>>6140101Everyone on the roof freezes, you seeing Meloka Wolbach look to you worriedly.
“Thanks for doing your part, but take a break. I am here now.” you tell your wife, who pulls herself from you with a look of stunned astonishment.
“The hell you are, you're barely standing. Much less in any condition to fight.” your wife says protectively, clearly not wanting to lose you again. “We have to evacuate everyone, get our people to New-!”
“That won't be necessary. Just give me a moment, and I'll be ready.” you say, holding out your staff and sword to her. Which she takes, you sighing out and relaxing your body, transforming. Rejecting your mortal flesh and taking on the wholly magical form of the Archon. Then, before anyone else can react, draw your left hand up and drive it straight into your own chest!
“OH GODS NO!” your wife shouts in terror, dropping your weapons as your daughter cries out in confusion and terror. But you tune them out, reaching around inside yourself for the shard of Death, which itself didn't convert into mana with the rest of you. You find that piece of Death, it's power still radiating through you even in this form. With a tearing pull rip it free, drawing the tendrils of Death snaking through your body out with it. Immediately you drop the shard, your crystal clattering onto the ground at your feet. “Wait, what?” Is that-?”
“One of your crystals?” your daughter continues, you addressing them both in your most serious tone.
“Don't' touch it. That crystal was imbued with Death.” you tell them, your wife's face snapping up to your own immediately as she realizes what happened. “And now that it's gone, I can be fully healed. Megu, get the Blessing.”
“Of course.” your wife replies, rushing back downstairs to your room, where you keep one Divine Blessing. Courtesy of your sister, who gave each of her siblings one to keep somewhere safe for emergencies. While your wife does that you turn to your daughter, kneeling before her and placing your ephemeral hands on her shoulders.
“Everything's going to be fine now. Your Daddy's got this.” you tell her, watching in relief as your daughter's worries and fears melt away, replaced by the childlike belief that her father is invincible, that no bad person can beat him. And you hope it's true, rising and turning to face Jergal's rapidly-approaching army. If he came from the north, it means his soldiers trekked across the frozen tundra. An area inhospitable to most life, but where hardy ursine creatures as well as powerful dragons live. And as you watch, see a sight you remember from your youth, a nightmare made real.
