**

“Brother," Athena choked out, tears glistening in her eyes, "Please... don't let Him use you."

The vulnerability on Adrian's face flickered like a dying flame. He stumbled back, his eyes searching hers. "You..." His voice cracked, "You heard… everything?"

Eydis moved her pawn forward, her voice devoid of emotion. "Indeed, Prince. Pawns, even human shields, have their uses." She reached the end of the board, a smirk playing on her lips. With a flourish, she replaced her pawn with her fallen queen. "And under certain conditions, they can become queens."

Panic dawned on Adrian's face as he finally turned to the chessboard, the pieces mocking his predicament. 

Checkmate! 

Eydis held out a hand, crackling with divinity like a storm cloud overhead. Her golden eyes, locked on Athena, shimmered with the ancient power of a tempest at sea. "Princess," her voice boomed, laced with the force of a hurricane, "are you ready?"

Athena, her resolve etched in steel, met Eydis' gaze. With a determined nod, she clasped the offered hand. Blinding golden light erupted, engulfing them in an ethereal glow. "Damien, lock down the barrier!" Eydis thundered, her other hand slamming against Adrian's head. A searing orb of light erupted, blazing against the night sky.

Damien roared as his metal barrier strained under the unleashed energies. Adrian's scream, a mix of agony and defiance, pierced the air. Golden light exploded from his eyes and mouth, briefly eclipsing the darkness. Reality warped and writhed, threatening to tear apart at the seams.

Eydis' necklace, adorned with countless faceted stones, pulsed with a hungry brilliance. This was Edyseum, perfected by Indigo's genius. Each gem, meticulously prepared, compressed, a potent vessel hungering to devour God's fragments whole. The celestial current of golden light surged into the necklace, clashing with the trapped violet energy within. Edyseum hummed on her chest, a battleground of light and shadow, control and free will, the fate of the world hanging in the balance.

Reality pulsed like a dying star as violet eclipsed divinity, a macabre ballet rehearsed through countless simulations. The MRI data training, the reckless Trial, the rewriting of her divinity fueled by Astra's – it was all culminating in this moment. 

It had to be enough. 

Edyseum vibrated with a satisfying tremor, confirming its feast – God's whispers devoured.

Then... silence.

Adrian crumpled, breaths shallow but steady. Yet, not enough. Adrian wasn't the sole conduit, merely a conduit's echo.

Eydis met Athena's gaze, her eyes mirroring the war within. "Now," she rasped, "we need the others. Starting with your father."

Athena nodded, her voice tight with worry. "Next time, maybe a polite wake-up call instead of a concussion, distant cousin?" she quipped, masking the tremor in her voice as she looked at Adrian. He had to be alright.

Eydis, amusement flitting across her lips, offered a wry smile. "A necessary precaution. We couldn't be sure you weren't God's interface."

Exasperation and a flicker of gratitude battled in Athena's sigh. "Thank you. For the truth. So, is Adrian fully... corrupted?" she choked on the word.

Eydis leaned closer, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "Partially. But he's been… feeding me information. A subtle rebellion against his so-called master."

Athena frowned, sadness clouding her features. "Information?"

Eydis nodded. "Playing both sides, your clever brother. A twisted form of protection, ensuring your safety no matter the victor. God's faithful pawn, yes, but with a spark of defiance flickering beneath the surface." Her eyes gleamed with knowing amusement. "After all, who reveals their master's hand to an enemy?"

Tears welled in Athena's eyes, blurring the image of her brother lying unconscious. The atrocities he'd committed, the anguish he'd caused... but could it have been... manipulated? A warped attempt to shield her, even at the cost of his soul?

She cradled him closer, the warmth of his body a stark contrast to the chilling truth. He was her brother, the flicker of warmth in the desolate palace, and she refused to believe him lost. He hadn't truly crossed the line, not entirely. Not when a part of him had fought back, whispered secrets, defied the god's control.

A sliver of hope bloomed in her chest, fragile as a newborn bud. If there was even a shred of his true self remaining, she would help him reclaim it. Even if it meant facing the consequences of his actions, she would stand by him, a beacon in the darkness he'd helped create.

