the last surviving mortal left when this day end, but she will be a broken image of her former self. What the Vashar will do with her remains out of my vision."

"The Fae'lynn will survive as well" Veija says as she steps forth. "They will become a cast of slaves to the Vashar. They are spared only because the Vashar are ancient forefathers to them. And even so their future existences will be uncertain."

Kinnell was speechless. Skye however cut in. "So, our parents…"

"Dead." Libra cut in bluntly. "Coventina Paiden O'Eadu was hit by the explosion of a dyeing Vashar. She never felt a thing. Karoteight O'Eadu however was ripped apart by a black hole. They held out long enough be among the last thousand Lykin currently making their last stand. They could not evade death this time around."

"O-oh goodness…" Skye whispers as she falls to her knees.

As Kinnell comforts his sister Adhena stepped forward. "I do not understand. If you do not plan to intervene, then why are you here? What is the purpose of this meeting?"

The gods did not answer right away. Only Castine, the protector of innocents answered after a while. "We are to decide who will stay and who will leave."

"What?"

"This world is lost" Rhana cut in. "Even if the Vashar was to disappear there is no hope of repairing the damages they have inflicted, neither on the world itself nor to its populace. Some here still cling to a fool's hope of recovering this world from the ashes. Others hope to take out on their own and find a new world they can take over. The rest of us has decided to remake our images and create a new world from scratch."

Adhena was stun. "Then what about us?"

"That is your decision. You can come with me to a new world, where you can find your place. Or you can stay here. I promised your parents to take you along with me, but I cannot force you."

The fact of their situation left the three mortals speechless. In the following hours they observed how the smoke form Hope thickens as they all felt a sting in their hearts. As the gods continued with their meeting the highlanders spend the time discussing among themselves. All throughout the night they talked, trying to figure out what to do. As morning grew closer the Lykin's made their decision. Despite their thirst for revenge and to give the remains of their families a proper burial, staying here would make the death of their species meaningless. If they died here the Vashars victory would be total. Fleeing to another world would uphold the honor to those that had done their best to protect them and securing their future. As they returned to the gods they saw that some had left the meeting. Those that remained looked… different, although they still recognized them in their hearts. Among those that prepared to depart this world was Rhana. She now appeared as a slender tanned human woman wearing a jackal's mask. Her wings had dissapeared, but her hair has become longer and is now filled with black raven feathers throughout.

"Have you made your decision?"

"Yes. We will come along to this new world of yours."

"Of course you will. We will make the portal shortly, but before we do that, I need to have a small chat with you Kinnell."

Rhana lead the young wolf out of earshot from the others before she began to speak.

"You need to know about the ring your mother gave you." Kinnell unconsciously found the bone ring in his pocket. "What about it?"

"That ring is very special. You see, that ring contains a wish. It will grant you that wish, whatever you may wish for." Kinnells eyes widen, but as he was about to talk Rhana stopped him. "You cannot wish for the Vashar to disappear, or to bring back you people, or something like that. Your mother has already tried that. The wish is granted by the united powers of the gods, but as you have seen for yourself, the unity that once was is gone. Even if we were, some gods have lost so many followers that they no longer hold the powers they once had. In short, the ring cannot grant any wish in this world anymore."

"But I can make a wish in the next world?"

"Once that world have been created, yes." Rhana eyes her God child before continuing. "But only within the boundaries of that world. You cannot wish for the Lykin to be born into the new world. They are bound here. Besides the trauma they have suffered will follow them. In the end you would simply curse a new world with the sins of a dyeing one."

Kinnell looks down at the ring. "So I can wish for anything, but only within the boundaries of the world where the wish is being made."

"That is correct."

He looks up at her. "Where did mother get this from?"

"From your father. He and his companions received one each for saving all of existence back in the day. Quite an interesting scene. He never said what he desired the most, but I could read him. He had just won Coven's free will back and all he wanted was to win her heart. But, he was a wise man your father. He knew that wishing for it would take away Coven's free will once more, and he did not want that. So he gave her the wish, demanding nothing from it, and then sought to win her through honest means."

"He could have… enslaved her?"

"Yes, but he had no desire to enslave her will. He loved her too much for that, so he took the risk of losing her in order to do things right." She kneels down. "And that, child, is the greatest lesson he ever learned. Sometimes you may have the power to do great things, but if the choice is between doing it confidently or doing it right, the best results is the latter..."

"Otherwise you will be living a lie" Kinnell finishes, remembering this speech his father had given him years ago.

"That is correct. Now come along, we need to get going."

Kinnell follows her back to the others. "So why do you tell me about this?"

"I have to remind you that your parents raised you with wisdom and love, not by forcing and dominating one another. Otherwise you may carelessly use that wish so doom the next world."

"I see."

"Of course you do. You are my god child, which means you expected to be better than ordinary mortals."

As they reach the others the Hamadrias gathers around to open a partial to the new unknown. As they walk through the portal Kinnell feel something pressing against his leg. Looking down he spots a purple cat meowing up at him. "Well hello there. What are you doing here?" The cat meows once more before walking through the portal. "... Well that was strange." Kinnell says under his breath as he walks through the portal himself, just as the sun peeks over the horizon.
However, since the sun god had left this world behind, the sun no longer held any warmth to it. It would no longer warm this world with its rays or nurture life with its force.

Thus began the first day of the Fourth Age in Daykia; Abandoned and unblessed by its gods. Its ultimate fate far into the future will only be seen by Lukia, who have been observing the flows of time since this world's birth.