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EILISH

The New World

My eyes open.

I sit on a throne of gold and white marble.

Cambion and Variant push open the doors to the large chamber and I rise to my feet. “Where is he?! Where is Silvanus?” I demand.

“I am here.”

I spin on my heels and see the god emerge from behind a gilded column.

Tears of relief fall from my eyes and I run to him.

He lifts me into his arms. Confusion, anguish, and happiness war within me as I hold him tight.

My hands curl into the fabric of his tunic.

He pulls back and pushes the hair out of my face.

“W-what happened?” I ask.

Silvanus smiles down at me. “You are the balance, Eilish. Inside you is endless power,” he explains. “Light and dark coexisting. I thought it would take many to achieve equilibrium, but all along I only needed one. The oath was always meant for you.”

Silvanus sets me on my feet and I look around. Frames of gold display images of me... graphic depictions of my conquests. The destruction of the Threst, fighting against darkness, discovering my powers, healing the injured, forging alliances... everything is here.

I walk along the walls until I stop in the center of the room. Variant points to the ceiling and I see a mural of myself holding Abedon’s head in my hand. Wings spread and eyes glowing as a battle rages around me. I can almost smell the burning fires and feel the weight of my armor.

Footfalls thunder in the corridor and I glance over my shoulder. Pyre, Dragan, Theren, and Baron stand in the doorway. Breathtaking grins flash on their handsome faces. Pyre makes his way over to me.

“Would you like to see the new world, Eilish?”

Uncertainty swells within me. Pyre must have noticed my growing panic, because he tucks his arm around me protectively. I allow him to lead me outside. My heart stops for a moment as I take in the sight before me.

Gone is the ash and burning stone. The sky is blue. White clouds scatter across the cerulean expansion. In the distance, I see forests and sparkling lakes. No more rotting buildings and demon hordes.

“I don’t understand,” I say as I turn to face Pyre. “How did this happen?”

“There are still places that will need your help, places where we’ll have to rebuild, but this is the start of a bright future. This is your canvas, Eilish, and you are the artist.”

***

EILISH

Delendren Glade

Three years later...

Part of me knew I would always come home.

The realms have collided into one. The Veil, Aborel, Oronrel, Earlann, the mortal cities... and we are a nation finally at peace. Darkness and light working in harmony to build towards a prosperous future.

Baron and Pyre still guard the Echoing Spire.

Cambion and Theren have plans to build a school for spellcasters.

Aima and Kolvar are commandants of the royal army and are expecting their first child.

Variant and Silvanus work tirelessly towards repairing the damage done by the war.

Dragan and Myerdoth venture off into foreign lands to create more gargoyles.

We all have our place in this new world.

These days I’m known by many titles. Goddess of Redemption, Queen of The Vindication, and many more. But, to me, I’m still just Eilish.

Each day seems longer than the last. Though our bodies are strong, none of us walked away from the war without scars.

Theren can’t be in the same room with a mirror without breaking down and I hardly sleep through the night anymore.

I know we have hard times ahead, but I have faith that we will conquer whatever stands in our way.

A knock on the door pulls me away from the window. Noni pops her head inside and blinks over at the book in my hand.

“It finished?” she asks. “Noni can’t wait to read about all your adventures, my queen.”

I stroke the cover of my journal. “It’s done, Noni.”

Noni reaches up and grabs onto my sleeve, tugging me downstairs. The floorboards creak as we head into the kitchen. A commotion comes from outside. The door bursts open to reveal Flumph covered in soot.

“This the respect I gets after savin’ the fuckin’ world?!”

“Mr. Flumph!”

Bombri and Baron trail behind Flumph with irritable expressions.

When he sees me, Baron smiles and then leans over to kiss me.

A mischievous glimmer shows in his eyes.

Pyre, Cambion, Dragan and Silvanus enter the intimate home through the back door.

Each of them stops to greet me in their own way. It’s Theren who lingers, however.

I love the feel of his hands on me.

Others might think I’m foolish for living in a cabin in the mountains. But I know where I belong. I don’t need a castle or a temple to lead my people. I have everything I need right in front of me.

With a strange twist of fate, the girl who had been born an abomination has grown into the leader the world always needed.

The End

I hope you enjoyed the Shadow Guardians Series!