Illuminura relished the peace as she dwelt around the waterfall. It was not long before she decided to follow the stream upriver. This led her to a lake at the roots of a mountain. There she rested.

Hours passed and for the first time in so long, she felt content. Alone amongst the greenery, this was paradise. This was relief for a distraught celestial. She removed her armour and relaxed on the shores of the lake. She closed her eyes and simply enjoyed the cool breeze softly brushing her face.

"What exactly were you thinking when you confronted her?" A voice asked.

Frightened Illuminura pounced onto her feet, drew her sword and lashed out. Slicing through Godfrey's throat. He gagged and struggled to breathe as blood spat out from his neck. Illuminura gasped at what she had done.

He slumped to the ground and toppled over. In a panic, Illuminura leapt to catch his head. Shocked by this horror she shivered in fright. She put his head on her lap. She began to cry as he twitched his lips trying to say something.

"No! Don't die! Please Go- Please don't die proud Martian!" She cried out as she rocked about.

Her hands and her lap became red, soaked with Godfrey's blood as life slowly faded from his body. Despair, shock and awe took and endless oceans of bottled up emotion broke loose. She struggled to her feet. Her body was soaked in Godfrey's blood.

It dripped in thick drops from her clothes to the ground as she stumbled forward. She should never have come here. This planet is no promised paradise. It is hell, it is misery and she had fallen into its murky depths.

She cried her heart out. She was a failure. She was worthless. Such was her state of mind that hot salty tears dripped from her very eyes. She bit her tongue and cursed her soul. She wept in her failure.

It was all too much. This alien world and all of its insanity had finally broken her spirit. All that was left for the celestial was the shame of a weakling, failure. All light left her to the mercy of her blight and the mercy of redemption became beyond reach.

Then like a gift of liberation from the gods a light appeared in all the darkness. It shone behind her and she turned to face it. Godfrey was healing. She sped to his side as white light shone from his slit throat.

Her mouth sagged as the wound closed by itself. Revived Godfrey gasped deeply for air and as his eyes opened to look at Illuminura she embraced him warmly. He felt his unscathed throat and took Illuminura by the hand.

Sitting on her knees beside him she smiled at him as he stared back at her.

"Only human." She said.

"You finally understand." Godfrey uttered with a smile.

She trembled and blushed with a weeping face as tears of despair turned into tears of joy. Indeed the very essence of her soul rejoiced with his return. The cold murder of a comrade, no matter the circumstance, is a failure on all levels. She will not fail him again.

He reached up and gently placed his palm Illuminura's cheek. She accepted it. She relished its touch. The warmth of Godfrey's touch was a heavenly relief from cold self-loathing that plagued Illuminura's mind.

The pair rejoiced in this shared moment with great gladness. When it passed Godfrey withdrew his hand and relax in his spot. Even as he did show it his heart raced with his chest. He was lost in emotion.

He stared at the beautiful Illuminura and adored her. That was not surprising. What was surprising was the sudden change in Illuminura. He had not anticipated dying here when they spoke but was glad about the result.

His throat was still stinging from the pain of being severed. His heart and lungs laboured to revive his body. Yet for all that he remained calm as he fixated upon the woman before him. Perhaps this is the beginning of something special and that was frightening.

After some time, Illuminura grew cross and confused as she stared at him.

"How are you out here without any protection?"

"It seems that Minerva did more than heal me. I seem to have changed... here, look."

He raised his hand out in front of her. Then it changed. The fingers retracted into a messy ball of flesh. Then parts turned green as it elongated and narrowed. Then the end split and green scales took hold.

Soon it looked like a large lizard's hand with two fingers and thumbs. He kept it that way for a while then returned it to its normal human state.

"It would seem that now I can change my body with willpower alone. With that comes an immunity to the radiation."

"Few stay the same in this realm."

Then Alice relaxed, leaning back against her hands and looked at the sky above. Soon after she began to speak.

"Six hundred years." She uttered.

"What?" Godfrey asked.

"For six hundred years I watched the planets burn. Not once was there another at my side."

"That is why all celestials must change."

Illuminura sighed

"Must we be so evil in your eyes?"

"No. Not evil... Arrogant, deluded and sometimes even incomprehensible to be sure but not evil."

He sat upright and faced Illuminura down.

"This is about getting a message across to them. Even you yourself must realise by now at least the condescending manner with which you treat us with."

Illuminura chuckled.

"I may be nobility but I am merely one among dozens. Even if I do as you say few will listen."

"That is all we need."

Time passed by and they spent it relaxing in the shade of the crystalline trees. Free of any crisis they came to enjoy each other's company. A relationship formed out of necessity became one of warm fellowship under the light of the terran sun.

The day passed into late in the afternoon and they even came to play freely amidst the silver grass of the forest. They began to run about chasing each other and Illuminura savoured every moment of it.

