When the Dycathion soldiers surrounded the villas where Cybelline was kept, the Lady of Light was the first to hear of it. There was an urgent pounding at the door as her advisers begged her for counsel.

"Keep them at out." She commanded, "I will be there shortly."

She sighed and dragged her tired body into a sitting position. There were veins of grey that looked like thin porcelain cracks on her face. She looked worse than Jinon in the dungeons.

You spoil that boy. The shadow stood by the dawn light while the lady of light sat in the darkness. You should have done the ceremony already. You know you can not fight me, why do you even try.

"It gives me satisfaction." Kyria responded, "I am going to keep him safe for as long as I can."

You are a futile creature. The Shadow sneered. Fighting me with what little you have left.

I only agreed to let you do this if you promised me that no harm came to him during the ceremony. I'll destroy you and I both if you hurt him." Kyria said, her eyes boring into the shadow.

If he is obedient. The Shadow responded.

Kyria picked up the stone on around her neck, her eyes threatening.

The spirit sighed. He will be safe.

"I hope that my body will give out soon. I hope you and I can die." Kyria said, her head hung low.

The shadow only smiled its cruel smile before zipping back into her body.

The veins of grey disappeared and once more the beautiful lady of light returned to her full glory. She stood up, wiped the tears off her face, and quickly swept out of the room, a hint of shadow in her eyes.

---

Cybelline landed lightly in the room where Leonmithas sat rigidly. He looked up as the dove landed on the windowsill. It teetered and then tried to fly down, but it seemed to be too weak. Leonmithas lunged and grabbed it before it hit the floor.

Cybelline's body gradually grew out of the dove form, but Leonmithas saw her labored breath and sweat drenched hair. He frowned, "This is too dangerous. We have to leave now, we have to find a way to get the ring off you. It'll kill you."

Cybelline's eyes fluttered open, and Leonmithas had to admit, even in that moment, when they were in so much danger, the world seemed to stop as, like petals that unfurled to reveal their heart, so did she open her eyes.

His heart seemed to stop, and then skip a beat. The elf had never experienced that feeling before. He tried to get his thoughts back in line as Cybelline sat up, her breath brushing against his cheek.

It took her a few minutes, but she finally looked up at him and smiled, "I will, I have a few things left to do first."

"What things?" Leonmithas demanded, "They can wait." He tried to grab her wrist and Cybelline moved out of his way with a smile.

"Stop. Don't smile like that." Leonmithas said, his voice low.

Cybelline raised an eyebrow, but Leonmithas continued, "You smile like that with everyone. Friends or foe, you give the same heartless smile. You smile when things are fine and you smile when things are not. No one escapes that smile. I see it, every time you visit the land in the ring. You smile brighter when you're in pain and right now you are in pain." He looked at his hands, "You came here not just for your imprisoned friend right? You came for him because you love him."

Leonmithas suddenly looked at her. He was a general and a fighter for his people, "We should be more important than him. If you die, then our people die. If you can't defeat the Lady of Light then we will die with you. Think carefully about this. You are getting weaker and weaker, if you die now..." Leonmithas sighed, "Please, let's go. Please don't choose him over us."

Cybelline looked at the invisible ring on her finger. She heard the fear in his voice and the pain of thousands of years in captivity and fear.

She smiled at him, "You need to have more faith in me. Killian is important but he's not the only reason why I'm here."

She said and stood up. Leonmithas turned into a bird and hopped up on her shoulder. He wanted to ask what she had planned, but knowing her, she was not the kind to give a straight answer.

---

In the villas, the mages looked at each other nervously as the Lord of War stood in front of them.

One of Killian's men raised his sword and struck the mirror. The magical barrier roared into life and threw the man thirty feet across the yard.

"My Lord, you are not allowed to access this place. Please go back. This is a shield made by a light mage, it is not to be taken lightly." One of the mages called, he was one of the strongest mages guarding this place.

Jacen came up to Killian, "We can find other ways."

Killian raised a hand

He turned and faced the mages.

"I won't ask again. Let her go." He said, his voice cutting through the air like an arrow. The mages facing the twenty or so men were unnerved by the red eyes. Sweat poured down their faces as they fought to keep the barrier up.

Killian drew his sword and spoke a spell, green fire that seemed to turn his demonic red ones purple in the glare covered his hand and his sword.

The mages eyes widened. The Lord of War had power, and it was perhaps even more than all of them combined.

With a roar and a mighty swing, he brought the broadsword down in a stroke that seemed to cut the air in two.

