The Battle of two Lifetimes! [Aven Alveron, Nessa, Markus, Hakon]

The air was still, silence echoing around a small gathering of Wizards like a death knell. The Seraphim, Aviel, hovered lightly over the clouds, his somber demeanor matched by the young Wizards before him: his descendant and heir, Aven, and the Wizard Saint, Nessa Cordelia Lux. It was the calm before the storm, they knew all too well, the standoff before a battle that would test not only their strength and courage, but their resolve, as well. A knot had formed in Aviel's gut, one that only twisted and ingrained itself further, as he stood, face to face, with his beloved, Hakon Kilandre.

The tumultuous sea of white that surrounded them shifted constantly, almost in fear of the clash of incredible magic auras taking place between the two sides. Hakon had been a fearsome warrior in life, a trait that was only exemplified as a Valkyrie: imbued and strengthened by Caster's own might of the Void, the Hakon before them was nothing short of a force of nature, illustrated by the waves of Void and Magical Energy crashing against the party's own formidable auras. In particular, Nessa and his auras warded off the onslaught, but how long that would last in combat, Aviel was unsure. He bit his lip in a mix of anger and frustration: Hakon was difficult enough already to defeat, but with the corruptive power of the Void, it was almost certain that one of them would not leave the battle alive.

Aviel let out a deep breath, trying to gather his wits, inwardly renewing his promise to Hakon from so long ago. They had sworn, if either of them was ever taken by Caster and threatened to unbalance the world, that they would not hesitate to kill. He knew that Hakon would've had the strength to follow through, if the roles were reversed, but that begged the question: did he? Even in this moment, before the battle had even begun, he could feel the waning power of Radiance, the waning of his will to deliver that finishing blow. The finality of that idea, that he would live on without her, erasing his beloved with his own two hands, frightened him more than Caster ever could.

A hand reached up to rest on Aviel's shoulder; it was Aven glancing up to reassure him. The boy was still young, still living, and perhaps, this was what the angel needed to continue, to remind him of what was at stake. This was no longer just about Hakon and Aviel, but the future of the world. If Caster was not stopped, he would ascend into Godhood, and the consequences would be too dire to comprehend. Aviel extended his six wings to their full span, his aura roaring to life; it was high time that Hakon was freed of her burden, even if that meant Aviel would disappear alongside her. He spoke out in a powerful voice, it's ferocity matched only by the pain and sorrow it carried. "I've come for you, Hakon."

[Word Count: 503.]