Darken watched the pyre that even now burned Kael's body to embers, his mind a total blank, his thoughts on nothing but what he had lost.

Kael, he thought. My master, my father, almost. There's so much I wanted to ask before the end, so much I needed to know. Am I on the right path? Is this what I was meant to do? And now . . .now you're gone, and I'm not sure if I can go on this way. I'm scared.

He gripped Phoenix's hand in his, her strength was the only thing in truth keeping him together. More than ever he thought about going with her, back to her realm and staying there for all time. He loved her truly, more than he had loved Maryna, but he felt compelled to see this through.

Why am I here? Darken asked himself. Is it to achieve Unity? Is it to revenge myself on Kirone for killing Maryna? And if I were to leave what would happen to Liandra? She's too important to just leave to fate, especially since she'd be hunted as a vampire if I weren't here to protect her.

Of course, it was because I wasn't here to protect him that Kael is dead, Darken thought ruefully. If they were here for the books, like that spirit said, then either Kirone was there or she sent one of her underlings. If that were the case, then Kirone isn't dead, and she's trying to find a way back into the other spheres.

"The final check is complete," Monstructor said, looking appropriately obsequious. "The tribes of the Fallen are aboard and they have been instructed as to their duties. We can make preparations to leave at any time."

"Excellent," Kirone said, smiling broadly, her fangs gleaming. She reclined in her chair at the center of the Skyshadow's control room like the empress of the world. "Vertigo was just what we needed, wasn't she? We really couldn't have done it with out her. Don't you agree, Lanicrus?"

Lanicrus nodded curtly, a low, metallic rasp escaping his lips.

Kirone raised an eyebrow at him, puzzled. She regarded him for an instant and returned to her work. "Monstructor, fire the engines. Make all weapons ready. Today we storm the home of angels."

"As you command, Majesty," Monstructor said, taking his place at the controls.

Kirone rose from her seat and walked over to Lanicrus. "Now, my lovely creation," she said. "I want you to go to Nycheladra as my emissary. Tell the people of the Spheres that their empress has come home to unify them at last. Do you understand?"

Lanicrus' eyes fixed on her for a second with a look of rage. "By your command, Majesty."

Lanicrus stalked out of the room, his heavy footfalls ringing like the rattling chains of ghosts. Kirone followed him with her eyes until he was gone.

"My emissary seems a bit rebellious," she said.

"I believe he misses Vertigo, my Majesty," Monstructor said.

"What?" Kirone asked incredulously. "Lanicrus only feels what I tell him to feel. He has no choice in the matter, really."

"Of course not, Majesty," Monstructor said dispassionately.

"Besides, Vertigo was too much of a risk to keep around," she continued, more to herself than anyone else. "Better she stay as fuel, because at least then I know where she is. Better that, and they she can't corrupt Lanicrus with any of her influence."

"Yes, Majesty," Monstructor said.

There was a mighty shift in the sands of Ladon as the Skyshadow freed itself and rose, slowly but surely from the earth to the skies. The black skin of the skyship crackled with purple energy. The weapons towers hummed with full charges, ready to rain death upon any foolish enough to challenge it's might.

And before them all flew Lanicrus, Kirone's messenger, and the vanguard of her assault.

* * *

The funeral was over in short order. No one said anything, because no one could find the words yet. Phoenix looked at Darken, who had stayed quiet through the whole proceeding, almost numb to everything around him.

"Hmm?" Darken asked, looking at her.

"I asked you what you'll do next," Phoenix said.

"I don't know," Darken said. "Kael said I still had a lot to learn before we would part. I wonder how I'll learn it with him gone."

"I could teach you," Phoenix volunteered.

Darken looked at her, a realization reaching over his face. It could work, he thought. There was so much about his power that no one, not even Kael could understand. But Phoenix was a goddess, and more than that, she knew more of him than anyone else did. Maybe she could.

"I'd like that," he said.

Lanicrus sundered the barrier between Ladon and Nycheladra with contemptuous ease. His metal wings sliced the air, almost seeming to scream as he flew through the air. He banked slowly, heading for Imperial City.

A group of Seraphim trailed him, making sure not to follow too close. Lanicrus sensed them all the same, but made no effort to hinder their pursuit. He was here to send a message, and they would serve his purpose well enough.

