The Paragon Antaris - a secret World of magic #2
Chapter 24

I heard the voices of my loved ones and their cries for help still in my head, plagued by the images that were burned into my mind. When I looked up and saw Abaddon rushing towards me, I thought it was over, but then something grabbed me and pushed me out of the fog.

I was in a trance that I woke up from upon impact and looked up only to see Michael.

"Don't let him fool you. These are just mind tricks," Michael said and turned my head towards the fight.

They were still standing there, everyone fighting. No one was dead, no one was hurt. They were fighting side by side and for each other.

The realization of this pulled me back to reality and I turned to Abaddon, who was standing there laughing.

Michael lunged at Abaddon and they fought screaming. Abaddon seemed a little stronger since he had been sparing himself so far and he pushed Michael away just to run towards me. I jumped to my feet and ducked to get away from his sword. He didn't give up and swung again, and another swung, and again. We turned around each other, fighting for all or nothing, and as he swung at me again we collided together and stood there staring at each other. I looked into his eyes that were staring at me, his hate-filled eyes were wide open just like his mouth. We fell to our knees together and Michael jumped up in shock.

"You didn't escape this time!" I said to him and pushed him away from me, still holding the blade in my hand that was previously piercing his heart.

Abaddon fell to the ground and his body became ashes that crumbled like dust and disappeared before our eyes. As Abaddon crumbled, the demons he had bound to him by his blood and dark magic also crumbled and all the others who followed him turned to us, aware that their leader had been destroyed. Michael stood in front of me and I looked up at him. His eyes were full of pride and he smiled at me. "Now there's only one thing left," he said, looking at the battlefield.

I smiled back and my dark red aura shone even brighter as we both flew towards the battlefield to destroy the remaining demons together with our people. Without leadership, they were lost and now outnumbered as Abaddon and his brood were destroyed. We killed them one by one as we spread out in all directions, side by side with the angels.

After a few hours, everyone of the demons was eliminated and I was sitting with Innia on the stairs of the mansion. She held me and Nyllis tightly in her hands and cried with happiness...for the release...and the end of the fight.

Eliana knelt in front of the little girl crying and holding her hand.

"I had to stay. I had to stay here," Nyllis said quietly.

I looked at her and she looked at me with tears.

"When everyone left I hid. I wanted to help...you are my family," she said even quieter but audible for all of us.

I looked at her with love, the fear was great for her but the love for her was greater. I wasn't mad at her, I was just relieved that she was okay.

"He was my father, wasn't he?" asked the girl.

Innia's head snapped to her and she looked at us with a smile.

"I know who he is. I learned about everything he did at school. He fathered me...but he is not my father. You are my family," said little Nyllis and looked lovingly at Eliana who protected my sister from him and risked her life.

Eliana burst into more tears which made us all cry even more and we all hugged the little girl who was my sister's savior through her love.

Before they returned, the angels came to us and we bowed to them in thanks. We watched as one by one disappeared into the light and only Michael remained. Anak stood with his father and said goodbye, just as Evelyn did with hers recently. After this fight, the angels will no longer have to come and so the farewell was difficult and painful for Anak. As they broke from their embrace, Michael looked at me and I handed him the blade and the horn. When he accepted it, the mark moved from my hand to his, and I knew that the darkness would not be released. Never again.

"I have something for you," said Michael and put his hands together from which a light appeared and after it dimmed he held a large scaly egg. Mother took a deep breath and I looked at her confused.

"A dragon!" She said as father sensed her joy and hugged her. Michael nodded and handed me the egg.

"Father didn't give you an amicus because you didn't need one. But he's special like you. This egg survived many wars but never hatched. He was waiting for a leader to serve," Michel said.

When he placed the egg in my hands, the shell broke and I looked at a dark red little dragon looking at me. I felt the connection at the first touch and he certainly did too. Even though Michael was so powerful and so valuable, he bowed to me and then took me in his arms.

"Thank you," he said to me and with a smile on his face he disappeared with a last look at his son.

"Yes, of course the angels do the mess, but we can clean up," said Devas and brought us all out of our emotions and we laughed out loud.

We were happy and celebrated our lives and our loved ones. No Antarian was killed, there were many injured but the healers were already taking care of them. There were no casualties either among us or among the amicus who were safe during the fight. The little dragon climbed onto my shoulder and waved its little wings.

"Finally," I heard him say in my head.

I looked at him and he pressed his little head against my cheek.

Building Antaris wasn't that difficult, with my strength it went very quickly. After a few hours, it looked like there had never been a fight and everything was as usual. Our soldiers rested and my family and friends watched as I kept my promise and renewed Antaris. When I was finished I came to them and assumed my normal form. Innia ran into my arms and I held her tightly, happy and content. It was over. Everything was over.

The evil will still be there, hidden deep in the darkness and there will always be a fight between us. But this time we had nothing to fear. With Abaddon's death, the last ally of the darkness passed away and with the mark on Michael's hand I knew that he won't be released to create new allies. After the battle, life on Antaris became easier. The families returned from their safe hiding place and this time there were no destroyed families. We finally continued our lives without fear and obstacles for all of us.

The years passed and I sat on the beach in front of our house like always, only this time I wasn't alone. My two sons played and laughed with Vaell's daughters and he held his newborn son in his hands as he slept. Our mates walked through the sand with Nyllis, who was already a young woman. Innia turned to me and smiled as she caressed her baby bump. Awus my amicus landed next to them and flapped his huge wings to lift the sand and everyone laughed.

Innia had no amicus as she was particularly a prophetess and had no companion, but Awus loved her as much as I did. And the giant dragon cared for her like he did for me and our children. All of our friends also became parents and the children grew more and more.

Eliana and Anak had their hands full with their winged elf twins. Noran and Alya had three sons and Baldior had another daughter. Nova had a total of three children but she wanted even more with her mate. Jacob had a daughter with his mate who was also pregnant again. Deona and Aldaron outdid us all with their three daughters and three sons. Antaris grew and there were more and more of us. Even the amicuses multiplied again after a long time, and soon every resident had their own amicus. I am sure that the Father of all beings accomplished this but I did not know for sure.

Since the fight, I have never heard from Michael or from the father of all beings. But I knew that they were there and were watching over us.

My parents, on the other hand, had no need to be on guard and watch over for a long time. They enjoyed their days with their children and grandchildren. I knew that at some point I would have to follow in father's footsteps, but we still had plenty of time until then. They still had a few more centuries with us and their friends, which they used in the best possible way.

"It's all now..." Vaell said as he looked at me and I interrupted him and inserted "different."

Different but good and much better than ever before. Vaell laughed, and I looked at him proud of everything we have achieved. It's all better than we could have ever hoped for. Forever...