One week later - Shadowkeep
The city celebrated.
Kieran watched from the balcony as the Shadowlands erupted in joy. Banners hung from every building. Music filled the streets. Species that had never mixed before danced together, united by shared survival.
They'd returned from the temple yesterday to a hero's welcome. Thousands lining the streets, cheering for the king and his mate who'd saved them all.
It was overwhelming. Humbling. Terrifying.
"You'll get used to it," Rhydian said, joining him on the balcony. "The adoration."
"I don't want adoration. I just want—" Kieran paused. What did he want?
"Peace?" Rhydian suggested. "A quiet life?"
"Maybe. Is that naive? After everything?"
"It's human. Or fae. Or whatever we are now." Rhydian wrapped an arm around his waist, pulling him close. "But I'm afraid peace is going to have to wait. At least a little while longer."
"The training starts tomorrow."
"Silvara is relentless. She's been preparing the training grounds all week." Rhydian's voice carried concern. "Are you ready?"
Was he? Kieran wasn't sure. But ready or not, it was happening.
Six more Sealed Ones existed. Any of them could awaken, could attack. And next time, the Shadowlands might not have warning. Might not have time to prepare.
So he had to get stronger. Had to reach Apotheosis stage. Had to become powerful enough to face ancient evils without nearly dying.
"I'm ready," he lied.
Through the bond, Rhydian felt the lie. But he didn't call it out. Just held Kieran tighter.
"Whatever it takes, we'll get through it."
The training grounds were unlike anything Kieran had seen.
Located in a hidden valley behind Shadowkeep, the area pulsed with moon fae magic that made his skin tingle. Ancient standing stones formed a circle, each carved with runes that glowed silver. In the center, a pool of liquid moonlight—similar to the temple's fountain but smaller, more concentrated.
Silvara waited, looking more serious than Kieran had ever seen her.
"Apotheosis stage," she began without preamble, "is called that because it literally means 'becoming divine.' You'll transcend physical limitations, exist as pure magical essence for brief periods. It's the highest achievement any moon fae can reach."
"How many have achieved it?" Rhydian asked.
"Three. Out of thousands who tried." Silvara's ancient eyes met Kieran's. "The others died trying. Their bodies couldn't handle the transformation. They burned out from within."
"Encouraging," Kieran muttered.
"I'm not here to encourage you. I'm here to prepare you for what's coming." Silvara gestured to the standing stones. "This circle is attuned to moon fae energy. When you train here, your power will be constantly pushed to its limits. You'll transform partially, learn to control the shift between physical and energy forms."
"And if I lose control?"
"The circle will contain you. Probably." Silvara's slight smile suggested she was at least partly joking. Probably. "But that's why Rhydian is here. The bond anchors you. When you risk losing yourself to pure energy, he pulls you back to physical form."
Rhydian's hand found Kieran's. "I won't let you get lost."
"Sweet. But practically, how?" Kieran asked.
"The bond flows both ways. When Kieran transforms, you'll feel it," Silvara explained to Rhydian. "Use your hybrid power to stabilize him. Your physical nature grounds his ethereal one. Push energy through the bond, give him something solid to hold onto."
"We've never done that before."
"You did, at the temple. When you brought him back from death." Silvara's voice softened. "You already know how. You just have to do it consistently, every day, for months."
"Months?" Kieran's stomach sank.
"Minimum. Could be a year. Apotheosis isn't quick." Silvara moved to the liquid moonlight pool. "But we start today. Kieran, step into the pool. Rhydian, stand at the circle's edge."
Kieran approached the pool hesitantly. The liquid moonlight looked beautiful—luminescent, inviting. But he could feel the raw power in it, wild and barely contained.
"What do I do?"
"Submerge yourself. Let the moonlight enter your body, flow through your fae core. It'll hurt." Silvara's tone made clear this was an understatement. "Your job is to stay conscious, stay yourself, while pure moon fae energy tries to overwhelm your physical form."
"That sounds like torture."
"It is. But necessary torture." Silvara's expression held genuine sympathy. "I'm sorry. There's no easy way to reach Apotheosis. But I'll guide you through it, and Rhydian will anchor you. You won't be alone."
