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Macey turned around, looking at her own backrest. True, her name was suddenly engraved in a golden, swirly font. How very weird.
"My name is here, too," Amber confirmed.
"And mine," Izban added. "What does it mean?"
"I think these thrones are now permanently ours," Macey said slowly. "Maybe we've taken over from the previous Wardens officially?"
"Yes, you have," a new, sad voice suddenly said. Luch.
The woman appeared out of thin air in the centre of the throne room, first translucent, then slowly becoming more flesh and blood until she looked fully human.
"Luch? What are you doing here?" Izban asked sharply. "What's going on?"
He sounded slightly panicked, which was exactly what Macey was experiencing. She had a bad feeling about this.
"A new beginning means the ending of something old," Luch replied, her voice missing its usual spark. "To have the full power of the Wardens, which you need to defeat this evil, it needs to be taken from the last ones. And the very first."
"No way!" Macey shouted, jumping up from her throne. "You've co-existed with the other sets of Wardens, just continue doing that. We don't mind!"
"It's time that I join my husband on the other side. He's had to wait for me for far too long. And now that I've got to meet the six of you, I know that the Wardens' legacy is in safe hands." She smiled again, but it couldn't hide her sadness. "Please make it worth it. Defeat the parasite clinging onto the Staran, defeat Mahoun, defeat all of these evil beings affecting the world. Although with the first one, Self-Doubt, I may still be able to help you."
"Is there no other way?" Amber asked, tears making her eyes look large and bright.
"No, little beithir, there isn't. So don't cry. I've lived
a long time and I've not been able to touch my husband for most of it. You should be happy for me."
A tear ran down Macey's cheek. "Then why are you so sad?" she asked Luch, who looked at her in surprise.
"I'm not sad about my death. I'm sad to leave you alone, without my help." She stood up tall, turning around until she'd looked at every Warden. "Are you ready to take your first big step as the Seven Wardens? Are you ready to make a decision over life and death?"
Despite her tears, Macey nodded and saw that the others did the same. They were united in grief for a woman they hardly knew, but who was going to sacrifice herself for the future of this world.
"Luch... thank you," Macey whispered, her voice breaking.
The woman smiled. "You're very welcome. Now, on to business. I'm going to summon Self-Doubt and will try to fight it. It will see me as the most delicious meal it's ever seen. I have a long life of memories for it to feed from, so hopefully, it'll be distracted. Kill it while it's not paying you any attention."
"How do we do that?" Cam asked. "From what Macey said, that thing didn't have a real shape while it was in the Staran, just a blob."
Luch grimaced. "It will take on my form. A sludge-Luch, as Macey would call it." She gave the kelpie a wink. "While it's in that shape, you will be able to kill it like you would any other being. But be quick before it notices and changes back."
"Magic or physical power?" Flint asked, stretching his arms so his strong muscles showed.
Luch tsked. "Why do you think the Wardens aren't human this time? Any human could run a knife through me. No, it has to be magic. As we don't know what will affect it the most, how about you all fire whatever you have at it?"
"But what if we hit you?" Amber asked, worry creasing her face.
"Then you hit me," Luch replied calmly. "I'm going to die today no matter what. At least if it's lightning, it will be over quick. Don't worry about me. Worry about being fast so you can kill Self-Doubt before it becomes immaterial again."
"We'll make you proud," Jared announced, surprising Macey. She hadn't realised he was attached to Luch. Maybe their time waiting together outside the sìth queendom had turned them into friends without her noticing.
"Good. Are you ready?"
Macey summoned some water and wrapped it around her wrists, ready to throw it at her enemy. Lightning began to flash around Amber, while flames licked at Flint’s fingers. A tiny whirlwind formed on Cam's side and both Izban and Jared stretched out their hands towards the centre of the room where Luch was standing, proud and calm.
"Thank you, Luch," Macey said once again. "We're ready."
The woman nodded and sat down on the floor, cross-legged as if she was meditating. She closed her eyes while the Wardens looked at her, everyone ready to strike at a moment's notice.
