Chapter 410:A battlefield.
There was no movement. Zelpher’s clothing was torn almost beyond recognition, blood covering much of his chest. One hand still clutched the remains of a weapon Atheline had never seen him use in his own world.
Dead.
Atheline looked away.
Another body.
Simion.
He was lying on his back several meters away, one arm missing and his armour broken apart across his chest.
Atheline stopped beside him.
"No..."
Simion’s eyes were closed, there was no doubt. Atheline continued looking around only to find councillors, soldiers, and people he’d seen arguing inside the throne room only moments earlier.
Dead.
Some had clearly fallen protecting one another, while others had died fighting. Several everal of the bodies were so badly damaged Atheline could identify them only from clothing or weapons.
Then he heard a voice.
"It’s finished."
Atheline turned.
Three figures stood near the center of the battlefield; two standing with one kneeling.
Atheline recognized the first immediately.
"Caius."
But this wasn’t the Caius he’d spoken with on Dragonic Island.
This Caius looked older.
His clothing was almost completely white, though blood and dirt covered large portions of it. Brilliant Light Aether surrounded him, illuminating the devastated ground beneath his feet, and a sword rested in his hand.
Beside him stood Yander.
The Dark Elven Saintess.
She was injured as well. Bood ran down one side of her face, and her breathing was heavy, but she remained standing.
Between them...
Lilith.
Atheline’s expression changed.
He had never seen her so badly injured; her armour had been destroyed.
One section had been torn completely away, exposing a deep wound along her side. Blood covered her arms and face, one of her daggers was broken, and the darkness that normally surrounded her had almost completely disappeared.
She was kneeling, one hand pressing against the ground to keep herself upright. Atheline immediately moved toward her.
"Lilith."
He already knew she couldn’t hear him but that didn’t stop him.
"Lilith!"
Caius raised his sword.
Atheline instinctively stepped between them but the blade passed through him.
He froze.
Caius stared down at Lilith.
"It’s over."
Lilith slowly raised her head. Caius’s expression was hard.
"Your reign ends here."
Yander stood beside him, visibly exhausted.
"Too many people have died."
Lilith looked at her, then laughed; it was weak, barely more than a breath.
Yander’s expression tightened.
"What’s funny?"
Lilith coughed, blood running from the corner of her mouth.
"Everything."
Caius’s grip tightened around his sword.
"You still find this amusing?"
"No."
Lilith slowly sat back. Her body trembled from the effort.
"I find the two of you amusing."
Yander frowned.
Lilith looked around the battlefield. Her eyes passed over Zelpher, Simion, her councillors, and the Dark Elven soldiers scattered across the ruins. For the briefest moment, grief appeared on her face, then it disappeared.
Caius spoke.
"Your evil reign is over, Lilith. Whatever you planned ends with you. The kingdoms will recover, the corruption will be dealt with, and the people you dragged into this war will finally be able to return home."
Lilith stared at him, then another laugh escaped her.
Caius’s expression darkened.
"What?"
Lilith shook her head.
"You really believe that."
"Believe what?"
"That killing me fixes everything."
"No one said it fixes everything."
"You practically did."
Yander stepped forward.
"We can rebuild."
Lilith looked at her.
"Can you?"
"Yes."
"After this?" Lilith gestured weakly toward the battlefield. "You think everyone simply walks home?"
Neither answered.
Lilith smiled.
"You think the Humans will forget what the Beastmen did during the war? You think the High Elves will forgive every kingdom that crossed their territory? You think the Demons will surrender whatever land they took because the frightening Dark Elf Queen is finally dead?"
Caius remained silent. Lilith continued.
"You think the corruption disappears with me?"
Yander’s expression changed slightly. Lilith noticed and ter smile widened.
"There." She coughed again. "That tiny hesitation."
Yander stared at her.
"You know."
"Know what?"
"That I didn’t create it."
Caius’s expression hardened.
"This changes nothing."
"It changes everything."
"You still started this war."
"After your armies surrounded my kingdom."
"You attacked first."
"And there it is." Lilith laughed again. "The convenient version. There always has to be a villain to create a Hero, isn’t there?"
Caius raised his sword slightly.
"Enough."
Lilith didn’t look afraid. Atheline stood beside her, staring at the two people who, in his world, were allies. Caius admired him while Yander served the Dark Elven Kingdom, yet here they stood over Lilith as enemies.
The original protagonists?
Atheline wasn’t certain anymore.
The story he remembered suddenly felt incomplete.
Caius spoke.
"You destroyed your own kingdom because you refused to accept responsibility."
Lilith’s smile disappeared.
"No."
She looked toward Zelpher’s corpse, then Simion. Something in her eyes softened.
"I destroyed myself... There’s a difference."
Yander lowered her weapon slightly.
"Lilith..."
"Don’t." Lilith’s voice became colder. "Don’t pretend sympathy now."
Yander said nothing.
Lilith looked toward the sky, for the first time, she almost seemed peaceful.
"At least he’s finally out."
Atheline froze.
Caius frowned.
"Who?"
Lilith smiled.
"Atheline."
Atheline stared at her in shock. Yander’s expression changed as Lilith closed her eyes briefly.
"He’s finally out of this cursed world."
Atheline’s chest tightened.
There was no hatred when she said his name, only relief that he wasn’t here to see what the world had become.
Caius remained silent.
Lilith opened her eyes again.
"But if the two of you genuinely believe everything will return to normal after I’m gone..." Her smile became almost pitying. "...then you’re dearly mistaken."
Yander’s eyes narrowed.
"Is that a threat?"
"No." Lilith laughed softly. "It’s a warning."
"About what?"
Lilith looked around.
"Everything you’ve ignored."
Caius stepped closer.
"Speak clearly."
"Why?" Lilith looked at him. "You’ve already won."
Her eyes moved toward Yander.
"You defeated the evil Queen." Then back to Caius. "You saved the world."
Her smile widened.
"Go enjoy it."
Something about those words made Atheline uncomfortable. It was not because of Lilith but because of something else.
Something... Atheline turned.
There.
Someone stood far behind Caius and Yander. At first Atheline assumed it was another survivor, then he looked properly.
An elderly Dark Elf that Atheline recognized immediately.