It felt like flying through a thunderstorm and belly-flopping into a lake at the same time. Thrilling. Dizzying. Terrifying.
One second, Willow was in a sterile prison. The next, he and Apex Nova were falling through open sky, appearing just a few feet above the ground.
"Transportation successful," Apex said flatly, landing with ease. "Commencing observation mission."
Willow barely kept his footing. Stumbling back then fell.
"Are they close?" he asked getting up.
Please let them be close. Rhen's probably worried…
"Yes. Although we police this world. Thanks to our partnership with Embera. We cannot exactly choose where to land, blind jumping is extremely dangerous. Good thing the ring's soul-link traces to-"
A roar cut through the sky.
They both turned.
Two dragons were locked in mid-air combat.
One was crimson red, bleeding from everywhere raining blood, black fire pouring from its jaws in wild, spiraling arcs.
The other, a towering gold dragon, met it with precise blasts of pure white flame. Controlled. Relentless.
"I finally get to see a dragon!" Willow blurted.
The land around them was shattered. Craters inside of craters. Mountains are reduced to rubble in the distance. Trees flattened.
Off in the distance, he saw them, his companions.
Frozen. Watching. Disbelieving.
Willow ran to them. "What's going on?!"
"Willow?!" both Sinephilim and Veronica shouted in perfect sync.
Sinephilim sprinted forward, eyes wide, and grabbed his shoulders like she was checking him for wounds.
"The ring," she said, shaking him. "Use the ring!"
He blinked. "The ring? Why?"
Sinephilim tapped his head. "Why do you think?"
Then he looked toward the crimson dragon.
The way it moved. The wild chaotic energy. The blood.
"…Rhenvar?"
Without hesitation, he pulled the black ring from his pocket and slipped it on.
And he ran.
Past the others. Past black and white flames that engulfed the battlefield. Past the shaking ground and blinding heat.
Straight toward the battlefield ruined by dragons.
"Rhenvar!" Willow screamed, raising his hand. But he hesitated.
No, I can't command you… I can't- not like this…
Willow instead summoned fire. He burned bright, like a shining star.
"RHEN!!!" Willow yelled hurdling a fire blast, hitting the blood dragon in the head.
The crimson dragon turned mid-air. Eyes focused on Willow. The blood dragon calmed as his wings spasmed. Blood melted from its scales like wax. Black bone erupted and began to shift, reshaping.
A humanoid figure dropped from the sky and into the shadows.
Rhenvar appeared in front of him from his shadow. His hair soaked. Skin torn. But eyes clear.
"Willow," he breathed. "Dude you're ok!"
And then Rhenvar hugged him. Willow hugged him back, his long golden hair wrapped around him.
No drama. No questions.
Just warmth.
Willow let himself smile, even as his eyes burned.
It doesn't matter what he is. Rhen's back.
"One who eats souls…" a deep voice rumbled.
Willow turned.
The gold dragon had landed nearby. Towering. Regal. The air around him shimmered from residual flame and his very presence gave off raw authority.
"My blood was more than enough to keep you stable," he growled. "Yet you willingly transformed… and nearly destroyed this world."
Rhenvar exhaled through his nose, running a hand through blood-matted hair. "Hey, sorry, Urithax. Temporary insanity."
Urithax narrowed his molten eyes. "We were fortunate the fairy was not here."
"Fuck, I said I'm sorry," Rhenvar muttered. "Willow was kidnapped."
Willow's chest ached.
"Or maybe the missing ring had something to do with your breakdown," Veronica said, approaching with Sinephilim behind her. Her voice was light, but the jab was surgical.
That stung Willow.
"Maybe," Rhenvar admitted. "I don't know. I just… lost it, what can I say?"
Apex Nova approached the group.
"You!" Sinephilim's voice snapped. "They're the one who took Willow!"
Rhenvar shadow-stepped instantly. No warning. No flourish.
Souleater appeared in his hand, its edge already aimed at Apex's neck.
Apex ducked, preternaturally fast. Rhenvar missed, then charged again. Apex showed no hesitation on blocking the blade, only dodging it. As if he had studied his opponent before battle.
"Wait!" Willow cried.
Rhenvar paused. His blade hummed, the souls inside it screaming in the air.
"Why?" he asked, quietly. Flatly. Not to Apex. To Willow. That tone… it chilled him. He heard it before, when he vouched for Aucteros.
"Because he's not the enemy," Willow said. "He's… sort of helping. He's trying to save worlds too."
Apex's voice was calm, but cold. "Careful, Worldeater. Kill me, and the full might of the intergalactic army of mankind will fall on you."
"Pfft, whatever." Rhenvar raised Souleater, it vanished with a crimson light. He walked back to Willow's side like nothing had happened.
"Who are you," Veronica asked, arms crossed, "and why did you take Willow?"
Apex straightened. "My code name is Apex Nova. Field Officer of the intergalactic army of mankind. We are deployed to stabilize Worldhearts and save threatened worlds from Worldeaters. Inmate F173: Willow, was identified as a confirmed Worldeater and detained. I was later ordered to observe his mission and return him to his party."