He landed in the center of the Imperial Court, his talons raking into the seal of the House of Matariel. He reached out with his power, and everything that could carry sound, every communications crystal in every city in Nycheladra was suddenly within the sound of his voice.

"Angels of Nycheladra," he began, his voice a loud metallic rasp. "For too long you have been secure in your superiority among the races of the Spheres. That day ends today. I am Lanicrus, the emissary of the Empress of the Spheres, Kirone Witchfire. The day has come for my Empress to seize the lands of these Seven Spheres, destroy all you Angels hold dear, and make playthings of your heroes, that our people may never be subordinate to yours again."

That was all the provocation the Seraphim needed. They began blasting him with energy from their lances. The bolts bounced off of Lanicrus' wings with contemptuous ease.

He curled tightly into a ball, slowly ascending, stay bolts of purple lighting striking him, arcing off of his body. The Seraphim closed in, sure that their weaponry was driving him back.

"DARK THUNDER!" Lanicrus cried, throwing his wingspan outward and flinging the lethal lightning in every direction. It struck the Seraphim warriors, burning them from within. Their blackened, charred bodies fell to earth at Lanicrus's feet.

"My lords," Miral said, regarding the communication crystal on the bridge of the Warlock. "We have a problem. The Palace Guard is requesting aid from any Seraphim in the area. Apparently, a creature of unknown type, claiming to be an emissary of Kirone Witchfire has begun an assault on the Palace."

"Then we must return at once," Matariel said. A thought crossed his mind. "Sandalphon, how many of these ships are sky-worthy?"

"Only three," Sandalphon replied, not liking at all where this seemed to be headed. "But their weapons haven't been tested, my lord."

"Then we'll give them a trial by fire," Matariel said. "If he's an emissary, then Kirone could be on her way now. And she's had a year to build her strength. Which three ships are ready?"

"The Warlock, Sorcerer, and the Enchantress," Miral said. "The Necromancer still has its engine assembly to be finished."

"Very well," Matariel said. "We'll each take a ship, and try to draw this . . .thing . . .out of the city and into the open skies."

"My lord," Sandalphon said. "You are not familiar with this class of skyships. I insist you take along a member of my crew as your second."

"I agree," Matariel said. "Miral, you take the Enchantress, I will commanded the Sorcerer, Sandalphon, you command the Warlock."

"As you command, my king," Sandalphon said. "Miral will see you to the Sorcerer."

"One last thing, Sandalphon," Matariel said, his mind working in the clipped military sense. "Contact my son on Deainyra, tell him to bring Darken and anyone else he can find to help us."

Sandalphon signaled his communication officer. "It is done, my king," he said. "May Phoenix bring us home alive."

The Skyshadow moved itself to the position where the old gate had been, hanging over the sky like a great demon. The tines on the tips of its wings began to glow, brilliant purple energy coruscating, preparing to fire. Then, the three tines fired, three beams joining at the center. They pushed against the dimensional walls that separated the spheres, pressing harder and harder.

"Time until we can jump to Nycheladra?" Kirone asked.

"One hour," Monstructor said, his eyes focused on the readouts of the dimension crossing.

Sachiel opened his Eagle Clasp the instant it began to flash. Darken looked over at him and followed him over. "What is it?" Darken asked.

"My father says some sort of monster is attacking Nycehladra," he said, his brow beginning to tense with dark foreboding of what was to come. "He's sending in the guard, but because of who this monster claims to represent he wants all of us there."

"Let me guess," Darken offered. "Kirone?"

"How did you know?"

"Unlucky guess," Darken said. He turned to Phoenix. "We could use your help, if you could."

Phoenix nodded. "I will, if only just to bail you out," she said, winking at him. Darken felt himself redden.

"I'll go too," Liandra said.

"I hope that's enough," Sachiel said. "Maybe we can find the others when we get there."

They immediately took wing and made their way to Nycheladra, a trail of angels crossing the dimensions in an attempt to save the day.

