That One Time I Married A Crazy Goddess

The room fell silent as Haelga's words echoed through the shadows of the tree. Her voice, steady and cold, carried the weight of centuries of sacrifice.  

"The price isn't up to me, boy," she repeated, her blindfolded gaze seemingly fixed on Xyenn. "The severity of the ritual is tethered to the darkness itself, latched and bound with the energy it draws from this world... and from Hell. You cannot harness dark magic without understanding its flow—its origins, its cost. Every deed must carry an equal weight. So, I ask again: what are you willing to give up? What do you think will match the severity of the ritual? Choose wisely, son."

The air seemed to grow heavier, the flickering shadows on the walls stretching and twisting unnaturally. Everyone was watching Xyenn now, their faces a mixture of concern and unease. Even Yuuna, who was usually buzzing with energy, had grown still, her grip on his arm tightening slightly.  

Only Gorran stood apart, his expression as stoic and unreadable as ever.  

Xyenn's jaw tightened. His hands clenched at his sides as he stared at the runes carved into the floor, their faint red glow reflecting in his eyes. The weight of Haelga's question pressed down on him, forcing him to delve into the depths of his own soul.  

'A risky sacrifice, huh? What could I give up? Something important? Maybe one of my emotions? My fear…my doubts…? My anxiety? Can I get rid of those? I won't feel them anymore, I won't be so damn conflicted in the head, right? I won't torment myself over and over, my own morality, my own character, my recklessness, the same recklessness I promised to work on. The weight on my shoulders, if I can get rid of those, all of them, I'd be fine…right?'

Xyenn smiled under his thoughts.

His mind drifted back to a memory he had tried so hard to bury.  

He was a boy again, no more than ten years old, sitting in the back of a rickety wooden wagon as it bumped along a muddy road. The rain was falling in sheets, cold and relentless, soaking through his torn clothes. The two men driving the wagon—greedy, fat, and reeking of ale—were laughing and jeering as they flicked the reins of their horses.  

"Blame the dragons, boy," one of them sneered, his bloated face splitting into a wicked grin. "They promised your parents riches, didn't they? Promised your whole village prosperity. But the gods have grown picky, see? They don't bless just anyone anymore. Takes a special kind of blood, a special kind of *offering*. And lucky for us, you're worth more as a worker than a son, eh?"

The other man cackled, his laugh wet and phlegmy. "Hard times, lad. Hard times. Don't take it personal. Just the way the world works."

Xyenn didn't speak. He couldn't. His throat was tight, his chest hollow. He stared at the broken wood of the wagon floor, his small hands trembling as his parents' faces flashed in his mind—his mother's tearful goodbye, his father's grim expression as they handed him over to these men.  

They didn't even hug him.  

The memory blurred, and suddenly he was older, his hands blistered and bleeding as he swung a pickaxe in a dark, miserable mine. The air was thick with dust and the stench of sweat and rot. The overseers barked orders from above, their whips cracking against the backs of anyone too slow to obey.  

"Move faster, brat!" one of them snarled, kicking Xyenn to the ground.  

He gasped as the air was knocked out of him, his pickaxe clattering to the stone floor. Before he could recover, the overseer struck him across the back with a heavy club, and he cried out in pain.  

The other miners didn't even look at him. They couldn't. They were too broken, too afraid.  

That night, under the cover of darkness and pouring rain, Xyenn ran. His feet were bare, his body battered, but he didn't stop. Tears streamed down his face as he stumbled through the forest, his breaths coming in ragged gasps.  

Finally, he collapsed beneath a large tree, curling into himself for warmth. He wasn't cold—not really. The chill he felt came from within, from the emptiness in his chest.  

Hugging his knees to his chest, he whispered through his sobs, "Damn dragons... why can't you help me?"

But there was no answer. There never was.  

The flashback faded, and Xyenn realized his hands were trembling. His knuckles were white, his nails digging into his palms. He looked up at Haelga, his expression hardening.

'I can't…I can't give it up.'

