As they were dusting themselves off, Primi spoke, suddenly drawing everyone's attention.
"What are we going to do now, guys? I mean how exactly are we planning on getting out of here?" he asked, worry in his voice.
"Way ahead of you, Primi," Anika said, brushing past him with a small smile.
She walked toward where the Trident of Axis lay.
"When Damon used it, it managed to blast through the temple walls. It should work for the door, I think."
"But can you handle it, Anika?" Primi asked, hesitating. "No offense, but… you didn't exactly do very well with it in the Funeral Chamber."
Anika pursed her lips before exhaling slowly.
"When I first held it, I was afraid of its power—that I'd be corrupted by it. But seeing Lyrian and Reone use it without losing themselves… I think I can do it too."
"You're right," Lyrian said. "The thing about this relic is to not give into the darkness. Not no matter how tempting it gets."
"Kind of like how we go about real life," Reone added with a faint smile. "Well… most of the time."
"Alright then," Primi said, though his expression stayed tense. "Give it a go, Anika."
Anika took a deep breath and lifted the Trident.
Power surged through her instantly.
She exhaled sharply as energy rushed into her body like an endless current.
When she rose again, her eyes glowed white.
She looked almost otherworldly.
Even Lyrian, for a moment, forgot to breathe. She couldn't believe she and Reone had once looked like that too.
"Anika?" Primi said nervously.
She turned to him and smiled softly.
"I'm alright."
Relief rippled through the group.
"Everyone stand back," Anika ordered immediately. "I'm going to blast the door open."
They quickly moved aside, dragging Damon and the silent Caelynn with them and placing them where they would be safe. The two were bound tightly in Mickey's restraining coil, which suppressed their powers completely.
Anika raised the Trident, channeling energy into its tip.
Then she fired.
The blast tore through the air and slammed into the massive temple door.
The entire chamber shook violently. Dust and stone rained down as the structure groaned under the impact.
Lyrian braced herself. It felt like the temple itself was on the edge of collapse.
"Sorry, everyone," Anika said under her breath.
"Don't apologise, princess," Reone said. "At least you managed to make an exit for us."
The dust began to settle.
Where the door had been was now a wide, broken opening into the outside world.
"Yes!" Anika celebrated, a spark of excitement breaking through her exhaustion.
"Alright, let's get out of here," Reone said, placing a steadying hand on Lyrian's shoulder.
"Wait, guys," Anika said suddenly.
They all paused.
There was something different in her expression now—less relief, more weight.
"There's something I need to say."
Everyone turned toward her.
Anika licked her lips nervously, gripping the Trident tighter.
"When we set out to find the Trident, I thought it would be the salvation of my people. That we could use it to build a new dimension—somewhere safe. Somewhere no one could ever hurt us again."
Her voice tightened.
"But now… here in the Temple of Echoes, with the Trident finally in my hands… I realize something."
She looked down at it.
"Evil follows wherever one goes. And with power like the one in this Trident…" she shook her head slightly, "it only makes it worse."
Lyrian frowned. "Anika… what are you saying?"
Anika hesitated.
"I'm saying maybe my father was right. Maybe the Diviners are better off without the Trident. Maybe all of us are."
Silence fell over them, shocked to hear her say this after she had fought so hard to get here.
Reone was the first to speak.
"But what about your people? Without it, they'll keep suffering in the Nest."
"Actually…" Mia said, stepping forward. "That might not be true."
Everyone turned to her.
"You and your people have been hiding for years, Anika. But what if you didn't? What if you came out of hiding and interacted with the world again?"
She met Anika's eyes steadily, who looked alarmed at the idea.
"Yes, the Nullborn extractors are still around. I'm not saying the danger has passed. But if you came out of hiding, we could protect you. And we could teach you how to protect yourselves out here too."
"Not to mention," Nova added quickly, "you'd finally get to see the world. You've been wanting that for ages."
"Yeah," Diamond said with a grin. "We could travel together sometimes. You'd love Solaris."
Anika shook her head slightly.
"I… I don't know, guys," she admitted.
She turned to Primi. "What do you think?"
Primi looked caught off guard. He scratched the back of his neck in an awkward way.
"I think you're going to have a hard time convincing your father," he said honestly. "But… he's seen the outsiders now. He knows not all of them want to hurt us. Maybe he'll come around."
Anika looked at the group again.
"Well, princess. What do you think?" Lyrian asked gently.
Anika's grip on the Trident tightened.
"I think… that settles it."
Everyone waited.
"I'm getting rid of this Trident."
Everyone gave her approving glances.
