In the morning, he woke up clutching his bedsheet tightly. His dreams had eased, but they still wouldn’t leave him. As he walked to the barracks, Elion stopped him.

  “The captain wants to see you,” he said, pointing to the building ahead.

  He felt the bitter cold through his glove as he gripped the metal handle and pulled it down.

  Viktor opened the door to the captain’s fortress residence and looked around. The room was smaller but still resembled the previous one: a sofa covered in the hide of some unknown animal, a wooden desk with chairs in the center. The captain lounged casually on the couch and gestured for Viktor to take a seat. Viktor stood by the chair and waited.

  “Sit down, that’s an order!” the captain grinned.

  He obeyed.

  “I heard something’s bothering you,” the captain began.

  “It’s nothing, really... it’s just hard...” He ran his hand through his hair and leaned back. Then, raising his voice, he began to share what was weighing on his mind. “We train for years, but when we face opponents like the ones I met the other day, I don’t see any hope of reclaiming even a single Gate. I was ...” He searched for the right words. Finally, he continued more calmly: “I made a promise to protect my family, but I haven’t accomplished anything.”

  The captain grew serious. “You’re wrong. None of what you’ve achieved is insignificant.” After a moment, he continued, “You came here on the first day. Many people fall apart, unable to accept their fate. ‘I can’t go to Heaven? I have to fight?’ It takes years for some to come to terms with it. But you accepted your fate right away. You were put in an impossible situation. You joined the others without a word, had no training or complaints, didn’t run away or hide, and instead, you fought; you killed two demons!”

  He raised his eyebrows.

  The captain smiled. “Yes, I know about it from Elion, who heard it from Artur. There’s a lot that gets discussed in the barracks, as you’ve surely noticed.” Then he grew serious again. “After your encounter with a demon like Azazel, you carried on without any mental scars, showing up every day without a break. There are people here who’d rather slack off in the city, watching the spheres. Which, to be honest, aren’t working right now, but you stayed disciplined. You trained from morning till night and awakened your Light in just three years; that’s really great progress! You had a comfortable life, a big house, and suddenly you found yourself fighting and dying in Heaven’s army. Yet you accepted your new role without hesitation, and now you’re here after your second death. Having doubts is normal, but don’t diminish the weight of your actions. Both Elion and I are proud to watch you.”

  The captain’s words really helped Viktor, though uncertainty remained. After a moment of silence, he continued:

  “It’s not that easy. A lot of it is just gritting my teeth, believing that at the end of this road I’ll see my loved ones again, and doing everything I can to save them. But... that was just one high demon! How many more are there? Surely hundreds... And my children... I miss them so much! I don’t see any children here, either; it’s all so strange, no computers, no internet, just evenings in the barracks...”

  The captain stood up, gestured for him to be quiet, and approached. Kneeling, he placed a hand on his shoulder. Viktor straightened and dropped his feet to the floor.

  “If it hadn’t been for your curiosity and discovering that cave, we’d have had no idea there were open rifts nearby. We would have found out about Ifrit too late to come up with a plan to find him. Ifrit would surely have brought one of his masters here, and you potentially saved many angels and high angels. And yes, it’s different here; you might get used to it in years, maybe decades. But believe me, the fate that awaits in Hell is incomparably worse,” the captain said, encouraging him. Then he smiled and added with a grin:

  “And I trust I don’t need to explain why there aren’t any children here. It would be odd to see tiny kids running around with shields and swords,” he laughed.

  The thought amused Viktor, but his curiosity wasn’t extinguished.

  “Of course,” Viktor said. “But that raises another question. Doesn't that mean children have less chance of being saved if they die young? I mean, those who were really bad...”

  The captain returned to his seat and sat across from Viktor. “I’ll just tell you what I’ve figured out for myself... There’s no age limit, but children are innocent, and up to a certain age Hell simply can’t claim them; even the worst ones have an easier path to forgiveness.” He paused for a moment, then continued:

  “Sometimes, a young soul does end up here, but they’re already able to wield a sword and shield. The body is reborn here, so even the younger ones can grow up, but only in this place. I don’t want to get into it too much, but if you take anything away from today’s conversation, let it be this: don’t despair! Your actions and your will are extraordinary, and that’s something to be proud of, not something to give up on.”

