Weight of the World

Chapter Forty

—Tregaar—

They returned only a moment before Virmira and the Nightwarden. They appeared through the swirling black portal, their feet barely touching the ground before the Nightwarden turned, his black steel blade ripping through Virmira's abdomen as Excalibur came crashing down from above. Virmira caught the second strike with a shield of blood with her left hand, her right transforming into a clawed arm. Before either could do any more damage, Idelle stepped forward and used her magic to force them apart. Her aether separated Virmira and the Nightwarden, pinning them both to opposite walls.

"Enough!" she shouted, ordering them to calm. Virmira stilled, but the Nightwarden continued to thrash in her hold, his furious gaze fixed on Virmira.

"You stole her aether," the Nightwarden growled. "You used my wife to trap Ashkaar in a fucking prison!"

Idelle released Virmira, sensing that her mentor would not attack so long as the Nightwarden was restrained. It took all of her concentration to pin the Nightwarden there. He had no magic of his own, and yet, he somehow had an incredibly high magical resistance. With each passing moment, her spell was weakening. How could he be so strong?

"I did what was necessary," Virmira countered, head held high. "Without her aether, Ashkaar would have escaped."

Her spell gave way. The Nightwarden lunged forward, his hand wrapped around Virmira's throat in the blink of an eye to lift her off her feet before anyone realized what was happening. Hubert moved in the next breath, his Masamune lifted to press against the Nightwarden's neck. Even so, the Nightwarden didn't even blink.

"When you arrived in the Weald and saw what the Creator was doing to Orianna, I watched as you ripped the wings from His back and poisoned Him with the same Blight that had infected Velara for generations. There seemed no limit to your power. And so, when it came time to choose a side, yours seemed the obvious choice, but now, I find you've been hiding Idelle all this time. For what purpose you desire her, I can scarcely guess. But more than that, you could not even subdue a lesser god without using my wife's power. Tell me, then, Virmira Tanadall, what use do I have for one as weak as you?"

Idelle started as Virmira's clawed arm reformed, sinking deep into the Nightwarden's shoulder, lifting him up and hurling him into the far wall. It burst apart, the Nightwarden sliding into their secondary room. The Nightwarden was on his feet in an instant, but he didn't move to attack, regarding Virmira through the ruined wall.

"You have no concept of the toll that day took on me," Virmira stared him down, dark eyes filled with anger and sorrow in equal measure. "To watch as the Creator..." she shook her head. "And then to fight Him at full power. It took nearly everything I had to deprive Him of His wings and to infect Him with the Blight. But in case you've forgotten, the Creator is still licking His wounds even now. I used my magic in the middle of the city as a test, and what do I find? The Creator nowhere to be found. If I'm as weak as you say, why would the Creator pass such an incredible opportunity to rid Himself of one of His oldest enemies?"

The Nightwarden said nothing, but he seemed to consider her words.

"And as for your wife's aether," Virmira finally looked away, a ragged breath escaping her. "I am sorry. Truly, I am. But she's not coming back. Once, I thought...She's not coming back. Her aether sitting there in that shrine is as useless as it was in that Sanctuary. Aer'Avyn was the most powerful dreamer that ever lived. Her aether..."

"She's not Aer'Avyn!" the Nightwarden screamed. "She's Orianna Tor'Varyan, and she's more powerful than your Savior ever was."

"Call her whatever you like. The fact remains, I nearly killed myself trying to save her in the Weald. My power is diminished. It's true. But I am far from being weak. If you so wish, come and test me yourself." Her arms opened wide, she waited for an attack that never came. "I'm your best hope of defeating the Creator. It is the only reason I continue to live, and I will succeed. Continue to fight at my side, and you'll have your revenge. We will gain the power of the Wolf, and together, we'll destroy the Creator once and for all."