That One Time I Married A Crazy Goddess

The Sun-Drake's pitch-black form loomed ahead, his four glowing eyes narrowing as his jagged, skeletal wings flexed, scattering dark embers into the molten air. Half of his monstrous draconic body twisted in the flames, while his humanoid torso—ripped and godlike—emerged from the dragon's head. The dark trident in his hand pulsed with the energy of a dying star, its jagged edges glowing with sinister yellow and black light. Every motion he made was deliberate, calculated, and filled with the intent to kill. 

Yuuna roared, her black-and-pink flames exploding outward as her glowing tails whipped behind her like jagged, electrified lances. Xyenn clung tightly to her back, his scythes already dripping with molten blood from the earlier skirmish. His eyes locked onto the Sun-Drake's humanoid figure, calculating every movement, every weakness. 

"I'll keep him busy!" Yuuna snarled, her voice echoing in Xyenn's mind as her tails spread wide. "You strike when I open him up!" 

"No holding back," Xyenn growled, his claws digging into her scales as the two launched forward together. 

"Do we ever?"

"Yeah we did one time."

"That was supposed to be a badass line, darling."

Yuuna surged forward, her tails fanning out in a deadly arc. She twisted her massive body midair, slashing all five jagged tails toward the Sun-Drake like serrated whips. Each tail was aimed at a vital point—his neck, his torso, his wings, and his humanoid form. 

The Sun-Drake responded immediately, his trident spinning in his hands like a blur. Sparks erupted as tail met trident, the impact sending shockwaves of molten heat rippling through the air. He parried two tails with the shaft of his weapon, dodged a third by twisting his torso unnaturally, and grabbed the fourth with his bare hand. The jagged edges of Yuuna's tail tore into his palm, black blood dripping from his wound, but he didn't flinch. 

The fifth tail caught him off guard, slamming into his exposed humanoid chest. The blow sent him hurtling backward, his body smashing into the surface of the sun, creating a crater of molten fire. 

"Now!" Yuuna roared. "Go!"

Xyenn leapt from her back, his wings folding around him as he ignited into a flaming drill. Black, red, and pink flames spiraled around him as he darted downward at breakneck speed, aiming directly for the Sun-Drake's chest. 

The god recovered quickly, his four eyes snapping open as he raised his trident. Twisting his body, he deflected Xyenn's attack mid-spin, the clash of flames and metal sending molten sparks flying in every direction. Xyenn snarled, unfolding his wings midair to stop himself from being flung away, and slashed upward with one of his scythes. 

'Weird how he has dark magic in his sun abilities…!'

The blade tore through the Sun-Drake's exposed arm, carving a deep gash that oozed black, molten blood. But the god retaliated in an instant, thrusting his trident forward and impaling Xyenn through his shoulder. 

Blood sprayed into the air as Xyenn growled in pain, clutching the shaft of the trident with one hand while slashing at the Sun-Drake's face with the other. The scythe grazed one of the god's four eyes, cutting it deeply and causing an eruption of molten ichor. 

Yuuna dove in from above, her jaws snapping shut on the Sun-Drake's dragon neck. Her fangs sunk deep, ripping through black scales and flesh as she thrashed violently, tearing chunks of his form away. Her tails lashed at his humanoid torso, forcing him to release the trident and drop Xyenn. 

Landing gracefully on her back, Xyenn ripped the trident from his shoulder, blood dripping down his arm as he swung it experimentally. "This thing's got some weight. Let's see how he likes it. And Yuuna!"

"Yeah?!"

"Why does he have dark magic in the sun? Isn't his only affinity sun magic?"

"It's like the Tyrants! I shared my blood to them, and my blood of darkness merged with their normal affinities. The curse md rune from hell…the Mark of the Eternal Flame…that curse is still latched onto the Sun-Drake. It's a part of him, the bridge to his escape of rebirth."

"Shit…"

Yuuna roared, her flaming crests igniting around her. Large fireballs of black and pink flames, crackling with electric energy, began to erupt outward in all directions. The Sun-Drake dodged the first few with inhuman speed, his humanoid form twisting and contorting unnaturally as his dragon body coiled beneath him. 

Xyenn hurled the trident at the god's humanoid chest, and the Sun-Drake caught it midair. But before he could use it, Yuuna's tails came crashing down, striking his torso and forcing him to his knees. Xyenn followed up by diving at him, both scythes slashing in an X-pattern aimed at his throat. 

