The Second Archon War: Comedia Glacialis 16

Comedia Glacialis 16: The Curtain Rises Upon the Next Act

It was unseasonably warm in Kyiv on October 29th, 2004. It was still only 10°C and the skies were cloudy and grey, but people went about without jackets, enjoying what was to be the last warm day for a very long time. 

That is, until the clock struck noon, and Chaos descended. 

Bohu announced herself by destroying several buildings seemingly at random. A government building in a pillar of fire, a sinkhole that swallowed an apartment complex whole, and the last was a school, consumed in a tornado that appeared out of nowhere to rip it to shreds. Hundreds died in the first moments of her arrival, and the Endbringer landed in Maidan Nezalezhnosti, smashing the statue of Berehynia to dust and lightning atop the Independence pillar to gaze at the horror-struck civilians below her. 

REJOICE, MORTALS. THE TIME OF TESTING IS AT HAND. YOUR DEATHS SHALL FURTHER THE CYCLE, AND ALLOW THE EVOLUTION OF YOUR SPECIES. I AM TOHU. AND I SHALL BE YOUR END.

The voice was the second time an Endbringer had spoken, though it was the first time this had happened publicly. The screams and panicked attempts to flee were utterly in vain. Spreading her arms, Tohu flung out nine pillars that flew out to the edges of the city, blocking the major roads and rail lines. 

From the pillars emerged smaller versions of the existing and former Endbringers, formed of shadows and blood. Leviathans that created water echos, destroying the cities pipes and drowning its citizens. Behemoths that fed upon the power lines and dug deeply, destroying houses. Little Simurghs that screamed out songs of madness, driving the citizens to war with one another. Even Khonsu’s, trapping men and women in bubbles of time and leaving behind nought but dust. 

For twenty interminable minutes, chaos and destruction reigned as Tohu watched with passive indifference to the chaos and suffering she had unleashed. A few capes attempted to fight her, the great heroes of Kyiv. A coordinated assault between half a dozen parahumans and three Vision Holders, both heroes and villains alike. 

She struck them down casually, not even moving from her perch, blasting at them with viridian beams of light, the same that Legend was famed to use, and then consuming the remainder in the fiery butterflies of Farasha. From their corpses, the shades of the Faery Queen arose to stand guard beneath her. 

Even as she laid low the defenders of Kyiv, Tohu sensed something changing. Her vision turned to the East, even as snow began to fall. The unseasonably warm day was rapidly becoming a blizzard, the flakes glowing with an unnatural light. A shark-like grin stretched Tohu’s inhuman lips, and a long tongue licked her chops. 

“Then you have taken the Bait, Icy Administrator,” Tohu purred as the sound of sleigh bells began to resound through the city. “Let us see if you are Worthy.”

Kollei had been studying hard over several rather dry history books when she set up straight. She sensed something, as if the world itself had begun to weep. It was distant and faint, at the very edge of her perception, but it was a disturbance in the Dream and the material world. 

She set down the History of the Russian State, Volume 6 grabbing the go-bag with food, her Catalyst, and an extra set of clothes and raced down the hall, even as a voice sounded in her mind. 

Come to me. We are attacked. 

Instead of making for her mother’s chambers, she raced for the stables, where she found Ivan the Sleeper, Anastasia the Dancer, and Thoma the Servant already waiting. Her mother arrived moments later, her great sword strapped to her back, her crown upon her head, and white and blue robes with sturdy leather boots on her feet instead of the usual palace slippers. 

“Where?” Kollei gasped, tossing her bag into the sleigh and scurrying to get her mother’s reindeer hooked up.

“Not them,” the Tsaritsa said, and snapped her fingers. There was a bellowing roar, and two giant polar bears charged out of a pen that Kollei typically avoided. “We ride to war. Not a party.”

“As you command,” Ivan said, going to hook the bears up to the sleigh’s harness. 

Anastasia gestured, and Thoma moved to help as well, while Kollei followed her mother into the sleigh. 

“What and where, your Majesty?” Anastasia asked, taking a seat across from Kollei and the Tsaritsa. 