  He felt encouraged, though he still needed time. In the end he knew this conversation had truly helped him. The captain was right. He had to keep going, just as he’d promised himself three years ago in the shower; he mustn’t give in to despair, he had to get stronger, no matter how long it took. He would never stop fighting!

  I don’t know if I’ll ever see you again. But I’ll keep going for you, for all of you.

  He made his way to the barracks.

  His friends were already waiting for him there. Artur teased him. “So, did the captain give you a proper lecture?”

  Viktor just shrugged and grinned.

  Werner smirked, polishing his bald head, dark stubble dots catching the light under his hand. “Well, are we going to train, or are we just going to sit here like princesses until morning?” His brown eyes watched them with impatient amusement.

  Everyone stood up and headed outside. The training grounds were set up just in front of the barracks, which suited everyone just fine.

  After dinner and a bit of fun, everyone rose to turn in. As they were getting up, Elion caught Viktor by the arm.

  “Wait a moment,” he said, and soon only the two of them remained at the table.

  “I want to apologize for going to the captain,” he admitted honestly. “I was worried, and I’m not always good at explaining things. Even though our service might sometimes seem pointless, the opposite is true!” he said passionately. “There are half a million of us, and we have to close the hellish rifts scattered all around. Yes, the high angels are powerful, but they are lost without us. The areas beyond the Gates are vast, full of ambushes and hidden rifts. We're the ones who can afford to take those risks, cover that ground.”

  A new respect shone in Viktor’s eyes. “Whatever I’ve done in my life, whatever I still do, I couldn’t ask for a better lieutenant,” he said.

  Elion smiled and thanked him.

  “Weeell... we’ll see what it looks like in a year!”

  “Why?” Viktor asked, puzzled.

  “Don’t you remember Lindi? She awakened her halo. After she’s reborn Lorian and I will finally get a break,” Elion explained.

  Viktor still looked a bit confused. Elion laughed,

  “We’ve got sixty of you! This way, we’ll split command after forty, and it’ll be much easier.”

  They lingered over talk a little longer, then turned in; the hall fell silent as they made for their dorms.

  Twenty-three years had passed, and they were still guarding this frozen wasteland. Viktor now knew the land intimately; between training sessions, he genuinely looked forward to the moments when they could leave the fortress and breathe in the icy air. In Captain Radion’s unit, he had formed close bonds, greeting his fellow warriors during training, often sitting with them, and engaging in long conversations about all sorts of things. But it was his own squad he knew best. With them, he shared genuine camaraderie, understood their histories, and together they had experienced both triumphs and a few missteps.

  He had become a master at both Hnefatafl and chess, sometimes even managing to beat Elion. In his free time, he enjoyed tackling puzzles and brainteasers to keep his mind sharp. Over time, Viktor made peace with even his darkest memories and learned to let them go. He had his dreams under control and was mostly reconciled with his own sins. Now, Viktor could maintain his Light for hours; training had become not just a duty, but a joy. He had grown fond of this world, especially because of the people around him.

  Although he had died here four times already, Viktor had spent nearly a third of a normal human lifetime in this place and experienced more than he ever expected. So far, all the rifts between worlds had been sealed; not a single demon had made it through. Each death only strengthened his resolve. He was starting to get used to this life, maybe a bit too much, which sometimes unsettled him. Viktor was confident as a guardian and as a person, but he was still troubled by the desire to help his loved ones, and he firmly believed he would see them again someday.

  Everything changed one afternoon.

  Radion burst into the barracks and called both lieutenants over. After a brief meeting, they nodded in agreement and went to their squads.

  “Everyone, prepare to move out!” Radion ordered. “We have reports of large rifts three days’ march from here. Get ready for a major battle! Over one hundred thousand guardians are expected on the battlefield! Three archangels, Uriel, Jeremiel, and Ariel, will also be joining the fight! We don’t know how many have made it through, or how powerful they are, but we can’t wait! We leave in ten minutes!”

  They marched all day, with only short breaks, until nightfall. “We’ll make camp here,” came the call from the distance.

  The cold wind kept sweeping the tents as the clouds moved above the sky.

  Fires were built and makeshift tents of Light were raised. The group settled around the flames, sharing conversation as the night deepened.

  “We’ll see the archangels in battle again!” Carlos said excitedly.

  “Yeah, we’ll be watching flashes on the horizon again,” Werner laughed, his light?brown eyes shining as he rubbed his head, and Artur laughed with him.

  How does that bald head not freeze in this cold?

