Zelyndra’s mind raced, her thoughts tangled in the web of impossibilities that had unfolded before her. This girl, Thaige, claimed to be Valerian’s daughter—the very same Thaige who had died more than a thousand years ago—stood in front of her, alive and very much present. The same vampire who, in death, had become a legend of terror. Zelyndra had been just a child when she remembered the devastation Thaige had left in her wake, how she had earned the name Demon Lord, conquering vast lands and bringing the world to its knees before the races united to defeat her.
For such a creature to still be alive? Ridiculous.
How could someone so monstrous, someone who had earned a reputation as a conqueror of nations, be standing here now, subdued as if she were nothing more than a pawn under her grandson’s control? The absurdity of it all sent a cold shiver down Zelyndra’s spine. The Thaige she remembered was an unstoppable force, someone no vampire—let alone a fledgling like Kaelen—should have been able to enslave.
Zelyndra’s gaze narrowed, her mind rifling through every possible explanation. Even if this girl were an imposter, the powers she displayed, her command of the Blood Domain, and her telekinesis—all of it indicated that she was no ordinary vampire. She had to be either an elite or an elder, someone with centuries of experience and strength. How could Kaelen manage to make her his thrall? It didn’t add up.
Something wasn’t right. There was a missing piece in this twisted puzzle, something important that eluded her.
Her grandson must have sensed her doubts because, as if echoing her thoughts, Kaelen’s voice cut through the silence. “Where have you been all my life?” His words were sharp, piercing the tension in the air. “And why now?”
The Thaige imposter flinched at his question, her face contorting as though she was battling against the urge to answer. She struggled for a moment before finally responding, her voice dripping with bitterness. “I was revived by a floating pink dolphin. Told me about my father’s newest child... and I wanted to have some fun.”
Delphinus. Of course. Zelyndra’s blood boiled at the mention of that accursed name. She should have known. That cosmic nuisance had been a thorn in her side for centuries, ever since the death of her daughter, Syrentha. Delphinus had never stopped his twisted plots against the Underdark. But resurrection magic? That was a power beyond even his reach—or so she had believed. Raising someone who had been dead for over a thousand years? It was unthinkable.
And yet, there Thaige stood.
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Zelyndra’s thoughts flickered to the strange appearance and disappearance of the angels earlier. Perhaps they had sensed this distortion in the natural order and had come to correct it, only to retreat just as quickly as they’d arrived. It made no sense. Delphinus had never shown power on this scale before, and that fact alone filled her with a deep unease.
Before she could dwell further on it, a sharp voice broke her reverie. “Delphinus!” Aelira, standing beside her, pointed toward the sky.
Zelyndra’s gaze followed her hand, and there, hovering above them, was the unmistakable form of the pink dolphin, his shimmering, otherworldly body materializing out of the ether. His eyes gleamed with twisted delight, and he began to laugh—a high-pitched, manic sound that echoed through the streets.
"Kaelen, Kaelen, Kaelen," Delphinus chanted mockingly, his voice laced with disdain. "You weren’t supposed to win! No, no, no, no! You were supposed to lose! This is all wrong, and I am very, very, very unhappy!" His eyes narrowed, the playful tone replaced by something far more sinister. "And we don’t want that, no, no, no... So, how about being a good boy and play dead for me?"
With a wave of his fin, molten lava began to rain from the sky, summoned from nowhere. The glowing red liquid, hissing and bubbling, cascaded down toward Kaelen with terrifying speed.
But Zelyndra was faster.
With a flick of her wrist, she cast a powerful barrier, encasing them all in a protective dome of magic. The lava slammed into the barrier, splashing harmlessly to the sides and flowing into the nearby alleyways. The heat was intense, but the barrier held strong, keeping them safe.
Delphinus hissed in frustration, his gleaming eyes narrowing further. “This ain’t over, Kaelen,” he sneered, his voice dripping with venom. “You can’t hide behind your grandmother forever like some pathetic little baby. One day, you're going to have to level up and fight me like the weak-ass noob you truly are. And we both know you can’t ever win against this final boss." He laughed maniacally, his eyes glinting with malice as he finished, “Cya later, Kaelame.”
With a snap of his tail, Delphinus disappeared, the air around them displacing with an audible pop.
Zelyndra allowed herself a moment to collect her thoughts before she dispelled the barrier. She followed up by casting a disintegration spell, obliterating the hardening lava that encased them and freeing the street from its smoldering grip. The danger had passed for now, but Delphinus's words lingered in her mind, a dark promise of future conflict.
Loren Dawn, the outcasted princess, was the first to move. She walked over to where Ragnar Fang lay unconscious, his body still recovering from the earlier fight. Without hesitation, she began healing him, her hands glowing with soft magical light as she worked to close his wounds.
Kaelen, meanwhile, approached Thaige, who was still standing, dazed and silent. He took off his jacket and handed it to her, a silent gesture of acknowledgment. She accepted it without a word, draping it over her bare shoulders, her face betraying a storm of emotions.
Zelyndra’s sharp eyes stayed fixed on her grandson. Her mind raced, trying to piece together the events of the last few minutes. Delphinus’s appearance, Thaige’s resurrection, Kaelen’s newfound powers... nothing about this situation felt right. But for now, they were safe.