The week had flown by in a blink, and the morning air was thick with magic and anticipation. It was finally the day, the day the allied armies would arrive.
Rhiannan and her mates stood together in the now quiet courtyard, most of the original crowd having moved into the newly finished barracks or Elisha's blossoming new village, Emberreach, to the west. The castle itself felt almost serene, a breath of calm before the storm of preparation for war.
Mo and Mela skipped ahead, already giggling and playfully flirting as they leaned over the railing. Sasha hovered above, giving real time updates and buzzing with excitement. Rhiannan smiled, her heart fluttering with pride.
It was time.
She took a deep breath, reached into the well of her divine power, and began opening the first of several glowing portals.
The first shimmered to life with golden red light as the Solarian army stepped through. Veena, Caelira, and their newly bonded phoenix mate Kyren led the way, radiant with joy and glowing bond marks. Behind them came Torvax and Reyna, Vaerix and Veydran, Nyxar and Prince Zeilar, and then a steady flood of Solarian troops, 100,000 strong, merfolk, phoenix shifters, and more, all marching in formation.
Behind them, the elite royal phoenix guards followed, wings blazing in dazzling shades of flame. The sight alone made the courtyard erupt in cheers.
"Room for all that glory?" Veena quipped as they passed by.
"Barely," Sasha replied from above. "But damn, it's a sexy crowd."
The barracks staff snapped into action:
🍳 Head Chef Jora Flamegut yelled, "Get those fire asses to the mess hall in twenty! First come, first fed!"
🧼 Tilina Softwhisper floated by with glowing linen in hand, assigning quarters as if she were conducting a divine orchestra.
🫧 Grunda Snapfang had cauldrons already bubbling for laundry. "Don't even think about bringing that battlefield musk into my clean spaces!"
🧹 Voxxie Twinkleboom was zooming around, glitter trailing behind. "Wipe your feet or I hex your boots off!"
🩺 Elder Tazrin stood by the infirmary tree, his mossy brow lifted. "Any limpers? Bring 'em here. If they fall over, they're mine."
Arwen and Kaleb nodded to each other, silently syncing plans for the upcoming Trial of Valor. The new arrivals were ushered toward the barracks, where banners bearing Rhiannan's sigil fluttered high in the wind.
The soldiers were laughing, shouting, greeting old friends and finding their spaces.
"FaeNet's already blowing up," Sasha muttered, "Hashtags trending: #HolyShitThey'reHot and #SolariansArePacking. I can't even."
Rhiannan watched, tears glistening in her eyes as the kingdom she had dreamed of started to come to life.
And this was only the first wave.
More portals shimmered, waiting for the next allied forces to step through.
With the Solarian wave settled into the barracks, Rhiannan wipes a bead of sweat from her brow and lifts her hands again. A soft hum vibrates the courtyard stones as she calls forth the second portal, this one shimmering with chaotic pinks and purples, pulsing like a heartbeat.
BOOM!
Out struts Kazra "The Red Bitch" Voralis like the damn queen of chaos, flanked by her mates, Rohar the banshee warlock and Jaxen the titan shifter. Kazra's hair is on fire, literally, and her eyes gleam with wicked anticipation.
Kazra flips her hair and yells, "Bitches, we brought the whole fucking spellbook!"
The 15,000 witches and warlocks behind her cheer and begin pouring into the courtyard. A few float, others sparkle, a few ride broomsticks and sentient vines. Someone's familiar is a mini dragon in sunglasses. There's already bickering and flirting before they've even made it ten feet.
Rohar, cool as ever, mutters, "Remind me to ward the barracks. I saw three love potions and one succubus before breakfast."
🧼 Tilina Softwhisper is already directing enchanted laundry hampers.
🧹 Voxxie Twinkleboom shrieks "YASSS! MORE GLITTER PEOPLE!" as her brooms line up like soldiers.
🩺 Elder Tazrin grumbles from a mossy corner, "One of them already summoned their dead ex. That'll be fun."
