Things seem to be on an upswing in the House. Lex and Tugs are very much in love and open about it. Adriana
has just been declared free of disease (and her hair is starting to grow back). Tranns and Lucien are working through
their issues. Tristan and Insa have finally managed to stop screaming at each other. The only unrest lately seems
to stem from a high number of Ebene weapon caches that the strike team have started to discover all across Shaldani.
Aden voices his discomfort, especially since the caches contain a large amount of siege equipment such as battering rams and
catapults, but the Phoenix Fighters decide not to jump to any hasty conclusions.
Unfortunately, the conclusions are drawn for them. In the middle of a romantic encounter, Adriana receives a vision
from the PTB. She and Aden call a meeting where Adriana shares the terrible news. The Ebene are planning an attack
on the House. Not a sneaky, subtle attack. Not a small scale attack. A full, complete, and devastating attack
on the whole House with plans to kill every man, woman, and child living there. Immediately, action is taken.
Quinn and Tristan transport the children to Hyrule, to stay with Kally and James. Meanwhile, all strikes are cancelled,
and the Phoenix Fighters buckle down to secure the House against invasion.
Although not officially a Phoenix Fighter, Lex elects to stay in the House. Tugs, of course, decides to remain
with her, much to her annoyance. As the Phoenix Fighters are busy, saying their goodbyes, she voices this concern to
Casey. Desperately unhappy at the prospect of losing her friends, Casey offers to rescue both Lex and Tugs from the
battle. Instead, Lex asks Casey to kidnap Tugs and keep him safe in Merindar when the time of the battle comes.
Casey agrees, figuring she'll have nothing to lose from revealing her new Niflheim abilities.
Before too long, the Ebene army is spotted approaching the House. While Casey slips Tugs away, the Phoenix Fighters
arm for battle. Phil takes control of the lobby, with secondary fronts set up in the bar, under Tranns, and the kitchen,
surprisingly, led by Quinn. The eastern wall of the House is blown out and a violent battle rages. In the course
of the battle, Casey finally reveals her Niflheim body to those fighting at her side. No one seems the least bit upset.
Adriana breaks away from the group to defend the courtyard and gets attacked by a single Ebene. By the time Tranns
reaches her, however, she has recovered and the Ebene is gone without a trace. It is Ariadne who first realizes that
the Ebene are retreating. The Phoenix Fighters slaughter those who remain and when Ariadne goes outdoors, everyone is
shocked to see when she doesn't revert to her demon form. Looking up, they realize that the Ebene barrier over Shaldani
is gone. Magic has been restored. It seems that the war has finally be won.