Xyenn stood there, his heart pounding in his chest like an anvil under a hammer. All eyes locked onto him, awaiting his decision, sensing the gravity of the moment. The runes before him whispered of darkness and power, their eerie glow seeping into the very air he breathed.

He closed his eyes and muttered to himself, his words barely audible, a private confession spilling from a soul on the verge of fracture.

"What am I willing to sacrifice? Can I just strip away my fear, my anxiety? Throw out my doubts like they're nothing but trash?" His voice broke, a jagged edge cutting through the silence. "Those torments… they claw at me, drag me down into chaos. But—if I cast them aside, who am I then? Just a shell, a husk driven by impulse without thought, without feeling?"

His fists clenched as he wrestled with the tempest within. "No," he whispered fiercely, his eyes snapping open, reflecting the faint, ominous red of the runes. "These fears, these doubts—they're me. They're the raw, messy guts of who I am. The pain, the struggle—it's mine. My story… All of it, it's shaped every step I've taken, every breath. Who I am... who I want to be. I can't sell my emotions—my soul. They're mine to contend with, mine to conquer. Every scar, every tear—they're badges, damn it. Testaments of battles fought and still fighting. And yeah, it's hellish, it's exhausting… but it's my path to walk. No shortcuts. Fuck that."

The resolve hardened in his expression, his stance. "I'll face it all—head on. I'll weave my regrets, my joys, my entire journey into strength. Because one day, I want to stand under the damn sun and say, 'Good fucking job, Xyenn. You faced the darkness—with all your broken pieces—and you came out stronger.' That's the magic I choose. The magic of being unyieldingly, uncompromisingly me."

Zyphira shed a tear heading that, thinking, 'Xyenn…'

Gorran even looked away, but those words did cut deep.

'That kid…is that why I couldn't kill him that night? Did I see myself in that brat?'

Taking a deep breath, Xyenn stepped forward again. 

Instead, he grabbed his left arm.  

"What are you doing?" Yuuna asked, her voice rising in alarm.  

Xyenn didn't answer. With a guttural roar, he ripped his arm from his body in a brutal, bloody motion. The sound of tearing flesh and cracking bone filled the room, and blood pooled on the floor as Xyenn fell to his knees, holding his severed arm out to Haelga.  

The room was silent, save for Ilyana's horrified gasp and Yuuna's panicked cry.  

"Haelga..." Xyenn said, his voice shaking but resolute. "Take my arm. Is that enough?"  

Haelga's lips curled into a grin. "Ohh... interesting kid."  

Haelga took the arm and began drawing a magic crest on the floor with her own blood. The runes around the room flared to life, casting the space in a harsh red glow. As the crest activated, Yuuna stepped forward, her hand bleeding as she poured her own blood into the ritual.  

"This isn't just your sacrifice," Haelga explained. "Yuuna's blood—the blood of a demon—is rich with darkness, potent enough to sustain the ritual alongside your offering. Together, they balance the price. She had to pay a sacrifice as well. Her demon blood is her own life force. That was enough for her toll and half of yours."

Xyenn said to Yuuna, "Why…? You could've gave a strand of hair or something, that's gotta be as valuable isn't it?"

Yuuna smiled, her eyes weary, "You did all of this for me, it'll be super awakened if I didn't do the same."

Mertha, alongside everyone else, watched with conviction.

'He's come a long way…' Mertha thought.

The crest began to swirl with dark energy, and Xyenn's severed arm dissolved into the magic. A moment later, his empty bloody arm socket was replaced by a black-scaled dragon's arm.  

"Your dragon arm, birthed from the blood of Yuuna's price," Haelga said. "It's darkness given form. The only thing you'll feel is ten times the pain if attacked in that spot."

Xyenn nodded, his expression calm despite the pain.  

"Everyone else, leave," Haelga commanded. "The ritual isn't done. Only Xyenn and Yuuna will remain."  

As the others hesitated, Yuuna knelt beside Xyenn, her eyes soft but determined. "You're an idiot," she whispered, her voice trembling.  

"I know," Xyenn replied, managing a weak smile.  

And as the others left, the room filled with swirling darkness, the ritual truly beginning.