"And if we don't want you here?" Sinephilim stepped forward, divine light glowing faintly in her eyes.
"Then the Army will classify you all as collaborators," Apex said plainly. "Aiding and abetting Worldeaters is a crime. We will respond."
"He did give me the ring back," Willow said, trying to ease the tension. "So… maybe he's not all bad. A little cruel sure but- "
"Then he's cool in my book," Rhenvar said with a shrug. "Plus, dude your armor is dope."
Veronica shot him a glare. "You trust too fast."
Rhenvar shrugged again. "I trusted you pretty fast. Remember?"
Veronica started to argue about how she was different. Rhenvar wasn't listening.
Willow stepped away. He needed space. Just a little peace and quiet.
Then others started arguing. Probably about Rhenvar.
Sinephilim and Apex. Veronica and Urithax. Even Syrethe hissed at Fenrus like the spirit beasts were gossiping.
Willow didn't move.
He sat on a half-melted boulder, the edge still glowing faintly from where fire had scorched it. His cloak was warm. His fingers still trembled.
But the ring was on his hand. He touched it.
That mattered more than anything. He knew, he would never take it off.
Behind him, boots crunched ground. Then a shadow. Rhenvar sat beside him.
Neither spoke for a while. That's just how they did things. How they comforted each other.
The clouds were still cracked from the earlier battle. The wind smelled like burned wood and blood.
Finally, Willow broke the silence.
"You never told me you were a dragon."
Rhenvar chuckled. "I'm not a real dragon; I just take the form of one when I lose it, it's like a… default mental choice."
Rhenvar's answer did not sit right with Willow.
"Rhen, you lost yourself, again."
Rhenvar stared ahead. "Yeah… I did. It happens."
"You almost destroyed another world."
"It wasn't my fault, so it's whatever."
Willow exhaled, voice tight. "And you're just… okay with that?"
"No, but these things happen," Rhenvar said softly. "But I'm okay with you stopping me."
Willow turned to him. He looked at him, trying to see him different. But he couldn't, Rhenvar's skin was still streaked with dried blood. His dirty blond hair hung in his face. His eyes, usually a cold, sharp blue, were… distant. Not broken, just tired. Deeply tired. Willow felt sympathy.
"…Does it hurt?" Willow asked. "Being that dragon. Losing yourself."
Rhenvar chuckled without smiling. "I don't just feel pain. I- fall into a deep hunger. A hunger that never is satisfied. The problem isn't the transformation... it's the fact I enjoy it."
Willow was about to speak-
But Rhenvar grabbed his hand.
"But you pulled me back, that's a good thing."
Willow looked down. "I didn't want to use the ring; you gave it to me for that reason."
"I gave it to you, so they trust me," Rhenvar corrected. "Like I give a shit what they think, besides like you said you didn't have to use it."
Willow was silent again.
Then, slowly, he reached into his pocket and pulled out the phoenix amulet. He held it in both hands, like it might fly away.
"You know what this does?" He whispered.
Rhenvar's eyes flicked to it. "No clue, but I bet you're gonna tell me."
"It can… bring her back." Willow's voice cracked. "Sylvia."
He expected Rhenvar to flinch. But the man just sat there. Motionless. His eyes vibrated.
"Rhen?" Willow looked at him. He seemed distant, far too distant. "Rhen!"
"Oh! Cool, then we'll get strong enough," Rhenvar said finally. "We'll bargain with whatever gods we have to. You'll see her again."
Was he- that lost in thought?
"Can we really do it? Save our world."
"Willow," he sighed. "If I'm being honest, it doesn't matter. We will try or fail, but we will try. As long as we survive, that's what counts. Because you are everything to me."
"You still mean that?" Willow asked, eyes burning.
Rhenvar finally looked at him, his eyes, gentle and comforting.
"Let me see that," He reached out.
Willow gave him the amulet. Rhenvar got up and walked around him. Putting the amulet around his neck.
"I meant it the first time," he said. "And I meant it every time after."
Willow choked on the weight of it. He wasn't sure if it was th words or the necklace. The silence grew heavier.
"…You're allowed to cry, you know," Rhenvar added, nudging him.
"Shut up," Willow said, blinking furiously.
"Just saying. It would save you from exploding, I know your fire!"
"Pfft, idiot you were literally a world ending dragon and almost killed everyone."
"And you still hugged me back. So, who is the real idiot?"
Willow laughed.
It was soft. Quiet. Raw.
But it was real. It felt so much more real. Something about Rhenvar now is so different. It's like he is finally see… him.
Rhenvar smiled faintly. But it died.
However, for the first time Sylvia's since death… things were not falling apart.
They were together. And Willow smiled at him and Rhenvar smiled back but his eyes were twitching. Willow noticed. Rhen was holding back something, he didn't know what. And his fear of asking, made his guilt rise from its ashes.
Rhen, are you ok?