Each magical bunk has a chest bursting with spell ingredients, enchanted ink, and phoenix feather quills.
The witches cheer like they just won the damn lottery.
Faenet EXPLODES...
💬 "Is the new kingdom accepting magicals now???"
💬 "Wait, can I enlist??"
💬 "My coven wants in!!"
💬 "Do they offer dental??"
💬 "THOSE QUARTERS ARE SEXY AS FUCK."
Rhiannan, still glowing with goddess bump energy, teleports right into the viral thread.
📣 @RHIANNANOFTHEREALM: "Yes. Any citizen of the entire planet of Andopeer is eligible to enlist. Enrollment opens this week. Welcome to the revolution."
Suddenly, Mo freezes mid step, his nose twitching like a bloodhound.
Mela's eyes narrow. "Do you smell that?"
Mo growls. "Mate. There's a mate here."
A tall, ridiculously hot warlock with sharp cheekbones and stormy eyes stops dead. His eyes lock on Mo and Mela.
"MATES!" he howls, nearly tripping over his own boots as he barrels toward them.
Mo lets out a shriek of pure joy, practically tackles the man mid run, and they spin like idiots.
Mela claps her hands. "YESSS! Another beefcake! This army just got hotter!"
The trio tumble to the ground in a messy, laughing pile, and Faenet lights up like a forest fire.
💬 "Mo found a second mate???"
💬 "Three way soulbond confirmed???"
💬 "They're all too hot. I'm filing a complaint."
💬 "That warlock better be a dom. I'm just saying."
Rhiannan snorts. "This day just keeps getting better."
She eyes portal three, ready to bring in the next wave.
With the warlocks now happily flirting, frolicking, and setting the damn courtyard ablaze with magic and hormones, Rhiannan takes a breath, gathering her divine power one more time. Her belly pulses with soft glowing light beneath her dress, and the power of the goddess responds.
Portal Three opens, and the entire temperature of the courtyard drops ten degrees instantly.
The air chills, mist curling around boots and stone.
Out steps Zaiya Bloodrage, sharp and stunning in her winter battle leathers, flanked by her two mates, Kael, the lion shifter general, stalking beside her like a predator, and Thalor, the rune born sunblessed elf, radiating calm but visibly annoyed by the cold.
Behind them?
A flood of 100,000 Iceborn warriors, frost titans, snow elves, glacial fae, and chill shifting beastfolk, all shifted into humanoid fae forms for easier travel. They move silently, disciplined and efficient, their pale armor gleaming like frozen bone under the bright sun.
A few hiss softly at the sunlight, shielding their eyes with enchanted cloaks.
Rhiannan steps forward, radiant and smiling. "Welcome to our kingdom. Your wing is enchanted with temperature control, ice forged windows, and froststone floors. It will be as cold as you wish, always."
A cheer ripples through the icy ranks, faint but sincere.
🧼 Tilina Softwhisper appears instantly, floating toward them like a pale breeze. "Follow me, frozen darlings. Your sanctuary awaits."
She leads the entire army to the northern wing of the barracks, a frost walled haven designed specifically for the Iceborn, with runes to maintain their strength and comfort.
Zaiya turns and gives Rhiannan a nod, then blows her a sarcastic kiss before disappearing with her mates.
Rhiannan exhales, rubbing her bump, now glowing a soft opalescent silver blue.
Her mates immediately circle in, growling low, the alpha energy radiating off them like a territorial storm.
Azarion's jaw clenches. "Too many males."
Arwen snorts. "They're not even looking at her. Chill."
Liam glares. "One even blinked in her direction. That's enough."
Rhiannan rolls her eyes but grins wide, hand stroking over her glowing belly. "You're all ridiculous. I'm fine."
Kaleb nuzzles her neck. "We're not ridiculous. We're mated."
Elisha leans in from behind. "And your scent is stronger when you're glowing. You smell like temptation incarnate."
She giggles, heat flashing in her gaze. "Then maybe you better stay close."
The third portal closes with a snap, and the courtyard settles, ready for the next wave of allies to arrive.