“Kyiv. A demon beast. One of these Endbringers, I suspect. They are foolish indeed to dare my wrath,” the Tsaritsa said with a sneer. 

Kollei frowned, running the words her mother had spoken back through her mind. “But…you said Kyiv. T-that’s in Ukraine, not Russia.”

“It was part of Russia for most of history. Only in 1995 did it become independent with the fall of the Soviet Union,” Anastasia pointed out. “It seems it’s time for us to gather in the wayward children. Was this always your plan, your Majesty?”

The Tsaritsa’s lips firmed. “I had planned to bring them in with sweet honey. I would never unleash a demon beast upon my own people. But it seems it is time to gather the eggs into the nest to prevent future folly. For now, it is time for me to show the world who I am. Beezelbul claims the title of Endslayer. I wish to take it from her.”

As the sleigh took off, once more, Kollei found herself fixating on her mother’s words. I would never unleash a demon beast upon my own people. Did that mean her mother would be willing to send an Endbringer to attack another nation? That was…inconceivable. The sheer level of destruction and violence Endbringers caused was like that of the very worst natural disasters. To willingly do so against other humans was evil. 

She was willing to freeze the world, once. What’s to say she wouldn’t be willing to send the Behemoth to ravage her enemies? 

That still small voice in Kollei’s mind sent shivers down her spine. Her mother would never. She was reading into her words too much. They made people’s lives better. Built things. Fought monsters and villains, and brought peace. Not war. Surely not…

Despite being over 700km away, it took them less than 15 minutes to arrive over Kyiv. What Kollei felt from the city made her want to curl up into a ball and hide on the floor of the sleigh. She remembered the Day the Behemoth had come to Moscow. There had been fire and blood, smoke and destruction, screams and horrors beyond human imagining. She could remember seeing the creature in the distance, the sheer malevolent power that had radiated from it as it had wrecked the city. She hadn’t seen the bombs fall, she’d been in a shelter then, but the aftermath…the bodies…Kollei had seen all too many of those. 

This was somehow worse. The pain and terror radiating through the Dream was palpable to her now. She could actually feel it as lives were snuffed out, feel their souls being ripped from the mortal plane. 

And worse, she could feel the malevolence of the Endbringer. It was like the weight of stars that Kollei had been reading about, where the gravitational forces around massive objects distorted the fabric of space time. The metaphysical weight, the sheer evil, of this creature was actually distorting the Dream around them. It made what Lord Buer had done with the Simurgh even more impressive: to be able to drag something this potent into the Dream and then completely seal off and manipulate them was astounding. To do so for 10,000 repetitions, not once, but twice…Kollei couldn’t even fathom the power required for that.

Or, perhaps, she could. 

Normally the Tsaritsa did not register fully on the metaphysical plane. She did something, what Kollei wasn’t sure, that veiled her form and power. At this moment, however, that shroud was lifted, and the full wrath of the Cryo Archon was on display. 

DANCER. PRINCE. DAUGHTER. DESTROY THE LESSER DEMON BEASTS AND THEIR NESTS. I SHALL DEAL WITH THEIR PROGENITOR. 

The malice and Authority in those words had Kollei bowing in submission even before she realized what she was doing. However, she was no longer forced to simply obey divine will.

“What of the people, mother? W-we have to save them, now!” Kollei pleaded. 

THE BEST WAY TO SAVE THEM IS TO SLAY THOSE WHO WOULD HARM THEM, the Tsaritsa decreed. Her face had become even more inhumanly beautiful than normal, her eyes glowing with a pale blue light, and her clothes replaced by icy armor. 

Even against that divine will, Kollei didn’t back down. “I-I can draw them into the Dream! K-keep them safe, while the others fight! Please, it’s the best way to save as many as possible!” 

The cold gaze rested on Kollei for a long moment, and she gripped her Vision tightly as she met her mother’s eyes. After what felt like an eternity, her mother gave a single nod. VERY WELL. DO AS YOU MUST, DAUGHTER. BUT SEE THAT THOSE BEASTS ARE DESTROYED. I WILL BROOK NO CHALLENGES TO MY POWER IN MY OWN DOMAIN. 

