Helovia was nothing but pain. Turmoil. Strife. Grief. Unimaginable pain.

My eyes were wide and I was totally lost for words as I watched the utter chaos of a battle that we had no hope of winning. But if Helovians were anything at all, it was stubborn. There was no way that many of them would just roll over and let Kaos take what was ours. But there was no point in fighting. I could see it. I could feel it in my bones. I had fought against the Rift gods before, but this fight was different. This .... thing was unbeatable. It showed no mercy and no remorse for the lives it took and the bonds it destroyed.

'....Mommy?' The soft, tremulous voice of my daughter pulled my attention down to her. ' Mommy, I'm scared....' She cowered against my side, her eyes shut and her ears back as if that would be enough to block out the screams.  "It's okay, baby." I whispered, sounding far more confident than I felt. "We'll be okay." I turned to my other side and brushed muzzle over Gabriel's forehead. "Close your eyes, sweetheart..." My wings expanded then dropped enough to shield my children from the sight of so much death.

They were too young for this.

Our gods were dying. My friends and my family were dying and I didn't know what to do. "Drago...?" I looked to him, hopelessly. "What do we do?" I could feel Requiem trembling against my side, but there was nothing more that I could do besides shield her from the seeing the violence.

"The portal." Dragomir said and I turned and looked toward it, totally unsure of whether or not it was safe. Why would Kaos give us an out? Why would he offer some kind of saving grace? "But..." I started to argue and fell silent when Drago shook his head and I knew what he was thinking. There was no time to argue or think about what could possibly happen.

"You're coming with us, aren't you?" I asked, hoping that he wouldn't be foolish enough to stay and fight or to try and help anyone. He had to think about us, his family, and how much we needed him.

I think it was seeing my mother go through the portal tat strengthened my resolve and made me more confident in the decision. "Come on, we have to go." I said and I used my wings to push my two youngest children forward. "Letha! Geronimo!" I called their names as we headed for the portal. "I'm right behind you." I promised Requiem and Gabriel before they disappeared through the portal. Then I turned to Dragomir. "I love you." I whispered, just in case this portal was just a trick. Then Mara and I followed my children into whatever waited for us on the other side of the portal.

"."