  “Let’s just hope they’re not too close!” Altan added.

  “I wonder how brave our sergeant will be,” Yassin teased, throwing her arm around Viktor’s shoulders and laughing right in his ear.

  “We already saw that when you fell into those ice tunnels with a dozen demons! The lieutenant and the others spent half an hour rescuing you before they cleared the place out!” Yoshiro pointed out.

  Yassin stuck out her tongue at him, shrugged, and said, “Yeah, true, but we’ll see what happens this time!”

  They had been on many missions together, but a battle like this was new to most. Elion walked among the squads and sat down with them for a moment.

  “I’m counting on you, Viktor. As always, mirror my orders and pass them along. Stick together, no matter what happens! If a higher demon appears, focus as much strength as you can into your shields and block! Use ranged attacks whenever possible,” Elion emphasized. “Our job is to make sure no demon gets past the battle line! Any that do will feed on the surroundings, desecrate them, and try to create new links to Hell; we cannot allow that! Go get some rest; we march again in the morning.”

  Viktor stared into the flames for a while, mentally preparing for what was to come. He’d been in battle before, but it had always been smaller skirmishes; what awaited them now was on a whole different scale. It was his second time as a sergeant, so it wasn’t entirely new, but the thought of leading in this fight made him nervous. He thought back to his first day at the White Fortress, and to Azazel.

  Will I see demons as powerful this time? Am I going to be out of commission for a whole two months again?

  His head fell back against the log behind him.

  He finally decided it was best to conserve strength as possible for the fight, and gradually drifted off to sleep.

  The next day, they marched once more from sunrise to nightfall. Viktor kept close to the lieutenant and used the moment to talk about what interested him.

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  “Why don’t we have any horses?” he asked.

  “We could have them, but they’re not really practical for us,” Elion began to explain. “We can travel long distances using doors... With our mortality rate, we’d constantly have to replace and train new horses, since they’re only reflections and can’t be reborn like we can. In the world of the living, they were indispensable in battle because of their mass. But here, that doesn’t matter: they wouldn’t have enough Light in them. As you know, strength here isn’t measured by muscle. And when you need to move fast, everyone from the rank of lieutenant up learns the Light Step. It’s a technique that lets you run faster than a horse,” he added with a smile...“Well, at least we wouldn’t have to walk so much and could ride in comfort,” Viktor protested.

  “Your body was perfectly reborn, you have no flaws, and you’re at the peak of your strength after years of training! Thanks to the Light, you can cover great distances with little effort. Maybe we’d save a bit of time traveling, but the time and energy spent on training, keeping, and feeding horses just wouldn’t be worth it. Plus, they’re only found beyond certain gates, so there aren’t many around.”

  He waved it off with a laugh. “Just making conversation,” he said.

  Elion smiled again. “It’s good to lighten the mood before a battle.”

  And so the conversation continued late into the night. When the group gathered around the fire again, the tension was palpable.

  “How bad do you think it’ll be?” Hans asked.

  “Three archangels? It’s going to be really bad,” Vincent replied.

  Artur cut in with a smirk, “Who let such an optimist in here?”

  Altan chimed in mockingly, “Yeah, someone change his diaper!”

  But Mona smiled and added, “But seriously, I’m sure he has his reasons for being so pessimistic.”

  “Believe me, I’m with Vincent on this one,” Yassin chimed in, coming to his defense.

  “I heard when I was passing the captains that there are at least four major rifts! I think there will be lords there too!” Altan whispered.

  Viktor kept quiet; he already suspected this would involve something even more powerful than Ifrit himself. When they got reassigned to the city, he’d have to find time to get back to the Library! He told himself this silently, but couldn’t help asking out loud, “So how does a battle like this actually play out?”

  To Viktor’s surprise, Mona answered. She was small, with medium?length loose brown hair and a warm, darker complexion that hinted at old Italy. He realized then that after Elion, she’d been here the longest. Over seven hundred years.

  “In the last battle of this scale that I was part of, a long time ago, we served as holding points. The archangels fight at the deepest front, along with their royal guard. From a distance, it’s a strange sight: just explosion after explosion of Light. Behind them are the high angels, who thin out whatever gets past the archangels, focusing on the stronger demons, and we catch whatever’s left, making sure nothing breaks through the battle line. The archangels must kill them by the thousands! But there are so many demons that tens of thousands still make it to our lines. The archangels have to fight far from us so they can use their full power without worrying about hurting their own troops.

