The night passed smoothly, and by morning, the Krovzaryan envoys were preparing for departure. As the sun reached its zenith, gilding the marble courtyards of Amanécer, the final council proceedings drew to a close. Servants bustled, imperial carriages were readied, and the dark Krovzaryan banners snapped in the wind, casting long shadows across the alabaster stone.
But before the portal's activation, Luciana turned away from the preparations. Her silk cloak whispered against the floor as she moved through the sunlit halls of her homeland—one final time.
In the grand chamber, Helios remained, his wounded leg bound, his golden gaze heavy upon her retreating form.
"You know where this path leads," his voice carried across the quiet space, low and grave with the weight of bloodlines and empire. "But you've chosen it." He paused, his eyes shifting to the far doorway where Augusta stood holding Ra'el, Nemesis and Hades clinging to her skirts. "If only for them."
Luciana turned to face him fully. The sunlight caught the luminous glow in her hair, but her expression was steady, even as an ache curled deep beneath her ribs. "For them," she affirmed, her voice clear. "And for peace. A real peace, Father. Not just a parchment truce."
Helios's jaw tightened, the stern lines of his face carved like the statues of his ancestors. Yet he reached for her hand, his grip firm, warm, and unmistakably paternal. "You have always seen further than the rest of us. Even as a child, you looked past the horizon." He drew a slow breath. "That does not make watching you walk into that horizon any easier."
"I am not disappearing," she said softly, squeezing his hand. "I am bridging. And I will have the most powerful parts of both worlds with me." She nodded toward her children.
He released her hand only to pull her into a brief, fierce embrace. "Then make that bridge strong, my phoenix." He moved past her then, his step slightly uneven, to where his grandchildren waited. He knelt, ignoring the protest in his leg. "Nemesis. Hades. Come to your grandfather."
The boys rushed into his arms. He held them tightly, his voice a rough whisper against their hair. "Be brave. Be clever. Listen to your mother." He pulled back, cupping Hades's cheek and tapping Nemesis's nose. "And you must write to me of all your adventures. I expect detailed reports on the demons."
He then turned to Augusta, who offered a sleepy Ra'el. Helios took the infant with reverent care, his large hands cradling the tiny form. "Grow strong, little one," he murmured, his voice thick. "Grow kind. And may the sun always find you, even in the north." He pressed a gentle kiss to her brow before handing her back, his eyes glistening.
She hugged her father once again planting a revering kiss on the back of his calloused hand that had just resigned from the war.
From there, Luciana moved through the heart of her memories—the courtyards of her childhood games, the terraces overlooking the cliffs, the silent libraries. Her sisters, Melody and Aria, waited by the east pavilion, their blonde hair braided with gold, their composure fragile.
"You'll write every week," Melody stated, more a command than a request, as she embraced Luciana.
"At least," Aria chimed in, her own embrace tighter. "And you must tell us everything. The fashion, the food, the architecture… and the state of his library." A small, tearful smile played on her lips.
Luciana laughed, the sound bright but bittersweet. "I will send scrolls until you beg me to stop. And I expect the same in return. I must know who is courting whom, and which minister Father has reduced to a stammering wreck."
Melody's smile faltered. "It will not be the same without you at the table. The council will be so… quiet."
"Then make some noise for me," Luciana said, brushing a tear from Aria's cheek. "Be the thunder when I am the distant storm."
Other relatives offered formal farewells, their words polished but their eyes uncertain. Lady Caelus, bowed stiffly. "The court's prayers travel with you, Your Highness. May your presence there… temper the shadows."
Luciana inclined her head. "I go not to temper, dear aunt, but to weave. The shadows have their own beauty, when met with light."
Her final stop was among the servants. Augusta, who had been her wet maid since she was born, pressed a small, warm sunstone into her palm, closing her fingers over it. "For the dark days," she whispered, her voice cracking. "To remind you of our sun."
"I will carry it always," Luciana promised, touching the woman's shoulder. Another, Marta, who had scolded her for her little mischief when she was five and mended her torn dresses, simply clutched her hand.
"You have their hearts, those little ones. Now you take ours with you, too. Be safe, my princess."
"I have the best of you all with me," Luciana said, her voice firm with emotion. "Your kindness, your strength. It is my armor."
There stood behind her aunt was Leila with Apollonia in her arms.
Luciana went to her and hugged her much to Leila's surprise.
"I will never forget the help I recieved from you lady Leila." Luciana whispered.
"You're forever my benefactor and the godmother of my children. Thank you...for always being there for me iny hardest moments."
Leila buried her face tearfully.
"It was all but a coincidence your majesty....our fates simply happened to cross paths." She whispered humbled by Luciana's gratitude.
"It was no coincidence. It was fate that brought us here. Together." Luciana slowly let go of her.
"I hope you love a life free of pain now." Leila wished her sincerely.
"Lady Leila...if it is not a burden to you.maybe...we could start as ordinary ladies who share common talk with each other. Since I was never given a priviledge of hanging out with ladies of my age or those close to me except for my sisters."
Leila couldn't believe it. The princess of Amanêcer and the only empress of Krovzaryan asking her for a status of friendship. Something she too was never granted all her life.
Much to Luciana's surprise there was a brighter genuine smile on Leila's face.
"I would be honored to recieve this privilege,your majesty."