Kieran looked at Rhydian, who'd moved to stand just outside the stone circle. Their eyes met, and through the bond, he felt his mate's fear and determination mixed together.
I'm here, Rhydian sent. No matter what. I'm right here.
That steadied him. Gave him courage.
Kieran stepped into the pool.
The pain was immediate and all-consuming.
Liquid moonlight flowed into him through every pore, filling his veins with fire, his lungs with lightning. His fae core—usually a calm pool of power—became a roaring inferno trying to consume him from within.
He screamed.
"Don't fight it!" Silvara's voice came from far away. "Let it flow through you. You're a vessel, not a dam!"
But every instinct screamed to resist, to push the overwhelming power out, to maintain control—
The moonlight surged, and Kieran felt himself start to dissolve.
His body was disappearing, becoming pure energy, pure light—
NO!
Rhydian's power slammed into him through the bond. Hybrid vigor, physical solidity, the absolute certainty of flesh and bone and blood. It grabbed onto Kieran's dissolving consciousness and yanked.
Kieran gasped, awareness snapping back into his body.
But the moonlight still raged inside him, still tried to burn through his physical form—
"Again!" Silvara commanded. "Let yourself drift toward transformation, then let Rhydian pull you back! Over and over until you learn to control the transition!"
So Kieran did.
Let himself drift toward dissolution, felt his body start to fade into pure moonlight—
Rhydian pulled him back.
Drifted again, further this time—
Rhydian pulled him back.
Again. Again. Again.
Time lost meaning. There was only the cycle: transform, anchor, transform, anchor. Each time pushing a little further into the energy state before Rhydian dragged him back to physical form.
It was agony. Ecstasy. The most intimate thing Kieran had ever experienced because through the bond, he felt Rhydian's entire focus concentrated on him, pulling him back from oblivion with pure force of will.
Finally—hours later? days?—Silvara called: "Enough! Out of the pool!"
Kieran stumbled out, collapsing onto solid ground. His body felt wrong, like he wasn't quite solid anymore. When he looked down, his hands flickered between flesh and light.
Rhydian was beside him instantly, solid hands gripping his flickering ones. The contact stabilized him, pulled him fully back to physical form.
"You did well," Silvara said, kneeling beside them. "Better than expected for a first session. You managed partial transformation seven times without losing yourself completely."
"Felt like I died seven times," Kieran rasped.
"Close. But you didn't, because of him." She nodded at Rhydian. "The bond works. You can reach Apotheosis. It's just going to take time."
"How much time?" Rhydian demanded. "He can't do this every day. It'll destroy him."
"Three times a week. Four hours each session. For approximately six months." Silvara stood. "And yes, it's brutal. But the alternative is facing the next Sealed One at Manifestation stage and dying permanently. This gives him—gives us all—a chance."
Kieran tried to stand, failed. His legs weren't working properly. Everything felt distant, unreal.
Rhydian lifted him effortlessly. "I've got you."
"Can't walk," Kieran mumbled.
"Don't need to. I'll carry you."
And he did. Carried Kieran all the way back to Shadowkeep, into their chambers, laid him gently on their bed.
"Sleep," Rhydian commanded softly. "Recover. I'll be right here."
But Kieran grabbed his hand before he could move away. "Stay. Please. Don't want to be alone."
So Rhydian climbed into bed beside him, pulling Kieran close. Through the bond, he pushed calm, solid, grounding energy.
And Kieran, still flickering slightly between flesh and moonlight, finally relaxed.
"Six months of this," he whispered.
"Six months. Then you'll be powerful enough to face anything." Rhydian kissed his forehead. "We can do six months."
"Together?"
"Always together."
Kieran fell asleep in his mate's arms, still glowing faintly with residual moonlight, body slowly remembering how to be physical.
Tomorrow, the world would continue its transformation. The Shadowlands becoming a recognized kingdom. The alliance with the Eastern Territories formalizing. The mixed-species academy opening.
But tonight, there were just two mates, holding each other through the pain of necessary growth.
Building strength for battles yet to come.