The Sun-Drake caught the first blow with his trident but failed to block the second. Xyenn's scythe slashed deep into his humanoid chest, black blood spraying as the Sun-Drake roared in fury. 

"Yuuna, take over!" Xyenn shouted. 

Yuuna's eye formed on Xyenn's chest, glowing ominously. She began chanting in an alien language, her voice reverberating through the battlefield as Xyenn's halo grew larger around his head. Seven massive fireballs—black, red, and pink—swirled into existence, crackling with destructive energy. 

Yuuna temporality took control of Xyenn's magic, forcing him into an ancient draconic dance. His movements were fluid, almost hypnotic, as each orb shot forward one by one, aimed at the Sun-Drake's vital points. 

The Sun-Drake dodged the first orb, parried the second with his trident, and took the third directly to his dragon wing. The explosion tore through his wing, severing part of it and sending molten blood raining down onto the sun's surface. 

But the god wasn't finished. He lunged forward, his humanoid form moving faster than Xyenn could react. The Sun-Drake slammed the butt of his trident into Xyenn's chest, cracking his ribs, before spinning and slashing at Yuuna with the blade. The jagged trident tore through her shoulder, ripping scales and flesh alike. 

Yuuna roared in pain but retaliated immediately. Her tails whipped forward, two of them wrapping around the Sun-Drake's humanoid torso while the other three slashed brutally at his exposed dragon body. The jagged edges of her tails tore through his scales, ripping flesh and spilling black ichor. 

Xyenn, despite the pain in his chest, launched himself at the god's humanoid form. 

"RAGGHHHHH!"

His scythe slashed at the Sun-Drake's face, each blow aimed to blind or maim. The god blocked with his trident, but one of Xyenn's claws slipped through, raking across his jaw and tearing it open. 

The Sun-Drake responded by grabbing Xyenn by the throat and slamming him into the surface of the sun. The molten ground cracked and splintered beneath the impact, but Xyenn retaliated, plunging his scythe into the god's forearm and twisting it violently. 

Yuuna took advantage of the opening, diving down and slamming her massive body into the Sun-Drake's dragon form. The impact shattered part of the molten sun's surface, sending cracks spiraling outward. A geyser of molten fire erupted beneath them, engulfing the Sun-Drake and weakening him further. 

"Keep hitting the ground!" Yuuna shouted with a grin. "Slash every part of the sun as we fight, darling!" 

"Got it.."

Xyenn nodded, slashing at the ground with his scythes and sending more molten geysers erupting toward the god. Yuuna's tails smashed into the ground repeatedly, creating fissures that destabilized the battlefield. 

'It's working…he's getting weaker…we can fucking win!'

The Sun-Drake roared in fury, his humanoid form flickering as the destruction of the sun sapped his strength. But even weakened, he fought on, lunging forward with his trident and slashing at Xyenn and Yuuna with brutal precision. 

The battle burned hotter than the core of the sun itself, a clash of godly fury and desperate mortals. Yuuna and Xyenn were battered and bloodied, their movements slower than before, yet no less ferocious. Above them, the Sun-Drake stood in his terrible form, half-dragon, half-god, wreathed in black and dark-yellow flames. His four burning eyes glared down at them, his halo of jagged runes spinning faster, dripping dark sunlight that twisted and warped the sky. 

In his clawed humanoid hands, he conjured more weapons—dark sun weapons, forged from the energy of collapsing stars. Floating around him were jagged scimitars, spears, and long serrated swords, each one shimmering with godly power. The halo above his head fractured briefly, splitting into multiple rings that floated outward into the air like orbiting celestial bodies. From these halos, he conjured more weapons, their edges glowing with the promise of death. 

The Sun-Drake raised his head, roaring with a voice so loud that the sun itself trembled. "I AM NO ONE'S PET! YOU WILL NOT CONTROL ME! I WILL BURN YOU BOTH TO ASH!" 

But even as his words roared with divine fury, his claws briefly grabbed at his head. The whispers in his mind were growing louder, relentless. Xyenn and Yuuna could see it—the way his body flickered, the tension in his movements. The elder dragon gods were still in his head, their voices clawing at his mind, and now, he thought Yuuna and Xyenn were part of it. 