"Uh… question," Nova said slowly. "How exactly are you planning to do that when even your ancestors couldn't?"
"I have an idea," Anika said simply.
Instead of creating a dimension to seal away me and my people… I think it's enough to seal away the Trident."
Mickey blinked. "That's actually brilliant. Why didn't I think of that?"
A few faint smiles passed through the group.
"This is probably going to take a lot of magic," Lyrian said carefully. "And more darkness will be pushing back."
"Not if we do it together," Reone said firmly. "All of us. This time."
"I agree," Seren said. "Seems safer."
"I'm in," Diamond said immediately.
Anika nodded once.
"Everyone—put your hand on the Trident."
They obeyed.
The moment they touched it, energy surged through them.
Their eyes began to glow in different colours as power connected them all at once.
"This feels amazing," Sire breathed.
"Focus," Primi snapped.
"Now think about what you want to happen," Anika instructed.
They all closed their eyes in concentration.
The air around them started twisting.
Then, a glowing rift began to form in front of them, suspended in space like a tear in reality.
Wind howled through the chamber, whipping their hair and clothes as the magic intensified.
"What do we do now?" Mickey shouted over the noise.
"Let go," Anika said. "I've got it from here."
One by one, they released the Trident.
Power drained from their bodies instantly, leaving them staggered.
Anika remained standing.
Alone with it.
She stared at the Trident for a long moment—at everything it had meant to her, and everything it could destroy.
She lifted it up.
And threw it into the rift.
The portal snapped shut immediately.
A shockwave burst outward, throwing them back across the chamber.
Silence returned like a held breath finally released.
Diamond slowly opened her eyes.
"…Is it over?"
Anika exhaled.
"Yes," she said softly. "It's over."
******
"You did good today," Primi said, smiling at Anika a few feet away from the group.
"Thanks," Anika replied, her cheeks warming.
For a moment, it was hard to look at him, as she suddenly felt shy. Then she forced herself to meet his eyes.
"Listen, Primi... there's something I need to tell you. I—"
She never finished.
Primi stepped forward, gently cupped her face, and kissed her.
The others immediately turned to them, jaws dropping.
Even Sire looked genuinely caught off guard.
After a long moment, Primi finally pulled away from Anika.
Anika simply stood there, frozen.
Her face had turned the brightest shade of red anyone had ever seen.
She cleared her throat, trying—and failing—to regain her composure.
"That wasn't very appropriate, Captain," she said, fighting back a smile.
Primi grinned.
"Well... I learned from the best."
Anika laughed softly, unable to hide her happiness anymore.
Lyrian let out a delighted squeal.
"Finally!"
Diamond, who was also smiling, snorted.
"Yeah... you're one to talk."
Lyrian immediately blushed, knowing that she was referring to herself and Reone.
"W-What does that mean?"
"It means you and Reone have been dancing around each other forever, so much so that it drove us all crazy."
Lyrian immediately buried her face in her hands while Reone rubbed the back of her neck in comfort.
"Alright," Reone interrupted with a cough, coming to Lyrian's rescue. "Since we're done here, can we please leave this temple?"
An enthusiastic chorus of agreement answered him as Lyrian leaned against him.
Mickey and Sire walked over to collect the unconscious Damon and Caelynn. As they did so, Mickey suddenly stopped.
His eyes had caught something interesting on the wall, causing him to loosen his grip on Damon.
Thud.
Damon dropped onto the stone floor.
"Mickey!" Sire scolded.
Mickey didn't even look at him.
"Uh... guys?"
Everyone turned to him.
"Come look at this."
"What is it, babe?" Nova asked, walking over.
Mickey pointed at a faded mural stretching across the wall.
"Does this seem... familiar to anyone?"
One by one, they gathered around it.
The closer they looked, the quieter they became.
It was an ancient illustration. First it depicted a young diviner woman with glowing eyes forming the Trident. Then there was another one of two figures using it against some kind of devilish figure. Then Trident of Axis, was held by ten figures, each person's eyes glowing a different colour.
Then there was yet another depiction of the young Diviner woman, looking ethereal as she cast the Trident into a great glowing rift.
No one spoke for a long time.
"Is it me... or does that look like us?" Mia finally whispered.
"It's depicting what just happened to us moments ago," Seren said.
Nova stared at them in disbelief.
"Come on, guys.I mean, yeah... it certainly looks like us. But that's impossible. This mural has to be hundreds of years old."
"Look, rhere's writing underneath it," Lyrian noticed.
Mickey knelt down at the spot and brushed centuries of dust away with his hand.
Slowly, he began to read.
