Holy shit.
In a blurry, fuzzy, hazy daze, I lay flat on her head once more as she takes flight from the random skyland we appropriated for our purposes. My body is aching and sluggish, covered in deep bite marks that drew blood, and bruised around the wrists, neck, hips, and legs. I'm pretty sure she drank my blood again at some point. It was all so fast and forceful that things sort of blended together, and I can hardly think straight right now in the aftermath.
That was the most intense sex I've ever had.
I love her. I fucking love her. I love her so much.
When the two of us return to our army, we find Haunt on Nyth's skull, keeping watch up above like he has done all along. Umbra comes in for a landing and shifts to humanoid form, catching me from out of the air as I do the same.
With a deep kiss, she smiles and giggles. "Is it noticeable?"
"Noticable? You'd have to be blind not to notice it!"
"You made a blind joke. That makes me happy." She giggles again and starts walking. "Good that it's obvious. I want the world to know that you're mine. What better way than to cover you in bite marks from my jaws?"
"Um. Perhaps another collar. They stole mine…"
"Yes, absolutely. When we get home." She kisses me and flickers her black tongue at the air, then approaches Haunt. "What's our progress?"
"Nearly complete." He glances our way then does a double take. "Hells, storm. Are you going to be able to fight like that?"
"I'll manage…"
"Right. Well, all that's left is the Hatcheries. Which is something I wanted to speak with you about. First, I'm surprised we've met no resistance with this as a whole. You said we wouldn't, but I'm not entirely convinced. I'm expecting retaliation any second."
"At ease, Haunt." Umbra moves me to sit on her shoulders. "As I told Crimsy, they won't be pushing for the field. There is no reason nor advantage to doing so."
"No reason? We're taking everything. All their infrastructure. All their research. All their young. And they're doing nothing to stop us."
"This place means little more to Aurora than barracks for the rabble. All of it can be reconstructed with ease, and its people are just as easily replaced, with time. The Archives are her only true loss, and Xikarius has already transported them below. As such, there is nothing of any importance for her to regain by counter attacking. Even if there were, doing so would require her to open the proverbial castle gates, which is a severe risk in and of itself. Likewise, now that we control the lower Heavens, she would be disadvantageously sending her forces into our territory. Another risk. With nothing to gain from taking those risks, there is no reason to do so."
"Hmm." Finally, he averts his eyes from above. "I'll trust your judgment. Though… It's troubling to think that she has done nothing to defend this 'rabble'. Was the great and noble Goddess of the Light truly so callous all along? Had you invaded the Heavens eons ago, would she have done the same?"
"Yes." Umbra's tail flicks with annoyance. "Fostering dracokind has only ever been a means to an end. To distract and occupy me. On occasion, some of you prove exceptionally useful, so she keeps you closer as a means to further fortify her defenses against me. Merit defines the hierarchical structure of her Church, because you have no further value to her than how effectively you can hinder me. That is all. So, yes, she has always been this callous towards your genus. No matter what her holy scriptures may claim, she never had any intention of defending you from me. Only herself."
Haunt slowly nods. "Understood…"
Atop her shoulders, I kiss Umbra's head and stream my fingers through her shining black hair. None of this can possibly be easy for her. She loved Aurora, once upon a time. I imagine there's a lot of grief involved with this entire process. I'm not sure if I should ask about how she's feeling or if it would be better to simply be here for her, without aggravating the wounds.
"In any case," she sighs, and her shoulders relax some of their tension as she tilts her head to enjoy my touch. "It's time we begin preparations for the next assault. Though there is one thing I wish to reiterate and make clear, for all of you. My Rose Queen and I will await the completion of the transfer. When it's done, assemble everyone."
"I'll see to it." Haunt gives us a slight bow.
"Thank you."
She turns away and somewhat aimlessly drifts down the length of Nyth's snout. The skies above us are busy with Wretched draconids hard at work, but down here it's quiet and calm. We're alone together, which typically means tender love and whispered affections, but this time a heavy air is weighing over us both.
I'm afraid to break the silence and mention it, so I keep scratching her head and playing with her pretty hair while hoping my nearness is of some comfort. It isn't often that Umbra is troubled, and part of me always questions whether my love is too meek or meager to reach her. She's a divine being, a Goddess, and I'm just some insignificant flying lizard who wants more than anything to be something special to her.
It's hard to believe that she loves me.
Especially when I forever feel so unlovable.
With a deep sigh, she sits down on the edge of Nyth's pointed bony snout, letting her legs hang. Then she moves me from her shoulders to her arms, softly and sadly kissing me a few times before placing me in her lap.
"My little rose," she whispers, blank eyes looking through me with a quietly wilted sorrow. "My beloved Crimson. How deeply I cherish your accompaniment. Without you here by my side… I'm not certain I would have any gentleness left in my heart."
"My beloved Umbra." I roll over to lay back on her thighs so I can see her. "It isn't me who makes you gentle. It's you."
"No. It isn't." She tilts forward a touch, enshrouding us both in her long hair. "You are the reason I spared those lives in the Cathedral. You are the reason I now feel warmth in this eternal night. You are the reason… I feel anything at all." A tear falls and lands on me. Her voice trembles. "Damn you. For making me… softer. I was alone. I was cold. I felt nothing. And I was fine with that. It carved me out of stone to do what is necessary without hesitation. But here I sit, with you, and my heart is drowning in dread for what is to come."