The room radiated an oppressive energy, the kind that seeped into the marrow of one's bones and whispered of forbidden things. The blood crest drawn by Haelga pulsed like a living heart, its red glow growing richer, darker, as the runes spiraled outward. The air shimmered with heat and power, a strange scent—like burning iron and charred wood—filling the space. The darkness within the hut grew tangible, curling and twisting like smoke, as if Hell itself had opened its maw to observe.

Haelga stood at the crest's edge, her blindfolded face turned toward Xyenn and Yuuna, who knelt side by side in the center of the sigil. Her voice was low, a chant in a language older than time, more a vibration than words. As her voice grew louder, the shadows in the room seemed to recoil, then surged inward, consuming the light.  

Xyenn's black-scaled dragon arm began to ache, a deep, searing pain that pulsed like a second heartbeat. He gritted his teeth, sweat beading on his brow as he resisted the urge to cry out. Beside him, Yuuna kept her eyes closed, her claws digging into her thighs as her own blood fed the ritual.  

A sudden, overwhelming pull yanked at Xyenn's soul, and before he could react, the world around him melted into nothingness.  

Xyenn was weightless, tumbling through an endless void of shadow. The darkness was beautiful in its vastness, a swirling mass of black and crimson, speckled with faint, eerie glimmers of light like dying stars. His breathing was ragged as he flailed, trying to find something—anything—to hold onto.  

In the distance, a faint silhouette appeared.  

It was Yuuna, her shape glowing faintly against the dark backdrop. Her body was wreathed in black and red flames that danced like living things, licking at the air around her. Despite the chaotic energy, there was a small light embedded in her chest, faint but steady, pulsing in rhythm with the void.  

"Yuuna!" Xyenn called, his voice echoing into the abyss.  

Her silhouette didn't respond.  

Xyenn surged forward, his body twisting through the void as he darted toward her. The closer he got, the more the details of the scene began to sharpen. Shadowy figures began to emerge around Yuuna, their forms massive and imposing, seated on dark, jagged thrones that seemed to grow out of the void itself.  

The silhouettes of the Demon Monarchs surrounded Yuuna, their presence suffocating. Though their forms were indistinct, their power was undeniable. The flames surrounding Yuuna seemed to shrink in their presence, as if bowing before them. At the center of the thrones sat a figure larger than the rest, his silhouette darker, his aura more menacing.  

The First Monarch.  

One of the Monarchs spoke, their voice deep and resonant, like the grinding of stone.  

"The time is near. She will ascend, as it was always meant to be. The blood of the First flows through her veins, and no mortal race—Elves, Dwarves, humans, dragonkin, beastkin—none of them will stop her."  

Another voice joined, smoother, colder.  

 "The dragon gods, our eternal enemies, will burn before her might. Their fire cannot outshine the darkness we have forged within her."  

The First Monarch leaned forward, his silhouette towering over Yuuna.  

"Your mother paid the price to make this possible," he said, his voice low and thunderous. "Her soul of darkness was crushed, her essence forged into the shard that pierces your heart. It is because of her sacrifice that you will have the power to take my place, to lead Hell's legions into Kyrrin. Once the link between our realms is complete, you will become the bridge, the conqueror. You will bring Hell to the mortal plane."

Xyenn's chest tightened as he listened, his mind racing. He tried to call out to Yuuna, but his voice was swallowed by the void.  

The Monarchs faded, their thrones dissolving into the darkness, leaving only Yuuna's silhouette standing in the distance. Xyenn pushed forward, desperate to reach her.  

But as he drew closer, Yuuna turned and ran.  

The void shattered like glass, and Xyenn found himself on a battlefield, the ground beneath him scorched and cracked. The sky was a swirling storm of black and red, lightning flashing like veins of molten fire. A cacophony of roars, screams, and the clash of metal filled the air.  

In the distance, he saw Yuuna, her form cloaked in black flames as she tore through the battlefield. Dragons of all sizes surrounded her, their scales glittering like jewels, their roars shaking the earth.  

Yuuna was merciless.  