"'This is the story of the powerful Trident of Axis. When our people sought to destroy it, it would not yield. Instead, the relic granted us a vision of those who would come after us—its last wielders.'
"'They would succeed where we could not, not through greater strength, but because they would first to truly learn that no power is greater than the bonds they share with one another.'
"'Only then would the Trident permit itself to leave this world forever.'"
Silence settled over the chamber.
"Whoa..." Diamond finally said.
"You mean... everything we just went through—all the hardships, us winning, getting rid of the Trident... it was always going to happen?"
No one answered.
Mickey swallowed.
"According to this... yes."
Anika stared at the mural.
"But... why?"
There was silence again.
No one had could answer.
Sire finally broke the quiet.
"Man..."
"That is one seriously creepy relic. I wish we got rid of it sooner."
A few uneasy smiles escaped the group at this.
Lyrian sighed and looked at everyone.
"Maybe we'll never know why this happened. But whatever its reason was... it doesn't change anything that occured."
Her eyes rested on each of her friends.
"And the only thing we can do about it is move forward."
Reone nodded.
"Lyrian's right."
He glanced toward the broken entrance.
"Now can we please go? I don't know about all of you, but I've officially had enough of this temple."
"Same," Nova agreed immediately, already walking toward the exit.
The others eagerly followed, stepping over the rubble.
The group stepped through the shattered entrance, blinking as warm sunlight washed over them.
For a brief moment, Lyrian frowned.
Something about the environment felt... different. Looking around, it suddenly clicked.
When they had entered the Temple of Echoes, the land surrounding it had been lifeless. Blackened earth stretched in every direction and there was not one tree in sight, not even a blade of grass had dared to grow.
But now...
Her eyes widened.
"When did this happen?"
Everyone exclaimed in shock.
The dead wasteland was gone.
Rolling fields of emerald grass swayed gently in the breeze. Wildflowers of every colour dotted the landscape, while towering trees stood proudly beneath a cloudless blue sky. Birds circled overhead, their songs filling the air.
The darkness that had blanketed the valley had vanished completely.
It was as though it had always been like this.
"...Wow," Nova whispered. "The land has come back to life."
"I'm guessing it's because the Trident of Axis is gone," Reone said casually, tilting his face toward the sun. "The corruption must have been tied to it."
"It's beautiful," Anika breathed.
She slowly turned in a circle, taking everything in.
"So beautiful," Mia said with a smile, "you might want to live here one day?"
Anika gasped.
"Oh... stars."
She laughed.
"That's actually a wonderful idea."
While they were admiring the surroundings, a voice came from behind them.
"I thought I heard you kids."
The group spun around.
Varal was making his way toward them, accompanied by several Temple Watch soldiers.
A smile spread across Reone's face.
For some reason, it felt as though he hadn't seen Varal in weeks instead of only a few hours.
The two embraced tightly.
"I'm so glad you're alright," Varal said eagerly. He then looked at everyone to emphasize his meaning.
"You too," Reone replied, emotion tightening his voice. He pulled back. "But wait... what are you doing here? I told you and your men to leave the area."
Varal nodded.
"We did. But when the entire valley suddenly started coming back to life..." He gestured around them. "We had to see what had happened."
Reone chuckled.
"Fair enough."
"So..." Varal asked. "You succeeded in your mission?"
Reone smiled.
"I'm pleased to report that we did... after a few complications."
Varal looked at him knowingly.
His gaze drifted past the group until it landed on Damon, who was still unconscious between Mickey and Sire.
His expression hardened.
"So that's him. The man who murdered my brother?"
Reone nodded solemnly.
"It is," he said in a hesitant voice.
"We're taking him back to Echian to stand trial for everything he's done. I hope that's alright with you."
Varal answered without hesitation.
"I was angry before, but justice is all I want, son."
Relief crossed Reone's face as he stared at the man.
For just a moment, Varal reminded him so much of Varek that his chest tightened.
The two men were firmly shaking hands when a distant roar echoed across the valley.
Everyone looked up instinctively.
A sleek aircraft descended through the clouds before gently landing a short distance away.
Mickey's eyes lit up.
"It's our jet!"
"Aye," Varal confirmed.
"I figured you'd be needing it. Gareth—my chief engineer, whom you helped—started repairing it as soon as we brought him back to the crash site."
At that moment, the aircraft's door opened.
Gareth hurried down the ramp and started walking over to them.
"It's good to see you all standing," he said with a grin.
After everyone had thanked him for repairing the jet, the old man looked sheepish.
"You're welcome, but... there's something I have to tell you."
Everyone looked at him curiously.
"I received a communication through the jet's systems."
