Arakiel reached his seraphim just in time as she plummeted towards the ground with a cry that sounded both surprised and terrified.

Come dawn, she had beckoned him to follow her onto the clearing where she then confidently, almost casually launched herself into the air with a jump aided by a strong flap of her wings.

He had been proud at first, for she had always trained but never quite taken heart to actually take off for real.

As such, it had been even more surprising when she suddenly faltered and the resulting deviation made her panic, which in turn had caused her to crash back down towards the earth.

He had taken on her aspect in an instant, moving swiftly and purposefully.

With a jump, he caught her mid-air. She was light enough that he didn’t feel impaired and when they landed, she looked him over, seemingly more puzzled than anything.

“I don’t understand…” she murmured accordingly, holding her hands up while her wings carefully moved as if she was testing them. On them, he became aware of the little ring he had gifted her as a means of apology for not making it to their fourth anniversary.

This little tiny golden ring that was glued to her thanks to an enchantment.

It was so easy to gloss over, yet right now… he fixated it.

She had changed a lot since then – and so had he.

After that brief pause, he realized she was looking straight at him. “What’s wrong?” He asked, putting on a slightly worried tone.

The last night had helped him greatly – and he felt as if it somewhat helped her as well. A minor step for now, but it’d only improve incrementally from hereon out.

“I can’t cast any spells,” Aurora muttered in bewilderment.

He agreed that it was a little weird, having given her just a bit of soul in the morning since she wanted just enough for the ritual.

“Usually, the air heeds my wish. I expressed it and… nothing?”

“Give it time,” Arakiel suggested in an upbeat tone as he lowered her onto the ground. “You’re probably still upended from yesterday.”

That word couldn’t even begin to do justice to what had happened, but he needed incremental steps now.

At the same time, he focused onto the concept of ‘air’ with ‘stability’ and ‘aerodynamic’. A golden sigil formed right next to him which he guided into her with a gentle touch.

She did not flinch this time around.

It was almost outrageous how easy it felt.

A minor victory indeed.

“Try again,” he proposed.

From up there on the tree house’s balcony, he could make out Nyanna and Alanna watching him whereas Ezekiel and Selene hadn’t shown up yet. No sign of Mellia either, but she had to be with the…

He trailed off.

“Are you sure, my love?” She asked a little hesitantly, bringing him back.

“You wish to greet the dawn for me… don’t you?” He pointed out, causing her to blush just a smidgen.

If the last night had taught him anything, then it was that she needed him now more than ever. Nyanna, even Mellia could all wait just a little longer.

They weren’t imminent.

Aurora, however, was in a critical condition as far as he could surmise.

A part of him was glad since he had basically achieved his goal. Aurora the Immortal was utterly dependent on him. It was highly unlikely to the point of impossible that she would ever pose a threat to any mortal ever again… if she ever had.

He despised that part of him.

The other major perspective felt dirty, for Aurora the Aurea, Aurora his Beloved, had been put in this spot and he could tell that she wasn’t happy, that she was suffering.

Arakiel didn’t want her to suffer. He wanted her to stand proudly beside him, for this had been her wish… had it not?

And it was up to him to make it happen.

As he watched Aurora take flight a second time, he felt confirmed in his presumptions.

The way she circled gracefully into the sky on her snow-white wings, the way her face seemed to brighten as the cold morning winds enveloped her – it was as if she tasted a sort of freedom that he was more than willing to grant her.

Up there, she greeted the dawn for him, condensing golden, red and white motes of light into a crystallized shard and for a moment, he glimpsed Aurora that had been.

And when his seraphim gracefully landed in front of him, he felt his own spirit lighten just a little more.

That changed when she suddenly went on her knees while presenting her outstretched palms upon which the jagged shard of condensed light lay.

“My Lord, I have greeted the dawn for you,” Aurora reported in a meek, melodious tone. Her words resonated most delightfully in his ears. That one part of him very much appreciated what it was offered whereas the other part couldn’t help but wonder why.

When he didn’t immediately reach for the shard, a low, slightly cautious voice followed. “Is it not to your liking…?”

Arakiel instinctively reached out and took it, praising her. “Thank you, Aurora.”

Her cheeks reddened a little, which pleased him as well but when she didn’t get up right away, he began to question his own actions.

Hurriedly, he took the hand that held the ring, grabbing it. “Come, get up,” he suggested and she lightly turned her hand around, until their palms touched once more.

He pulled her up and for some reason – maybe because of the high snow – she tripped a little and ended up ins his arms.

