The final stage of the taming, which Ansel found thoroughly enjoyable, was approaching, just as unexpected as the second phase had been for Ravenna.
Within Nostrom, as they walked towards the teleportation chamber, Ansel, holding Ravenna's hand, spoke with a serene air, "My dear Helen, do you recall the domains of Spirity Lake and Watson?"
"..."
Ravenna's figure stiffened slightly, and after a brief silence, she responded softly, "I remember."
Of course, she remembered—the frenzied and brutal war, the sick and absurd game.
The grand entrance of the Etheric Academy's mechanical armor was meant to be a sweeping victory, but it went rogue, destroying everything in its path; the countermeasures painstakingly devised by the Tower of Babel were anticipated by the enemy. What should have been a crushing defeat turned into a ludicrous "victory."
The war left an indelible mark on Ravenna.
