Seonghwa lost his footing on the slippery slope of the bloodied snow skidding down the crumbling quartz. The noise of the dragon rousing was deafening. As if an entire army of Jonghos were moving below, the walls groaned and gave in to crash and burst into each other. Spectacular pillars crumbled like paper and windows shattered to rain down onto the courtyards doused in blood. As the axis of the roof tilted and broke apart, Seonghwa was ripped away from his husbands. He saw San spread his wings and Hongjoong brusquely shaken awake to be forced to bring them out of there by a rush of magic that wasn't entirely his own.

Glad Eltanin figured out a way to have them preserve their own lives while it defended Seonghwa, the elf made sure to balance up on the roof. He lost all weapons, any way down. The towers crumbled apart to squish the foes trapped inside. Screaming orcs ran for their life when those tons of rubble rained down on them and squished armour and weapons. It was most macabre how easily those lives ended and how those heavy machines the dwarves built shattered apart.

Though triumph on his side, it left a bitter taste in Seonghwa's mouth. He wanted everyone to live. Elves and orcs. Wanted only Yongguk and his awful supporters gone where they would never hurt Seonghwa's family again.

Seonghwa scooted backwards to settle on a relatively secure piece of wall. Smaller rocks scraped by him, nicking and scratching, but he only had eyes for the rain of death upon his enemies. For the panicked turns of his husbands' heads as an unwilling wind carried them further and further away from the elf in the eye of the storm.

He belonged to Eltanin now. And the dragon would protect its treasure from being stolen.

"It's fine," Seonghwa cooed, so fond when they kept fighting back despite their hurt. "Just go."

They couldn't hear him; could merely struggle with all their might as tears pooled in the elf's eyes and his smile turned wistful.

"I will miss you, too."

It hurt. Nothing ever hurt as much as parting from them. This time, Seonghwa did it on purpose to save them and while the satisfaction was bittersweet since they got to live, the guilt weighed even heavier.

He was betraying them. Left them behind when he promised them eternity by his side.

All alone, Seonghwa watched as Yeosang's tormented eyes disappeared into the distance. He knew they wouldn't give up easily, but if they made it out of this war, he would be happy. Eltanin could own him for eternity if only the dragon would tell Seonghwa occasionally how his loves were doing. That they were still alive and found happiness with one another.

Glad they had become friends and lovers who worked hand in hand, Seonghwa exhaled against the lump in his throat. His bleeding hands settled on his knees as he looked down at himself. Around him, as if in a trance, debris rained agony upon his enemies, never touching the ethereal elf.

The spectacle was otherworldly and terrifying, and the few foes left in the castle finally turned to run when they saw its grand halls crashing down.

Seonghwa blinked against his tears, promising himself to be strong for his family. He couldn't save his father's most favoured place, his priceless books, the artefacts for the titans, but he might save some lives.

And with some luck, someone else could rule. Not Yongguk. Someone who would be good for the empire.

Better than Seonghwa.

Because even in his perfect being, the stars needed to mark his flaws.

Noting his shape under his ruined dress, Seonghwa believed to see the slightest curve, only noticeable when he strained hard on a body he saw and felt every day.

"How long have you been here, hm? Are you with me so I won't be alone? A last memory?"

Seonghwa didn't know how this would work. If Eltanin would support his childbirth and let him keep his treasure. At the very least, Seonghwa needed to provide a safe place for them. A foster family. A letter to his loves. Anything.

Touched at this gift in his darkest hour, Seonghwa caressed over his tummy. He leaned his head against his shoulder with a fond smile when he felt the twinkle right back at him. A joy to be noticed, to be treated with kindness against the ongoing woes.

"Thank you for being with me," Seonghwa whispered. "You are the greatest gift."

Yearnfully, Seonghwa looked towards the fog his husbands had disappeared in.

They didn't know. They might never know, depending on Eltanin's decisions. If the dragon's greed was strong enough, it would keep both Seonghwa and his child as its treasures. Would hog them for no one else to behold.

Seonghwa wished he could have told them. Could have told San.

"I'm sure you will be so lovely," Seonghwa hummed to his unborn child. He wanted to cry for his loss, wanted to sob in guilt and mourning for what his empire and their survival cost him, but he kept it together for his upset baby.

A life imprisoned was better than carrying his loves to their graves. His children.

Seonghwa exhaled when the rumbling momentarily stopped. His tower stood lonely against the crumbled castle. A gaping hole formed into the former ground and the crystals were splintered as a massive creature wound below. A chill resonated from it, deep and fathomless like the night, and it made even Seonghwa shudder.

"Let me get a look at you, star born," Eltanin purred in his mind. Seonghwa braced his hand against the flimsy crystal below him, dreading it would crumble, but the dragon's magic kept it upright. The beast rose, crawling from its nest like a sleepy mouse, only so big that its wings blocked out the lands below.

Eltanin was a rich black, shimmering under the pale moonlight like Seonghwa's hair. The same dots like stars decorated its scales and their shimmer was blue and purple, like a galaxy come to life. As the oldest, it was the largest and mightiest of the three dragons. The Dusk was described as white and the Dawn as golden to match the Sun Castle.