“Careful there my love,” Arakiel commented in a lighthearted manner and she began to embrace him with what should be a quite of bit her frail strength.

He realized that she had been tense and only now, when he returned her hug did she calm down.

Her wings began to mimic her embrace and for another moment, they just remained so.

“You’re so warm…” she whispered, stated again.

Her own body felt rather warm as well, but she was undoubtedly still battling with the events that happened.

“Thank you for letting me fly.”

Arakiel gently stroked her lustrous golden hair and then kissed her on the head. She smelled of vanilla with the faintest trace of roses.

It soured the experience just a little, but it might just be a lingering remnant of Nyanna on him. They hadn’t been able to bathe properly yet.

“Always,” he responded, promised.

He heard Ezekiel greeting him from the back and just as he was about to turn around, he saw three hooded women descend that one particular set of stairs. The smallest wore a thoroughly white cloak with a wide hood while the other two – who were just a little taller – had chosen to wear a monochrome soft green that also thoroughly hid their countenance.

And yet, he was almost certain that the one to Mellia’s left was Nyanna.

His body tensed up immediately, but his rationale made it relax.

He’d use them, just like they used him.

Nothing less, nothing more.

The seelie greeted them both at the same time, their voices overlapping in perfect synchronicity. It was almost painful how pleasurable it was to listen to them despite them saying only two words.

“Good morning.”

His eyes fell onto Mellia, who remained silent.

With some difficulty, he provided a reaction, saying with a far-too-tense and curt voice. “Good morning.”

“Good morning,” Aurora added in a quiet, meek tone as she hugged his right arm for her dear life.

He was proud of her, nonetheless.

Ezekiel and Selene offered a similar response, yet they kept their emotions much more in check than Aurora or Arakiel had been able to.

In a way, he admired that about Ezekiel. He seemed so much more poised, or perhaps he just hid it very well.

The seelie twins then spoke up together. “We shall stay close to you, observe. If anyone asks, we’re your new conquests… Middle nobles that caught your fancy.”

Even now, they mocked them and he was certain that Nyanna smiled deviously, taking delight in her scheme.

Let her enjoy this victory. In the end, her play would become a reality.

“Over two months passed since we left… I have a hard time believing I’m still in charge of Sultan Zimraan’s army.” Arakiel heard himself point out.

“He will have you back once he realizes what has happened in the Middle Kingdom, my Knight,” Nyanna – she had to be Nyanna – replied with a chuckle. “And if he doesn’t, then we will simply dispatch him there and then.”

The casualness with which she made that statement… it should surprise him, but it didn’t.

Immortals weren’t bound by the Transcended’s limitations. She might be equivalent to Lyktos or Chryse or even his mother – it was impossible to say for certain.

One thing, however, was: she and her twin were so much more powerful than anything else on this plane. If they held true to their word which in itself was questionable, he had no doubt that he could wrap this planeswalk up quickly.

And he needed to.

Every day that Mellia was in their clutches was one day too many.

For all his pride, he would seek his parents’ and his House’s support the moment he returned to Kalanaar. This wasn’t about him, but about his little sister that he failed to protect – but at least her life wasn’t threatened right now.

“I understand… but how will we get there in time?” Arakiel queried, getting right down to a problem. “Winter is almost over – we won’t make it in time and we’ve no horses.”

Both seelie chuckled so very lovely as their silhouettes burst into a soft rose-colored light that was only faintly reminiscent of a flame which puzzled him a little. He had always thought that all immortals’ souls have the shape and essence of flames.

“Oh, you sweet summer children,” they spoke up in unison once more while holding each other’s hand, causing their flames to conjoin.

Nine sigils of pink light formed and dissolved near-instantly and Arakiel suddenly felt his body beginning to float from one moment to another

Selene and Aurora yelped, whereas he and Ezekiel let out a more constrained noise of surprise – yet all four of them began to take off and unfortunately, their center of gravity shifted alongside, causing him to slowly fall backwards.

He heard amused laughter from the two immortals at the front and when he began to wildly flail about in an attempt to stabilize, he ended up making it much worse.

He wasn’t the only one stuck in this predicament and the seelie sisters took immeasurable delight in their plight for about a minute, at which point he was suddenly yanked upright.

The fae and Mellia had begun to float as well and little by little, they began to ascend towards the sky.

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It was fascinating and terrifying at the same time.

How should he defend against this if this were a real fight?

