In the depth of the forest there's no time for another bed marble for Celandra, to rest next to her lover.
Celandra is laid next to Master, the plants come alive and wrap every twig and every branch to create a soft bed to host their mistress, covered in the softest golden leaves left in that hidden corner of the forest.
Ariel combed her Mother's hair, cleaned her body. But couldn't find a pure linen dress to adorn her mother.
No candles, no night walk, no singing, no pure linen.Only silence around the cave, where all the witches (the few left alive), Lucius and Ariel stand.Ariel carries only one candle with a black flame, the flame of Death. That will never extinguish.
How the most powerful witch on Earth could have decided to end her life in the time of war?
Was her soul so weak?
Was her spirit so frail?
Was her heart so broken?
All these are questions Ariel cannot answer. Nevertheless she's now the one who has to command, next to Lucius. Fighting is the only way to survive.
Believing Mefistofel was lost was impossible. Believing Mother was gone was heartbreaking.
Still. If Mother herself had given up, what would now be left to fight for?
Nothing but a handful of dust could fill the emptiness into her heart.
The horns break the silence once again.
No time to respect the dead.
Another battle, another fight, another death approaches.
They run, they fly, they destroy, they kill, they growl, they throw fire, they burn everything.
They're pushing against the gate. Orcs and goblins, hitting the gate with hammers, catapults, brutality that Nature would never give to any Light creatures.
Gigantic flying creatures rise above the sky and destroy everything in the way.
Black scales, red blood eyes, black armoured knights riding upon their necks.
Swords scattered, shields broken, armours splinted.
Soldiers die, witches fail, hope vanishes.
In the throne chamber Ariel stands looking at Life and Death passing by, listening to the sound of war behind the walls.
The battle goes on in her head and heart, both broken.
Few inches or a few miles away, the sound of war echoes like a hammer into their hearts.
Lucius is on the top tower of the castle, commanding those who already have lost everything.
Catapults destroy walls, fire kills soldiers, and monsters destroy Hope.
The walls have fallen, the soldiers are dead. Lucius' heart still screams at the last spark of hope left in him to keep fighting. He's lost his helmet, his armour is falling apart, and his body is stained with blood of his own soldiers.
Inside the throne room Ariel's heart is close to those who are lost, her spirit captured by those who are victorious, and her soul far from Hope.
"It's all lost. Give up. There's no hope left. They're all dead."
Both her and Lucius can do nothing but stare at Death and Surrendering. They're few miles apart but their souls share the same thoughts.
As the walls fall, the tide of orcs and goblins sweep everything away like an obscure tide washing away the sands of life.
Lucius loses grip on his swords, Ariel lowers her eyes. The last spark of hope is washed away by their tears.
"We're lost!
They have reached the throne room.