Nodding, Kollei slipped into the Dream. She knew it was something an ordinary Vision holder would have struggled to accomplish, but thanks to her mother’s blessing and the brief time she’d spent observing Lesser Lord Kusinali, Kollei was able to accomplish it easily. From there, she simply stepped into the night mare that Kyiv had become, still remaining within the Dream.

She could see the dark shadows that were the demon beasts as they worked their horrible slaughter, as well as the terrified points of light that were the mortal men and women of the city. She could sense them, faintly. Not as strongly as her mother’s subjects closer to New Moscow, but strongly enough. 

Setting down, Kollei sent out roots throughout the section of the city she was in. The dream here was dark and blood stained, nightmare twistings of metal and blood growing up out of the ground to refect the terror in reality. She forced that aside, paving it over with roots and vines woven of ice, and dragging in the citizens of Kyiv where she found them. 

The first group was a family of four, a mother, a father, and two boys. The father had a fire poker and the mother a kitchen knife, while the boys had been hiding behind them. They were dragged into the dream and landed amidst snow covered leaves, and Kollei smiled at them. 

You are safe now. Rest. I am Princess Kollei Bronislavanva Snezhnaya. My mother is here as well. We’re here to save you.

“Save us, or enslave us,” the father spat, but the mother put an arm on his shoulder. 

“That doesn’t matter now. Thank you, your Highness,” she said. 

Kollei felt a pang. We are not here to subdue you, but to save you from the Endbringer. Please, I need to find as many as I can. 

“That’s what you Russians said the last time you were here,” the father growled, but again his wife squeezed his arm. 

“The other option is death at the hands of the Endbringers. I’d rather bow than see our sons die!” 

The children just clung to one another, terror filling their eyes.

But Kollei couldn’t be distracted. Those were questions for later. After she had saved as many people as she could. She sent out more vines and tendrils, grabbing the citizens of Kyiv and pulling them into the Dream, where they were safe from the horrors that stalked the city. In a city of nearly three million, it was a titanic effort. A part of Kollei feared she would never succeed in time. 

Still, she didn’t have to save everyone, only those closest to the Endbringers. She dragged as many away from their clutches as she could, even those who had been driven mad by the little Simurghs. Those she soothed with Dream or put to sleep in Ice. Others she had to heal the physical wounds of, using her powers to soothe away injuries. 

Still, as fast as she worked, she couldn’t save all the millions, and she could only watch as lives were extinguished beyond her reach. She pulled in hundreds, rescued thousands, saved tens of thousands…but there were always more. 

And so, Kollei turned to watch desperately as her mother fought the Endbringer, praying that salvation would lie there. Thus it was that Kollei watched in horror as the second Endbringer emerged, and her mother was struck down. 

In her five centuries of life, Bronya had not been one to seek out conflict directly, save for the last disastrous fight with Lumine and her allies. Even then, it had been the Traveler who confronted her, not the other way around. True, she had sought to tear down Celestia’s Tyranny, but she had been more of a mind to empower Pierro and his fellow Harbingers than to actually take to the field directly. 

Hers had been a game of politics and shadows, of maneuvering and long-laid plans that took decades if not centuries to fully mature. It wasn’t that she was incapable of utilizing pure brute force, it was simply that she viewed such action as vulgar and beneath her. She was a god, a queen. Not a common tavern brawler like Childe was. 

Since coming to this new world, she had been forced to take the field herself distressingly often. Her first outing had been an utter disaster. Even she could now admit that she had not been fully prepared to fight this new Sustainer. He was a Descender, and far stronger than she, even if she’d had Buer’s gnosis. Not that she would ever admit that, even to herself. 

The next time had been like squashing ants. Those demon-possessed fools had been about as much threat to her as a hilichurl would have been, and at least as ugly and malodorous. It had been mildly satisfying, but ultimately curlish of her to be forced to take such direct action against such pathetic opponents. 

Still, Bronya desired a chance to prove she was not some pathetic weakling or brutish thug, capable only of bullying mortals. She did not seek a worthy opponent, she was not a muscle-headed lout like Beezelbul, but now that one had presented itself, Bronya considered it an opportunity for catharsis. 