With a flick of her hand, a dragon's own weapon—a massive spear forged from its bones—pierced its chest. She shifted seamlessly into her dragon form, a sleek and terrifying creature of shadow and flame, and unleashed a torrent of dark fire that consumed everything in its path. She shifted back into her humanoid form mid-air, landing on the back of another dragon and driving her claws into its neck. Blood sprayed like rain as she wrenched the creature's head back and snapped it clean off.  

Even the dragon gods themselves joined the fray, their massive forms clashing with each other as they tried to kill Yuuna. But she was unstoppable, her movements fluid and deadly, her magic tearing through them like paper.  

Xyenn ran through the chaos, dodging falling bodies and bursts of flame as he called out to her. "Yuuna! Stop! It's me!"  

A knight in dragon-scale armor emerged from the smoke, their form wreathed in dark fire. They lunged at Xyenn with a massive sword, but Xyenn slid under the attack, twisted, and grabbed the weapon. With a swift motion, he struck back, only for the knight's form to dissolve into nothingness.  

A memory.  

As Xyenn continued to chase Yuuna, a booming voice echoed across the battlefield.  

"My own daughter... siding with our eternal enemy? This is an issue..."  

Xyenn's heart pounded as he pushed forward, the voice fading away as the battlefield dissolved into darkness once more.  

The void was quiet now, save for the soft sound of a woman's voice.  

Xyenn saw a small figure—a young Yuuna, no older than five—curled up in the arms of a woman. The woman's silhouette was faint, but her human features were clear. Her hands trembled as she cradled Yuuna, her tears falling silently as she spoke.  

"My little star, my little light,  

 Even in darkness, you shine so bright.  

Though shadows call and darkness sings,  

Know that you are loved, in all things."  

Yuuna's eyes fluttered closed as she drifted to sleep, her small hands clutching at the woman's dress. The mother's voice cracked as she continued, her tears falling faster.  

 "My heart is yours, forevermore,  

Even as Death knocks at my door..."  

Behind her, the figure of Death loomed, his scythe raised.  

Crows swirled around Xyenn, their wings beating like thunder. Within their storm, images flickered—memories of him and Yuuna.  

He saw himself standing at the edge of a deep pit, his body trembling as he prepared to jump. Yuuna appeared, her presence stopping him. She had been the one to pull him back, to save him when he had given up.  

He saw her clutching her chest whenever she was near him, her face flustered, her heart pounding.  

He saw heated moments between them, their passions igniting as they shared something deeper than words.  

In the vast emptiness of a dark void, they had found each other, their love igniting a fiery passion that defied the vast nothingness around them. Xyenn approached Yuuna, her beauty glowing even in the darkness. Their eyes met, and a spark of desire ignited, setting the stage for an erotic dance.

Xyenn, with a gentle yet confident smile, reached out and cupped Yuuna's face, his fingers tracing her delicate features. Their lips met in a soft, tender kiss, their breath mingling as if they were sharing a secret. Yuuna, with a soft moan, wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer, their bodies now pressing against each other, feeling the warmth and desire that flowed between them.

Their kisses became more passionate, their tongues exploring each other's mouths, dancing in a rhythmic symphony. Xyenn's hands roamed Yuuna's body, his touch gentle yet firm, as if he were memorizing every curve and contour. He stroked her soft skin, his fingers gliding over her hips and waist, sending shivers down her spine. Yuuna, in a display of unadulterated lust, ran her hands through Xyenn's hair, her fingers intertwining with his, as if she were claiming him as her own.

As their passion intensified, Xyenn grabbed Yuuna's waist, pulling her closer, their bodies now grinding against each other. Their lips parted, and Yuuna, with a seductive smile, began to trail kisses down Xyenn's neck, her soft lips leaving a path of fire on his skin. She nibbled gently on his ear, her teeth grazing his sensitive flesh, making him groan softly. Xyenn, in a display of his own desire, grabbed Yuuna's buttocks, squeezing and caressing them, his fingers digging into the soft flesh, as if he were marking her as his.

