"They have giveni the signal!" Yujuki shouted. "Flight team, move in!"
She jumped off a raised platform outside the city's walls with a squadron of Felinas, all wearing elytras and armed to the teeth. Opening their flaps and accelerating with rockets, they flew over the wall and landed right in the middle of Crown Peak's center plaza.
Meanwhile, Ria ushered her team towards the beacon there as well. "We have to get to the Plaza and protect our reinforcements." She panted as they all broke into a run down the hill. "Come on!"
"This is where the fun begins!" Grek shouted. "Woah!" He tripped on an uneven stone tile and started to literally roll down the hill. "Not fun! Not fun!"
Before long, they reached the plaza. The fight had already broken out. Huge army of wither skeletons, Ria afterwards estimated about a thousand, swarmed over the plaza.
"Yujuki!" Ria shouted as they arrived, "Put the Star in!" Yujuki ran towards the beacon. A ghast, spotting her movements, shot a fireball. It hit Yujuki right on the back. She flew forward into the beacon. "Ria!" She hollered, "My legs! I can't feel my legs!" She slid the Star in. The beacon came to life, and that's when the second fireball hit her on the head.
"YUJUKI!"
In Tartarus, an army of Magnorites stood ready in the middle of the city hall, beside the beacon.
"Crown Peak has activated their beacon!" Borgen shouted. He drew his dual pickaxes. "Let's go!" The Magnorites started beaming in.
Together, they cleared away all of the wither skeletons. And pushed them back against the portal. As the last skeleton entered, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
Borgen broke into the dungeons of the palace. There, he found the ambassadors of the five kingdoms, locked together in a small cell.
"Come." He cut open the lock. "We have taken back Crown Peak and are securing the city of Nether forces."
"We thank you a millioni times." The ambassador of Hydraphel said, bowing. "Seeing as you are a Magnorite, does this meani K'artheni will be rejoining the union?"
"Yes, I have already spoken with Councilman Hasan." Borgen led them out. "We are most thrilled at our reforged relationships."
The troops gathered at the portal. The sun was just tilting off its highest position in the sky and starting its trip towards dusk.
"Remember," Ria said, "Our main objective is to free the slaves the Nether has taken, not to engage in combat."
"But how will we lead that many people out of the Nether without fighting?" Borgen said, "We won't stand a chance."
"I mean do not engage the Nether until you have armed our people." Ria said. Sometimes Magnorites just don't think.
"Oh, alright, gotchu." Borgen waved to the group standing by. "Let's go!" They dived into the portal, vanishing into the purple membrane. "You sure you are not coming with us?"
Ria laughed. "I'm sure we won't find the Deathsinger hiding in the Nether. I'll watch the portal and protect your retreat." Borgen nodded and jumped through.
"Be careful in there, Grek." Senn hugged the Jaggarthan. "I haven't forgotten my promise."
"What promise?" Hubris asked curiously.
"That he and I will search for more Jaggathans when this is over, and find me a girlfriend because I'm such a wizard at relationships, which I imagine will be soon at this rate." He spun Soulseeker around. "Whoo! This war's hardly over and I'm already pumped for the next adventure." He leapt into the portal.
"Grek will be fine." Hubris assured them. "I'll be there to clean up his mess," Grim punched him. "I mean, hehe," Hubris quickly added, "Watch his back." He held Ria's hand. "But it's your own safety you should be concerned about. Ria, in case I don't make it back, I want you to know, you are the most brilliant Ardoni I've ever met. You alone inspired much of this world to stand and fight. You turned the tides of this war."
"Hubris, I…" Ria held his hand in hers, "Thank you. Promise me you'll get back."
Hubris chuckled. "In war, there's no such thing as…"
"Incoming!" Val hollered. A rogue ghast launched a fireball at Ria behind her back. Before anyone could do anything, Hubris pulled Ria before him and took the full force of the blast. He collapsed to the ground, his markings blinking. Senn and Val quickly killed the Ghast with their Songs.
"Hubris, why?" Ria knelt down before him.
"Because Grek was right." Hubris choked. "I love you, Ria." With what remained of his strength, he leaned forward and touched his antler to Ria's. "Even though…" The light drained out of him as his hand slipped from Ria's.
She leaned over his body. "Hubris, why did you wait until now? You were the first one to join me, the only one…"
But her tears were cut short by a Netheran with an axe, dropping down from a Wither. "So, another Knight dies." Pythus walked each step with a pound of his axe. "Makes my job easier."