The barrier shook and the mages, despite their strong magical abilities, felt the backlash. Magic erupted in their veins and pieced their flesh, some, unable to withstand the pain, screamed and fainted. The barrier wavered but held, barely.

Killian felt the magical backlash as well, but ignored the pain. He raised his sword and struck. Once, twice, three times.

Killian strode past the mages, his soldiers rushed to subdue them. In the glint of the morning sun, his silvery figure moved like water towards the villas. Servants scuttled out of the way of the war lord, scared to make even a sound.

"Will you let her see you this way?"

A soft voice sounded behind him. The lady arrived, her skirts billowing as she landed behind him.

Killian froze, his back towards his aunt.

"Will you like the love of your life see the monster that you truly are?" She continued asking.

Killian turned around, his sword was pointed at the Lady of Light.

"You will not harm her." His voice was cold, the deathly intent in his eyes clearer than morning sun.

"She may be fae." The Lady of Light answered, a frown on her brows, "The very thing that killed your mother. The monsters born to destroy the earth."

"No monster was born for destruction." Killian replied, "Let her go."

"Or what?" The lady of light raised her arms, "Will you kill your own aunt for a fae?"

The silence stretched between them, the chasm that had started to form was now an irreversible gulf. They had been family. She had loved and protected him. But now that was over, she wanted Cybelline to die.

"No. I won't kill you." Killian said, his eyes hard. The Lady smiled graciously, but Killian was already speaking.

"But I will protect her from you, even if it means I have to destroy everything you've built. If you touch her, your power, your people, everything you possess, I will incinerate."

Just then, Jacen and Lord Evans walked forward in full armor, "Lady, your city is under siege. The mages that you released yesterday have all be captured in by the army. Your head mages in other cities are now all under our jurisdiction. If you do not obey our lord, we can not promise the safety of your people."

The smile slowly faded on the Lady of Light's face as the mages who laid on the ground stared at the general.

The most famous general going against the most powerful mage, surely the world would not survive this.

"How...Dare...you. So this is what you've been planning those days you'd been sick." Her voice was thick with disbelief and anger. Suddenly, she laughed, a roar of laughter that no one had ever heard before.

"See! This is what you get for being softhearted. The children that you raise bites the hands that feeds!" The Lady of Light seemed to be speaking to everyone and yet no one. Her eyes hardened, her hand on the necklace, "I don't have time for this."

She raised her hand above her head and white light gathered in her hand, it became a sword of pure light. She raised it at the general, "Take those mages, I can always make more. But for you," Her eyes were now full of malice, "You will surrender like a good little boy. Your men will hand over their weapons. Then you are going to go through the ceremony, that little bitch will die. If you don't I will torture her in front of you until she goes insane. And then I will have the birds feast on her living body."

Killian looked at the aunt he had never known before, and drew up all of his magic, "I'll take you to hell myself before that happens."

Kyria slashed with her sword and a wave of light rushed at a soldier. In an instant, he turned to dust. The other soldiers drew their swords. A few of them began to mutter spells and slowly, barriers formed around the soldiers.

Kyria laughed, "Do you think they could stop me?! No one matters to me, you are all worms. All lowly worms!"

She took another swing but this time, a sword of green fire stopped the path of the white light. Killian blocked the light with his sword and magic, taking the brunt of the force. A trail of blood came out of his mouth.

His men looked at him with hope in their eyes. This was why the Lord of War had always been victorious, he was not just a fearsome warrior, but he always stood in front of his armies. If they fell, he would be right there in their ranks. He was their hope.

This was why the Dycathion armies felt no fear. How could they when Killian stood in front of them, protected them, and led them to glory? If he wanted to overthrow the lady of light, then they would do it without hesitation.

Kyria pulled back a third of her power when she saw Killian standing in front of the soldiers.

"How long can you last?" Kyria snarled, "How long do you think you can last against me?"

She raised her power once more, if she had to cut down all of his men, all of her people to make him see sense, she would do it. This time, she would kill everyone here. The shadow felt Kyria struggle for control, but in her weakened state, could do nothing but watch.

Kyria took a step closer. She needed to be closer to him to perform the ceremony. Just a few more steps.

Killian raised his hands to form a barrier, knowing that it would break. He threw everything he had in there.

The forces met, Killian' face turned paler and paler. His mages threw their power in as well, but the Lady of Light was too strong.

Just then, a force that equaled Kyria's rose behind him. The wavering green barrier strengthened against the bright white light, the glow went from fading emerald to as eye-blinding as the sun. It's power pushed Kyria back a few steps as she had to give up her attack.

"What? Show yourself!" Kyria hissed, alarmed.

A new faction had entered the fray.