  It’s a strange feeling to watch. You feel small, but at the same time...” she searched for the right words, “... you feel proud, joyful, and fulfilled to witness something like that. To see such majestic, powerful beings cutting those beasts to pieces in battle. Even the ones an entire squad couldn’t handle, they crush as if they were just ants. It gives you hope that we have a chance to win!”

  The cold colored her cheeks as she looked into the distance with clear brown eyes.

  At that moment, the lieutenant joined them.

  “Aaaah, my favorites, Squad Two! So, what are you all chatting about?” He grinned.

  “Mona was reflecting on the archangels,” Artur teased, pointing at her with his cup of hot tea.

  “And she’s absolutely right! Don’t worry, you’ll understand when you see them in battle! Some of you probably haven’t had that chance yet. It’s interesting how long we’ve all been here, and how different our experiences are. Most of us have only dealt with the usual skirmishes while closing rifts, but a real battle... oof, I get chills; that’s why we’re here!” Elion said, his eyes lighting up... “Listen, I didn’t just come over for nothing: I want to share some information. I don’t know what you were talking about, but tomorrow we’ll be spread out over a large part of the battlefield. We’ll have to deploy quietly; the enemy doesn’t know we’re there yet. When the archangels begin their attack, chaos will break out. Legions will be running in our direction; nothing must get past us! I’ll be fighting in formation with you, as always, in the squad. Follow your sergeants’ orders. If anything breaks through,” he looked at Viktor, “you’ll need to send someone from the formation to track and destroy it! Many angels are assigned to this task as well. And as always, keep firing your bows until the enemy is very close! Have faith. Tomorrow will surely be our day!”

  He spoke with the kind of enthusiasm Viktor had last seen in his own children at Christmas. Elion was still a Viking at heart, living for the fight.

  “Now go get some rest: tomorrow will be a tough day! To victory! For the Eternal Light!” he said, raising his glass.

  Everyone shouted in unison, “To victory! For the Eternal Light!” and headed off to sleep.

  They started marching at dawn. A tough trek through blizzards and snowy landscapes awaited them, until late in the evening they reached the top of a hill overlooking a long valley. There, the entire army was already assembled: three wings. Radion landed by Elion and Lorian, and after issuing orders, went to his high captain. Elion hurried over to the squad and relayed what he had learned.

  “The enemy is hiding in the lower forests. We’ve occupied all the surrounding hills. Once the order comes, the attack begins. Our job, as we discussed, is to form a holding point and not let any demons break through our line and escape. No one is to go down the hill into the fight under any circumstances; there will be three archangels and over one hundred high angels fighting down there! Even for over three hundred captains, this kind of battle is risky. They’ll fight along our flanks. The element of surprise is on our side. We attack at dawn!”

  They sat in a circle again, this time without a fire; it was bitterly cold. Through the thick snowfall, Yassin quietly broke the silence:

  “Oh come on, we’re not going to sit here like a bunch of scared hens, are we?”

  From beneath his thick hair, Hans asked: “Why do the demons even try to get past our lines? Why don’t they just run and scatter as soon as they cross over? Does that make sense to you?”

  Yoshiro, head bowed, replied: “I’ve wondered that too, and I found something in the Library. Apparently, higher demons and Lords of Hell bind the weaker demons to themselves.”

  “Bind them?” Carlos asked, surprised.

  “Yes, their masters reshape their minds with dark energy, if there’s any mind left at all. As you’ve seen with the askaras and barons, most are little more than mindless beasts, never truly human to begin with. Askaras are pieced together from dead bodies and undergo various mutations; whatever consciousness is implanted in them serves only one purpose: to kill, hurt, maim, and obey their masters. Independent thought is impossible for them, and their intellect is limited, much like the barons. They can manage simple tasks and communicate, but humanity was never part of their nature either.”

  “What are they, then?” Viktor asked.

  “One book claimed that the opposite of Light is darkness. Below, there are lakes as well, but the beings born there aren’t children of Light. Lucifer and the other lords learned to use darkness to create bodies, pouring malice and their worst thoughts into these forms. While serving a master, such creatures carry out assigned tasks; after the master falls, they revert to base instincts: feeding, desecrating, and seeking to open a rift from our side to find a new master or reconnect with the old one. Only a rare few demons ever were human.”