The demon beast that had invaded her domain, or at least, the land that Bronya considered to be her domain, was not overly large for one of her kind. From Bronya’s research, this was the smallest of the demon beasts, at only slightly above twice her own height. Not that it mattered. Size was of little consequence when it came to true power. 

FEAR NOT, MY BELOVED SUBJECTS. I HAVE COME TO RECLAIM WHICH IS MY OWN. YOU WILL BE SAFE WITHIN MY HANDS.

Drawing her blade, Bronya fell upon the demon beast like an avalanche. The creature sent forth a wave of shades, each containing a fragment of trapped souls. Gritting her teeth, she employed a small trick she had learned from Barbatos, all those long centuries ago. 

GO NOW TO THY REST, AND SLEEP ETERNAL. 

The soul fragments were released with a sigh, and the shades flickered. They still tried to fight, but shards of ice cut their insubstantial forms to ribbons, and they vanished. 

Then the demon beast unleashed a wave of burning light, and Bronya nearly snorted in amusement. Didn’t this creature even understand what Cryo was? Did she think mere energy and heat could stop her? Almost casually, she wove a mirror of pure ice, reflecting most of the energy right back at the creature. It howled in sudden pain, and Bronya grinned greedily. Then she was upon the creature, her great blade Commedia Dell'arte crashing into it. 

The blade was blocked, however, by what appeared to be a sword of the creature's own. However, this one was grown from the things own skin and bone, and had the same sickening color of dried blood and decaying metal. 

“Icy Administrator. Be gladdened. You shall be the first Archon we test,” hissed the demon beast. 

AND I SHALL ALSO BE THE LAST. THIS CITY SHALL ERECT A MONUMENT UPON YOUR GRAVE TO MY VICTORY. 

Ah, witty repartee. She had practiced long hours what she would say as she faced her foes, imagining herself as the star finally taking the stage. Her battle with Lumine had been less than satisfactory in that regard. And she had not quite been in the proper mindset when she had faced the Sustainer. 

The thing bared its monstrous teeth at her and laughed. “Let us see then what you are capable of.” 

A swarm of burning red butterflies flew at Bronya, each of them containing yet another soul fragment. Rage filled her, and she spun away, summoning a blizzard about herself to extinguish them and let her subjects pass on. 

YOU WOULD USE THE BLOOD OF MY OWN AGAINST ME? FOR THIS SIN, THERE CAN BE BUT ONE PRICE!

It was easy enough to Melt the creatures, then attack the demon beast again, this time under a barrage of icicles the size of statues while also raining down as many blows as she could. She had never been much of one to study the blade, not even when she had been mortal, but she had ensured that she was adequate on the battlefield. She was no Morax or Beezelbul, but neither was she a novice. 

Infuriating, each of her blows was countered, though several of her glacial spikes did find find their mark and impact the creature. Those too left less of an impression than Bronya would have preferred, and she noticed that the creature had some sort of protective barrier about her. How annoying. Well, she could wear it down easily enough. 

Just as she was summoning another wave, more butterflies spun out of the creature in a cascade of flame, followed by a blast of energy that staggered Bronya. This was exotic in nature, with crystals emanating a kind of psionic power that Bronya couldn’t fully understand. What she did understand was the deadly nature of the fields. A myriad of them assaulted her, trying to cut at her physical form, as well as block her blows. 

Still, she stopped them easily enough. Again, it was just energy, and a barrier of Cryo was more than sufficient to absorb and halt it utterly. She formed a cocoon of ice about herself, then launched forward, ramming through the barriers and slicing into the demon beast. Then she shattered it, wiping out the butterflies again.

“You are strong. Perhaps even worthy. Still, this is not enough to-”

I TIRE OF THESE GAMES. 

Bronya was growing irritated. This thing kept presenting new powers, and behaving as though it were her equal. Even superior. It was nonsense. And, the more she tarried, the more people died. She could sense Kollei, her poor, naive child, had saved thousands of the city’s residents, but it wasn’t enough. The Dancer and the Prince were slaughtering their foes and saving more, but not as quickly as Kollei, and there were always more, though they had already brought down one birthing pillar and were near to destroying another. 

