The Fellowship?

[Daegan]

Lasius and Wynne would once more feel a rush of air as the tingling feeling would return, only this time backwards. The painful tingles, however, would gradually fade into mere tingling and soon disappear altogether as there forms flickered from the Shadow Realm into Daegan’s bedchambers. Lasius’ fallen from would appear on Daegan’s large bed, Wynne’s body near the Lightning Childe.

Seconds later Daegan’s form would have exploded forth from one of the far shadowed corners, carrying Lomes in his arms like he would his daughter. The Soul Fire that flickered about his body had vanished, and the normally visible aqua ring around his eyes barely there.

He grunted as he strode across the bed, laying Lomes at the foot of the bed. Sighing, Daegan turned to face Wynne, a soft smile overtaking his exhausted face. He moved towards her, and once more picked Wynne up in his arms, hugging her tightly.

“They’re safe here, Wynne. And so are you. It’s been a… strange day. I want you to go to your bedchambers and get cleaned up. I’ll have the cooks make something enormous for dinner. I need to see something and make sure these two are tended too. I’ll come get you when dinner’s ready, okay?”

He kissed her forehead once more and then set her down. Sighing deeply, Daegan smiled once more at his daughter, and then turned, his form almost instantly melting away into the shadows within the room. Moments later he would emerge outside the Tower of Shadows, his eyes moving frantically about to see if he could find any traces of his daughters. Any people, for that matter. Another deep sigh came from Daegan as he saw movement ahead in the distance.

Some of the Shadow Sedi had returned home to gather supplies before moving to Sethia to begin the rebuilding of the Nation. It made Daegan smile slightly as he walked forward from the Tower towards one of the city’s streets. But the smile was replaced by shock as Daegan’s froze in his steps, his heart skipping a beat. He couldn’t believe his eyes at what lay before him.

“By the Gods… Lasius’ll be happy.”

Quickly, Daegan moved forward and ripped away from a reluctant tree the trinket that made him stop. It was then that Daegan realized everything Lasius had said. How long of a journey they had before them. But even with those thoughts, Daegan couldn’t help but laugh. Softly, the Sage of Shadows chuckled, his form once more melting into the shadows to appear moments later in his bedchambers. He walked to the bed that Lasius’ unconscious body lay upon and placed what he had just pulled from a tree. It was the Arc of Lightning.

“Time to live up to your name sake, Lightning Childe. Be our Savior again.”

Daegan then turned and moved deeper into his chambers, moving around a stone wall protrusion to an almost completely dark room. The only light came from the center of the ceiling, dangling slightly from the tall chamber. A seemingly unnatural fire flickered from the light, the same color of the Soul Fire that had all but faded from Daegan’s eyes. An unnatural manifestation of the Nether energy that haunted Daegan’s very soul. The perfect light for creating an extreme amount of shadow.

A soft smile flickered back onto Daegan’s face as he entered his – essentially – shadow chamber. They lapped at his body as he entered, snaking around his ankles and legs, wrapping around his wrists and arms. His body almost surged with the impulse of the shadows. He moved to a large, velvet lined chair and sank into the soft cushions. The shadows swirled about his body as he closed his eyes and rested them, smiling as the shadows covered him completely.

[Lasius]

Lasius' breathing was slow and labored, he barely had the basic energy left to sustain his life force when the Shadows deposited him upon Daegan's bed. The healing Malkate had given him had eased the pain significantly, allowing him to rest easier, but the amount of energy he had lost was astonishing. Rest was helping however, his Sedian nature was designed for survival, and given sufficient time he would recover. The question was simply how much time, the shock to his system was tremendous, channeling the power necessary to break the barrier had stretched the limits of what he was capable even in immortality, then to strip from him that immortality and leave him as weak as a newborn kitten was almost more than his body could handle.

Then of course there was the energies Malkate had used to heal his wounds, saving his life was a daunting task, but the familiar energies had set loose a flood of emotional memories that consciously he had locked away for sanities sake. Now alone in his mind, the darkness closing in on him there were no barriers between him and memories that threatened to shatter what fragile mind there was left. His body trembled and tensed unconsciously his hand clenching tightly around the ring placed there by Mal before her departure. In side his mind he was already waging a desperate war for sanity.