"A communication?" Reone repeated.
Gareth nodded.
"They said they're calling from the Echian Palace. And they said it was urgent."
The mood changed instantly.
All their minds immediately arrived at one name:
Rhys.
Mia's face started to pale.
Lyrian quietly stepped beside her and rested a reassuring hand on her shoulder.
"We're with you, Mia," she said gently. "No matter what."
Mia nodded, swallowing hard.
She then took a shaky breath.
"Let's go."
The group hurried aboard the jet.
The interior still bore damage from the crash, but no one paid it any attention.
They made their way straight to the communications room.
The screen flickered to life, and Dane's face appeared in front of them.
The moment he saw them, relief flooded his face.
"There you are... I'm so glad you're all okay."
"Thank you, babe, and we're glad to see you too," Seren said quickly. "But Gareth mentioned you had urgent news."
Mia stepped forward before anyone else could speak.
"How's Rhys?"
Dane nodded.
"I think... you should see for yourself."
The camera shifted, and the next moment a familiar face filled the screen.
Rhys looked tired, pale, and bandaged...
...but very much alive.
Behind him stood Queen Maya, smiling through tears.
"Mia, there you are. I was so worried about you," Rhys said in a concerned voice.
Mia stumbled backward in disbelief as soon as he said this.
The girls caught her before she lost her balance, supporting her when her legs no longer seemed able to function.
Tears started streaming freely down Mia's face as she looked at the digital image of her husband.
"Rhys..."
Her voice cracked.
"You're okay!"
******
A MONTH LATER
LYRIAN
The doorbell rang over and over again, but no one could hear it over the sound of the orchestra, glasses clinking, and laughter.
No one except the Sylph of Sound.
Lyrian looked past the crowd toward the front door.
More guests arriving, she figured.
They were all at a celebration party organized by Reone to revel in the defeat of Damon and the Sisterhood a month earlier.
The party was being held at his spacious but modestly furnished house, which was honestly beginning to feel like home to Lyrian after spending so much time there over the past few weeks.
She ignored the doorbell, knowing Reone would eventually emerge from wherever he was and answer it.
"So, anyway," she continued, turning back to Mickey, "I'll be living in Echian from now on. I'll only be travelling occasionally to perform."
"Well, I'm glad," Mickey said. "Nova and the girls miss you whenever you're gone."
Nova smiled over her glass.
"It's really too bad that Reone is the reason Lyrian's staying instead of us," she teased.
Lyrian's cheeks flushed.
Fortunately, she was spared from having to think of a response when the doorbell rang again.
She glanced toward the entrance thankfully. She then quickly handed Mickey her drink.
"Hold this. Reone isn't coming out to answer the door," she said by way of explanation.
Before either Mickey or Nova could say anything, Lyrian was already weaving her way through the crowd.
She almost bumped into Seren, who was busy explaining to another guest why he should invest in Mia's criminal rehabilitation project.
Lyrian smiled as she opened the door.
Standing outside were Anika and Primi, both dressed elegantly for the occasion.
"Finally," Primi said moodily. "We've been knocking forever."
"Hey, guys," Lyrian greeted, pulling him and Anika into a hug. "I'm glad you made it. We were starting to think you weren't coming."
"Sorry," Anika said as they pulled apart. "Primi and I were accompanying my dad to a meeting with the Volarian King."
"Well, that," Primi added with a grin, "and someone insisted on stopping by the mall to try Echian food."
Anika shot him an embarrassed look, as if to chastise him for exposing her.
Primi only shrugged innocently.
"Anyway," Anika continued, "my dad sends his apologies for not being here."
"It's alright," Lyrian assured her, stepping aside so they could enter. "We know he's a busy man these days, leading your people into a new dawn."
She smiled mischievously.
"Although you should've come straight here. We've got plenty of Echian food. Fair warning, though... Reone cooked most of it, so it's not the best."
Anika laughed.
"Where is Reone, anyway?" she asked, looking around.
"I don't know," Lyrian replied. "Somewhere not receiving his guests."
"Hey, I'm right here," a voice said.
They all turned.
Reone approached, looking remarkably handsome in a charcoal suit. He smiled apologetically at Anika and Primi.
"I'm glad to see you two. Sorry I wasn't here to welcome you, by the way. I got held up."
"It's okay," Anika said warmly. "We don't mind, as long as you point us toward the party."
Reone chuckled.
"It's through the corridor. And one of the waiters will get you something to drink."
"Perfect."
Anika immediately grabbed Primi's hand.
"Come on."
As Primi was dragged away, he glanced back over his shoulder.
"Good to see you, Reone."
