Part 2

Black ink was dripping down from the ceiling out of an inky black portal. Slowly, a porcelain skinned woman clad in black plate mail crawled out, and dropped down onto the floor. Dusting herself off, she bowed.

"My congratulations, Queen Syndra Valmaris. You avenged your bloodline, and gave my lovely children some much needed excitement in their lives." She said. "And this must be Ranger General Ryul. A pleasure to meet you in person."

"Of course it was you." Syndra said, still sick with nausea and groaning. "Who else would it have been besides Vordea?"

"Who indeed. It was just a whim, you know." Vordea said with a shrug, before sitting down on the floor with Syndra and Ryul. "But a child of Tarron is your reward for fulfilling your oath."

"So Tarron is the father?" Syndra asked, a faint smile on her lips. "Truly?"

"Yes." Vordea reached over and hugged Syndra. "Like you said in your lovely short speech a couple weeks ago, loss will not define your future."

Syndra said nothing, and simply hugged Vordea, tears forming in her eyes. Despite everything, she still won in the end.

"Ah, an echo of the future." Vordea said softly. "I know it's been killing you for a century, so I'll tell you another secret."

"What's that?" Ryul asked.

"Eigengrau intervened quite recklessly to save Shandalar Valmaris over a thousand years ago. We have rules, and she broke every single one to save her."

"So if she hadn't..." Syndra whispered.

"Not only Shandalar would have died, but Taenya would have never been born." Vordea explained.

"But why?" Ryul asked. "The life of a single mortal surely isn't that important to you."

"There are things I cannot share, Ryul." Vordea said with a shake of her head. "Just know the Gods personally ensured your sister survived, Syndra."