I stand right up, balancing with my tail, and reaching out to hold her face in both hands. "I love you, Umbsy. Whatever is to come, I will love you still. Whatever you must do, whoever you must do it to, I support you. I believe in you. And I couldn't be more proud to be here with you."
"Ahh…" She lowers her head further, into my hands. "Thank you… I… I feel far too much in this moment. Speaking with Haunt… It reminded me of just how far gone she is. My sister. And now I can't stop wondering… What did I do wrong?"
"I don't think you did anything wrong. You said she feared the possibility of threat from you. That's not your fault. It's hers."
"You misunderstand. I don't mean in regards to her betrayal. I mean all of it. She is my younger sister. I showed her the universe. I taught her to fly. I taught her everything I knew. Did I… Did I teach her to be so cold? To treat your kind with such disrespect? To develop this horrid regime based on power and control?"
I brush away her tears with my claws. "Nonsense. That wasn't you. It couldn't be."
"I don't know." Her arms close around me. "When she was young, she was so very vibrant. Effervescent. Curious. But something changed her. I don't know what. It was only ever us, back then. So… The cause can only be me. But I don't… I don't know what I did. To make her like this…"
"Shhh." I stand on my toes to kiss the top of her nose, seeing to the rush of tears that just broke free. "No, no, no, Umbsy. It wasn't you. It couldn't have been you. Because you're not like her. However callous she is now, you're the total opposite. You could've killed everyone up here, but you spared nearly a third of them. You could've destroyed everything, all of these skylands, but instead you're bringing them home for us. Dracokind. Your sister sees us as utilities. But you, Umbra… You see us as people. You care for us. All of us. So how could you have taught her to be so callous, when you yourself are so antithetically compassionate?"
"I wasn't always so, Crimsy. I learned to be this way. There was a time I might have annihilated this entire solar system without even realizing. Let alone caring."
"But that would be callousness based on apathy, no? Or would you have sought out life somewhere in the void simply to snuff it out?"
"I… No. Only if it happened by accident…"
"There's a huge difference between simply not caring if you hurt people and doing so on purpose. Apathy was the source of your callousness. Her source is spite. Think about it. All these cruelties she has committed, to you, to me, to dracokind, they're all done with intention, and their effects are directed at you. You did not teach her that, because that is not what you were doing–not to her, not to anyone. And Umbsy, you said it was only the two of you back then, so couldn't this change in Aurora have stemmed not from you, but from her?"
She doesn't respond, weeping in silence.
"Maybe she was jealous," I offer more softly, then give her a slow kiss. "Maybe she felt inadequate. Secondary. Lesser. Inferior. To you. Her older sister. Not because of anything you did or said. But because… Maybe that's just how she felt. I don't know. But just the fact that possibility exists means you cannot say with any certainty that it was you who caused this change in her. You don't know that. So please, try not to blame yourself. It may not even be your fault in the first place."
After a moment or two, Umbra pulls me to her chest for a heartfelt embrace. With my arms around her neck, I hold on just as tight, shedding a few tears myself. I hate seeing her so sad. It breaks my heart to know she's hurting. I wish I could take it all away.
"You're right," she whispers in my ear. "As you so often are. I love you, Crimsy. Truly. Deeply. Resoundingly. I am the Goddess of the Dark, yet you so often bring me out of the darkness. Just by being near. Just by being you."
"I love you, Umbsy. So much that words cannot describe it. Although… I do quite like 'resoundingly'…" Kissing her cheek, then her lips, I murmur, "You're beautiful. In every sense of the word. And yes, I know that you can be a bit evil, and yes, I do love that about you, but… Her evil isn't your evil. They're fundamentally different. So… Please."
"Yes. I hear you now." She kisses me back, but hesitates. "Righteous fury drives my conquest for vengeance. For my sake and for yours. But I do not do any of this lightly. I wish there were any other way. But there isn't. I must put her down, before she hurts and subjugates anyone else. And… Crimsy… Some part of me hates that."
"I understand why. I do. And it makes perfect sense. She's your sister. You loved her, once. Anyone in your position would find this whole fucking ordeal utterly dreadful."
"You think so?" Umbra manages a weak curl of her lips. "Anyone, hm? I suppose you're right. And I suppose that's my burden to bear."
"Not yours. Ours." I kiss her again. "I'm with you. Whatever may come. We face it together. If… If you'll have me…"
"Of course I will. You're the one I love. You're the one for me. And, in kind, I'm with you just the same. Whatever may come. Yes. We face it together."
"Good. All better?"
"All better. Thank you."
"Now come here and kiss me, you big softie."
"I've killed tens of thousands of people today."
"Yet your face and your chest are so squish–"
She takes my breath away and we both giggle.
Nevermind then. My love absolutely reaches her.
Why did I ever doubt that in the first place?
Our conviction may have slipped, but we made it through.
I can feel a new fire between us in the aftermath.
Look out, Aurora. I just reignited your downfall.
My beloved Umbra will bring this all to an end.