The seelie’s air magic lifted them to the sky which was still mostly covered in white-greyish clouds, but there was no snow lingering in the air and next to no fog.

The air felt fresh and clear, almost liberatingly so.

Down below, the Seelenforst stretched out in all its utter vastness. It was truly a massive patch of land.

He had expected cold winds to brush him, but nothing of the sort happened.

“Taking others along,” one of the seelie yelled as the seven of them began to slowly accelerate to the east.

“… is always a bit of a hassle!” The sister exclaimed and the two fae dashed ahead and when a sort of invisible ‘leash’ had reached its limit, Arakiel and the others were pulled along.

His party members reacted quite differently to what was happening. Where Selene showed an almost childish giddiness that she wasn’t at all afraid to show, Ezekiel didn’t take it well at all. If Arakiel didn’t know any better, his companion was close to throwing up.

Aurora, on the other hand, seemed almost disappointed, perhaps even apathetic. Her eyes were locked into him and even though he wanted to reach out for her, he was held back by whatever magic the seelies had woven.

It felt extremely odd, to move at an increasingly rapid pace without actually moving about. As far as he knew, only the most-skilled Air Alterators could fly like this.

He had heard of special kind of enchanted armor with artificial wings that let people fly, sort of – but this? This here was incredible and downright frightening.

Of course, when compared to a Traveler’s ability… it wasn’t as remarkable.

But he was a Traveler no longer and he couldn’t deny the immense usefulness of just moving along at such an outrageous speed.

His eyes barely perceived the winter landscape below – it became a blended mixture of fields and forests with a bit of elevation sprinkled in – but it was mostly untainted, white snow down there.

Once he got used to the phenomenon of kind-of-floating mid-air while moving at breakneck speed, he started to enjoy it. There was a sort of liberating feeling that came along with this kind of traveling, even if he was currently less free than he had ever been.

A paradox for sure, but it really didn’t matter. If the seelies intended to kill them, they didn’t need to drag them mid-air first… they were well capable of solving that issue in a much more straightforward manner.

But then again, it was impossible to tell what they thought. They were immortals, after all.

Arakiel lost track of time, but no more than an hour or at most two could’ve passed when they reached the river Moli once more and just sometime later, the large town of Maduts’ Crossing came in view, only that it didn’t look all that massive or large from up here.

Arakiel was shocked to see little tents strewn over several plazas and if his eyes didn’t deceive him, then the Smokeless Host or perhaps the reinforcements hadn’t moved out yet, which seemed utterly perplexing.

They had been gone for over two months at this point… and the commanding staff hadn’t deemed it feasible to make use of this window of opportunity?

It seemed ridiculous, quite frankly.

Although not quite as ridiculous as him being here, all the way up in the sky with a pair of immortal twins that might be able to flatten this entire town if they so chose on a whim.

The pair quietly led the floating party down towards the earth and as soon as Arakiel felt firm – well, mostly firm snow – beneath his boots, he breathed a small sigh of relief.

There was something ‘liberating’ in terra firma as well.

Aurora immediately hurried over towards him, using his body as a means of separation between the seelie and her.

Ezekiel fell on the ground and threw up, with Selene scolding him for making her look bad – and he was in no position to refute.

The fae found it amusing, whereas Mellia could say nothing. He could only, truly hope that she didn’t witness everything that happened.

His thoughts quickly bounced back to Aurora when he felt her grip tighten again. He pulled her closer with an encouraging smile as there was really nothing else he could do right now and the fact that she pushed through for him… it pleased him.

It would’ve been stupid, downright inexcusable to not take the immortals’ deal – if he even had the chance to do so.

Nyanna had been rather direct.

Putting all that aside, it was time to find out whether he still had any authority in the Smokeless Host… if it even existed in the first place.

Funnily enough, he didn’t feel afraid in the slightest.

While he, as a proper Kalanite, should always remain wary when dealing with immortals… he should also make use of them.

He wasn’t actually sure if such a saying existed, but he made it up.

This way, he could at least lessen the shame of what had happened by a smidgen.

For now, he pushed it to the back of his mind.

Aurora – this plane – his parents – Mellia. This was the list of priorities that needed to be tackled.

He decided to keep the hood down in light of his rather suspicious looking party. In addition, he fastened a part of his cloak to the side in order to show the admittedly rather torn doublet that Sultan Zimraan had once gifted him. Ezekiel kept his longsword and halberd visible in the same vein.

There were no guards outside the closed gates, but he saw a bit of movement inside the gatehouse as soon as they approached.