Reaching out, the Tsaritsa gripped her foe with one hand, and began to encase the creature in ice. She drew away all its energy, all its lifeforce, forcing the thing to stillness, forcing it to turn towards the past. 

It struggled of course, battering at Bronya with its sword, a new power that manifested in the form of a blast of lightning, and then another that was a rolling wave of gravity. None of it stopped Bronya of course. They damaged her to be sure, but she would not be swayed from her course, and that was the destruction of this creature. 

KNOW MY SORROW. 

Broyna squeezed harder, forcing ever more Cryo into the demon beast, even as its struggles finally began to weaken. Yes. She would mount this things head upon her mantle, a reminder to all who dared to defy her. The price of defiance was-

You have done well, Icy Adminstrator. Now, let us see if you are truly worthy.

Searing hot Pyro sliced through Bronya’s defenses, slamming into her from behind. She let slip her prey, sagging to one knee and turning to find another demon beast stepping from a hole that had been ripped in reality. It had a burning blade in one hand, and a crackling one in the other. Bronya could sense the Pyro and Electro, and her eyes widened as she recognized the source. 

THE STOLEN GNOSIS. YOU! RETURN THEM TO ME! 

The Keys of Heaven are no longer yours to command. Now. Defend yourself. For the time of Testing is at hand! Ready yourself! For I am Destruction!

The second demon beast plowed into Bronya, and it was all she could do to defend herself. She could tell now that the thing did not possess the Gnosises itself, but it had been forged by them. It was an avatar of Heaven, nearly a god instead of merely a demon. Though it was smaller than its twin, it was far more powerful in Bronya’s estimation, wielding all seven Elements with Authority. 

Now, she was on the backfoot, desperately flinging every bit of ice and steel at her foe she could. She began to regret neglecting martial training, for her foe was so skillful with its twin blades that even Beezelbul must surely have struggled to face this creature. 

Buildings around them were obliterated, the earth pulverized, and the air rent asunder by explosions of Overload, Melt, and Superconduct. Bronya did everything she could to right herself, refusing to be bested by a mere demon, no matter how powerful it was. It did not have complete mastery over the Elements it wielded, and Bronya was beginning to find her footing as she danced through the battlefield, countering the twin blades with Commedia Dell'arte. 

Then the first demon beast rejoined the fray. Bronya howled as those crystal barriers sliced into her. No longer able to focus on draining the energy and stopping it, she was nearly helpless as crystal shards of psionic energy sliced at her. All while the relentless assault the second beast fell upon her. 

HARBINGERS! TO ME! Bronya screamed, fear filling her heart.

But it wasn’t her servants that answered the call. 

Eidolon flew through the portal in perfect formation, just like they had so many times before. Alexandria at the forefront, Eidolon to her right, Legend to their left, and Hero coming in hot right behind them. They arrived at an Endbringer battlefield as they had so many times before. 

“NOW!” he roared, and he and Legend both fired in tandem. He’d taken nothing but Blaster powers this time, gambling everything that their opponents would be too distracted by their current engagement to even notice them. 

It worked like a charm, however. The combined firepower they unleashed was enough to glass the whole city. Thankfully, it hit the bigger of the two Endbringers dead on, blowing its right arm, the one formed into a blade-like appendage, clean off at the elbow. 

Then Alexandria slammed into the thing, a wedge of Cryo in front of her as she crackled with Electro that Hero was feeding her with one of his newest gadgets. Whatever it was allowed him to infuse a target of his choice with Elemental Energy, and the Superconducted let Alexandria’s fists carve big chunks out of the Endbringer’s torso as she methodically worked her fists at it.

“Switching to Brute and Striker!” Eidolon called, and Legend responded with a “Roger! Providing support!” 

He didn’t just go Brute and Striker, of course. He also had a top-line combat Thinker power on hand, as he’d learned a long time ago that you needed one of those when going toe-to-toe with an Endbringer, or you got outfought and outthought. His body took on the composition of knotted cables of steel, while blades of burning hot plasma fell into his hands. 

