[Wilderness]
Despite Darganth's best hopes, it took months until the death nexus finished stabilizing. That, however, didn't mean he was idle, at least not fully. While the lack of ambient mana in both the realms and the plane of death meant he couldn't expand his mana pool, that didn't mean he couldn't do anything.
A part of this was helping Melidra. Or rather, aiding Cehlya in helping her. Because the moment he had told her that she could join his fight back in the gardens, his wife had started creating a new avatar. Though comparatively crudely made due to her pushing excess power into the process to speed it up as she couldn't abandon the tasks she was fulfilling with her existing avatars, it would have to do. Besides, even with mana reserves not too far above those of Venrie, she would be another ascendant in their ranks.
Thus, she accompanied him in the form of her avatar when he set out about a week after their reunion. Leading Melidra, who was visibly surprised when her goddess suddenly appeared before her, and the horde of undead with her toward the realm of death bound to the real fragment of Ouroboros End, Cehlya trained both her follower and the army as Darganth constantly traveled in and out of the death nexus.
Splitting his time like this, he bridged the months of slow progress in stabilizing the death nexus. Though located right in the middle of a mana spring, the chaotic nature of its strong mana current helped little on its own in that endeavor. As such, it fell onto the rest of his group, or more accurately mostly Venrie and Scalladras as it was quite taxing to channel even a small portion of the mana spring, to manually reinforce the death nexus. While the daggers Darganth had given out to the ogres helped with this by channeling necrotic energy from the beasts and animals they were hunting in the meantime, it was still an arduous process.
Still, they managed to get it done and were thus now standing next to Darganth while awaiting Cehlya's arrival from the other side of the death nexus. With Scalladras standing to his right, Alicia to his left, and his wives, Venrie, and Yldra behind him, he was thus waiting a few meters away from the mana spring's edge for Cehlya to step out of the death nexus.
When she finally did a few minutes later, it was with all the grandeur Darganth had expected. Carried by Nyriod, the undead dragon Melidra had raised, Cehlya stood straight and with her wings waving lazily behind her back as they headed toward his group. One step further back on her right was Melidra. Clad from head to toe in an obsidian-like armor, she mirrored her goddess' posture and kept her head held high as the two approached the edge of the mana spring.
Landing with his two front legs holding the edge of the chasm, Nyriod clung to the steep cliff-side of the mana spring as he brought his shoulder towards the edge. Easily stepping onto solid earth thanks to this, Cehlya and Melidra arrived before Darganth's group with great ease.
Stopping a few meters in front of him, Cehlya threw Darganth a smirk as she greeted him, "All like it was in the past, isn't it?" She asked nostalgically.
"As close to it as these circumstances allow." Darganth answered, thinking back to all the times when tens or even hundreds of dragons lined the sides of his throne room to welcome Cehlya in his palace. Even after their relationship had started, this ritual had persisted, with neither of them knowing exactly why they kept it going. It had simply felt right to do so. Thus, over the millennia, it simply became a habit for him to receive her like this whenever they hadn't seen each other for long.
Acknowledging Darganth's answer with a small smile that flashed over her lips, Cehlya then turned her attention to his right. As her gaze then met Scalladras', she greeted him with a slight nod, "Lord Scalladras."
"Good to see you too, Cehlya. I was glad when Darganth told us you were well, it has been quite a while after all." Scalladras answered.
"When your kind fights, even I have to watch out. Especially this time. The three others might not have openly called for my death, but I fear Vunreon's favor is the only thing keeping them from doing so." Cehlya said.
As she then started turning to shift her attention onto Alicia, Cehlya added, "Though my backing is growing with every second. And soon your fellow primordials will learn that even with that edge in status, I am more than capable of being a thorn in their side."
Briefly taken aback by the sudden shift in her tone, Scalladras took a moment before a dangerous grin crept onto his face. Slowly nodding in agreement with Cehlya's sentiment, he internally started looking forward to the day.
Meanwhile, Cehlya's gaze had landed on Alicia. Studying her with slightly narrowed eyes, her expression was unreadable for a few short moments before a smile flashed across her lips.
"You certainly resemble your brother. A bit more free-spirited and adventurous, maybe. But then again, all I know of his life when he was your age is what he told me, so no idea whether he wasn't brasher than he'd like to admit back then." Cehlya said, curiously glancing toward Darganth, only to see a nothing saying grin in response.
"But anyways, it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, sister-in-law." Cehlya said and held out her hand as a greeting.
Raising an eyebrow toward Cehlya's outstretched hand, Alicia shook her head before opening her arms wide for a hug and stepping toward her, "Come on, we're family."
Briefly pausing, Cehlya let out a soft chuckle before accepting the invitation. Stepping into the hug, she threw one arm around Alicia's shoulder and pulled her close to herself.
Smiling softly as he watched this happen, Darganth left the two of them their moment. Content to be happy about the fact that his sister and Cehlya were on good terms, he waited until the latter stepped back and untangled herself from their embrace before speaking up.
"Now then, do you want me to make the introduction, or…?" He asked, trailing off at the end of the sentence.