Only then did she return to the courtyard. The portal arch hummed with violet energy. Erebus waited astride his nightmare at the threshold, a still, dark pillar of patience. He did not speak, only watched her, his gaze an anchor.
Luciana's gaze swept the scene one last time—her father on the steps, a golden statue of resolve; her sisters with linked arms; her people, a sea of solemn, loving faces. And finally the first ever friend she made in Amanêcer.
She helped Nemesis and Hades into the reinforced carriage, then settled with Ra'el in her arms. "Ready for a new adventure?" she asked them softly.
"Will Leo be there?" Nemesis asked, peering out the window.
"He is already home, waiting for you," Erebus's voice came, deep and sure, from where he now stood by the carriage door. He met Luciana's eyes. "Whenever you are."
She took a final breath of Amanécer's jasmine-scented air. "Yes." she replied softly.
The world dissolved into swirling light.
When it solidified, they were on the stone platform at the heart of Stygian. Luciana's breath caught.
Gone were the bleak ruins. Before them stretched an obsidian metropolis, vibrant and powerful. Streets thrummed with orderly life, alchemical lights glimmered, and cheers began to rise from the citizens lining the processional route.
"Mama, look! They admire Father!" Nemesis pointed, nearly tumbling from the carriage window.
"Nemesis," Luciana chided gently, pulling him back by his tunic. "No pointing. It is considered rude."
"But they are!" he insisted, his eyes wide with wonder.
Erebus, now riding alongside the carriage, leaned slightly toward the window. "They admire their Empress and their princes as well," he said, his tone leaving no room for argument. "Sit properly, Nemesis. A prince should see his people, but not from the ground after a fall."
Nemesis sank back onto the seat, chastened but beaming.
Hades, peering shyly from Luciana's other side, whispered, "mma-! loud."
"It is alive," Luciana murmured, more to herself. "This… this is Stygian?" The transformation was staggering.
As they neared the fortress—a magnificent fusion of ancient stone and reforged obsidian—the scale of Erebus's achievement truly unfolded. The carriage halted at the great gates. Before Luciana could move, the door was opened from the outside.
Erebus stood there, his hand extended. She took it, stepping down with Ra'el, Hades following like a shadow.
Blake stood to attention, his usual gruffness softened by undeniable emotion. "Empress," he said, the title sounding like a welcome.
Nemesis practically leaped out, only to be immediately bowled over by a familiar, furry mass. "Leo! Ack—he's licking me!"
The great wolf wagged his tail madly, covering the boy in happy, slobbery greetings.
Mina and Lilith descended the fortress steps. Mina, visibly older and more poised—a testament to the demon realm's quicker tempo of life—curtsied deeply, but her eyes shimmered. "Welcome home, Your Highness," she said, her voice trembling just at the edges.
Luciana released Erebus's hand and stepped forward, pulling Mina into a brief, one-armed hug around Ra'el. "Mina. Look at you. A commander of the household."
"Welcome home your imperial majesties." Lilith who was ever reserved and poised hinted her own emotions.
"Oh Lilith. It's good to see you in good shape. How is your son doing?" She asked.
"He has been in good health your majesty. It is all thanks to your immeasurable mercy and kindness you bestowed upon him. He has started up his training as a member of imperial guard. He wishes to swear his fealty to the house of Stygian."
"I look forward to hearing more from both of you." Luciana smiled.
Mina blushed fiercely. "We have prepared everything. Your chambers, the nursery, the gardens… we hoped you would like them."
Lilith, smiling broadly, added, "The library has a new wing. We've cataloged the Amanécerian scrolls sent ahead separately by the Mirçêa house, as instructed."
"You remembered," Luciana said, touched.
"How could we forget?" Lilith replied. "You said a palace without a library is just a barracks."
Erebus moved to stand beside Luciana, his presence a solid warmth at her side. "They have barely slept for a week, ensuring every detail was perfect," he said, his tone dry but his eyes fond as he looked at his devoted staff.
Callum and Alessio approached, bowing. "The empire is secure, and your family is its heart," Callum said, his sharp eyes missing nothing. "It is good to have you all within our walls." there was a hint of satisfaction and a brother and an old friend's happiness in his eyes.
"I believe the credit goes to you my Lords." Luciana praised their loyalty to her husband.
Luciana looked up at the fortress, its stained-glass windows glowing from within, depicting stories of resilience and rebirth. "You built all this," she said to Erebus, not as a question but as an awe-filled statement.
"We did," he corrected quietly, for her ears alone. "The treaties, the alliance, the children… they were the reason that brought this together. This stone is merely the house built upon it." He turned to address the assembled staff, his voice ringing out, clear and commanding. "Today, the House of Krovzaryan is whole. See to your duties with pride."
The doors swung open. A double line of servants and soldiers stood within the grand hall.
As one, they bowed, and their voices rose in a thunderous, heartfelt cry that echoed off the obsidian and stained glass:
"WELCOME HOME, YOUR IMPERIAL MAJESTIES!"
Luciana stood on the threshold, Ra'el in her arms, Hades's small hand in hers, Nemesis wrestling free of Leo to stand tall beside his father. She felt the weight of Amanécer's sunlight on her spirit and the solid promise of Stygian's stone beneath her feet.
She looked at Erebus. He offered her his arm. "Shall we?"
She took it. "Yes," she said, and her voice held lingering tremor, for the intensity of the fortress which was once run down pile of grey, burnt stone.