Page 54 of Mantle (IMMORTAL FLAME #3)

~Kai~

A deep rumble reverberated through the earth, a sign that the Severance had been completed. The spell had worked to de-power the Wrath of Hades.

We’d sent the True Celestials back into what was really a fucking hellhole of epic proportions, not some divine, righteous plane of existence.

It was proven even more so than it already had been by the sight of the Celestial children gathered around Ketheron over by Ariana who was stunned as she took them in.

Ketheron had reported that they’d all been imprisoned up there. Caged.

Innocents.

It made me fucking sick.

Anything like that did where somebody had their power overruled by megalomaniacs and those with horrific intentions. But this… it was another level.

I sucked in a breath.

They were free now.

Cassius and Ketheron had gotten them out.

Speaking of the former, I watched as he came into view with Velra, floating back down toward the forest. When he hadn’t returned and at Ketheron’s report, she’d come rushing here in the middle of the battle, then taken off to assist.

I looked over at Nyx and Vorzyr with Cornelius, Jaxon and Warlow.

I’d overheard them talking about an influx of dragons to this realm following the revolution that had occurred in the Dracoryn Realm.

They were those who’d been suffering under the tyrannical rule of House Titanus and now they couldn’t stand to remain there, even with House Vortimer now reigning instead.

Jaxon was discussing altering his Lupan Stabilization Unit to become the Shifter Stabilization Unit in order to accommodate them, while Cornelius was guiding them from a political standpoint of being Inter-Realm Ambassador.

Even as he spoke, he had his arm wrapped tightly around Warlow.

Nyx was talking with Warlow about Crossborn matters.

And I was just taking a beat after that battle.

I still held Valkrith in my hand, and I started to make my way over to Ariana so that she could diffuse it.

I hadn’t wanted to bring it around the children, but it had become clear that she wasn’t going to be leaving their sides anytime soon.

Especially as Cassius and Velra arrived and joined in and became a part of it.

I was just a few feet out, when a blast of magic slammed into my back and sent me flying headlong into a nearby tree.

I careened into it brutally hard, smashing my face into it, and hearing a resounding crack as my vision watered, blood spurting from my clearly broken nose.

Instinctively, I went to heal it, but another blast slammed into me, making me choke and double over, all the while fighting to maintain my hold on the sword.

I staggered forward to see Corvin there glaring at me in utter deranged fury.

“You arrogant little shit! Did you really think you could survive me?”

“Yes,” I grunted.

With a burst of magic, I sent the sword all the way over to Ariana. If I couldn’t hold this battle in my currently depleted state and he got his hands on the sword, everyone would be in severe danger. I couldn’t allow that.

The only problem was, with me almost tapped out completely magically because I’d been in combat with True fucking Celestials for so long, I’d just sent my only real defense away.

Corvin grinned triumphantly, recognizing that as well, then he slammed me into the tree.

Over and over and fucking over.

I managed to blast him with my power, but it only had him stumbling back a couple of steps, when normally it would have blown him clear across the fucking forest.

He was obviously using illusionary magic, because as he attacked me, nobody noticed—unable to see or hear a thing that was going on.

He grabbed my throat and slammed me back into the tree again, making me gag at the brutal grip restricting my airflow so severely.

“You’ll die with me draining you dry. Then I’ll take your magic while you’re drawing your last breath and you’ll go to the Valley of the Dead in utter torment knowing I’ll use all that intoxicating power against those whom you love.

So many years building all of that up and it’ll be used to destroy what you love. ”

He dropped his fangs. “Any last words, sorcerer?”

“Psychopathic shit,” a familiar voice rumbled.

A blast of magic tore him from me in the next second, and sent him rolling on the ground.

And then I saw Sylas standing there. He smiled at me reassuringly, then he turned his attention to Corvin.

His necromantic magic enveloped him.

I watched as Corvin started to desiccate, his hands turning to ash rapidly.

“See how you like it,” Sylas spat.

With his free hand, he swept his power all around us.

He was breaking the illusionary magic.

I heard cries and shouts, so much movement then, and I dazedly looked to see my loves running over. Cornelius and Cassius. Ketheron guarded the children. Mia and Jaxon teleported into the fray.

But in all the chaos, it unfortunately gave Corvin an opportunity.

His power sparked a moment before I heard a known incantation.

He was calling a portal forth, trying to escape us.

“His power… I only have his blood,” I warned Sylas.

Sylas thrust out his necromantic magic and as a vortex formed that Corvin was creating, Sylas’ magic fused with it.

He tried to tether Corvin, but the fool used more power to fight against it.

The vortex went wild, and then it started to swallow him.

Piece by piece.

He screamed as it tore him into shreds, before pulling him in entirely.

Cornelius and Ariana tried to yank him back.

But it was already done.

Too late.

The portal closed in a violent explosion of light.

Corvin was gone.

Dead.

I looked out at Sylas. “It’s okay,” he told me, forcing a smile. “There’s always another way, right? And you’re the king of workarounds.”

“Yeah,” I said, staggering over to him.

As we embraced, Ariana, Vorzyr, and Nyx threw themselves into it, all over me. So much so that Sylas had to pull back, albeit chuckling at their loving insanity in that moment.

“Valkrith came to me… but I couldn’t feel you anywhere anymore,” Ariana said. “Oh my God, Kai.”

“I’m fine. You’re fine even after performing a spell of that magnitude. We’re all fine. And it’s over now. We did it. It’s our time now.”

I couldn’t believe it.

Cheers erupted all around us and I saw Ketheron shouting excitedly too, the children copying him and laughing.

I took in the moment.

The profound nature of it.

We’d destroyed a seemingly insurmountable force.

Something I’d been obsessed with all my life.

And now… now there was peace.