Zaiya, Thalor, and Kael stepped out of the swirling portal into a frozen wasteland. Before they could even blink, a shockwave of magic blasted them, encasing all three in massive, humming blocks of glimmering blue ice.
"Fucking seriously?" Zaiya's voice snapped out the moment the ice began to thaw.
As the enchanted restraints melted from their limbs, steam rising around them in furious clouds, Zaiya erupted, eyes glowing with rage. "I don't give two icy shits who you are. You freeze me one more time, and I'll decorate my new spear with your frosty ass cheeks!"
Her mates growled beside her, Kael's hands sparking with golden light while Thalor's rune tattoos began to glow threateningly.
The ice palace gates creaked open, and the massive Ice Titan King Brymir Snowrend, stepped forward, a booming laugh escaping his chest. "Oh, she's got fire! I like that."
Zaiya, unimpressed, threw the sealed scroll at his feet with a grunt. "Here's the message. Read it, or don't. Frankly, I'm not here to kiss your frozen ring."
King Brymir lifted the scroll and read silently, his brows rising. A nod, then a gesture to his second in command, a giant with crystalline skin and glacial eyes.
He spoke in their ancient tongue, and the frozen earth trembled as thousands of frost creatures, snow trolls, icy specters, and towering ice giants marched into view. They lined up in eerie silence, every single one bowing their heads at the mention of "Goddess Rhiannan."
The king chuckled deeply. "We will fight. We owe the goddess a great debt. She healed the broken leyline that fed our lands. She has earned our loyalty."
Zaiya blinked. "Oh… okay then."
Kael elbowed her playfully. "Still want to stab him?"
"Only a little," she muttered.
She activated her smart brain. "Sasha, you there?"
Sasha's hologram buzzed in. "Yup. How many this time?"
"Hundred thousand frost freaks and titans. They shift into fae, Do we have room?"
"Oh, don't worry, Frosty," Sasha said with a wicked grin. "I built them their own private frozen wing. It's colder than my last ex's heart. They'll love it."
Zaiya snorted. "Copy that."
The emissaries were gathered via holo call. Each leader reported their recruitment tallies...
Nahlia: "Twenty thousand dryads, fast and savage, and they love our barracks already."
Barrick: "Fifty thousand dwarves. Cost me half my weight in gold but they're stacked and loyal."
Kazra: "Fifteen thousand warlocks and witches. Already lighting shit on fire for fun."
Veena: "Got a phoenix mate and the Solarian Kingdom pledged 100k troops and a dozen royal guards. Boom."
Zaiya: "Ice squad's in. Hundred thousand frost titans and snow beasts. We're officially an army."
Sasha's eyes scanned the count. "Yep. We're at 385,000 troops. You've got space for more. Barely. We're at capacity in two wings. If you find more, I'll start terraforming the forest."
Kazra smirked. "You're insane, Sasha."
"And yet somehow, I keep you all alive," Sasha fired back.
The call ended in a wave of laughter, playful jabs, and the undeniable hum of a brewing war machine.
The morning sun painted the sky in soft golds and shimmering pinks, and the scent of fresh bread wafted through the castle halls as Rhiannan and her six mates gathered around the long breakfast table. Sasha's voice chimed through the smart brain system, crisp and electric.
"Update incoming," she said with a snarky hum. "Recruitment tally has surpassed expectations. We're clocking in over 365,000 troops confirmed and climbing. Everyone's missions are going smooth, minus Barrick threatening to punch a dwarf's mustache off. You'll love the report, babe."
The table erupted in chatter. Mo fed a giggling Mela strawberries, both of them glowing with new mate energy as they teased each other shamelessly. Kaleb smirked into his coffee. "If they get any cuter, I might puke glitter."
Rhiannan snorted, rubbing her huge belly as Arwen wrapped an arm around her and pressed a kiss to her temple. "Sasha, you're amazing. Thank you."
"Please. I'm perfect," Sasha replied. "Oh, and prepare. The courtyard's about to turn into Grand Central Fucking Station."
Outside, the courtyard buzzed like a hive. Teams bustled to prepare for the incoming armies. Supplies were unpacked. New bunk rolls enchanted. Even the damn squirrels looked busy.
To the west, Elisha and his elite dragon guard had moved swiftly. They carved out a sprawling patch of land, transforming it into a brand new village, not just shelters, but a home.
"We'll call it Emberreach," Elisha declared, tail twitching with pride. "I counted, 132 houses. Enough for every family. A market square. A general store. A school. A sacred grove. These people will never want for anything again."
He'd already hired the best masons, mages, and builders, enchanted the stone with frostfire spells to keep every home perfectly tempered. Farms had begun to sprout, and the crystal clear river that ran through the land had already become a gathering point for kids and elders alike. Behind the village, the woods offered hunting. The forge fires had already been lit.
Behind the castle, Rhiannan worked her own magic, quite literally.
The Menagerie of Mystics was taking form. Acres of enchanted forest protected by shimmering wards, expanded magically to hold every manner of magical creature, unicorns, fae hounds, phoenixlings, treeshifters, and the endangered whispering vines. No cages. No collars. Only peace.
The creatures watched her with wide, reverent eyes. And one by one, they bowed. She wept, whispering, You're safe now. All of you.
Meanwhile, Kaleb and Arwen were hyped. The Trial of Valor was getting finalized, a three day event to choose the new army general and ranked commanders. They were already live on FaeNet, tossing around updates and cracking jokes.
"This trial isn't just about strength," Arwen said, winking. "It's about leadership, honor, and not being a total ass."
Kaleb added, "But let's be real, we like a little ass."
The comments exploded.....
💬 "I volunteer as tribute!"
💬 "Finally a kingdom that gives a damn!"
💬 "Is Rhiannan glowing or is that goddess pregnancy sparkle???"
💬 "I just donated three wagons of enchanted blankets. Build the dream!"
Liam, in his ever refined chaos, walked through the camps interviewing new arrivals. "What are your skills?" he asked each person, scribbling furiously. Blacksmiths. Healers. Witches. Seamstresses. Potion masters. Farmers. Real people. Real magic.
"I want to create workshops," he told Elisha. "Places to practice, teach, and pass these arts down. We build this kingdom with hands, hearts, and spellfire."
Sable....surprisingly, was flourishing. The kids adored him, and he had taken charge of building the School of Light and Flame, a place where every child could learn combat, kindness, magic, and survival.
"This is where they'll learn to thrive," he said, watching the obstacle course being built. "Not just survive."
"No caste. No titles. No bullshit," Rhiannan added, watching the magic rooms take shape. "We are one people."
Above them, Azarion floated like a god on watch, his power blanketing the castle like protective starlight. Nothing would harm them on his watch.
Rhiannan stood in the courtyard rubbing her bump proudly and opened a live stream.
Her voice cracked with emotion. "We're not just building a kingdom. We're building a legacy. One where no child goes hungry. Where magic is sacred. Where the broken find purpose. And every single one of you, whether you live here or love us from afar, you're a part of it."
The donations came in like lightning. Supplies. Food. Gold. Volunteers. Refugees. Warriors. Even poets.
And for the first time in her life, Rhiannan felt it deep in her bones....
They weren't just surviving. They were creating heaven.