Author's note: So, I saw many comments saying it wasn't clear, so here goes: 'Sacrifice to the Throne' means -- DYING! Nova and Eleni are Neo's objects of Enigma - #SomethingOnceLost and #SomethingNew, respectively. If they had been slaves, it would've been easier for Neo to lay his hands on them... but thanks to #DoranSupremacy!

Speaking of which, look whose aesthetic I begrudgingly made. ✨TADA!✨

***

I gritted my teeth against the harsh cold. The wind was growling through the night like untamed wolves. The frost festered. Earth trembled. Flames danced. The Fire Dragon was a weapon. And we were helpless, with our veins assassinated.

The Winter army's front line lay in cinders. Men and women writhing with burns. Snow turning into liquid and their gore mingling in it like a river ready to drizzle down the mountain like a red waterfall.

Soldiers fled, ran down the mountain owing to the onslaught of the fire, helpless without their magic to defend themselves. My stomach churned at the sight, while Dylan pulled me to a far edge of the plateau, away from the flames. The Fire Dragon's flames wouldn't hurt me, wouldn't burn the Fire Elementals, but they would burn everyone else. And there were no Summer soldiers to put up a defensive front. Even a novice like me understood Neo's wretched plan...

What could stand against Fire if not Fire?

And my brain snapped open, heart pounded in my chest as a vague answer came to me - But could I do it? She wasn't mine to call, she was Ralph's.

No harm in trying, Princess - the royal blood in my veins whispered. And I closed my eyes... envisioning the red golden feathers.

Come help us, Ruby!

Right then, a lightning struck the land around me, forcing me to take a step back, jolting me from the summoning sort-of trance. Dylan had his shield above us, and mine ahead, sheltering us in. The armors and the shields of Eclipses, seemed to be made of a metal sorcery that I had never come across. It resisted, or at least seemed to be resisting the attacks of all the four powers.

Enchanted dart-flutes were released on the Chief's loud command. Aimed for the slaves to render them unconscious. But their master had them armored and immune. Not a sliver of their skin exposed, having anticipated everything, every move we'd make. Knowing we'd hesitate before killing a slaved army, killing what was King Nova's rightful Spring army, being used as slaughter and bait, as literal human shields.

Even through the darkness, I watched flintstones being rubbed, their flames temporarily igniting flambeaus. If Neo could see in the darkness, so could his army. But we... we were helpless and blind. Through the momentary flashes of lightning, through the beastly light of flames, I saw Neo leisurely stretching his body on the dragon... Ralph's unnamed companion.

Would he dare... would he dare to repeat his sins... with another dragon...

And right then, I caught a glimpse which gave me both hope and dread. A flash of white light allowed me to see Una's murderous face. Short hair whipping back, as she cut through the front lines. She didn't hesitate, as she flung her long battle-axe into the Spring soldiers, an already bloodied sword in other hand. Una spun, almost pirouetted, glided and flew, slashing left and right. She made her way to where the devil sat, coordinating the war... on a dragon. Her wrath was wilder than that beast's fire.

Made for the battlefield, made for weapons-she was a weapon.

"I am going with her," I announced.

"No." Dylan said.

"The fire won't hurt you and me both. Let's go. Una trained me... and I want to be by her side." I argued.

Even if I hadn't ever wielded a sword, I knew I would... if only to have her back. If only to guard her. I would have been a warrior like everyone if I were raised in my Realm, and not be a liability, not just a commoner, not just a wretched good-for-nothing Princess.

"She trained you in Elementation... not in weaponry, if I am correct." Dylan said in a matter-of-factly way, raising himself on his toes to watch what occurred on the front lines. His itch to be on the battlefield, to fight like the soldier he was, wasn't lost on me. But he had been made to guard me... to babysit me and I suspected by whom. By his Chief.