Yuuna, with a look of pure pleasure, bit softly on Xyenn's neck, her teeth leaving small marks. He moaned, his hands now roaming her body with more urgency, his fingers tracing every inch of her divine form. Their bodies, floating in the void, moved in a sensual dance, their passion igniting the darkness around them. Yuuna, with a playful grin, began to grind her thigh against Xyenn's manhood, her movements sending waves of pleasure through his body. He responded by grasping her firmly, his hands roaming her body, exploring her curves with a hungry touch.

Their lips met once more, their kisses becoming more desperate, their tongues tangling in a passionate embrace. Yuuna, with a soft moan, began to suck and lick Xyenn's neck, her mouth exploring every inch of his skin, leaving a trail of wet kisses. Xyenn, in a display of raw desire, grabbed Yuuna's hips, pulling her closer, their bodies now pulsating together, their passion building with every movement. Their eyes, locked in a deep gaze, reflected the intense love and lust they shared.

As their passion reached new heights, Xyenn's kisses became more fervent, his lips exploring Yuuna's face, neck, and shoulders, leaving a trail of soft kisses. Yuuna, in a state of pure bliss, arched her back, offering herself fully to Xyenn. He responded by running his hands down her body, his fingers tracing her curves, his touch both gentle and demanding. Their movements became more rhythmic, their bodies moving in perfect harmony, as if they were one entity floating in the void.

The void seemed to glow with a soft light, as if the universe itself was witnessing their passionate encounter. Yuuna, with a look of pure love, wrapped her legs around Xyenn's waist, pulling him closer, their bodies now locked in a tight embrace. Xyenn, in a final display of his love, grabbed Yuuna's face, his eyes full of adoration, and kissed her deeply, their souls merging in that moment.

As their passion finally found its release, Xyenn and Yuuna, their bodies glistening with sweat, lay floating in the void, their hearts beating as one. The darkness around them seemed to recede, and a soft glow illuminated their exhausted yet satisfied forms. They smiled at each other, their eyes filled with love and contentment, knowing that their bond was one of pure, unadulterated passion and romance.

And then, everything went dark.  

 "I love you," Yuuna's voice whispered.  

Xyenn and Yuuna both awoke with a start, their screams echoing through the hut. Their bodies were tangled together on the floor, their breathing ragged.  

"AGHH!" They both exclaimed, breathing heavily as both of their faces were red.

Xyenn turned his head, his eyes meeting Yuuna's. Before he could say a word, Yuuna tackled him, wrapping her arms around him in a tight embrace.  

"Idiot," she whispered, tears streaming down her face. She pulled back just enough to look at him, then kissed him deeply, her lips soft but insistent, her claws digging lightly into his shoulders.  

Xyenn froze for a moment, then melted into the kiss, his good arm wrapping around her waist.  

When they finally broke apart, Yuuna rested her forehead against his. "Did you see it?" she asked, her voice trembling.  

Xyenn nodded.  

"I remember everything," Yuuna said, her voice thick with emotion. "Gabriel's Ladder, the fight with Gorran, the Lysfødt... everything. Even..." She hesitated. "Even our child."

"How did it even feel…?"

"Felt like you were always there, but you weren't? I could feel something was missing. Like you were there but not there, I can't explain it."

Xyenn's heart raced. 

"You have no idea how much I needed you, Yuuna. Sounds super gross coming from me, but damn I needed you."

'I did it. I actually did it. I got her memories back. Without dying, fighting the Light Born, everything. Now things are back to where they were. With the same crazy ass psychotic ass Yuuna that I can't stand being away from.'

"Awwwwwwww! Say it again!" Yuuna said manically, grabbing Xyenn's cheeks.

"You're gonna rip my face off?!"

"Maybe. Maybe even wear it."

"Someone help!"

Xyenn's eyes widened, but Yuuna smiled softly, brushing his hair back. "But honestly, darling. No one's ever gone this hard for me," she murmured.  She pulled away slightly, her expression turning sheepish. "I'm sorry I never told you about being a human-demon hybrid."  

Xyenn smirked. "It was obvious. You look more human than most humans."  

Yuuna blinked with a psychotic smile, then punched his shoulder lightly. "Ohhhh so now you're COMPARING me to those other women? What's her name?!"