**

Golden light split the sky, revealing Silverkeep in ruins. Theomund saw his fallen crest amidst the rubble, despair twisting his heart. The serpent tightened its grip, amplifying his suffering, mirroring the cold wind whipping through the desolate landscape. Grief turned to rage, a searing inferno within him, as he slammed Elias against the wall, whipping Lionel with a conjured chain like a frigid lash.

Must end this.

Must end this... torment.

Tears stung his eyes, freezing on his cheeks, as the palace groaned its final breaths, collapsing under the strain like a mountain succumbing to an avalanche. This was Anastasia's fault, a festering wound in his heart. He lunged towards her, her violet flames searing like molten lava, but she deflected his attack with her nimble blades, leaving behind trails of frost in their wake.

"Is this the monster Eydis would recognize?" Astra growled, her voice ragged.

Fueled by a different kind of fire now, Theomund fought with renewed ferocity. Danger pricked at his senses, spurring him to conjure a shield. Flames rebounded, their crimson glare threatening Natalia. But before they could touch her, a figure materialised between them. A young man, his sapphire eyes blazing with calm resolve, met the flames with a soothing wave of water. The fire danced momentarily, then evaporated under his gentle touch.

"Adam?" Elias choked, disbelief battling joy, his own emerald eyes welling up. Tentatively, he reached out, the warmth of his touch solidifying the impossible truth. He pulled Adam into a fierce embrace, tears mingling with the salty sting of sweat and smoke.

Adam leaned in, his own chest constricting with emotion. "Prince Adrian," he whispered, his voice thick with unshed tears and unspoken gratitude, "he hid me. A… a Faraday Cage, he called it. Even God couldn't touch me there."

Elias pulled back, his emerald eyes searching Adam's face, tracing every familiar line. The warmth of Adam's hand against his, the steady beat of his heart beneath it, were all the confirmation he needed. Hope, a fragile flame, ignited within him, burning brighter with each passing moment.

Adam's heart stuttered. Emerald eyes locked on his with a searing intensity that seemed to pierce his very soul. He opened his mouth, a question forming. Before he could speak, a familiar warmth engulfed him. 

Natalia materialised, a joyous shriek tearing from her throat. "Adam!" she cried, her voice thick with unshed tears. Adam felt her body tremble against his, the fierce hug both painful and heart-warming. "But you died!" she choked out, disbelief warring with overwhelming joy in her eyes. "Burnt to a crisp!"

Adam chuckled, a sound that resonated with his newfound life. "Seems the Prince has more secrets than we imagined," he admitted, "he swapped me with a copy, claiming my survival was… 'convenient'?"

Their conversation was cut short by a jarring clang. Astra, her once vibrant form ragged and drained, her violet blade shattered against Theomund's relentless onslaught.

With a defiant snarl, she gritted her teeth. "Killing you is easy, but... she wouldn't want it."

Ignoring her words, Theomund lunged, his blade poised to end the fight. But instead of steel meeting flesh, a deafening CRACK split the sky open. Theomund crumpled, clutching his chest, blood blooming crimson against his pristine white suit.

Everyone held their breath as the only sound was the click of high heels echoing through the ruines. Theomund's gaze shot up, meeting black crystal shoes bathed in an unsettling obsidian glow. Above them, Eydis stood, a rifle smoking in her hand. Her golden eyes, usually radiant, flickered with an unfamiliar pang of pain.

"I did warn you about the necklace, Your Grace," she murmured, her voice laced with a hint of disappointment.

The metallic tang of blood overwhelmed the familiar lavender scent of Eydis. A wet cough sputtered from his lips, her worried gaze blurring at the edges as he sank deeper into the crimson snow. Perhaps, this wasn't the worst way to go.

Eydis knelt beside him, her touch surprisingly gentle against the harsh bite of winter. A primal scream tore through the air, escaping Theomund's lips as she delved her fingers into his deep wound, probing for the Ethereum. With a practised motion, she ripped the shard free, God's fragment dissolving from the crystal. Blood stained the pristine snow, but a golden light bloomed from her other hand, knitting his wound shut with ethereal light, warm against the coldness that crept into his bones.

Heat bloomed through him, Eydis's divinity coursing through his veins like liquid fire. Shame choked his voice. "I failed you..."