And so, I stormed through the safety of the tents, barricaded with large wall-like metallic shields that protected the safe-tents. Dylan protested but followed me nevertheless. After what seemed to be half a mile's walk... I reached the sidelines where the pedestals were closer, from where I had a clear view of what transpired... where Neo was, where Una stood in front of him, with her two fierce Autumn Lords behind her like human shields.

High King Maris as if had emerged from nothingness was by her side. Even in his final moments with his gift, he was deprived of using the magic. Everyone was getting a taste of how the world was for Vacants - they were reading the story of my old life before Winter Realm happened.

Una was standing, armored and weaponed. A bolt of lightning landed in front of her, but she didn't faze. Neo raised one hand... and for a moment... the world returned back. Everyone froze. Maybe, he commanded his slaves with just his mind-a shiver ran down my body.

His army stopped attacking, forcing our army to halt mid-movement. Dead silence followed, as he bent over the dragon's mane, put his fist under his chin and tilted his head, looking down at Una.

"We... seem to meet with a dragon as a mandatory middleman." Neo rasped, with a smug smile.

"You seem to mandatorily stoop even lower every time." Una countered, with her snarky tongue and raw lethal fury.

"Look around, will you? How many innocents did you kill to get here? I haven't hurt even a single one of mine. I expected better from you, Una."

"This isn't a fair battle, anyways." Her patience had clearly broken, and Una threw her battle-axe at him. Neo simply waved a hand, and the weapon got retracted back clearly having hit a shield of some sort. He shrugged, as it fell with a thud in front of her.

"Get. Down. Here. And. Fight." Una growled.

"Later, I promise." A bright lightning collapsed from the skies, forcing the Autumn trio to step back. At the same time, the unnamed Dragon released his deadly fire. My heart feared for her.

But it got halted... for there was a glow of another noxious fire painting the sky crimson. And despite all the horrendous combat, I grinned wide unapologetically... for my baby Phoenix was soaring mid-air, the family creature of the Aries House, of my House, of my Realm, here because I called her, here because she was mine to call, just like any other member of my father's bloodline.

Dylan looked at me, "Did you call that birdie now?"

The grin stuck on my face, "Sure did."

Not just a wretched good-for-nothing Princess, then.

Una stood firm and safe, guarded by Ruby's fiery shield which formed over her, over everyone, while the Dragon's Fire got retracted back. If Ralph were here, he would've given me his wide dimpled-smile and bumped my fist, for in the moment I felt like I was as smart as him, using both his creatures against one another. And his absence stung me like the fire would have stung everyone.

But Neo still had his magic, so did his slaves, for they attacked again. A storm whirled on the other end of the plateau all of a sudden. Spiraling winds, crazed lighting, and deafening thunder, together, started a suction so hard, that not even any fire or shield could salvage it. Men and women, as if weighing like flies, got pulled into the grey thunderstorm that stretched from the land to the dark starless skies.

I put my hands on my ears and shut my eyes, when the screams of the soldiers, disappearing into the storm intensified, when the fire's warmth reached me along with the gruesome pleas of dying soldiers... dying the most horrific deaths. Soldiers fled yet again, and no one could blame them, I myself wanted to flee for my gut was in knots.

"Endure, Eleni," Dylan said, "It's only going to get worse."

And right then, the battle stopped yet again... Neo ruled it. His slaves, the fire stopped, the storm everyone stopped. His cruel laugh rang around. This was a mockery for him. Having everyone under his fingertips all by himself.

"Neo, this is madness. Enough with it." High King spoke, loud and authoritative. The devil only chuckled in genuine delight, as if the High King had simply tickled him.

"Where's my precious girl?" Neo spoke, into the deathly silence he had conjured.

My heart thundered, as Dylan quickly stood in front of me, hiding me even though I knew Neo could see me, feel me. He had bonded himself to me, with my blood. With my blood, which had been the missing element of the potion that slaved his army, slaved a Fire Dragon even.

