I'll follow you out of the dark

I tried it my way but I keep fallin' apart

The flats were beautiful, and she had chosen Torleik. Her blood was blessed. Her title was ascended. No longer was she the Forsaken. She was the Amaranthine - a bloodied flower, pristine and crimson. The two halves of her soul were unified, united beneath a banner of her goals and emotions, and this banner flew even in the face of her own death. She had chosen a mortal life. Though immortality was offered, she knew that a permanent future would be torture. Her mind would over flow with memories, and her heart would break hourly as she revisited the deaths of those she loved. Time would pass, days would move, and she would remain the same.

She was terrified of that future. But now, with this power in her blood, she could ensure that her children would be safe, healthy and strong for whatever Helovia could throw their way. This was her world and it would be so for her children. There was no changing the brutality, violence, love and beauty here, but she could make sure that future generations were well equipped to thrive. Ophelia had hoped she made Torleik proud with her words and her choice; she stressed when the very air between them was disjointed and clashing.

The flats were a perfect place to resolve issues and relieve tension. Beautiful waters rippled beneath her cloven hooves, reflecting the beauty of the night and day sky, and there were grasses here and there to chew on as she enjoyed this land. Her coat and skin appreciated the moisture as well, and she was clean - positively glowing by the time the sun rose days later. That was when she noticed some commotion in the distance. Fire was deflected off of an invisible surface, and she furrowed her brows, cocking her head to the site and blinking long eyelashes as she tried to make sense of what happened.

Then, she saw the scales. Ophelia took off and a dead sprint, hair billowing behind her as she skipped over the water's surface. Another fire ball hit a massive, scaled creature - a crocodile, she thought they were called. It spoke to the God of the Sun, and she felt for him that his promises were now voided. Coming immediately to his aid, she followed in suit by Mauja and Volterra, two home she knew, and smiled at her nephew. Tinek took to flight next to he and his red, shooting forward to fly onto the creature's head. With sharp talons, he tried to dig on the creature's head and pry up his scales to create soft spots.

Ophelia, not daring to use her magic again on a god any time soon, arched her neck over and braced for impact, jumping and trying to catch the beast under his breast bone whilst avoiding Mauja's ice spikes.