Chapter 236: The war is over.
~Third Person POV~
Ava's eyes snapped open. Silver light blazed from them as she looked at her mother's and grandmother's bodies lying in their own blood.
Something inside her broke. Not just her heart. The careful control she had been trying to maintain shattered completely.
"You killed them," Ava whispered, her voice echoing with venom. "You killed my family."
She stood up slowly, power radiating from her body. The ground shook with each of her movement.
"They were my family too. Not just your," Alasia said, but her voice trembled slightly.
"No," Ava said, her silver eyes burning brighter. "Family doesn't do this. Family doesn't murder each other for power."
The more voice spoke, the more her powers glowed through her.
"I didn't want this," Alasia said suddenly, tears streaming down her face. "I never wanted to hurt them. But you all abandoned me. It was her that took care of me."
"She's not here now," Ava said. "It's just you and me. Choose."
For a moment, Alasia looked like the little girl she once was. Lost, confused, afraid as asked the goddess again and again, why her parents abandoned her.
Then her face hardened again. "I choose power."
She launched herself at Ava with black fire surrounding her fists.
The twins collided in a explosion of ice and dark flame. The impact sent waves across the battlefield, knocking down gods and shifters alike.
They fought with desperate fury. Ice met fire, silver light battled darkness. Neither held back.
But Ava was stronger now. Her new powers, fed by grief and rage, overwhelmed Alasia's magic.
With one final burst of silver light, Ava's power pierced through Alasia's defenses.
Alasia fell to her knees, black fire dying around her.
"Sister..." she whispered, blood trickling from her mouth, Ava had destroyed Alasia internal core."I am sorry."
Ava falls on knees closed to Alasia's body. " I am sorry as well," Ava said softly.
"Thank you," Alasia whispered. "Thank you for freeing me." She closed her eyes and went still.
Above them, Seraphine screamed in rage. "NO! MY WEAPON! YOU DESTROYED MY WEAPON!"
She dove down toward Ava, her divine power blazing like a falling star.
But before she could reach Ava, Gwen appeared between them.
"Your fight is with me, weather keeper," Gwen said, silver light surrounding her body.
"SILVER WITCH!" Seraphine snarled. "Get out of my way!"
"You know, your brother was forcing himself on an innocent human girl," Gwen replied calmly. "I tried to stop him, calmly but he wouldn't listen. Something you gods have in common. He attacked me for saving her. I defended myself."
"He was a god! That mortal meant nothing!"
"Every life has value," Gwen said firmly. "Your brother forgot that. He abused his divine power and paid the price."
Seraphine's rage burned even hotter. "You had no right!"
"I had every right to protect the innocent," Gwen shot back.
Seraphine clashed into Gwen, Seraphine's lightning met Gwen's silver fire. Thunder shook the earth as the two fought. None losing to the other.
But the battle suddenly stopped when a new voice rang out across the war zone.
"ENOUGH!"
Everyone turned to see Selene herself descending from the highest portal. Her white hair flowed around her like liquid moonlight, but her face was filled with horror as she looked at the destruction below.
"What have I done?" she whispered. "What have I become?"
She saw Alasia's body. She saw Siwan and Lorraine dead on the ground. She saw the thousands of bodies scattered across Mesodomica.
"I did this," she said, her voice breaking. "I caused all of this death. All of this pain."
Seraphine flew toward her. "My goddess! Let us finish them!"
"NO!" Selene shouted, her power knocking Seraphine away. "This ends now!"
She raised her hands and spoke in a voice that commanded every god, every shifter, every warrior.
"By my divine will, I command you all to stop! Return to your realms! This war is over!"
The gods had no choice but to obey. One by one, they began retreating through the portals.
Selene descended to where Ava knelt beside her family's bodies.
"Child," Selene said softly. "I cannot undo what I have done. But I can try to fix one thing."
She knelt beside Siwan's body and placed her hands on the wound.
"This will cost me most of my power," Selene said. "But some lives are worth saving."
Divine light flowed from her hands into Siwan's body. The wound began to heal.
Siwan's eyes fluttered open. "Alasia?" she whispered.
"She's at peace now, Mother," Ava said, helping Siwan sit up.
Selene moved to Lorraine next, repeating the healing process. It took even more of her power, leaving her weak and pale.
"Why?" Ava asked. "Why are you helping us now?"
"Because I saw what my hatred did," Selene said sadly. "I became everything I despised. I let jealousy turn me into a monster."
She looked at Alasia's peaceful face. "That child deserved better. You all deserved better."
"What about Raphael?" Ava asked desperately.
Selene closed her eyes. "That will take a lot of my divine powers."
"Do it," Ava said without hesitation.
Selene smiled sadly and placed her hands over her heart. Light began to flow from her body. The light flew across the battlefield to where Raphael had fallen while flying with Caleb's body in his arms.
The light surrounded Raphael, healing all his wounds and bringing life back to his eyes.
He sat up, confused but alive.
"Ava?" he called out.
"I'm here," she called back, her voice full of joy and relief.
Selene collapsed, now looking very weak.
"It is done," she whispered. "I know you all can not forgive me so I will not ask for it."
Gwen landed beside them, having killed Seraphine.
"The weather keeper is dead," Gwen said. "She won't trouble anyone again."
As the sun began to rise over the battlefield, the surviving people of Mesodomica came out from their hiding places.
Raphael ran to Ava and pulled her into his arms.
"I thought I lost you," he whispered.
"Never," she said.
They looked around at their kingdom. There was much to rebuild, much to heal. But they were alive, they were together, and the gods would no longer hunt them.
Selene, looking weak is picked up by another god. She turned yo Ava.
"I have much to atone for," she said. "If you'll let me, I would like to help rebuild what I destroyed."
Ava looked at the woman who had caused so much pain, but she had also given her love ones a second chance.
"Everyone deserves a chance to make things right," Ava said.
And so, as the sun rose over Mesodomica, a new age began. An age of peace, forgiveness, and hope.
The gods had learned that power without compassion led only to destruction. The people had learned that even the greatest enemies could choose redemption.
And Ava had learned that sometimes, the greatest victory was not in conquering your enemies, but in choosing to forgive them.
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