A voice resounded soon afterwards, demanding identification.

Arakiel announced the Executor Djinni’s return.

To his surprise, the warden gave not only the order to open the gates, but to inform the authorities and it did not take more than a few minutes for some southerners in black-wrapped clothing to hurry and meet him.

He did not recognize these men, but the reverse was not true – they saluted Arakiel with respect, hammering their right fist to their chests.

In the back, someone shouted that the Lord Executor had returned at last – the Middles’ days were numbered.

And while some of the soldiers that used to serve under him seemed elated, a pair of Mirror Guards went out to receive him just after his party entered the cobblestone roads of Maduts’ Crossing. Their shining, reflective armor and their black-reddish weapons elevated them above the black-clad warriors that gathered around.

One of the men informed him that Sultan Zimraan had expected his return a while ago. He was to meet with the ruler of al-Aliriq right away. More insistently, they announced that he and his party follow them while everyone else was to return to their duties.

Their voices were stoic, yet Arakiel could barely make out a hostile undertone.

In a way, he was slightly looking forward to this. The akh had been so arrogant the last time they met.

The sultan’s elite led them towards Duke Madut’s mansion which was really just a slightly bigger noble house. A stone first floor, frame-timbered otherwise. A garden that might blossom into something beautiful, but it was nothing but snow right now. The white-blue facade showed rivulets of dirty snow water having dried there.

He didn’t know why he bothered looking, maybe just because the town had been suspiciously quiet so far.

The mansion’s inside surprised with a lack of luxury. Well-made, but simple inventory, very little art or other pieces that usually cluttered such houses. The sultan hadn’t changed it if he truly stayed here.

Surprising.

The house had barely changed even if he couldn’t exactly recall whether it had been this particular mansion he had briefly stayed in.

It also didn’t really matter, but he still appreciated Duke Mardut a little more in retrospective. Given his ancestry, he had most likely perished by this point.

The party, including the two seelie whom none had given a second glance thus far, were led into what might’ve once been a dining hall, only that this particular chamber had been redecorated.

A small stage had been built in the back, a sea of red pillows with golden flourishes atop. Right next to it, three little tables that were lined with golden plates that were filled to the brim with delicacies.

Arakiel felt reminded of the palace, for the bronze-skinned, red-haired akh with the ruby eyes lazily lay there sideways, head once again resting atop his hand.

Despite the room’s temperature being rather cold and chilly, he wore a pair of red, puffy pants while the rest of his body was once again kept for all the plane to see.

Even the brass claw still adorned his left hand’s pointing finger that curled up ever so slightly as Arakiel, Ezekiel and the others entered.

Sultan Zimraan’s eyes narrowed and he actually got up to a sitting position right away, his gaze banishing the Mirror Guard quietly.

Arakiel had no doubt that some of the sultan’s handmaidens were somewhere around here as well. Some parts of the room where left in shadow and a divider in the back would make for a great hiding spot.

“At last you return, my Executor,” Sultan Zimraan said in a voice that sounded both surprised and curious at the same time. “You have been busy, I presume?”

His eyes looked the gathered crowd over and so far, he hadn’t yet made his judgment.

“You could say that.” Arakiel returned somewhat ambiguously.

“So busy that you would forsake the duty I entrusted you with?” The sultan asked, accused. There was a clear tone of hostility in it. “I cannot help but wonder what could be more important?”

Arakiel shrugged lightly, not letting the man’s antics intimidate him in the slightest. “Oh; Nothing serious, really… I just happened to find Queen Fodhla.”

“I fail to see her in your presence.” The akh responded, acknowledged in an increasingly hostile tone, His eyes narrowed.

“Color me surprised when I ended up finding Queen Ceara as well,” Arakiel went on to say in a flippant manner, having decided to openly mock the sultan.

He gave the man a wry smile.

Behind him, he heard Nyanna giggle.

Even Alanna chuckled a bit, but hers seemed far darker than it should be.

“Watch your tongue, planeswalker!” The sultan shouted as he showed a bit of yellow flame, letting it dance across his palm. “Where are they!? Why haven’t you brought them before me!? If what you claim is true – and I hope for your sake that it is – then where are they!?”

His gaze turned towards the seelie, asking. “These two?”

“Why yes, oh great little sultan,” Nyanna suddenly intersected, prancing past Arakiel while taking off her hood. The smile on her lips appeared genuine.

The fae was enjoying this.