“I’ll follow your lead! Let’s carve this thing up!” Eidolon called to the Tsaritsa. Much as it galled him, he had to admit that there was no way in hell he could have dueled not one, but two Endbringers, and ones their projections said rivaled the Alpha Behemoth in power. The Tsaritsa was an Archon, however, and that meant she had held the line on her own for far longer than the entire Protectorate likely could have with no real warning. 

SO YOU HAVE COME AGAIN, PHANTOM OF THE MASK. EVER YOU APPEAR WHEN TIMES ARE ILL OMENED.

Despite himself, a smile twitched at Eidolon’s lips, even as he followed up the Tsaritsa’s attack with her great sword with a flurry of blows at the flank of the Endbringer, who rebuffed both attacks, drawing out two new swords. One glowed with Anemo, the other with that amber light he’d seen around the Alpha Behemoth. 

Should I welcome you, Gandalf Storm Crow? If Wyatt ever found out he was mentally quoting Lord of the Rings in the middle of an Endbringer fight, Eidolon would never hear the end of it. 

“She’s mode switching! Anemo and Geo!” Eidolon shouted out. “And you don’t need a hero when times are good, Bronya. Only when things are darkest does the Hero appear.”

SO, YOU NAME YOURSELF A HERO? APPROPRIATE, I SUPPOSE. THOUGH THAT IS NOT THE ROLE I WOULD CAST YOU IN. 

A hero is one who is Worthy. You, Father, are simply interrupting our testing. You are no Being! Merely a mortal! When the time goes, I will take you as mate, and we shall become gods together! But now is not the time. Bohu! Let us depart. We have gathered enough data this day. 

Eidolon very nearly missed a parry, and his head, as the Endbringer spoke. Why did these things call him Father!? And worse, say they would take him as a mate? What madness was this!?

I agree, Tohu. We have caused enough Chaos and Destruction this day.

NO! I AM NOT FINISHED WITH YOU YET! The Tsaritsa raged. 

The two Endbringers opened a portal behind them, a swirling gate that opened up onto a golden realm of infinite chaotic light. However, even as they moved towards it, ice frosted over the portal. 

YOU SHALL NOT ESCAPE ME! The Tsaritsa raged.

“Press the attack! Don’t let them escape!” Alexandria ordered. Not that she needed to. They were all still closely engaged, with the Endbringers fighting them off every step of the way, even as they moved towards the portal they’d called forth. 

Eidolon tried to slice at his target, but she slammed her blade into his, a massive glowing barrier with insane runes running across it. The other sent out a wave of butterflies like Farasha’s, and they were forced back. They both turned, striking the Tsaritsa’s sealing barrier and shattering it, before slipping away. The portal slammed shut behind them, leaving nothing but a devastated city square. There was nothing but ice and ruin for nearly a mile in all directions, and Eidolon’s heart sank.

“Another bitter victory,” he growled, looking around at the empty city. “And nothing to show for it.”

The Tsaritsa stood there, trembling, looking at the empty air where the Endbringers had vanished, gripping her sword with white knuckles. Though that wasn’t saying much, as her flesh was so pale he could only tell the difference thanks to his Thinker abilities. 

BOLD OF YOU TO INTERFERE IN A BATTLE BETWEEN GODS AND DEMONS, MORTALS. 

Alexandria landed by the Tsaritsa, pulling off her helmet and shaking out her hair. “It’s what we do, ma’am. We signed that defense treaty. We came to honor it.”

AND SO YOU DID. The Tsaritsa swept her gaze around, a cold smile on her lips. MUCH GOOD IT DID MY SUBJECTS.

Alexandria’s eyebrow rose. “You’re claiming Ukraine? Just like that?”

DO YOU OPPOSE ME? 

The sheer menace in the tone sent a shiver down Eidolon’s spine, and his powers warned him to get ready for another fight. 

“No. If you decide it’s within your sphere of influence, the Protectorate will play ball with you. I don’t think Ukraine will give you much trouble,” Alexandria said with a shrug. “Annex away.”

SO GOOD OF YOU TO APPROVE. WELL. I SUPPOSE A REWARD FOR YOUR HELP IS MERITED. 

The Tsaritsa strode over a few yards, to a place that looked just as pulverized as any other. She reached into thin air, pulling out a frozen bit of what looked like a frozen tesseract. Dead shards?