Darkness surrounded him, time had no meaning, a moment, a year, they passed as one in this place within him. He had been here before, something familiar called to him, he searched around himself but it was no use, his eyes might as well have been closed for all he could see. He reached inside him self grasping at the power that he had always relied on, but it was not there, he couldn't call forth even the tiniest spark to light the darkness around him. Panic was beginning to set in.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, forcing himself to relax, there was a way out, darkness was never absolute, always the light could be found to show you a way, you just needed to look hard enough.

“Where were you?” The voice jolted him, penetrated his soul and his eyes snapped open in the darkness, he spun left and right, the hairs rising on the back of his neck.

“Malkate? Is that you?” His own voice sounded weak and hollow in his ears, an echo of an echo at best.

“You made promises Lasius Riley.” The voice burned him, his hand felt on fire, he looked down at it but could see nothing, the darkness was still absolute.

“I did the best I could, I told you I was sorry!” The burning was unbearable he couldn't believe his hand wasn't on fire, almost he wished it was, anything to see in this infernal darkness.

“Your sorrow is worthless, it didn't end the pain, it didn't save me from what was to come, fulfilling your promises might have done that, you know its your fault.” The words cut like a knife, a knife to the heart and he sank to his knees.

“I can't fix it, I don't know how” his weak voice was choked with pain. How many lifetimes of decisions, how many years upon countless years of regret and pain, never dealt with never faced until now.

“I killed you for it once you know” The voice was cold, chilled him to the bone, not for the first time he wondered if perhaps he really was dead, and this was his own personal hell. “No, it's not that easy Lightning Childe” The voice responded to his thoughts as though spoken aloud.

“This cant be real.” The denial was desperation, truth in fact often was desperate, yet all seemed honest in this place, every word cut to the soul. His hand was agony, something about his hand if only he could focus on that.

“Oh but it's real alright, more real than you have existed in time without memory. Its the real guilt that has resided inside your soul since you first came into your most basic of powers, the real pain of the real responsibility that you failed to live up to.” The voice, Mal's yet filled with a malevolence that he did not recognize as hers, seared him, and with each word the pain in his hand flared anew.

As Daegan placed the Arc on the bed near Lasius and spoke to him a visible release of tension would be seen. The Arc itself would shimmer softly, a light amount of energy crackling across it in response to its proximity to Lasius.

Something had changed, he could feel it, power was flooding him his soul was more energized. It felt comfortable, familiar in a sense, Lightning, all the Lightning in the world.

“It must be the Arc” Subconsciously he reached trough the godly weapon pulling its energy into him, using it to replenish the much needed power that he was lacking. He raised his arms and concentrated, energy crackled around his body, sharp snaps of lightning running up him and across his hands. Slowly a small globe formed, inside the globe constant lightning strikes, illuminating the darkness. There before him stood Malkate.

“So what do you do now, Lasius?” Her tone was cold as winters morning, but the question was tot he point.

Lightning flickered in reflection across his eyes, he looked at her form, his face pale, but his eyes steady, then looked down at his hand. There burnt into the flesh was a perfect unbroken circle, in the center of his palm, the size of a wedding ring. He blinked in surprise as a drop of water splashed on the palm of his hand, the salty water burned the fresh brand all the more. A tear, it surprised him more than anything, he looked up at the image of Malkate. “Now I start again, I have a lot to do, Its going to take time.”

“So be it.”

The energy flowed into Las' body from the Arc, rapidly replenishing his power, he remained unconscious, but his breathing was stronger, it was only a short matter of time before he would be awake and and full strength once more. He opened his hand and the ring fell to the bed, the freshly burned skin, branded as had happened in his mind plain as day on his palm.