Ruby flew overhead, as if sensing the danger on me. I stretched my arm and she settled herself on it. I could feel her wild heartbeats... and I shushed my baby girl to calm down, for she had done a beautiful job. Even though, I commanded her to go away and rest, she simply perched higher on my shoulder, her feathers tickling and soothing me.

"I'll tell you where she is." A loud voice boomed. There was the Chief, walking through the dead burnt bodies, eyes up on the devil. My heart fidgeted at the sight of her long strides, thickly armored, swords in both hands. She was in her element and halted beside Una.

"You are an abomination of the worst kind." She simply said, and raised her hands. And from all over the mountains' edges, arrows flew, daggers funneled, cutlasses hurtled, darts zoomed.

There was a powerful shield around Neo, for nothing touched him, but he smirked, as some of the weapons hit the dragon. And the beast did not even wince, but blood poured out from his sides-it'd hurt him later.

My heart slowed at the sight. Una raised her hand instantly, stopping the onslaught. She and the Chief shared a brief look. Vicious helplessness bounced off everyone's frustrated skins.

Attacking him, meant attacking the unnamed dragon.

"Get on your pedestal, Una. And bring that mama's darling boy, too." He gestured a hand to the pedestals beside him.

Raw anger splurged in me at his words referring to Ralph. My stare bore into Neo's face, who was scratching his chin, looking over the massacre, looking like a King of his own creation. My hand curled around a dagger, but I knew it was useless... He, of course, had magical shields, and he was faraway to aim. How easily he had managed to make everyone his pawn!

The fire broke yet again, as Neo's focused eyes shone. The dragon roared aloud, the sound puncturing the already blaring chaos, igniting the empty darkness. Before Ruby flew off to salvage, loud echoes ricocheted off the mountain's left edge, diagonally opposite from where I stood.

Footsteps thundered, as if a large number of people were approaching.

In a heartbeat, the mountain lit up.

***

Summer soldiers marched, with one overly pissed-looking Summer King in front.

Dylan let out a yelp of joy, and my knees wobbled with relief as huge as the full moon radiating somewhere on the other side of the dark shield. The absence of light no longer mattered, for the armors of the Summer soldiers radiated, glinted, shone even at night. Exact opposite of how Autumn soldiers camouflaged, Summer soldiers were known to fight with light, blinding their opponents before attacking.

I swallowed hard as Ralph commanded his soldiers to flank around everyone, guarding them against the fire of his own dragon. A large troop of the new arrivals stationed right in front of the red beast, right where Una and the others were blocking the attacks of the slaved soldiers, and some approached the safe-tents. The dead people scattered on the vast plateau, the scantiness of soldiers on our side as opposed to Neo's, was suddenly-balanced.

There was hope, after all.

Neo almost groaned, feigning amusement, but inwardly, he had to be seething. His eyes betrayed how utterly shocked he was. A step back on the chessboard of his own making. But Neo had something that no one did.

Magic. His element. His lightning.

And on cue it struck hard. It struck as hard as it could. Like blades thrown from the skies, they rained allover. All over the magicless, unprotected mountain plateau. I ducked with the Eclipses shield over my body, Dylan followed suit. Cocooned inside, he gripped my shoulder, and held me steady. "Shield always up. This is unbreakable." He said.

With a peek outside, I saw a tent, shattered to ruins. The injured soldiers, thrown off their beds, some tumbled down the steep edge. A sharp stab of terror pierced through me. What if a lightning hit Doran's tent? I wished in my hearts of heart that there might have been a slight possibility of shifting Doran down the mountain. But he was not to be exposed to the cold, and his body was to be untouched. My heart coiled in an unknottable mess.

I heard Ralph speaking aloud, "Really, Neo? Utterly pathetic, this thing you've got going. You don't even have a dragon of your own that you just borrow..." He scoffed, "No, not borrow, you steal."

"My dragon is injured, Ralph. Your half-sister saved your sorry arse remember, and hurt my poor boy?" Neo tutted. "So, I have your dragon. Seems fair to me."