I SAVED THESE FRAGMENTS FROM THE FALLEN SOULS THAT ATTEMPTED TO FIGHT THE DEMON BEASTS. HERE.

Crushing the ice in her hand, the Tsaritsa squeeze a moment. Then, she opened her hand, revealing four glowing gems. One red, one azure, one amber, and one purple. 

DELUSIONS. AS YOU REQUESTED. TAKE THEM AND USE THEM IN MY NAME. 

“Thank you,” Alexandria said, scooping them up before Eidolon could grab them. He almost hungered to put them on, to tap into their power. He would be worthy. “We’ll study them and see what we can glean. I hope this is the start of a fruitful partnership.”

TAKE THEM AND BE GONE. I HAVE A CITY TO REBUILD AND A PEOPLE TO CLAIM. 

“Do you need support or supplies? We have teams standing by to-”

I SAID BE GONE! The voice this time had an element of authority and command to it that had Eidolon saying “Door me” before he knew he was speaking. He shook his head, then stormed forward, furious.

“We come and save your sorry ass, and you tell us to scram? Are we partners or not? I thought you wanted to save the world! Or are you just another selfish monster?” he demanded, standing boldly before the Archon. 

The Tsaritsa eyed him up and down. Then, she lessened. He couldn’t describe it exactly. She didn’t shrink in size, but her aspect changed somehow. When she spoke, her words no longer reverberated in his soul.

“Millions of my beloved subjects have died this day. I require time to mourn. I have also been humbled. To be a god is to be proud. And it was mortals, not I, that saved this city this day. Now go. And leave me to my grief.”

Eidolon waited a moment, then nodded. He stepped forward, and then dipped his head to the Tsarisa, putting a hand to his heart. “We’re grieved by your loss. It’s something we’re all too familiar with. But we fight on. No matter the odds. Because the price of failure is too much. So pick yourself back up. Grieve, but don’t give in. Find a way to get stronger.”

The Tsaritsa regarded him for a moment, then laughed. To Eidolon’s astonishment, she leaned in, planting a kiss on David’s cheek. “A boon, Phantom. As you once requested of me. Truly, I am humbled this day. Perhaps, one day, you will remove that mask, and serve me. Then, at least, I think you will finally be as worthy as you wish.”

“Thanks. We’ll come back later for more Delusions.” With that, Eidolon turned and walked towards the door, where Alexandria was waiting, Legend and Hero already on the other side. “Let’s go. We’re finished here.”

With that, they departed, leaving behind the Tsaritsa to mourn her dead and pride. 

“It was a win,” Legend assured him. “Most of the city was spared.”

“But it wasn’t enough,” Eidolon said, making a fist. “They’re getting stronger. We have to as well. Come on. Let’s get those Delusions analyzed. We need to turn this war around. One way, or another.”

Anatoly appeared behind the Tsaritsa as the door swung closed. He fell to one knee immediately, waiting on her pleasure. 

She left him there for a long minute, standing there silently, her back to him. At last, she spoke. 

“Well?”

“The city is cleansed and pacified, Your Majesty. What defenders remain are grateful enough for our help. Supplies will be delivered as soon as possible. Ukraine will be yours by sunrise tomorrow.”

“It is not enough, my Thief. We needed those upstart American mortals. That cannot happen again.”

“They were but a means to an end. I have what you wanted. We can return to that place easily enough through the portals you ordered built. After that, stealing the corpse will be child’s play.”

“Good. Arrogant though he was, that mortal Phantom was correct. I must grow stronger. Russia must grow stronger. At any cost.”

“As you command, so it shall be.”

“Good. Begin recruiting for the Fatui in this city immediately. I shall require an army.”

“Of course. And the Americans?”

“Rob them. Then crush them. I will not be humiliated again. Now go. There is much to be done.”

“At once, your Majesty.” 

Anatoly rose, and stalked off into the shadows. He longed to find Anastasia, to pin her down and have his way with her. To steal from her the dignity she had taken from him. But not now. Now he had a mission from his Tsaritsa. She told him to rob heaven blind, and so he would. 

Besides, every thief knew that war was good for business.