Angela had vanished. It had been as quick as that. One minute, Ernest had been watching her storm across the courtyard, and the next she had been gone.
Naturally, Ernest had panicked.
A week ago, it wouldn't have made a difference, she was certain. But things had happened since then. Dalanesca's attacks had been getting stronger, and the whole realm shook so hard that, at times, Ernest was certain it was tilting vertical. Angela, after barely a day, had banned anyone from leaving. Ernest had obeyed. It was natural, and she wasn't planning to leave anyway. Now with the world outside as messed up as it was.
But, apparently, two of Angela's court had snuck out while no one was watching. Angela had gone to rescue them, and had come back, barely two minutes later, storming with rage. Not at them. Ernest supposed, oddly, it would have been at them had they not gotten hurt. Instead, the goddess's rage was directed at Dalanesca.
That was when she had vanished.
Ernest waited. Every minute felt like an hour. She had never worried about Angela before, but today, the goddess didn't seem herself. She barely seemed to have control anymore. Ernest knew what it was like when a goddess lost control. Now happened - sieges and wars of gods and goddesses set against each other. They didn't need more anger running through this conflict. Dalanesca already had plenty.
Ernest had just begun to feel like Angela would never return, as if she had flown away to the stars, when she heard the shouts. People were congregating near the gates, and Ernest half-slid, half-pushed her way through the crowd. She could tell what they were looking at. All across the visible parts of Revaliir, chains were shooting up, a silver-blue wall of metal, twisting itself around and across itself before vanishing again into the earth. Ernest had no doubt this was Angela's doing. Who else would have the strength - or the willpower - to do something of this magnitude?
The lights vanished, and the crowd dispersed. But Ernest stayed. She did not know why she was waiting, but she did, all the same. She watched the again-empty lands, not sure if she was surprised that nothing else was happening.
Behind her, she heard a hacking cough, and spun around to see Angela collapsed on the ground.
She ran toward her friend before she knew what she was doing. Angela looked awful, coughing up some strange metal, skin blackening before Ernest's eyes. Ernest's fingers touched Angela's shoulder, and she could feel almost a pull on her magic, as if the goddess had somehow been drained. She wasn't sure what to do, but she let a little of her magic go. Angela had given it to her, and Angela could have it back.
"What did you do to yourself?" she asked, full of worry. "Are you alright?"
