Armageddon

Chapter 23: The Eclipse

The Day of Eternal Darkness was upon them. The eclipse streaked across the ground, its dark energy destroying the clouds in its path, leaving Armageddon cloaked in an eerie shadow. Selena emerged from the eclipse and dove through the sky just as the portal opened, her eyes transfixed on the dark Aether radiating from the black glass spires. Her wings parted the crimson spires swirling into a brewing storm forming above Alfheim's ruins, and she looked like a shooting star streaking across the blackened heavens.

Selena breathed deep, and her lips curved and twisted into a snarl upon Azrael's ghastly fate; this was the first time seeing Death's proper form, and her boundless rage threatened to incinerate the world to ash for his torment. Yet, her fury grew to that of a thousand rampaging dragons when she saw the tainted Thor coated in dark Aether energy, eyes glowing purple, the dark magic dancing off his hide like fire. She swooped down and looked outward towards Rune Citadel—the keep her family built now littered with red banners lined in gold and black bearing the Lich's insignia. How dare Vidar and the others reside in what was rightfully hers?

All she endured and lost ensued her brewing firestorm; she reared her head back and unleashed a massive roar making the earth shudder and quake. The Lich and Thor turned their focus to the giant Aether dragon heading in their direction, the dark light from the eclipse shimmering across her scales. Trails of rainbow Aether followed every flap from her wings, and her iridescent hide still managed to glimmer like polished gemstones through the swirling darkness.

Venexus stared at Selena in surprise but smirked. Thor bared his fangs before making a full-body leap and landed on the crumbling wall, roaring through clamped teeth. She circled and landed on the other end of the wall's debris, her sword-length nails clacking against the stone, her paws shoving pieces away during her balancing act.

Yet, she cringed from seeing how Venexus had evolved since their last direct encounter; now remarkably large, his once eerie mask was wholly gone, revealing his pale, undead, frayed skin stretched against his nose-less skull. Dragon horns matching Thor's design ripped through his torn cowl. Bristling, Selena snarled from his tiny, burning pupils glowing from his sockets; the necromancer's shrill laugh made her grimace. "It's quite fitting that you should be here as we witness the dawn of a new world. I was afraid you wouldn't arrive in time."

Through flicking her massive tail, Selena manipulated her Aether and resumed her elven form; if Venexus was shocked at her recent transformation, the necromancer didn't show it. She wrapped her fingers around Dragonheart's grip in preparation for a blow. "I wouldn't miss it."

"Then please, sit down and join us." Following the Lich's words, Thor roared and swiped at her with his claws. Selena dodged his attack, but just barely; his talon left a single tear in her clothes, but her skin at least remained unscathed as she staggered back to her feet. Selena gasped to see that her armored dragonscale dress couldn't withstand Thor's attacks. "Please, Aydin, you don't have to do this."

Venexus sneered, his eternal grin widening. "Oh? Aydin is dead. It's only me now."

"No, you're not. I know you're still there, Aydin."

"You can try all you want, but I'm the only one who remains." The Lich dismounted and walked towards her, and Thor unfolded his titanic wings that spread behind the necromancer's back; Selena shivered at the unsettling image. "I've warned you before that this was the fate of your pathetic world. Here you are, trying so hard and refusing to accept that this is our duty. It's our destiny to bring about the cycle of destruction and rebirth."

"I don't believe in that."

"It doesn't matter what you believe. Look down there." The Lich pointed to the portal with his skeletal hand, and as the eclipse rose higher, the tethered crystals attached to Oblivion's gate caught the black sun's dark light and began to shine. Ropes of lightning writhed down the spires and absorbed into the ground. The magic cracked the very foundation of the quaking earth, and the portal collected the swirling vortex of crimson clouds gathering above the city. It came into focus, and the gate opened up to the desolate plains of Oblivion.