"OW! BASTARD! WHO SAID ANYTHING ABOUT OTHER WOMEN?!"

"YOU BASICALLY DID!" Yuuna put Xyenn in a chokehold, wrapping her legs around him.

As the others burst into the room, bombarding them with questions, Xyenn's attention drifted. Something felt... wrong.  

He stood, his steps unsteady as he wandered through the hut. The air grew colder the further he went, the runes on the walls dimming.  

'That witch…where could she run off to? Didn't she want something from us after this?'

Finally, he reached Haelga's private quarters.  

There, hanging from the ceiling, was Haelga. A dried crow was strapped around her neck, its wings spread as if in flight.  

Xyenn froze, his breath catching in his throat. His fists clenched at his sides as he stared at her lifeless form, his mind racing.  

A note was clutched in her hand, its edges stained with blood.  

Xyenn reached out, his fingers trembling as he took the note.  

The room was eerily silent, save for the faint creak of Haelga's lifeless body swaying gently from the ceiling. Xyenn sat down on the cold, rough wooden floor in front of her dangling corpse. His dragon-scaled arm twitched involuntarily, but he ignored it. His eyes were locked onto the note clutched in her pale, lifeless fingers.  

For a moment, he simply stared at the parchment, as if it might bite him. The sight of Haelga's broken form—her scarred, weathered body once brimming with dark knowledge and cryptic wisdom—now reduced to a lifeless husk, stirred something deep in him.  

He reached out, his hand trembling slightly, and gently pried the bloodstained parchment from her hand. The weight of it felt heavier than it should, as if the words scrawled across it carried the burden of her final moments.  

Xyenn unfolded the note, his heart pounding as he began to read.  

Haelga's Letter:

To the ones left behind,

 By the time you read this, I will no longer walk the cursed path of this world. You know as well as I do that the price of harnessing the dark arts is steep. Many believe it is simply the cost of blood, soul, or sacrifice, but it is far more insidious than that. Every time we channel the darkness, every time we conduct a ritual, we tether ourselves more deeply to Hell. It is not a mere transaction—it is a binding contract signed with every spell we cast.  

For years, I have felt the pull, the gnawing at my soul. It has been subtle, then relentless, until now. I can no longer evade it. My time has come, as it will for all who dare to meddle in the abyss. I have pre-written this letter, knowing the ritual tonight would be my final offering.  

Like others who came before me in the coven, I have chosen to go out on my own terms. Suicide is our last rebellion against the chains of Hell, a way to sever our physical ties before we are dragged into the eternal torment that awaits us. My death was not in vain; it was my gift to you all. I hope you honor it.  

But there is more, Xyenn, more than just my death and the cost of our dark powers. There is something greater at stake, something far worse than even the gates of Hell opening upon Kyrrin. This world teeters on the edge of calamity—one that even Hell itself would struggle to control.  

The sun is no longer a distant celestial object. It is alive, a deity of fire and wrath that has slumbered for millennia. But now, it stirs. Its true form is the Sun-Drake, a colossal, skeletal dragon wreathed in eternal flame. It desires domination over the mortal realm, but it cannot manifest without a vessel.  

That vessel is a woman named Quinara. She carries the Mark of the Eternal Flame, a curse passed down through the bloodline of a forgotten royal house. Unbeknownst to her, she carries within her the embryo of the Sun-Drake's rebirth. If the Sun-Drake is reborn, it will scorch Kyrrin to ash, leaving nothing but a realm of fire and ruin.  

There is hope, but it is fragile. You must seek out the Blind Oracle, a woman whose face bears the scars of her encounter with the sun's wrath. She will guide you to the Blood Maidens, a secretive sect hidden deep within the Shaded Ruins, where the sun cannot reach. These Maidens are steeped in ancient blood magic, and they alone hold the knowledge to sever Quinara's connection to the Sun-Drake and prevent its rebirth.  

You must deliver a bundle of sunflowers to them. These flowers are said to carry the last vestiges of the Dragon Goddess of the Moon's protection, a faint but potent magic that can shield against the Sun-Drake's influence.  

