(anwhile aboard Amanda's ship)
While Leo was being escorted to the doomsday vessel on Planet Yamuna, the captain of Amanda's ship transmitted an S.O.S signal across all active Cult frequencies, only to receive a response from Yamuna's Central Command instructing them to divert and land imdiately.
"This is Planet Yamuna's Central Command speaking.
If your vessel is in distress, you are cleared to land safely on our planet.
Yamuna is currently secure."
The ssage ca through clearly, as the captain adjusted their trajectory without hesitation, charting a direct course toward Yamuna with an estimated arrival ti of twelve hours.
(anwhile, Kaelith's POV)
After destroying Ixtal, Kaelith returned to the Eternal Garden with a quiet, triumphant smile, as exhilaration coursed through him at having taken the first decisive step toward avenging his son.
"You took away my family... so now I've taken away yours.
Let's see how you handle this setback, Leo Skyshard, because that will tell exactly what kind of man you are."
Kaelith murmured thoughtfully, as his fingers brushed against his chin in idle contemplation.
"The way I see it, you now have three possible paths."
"First, you can march to the Eternal Garden in blind rage and challenge directly, which will only result in your pointless death."
"Second, you can attempt to bide your ti and build your strength. However, without access to the materials required to craft a Demi-God Ascension potion, you will never cross that threshold and your patience will only be wasted."
"Or third, you can swallow this loss like poison and live with its bitterness for the rest of your life."
He paused briefly, as the smile on his face deepened.
"Regardless of which path you choose... in the end, it will be who stands victorious, and you who suffers."
"I never wished to start this war. A Monarch such as yourself would never have caught my attention."
"But you killed my son."
"So this is personal now."
He said, as he cast one final glance toward Raymond's grave before turning away, as calm satisfaction settled over him once more.
(A few minutes later, Leo's POV, planet Yamuna)
Not long after watching Chaosbringer's ssage, as Leo sat down inside the doomsday vessel contemplating his next move, he was interrupted by agent seven, who had so extrely urgent and important news to deliver him.
"Cult Master, there seems to be an urgent ssage for you from Central Command.
I apologise for the interruption, however, it is my understanding that you would want to pick up this call.....
Agent seven said, as Leo raised a confused eyebrow at his words.
"What is it? If it's sothing related to governance, then I'm really not in the mood today....
Leo said, as agent seven bowed lower, his fox tail wagging behind him, as he said, "Cult Master, it seems like Lord Big Green is on the other side of a live call.
He wishes to connect to you at once."
Seven inford, as Leo imdiately shot up to his feet in surprise.
"Dumpy?
He's alive?"
Leo asked in shock, as he rushed to accept the call, which connected over a transmission orb.
*Click*
Leo saw a frowning face of Dumpy on the other side of the line, as the frog did not seem amused at all to see Leo based on his expression.
"Dumpy..... you're alive!".
Leo muttered emotionally, his eyes widening in delight, as although he never explicitly said it, he was in fact extrely fond of Dumpy, who he treated no differently than his own children.
"Of course I'm alive Lord Father. There's not a beast in this universe that's strong enough to take down.
However, that's not what's important right now...."
Dumpy began, as he rotated the transmission orb to display the image
of a crying Amanda sitting beside extrely concerned children.
"This woman.... Your wife, has been crying non stop since we flew over Ixtal, not ready to believe that you're most likely okay.
I told her.
It's impossible that Lord Father can be vanquished so simply in battle.
But no.
She's been sobbing her eyes out
And I literally can't handle her sound anymore.
So please.....
I beg you Lord Father.
Make her stop.
Because if I listen to her cries for another half a minute, I might
genuinely go insane."
Dumpy said, as for a mont, Leo felt his heart skip a beat at the
sight of Amanda and the kids.
"Mom, mom, why are you crying?"
"Please don't cry mum. We'll be good kids from now on."
"We love you..."
The kids said, as they hugged and tried to console Amanda, as watching them all alive and well, Leo felt sothing inside him snap.
"Amanda... Caleb, Mairon... You're alive?"
Leo muttered, as the words left his lips barely above a whisper while his throat tightened so violently that it felt as though he had swallowed broken glass.
For a mont he simply stared at the projection, as his mind refused
to process what his eyes were clearly seeing, because only minutes ago he had buried them in his thoughts, had mourned them, had convinced himself that he was alone in the universe.
However, now that they stood before him alive, his breathing turned ragged while the crushing weight that had been pressing against his ribs suddenly gave way, replaced instead by a surge of relief so overwhelming that his knees nearly buckled beneath him.
'I... I wasn't too late?' Leo thought, as disbelief collided with relief while the image of Amanda's tear-streaked face and the boys clinging to her rewrote the reality he had accepted.
Caleb lifted his head at the sound of Leo's voice, as his eyes widened
before brightening instantly.
"Papa?"
Mairon's small hands pressed harder against Amanda's arm as he leaned toward the projection, as if trying to climb through it. Leo's vision blurred as tears welled again, however this ti they did
not burn with grief but flooded him with a fierce, protective warmth
that made his heartbeat thunder.
'I still have them...'
The thought hit him like a tidal wave, as gratitude, relief, guilt, love,
and fierce resolve surged through him all at once, threatening to
break him in a completely different way.
He did not smile.
He could not. But for the first ti since Ixtal fell, he felt sothing stronger than
despair take root inside his chest.
As he felt hope burn bright in his chest.
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