Warrior Love

Chapter 11

The cliffs of Thalassia stretched wide under a glowing moon, its reflection dancing across the waves far below. The brothers had gathered here, their usual banter laced with tension. The warm sea breeze carried the faint sound of crashing waves, a stark contrast to the storm brewing in their conversation.

Aether paced along the cliff's edge, his boots crunching on the rocky surface. “We can’t keep stalling. If she starts looking for Aurelis, we’re doomed.” He threw a pointed look at Zephyr, who was seated on a boulder, gazing out at the horizon.

“I didn’t mean for it to go this far,” Zephyr muttered. His calm voice betrayed the turmoil within. “I only wanted to keep her from prying too much into who we are.”

“Brilliant idea, brother,” Dylan drawled, reclining on a patch of soft grass nearby. His violet hair caught the moonlight as he crossed his arms behind his head. “Now, thanks to you, we have to create a whole kingdom. Do you have any idea how much work that is?!”

Aether waved a hand dismissively. “We’re gods, Dylan. How hard can it be to conjure an illusion? The question is: how do we make it believable?” He stopped pacing and faced Zephyr directly. “It has to be more than just a mirage. She’ll want to touch it, walk through it, and feel it. If we fail, she’ll know.”

Dylan sat up, raising an eyebrow. “And what happens when she does? This doesn’t end well, Zephyros. You know that.”

Zephyr’s jaw tightened at the sound of his full name. “Don’t call me that,” he said quietly.

“Fine,” Dylan replied, smirking. “But seriously, what’s your plan? You’re the one who got us into this mess.”

Zephyr ran a hand through his blonde hair, his expression troubled. “I don’t have a plan... not yet. But if we work together, we can make something convincing. Just long enough for me to figure things out with her.”

“Convincing?” Aether scoffed. “Brother, she’s clever. One wrong detail, and she’ll unravel it faster than you can blink.” He crossed his arms. “But... I might have an idea.”

Dylan groaned. “Here we go.”

Aether ignored him and continued. “We can anchor the illusion to something real. Something that already exists. If we use a part of Thalassia’s cliffs and extend it upward with our magic, we can craft a castle—a real, tangible structure. At least part of it. The rest can be smoke and mirrors.”

Zephyr considered this, his calm demeanor returning. “It could work. We can tie it to the cliffs so it feels natural. But what about the people? She’ll expect to see subjects, guards, courtiers…”

Aether grinned mischievously. “Leave that to me. A few conjured spirits, dressed in finery, will do the trick. They’ll disappear as soon as we leave.”

Dylan sighed. “This is insane. Why are we even going through with this?”

Zephyr met his brother’s gaze, his blue eyes steady. “Because I promised her something. And because... I can’t bear to let her down.”

Dylan rolled his eyes. “You’re hopeless.”

Aether clapped his hands together. “Alright, then. Let’s get started. If we’re doing this, we’ll need to pool our magic.”

The brothers stood together on the cliff’s edge, the ocean roaring beneath them. Aether raised his hands, summoning swirling tendrils of energy that shimmered like starlight. Dylan followed suit, his magic weaving through Aether’s like violet ribbons. Zephyr hesitated for a moment, then extended his hands, adding his calm, golden energy to the mix.