"You too, man."
The couple disappeared into the crowd.
Reone and Lyrian had barely taken a breath before another voice called from behind them.
"Well, well... if it isn't the two lovebirds."
They turned to find Rhys and Mia standing at the entrance.
Rather, Mia was standing.
Rhys sat comfortably in a wheelchair while she rested her hands on the handles behind him.
A mischievous grin spread across his face.
"Already hosting parties together like a married couple?"
Reone rolled his eyes.
"I see you're getting better since you're already making bad jokes."
"At least I can make jokes, bro," Rhys shot back.
The two leaned toward each other and exchanged their usual rough bro hug.
Lyrian and Mia shared a knowing look before rolling their eyes in perfect sync.
"How are you two?" Lyrian asked, hugging them both.
She knew the past month hadn't been easy.
Just as Dane had warned, Rhys had awakened with amnesia. Thankfully, it was only partial. The memories he had lost were from after Arcanum, when he'd already met all of them, including Mia but—before he had married Mia and become King.
When Mia had first learned the news, she had been devastated. But she'd quickly reminded herself that it could have been much worse. At least Rhys still remembered her. He still loved her.
Now they were slowly rebuilding the pieces that had been lost, one day at a time. And it seemed to Lyrian to be working.
"We're doing well," Mia said with a gentle smile. "The doctor says Rhys should be back on his feet soon."
"Yep," Rhys said. "Soon I won't need someone babysitting me twenty-four seven."
"Not if Anarom has anything to do with it," Reone replied immediately. "As your new Army Commander, he'll make sure you're protected at all times."
Rhys groaned dramatically.
"Probably."
He looked at Reone.
"This is your fault,dude."
"My fault?"
"If you'd accepted the position of Army Commander, I wouldn't have someone following me around every minute of the day."
Reone laughed.
"Actually, you would. And it would be every second. But I still stand by my decision," Reone continued. "I don't want to be commander right now. I just want to slow down a little... spend time with the people I care about."
Without thinking, he slipped an arm around Lyrian's waist and gently pulled her closer, which brought a smile to her face.
"So that's your official excuse?" Rhys asked.
"Stop complaining, Rhys," Mia added. "Reone has made his decision, and you know Anarom is doing an excellent job."
"Too excellent," Rhys muttered.
Everyone laughed.
"Alright," Mia said, smiling. "Enough standing around. We're missing the party."
"You're right," Reone agreed, stepping aside. "Come in."
Mia wheeled Rhys inside.
Lyrian pointed them toward the main hall.
"And try the food," Reone called after them. "I cooked it myself, and it's delicious. Right, Lyrian?"
"Absolutely," she answered.
Then, while Reone wasn't looking, Lyrian subtly shook her head at Rhys and Mia.
Mia bit back a laugh.
"We'll keep that in mind."
"See you inside," Rhys called as they disappeared down the corridor.
The front door closed once again.
Reone let out a long breath.
"Damn... being a host is a lot of work."
"It is," Lyrian agreed. "Especially when you're disappearing every few minutes because you're secretly working."
"I was not working, Lyrian. You know I'm serious about taking a step back from that."
Lyrian just folded her arms.
"If that's really the case, then tell me where you were just now, if you weren't doing any work."
Reone answered only after a moment's hesitation.
"I was in the kitchen... talking to my dad."
Lyrian's expression immediately softened.
"Oh."
She believed him without thinking twice about it.
Reone didn't lie, especially about this.
"How is Cassian?" she asked him.
"Busy," Reone replied with a small smile. "As usual."
He looked down for a moment before continuing.
"But... he's in town on official business and says he'd like to visit me."
Lyrian noticed the mixture of emotions crossing his face.
Hope.
Nervousness.
Excitement.
Over the past month, father and son had spoken regularly over the phone.
Each conversation had become a little easier than the last.
But Cassian had always been busy with military affairs to meet in person. And Reone had always been busy with his job.
Or so they claimed.
Lyrian had long suspected those excuses were only part of the truth.
They were both scared of coming face to face.
But now they had reached a point where neither of them had anywhere left to hide.
Lyrian hoped they would meet soon and see that talking meeting in person wasn't as scary as they thought it was.
She thought about telling this to Reone, but she held herself back, trusting him to come to a decision that was right for him.
"I'm really glad you two are talking again," Lyrian said instead.
Reone returned the smile.
"So am I."
The two then leaned close and kissed, long and softly.
When they pulled away, Reone was smiling at Lyrian, his eyes sparkling.
"Come on. I believe I owe you a dance."
"I thought you'd never ask," she replied, closing the door.