The rampaging roots at the gate abruptly withdrew. Behind them, the remnants of devoured divine soldiers and celestial beasts. The sky became a brilliant pure blue color, and a sculptor-god made sun rose above the grand palace of the Amber Emperor. The rumbling of the roots movement echoed, distantly, then faint, then completely vanishing after a moment that seemed to stretch forever. What followed was not silence, but jubilant and relieved cheers that reverberated across the entire city. Starry bursts of colorful light rocketed into the sky, creating fantastical shapes, drums began to beat. Despite it being day, some gods were already releasing lanterns.

The gods still crowding the hall were also elated by the sudden salvation of the city and themselves, cheering wildly as the Amber Emperor kept awkwardly asking for everyone to calm down to no avail. Eona blinked somewhat dumbfounded by the rapid change in everyone's demeanors. To much had happened in what felt to her like a span of mere minutes. She was still trying to understand the Jade Prince's cryptic words, which made her even more upset and concerned for her daughter and Liu Xie. She tried asking a question, but under the loud cheering she could not even hear her own question.

The Empress of Hell let out a long rough sigh that somehow cut through the noise and brought almost everyone into a gradual silence. Once things were quiet enough, she spoke, "why are you idiots celebrating now? This is temporary, he's only been distracted, he hasn't just decided to lay down and die."

"Ah yes," the Jade Prince nodded. "Who knows, he may come back in just a few moments and return for his bride," he smiled with teeth.

"Then we need to get rid of her!" The shrill woman screamed again.

"Throw her out! Or kill her!" A large muscular god, with hands permanently stained with soot, demanded with a loud booming voice.

"Yeah, get rid of her! If she's just going to cause trouble why keep her?"

More gods muttered or yelled in agreement and Eona took a step back. In a way, she was not quite afraid of the idea of being thrown to 'him', instead what she feared was what the crowd would do to her before that moment. Perhaps she could sneak away while they were busy agreeing on how to best cut her apart and go find her family by herself.

Someone took a step forward in the crowd, followed by another person. Their eyes all focused firmly on her with murderous intent. But before they could take another step, the Amber Emperor rose to his feet. "If anyone wishes to take another step forward, I will personally see that they are stripped of position and titles and seal them under a mountain."

"But-" the shrill woman began, ready to shriek once more.

"You could instead face the Empress' punishment," the Jade Prince said with a smile of knives. "Or mine."

The crowd quickly quietly down once more, although venomous glances were still being directed towards Eona, none would dare even raise their gaze to the three divine siblings themselves. The celebration outside however continued unabated, and in fact seemed to be getting even louder and more raucous, as if it was New Years already.

But then the shrill woman spoke up again, "you're only favoring her because she's going to be related to you soon. What about the rest of us?"

"Perhaps, but also perhaps it is because none of this is her fault," the Amber Emperor spoke firmly. "She did not ask to be involved in anyone's plans-" he shot a look over at the Jade Prince who merely smiled in return, "-she did not ask to be awakened and ascended in such a way. Why do you want to punish her for such? Have you lost all sense of compassion?"

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"I'm not punishing her," the shrill woman shook her head. "I'm trying to protect everyone before-"

There was a soft 'shring' sound, and the shrill woman stood still, her mouth still open, before a red line opened up on her neck and her head flopped off onto the ground. Her body collapsed right after, blood gushing from the stump.

"N-no violence is allowed here!" A scholar god gasped, stepping back.

The Jade Prince had somehow produced a rag to wipe the blood from his blade, a finely made thing that seemed to hold rolling waves in its storm-grey metal, the hilt itself the finest white jade. He was still smiling, "now now, there's no reason to get upset. She's one of my goddesses, after all. If I need to punish someone acting inappropriately, I will."

Eona glanced back down at the head, which was moving its jaw as though trying to speak, wide-eyed and regretful. Then her eyes went back to the Jade Prince, who was still calmly wiping the blood from his blade as he looked back at the stunned crowd with a pleasant smile. Of an ever changing temperament indeed!

"Here now," the Empress of Hell took Eona's hand. "It's clear that people are going to be continually rude here. Besides, there's a better place for you right now." With her free hand she moved it as though brushing away a curtain. Reality folded backwards to reveal a endless pale expanse of rolling ash and dust, distant structures far away like the bones of long dead deities.

Eona knew this place. Something twisted in her chest.

Together they stepped into the White Ash Desert.

It was just as sparse as she remembered. Its endless white sky and rolling dunes of white blended into one upon the horizon. She turned around to look upon a magnificent palace. Its walls were a blisteringly pure white color, with only slightly grey roof tiles to break up the monotony. The windows were either sealed with paper or open and half-full of ash and dust. Even the main entry way seemed like it had been untouched for a thousand years.

Somehow it felt like returning home, but to a home where nobody was waiting for her. Eona was struck by how similarly she had felt when returning home to Norwen. Everything had been familiar. The squat thatched houses and the solidly built stone castles, manors, the wooden temples, the frost and mountains with their white and green faces.

But it had not been home.

Home had been left behind with Liu Xie.

She looked back towards the undefined horizon.

"Here would be best," the Empress said. "If anything goes wrong, this place will be sealed away."

Eona had almost forgotten the Empress was there. She turned to look at the goddess, who seemed weary and had a black jug of alcohol in hand. "What do you mean?"

"He will come here, to you, in some way or another," the Empress spoke softly. "After that, I cannot say what happens. But if the worst happens, we will seal this realm. It will cut the connection of the White Flame to the world, the last embers will be all that's left to sustain it. If we are unlucky, life will slowly wither away as the embers fade, even if we're fortunate there will still be a great dying and what remains will cling to a half-life."

Eona thought on those words for a moment. "Are you using me as bait?" Eona asked as they stood in front of the gates of the ash-sunken palace.

"That's one way to see it," the Empress of Hell said, "not because I dislike you, but you are the only lure I know will work. It's terrible, but even still it would be safer for you to be here than to be in the city."

Eona understood what the Empress of Hell was thinking, the gods within the Celestial City were all blaming her for the terror being sown, for the damage to the city, the likely rampant horrors tearing through the mortal realm. If she was away, they could no longer focus their anger at her and would instead need to find something else to either vent or smother their anger and terror with. This would make the headaches of the Empress, the Emperor, and the Prince all much less. There was a second component to this thinking as well. He would never hurt her.

No matter what, however he changed or whatever madness took him, he would never harm her.

"I understand," Eona said with a nod.

"Do you want me to stay with you?" The Empress asked gently.

"No," Eona shook her head. "I'll be fine on my own. Thank you very much."

The Empress nodded, handing Eona an unopened jug of alcohol before she stepped away and faded into a brief black swirl of flames that winked from existence.

She moved to sit at the gate of the ashen palace, setting the jug down beside her and brushing away dust that had piled up. She pulled her knees to her chest, the red fabric of her dress seemed even brighter against the stark surroundings. She took a deep breath, steadying her nerves.

Eona looked into the horizon, awaiting her groom to finally come for her.