For all Kaim had done and all his lies, Eleia couldn't kill him. Taking a life for a life didn't make anything right. Gerta and Magus had taught her that from when she was little, when she came into a silent world where people's mouths and faces didn't make sense, when her own mother and father felt she was broken. She wouldn't wish such treatment on anybody. Killing Kaim because he threatened the Karman twins and killed Okin and all those who'd eagerly joined their infiltration into the palace at Falnash wouldn't right any wrongs. If anything, it would darken their holy souls even further.

The air thickened and the pulsing beneath Eleia's skin intensified. A quiet presence rustled around her; she could sense its presence and feel it creeping about at the edges of her mind. Castiel pressed closer to her skin.

Apollinon was here.

Eleia clutched the unsheathed dagger in her left hand, tightening her grip until her fingers turned white. She snapped her head up, eyes bright. Leviat waited with amusement, evidently enjoying her turmoil. She drew her hand back and hurled the dagger with all her might, not at Kaim — but at Leviat.

Leviat's eyes widened. He jerked his wrist. Black and gold dust fell before him and the blade disappeared into the cloud. It was a wild throw and had probably missed. A pair of stocky, scaly feet with webbed toes hit the ground. The dust contracted and dissipated. The blade fell and bounced on the floor. Blocking her defiant attack was Iramiah, Leviat's stocky daemon, standing upright with her elongated mouth opened, showing jagged teeth that closed in a scissor bite, and black, unforgiving eyes. She dropped back onto all fours on sturdy legs before she oriented herself so she faced Eleia head-on, her fat tail swishing behind. Her body bore heavy, scaled armour in a shade of greeny-brown. Although she only reached Leviat's knee, Eleia knew better than to doubt the devastating power in that compact body.

"Pity." Leviat's single utterance made Eleia's heart skip a beat. She snatched the pouch of dust at her feet and grabbed a handful. Closing her eyes, she threw them in the air. Her soul reached into another dimension through the opening, extending tendrils towards Castiel's true body. Castiel had no chance of defeating Iramiah, Eleia knew that, but she would rather die fighting for something right than betray herself.

The world slowed. Her soul continued to stretch towards Castiel, who sat curled in his usual spot in the netherworld, watching her with his slit-pupilled eyes. A scarlet shape eased out from behind him, curling around Castiel's body and watched Eleia's approach with gleaming eyes as golden as Tophalite in sunlight. Long whiskers curled from his nostrils up to over his head, twitching independently. Lush crimson hair sprouted from his jaw, running down his throat. Castiel's forked tongue darted out but he remained calm.

"You call upon Apollinon?"

Although he didn't speak with his voice, Eleia heard his rumbling words in her mind as if he directly vocalised within her skull. A long crimson tail, lined with golden hair, swished behind him.

"I need your help," she said, halting. She didn't need to speak with her hands either. Her own voice rang clear in her mind.

"During crises, I, Apollinon, rise to help House Tophalis survive the strife. I have not been called in centuries."

"Please." Eleia clenched her fists. "My friends... my countrymen... they depend on me now. My brother Fautos has gone rogue and my other brother Magus might very well be dead. I have to do something."

"Do you choose to do so, Princess Tophalis? Or are you forced to?"

"What difference does it make?" She shook her head. Why was the daemon asking peculiar questions when time was of the essence? "If you don't help me, we're all doomed — the whole of Hanna. Fautos is intent on declaring war on Karma—"

"War with Karma is the last and true will of Hanna, the Holy One." There was a hint of judgement from Apollinon as he surveyed Eleia through those gleaming golden eyes. "You will oppose the last wish of the mother of all summoning using her own right arm?"

"My loyalty lies with the people of my country, not a dead ancestor whom I've never met."

"The people — in whom you seek fear and devotion."

"No." Eleia's hands curled into fists and she stuck her chin out, eyes ablaze. "I'm asking for your strength to protect the people I love, who will support me. I can rely on the goodness of people. I shall not rule with fear and threats."

She could almost convince herself there was a curious glint in Apollinon's eyes.

"A Hannan who doesn't yield to the rule of the strong? You, who cannot hear, who cannot run, who cannot fight?" He grinned, showing jagged, glistening golden teeth.

"One who doesn't believe a person's worth or right to live should be valued on their physical strength. Fear is not the right motivation to gain people's support. I have every right to live and be my own person as the next hearing, able-bodied Hannan. I'm not worth any less."

"Your ancestors have tried similar tactics, Princess. Only one has ever succeeded in controlling my powers. Acquiring me comes at a grave price."

Eleia's breath caught in her throat. Her eyes flicked to Castiel, still wrapped in Apollinon embrace.

"What... do you mean?" Her voice shook.

Apollinon tightened his grip around her daemon.

"You want... Castiel?"

A hollowness sat over her chest. Her mouth opened and shut.

"I cannot."

"A summoner only has one daemon. If you want me, you will have to sacrifice."