  “Why don’t they take humans? What happens to them? Is it like what’s written in the Bible in the world of the living?” Altan continued.

  “I couldn’t find more in the library sections we have access to,” Yoshiro said, shaking his head.

  Just then, Elion quietly approached them. “Go get some sleep; we attack in just a few hours!”

  Everyone obeyed and tried to warm up in their tents until they finally fell asleep.

  It was still dark when Elion’s head appeared in the tent opening. “Psst! Come on, it’s time to get ready!”

  The entire wing stood in line on the surrounding hills, from where they could advance or retreat deeper into this frozen world. Each archangel landed in front of their wing. Viktor could only recognize the other two by the faint light radiating from them, then the most beautiful being Viktor had ever seen landed before the assembled group. Her armor was made of gold, platinum, and other precious metals, adorned with diamonds. The sunrise made her look even more majestic. Dark green hair flowed from under her helmet; her eyes were silver, piercing, and cold. Snow-white wings with azure tips glowed with their own soft Light, as if reflecting the morning sky... Ariel began her battle address in a firm voice. Her words were clear and filled everyone around with courage:

  “Guardians! We stand here on the dawn of battle. The demons outnumber us three to one, but even if there were ten times as many, it wouldn’t matter!”

  Her voice was graceful and resonant, but she radiated authority; it made Viktor want to follow her.

  “Fight for all that is holy! Do not let a single one of these monsters set foot on this land! Fight for your loved ones, your friends, for the Eternal Light!”

  She raised her bow. Her words carried down to the base of the hills; there, red flames began to glow and a demonic roar rose from below. She turned and shouted:

  “Bows!”

  Two of the archangels, along with the high angels, took to the sky. Ariel immediately demonstrated her mastery of archery; her bow glowed as she fired a single arrow. Just one arrow? Is she aiming at someone specific? But in the air, the arrow split into thousands of projectiles. Swarms of arrows began to fall from the sky, each one exploding on impact and throwing the demons into chaos. Ariel fired several more such volleys. Meanwhile, her brothers reached the target area, though Viktor could barely see through the heavy snow. The whole scene reminded him of a spectacular light show: flashes everywhere and the unending roar of demons.

  Ariel put away her bow and drew a long, slender sword. With lightning speed, she shot after her brothers, followed by nearly all the high angels. They landed farther apart, scattered across the battlefield. The fight had been raging for several minutes when a group of high angels in front of them gave the order:

  “Captains, draw your bows and fire!”

  They followed the command, drew their bows, and loosed their arrows. Viktor could now start to make out the enemy; the captains really did have greater range. Then another order came, relayed by the lieutenant:

  “Squads, bows!”

  Everyone pulled arrows from their quivers, nocked them, and drew their strings. The demons kept advancing, their deafening screams filling the air.

  “Fire!”

  Everyone released their strings, and hundreds of thousands of arrows rained down on the demons. As they drew closer, strange bats flew out from the forest. At that moment, the remaining high angels and captains rose and launched a counterattack from the skies. Chaos reigned everywhere; Viktor kept firing arrow after arrow until the hellhounds got close.

  “Spears!” Elion commanded.

  “Spears!” Viktor repeated.

  “Hold the line! Stand firm! Not a single one must get through! For the Eternal Light!” orders echoed across the hills.

  He stabbed one after another. But now, stronger demons had arrived. They saw the first barons charging at them. The captains couldn’t help; they were busy fighting in the air. The giants swung at the defenders, who tried to impale them on their spears. Askaras crept in the darkness, waiting for gaps in the defense. Suddenly, a flame appeared in the snow! Viktor had met these demons before; they were helions. Mostly armed with swords and axes, with horns and hooves, hellish flames shot from their eyes and nostrils. They looked like giant bulls with human faces and bodies, burning with the fires of Hell. A sudden flash from Elion’s spear brought one down, but another wave was already charging in behind it. He knew that after this attack, Elion would be out of action for a few minutes. It was the same attack he had once fired into the sky to call for help.

  He immediately shouted, “Shields in front of the lieutenant! Protect him!” A wall of shields formed in front of Elion. Guardians flew through the air, impaling hellspawn on their spears. The captains tried to return and help whenever possible, but the lines were still holding! After a few minutes, the lieutenant regained his senses. He nodded at Viktor, pride shining in his eyes. But this was no time for sentiment; he had to fight! Focus, Viktor kept telling himself ...