"I AM THE GOD OF THE SUN!" the Sun-Drake roared again, his eyes blazing as his form twisted further. His dragon body began to evolve, jagged spikes erupting along his back and neck. His wings, already skeletal, expanded further, their edges sharp like blades. His humanoid torso cracked and shifted, dark tendrils of energy wrapping around his arms as his trident transformed into a massive, curved glaive. 

And then he moved. 

Before Xyenn or Yuuna could react, the Sun-Drake lunged forward, his glaive slicing through the molten air with blinding speed. Yuuna barely twisted her body aside, the blade grazing her side and carving a deep gash into her scales. Blood sprayed into the air, sizzling as it hit the sun's surface. 

Xyenn, still on her back, leapt off and darted toward the god, his scythes igniting with black and dark pink flames. He slashed downward, aiming for the Sun-Drake's exposed humanoid torso, but the god spun midair, his glaive intercepting the blow. Sparks flew as metal clashed against metal, the force of the impact sending Xyenn skidding backward in the air. 

The Sun-Drake didn't stop. He twirled his glaive with inhuman precision, slashing at Xyenn with a series of rapid strikes. Xyenn dodged the first two, blocking the third with his scythe, but the fourth caught him across the chest. The blade tore through his dragon scales, leaving a deep, bloody wound. 

Xyenn hissed in pain, flipping backward to avoid the follow-up strike. But as he landed, he saw the Sun-Drake's weapons floating around him begin to move. 

"What's his deal?!" Xyenn screamed.

"He's using every ounce of power in his arsenal to stay alive! We're gonna be overwhelmed!"

"Fuck that!"

The Sun-Drake raised his clawed hand, and the floating dark sun weapons—scimitars, spears, serrated blades—shot forward like missiles. Each one twisted and curved toward Xyenn and Yuuna as if alive, their edges burning with destructive energy. 

Yuuna roared, her tails whipping into motion. She spun her massive body in the air, her jagged tails smashing the weapons aside one by one. Sparks erupted as the blades clashed against her tails, but even as she deflected them, a spear slipped through her defenses, stabbing deep into her right shoulder. 

Yuuna screamed, twisting her body violently to break the spear in half. But the pain slowed her, and more weapons struck her—one slashed across her wing, another pierced her tail. 

Xyenn dove to her aid, his scythes a blur of motion as he intercepted the remaining weapons. He spun midair, his wings folding around him as he parried and slashed, molten sparks flying with each strike. One blade grazed his arm, another his thigh, but he kept moving, his eyes locked on the Sun-Drake. 

"We need to destroy those halos!" Xyenn shouted, blood dripping from his wounds. 

"Ohhhhh ya think so?!" Yuuna snapped, her voice strained as she launched herself toward the Sun-Drake. 

The Sun-Drake's halos floated high above him, their jagged edges glowing with dark sunlight. Yuuna roared, her flaming crests igniting around her as she launched fireballs of dark pink and black flames toward the halos. The fireballs exploded on impact, but the halos absorbed the energy, growing brighter and more unstable. 

"I'll distract him!" Xyenn shouted, darting toward the Sun-Drake. 

The god watched him approach, his four glowing eyes narrowing. "YOU THINK YOU CAN STOP ME?" 

The Sun-Drake raised his glaive, slashing downward as Xyenn closed the distance. The blade came down like a guillotine, but Xyenn twisted midair, his wings folding to increase his speed. He spun around the glaive, landing on the Sun-Drake's humanoid arm and slashing at his shoulder with both scythes. 

The blades bit deep, severing the tendons in the god's arm. The Sun-Drake roared in pain, his free hand grabbing Xyenn and hurling him toward the surface of the sun. 

Xyenn crashed hard, the molten ground cracking beneath him. He coughed, blood spilling from his mouth as he struggled to stand. 

'Not losing…not losing to the gods…the dragon gods whom I hate…I hate all of them. No way I'll let them have the last laugh after everything I went through when I was powerless…'

Above him, Yuuna dove toward the Sun-Drake, her tails stabbing at his dragon body. 

The Sun-Drake twisted, catching one of her tails in his clawed hand and slamming her into the sun's surface. The impact sent molten fire erupting into the air, engulfing them both in a blinding inferno. 

Xyenn staggered to his feet, his body battered and bleeding. He watched as Yuuna struggled against the Sun-Drake, her massive form pinned beneath his claw. The god raised his glaive, aiming to drive it through her skull. 

"No!" Xyenn roared, leaping into the air. 