Eleia's throat tightened. Her gaze fell on her glossy sand-and-grey daemon. His slit-pupilled eyes stared back, full of trust. She couldn't betray Castiel. He had been with her ever since she was able to summon and travelled everywhere with her; he was a part of her.

"Yes, many falter here. They couldn't give up a part of themselves. The pain was too much for them to bear." Apollinon emanated disappointment. "You dream big, Eleia Tophalis, but deep inside you are just as weak as all your ancestors who have tried to bring forth my powers. Your vision might be great, but you lack the inner strength."

Apollinon's sleek outline blurred. The gleaming scarlet scales dulled, dissolving away into the background.

"No, wait. Please—" Eleia reached forward, but Apollinon pulled back. "Wait! I'll give you myself!"

To her relief, Apollinon stopped. The lower part of his torso had already disappeared, leaving just his top half and two front legs supporting it.

"You surrender yourself?" He sounded amused.

"Yes. Lend me your power — just for this one battle! Allow me to defeat my brother Fautos, then you can do whatever you want with my body, my soul. Hurt me, devour me — whatever you want. But I need this. I need you."

She trembled under his intense gaze. It was as if the world surveyed her all at once.

"You choose self-ruin?"

"I would choose to give my life for the people. Being a leader of ruins is no leader at all. This is my decision, not Castiel's, not anybody else's."

Apollinon paused for several more seconds before pulling the rest of his body back into the realm. In one fluid movement, he wrapped his long body around Castiel. Eleia shouted in alarm. Castiel spun, becoming a blur of sandy brown and scarlet with Apollinon. When they slowed to a stop, Apollinon raised his head. It was Castiel's intelligent eyes staring back at her, wearing Apollinon's body.

A blast of hot air forced Eleia's eyes shut. She shielded her face with a gasp. Her plaits whipped back, flying behind her. Her long silk sleeves flapped, slapping her cheeks. A heavy presence loomed in the air, its magical presence stifling. Swallowing, she lowered her hands. A tall chamber with a roof bathed in shadows overhead. Tophalite emitted a faint green glow from all around. Leviat stood before her, a dagger in his hand, mouth opened and an intent to kill evident on his deceptively good-natured face. Iramiah, his large-jawed daemon, had twisted her body, ready to snap the unconscious Kaim clean in half.

Time sped up again.

The buffet of hot air announcing Apollinon's arrival to their world thrust Leviat and Iramiah backwards. Leviat stumbled, shielding his face and yelling in alarm. Iramiah dug her claws into the ground, leaving deep scores in her wake when the air forced her back. Kaim remained motionless on the ground. The used summoner's dust dissipated in the air. Eleia climbed to her feet, panting, cold sweat drenching her all over. Her muscles ached as if she'd ridden miles on horseback.

A shadow came from above. Apollinon, now merged with Castiel, hovered over her head, his body giving off an ethereal crimson glow.

"Apollinon!" Leviat mouthed in awe, eyes round. "Impossible."

Apollinon opened its jaw in a grin, his teeth shining and saliva dripping from his jaw. His scarlet beard rippled and his whiskers twirled around his head. Leviat moved first, throwing his knife at Eleia. Eleia caught the movement but Leviat's aim was true. The dagger glided through the air, the blade glinting in the dim light. She froze, rooted to the spot. Apollinon's tail whipped, knocking the weapon out of the air. It bounced on the floor, skidding away into the darkness. He arched his back, staring down at Iramiah.

Iramiah struck next. Waddling forward on her stumpy but powerful legs, with her impressive jaws wide open, she shot forward and clamped her jaws around Apollinon's slender legs. Stony eyes glaring straight at Apollinon, she spun along the length of her body, twisting Apollinon's leg beneath her. Apollinon was pulled forward, snarling. If it had been Castiel, he would have been crunched clean into two. Eleia kept her emotions and concentration steady, maintaining the integrity of Apollinon's presence in this world. His magical burden was huge; the world around her blurred and a dull thumping in her ears echoed around her skull. She saw the fight through her daemon's eyes. Iramiah's skin was thick, almost impenetrable, and her jaw strength immense. Apollinon kept calm despite the shooting pain radiating up his body from her relentless bite.

With one lash of Apollinon's tail, he was airborne, taking Iramiah with him. Iramiah thrashed, pulling Apollinon off-balance. Eleia's breath caught in her throat. Her eyes darted down to Leviat; relief gave her temporary reprieve from the battle before her, for he was also caught focusing on Iramiah's fight and couldn't take the chance to attack her. If he became distracted, Iramiah might very well dispel their contract and flee back to the netherworld.

The soldiers behind him advanced, their weapons drawn. As if coming to the same realisation as Eleia, Apollinon rotated in the air, throwing Iramiah up before slamming her down to the ground. She landed with a crash that radiated through the entire chamber, almost knocking Eleia to her knees. A heavy cloud of dust rose in the air. Apollinon circled from above, scouring for Iramiah. A nauseating scent of blood and sweat hung heavy all around.

