"Finite."
The word left Thaddues' lips as he stood upon the devastated coastline of Salt Shore. Before him, the remnants of the battle still lingered in the form of sapphire flames dancing across the sea. What had begun as a weapon against the Reach invaders had become something far more destructive. Entire fleets had been reduced to ash, their remains scattered across blackened waters that continued to burn despite the passing of hours.
The spell was not one he had fully mastered. Destroying it recklessly could cause the flames to erupt out of control, transforming them into something closer to Fiendfyre. As powerful as the magic had been against the invaders, it was now threatening the very land he sought to protect.
With his wand raised, Thaddues carefully unraveled the enchantment strand by strand. The process demanded patience and precision. Sweat gathered upon his brow as he painstakingly dismantled the spell, ensuring not a single fragment remained active. Nearly an hour passed before the final traces of cursed fire disappeared from the sea.
Silence returned but the damage remained.
The shoreline had been transformed into a wasteland of scorched stone and blackened sand. Countless fish floated lifelessly upon the water, while entire sections of the coastal ecosystem had been devastated by the magical flames. Even after extinguishing the fire, Thaddues knew the consequences would endure for years.
When Esteban arrived beside him, Thaddues kept his gaze fixed upon the ruined coast.
"Restrict this entire section of Salt Shore."
The steward followed his line of sight and immediately understood.
"No fishing. No trade. No settlements. The sea and land have suffered too much damage. Until I find a way to restore it, no one is to use this area."
Esteban nodded solemnly.
"It shall be done."
Satisfied, Thaddues apparated away with Esteban. The world twisted around him before settling once more.
They appeared within the White Market or rather, what remained of it.
The once-thriving district had become little more than a field of rubble and smoke. Buildings lay collapsed across the streets. Market stalls had been reduced to splintered wood and ash. Entire sections of the settlement had vanished beneath the destruction wrought by war.
At the center of it all stood the ruins of Peverell House.
For a moment, Thaddues simply stared. He could restore much of it if he wished. Magic offered solutions to problems that ordinary people could scarcely imagine. But after a night of continuous battle, large-scale enchantments, healing spells, and powerful rituals, even he had reached his limits. His magic reserves were strained, and his body felt heavier than it had in years.
Not even potions could erase that exhaustion. As he walked through the ruined streets, Esteban followed a step behind.
"How many casualties?" Thaddues asked.
The steward hesitated before answering.
"Nearly half of our forces, my lord."
A brief silence followed.
Five hundred dead.
The number could have been far worse. Without House Peverell's intervention, Salt Shore would have fallen and thousands more would have perished. Yet knowing that did little to lessen the weight settling upon his shoulders.
"Do not blame yourself," Thaddues said .
Esteban looked up.
"You did everything you could." He continued.
"My lord, if I had been stronger—"
"If you had been stronger, you would still have faced an army supported by a dragon rider. The responsibility does not fall upon your shoulders alone."
The steward lowered his head.
"Thank you, my lord."
Thaddues continued walking through the White Market. Around them, survivors worked tirelessly among the ruins. Guards carried bodies toward waiting wagons while volunteers distributed food and water to the wounded. Children huddled beside their families beneath makeshift shelters erected from salvaged timber and torn canvas.
When the people noticed him, conversations gradually ceased.
Heads bowed.
Some stared openly.
Others watched with expressions of gratitude.
Word had already spread throughout Salt Shore. They knew who had ended the invasion. They knew who had faced the enemy's dragon rider and emerged victorious. Most importantly, they knew who had prevented their complete destruction.
But instead of pride, Thaddues felt only guilt.
If he had remained in Salt Shore instead of being a hero in Sunspear, could some of these deaths have been avoided?
Would those families still be whole?
Would hundreds still be alive?
The questions lingered in his mind, but no answer came. Because what's done is done.
"Esteban."
"Yes, my lord?"
"Begin preparations for a new settlement. Temporary housing, food supplies, medical assistance, whatever is necessary. The people of the White Market will need somewhere to stay while reconstruction begins."
The steward frowned slightly.
"My lord, we can provide immediate aid, but supporting everyone for months will require enormous resources."
"We have the resources."
His answer came without hesitation.
The wealth of House Peverell alone was substantial, and if that proved insufficient, he possessed other means. Gold was not a problem. He can just use the philosphers stone to create more gold for his house.