The Sorcerer and the Enchantress flanked Lanicrus with their cannons, raining destruction down on him. Lanicrus seemed to actually feel their attacks, but took wing to meet them nonetheless. He swooped over the bow of the Enchantress, deftly avoiding their weapons fore and striking it with a few shots of his own. He crossed over the aft section, observing how it worked, and then swooped around to meet them head on.

He began to concentrate, drawing on the black hole at the center of his heart. Black lightning began to coalesce in his taloned hands.

"GIGASTORM!" He cried, unleashing the ball of black lightning over the ship. It enveloped it completely, dissipating its energy. Miral tried in vain to get the ship running, but found that it could just barely stay aloft. She saw Lanicrus charging up for another blast. She silently prayed to Phoenix for a place in the light, ready to die.

Lanicrus was suddenly struck from behind by burst of green energy. He was staggered, turning erratically, his blast that would have finished them dissipated. He beat his wings a few times to gain control and turned to face his attacker.

That had hurt. Lanicrus had never been hurt before, never knew he could be. He felt his rage beginning to build. He would hurt them in return, he decided.

"Miral," Sandalphon said, regarding her image in the crystal. "Matariel and I will flank you until you can get everything back up. Once you have, bring your weapon to bear on Lanicrus. It's the only thing that seems to hurt him so far."

We are displeased, a voice said, cold and quiet in the back of Sandalphon's mind.

Kirone is everyone's problem right now, Sandalphon thought back at the voice. If she destroys my people I can't very well assist you in your plans, can I?

Perhaps there is a way to turn this to mutual advantage, then, the voice thought back. Sandalphon felt the icy tendrils leave his mind.

Mutual advantage? What did that mean?

Lanicrus sent a brilliant purple beam of energy high into the skies of Nycheladra. With seconds a torrential comet of energy streaked to his left hand, where he caught it like a child catching a firefly. He felt its power suffuse him. Now he would make the angels pay for daring to hurt him.

"VORTECH . . . SHOOTER!" Lanicrus bellowed, sending the purple fire toward the Sorcerer with all the force he could muster. It struck the ship full on, opening it up from the inside in a brilliant explosion of white-purple fire. Even the debris were vaporized.

Lanicrus laughed. That would teach them.

Sandalphon felt the floor fall out from under him, but only for a second. He ordered Miral and his ship to fire on Lanicrus with everything they had. Lanicrus actually seemed staggered by the assault and plummeted down to earth.

Sandalphon watched the beast spiral back down to the city, but in truth his mind was numb. Matariel, he thought, stunned. Just like that, killed by this monster. Why? His mind reeled. True, he had disagreed with how Matariel ran the empire, but he had not wanted it to end like this . . .even with what he had planned, he had never wished for things to end for his king so bitterly, so cruelly.

"I'm sorry," he said quietly. He caught himself. "Yes, Miral?"

"I said, Darken, Sachiel, and a few others are coming in," Miral said, a bit confused. She wasn't letting herself think about what happened to Matariel. She couldn't. Not when he had died trying to save her . . .

"Pull back," Sandalphon ordered. "We tried to move this out of the city, and we failed. It's up to them now."

"Majesty," Monstructor said evenly, coldly surveying the readouts on the dimension jump. "The chiefs of the Fallen tribes demand an update. They wish to know why we haven't crossed over to Nycheladra yet."

"Tell them they may demand nothing of me," Kirone said simply. "Tell them that I am in no more control over the time of our crossing than anyone is. What is our time to crossing?"

"Another hour should have it, majesty," Monstructor replied. "Lanicrus must do his part to energize the gate and allow us through or we will be cut in two by the dimensional shearing forces."

"Spare me the science lesson," Kirone growled. "Just do it."

Lanicrus raised his arms in victory.

"You are mere kindling for my fires!" Lanicrus bellowed. "I will butcher this angel's land myself. Is there no one to challenge me? Come; bring me your champions, so that I may bring their heads before Kirone! Your machines cannot stop me; your warriors cannot stand against me. Where are your great warriors who stood against my empress? Where is your savior, where is Darken Blackangel!"

Lanicrus was struck in the back by a beam of blue light. He looked around for the source of the attack. His red eyes narrowed on a figure before him. Black wings, white skin. Yes, Lanicrus thought. He was here at last.

"You can stop looking," Darken said, the spent energy crackling from his hands. "You just found him."