"Please." Cehlya said, turning her attention toward the women standing behind Darganth.
Taking a step to the side and turning his head toward his wives and lovers, Darganth held out one arm to signal them that they should decide who he'd introduce first. Unsurprisingly, it was Allaire who took him up on this offer after a quick exchange of glances with the others, especially as Venrie and Yldra had both already stepped back while gesturing for the other three to start.
"Well then. Cehlya, meet Allaire." Darganth said as the beastwoman stepped to his side.
Acknowledging his words with a nod, Cehlya studied Allaire in silence. Her expression stayed neutral during this, causing Allaire to get mildly nervous under the former's cold stare. However, before this could get too bad, Cehlya nodded with a barely audible exhale.
"Darganth mentioned quite a bit about you. If his description was accurate, I think we'll manage to get along." Cehlya said.
"I'd be happy if so." Allaire said, holding out her hand for Cehlya.
Raising an eyebrow, the goddess initially mustered the gesture with some reluctance in her gaze as she still wasn't entirely sure how friendly was appropriate for meeting her husband's other wives. However, after a moment of internal debate, Cehlya shook Allaire's outstretched hand with a cordial nod.
As Cehlya then shifted her gaze away from Allaire, Jennia was already stepping past Darganth. Not even leaving him a moment to introduce her, she met Cehlya's gaze with the same silent stare the latter had shown Allaire at first.
Taken aback by this response, Cehlya took a moment before she spoke, "Jennia, I'm assuming."
"Correct."
"Is this you telling me you don't like me?" Cehlya asked after another second of wordless staring.
"Did it mean that when you did it?" Jennia asked.
This answer took Cehlya by surprise. Immediately opening her mouth to retort, she paused before the words could leave her lips as she reflected on her previous actions. While she hadn't meant it that way, considering the sheer power difference between her and them, an icy reception such as hers wasn't just rude but downright intimidating.
Reacting to that realization with a sigh, Cehlya was about to explain herself when she paused once more before then turning to Allaire to simply apologize.
"I'm sorry. Didn't mean it that way." She said, an apology which Allaire accepted with a smile.
Though as this happened, Darganth's expression had already sunken into a slight frown. Not because of the apology, but rather because of how Jennia had greeted Cehlya. Though her words had implied otherwise, he knew her well enough that such a response meant that she didn't truly like Cehlya. If she did, she wouldn't have become so protective of Allaire, especially not for some, he had to admit, poor communication.
This view was only further reinforced when Jennia responded to Cehlya's apology with just a short nod before turning away from her and walking off to the side.
Not able to dwell on this bad start for much, as Cehlya turned her gaze toward Serania, Darganth hoped that continuing might at least help somewhat.
"Then you must be Serania." Cehlya said as the beastwoman stepped forward.
"I am." Seraina answered, holding out her hand with a welcoming smile.
"It's nice to meet you. And thank you for not holding my earlier misstep toward Allarie against me." Cehyla said as she shook her hand.
"It wasn't appropriate, and with that I agree. But we both love Darganth, and he loves us both, so I believe such matters can and should always be resolved through dialogue. And for that, it needs trust and some tolerance for mistakes." Serania said.
"That, I'm glad to hear." Cehlya said with a relieved smile.
With that, Darganth's last worries about this meeting vanished. Though it could have gone better, it still went comparatively well. As for the introductions of Venrie and Yldra, he wasn't concerned.
Even in the past, Cehlya had far less of a problem with him having lovers. She still would've preferred it if he didn't, but accepted it instead of merely tolerating it. At least in part, this was because it was a far more common arrangement among gods than having multiple wives. As such, it is far more widely accepted among gods, something that naturally also shaped Cehlya's view on the topic over the millennia she has spent in the social circles among the divine. Consequently, her introduction to Yldra and Venrie went without any tension.
As this happened, Scalladras arrived at Darganth's left.
"Now then, what's your plan to get the army you mentioned out here. I doubt Cehlya's little devotee there has more dragons in her ranks, so we won't be able to fly them over anytime soon, but you surely have a plan already." The fire god said.
"Of course."
"Great. Fighting that beast was a good warm-up, but I can't wait for that fight against the smugglers that you promised me."
"Nice to know that you're volunteering to help. Knew I could count on you." Darganth said with a grin.
"What do you mea-" Scalladras started before continuing after a sharp pause, "Wait, you don't plan to have us all lift them across with magic, do you?"
Seeing Darganth only respond with a shrug, the primordial slapped his forehead with his palm and groaned. Already feeling exhausted just from the prospect, he was just about to complain when he heard Darganth chuckle.
"Maybe I should also mention that while she doesn't have many more dragons, she does have quite a few large flying beasts. So even without us helping, it should only be a matter of a week or so to transport them out of the mana spring." Darganth said, much to the relief of Scalladras.
"And then we'll march out?" The fire god asked a few moments later, still shaking his head in annoyance over Darganth's attempt to shock him.
"And then we'll march out." Darganth confirmed, causing a smile to flash across Scalladra's lips.