His wings folded around him as he ignited into a flaming drill, spiraling toward the Sun-Drake's exposed back. The impact sent the god stumbling forward, releasing Yuuna. 

Yuuna took the opportunity, her violent jaws snapping shut on the Sun-Drake's dragon neck. She thrashed violently, tearing through his flesh, but the god retaliated with a brutal swing of his glaive, slicing across her face. 

Blood sprayed as Yuuna released him, her body collapsing to the ground. 

The Sun-Drake roared in triumph, his halos spinning faster as he conjured more weapons. Dark sun halos appeared in the air around him, bending and twisting under his will. He hurled them at Xyenn and Yuuna, the halos slicing through the air like spinning buzzsaws. 

Xyenn dodged narrowly, one halo grazing his side and leaving a deep, burning wound. Yuuna deflected another with her tails, but the force of the impact sent her sprawling. 

"We can't keep this up!" Yuuna growled, her voice weak. "He knows he's dying and getting weaker at a rapid pace, but he's releasing all of his power at once to even our power out!"

"I have a plan. I know you trust me, I don't even need to ask you. Do I?"

"Damn right."

Yuuna and Xyenn launched themselves toward the Sun-Drake one final time. The god roared, his glaive spinning as he darted forward to meet them. 

As they closed the distance, Xyenn suddenly leapt off Yuuna's back, kicking off her body to propel himself higher. Yuuna dove downward, her tails lashing at the Sun-Drake's legs. 

The Sun-Drake twisted between them, his glaive slashing upward. The blade caught Xyenn across the face, leaving a deep, bloody gash over his eye. 

Xyenn roared in pain, twisting midair. He let out a guttural battle cry as he spun, his scythes igniting with black and red flames. With a final, devastating slash, he severed the Sun-Drake's head from his body. 

The god's headless form staggered, dark flames erupting from his neck as his body began to collapse. 

The sun itself seemed to tremble as the Sun-Drake's body exploded, a massive shockwave tearing through the battlefield. 

…

…

…

Down below, Gorran and Mertha watched the explosion in horror. 

"No!" they cried in unison, their voices echoing across the molten wasteland. 

Xyenn hovered in the air, blood dripping from his body as he stared at the devastation. Yuuna landed beside him, her body battered but still standing. 

The Sun-Drake was no more.

Mertha, running fast towards them, thought, 'No…don't be dead, you two better not be dead! Not you either Xyenn…'

Gorran said ti Mertha, "Stop stressing."

"How can you say that?"

"At this point, some explosion isn't gonna kill them."

"Gorran…"

"Xyenn is too stubborn for his own good and Yuuna is too psychotic."

'Is he right..?' Mertha thinks.

The battlefield was silent. 

The remnants of the sun—the shattered fragments of its molten core—fell from the sky in slow, glowing embers, like snow descending upon a scorched wasteland. The ground was cracked and blackened, the heat still pulsing faintly, but the battle was over. The Sun-Drake's body lay in the distance, smoldering and broken, his once godlike form now reduced to ruin. 

Xyenn knelt on the ground, his bloodied body heaving with each labored breath. Yuuna was beneath him, no longer in her dragon form. Her delicate, human frame rested under his, her glowing pink eyes locked onto his face. His arms were wrapped around her, his body shielding hers, his blood dripping steadily from his wounds. 

His back was a mess—bloody, torn, and steaming from the intense heat of the battle. Yet he was smiling. 

Yuuna's voice broke the silence, soft and trembling. "Darling…" 

Xyenn's grin widened, his teeth stained with blood as it dripped from his face onto hers. "I killed a god…" he whispered, his voice rough and weak, but filled with pride. 

Yuuna's lips quivered, and then, in that same position, she pulled him closer, her arms wrapping tightly around him. Despite the pain, despite the exhaustion, she hugged him fiercely. Xyenn exhaled shakily, his body trembling as his forehead rested lightly against hers. 

Behind them, Mertha and Gorran approached cautiously. The air was thick with the aftermath of battle—the heat, the smoke, the lingering scent of blood and ash. They stopped a short distance away, their eyes scanning the two warriors who had just defied a god. 

Mertha's voice was soft, reverent. "You two… you did it." 

Xyenn turned his head slightly to look at her, his grin still present despite the blood smeared across his face. "Damn right we did." His voice was hoarse, but there was a flicker of something in his tone—something he hadn't felt in a long time.