How many times was he going to rub that in my face? His twin had forgiven me. What kind of sick balancing was this?

Una laughed, removing her helmet-like thing, and shook her hair. "Your brother's dragon, Neo, not yours. Don't get so delusional, more than you already are. Now release the dark shield, and let this be a fair battle for all."

Ralph and Una stood shoulder to shoulder, facing Neo, eyes cold and barely masking all their rage. The Chief and High King bracketed on their either side. Lords Nigel and Terran close to Una, and behind Ralph stood Lord Lenox - sans the other Summer Lord.

I craned my neck back to see Lord Angus and Lady Arlette standing at the far end, their voices didn't reach me, but they were clearly commanding the soldiers around them about how to station and form barricades. Lord Adrian and Celia, as Dylan told me were in Doran's tents, guarding Lord Orlon and Serena. They all had it under control.

But Neo's tranquil composure scared me. He looked around as if he had predicted this outcome. Or he just fooled everyone. I hated that he sat up on such a height on the ginormous Fire Dragon and looked down on everyone, while the rest had to look up at him. This is what he had wanted.

"Get on those pedestals. Now." Neo commanded, chest puffed out in pride. "Time for the Throne's arrival has already surpassed."

High King Maris's voice tore through the icy night. "The Throne should arrive, since you are already standing on your pedestal. One Defensor is enough for the Throne to grace us with its presence."

"One worthy Defensor, precisely," The Chief added, in mirthless humor.

Neo smiled. "It would speed up its arrival, if everyone is ready, willing and eager. I know more about the Throne, than your ignorant minds do."

"Congratulations!" Ralph said tersely, "Now get your arse off my boy."

"Get your arse on the pedestal." Neo's face was straight, his voice sharp. "And bring Eleni."

"Bloody Hell, Neo." Ralph bared his teeth. "Don't you even dare utter her name. You think I don't know what you plan to do with her."

Neo simply retrieved a long black dagger from his belt. He twisted it in his grip and to my utter horror, stabbed it in the dragon's side. It's wings trembled, but made no further movement.

"Neo, you bloody bastard. Stop!" Ralph gave out a roar of pain, as if it were him who had been hurt. I wanted to go by his side, but Dylan held onto me.

And as if I were dreaming, I saw Una taking an abrupt... surrendering step ahead, and tilted her head at Ralph, gesturing to the pedestal. "Let's go."

Even with all the distance, I saw the bitter pain on her face. She had seen Spikes die in front of her eyes. This must be killing her... but she held on like she always did. Ralph cursed at the devil yet again, but did not move. Una urged him, her face convulsed in dread and rage... but mostly in misery.

Ralph shook her by her arm, "Una, you are not complying and neither am I. I don't want the Throne to arrive, Eleni is in danger. And so is Nova."

A chill went up my spine, when Neo turned his head to the left, where I stood. "Come on, sweetheart." He smiled, "You know where you are needed. And you know what happens when you don't comply. You don't want someone else turning to ashes, now, do you?"

I recoiled, knowing I was one of Neo's sacrificial objects. If I didn't comply and willingly walk into the Throne's arms as a lamb for sacrifice, as the newest lamb of this world, my sister would die, with one command in his head.

His games weren't new to me at this point. Helplessness embraced me like an old friend, and I took a step ahead, with Ruby perched on my shoulder, like a shield.

But my brother's voice dangerously boomed, laced in flames, "You piece of rat-shit, leave Eleni alone for once. Nothing happens, when she doesn't comply. If your implication is leaning on her sister, then let me stop you right there, for she is safe and sound. Do you hear me? Safe. And. Sound."

I stopped mid-step, as if Ralph had spoken to me and me alone.

Neo's brows shot up, "How so may I ask?"

Ralph scoffed, "Magic."

