https://www.deviantart.com/ifritnox/art/3-9-Hope-984021042

The servants of darkness, although weakened, still had power.

The darkness had lost her three claws, she had lost Regulus, Serpens and Cancer, and Draco was wounded, but Musca, Auriga and Indus were still by her side. Now they helped the darkness, to get her final weapon, that had been hidden before: The great net Reticulum. They spread it over the clearing of Trishanku. lowering it over the defendants until nobody could escape.

So they trapped their enemies and night fell over Andromeda. No light was beyond the clearing, and even in Trishanku the shadows grew longer and stronger. The world of once had fallen, many hearts were to heavy to further withstand the eclipse. Even Aldeband stumbled, barely able to hold the shield. Fear and sorrow was all that grew.

Andromeda had fallen. The light-reaches went dark.

In this hour, as everybody gatheres by the graves Mira and Fornax, Vulpecula knew he mustn't hide anymore. But he gave his last son, Castor, on last task. While he hid, the fox titan had still watched everything, and finally he spotted the fly Musca spying for the darkness.

Mirfak now ruled, although he was the youngest of the titan's children. His pack was loyally behind him, Sabik and Kornephorus at his side. These Castor told about the fly.

The hunt began immediatly, but Musca was too nimble for even Castor and Sabik Arrow-star. She escaped, but the times in which she could listen undisturbed were over. As soon as the spy was gone, Vulpecula rose to the amazement of all except Castor. The defendants, who had thought him dead, stared at the fox speechless, that returned to them in their darkest hour. Still, Vulpecula had no answers, but his return was a small spark of hope.

This spark, as fate had it, fell unto Phoenix. Flames came from the grave Fornax, then the first scout rose in a ball of fire. For the Phoenix was immortal, as long as there was hope, and hope had returned now, weak as it might be.

Thus, the fox and the phoenix had returned. The defendants got new courage to care about the wounded, which were Lupus, Cygnus and Pegasus. All three had been poisoned by the darkness. But Virgo and Phoenix together could heal them. So the winged horse, the swan and the First Wolf gained conciousness.

But they were still trapped. One last time they gathered their strength for a final battle, to fight back the darkness. They bit the net, and clawed at the darkness. They fought with everything they had, big and small. Phoenix' light was above them, but it couldn't drive the shadows away. The net of tricks, made from thorns, would not let them escape.

Then the darkness herself came. She pushed with her horn and sent out her breath of storm, and caught many in her stomach. Finally, she faced Lupus in direct battle, and the allays feared so strongly about their leader, that he had to retreat. The night triumphed with a mighty howl.

The three traitors - the bird of paradies, the toucan and the giraffe - surrendered first. Many of the heroes stepped back, as the eclipse sang about the death of their loved ones. In the end, all was at it had begun: The defendants sat on the clearing, trapped, protected by Aldeban and the three shields, whose light was flickering stronger and stronger.

"It is too late", Lupus said to them. "Too many were lost. All your battles were brave and filled with light, but they came too late. If only we had more time. If only we had more fighters ..."

As they saw their leader give up, the defendants lost all their courage.

Corvus, who had not spotted the darkness in time, still blamed himself. In this hour, as the light died down and the era of titans came to an end, he thought of Mimas and Erakis Crimson-star, and all others that had lost their light to the eclipse. Silently and filled with remorse he sang a song. Not a wolfsong, like Pictor and Deneb would've sung it, but a song of pain.

Corvus' Lament:

Tears, tears on the grass!

On the grass, on the hills,

on the firs in the wood!

Forgotten, forlorn,

frozen in pain.

Tears on the grass,

tears and blood.

Sunshine of happier days

was caught in the stream of time.

Oh, how my heart cried, crushed by the change of the world!

Where are the sparrows over misty field,

below a clouded sky?

What happened, at the abyss of days?

Before the world was doomed to die,

the river was running down.

Down, down, toward the end,

and never ever ran up.

Tears and blood, mixed in snow.

So red, so white, so black is the night!

Bloody snow, caught in the storm,

and ever and ever and ever lost!

Oh, how could all of this happen?

As the raven song echoed, raw and far over the dusky clearing, everyone tought about the Lost. Lupus himself lowered his head and cried a tear for Mimas and Erakis, for their friendship, the light that let in the darkness. For many creatures had loved the wonder of that unusual friendship. This love was still inside them and so they mourned that something so beautiful had come undone.

And so, the biggest miracle happened: For suddenly, two lights arose in the darkness, red like fox and wolf pelt, and their light scared the night away. All recognized Mimas and Erakis, speaking to them against all odds.

From far away, they heard the friends that were like brothers sing, and Lupus responded with a song of his own. Star after star appeared, light after light in the darkness of the eclipse. Canis Major and Canis Minor, Ursa Major and Ursa Minor, and Pollux, and Lukida. Many of the buried in the grave Fornax returned, and the titans of the grave Mira.

"The others are missing", Corvus said and looked into the darkness that had swallowed Andromeda. He realized the truth: "They need a path!"

The light of the shield was flickering stronger. Again and again, darkness flooded the clearing. But the river Lyra shone with light. Corvus sent the fish into the waters, so that they made a road of light toward Trishanku, and soon, new stars appeared. They didn't have much power, but they held unto the darkness and strengthened the shields. The many lights could push the enemy back and the defendants were saved.

Unable to move, the darkness had to give up. The defendants didn't cheer. But you could hear them breath a sigh of relieve as they understood the war had been won.