They hadn't imagined the Salina of Astarne would be so long.
Two more days, and except for Æthelflæd dancing, moving her arms, feeling the breeze, trembling her knees, listening to music that only existed in her head, the others remained lethargic.
The serpent-keeper himself would have given up if not for the alchemist's powders, which restored his vigor and strength.
Æthelflæd pointed, and one by one, those lying down spotted it, like a shadow on the horizon, approaching, coming straight for them.
Fear, apprehension, an inevitable state of tension.
Until it took shape, a flying manta, entirely blue, with a unicorn on top, it was Cwenburg's husband!
REMORSE
As soon as the manta approached Godwyna, Cwenburg leaped onto it and kissed her husband.
The unicorn was like a horse, except for the horn on its forehead.
And the unicorn girl with her mouth on the equine's mouth created an image the others preferred not to dwell on.
— My love! — Cwenburg was held by the waist and spun, the unicorn rearing up, standing only on its hind legs, holding his wife with his front hooves. — I missed you so much! You're going to love them, this is Æthelflæd, the alchemist, and Ǣg-berend… — The unicorn girl preferred not to go into details yet. — The centaur. And you already know Leofwynn.
— Hi, Marquis. — Leofwynn gave a small curtsy, and the unicorn, Marquis de Edas, returned the gesture.
The unicorn's coat was black, glossy.
His long mane fell over his face, like bangs down to his chest, giving him a sensual air.
Edas was of noble lineage and magnificent appearance.
He was handsome and polite, and spoke as if counting the syllables of his words, captivating those who listened:
— I searched for you ever since your signature stopped emitting enchanted signals. What happened?
Cwenburg's ring, the wedding band at the base of her horn, was held by her.
Then, the story was shared, the imprisonment, which was why the couple's tracking magic stopped working for a long time, up to the mission to find servants for the Demon King, the festival, and the new equine companion.
— Do you know anything about him? — Despite all the important topics, Ǣg-berend saw in the Marquis the hope of learning about the Procreator.
In turn, Edas gazed seriously at the clouds surrounding the tranquil flight and decided to tell the truth:
— When the Storm Alliance uprising occurred, and the troops united against the Demon King, I searched for Cwenburg. Her ring allows me to track her, which is why I wasn't with them.
— You were looking for me? — Cwenburg's ears warmed and reddened.
— Isn't it obvious, my love? When your signal returned, I followed it, and that's how I found you here.
— And the Procreator? Was he part of this Alliance? — Ǣg-berend interrupted the unicorns' romance.
— He led the centaurs. There were no survivors. — Edas looked toward the asteroids. — The Demon King swept the battlefield with meteors. I'm very sorry, Ǣg-berend. The centaurs I know still mourn. If there is anything I can do, in my name and honor for your care of my beloved, your voice will be as an order to me.
It was as if something broke inside the centaur.
Tears streamed down her feminine face, and she folded her legs, lowering her head.
THE SIX ANCIENT DEMONS
— This boy didn't try anything with you, did he? — Edas retorted while Cwenburg hugged him, they were both on the manta, flying alongside the serpent-keeper with the others.
— Boy?
In the direction of the black unicorn's gaze was a perplexed Æthelflæd:
— What do you mean, boy? It's obvious I'm a woman!
— My apologies. So, you identify as a boy?
— No! I am a woman who identifies as a woman and really likes being a woman! I like dick! Tell him, Leofwynn!
— It's true. — Dryly.
— But… — Edas would have insisted, but Cwenburg appeared irritated.
He would have mentioned the scent of a man emanating from the alchemist, which was actually a mix of many illicit ingredients the noble was unaware of, but he gave up, even though he still suspected, his nose was not usually mistaken.
— How did you two meet? — After a few hours, Æthelflæd jumped onto the manta, as Leofwynn and Ǣg-berend were talking and ignoring her.
— It was eighty-four months ago… — Cwenburg recalled lovingly, with Æthelflæd sitting down, ready for a good story, which began as told by the unicorn girl:
— Back then, I still lived in Hornaria, in the capital Tower of the Bastille. It's a mountain with many houses and walls, a tower that reaches the sky! — Cwenburg got excited remembering home. — But it wasn't a good day. It was the attack of Weltskathi. When I was younger, I confess I didn't believe in prophecies, I thought it was all nonsense. However, he came, as prophesied three hundred years earlier. The sight of Weltskathi will never leave my memory. He emerged shrouded in mists, so tall that all the hills of the farms were the height of his nails. His body like a wolf's, and his demonic face hidden by the mists. He opened his eyes, and night arrived instantly. The other unicorn women raised their defenses, and the elite donned golden armor, mounting their serpent-keepers. Thousands leaped from the Tower of the Bastille, and water and ice magic colored the sky like crystal. I created my staff, and together with Godwyna, I didn't stay behind, well, maybe a little, because there were so many! On the courtyard of the three-hundredth floor, I ran across the pearl and amethyst floor and leaped, with Godwyna catching me in mid-air. Everyone attacked. And there was so much ice that Weltskathi couldn't move normally. His fur turned to crystals fused with the earth, miles of frozen pillars. His roars caused earthquakes, driving birds from the forests. But he wouldn't fall. And blood gushed from his wounds like waterfalls so far from the ground that the rivers didn't touch the earth, plummeting and dissipating in the air, creating crimson veils. When he broke free from the ice, shattering kilometer-long walls that struck and knocked down many of the mounted knightesses on serpent-keepers, I was hit and tumbled across the vitrified surface, watching the hundreds of meters below get closer and closer, until…
Æthelflæd's eyes sparkled, and Edas continued:
— The Firemares have no territory. They are black mares with fire in their hooves, and they can run like no other lineage. They cross the plains leaving trails of flames. And they are free. As a Marquis, I have my responsibilities, and caring for the land of my subjects is one of them. So, I accepted the presence of the Firemares, and when I asked for help, they responded with righteousness. During Weltskathi's attack, I arrived with a troop of one hundred thousand Firemares, and on one of the plummeting platforms, I grabbed the clothes of a certain unicorn girl with my teeth and tossed her onto my back. Fire from hooves, water and ice from staffs, ancient magic, this tore off Weltskathi's legs, and his body plummeted, causing an earthquake that ravaged houses throughout northern Hornaria. He was frozen and destroyed forever. But that wasn't the end. There are six Ancient Demons in the prophecies of the Tower of the Bastille…
— Four. — Leofwynn entered the conversation, yawning. — Cwenburg and I killed another one, that Ûlfsjâla.
— Then only four remain! — The Marquis rejoiced, nibbling Cwenburg, remembering more of the past. — The celebration, with the unicorns mounted, that was spectacular! Imagine when the prophecy is fulfilled!
— Mounted? In front of others? — Æthelflæd became interested.
— And why would we hide our love?
— I wouldn't call that love… — Leofwynn whispered more to herself, hearing:
— Now that I'm with you, we won't separate again… — And they would kiss again, had the noble not gently moved his hoof across Cwenburg's face, wiping what the Marquis thought was snow, but it wasn't.
It was ash.
Even before the satellite city of Seaside Deep came into view, the clouds betrayed the fire in the distance.