Eltanin crawled on four legs with massive claws that crushed solid crystal like crunching leaves under its weight. Its movements were agile and nimble, dashing like a much smaller lizard up a wall.

Massive wings towered on its back. They were not feathered, but leathery and powerful. The horns on their joints matched the horrific ridge down its back and long tail. A triangular split at its tip cut like a razor-sharp blade through the nearby trees as the dragon scaled the tower Seonghwa perched on.

The elf didn't dare breathe. The head that drew closer was the size of his bedroom or even larger and a black pair of horns enveloped its skull majestically to kill countless creatures with. Eltanin's breath was frosty like the Nordic mountains and once it levelled with Seonghwa, the stare of massive, split irises matched the colour of the stars.

Awed yet frozen in fear, Seonghwa stared at this being. At the rippling, healthy scales, at the rows upon rows of pointed teeth. Though beautiful like no other, a dragon's aura was so potent and oppressing Seonghwa's knees weakened even in his seated position.

The scale of the beast was unfathomable, much larger than the giants. When its wings spread, they enveloped the night sky and terror spread across the lands below at the sight of the wakening worm.

Thoroughly scrutinised, Seonghwa squirmed under those eyes. They weren't like anything else in this world and he felt as if his makers themselves had come to judge upon his abilities in the life they gifted him.

The voice of Eltanin stuck in Seonghwa's head since its roar would deafen him immediately.

"The celestial elves are gorgeous as ever. Such rare jewels," it purred, pleased with his sight.

Seonghwa tried to smile charmingly, but he looked hysterical with his wild hair, alone without his husbands.

"I look ruffled at the moment, but I promise to become prettier to match your collection."

"Once the moon comes out, your beauty will shine," Eltanin replied. The massive head swayed around and the gust of that movement whirled Seonghwa's hair into his eyes even when the dragon didn't move that fast.

"These lands have changed since I have last seen them," the dragon noted. Together, they looked out over the fires and the destruction, the fleeing enemies and the huddled forces of their allies who were unsure how to proceed with this change in plan.

"They were beautiful before the enemies fell in. They come from the West, with horns and weapons. Orcs and demons, we call them."

"I have heard of demons before. Some of their kin are old and mighty."

"Not these," Seonghwa sighed. "These are greedy for battle and for bodies unwillingly taken."

The dragon's long neck coiled back down. When its magic touched Seonghwa in his spot, it caressed playfully through his hair while below him, the last remaining wall of the Crystal Palace crumbled. Gone was the gorgeous landmark of the elves and the Crystal Empire. Gone his seat, his crown.

Seonghwa was no more but a dragon's treasure now.

"I see. I shall banish them from the lands of the elves, but your politics are none of my business."

Seonghwa demurely sunk his head. The same bleak film covered his eyes, which he had learned to wear before he got to meet his husbands. A manner of obedience, no matter what came his way.

"That is already of mighty help."

If the allies had an interest in hunting the rest of their foes, they would be strong enough to do so. But for now, Eltanin could reduce their numbers massively.

"I will stay here if you do not mind. It seems safest, and I am with child," Seonghwa muttered. Eltanin nodded its massive skull. Its body stretched and the rush of its wings was deafening when they flared.

"My magic will protect you. Tend to this curious soul inside you, star born. I cannot wait for our conversations once we are alone. I will have you know dragons can breed with elves and the spawn of such matings are considered demigods."

Speechless, Seonghwa stared up at the dragon. Eltanin said it with a fascination with wisdom like Jongho's, but the elf couldn't fathom how the dragon thought this would work.

Glad not to be pushed at least, Seonghwa nodded.

"I will attend your knowledge dutifully."

"Once I return, I will bring you to my lair and tend to your wounds. You must tell me your name soon. I haven't met one of you in a long time."

With that, Eltanin lifted into the skies. Its roar made the lands tremble and cast a snowy breath over all fires to stifle them. Elves ran in panic and courageous orcs spanned their crossbows to shoot at the massive beast.

But all spells, all arrows slid off the dragon's scales. No dwarven artefact could seal it, for the dragons were the doom of all. They were ferocious beasts, malevolent in their nature, and the only reason these three aided the elves was their assortment to the stars.

Living with Eltanin might not be pleasant, but if Seonghwa got to keep his baby, he would have a piece of his family always with him.

So the emperor sat there, stripped of his crown and his title. His chin was lifted high as the beast he had called slaughtered his enemies and dug into the bodies of mighty opponents, who looked like no more than daisies in its claws.

The screams of horror came from both sides. Warned Seonghwa, he shouldn't have done this, even just to selfishly save his loves.

But Seonghwa already lost everything. This was his final gift. Their lives were saved while he would live in the guilt of his imprisonment for many millennia.

The debris around his black dress and glowing skin shimmered in all colours of the rainbow as blood and horror filled that fateful night until the stars above glowed red.