  Whenever he could, he switched to his bow. He had enough Light for plenty of arrows and supported the captains against the flying beasts. He knew what they were: succubi and incubi, dark creatures with bat wings, crazed faces, sharp teeth, and claws. From the others’ stories, Viktor recognized several of the demons here, though not nearly all of them. Monstrosities beyond imagining: every last one needed to burn under the holy Light!

  As he fought, he began to weaken: the Light in his sword had been burning for a long time, and their lines were thinning. Then, among the angels, a shout went up: “Ariel killed Baal! And Astaroth is retreating, as are Abaddon and Aamon!” Total chaos erupted! The Legions of Hell stopped attacking and started fleeing as fast as they could. As they were being cut down, Viktor noticed that the line had been breached right next to them! Four askaras and two barons took the opportunity and broke through, rushing past the defenders.

  Elion shouted, “Viktor, with me!”

  Viktor ordered, “Hans, Vincent, Werner, Altan, follow us!”

  The lieutenant was too fast, using the Light he could channel into his legs, a technique Elion had told him about. With it, he chased the monsters into the nearby forest. They caught up with him in under a minute, but the situation was dire. He had killed one askara, but two barons and the remaining three askaras would be too much even for two lieutenants.

  He shouted, “Throw your spears at the nearest baron!”

  They all did. One spear hit its head; others struck its legs. The demon roared in pain and bent over; Viktor drove his glowing sword into its neck and sliced it through with a single stroke.

  “Brothers, cut off the askara on the right!” he commanded, and the squad obeyed.

  Elion found himself surrounded by two askaras and a baron. He rushed to his side, covering his back.

  “Viktor, I can handle this baron and sacrifice myself for you, but the other two askaras...”

  As they spoke he saw Vincent already being torn in two by one askara.

  “Don’t let me down. You must not lose!” With that, he fired another beam, piercing the baron’s heart. He immediately dropped to his knees.

  Viktor knew they stood no chance against three askaras. He had to buy as much time as possible until the lieutenant recovered. Quickly switching to his bow, he focused on the askara in front of him and, by sheer luck, struck it in the eye. She roared and dropped to the ground, clawing at the arrow, writhing in pain. He gripped his Lumion tightly, then swapped it for a sword and shield. His fellow guardians were running thin. Altan was next to fall. The second askara lunged at Viktor, attempting to strike him, but he managed to stab her in the arm. Despite her injury, she seized both the blade and his wrist with her wounded hand. With her other hand, she swiftly grabbed his shield and forced their arms apart, leaving Viktor’s head completely exposed and defenseless. He was overextended, his head unprotected. Still, he felt no fear; he was protecting the lieutenant as best he could.

  For the Eternal Light! echoed in his mind.

  I am the Light that does not fear the darkness!

  I am the blade that brings justice and purges the unholy!

  I am the might of the High Heavens! I am its Eternal Guardian!

  As the askara tried to bite off his head, she suddenly roared, released him, and screamed in pain. Blood spurted from her jaws, red saliva dripping down her teeth. He didn’t understand what had happened, but he didn’t hesitate; he stabbed her in the back, and as she writhed in agony, he finished her with a single stroke.

  Just then, he saw the askara whose eye he had shot charging at him. He raised his shield, but she knocked it from his hand and broke his arm. As she lunged at him, jaws wide open, he summoned his last reserves of strength and drove his sword through her skull.

  With a broken arm and what little strength remained, he searched for his group. He saw last askara had already killed Hans, and Werner was being finished off tearing his limbs one by one and preparing for feast. Though he barely had the strength to fight, he stood up, kissed his sword, and with one hand assumed a defensive stance. When she finally noticed him, she lunged. Her attack struck from the side, hurling him against a rock. The impact knocked the breath from him and he slid into the snow. He tried to reach for his sword, but he couldn’t grasp it.

  “Come on, then!” he shouted one last time.

  The askara lunged at him. He knew it was the end, but at that moment, an ax flew into her head. His lieutenant was quick: with a leap and a spin, he drove his spear through her heart. And just like that, it was over.

  Cradling his broken arm, Viktor sat up. “That took you long enough,” he teased Elion.

  “I could say the same to you,” Elion replied as he approached. He offered Viktor a hand and, with a smile, added, “On your feet! Lieutenant.”

  Viktor began to get up, still unsure what Elion meant. Then his gaze drifted above his own head, and suddenly he understood. A halo.