Mertha knelt beside them, her expression shifting to something softer as she glanced at Yuuna and Xyenn. "We saved so many," she began, her voice steady, though her eyes glistened faintly. "The people… we got them out. I led as many as I could to safety, and Gorran—" she paused, glancing at him. 

Gorran stood silently, arms crossed, his face brooding as ever. But there was something unspoken in his expression—a quiet pride, buried deep beneath his stoic demeanor. Nothing arrogant. What was it? This was a feeling Gorran wanted to understand himself.

Mertha continued, "Gorran saved more than a few himself. I think we made a difference." 

Yuuna turned her head slightly toward them, her lips curling into a warm smile despite the blood on her face. "You're both amazing," she said softly, her voice carrying a genuine warmth that cut through the heavy air. "Glad to have you both here with me."

Xyenn chuckled weakly, his body still trembling with exhaustion. "Even though some lost their lives…" He paused, his voice catching for a moment. He glanced down at Yuuna, his grin softening, becoming something more real. "We avenged them." He exhaled deeply, his chest rising and falling against Yuuna's. "I feel pretty good about it." 

His words hung in the air, and for a moment, it felt like the weight of his own inner conflict was lifting. The thoughts that had haunted him—the fear of becoming a monster, of being nothing more than a weapon—were fading. For once, he felt like a hero. 

Scratch that, the word hero is cringe to him. Though he thought about it, he never saw himself as a hero. 

Yuuna's smile widened, her eyes glimmering as she looked up at him. "Are you proud of me?" she asked softly, her voice barely above a whisper. "I did good…"

Xyenn's grin faded into a tender expression, and he nodded, his bloodied forehead pressing lightly against hers. "Yeah… I'm proud of you, Yuuna." 

Mertha stood, her hands on her hips, a wide grin spreading across her face.

'I had led people to safety, saved lives, things I should've done with my own tribe. Beginning to feel worth a damn now. I want to keep this feeling, every situation from now on, I'll continue to lead.'

Gorran remained silent, his eyes fixed on the horizon where the remnants of the sun still burned faintly. He didn't say anything, but somewhere deep within him, a faint sensation stirred—a feeling he hadn't allowed himself to acknowledge in years. The people he had saved flashed through his mind. He didn't smile, didn't speak, but the thought lingered: I did something good.

Is it happiness?

Is it satisfaction?

Gorran wanted to know what this feeling was, could it be multiple? He wanted to put a name on it. And because of his confusion in his own head, his mind is conflicted. A thought even popped up, maybe if he kept doing this on his own, he would be able to figure out what it truly is. One thing will lead to the next: maybe the feeling he's feeling was something that was stolen from him from the Xenith assassins. The more he does this, the more he'll be able to find out what this feeling truly was.

Yuuna shifted slightly, her arms still wrapped around Xyenn. "We should move," she said softly, though her voice carried a note of urgency. "There's something we need to do." 

Xyenn nodded, slowly rising to his feet. His body ached, blood still dripping from his wounds, but he helped Yuuna to her feet, keeping his arm around her for support. Mertha and Gorran followed silently as the four of them made their way toward the Sun-Drake's fallen body. 

The Sun-Drake's corpse was massive, even in death. His half dragon body lay sprawled across the battlefield, molten blood pooling beneath him, his jagged wings torn and broken. His humanoid torso, still partially fused with his dragon form, was twisted and lifeless. The black flames that once wreathed his body had faded, leaving only smoldering remnants. 

As they approached, Yuuna stopped, her gaze fixed on the center of the Sun-Drake's chest. "His heart…" she said softly, her voice almost reverent. 

Xyenn glanced at her, his brow furrowing. "You told me about this before," he said, his voice low. "The Devourer's Heart. I didn't think…" He trailed off, his eyes flickering with unease. 

Yuuna placed a hand on his arm, her touch gentle. "We have to," she said firmly. "You know what this means. He's not coming back. "We ended him together, Xyenn. This is ours to take." 

"Yeah…you're right."

He nodded slowly, the tension in his shoulders easing as he knelt beside her. Together, they placed their hands on the Sun-Drake's chest, feeling the lingering heat of his body. Beneath the charred flesh and broken scales, they could feel it—the steady, pulsing energy of his heart. 

The whispers began as soon as they touched it. 

Faint, chilling voices echoed in their minds, the language ancient and incomprehensible. Xyenn's jaw tightened as he glanced at Yuuna. "The elders…" 

"They're watching," Yuuna murmured, her voice steady. 