Zimraan looked her way, saying. “Mind your manners you…” The sultan’s eyes widened as he trailed off. “Undress right this instant, slave!” The sultan ordered in a different, commandeering voice.

Nyanna lightly tilted her head, asking in a thoroughly naive tone. “Why should I?”

“Planeswalker, hand over that woman to me and your transgressions are forgiven.” Sultan Zimraan announced right afterwards, thoroughly ignoring Nyanna.

“I doubt your feeble manhood can satisfy this body, little akh.” Nyanna fluted mockingly while sauntering back towards Arakiel, across whose chest she lightly drew her fingers. “Besides, this flesh only belongs to one man – and that isn’t you.”

Her rose-colored eyes flashed glee at Arakiel.

A taunt in order to rile him up.

It almost worked.

“I can tell you’re incapable of handling such women, planeswalker. I expected better of you.” Zimraan shook his head in disappointment, after which he put on a magnanimous tone.” Nonetheless, I am a man of my word. Give her to me and I will let you in on a few secrets on how to tame such a beautiful specimen.”

By the end, his voice had turned to ridicule.

“You wished to know where Queen Ceara is, didn’t you?” Arakiel felt the need to ask as he, himself, let out a little chuckle. “Well, there she is.”

Sultan Zimraan jumped off of his stage while bursting into thoroughly yellow flames. “I tried to be reasonable with you,” he outlined with an audible sigh, seemingly disappointed. “But I won’t let such a pest like you mock me twice in a row.”

“I am not mocking you,” Arakiel returned while looking straight at Nyanna, who returned his gaze. “My Lady… would you be so kind?”

“Roping me into your schemes?” She asked and began to chuckle once more. Her eyes darted into the back. “Did you hear that, Anna-dear? How bold my Knight is… should we indulge him?”

The other seelie stepped to the forefront as well, having pulled back her hood as well. Contrary to Nyanna, her gaze was quite firmly planted on Zimraan, whose eyes widened with lustful greed.

“Two of you!” He exclaimed excitedly. “Just go and never come back, planeswalkers! I’m feeling exceedingly generous right now!”

“Will you take our arms and legs as well?” Alanna queried in a low, dark tone, her eyes burning with a blazing hatred.

A bad premonition overcame Arakiel.

“Answer me!” The seelie shouted in an upset tone.

“Of course not – your limbs are far too valuable!” The sultan answered, but he did so in a way that left no doubt about the verity of the seelie’s statement.

It could only mean one thing.

“Sister, can I have him?” Alanna queried politely, yet her eyes held no kindness or politeness. They gleamed murder, the definite and cold kind.

Nyanna nodded.

In a split-moment, Alanna’s outline began to glow in rose-colored light, right after which Sultan Zimraan’s fiery aura was sliced apart in four different spots.

He imploded, his legs falling to the side while the arms tumbled onto the floor like the wet, fleshy sticks they had been turned into.

Arakiel immediately pulled Aurora close, shielding her eyes from the scene.

No scream escaped and when Arakiel saw a thin line of blood forming on the sultan’s neck, he felt a shiver run down his legs.

“Does this remind you of something?” Alanna queried as she slowly walked towards the limbless torso with a mute attached head that still hadn’t quite realized what was going on.

His limbs were burning still, but their glow faded quickly.

“Did he upset you?” Nyanna asked with some curiosity, having also flared her soul.

From the shadows, several veiled women attacked without a sound, yet none even made it past the first step before they were suddenly thrown backwards, crashing into the walls with muffled groans.

None got back up.

“Our kin may be cattle, but we prefer them living a good life until we reap them – isn’t that what we agreed?” Alanna replied, not even paying any attention to the ‘disturbances’.

Arakiel, however, felt terrified because he hadn’t even seen which of the two did it – and when? No sigil formed – and the attacks had been invisible.

It had to be air, but how to…?

“We did,” Nyanna affirmed as she turned around, giving Arakiel a vicious smile. “That’s a good expression, father of our unborn. Understand the honor I am giving you… and act upon it.”

“He passed out… boring,” Alanna commented in the back and as she turned around, the sultan’s head began to roll to the side.

The yellow flame ceased, snuffed out just like the akh’s life.

Arakiel’s eyes wandered towards the sultan and then jumped right back to Nyanna.

With a slight bow, he cemented his decision. “I intend to do just that, my Lady.”

Approval flashed in her soft, rose-colored eyes.

Pride be damned.

Aurora clutched him just a little further.

He kissed her head once again, whispering.

“Hold on just a little longer…”