Minute by minute she felt the centuries fade away. She delighted in the sensation of her heart thumping with her chest, her blood pumping and losing breath as she pushed herself to go on. For the first time in aeons, she felt life return to her.

For too long she had sat upon her pedestal in celestial society. Ever indulging in the infinitely multiplying complexities of celestial culture. It was a nigh endless mind-numbing ordeal of interwoven philosophy, theology, art and science that had galvanised the soul and produced a cold, calculating individual.

Now broken free of those bonds she once again felt what she had lost all those six hundred years ago. A love of the simple pleasures of life. Simply run through the forest with Godfrey had brought her joy that she had long since given up hope of feeling once again.

Most beautiful of all was her smile, her laughter. This made the moment shine like the divine sun in her mind. It had been decades since last she laughed. She even feared that she had forgotten how.

Then they collided with Godfrey toppling over and landing on his back with Illuminura sitting on top of him. They stared wide-eyed into each other's eyes for some moments. They recollected what happened and silence fell.

It began with a chuckle from Illuminura then another from Godfrey. Then she rolled over and they both laughed at their comedic collision. Together they broke out in gut-wrenching, uncontrollable laughter.

Then a dull sound echoed from the forest. It was like the sound of a distant locomotive coming from the depths of the forest. They both heard it and silenced themselves. Now serious they got to their feet and followed the sound.

Pushing their way through thick bushes they found the source. It was a huge army of Minotaurs, Cyclopes and innumerable other creatures. Marching through the forest heading towards Nova City.

There were thousands of them. Drawn from every unknown expanse of the world they bore a myriad of colours and uniforms. Kane had spent his time gathering new strength and now had come for vengeance.

Illuminura turned to Godfrey and found his nails have grown into long black claws as he prepared for a fight. The threat was obvious but Godfrey's hubris was insane.

"You'll get us killed with that folly!" She whispered to him.

He looked at her with and paused in thought. He sighed and backed off. She took one last look at the approaching horde then followed Godfrey's trail soon after. When she made it back to the lake she raced to her armour.

She put it on and looked around for Godfrey. Her heart thumped with panic. She looked around further then grew distressed.

"Godfrey!" She called.

There was no answer.

"Godfrey!" She called again to no avail.

Then glorious white horse walked out of the forest approached her. She smiled with amazement of the sight.

"Godfrey?" She asked it.

The stallion nodded dramatically and then lowered himself onto his front two knees. Slowly Illuminura climbed onto his back and sat on it. Then he stood up and took off. Almost falling off Illuminura hugged Godfrey's neck to hang onto him as he galloped back to Nova City.

Without fail, they reached the gates on time. They opened and once inside Illuminura dismounted and Godfrey transformed back into his human form. In front of dazed and amazed guards, the ever watchful Lucas approached.

"What were you two doing beyond those walls."

Godfrey straightened up and saluted his general.

"Exploring, sir!" He explained.

"A bit abrupt and say... unregulated for a recon mission isn't it?"

Godfrey took a breath to respond but Illuminura interrupted.

"General! We the army must be assembled. We found an enemy horde approaching the way we came."

"We detected nothing."

"Of course not. That forest is full of life. Under the canopy, an entire army can move undetected. They will be here within a day."

The general simply stood there staring in Illuminura's unflinching eyes. Eventually, he broke eye contact and walked away. He entered the gatehouse and ascended to the guard tower. All the while Illuminura watched on with a mixture of confusion and anger.

Suddenly the sirens wailed through the city. It was not long before the UF army sprung into action. Men and women started running about and the equipment was brought out to arm them.

It wasn't long before the men were on the walls ready

"It is done nearly done my lord, Prince Arvarius." Reported Aura.

Arvarius stood there brushing his clean-shaven chin. He stared out the window of his command tower. The entire room was cleared of equipment. Behind him was assembled his celestials.

Passing through the group he talked up to the device. He placed his palm upon it and swiped it across the golden surface. It was a massive, incomprehensively complex thing. His eyes glowed with gladness as he sensed his triumph approaching.

The sirens reached the tower and disturbed the moment. Anger and disappointment burned within his heart, as he knew the meaning of this. Then he swallowed his emotion and turned to his followers.

"Five of you must aid in the defence. The rest of you must finish this. This is too important to allow any interference."

As one they all bowed and organised themselves into the two teams. Soon there after a worried Aura approached Arvarius.

"What of Lady Illuminura?"

"What of her? She needs time to heal. Perhaps this might heal her."

Arvarius extended his tendrils to dissolve the golden cover to reveal the machinery inside. Aura watched as various tools flew to the prince's side and he used them all to continue working. Not placated by Arvarius' words she pushed for answers.

"Perhaps this can be delayed until the assault had been repelled."

Arvarius looked at her.

"No! We cannot delay! This... This will be the new dawn our race needs. I will not delay the destiny of mankind any longer!"