"Orchestrators of this entire battle. They'll get what coming to them."

With a shared look, they dug their claws into the Sun-Drake's chest, tearing through the flesh until they reached the heart. It was massive, glowing faintly with dark yellow light, its surface cracked and pulsing with the remnants of godly energy. The whispers grew louder, more frantic, as they lifted the heart from his chest. 

Xyenn and Yuuna exchanged one last glance. Then, together, they tore the heart in half, the energy within it spilling outward in a blinding burst of light. 

The voices screamed, a final, desperate wail that faded into silence as they each consumed their portion of the heart. The taste was bitter and metallic, the energy burning as it coursed through their bodies. 

As the light faded, the battlefield fell silent once more. 

The heart had been consumed, and the world around Xyenn and Yuuna dissolved.

For a moment, Xyenn thought he had died. He felt weightless, untethered, and utterly at peace. The battlefield faded, the smoke, the heat, the blood—gone. In its place, there was light. Not the harsh, blazing light of the sun they had just fought on, but a warm, golden radiance that seemed to embrace him like a long-lost friend. He was floating, his body light as air, and when he opened his eyes, he saw Yuuna there with him, her figure glowing softly, her hair flowing as if submerged in water. 

They were surrounded by magic itself. 

Golden runes danced around them, their shapes intricate and impossible to decipher, yet their presence felt ancient and wise. The symbols shimmered like tiny suns, each one pulsing faintly with energy. The runes were circular in design, their edges jagged and jaguar-like, with lines that bent and curled into sharp, angular patterns. They floated in the air, shifting and rearranging themselves as if alive, forming constellations of symbols that spiraled around Xyenn and Yuuna. 

Yuuna looked at him, her pink eyes glowing faintly in the golden light. For once, there was no mischief in her expression, no teasing grin. She was quiet, her lips parted slightly as if in awe. Her hand reached out to him, her fingers brushing his, and when they touched, a surge of warmth spread through them both. 

"Xyenn…" she whispered, her voice soft and serene. "Do you feel it?" 

He nodded, his throat tightening as he struggled to speak. "Yeah," he croaked, his voice low. He looked down at his body, his wounds gone, his scars glowing faintly with golden light. "I feel… everything." 

The runes began to shift, moving closer to their bodies, spiraling around them in perfect sync. Slowly, the light grew brighter, shifting into a golden hue that wrapped around their forms like a cocoon. Xyenn felt the weight of something immense pressing down on him—not pain, but power. It was as if the essence of the Sun-Drake was flowing into them, reshaping them, making them more. 

Above them, the empty golden sky began to change. The sunlight itself seemed to fracture, breaking into streams of light that swirled and danced around them. The streams wove together, creating a massive rune in the air, its design intricate and breathtaking. It resembled a sun, with jagged rays stretching outward and ancient symbols etched into each ray. The rune descended slowly, settling behind their backs like a mark of divine power. 

Xyenn turned his head slightly, catching a glimpse of the sun rune now etched into his back. Its golden glow was warm, comforting, yet impossibly powerful. Yuuna's back bore the same mark, the runes pulsating faintly like a heartbeat. 

Yuuna's voice broke the silence, her tone soft yet filled with wonder. "It's beautiful… isn't it?" 

Xyenn nodded again, a small smile tugging at his lips. "Yeah… it really is." 

For the first time in what felt like forever, he wasn't thinking about blood, vengeance, or morality. For this brief moment, he felt peace. 

Yuuna floated closer to him, her pink eyes shimmering as she studied his face. Her smile returned, wide and radiant, her energy bubbling over. "We did it, Xyenn," she said, her voice filled with joy. "We really did it!" 

Before he could respond, the golden light began to pull away, the warmth receding. The runes that had circled them faded one by one, leaving only the faint glow of the sun marks on their backs. Slowly, the magic dissolved, and the reality of the battlefield returned. 

Xyenn and Yuuna stood on the scorched ground, the remnants of the Sun-Drake's body smoldering behind them. The golden glow around them faded, leaving only faint traces of the runic marks on their backs. Xyenn's right arm now bore golden runes, the intricate symbols etched into his flesh like tattoos. They glowed faintly, their angular designs twisting down his arm like living fire. Yuuna had similar runes on her arms, and she was grinning so widely it looked like her face might break. 