"The people come first."
Esteban nodded. "It shall be done, my lord.."
"Also compensate every family affected by the closure of the damaged coastline. Their livelihoods will suffer because of my actions."
"My lord, that could cost a fortune."
"Then spend it."
The firmness in Thaddues' voice left no room for debate.
"Provide enough compensation to sustain them for at least a decade." This time Esteban's eyes widened.
"A decade?"
"Yes."
The steward slowly nodded. He didn't dare object.
"As you command."
After discussing relief efforts, Thaddues turned his attention to another matter.
"Where will the burial be held?"
"In the barren fields east of the White Market."
Thaddues recognized the location immediately. The land had long remained unused despite several plans to develop it. Once he had considered turning it into farmland. Now fate had chosen a different purpose.
A resting place.
A final home for those who would never return.
The funeral was held that afternoon. People from every corner of Salt Shore gathered beneath an overcast sky as rows of graves stretched across the barren field.
Families stood together in mourning, their grief visible upon tear-stained faces. The dead came from every walk of life. Household guards, sailors, merchants, fishermen, sellswords, and common folk who had found themselves trapped within a war they never sought.
Lord Gargalen attended alongside his advisors, standing among the mourners rather than apart from them. For a few hours, titles and status ceased to matter. Everyone present had lost something.
One by one, the bodies were lowered into the earth.
Prayers were spoken.
Tears were shed.
The atmosphere remained heavy long after the final grave had been filled.
When the burial concluded, Thaddues stepped forward.
The crowd instinctively fell silent. Drawing his wand, he released a wave of gentle magic across the field. The barren ground trembled before countless flowers emerged from the soil. White lilies bloomed first, followed by roses, lavender, and wildflowers of every color. Within moments, the desolate landscape had transformed into a vast garden stretching across the horizon.
Gasps spread throughout the mourners. Many stared in stunned silence. Others wept anew.
The field that had moments ago resembled a graveyard now appeared peaceful, beautiful, and alive. Thaddues looked across the countless graves.
"They died protecting their homes and families," he said quietly. "Their sacrifice will not be forgotten." No grand speech followed.
None was needed. The flowers spoke more eloquently than words ever could.
As evening descended upon Salt Shore, Thaddues finally returned to the Hightower. The day's responsibilities had ended, but the burden within his heart remained. His footsteps echoed softly through the corridors until he reached Lily's chamber.
The room was exactly as he had left it. Untouched by the chaos outside.
Lily lay upon the bed as though sleeping. Her expression remained serene, almost making it possible to forget the truth. For several moments, Thaddues stood beside her in silence, simply watching.
The invasion had been repelled.
The war had been won.
But none of it had brought her back.
Slowly, he reached for her hand.
Cold.
Far colder than it should have been.
A familiar ache settled within his chest.
After everything he had accomplished, after all the magic at his disposal, death remained the one enemy he had never truly defeated.
"System."
A translucent blue screen materialized before his eyes.
"Host, system activated."
Thaddues never looked away from Lily.
"Analyze Lily's condition and provide methods to preserve her body."
"Command acknowledged."
The screen flickered as streams of information appeared.
--
[Scanning Subject: Lily Waters...]
[Analysis Complete.]
[Three viable preservation methods detected.]
[Method One: Advanced Freezing Charm.]
[Method Two: Permanent Stasis Charm.]
[Method Three: Ancient Rune Preservation integrated with Advanced Transfiguration.]
--
Thaddues carefully reviewed the results.
The first two options were simpler and easier to implement. The third was considerably more complex, requiring mastery over two magic branches. However, it also offered the greatest degree of stability and preservation.
His decision came almost immediately.
"Select the third option."
--
[Method Selected.]
[Preparing procedure.]
--
The screen continued displaying information as countless calculations unfolded before him.
Thaddues stared at Lily's peaceful face and clenched his fist. The upgraded system's analytical function was proving far more useful than he had expected.
Rather than spending countless hours searching through books and exhausting his knowledge across multiple branches of magic, the system had already identified the most viable solutions. It did not replace his expertise, but it drastically shortened the process, allowing him to focus on execution instead of endless research.
The war against the Reach had ended.
His battle against death was only beginning.
TBC
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