My heart thudded in my chest, as it got registered in my body and soul. Safe and sound. Amelia was safe and sound somewhere away from the war. Had Ralph saved Amelia, like Una had saved Miss Joanna? I saw my mother looking at Ralph, as if she couldn't believe him, as if she wanted to...

"Ah, mind tricks. Again." Neo's faced turned a bright shade of disdain, looking Ralph up and down, as if he was seeing him for the first time. "I really don't know how and when you entered into the story. Not hungover today, then?"

Una snapped, unsheathing her sword in one slick motion, "You have no right dishing out people's business like that in the middle of a war. It's not Mind Sorcery, it is sheer cruelty, what you did with Nova and Eleni. If we start with yours... you'd be crying tears of blood. Get down here and I'll show you how to fight without words." She pointed her sword upwards in his direction, "Get down that dragon, you bastard, and I'll put all your sins on balancing scales, which you so dearly adore."

Ralph threw a momentary surprised look at Una, but then snapped at Neo, with a smile as savage as hers, "Those cowardly tricks don't work on me, just so you know. But I will do you one better. Just remember, Neo, that you are going to pay for the scar you gave that child. Lonely pitiful creature, as you are... with nothing but tranced soldiers by your side, you better stay the Hell away from my people. Nova will never say this out loud, so let me do the honors..."

He took a deadly step ahead and hissed like a hypnotic curse, his red eyes blazing brighter than any fire, "...He is ashamed to have a brother like you. Ashamed to even call you his blood. He hates his own face because you have it too. He hates himself because he still can't hate you. You are nothing but a shadow of your twin, masquerading as him, taking advantage of his reputation, of every single good deed he has done for the world. What is Neo without Nova?"

And I knew, Ralph's words had hit an extremely fragile nerve for Neo's silver eyes, shone like the silver of my daggers. Dark shadows pooled around Neo yet again. The muscles in his face twitched. He looked between the supposed enemy King and Queen, who stood united as if they had been doing this for all eternity, and not as if they had met a mere week ago.

Neo's hypnotic words came rushing to me, from the time he had been making me a slave - he just had a hunger to prove himself better than his brother. But as much as I knew the good twin, I was sure he would have never made his brother feel any less of himself. No, Neo had lost his mind all on his own and the horror was beyond anything.

In the next blink of my eye, fire from the flambeaus died down. The skies disappeared. Stars and moon, submerged into a blanket of nothingness. A rip in the air above was spreading and curtaining all the remaining light. Even the glow of the Summer soldiers' armors was dimming, and I swallowed hard. For I was as good as a blind person now. Everyone was.

Just when I thought it couldn't get any worse, that this was the epitome... Neo proved me wrong. He became the true embodiment of a devil, as if he had been holding himself back all this time. As if he had been going easy on us all, until this very moment. Ruby flew away for I nudged

A harsh, shrill and ear-numbing noise pierced my head, like a knife dragged on a glass bottle. I gave out a scream, as the screech spread its tentacles deeper in. My mind started fogging up, vision blurring. On reflex, my hands flew to my ears, and I clutched my temples sharply, breathing open-mouthed. I blinked, forcing myself to look around, to stay in control, as long as I could.

The bone-chilling noise rang and rang, resounding in my aching body, carving itself in my brain, as my nails dug in my scalp. A pain like never before shot in my head, my ears, my eyes... and I gave out another scream, until my throat went sore.

But I wasn't screaming alone. Even Dylan was. Everyone was. For a split heartbeat, I realized what was happening around the entire graveyard like plateau, and then I was submerging... surrendering.

A command rang around, loud and clear inside my head, inside everyone's heads.

"Kneel before me."

And I dropped to my knees.

Everyone did.

***
Author's note: No matter what anyone says - Una and Ralph have my heart.

If you still have doubts about anything, do drop them in the comments, it'll immensely help me during editing and clearing things up better. And thank you to all my readers, and ghost-readers, alike. Stay just a bit longer with me... Last 3 chapters left before the Epilogue now. *grins like Neo* ❤️✨