Mertha and Gorran approached cautiously, their eyes wide with a mixture of awe and confusion. 

"Badass.." Mertha began, her voice trailing off as she took in their new appearances. 

Gorran crossed his arms, his expression brooding as usual, though his dark eyes lingered on the glowing runes. "You devoured the essence of a dragon god," he muttered, his voice low and sharp. "You know what that means, don't you?" 

Mertha's eyes widened as the realization hit her. "Our chances of killing King Haldrek just fucking increased," she said breathlessly, her tone filled with a mixture of disbelief and excitement. "We're unstoppable now, haha!"

Xyenn flexed his right arm, watching as the runes pulsed faintly with golden light. He grinned, his sharp teeth glinting. "I feel it," he said, his voice low and filled with satisfaction. "I feel so much power." 

'It's amazing…'

Yuuna, practically vibrating with excitement, threw her arms into the air. "EMERGENCY MEETING!" she shouted. 

Xyenn screamed in fear at Yuuna's sudden outburst, "AGH!"

Yuuna clasped her hands together, closing her eyes tightly as she began to grunt and focus. Her whole body tensed as if she were trying to take a hit, her face scrunching up in concentration. 

Xyenn was on the ground holding his ears, saying, "She screamed right in my damn ear drums!"

Mertha raised an eyebrow, crossing her muscular arms. "She's doing the thing! Is this it?"

Gorran sighed, his voice flat. "Probably trying to pass a spirit rock or something." 

Yuuna's eyes snapped open, and she glared at them. "Shush! I'm concentrating!" she snapped, her tone half-serious, half-playful. 

Xyenn raised a hand, his grin returning. "Take your time, Yuuna. I'm sure Orin and Quinara are expecting us by now." 

Yuuna waved him off, her eyes squeezing shut again. "This'll be quick, don't worry!" 

Before anyone could comment further, the world around them shifted. 

In an instant, they were standing in a vast, dark void. The space was infinite and silent, but faint, glowing pink light swirled in the distance, illuminating the area like a dreamy aurora. Everyone stood on a solid, invisible surface, though it felt as if they were floating. 

Xyenn glanced around, his eyes narrowing. "This is…" 

"My mind," Yuuna said brightly, grinning as she stepped forward. "Reserved for those who share my blood. You're welcome!" 

Xyenn thought, 'The same place when we fought Death a few days ago..forgot all about this place.'

Before Xyenn could respond, figures began to materialize around them. Sethrak, Zyphira, Draeven, Kivorn, and Illyana appeared simultaneously, their forms solidifying in the void. 

Everyone seemed to freeze for a moment, looking around in surprise before the chaos began. 

Zyphira darted toward Xyenn, tackling him with enough force to nearly knock him over. "What the hell happened to your eye?!" she demanded, grabbing his face to inspect the bloody, empty socket. 

Xyenn groaned, gently pushing her off. "Nice to see you, too, Zyphira," he muttered. "You're crushing me!"

"I missed you so much!"

"ACK!"

Draeven stood off to the side, his hands clenched nervously. He glanced at Xyenn, opening his mouth as if to say something, but hesitated. Finally, he muttered, "I… I wanted to check on you, Xyenn. You okay?" 

Xyenn gave him a half-smile, nodding. "Yeah, Draeven. I'm good. Glad you're still alive. We just killed a god."

Draeven and Zyphira said at the same time, "Awesome…"

Meanwhile, Kivorn slouched lazily, his tired eyes half-closed as he nudged Gorran with his elbow. "You look like shit," he said bluntly. 

Sethrak, ever arrogant, laughed. "Gorran always looks like shit." 

Gorran glared at them, his voice low and threatening. "I'll kill both of you." 

Sethrak smirked, leaning in closer. "Oh, come on, Gorran. Don't act like you don't enjoy our company." 

Gorran growled, his glare intensifying. "Keep talking, and I'll enjoy tearing your throat out." 

Sethrak just laughed louder, clearly enjoying himself. 

On the other side of the void, Illyana embraced Mertha and Yuuna in a warm group hug. Despite her peaceful demeanor, her soft voice carried an edge of humor. "Mertha… if you crush me any harder, things aren't gonna end well, haha."

Yuuna burst out laughing, her voice echoing through the void. "Illyana, you're terrifying!" 

As everyone caught up, Yuuna suddenly clapped her hands together, drawing their attention. "Alright, everyone! We need to talk!"