(The Italicized takes place in his mind in a form of unconscious dream state the bold is what happens in reality)

[Wynne Siusan Sedi]

Her stomach heaved, her body was alive as if she felt the crawlers on her skin. Daegan told her to protect Lasius – and she took the responsibility seriously. Her small form moved to place itself in front of her Uncle, but out of the corner of her eye she couldn’t help peeking at him. It wasn’t long however, until after the shadows dumped them upon his room, and Wynne’s arms had curled around herself to try and rub away that feeling across her body that left her feeling lightheaded and slightly nauseous. As Daegan picked her up, an obvious delight filled her and she hugged him willingly, welcoming the idea of a bath. However at the mention of food her face grimaced a bit. Of course, by the time the odd feeling in her belly subsided she’d probably be starving.

So she watched her father move away and disappear, knowing that he’d be displeased if she lingered, she couldn’t help moving to the bed to peer at Lomes and Lasius. She ruffled her nose, knowing that if she thought the wind could ever help them she’d offer, but she didn’t wish to chill or hurt them. Instead her hands moved to the sheets, gently moving the bodies when she needed as she “tucked” them in as comfortable as she would think she’d be – before quickly exiting the room in time to hear Daegan moving about inside. She took a deep breath as her small feet carried her into her room – and as she pushed the door open a feeling of nostalgia reached her and – with a yelp of glee – ran and dived face-first into her pillows, laughing as she inhaled the familiar scents of home.

She heard the servants moving about as ordered, drawing her a bath but she blushed as they offered to wash her and shook her head fast. It wasn’t a strange thing – and as afraid as she was of being alone she didn’t want someone about gawking and pretending not to look as they washed her. So instead she moved into the room discarding the dirty and bloodied clothing as fast as she could before she slid into the water. It was so warm, that it almost hurt at first but as she eased into it – her young skin turning pink against it’s warmth, she let out a sigh of pleasure. Never before had she willingly dove into a bath so readily – but now as it soaked away the aches in her muscles and the stains upon her flesh she welcomed it.

However such pleasures weren’t meant to last – the warmth faded off fast and her skin began to wrinkle from the prolonged exposure to the water – so she rose fast and was grateful to find the rose-colored bathrobe had replaced her discarded garments and fresh clothing had been lain out. Drying herself off as fast as she could she almost wanted to scream her happiness as she dressed in the fresh clothing, soft as silk but twice as comfortable – and warm. The slippers were heaven and even as she moved to sit at the large mirror in her room, she ruffled her nose at the reflection of her tangled hair. At least – even with the pinkness that promised a cold to come of her nose – her face had slimmed and matured a bit since she last saw it.

Her face seemed to be a bit… older. Dismissing it as fancy thought, she started to take a brush out to her hair, praying that some of the knots would come out and she wouldn’t have to cut them off. Of course it was a tedious task and she found her mind wandering off to thoughts about her sisters – how many had survived? Her stomach heaved at the thought of loosing them, and the pressure around her heart was great. They didn’t have Daegan to run to, and they would have to make it home. She bit down on her lip, praying to whatever might hear as the gods were dead – that they all made it through.

She stood up – pleased with the smiling girl in the mirror. She still needed sleep and rest, and her body would be sore for weeks to come – but she was bathed and her hair brushed. It’s wet locks were free to fall past her shoulders, and the gown she wore was a soft pink tied just below where her chest would be if she’d had more than an adolescent one. Her long legs were covered by the edges of it and her feet into the slippers, and she wore no jewelry, simply just her. Pleased, and not having the patience of a normal person – she rushed out of her room and towards her father’s chambers.

“Papa?” A soft knock, but she snuck in. She didn’t see Daegan at first, figured he was probably cleaning up as well, so she snuck towards the bedside to check on Lasius. She saw the glimmer of something, saw his upturned palm and her eyes widened. She didn’t remember the small circle burn on his hand, and her eyes saw the ring that had once been placed in it. Smart enough not to touch it, she peered at the woman as well who breathed but remained unresponsive. Biting down on her lip – hoping her father wouldn’t be angry with her, she leaned in and moved to kiss Lasius’ cheek.

“Wake up soon, Uncle Lasius. Don’t let Daddy worry, we need you.”