"Rest, Your Grace," she whispered, her touch lingering a moment longer before she withdrew. As Theomund drifted off beneath the cascading snow, he could have sworn a ghost of a smile graced her lips, a flicker of hope amidst the desolation, like a single bloom pushing through the frozen ground.

Whispers of awe and disbelief rippled through the surviving mages. Was it possible? A commoner healed with such potency, surpassing even the Princess's abilities? Fear and reverence mingled in their murmured exchanges.

Ignoring the chatter, Eydis turned to Astra. Her touch, a warm current crackling with divine energy, danced across Astra's wounds, sealing them shut. "Why hold back, love?" she asked, her voice a low rasp, her gaze burning into Astra's.

Astra, flushed and trembling, leaned into Eydis's embrace, seeking solace in the fleeting peace. "He's..." she whispered, voice barely a breath, "important to you."

Eydis's chuckle, rich and husky, vibrated against Astra's skin. "Don’t. Next time, unleash everything." Her fingers traced a fiery path across Astra's waist before pulling her close. The kiss that followed was a storm – a collision of passion and defiance amidst the swirling snow. Gasps rippled through the onlookers, some shocked into stunned silence, others filled with a grudging awe at the raw display of emotion.

The brunette deepened the kiss, her tongue tracing the contours of Astra's mouth, a silent promise whispered against her lips. 

"Eydis," Astra whispered against her lips, her voice a soft moan that sent shivers down the spines of those who heard it. It was a voice unlike any they had ever heard from the ice-princess, a sound that shattered their understanding of who she was.

They broke apart, panting, cheeks flushed the colour of the dying embers. The lingering warmth on their skin felt like a defiance against the biting cold. A tense silence hung heavy, broken only by the distant rumble of fading tremors.

In the distance, a figure emerged: Adam, his sapphire eyes glinting with joy.

"A-Adam?" Eydis stammered, surprise momentarily eclipsing the lingering heat in her cheeks. "Adrian spared you?"

Adam's smile was dazzling, his own cheeks reddened as his eyes darted nervously on the kiss-flushed Astra for a moment before meeting Eydis's. "He requested I remain hidden," he said, his voice tight, "but the tremors... they felt like a summons."

Natalia helped a dazed Melissa to her feet. Melissa's blush spread like wildfire as she followed Natalia, her eyes glued to the still-entangled couple. "First witnessing public smooching?" Natalia grinned, a mischievous glint in her eyes.

Melissa sputtered, her cheeks rivalling a ripe tomato. "Natalia!"

"Just a heads-up," Natalia added with a wink, "earplugs are your friend if you're planning on visiting their room anytime soon."

Lionel, strolling back with Colete and Birgit draped limply in his arms, raised an eyebrow at the flushed faces around him. The air crackled with unspoken gossip. "What did I miss?"

Laughter erupted, washing away the romantic tension. Relief bloomed on Eydis's face as she met her friends' gazes, the warmth spreading not just between her and Astra, but encompassing them all.

For the first time, she felt it. A flicker of belonging, fragile as a butterfly's wing, yet strong enough to send a tremor of hope through her. Years of icy isolation seemed to melt away, replaced by this newfound warmth.

A snap of a twig shattered the moment. Indigo appeared, dragging an unconscious Ares behind him. His face glowed with an unnatural light.

Eydis grinned, a predator's glint in her eyes. "Indigo, ready to finally trap this god?"

Indigo smiled, a hint of reverence in his playful retort. "Took you long enough.”

But before Eydis could raise the crystal, a tremor ripped through Ares' body, blinding light erupting from within. It tore him apart, spraying crimson across the snow. Eydis shielded her eyes, a groan torn from her throat. 

When the light subsided, she saw Ares was gone. In his place stood a being of pure, shimmering gold, its form shifting and rippling like liquid fire.

"End it, indeed, Amelia Kruger!" it boomed, its voice echoing with power and malice.

The golden entity lunged, engulfing Eydis in its fiery embrace. She screamed, the sound swallowed by the inferno. Her body convulsed, bathed in the searing light, before collapsing, inert. Silence descended, broken only by the anguished cry of her name: "Eydis!"

Astra's voice echoed in the emptiness, but Eydis didn't answer. As oblivion claimed her, a single thought flickered: Didn't you promise not to cry again?