A subtle movement caught Apollinon's sharp eyes. He dived forward, jaws agape. His long slender body followed through. Iramiah burst through the cloud, her own mouth wide open. Apollinon spun out of the way in the nick of time and caught her by the throat, rotating around and swept his long tail across the ground, striking nearby soldiers and launching them across the room. The shuddering impact of the landing radiated through the stone floor and forced Eleia onto all fours. Breathless, she kept her head up, aiding Apollinon and Castiel in every way she could. Apollinon took Iramiah to the skies again by her throat, disappearing into the shadows.

Through Apollinon's eyes, Eleia watched with a mixture of horror and relief as Apollinon's jaws sheared Iramiah's throat. The effect was almost immediate, before she even saw the severed body parts with her own eyes. Leviat screamed, buckling, and crashed to the ground, spasming in agony as their soul connection severed. Moments later, Iramiah's bottom half landed on him, crushing his lower part of the body. The ground splintered, throwing up rubble.

Apollinon landed on his legs delicately, tail held high in the air, blood dripping from his mouth and front hands. The room was calm, motionless. Apollinon's tail sweep had incapacitated all of Leviat's soldiers earlier on. Thank you, Eleia said in her mind. Apollinon tilted his head at her and then turned to Kaim, who sat up about twenty feet away.

"Bless the holy lands," he said, his face pale. "Apollinon! As the legends speak!"

Apollinon's mistrust was palpable. Eleia gripped his sleek leg and pulled herself up. His scales were smooth and cool to touch, his muscles rippling beneath her fingers. She leant heavily against him, her head pounding from the concentration of keeping him intact in this realm and from the prolonged lip-reading. Beneath the smoking and rapidly-dissolving Iramiah, a grey-faced Leviat gasped, each breath shallow, eyes rolling up at her.

"This is not the end," he said, muscles straining to keep his head up and pose dignified. "Our holy blood... will purge us of all... injuries... just like the voice promised..."

His words weren't clear; his mouth movements were so weak and sluggish Eleia was sure she'd misheard. She frowned, but Leviat had flopped forward, eyes staring emptily at nothing.

"Eleia!" Kaim struggled to his feet. "With this power, we can force Fautos off the throne! We can head straight to Falnash and challenge the royal guard. The future is ours!"

Kaim's eyes were bright with hope and determination. He darted forward. Apollinon raised one front finger, a curved talon gleaming, halting him. Kaim hesitated, glancing up at the daemon before facing Eleia again.

"Call him off, Eleia! We need to get to Falnash at once. With Apollinon—"

"We are not going to the capital." Eleia ensured her meaning was clear. "We are going to Bairnkine to find my brothers."

"Never mind them." Kaim waved a nonchalant hand. "The world is at your feet—"

"No." Eleia stamped her feet. The noise stopped Kaim's words. "I will not take the throne by force and I will not abandon Magus or the twins."

"The twins? Those Karmans?" Kaim said incredulously. "They're foreigners! Hardly worth your time as queen!"

"They're our allies. I'm not abandoning them."

"Everyone will die if you don't head to Falnash right now." A deadly stillness took over Kaim's face. Eleia stiffened. His eyes grew cold. "You don't want those sisters to come to any harm in Bairnkine, now, would you?"

Eleia's blood ran cold. "What... do you mean?"

"Cornello's with them right now. It would be a shame if they... slipped into the sandseas."

She stared at him in horror. "You wouldn't."

"Wouldn't I?" Kaim shrugged. "Two foreigners without permits in Hanna, traipsing around the dangerous east lands, oblivious to the dangers beneath their feet... it just takes one slip..."

"They're trustworthy, Kaim! Cazadia Delnargin whipped Eishet and she didn't say a single name even though she barely knew any of us. She never betrayed us. She upheld her end of the bargain and helped us escape!"

"So she's outlived her use." Kaim stepped forward, but Apollinon growled – a deep, resonant sound that Eleia could feel beneath her feet. Kaim hesitated, wary eyes darting up at the large daemon.

You have the power now. Use it. Apollinon's voice rumbled in Eleia's mind. Swallowing her anxiety, Eleia squared her shoulders and climbed up Apollinon's back. He lifted up his front leg to give her weak one a boost. She clamped her thighs over his sleek back, fingers curling into the coarse, thick scarlet hair running down the middle.

We head to Bairnkine, Eleia said in her mind. Apollinon lifted his head. A movement caught Eleia's attention out of the corners of her eyes. She turned. Kaim dug his fingers into Apollinon's hind scales, clambering up his thigh. With one smooth jerk of his hindquarters, Apollinon threw him off. Kaim crashed onto the rubble beside Leviat's dead body.

"Eleia, please!" Kaim begged. Eleia turned away from him, staring at the wafting scarlet hairs between her fingers.

Go.

With that, Apollinon took off into the air.

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