Ace of Spades- 𝕾𝖎𝖝 𝖔𝖋 𝕮𝖗𝖔𝖜𝖘

35] Long May The Night

When Diena first heard that the job that she had been roped into involved the Darkling, that was what made her hesitant, she had heard the stories, the whispers about who he was, what he did.

And now his body was laying in front of her and she wondered what she was hesitant about in the first place. Genya and Zoya went forwards and grabbed a lit torch.

Zoya went first, setting fire to the woods. Genya was second, and when she'd lit the wood on fire she turned back, handing her torch to Alina. Alina went forwards muttering something before she threw the torch atop Kirigan's body, letting the flames engulf him.

"Today is a new beginning." Nikolai spoke up as he stepped forwards, "For all of Ravka. Hell, for our whole world. It's a bit daunting, isn't it? Knowing where to go from here. We've had a singular focus for so long. So much blood has been shed. After hundreds of years separated by the Fold, we can celebrate a unified Ravka. Our neighbours to the North will see us united and will aim to strike. But often it's not the battle that takes the most from us. It's the aftermath. The chance to put the pieces of our lives back together. When a Firebird rises from the ashes, it is not the same. But in that rebirth, it's potential. Potential for new purpose."

"Thanks to what Alina has done for us, we all have a chance to better the world now that the Fold is gone. And above all, you must trust. Trust in each other. In yourselves. Trust in the fact that this is the start of better days to come. And it won't be easy, of course. Nothing is, I had hoped to end that on a more uplifting note, but here we are."

As they all walked back to the fort, Diena was walking hand in hand with Tolya when she heard, "Snake."

Diena turned around and saw Nikolai motioning for her to come over to him and she obliged, "Moi Tsar."

Nikolai chuckled, "I know you hate the royals."

Diena nodded, "I do. But I guess I just need one good one to change my thoughts...Ravka isn't my home, I've almost died here twice, quite frankly I don't really like it but...I think it's in good hands."

Nikolai nodded to her, "Thank you...listen, Tolya is his own man. If he wants to stay with you, then I won't be the one to stop him."

Diena looked back at Tolya who was sitting with Tamar, before looking back at Nikolai, "You and I both know that he won't stay. As much as I would love him to, his loyalty to you and his country is bigger than me."

Nikolai raised an eyebrow, "I wouldn't be so sure...I heard about your Snakes. You could be a very useful asset in Ravka...for me, Tolya told me what I didn't know about the Snake of the Barrel."

Diena snorted, "I'd like to very respectfully decline. Besides...I've got some skin to regrow, Snakes don't stay down." It was then she remembered something that Vesemir had told her in her hallucination, she didn't even know if it was real or not, "I think one of my people is alive, Nico she's an Inferni. Gotta try to find her before I do anything."

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A bit later Diena was laying on some grass whilst Jesper was sitting on a boulder with a bullet in his hand, he groaned when whatever he tried to fabrikate it into it didn't work, "You'll get it, it's not going to happen straight away."

Jesper shut his eyes before he flicked something into the air and Diena caught it, when she opened her hand she saw a metal rabbit, "See? Good Durast?"

The pair looked up, they had gotten better at figuring out when Inej was around, "You're not coming back home, are you?" Jesper asked as Diena sat up, Inej didn't say anything, "I'm already the looks of the operation, guess I'm going to have to be the heart now too."

Inej walked towards them and sat down next to Diena, "I have to find my brother." Diena nodded, she understood, "I have to reunite my family, something I should've done a long time ago."

"Well in your defence you have been a little busy saving the world." Jesper pointed out

Diena chuckled, "Twice over."

When Diena saw that Inej was getting upset she put her arm around her, "You don't have to feel bad...for going."

Inej looked at them, "Harij is my brother...any my parents might be my blood but you." All three of them stood up a hug was coming, Diena could feel it, "You Jesper and Diena. Are my family too...can you-"

Jesper cut Inej off, "Oh yeah. We'll look out for him."

"Always do." Diena added

Jesper then pulled the pair of them into a hug, Inej paused slightly before hugging them back, "I am so going to miss you." Inej whispered

Diena rubbed Inej's back, she never would have thought that the Wraith would have become one of her best friends, someone she knew would always have her back no matter what, "We're going to miss you too."

"Of course you're going to." Jesper joked when they pulled away

Inej smiled at them before she walked away, "Where are you going now?" Jesper called after her

Inej stopped walking and turned around, "To say my prayers." she turned back around and walked away

Diena put her hand on Jesper's back, "It's alright." The second Inej was out of sight Jesper let out a sob, "Come here, rabbit." Diena sighed as Diena pulled her brother towards him.

The group had been through a lot together, saved each other, they had become a family. It was understandable that somewhere deep down Diena was actually upset that Inej was leaving them.

Thank you for reading

I think the next one is going to be a little sad a little happy just a lot of emotions tbh

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