Though the Vanguard had succeeded in stopping Emperor Ghirthal and stabilising the merged realities, the scars of Celantheris lingered. Across Earth, faint traces of the alien world's corruption began to surface in unexpected ways.
In the forests near Camelot, trees twisted unnaturally, their branches forming grotesque shapes that seemed to watch those who passed by. Villagers reported shadows moving on their own, whispering incomprehensible words.
At the lakes of the New-Inphel, the water shimmered with an eerie light. Hatchlings avoided the shores, claiming to hear faint laughter and feel unseen hands pulling at them.
Bandruí stood at the edge of the forest, her fae guardians flickering with unease. "It's not over," she murmured to Arthur, who stood beside her. "Celantheris may be gone, but its echoes remain."
Arthur's expression was grim. "Then we must be vigilant. The fight may have ended, but the battle for the world's soul is just beginning."
Amidst the mounting tension, Christopher and Alora found a moment to slip away from the chaos.
"You sure this is a good idea?" Christopher asked, his cigarette dangling from his lips as Alora led him into a secluded grove near Camelot.
She glanced back at him, her emerald eyes flashing with mischief. "The world can wait. Right now, I want you all to myself."
Christopher smirked, flicking the cigarette aside. "When you put it like that..."
They reached a small clearing surrounded by trees, the faint glow of moonlight filtering through the canopy. Alora turned to him, her hands already working at the buttons of his coat.
"You're an idiot, you know that?" she said, her voice a mix of anger and affection. "Sacrificing yourself like that. Leaving me and Bandruí—"
Christopher silenced her with a kiss, his hands pulling her closer. "I'm here now," he murmured against her lips. "And I'm not going anywhere."
As they kissed, the urgency of the world around them faded. Alora's hands tangled in Christopher's hair as his coat fell to the ground. For a moment, there was only them—no lingering corruption, no looming threats, just the two of them.
But when Alora broke the kiss, her eyes were filled with tears. "You scared me, Christopher," she said, her voice trembling. "I thought I'd lost you for good."
He cupped her face in his hands, his thumbs brushing away her tears. "I won't leave you again," he said softly. "In fact... I've been thinking about this a lot."
She blinked, her breath hitching as he dropped to one knee, pulling a small, worn ring from his pocket.
"Let's get married," he said simply.
Alora stared at him, stunned into silence. The tears welled again, but this time they were accompanied by a radiant smile. She nodded, her voice barely above a whisper. "Yes."
Christopher grinned, slipping the ring onto her finger before standing and pulling her into a deep kiss. "Guess I did something right for once."
Alora laughed through her tears. "Don't push your luck, Shaman."
As they embraced, neither noticed the faint ripple of darkness moving through the grove. From the corner of Christopher's eye, he caught a flicker of movement—a shadow that didn't belong.
"Did you see that?" he asked, pulling away slightly.
Alora turned, her gaze sharp. "See what?"
Before he could answer, the shadow coalesced into a vaguely humanoid form, its edges writhing like smoke. It whispered in a voice that seemed to come from everywhere at once.
"Celantheris endures..."
Christopher stepped in front of Alora, his hand instinctively reaching for a blade. "Great. Just when I thought we'd get a break."
The shadow dissolved into the air, leaving behind only an unnatural chill.
Alora gripped his arm. "We should go. Whatever it was, it's not something we can face alone."
He nodded, his eyes scanning the treetops as they made their way back to Camelot.
Back in Camelot, the Vanguard gathered in the war room as Alora and Christopher relayed what they had seen.
"The corruption is spreading," Pepsi said, her luminous form dimming with concern. "It's not just remnants of Celantheris—it's alive."
Fantasia adjusted her scanning device, the readings displaying disturbing fluctuations. "It's as if the merge didn't just fuse our realities. It planted seeds—seeds that are beginning to grow."
Arthur leaned heavily on Excalibur, his expression grim. "Then our fight is far from over."
Bandruí stepped forward, her voice steady. "We stopped Ghirthal. We can stop this too. Together."
Christopher exchanged a glance with Alora, his resolve hardening. "Damn right we can. We've got a wedding to plan, and I'm not letting anything ruin it."
Despite the tension in the room, Alora smiled faintly, her hand resting on his. "Then we'd better get to work."