Be warned, for the Sun-Drake's servants are already searching for Quinara. Sun-Berserkers, Burning Knights, and sun-blinded cultists scour the land, leaving destruction in their wake. If they find her before you do, she will die, and her death will bring forth the apocalypse.  

But there is more.  

One of my own—Parcy—has been deceived. She is young, brash, and full of ambition. She believes her actions are her own, but I fear she is being used to connect the link between Kyrrin and Hell. If she succeeds, the gates will open, and the demons will pour forth, conquering this realm. I do not know the full details of her plan, but I know she has been working in secret, gathering pieces for a ritual of immense power.  

I saw her as a daughter, and it breaks my heart to know I failed her. If you find her, tell her I am sorry. Tell her I only wanted to protect her.  

The map included will guide you to the Oracle and Quinara. Follow it closely, for time is short. You must succeed—not just for Kyrrin, but for yourselves.  

Our souls are bound to Hell, but perhaps yours can still be saved. 

— Haelga

---

Xyenn finished the note, his hands trembling as he set it down. He lowered his head, staring at the floorboards beneath Haelga's swaying feet.  

"She believed in us," he whispered to himself. "Even if I didn't know her well... she sacrificed everything to help us. This is how I repay her. I'll see it through."  

'I just met this woman. But I feel a certain way about this, the note, and then seeing her like this. Shakes me up like crazy. Pisses me off even. And I don't know why.'

His voice broke slightly, but he steadied himself. Slowly, he stood, gripping the note tightly in his hand.  

Footsteps echoed behind him. Xyenn turned to see Yuuna, Gorran, Sethrak, Draeven, Kivorn, Mertha, Zyphira, and Illyana standing in the doorway, their expressions a mix of shock and horror as they stared at Haelga's lifeless body.  

Sethrak said, "Shit.."

Draeven looked away, this was a sight all too familiar.

Kivorn watched, in shock with a face that was rather emotionless on the outside.

Mertha shook her head, leaning against the wall.

'She paid a price as well..a price she knew.'

Zyphira was the first to speak, her voice soft but urgent. "Xyenn... what are you holding?"  

He glanced down at the note in his hand, then back up at her. "Our payback to her," he said simply. "It's what she wanted us to do. I bet she didn't expect her own price to catch up to her this fast. But she was prepared."

The group gathered closer as Xyenn gave them a brief rundown of what was written in the letter. He explained the Sun-Drake, Quinara, the Oracle, the Blood Maidens, and the looming threat of Parcy's betrayal.  

Gorran frowned, his arms crossed. "This is madness," he muttered. "We've wasted enough time here. We should already be on our way back to Vördrheim."  

That's what he wanted to say.  But he didn't.

Yuuna, however, was firm. "We can't let this slip by." She turned to Xyenn, her expression resolute. "What do you think?"  

Yuuna couldn't really focus. She was focused on Haelga's body. If it wasn't for her spreading darkness years ago…it wouldn't have led to this.

She gritted her teeth, thinking, 'Calm down Yuuna, calm down. You have the opportunity to fix this.'

Xyenn answered, "We need to split up. Vördrheim is still vulnerable, and if Ezrael, the Dragon God of War, strikes while we're gone, it'll be a massacre. Illyana should go back with Sethrak, Draeven and Kivorn. Her light magic will be more useful there, and she's a healer too. The others are strong, strong enough to hold them off if anything happens.

Yuuna nodded. "Agreed. Me, Xyenn, Gorran, and Mertha will stay here and handle this. Illyana, you'll get the others back to Vördrheim."  

Illyana hesitated, but eventually nodded. "I understand."  

Before anyone could move, a loud, piercing caw shattered the tense silence. A massive shadow burst through the doorway, feathers swirling around the room. It was Salazar, Haelga's enormous crow companion.  

The bird landed in the center of the room, lowering itself slightly as if offering to carry them.  

Mertha asked, "Yuuna, you must know the Sun-Drake personally, or whatever. But how does this connect to the Cycle of Rebirth? What do you think?"