Death.. and Rebirth (cont from "Pirates!")

[Malkate Rose Sedi]

It was the command she knew was coming, it was something that came about the minute the Sage of Shadows noticed the wound – something Sitherack didn’t think to heal up before he sent her off. Even as the command shuddered through her body she looked over at the surprised Nuria and spoke something in an odd tongue; leaving her mind oddly devoid of what it would translate into so that Sitherack wouldn’t understand. Well, partially. He’d understand the word ‘Passions’ spoken in clear wording, but the second word was both thought and spoken in the old Magus language of the girls they learned back in school; it was otherworldly. Her eyes turned to Las, a silent pleading for forgiveness that she’d failed yet again.

Blood curled up through her mouth as she began to choke in her blood, her organs exploding within her body quickly enough that she’d live to feel every one before her body gave out to death. It was a command that wasn’t able to be ignored, and even as the Nectrite burned painfully through her, raging the Darkness only seemed to turn and attack the cells, a kind of pain that she’d not been able to embrace and forget; it consumed everything. The blood of hers that oozed through ears and nose, sliding through nose and ears as her hearing faded, though her sight mercilessly remained as everything else started fading, the pain was to the point she’d embrace something; anything beyond this. Her focus was less on what she felt sorry for and only the pain that burned through her all-too-mortal body.

She couldn’t even gasp for air as bits of lung and other almost impossible to identify organs spilled from her crimson lips, staining the ground beneath her. Pulling together her energy, she started laughing through the pain, as the world started fading and turning black, she pulled together the last bits of energy she could even as the Darkness tried to consume them; for her last command was given and using the power of her very soul and the last bit of life force she started to weave the Death Curse, holding onto the connection that he had given her, she released it with the last bit of air she was able to draw into her ruined lungs – shoving it down the connection he established to control her through that mortal body. Cued to disperse with her final breath; thus when his control ended – it would taint him. Not at first, almost subtle it might feel as if she coughed on him – but in the end if he was unable to recognize it; it would act as a poison, an impurity in that Darkness.

His fingers on her arm snapped her out of the trance she had placed herself or possibly been placed into, but there remained on her mind a daze for almost a full minute afterwards, she barely heard his words, felt the brush of his lips, it was all as though just for a second it was happening to someone else. Then his word knifed through her, the announcement of the Darkness inside Malkate brought her back to her senses. The knowledge that Sitherack had played a hand in her control slapped her mind like cold water and her pale green eyes narrowed, then widened at the sight before her. Malkate was bleeding, not just a little either, knowledge that Sitherack must have been actively possessing her body at that time and ordered her death the moment that she was found out slowly came to realization in her mind.

Instinct immediately took over, she snatched at the time continuum, bent it hastily, shifting time in a narrow space around herself, encompassing only her own body, for her own unmagnified abilities at time shifting were limited and she had used far too much with Daegan. She didn't have the strength left to stop time but she certainly slowed it immensely, before a drop of blood had reached the ground she was at Malkate's side watching in slow motion as she bent double, in agony. Lomes closed her eyes and delved her body with the Arc of Life, gentle energies probing inside, but the destruction was everywhere at once, there was no healing, everything was corrupted by thee vile darkness, there simply wasn't enough time even with her alterations to the time stream to heal her before the corruption would over take the healing.

She hated making this decision for someone but at this point there simply was no other alternative. She closed her eyes, tapping into the Rod of Souls deep within her and pulled forth the raw energy of creation. At the same time she placed her hand with the Arc of Life Physically on Malkate's body ripping her out of the normal Time Stream and into the altered flow that Lomes had created. Malkate's suffering abruptly sped to real time for Lomes and her body began to destroy itself at an incredible rate. Blood trickled from Lomes nose as she forced her own soul to interact with the Rod of Souls inside her body. There was nothing visible, nothing to see, but on the Aether plane one could witness, Lomes soul reach briefly out of her own body, and grab Malkate'6s soul, wrenching it from her dying form and directly into the body Lomes occupied.

Malkate’s surprise was not even the least bit concealed as she thought she was dying – and felt and knew where her soul was placed. She was bodiless, and she knew somewhere that she had died. She’d switched bodies before but it was such a fast transfer of the soul that she’d never had the experience of an almost out-of-body feeling. Now she felt and knew the artifact she was next, that she’d help save once not even that long ago before all this chaos erupted and Sitherack became bent on the destruction of all once more. Her pain was gone and that in itself was a miracle. Questions floated through her head but more than that, she tried to reac out, to connect to this mind that she was inside; and recognized all too well.

~Why did you save me..?~

~It is my nature.~

Her pale green eyes narrowed at the still dying form of Malkate's body before her, it was now nothing more than an empty husk but it still took time to die. She delved it again and hissed sharply at the seething Darkness that infested it. It was completely corrupted, completely unuseable. To purge it would take untold amounts of energy and time. Her eyes closed as she felt the time stream with her soul, gently caressing the flowing strands of time. She couldn't hold it like this forever but her strength was stable for now.

She opened her eyes and sighed, making a negligent gesture with her right hand the body of Malkate flashed once and then was incinerated in a flash of light not leaving a trace of its former existence left. And thankfully none of that wretched darkness either. Now was time for her penalty to be paid, she hated having to act without consent, but sometimes there simply was... well no time.

~I would apologize, I have wronged you, in removing your Soul as I did I have robbed you of free will, this is a crime for which even the gods were punished, I cannot be punished because I am all that exists, and to punish me in this manner punishes all, thus I will give you the choice of your rebirth. I am sorry about your Body, but it was far to corrupt to be salvaged, putting you back in it even fully healed would have been giving you back to Him.~

There was no doubt of whom she was speaking.

Anger rippled through her soul at the words of the woman, though not at the punishment but at the thought of her going back to Sitherack. Her Free will wasn’t even an illusion then, and the thought of turning on all her loved ones she’d welcomed that Death before he ordered it. She was sure these emotions where naked before the Avian but she felt no remorse, only the shock of watching her own body die. Her soul kept with it the image of Lasius, to whom more than simply her mortal heart had belonged to. The Sedian people, to the others… and here was this creature of unfathomable power in it’s own right, who could create anything she so wished in any way she wanted. Malkate’s thoughts tried to take form as she was unused to having a “soul connection” with anyone – as the connection with Lasius had been of his possession within her and not the other way around.

~You have nothing to be punished for, you have saved me… my free will was robbed before you took my soul and the thought of even that going to him chills me.. in a manner of speaking. My wish… in choice… would be a Sedian, to truly say I have somewhere to belong to; someplace to belong to...~

She paused, almost cautiously.

~About Passions… she’s… harmless. What she’s might have done to wrong you is never meant…. usually… to be intentional. Years have changed but she’s not; no excuse but her life has been that of an awkward sort…~


Power built in her soul, it felt like a beating heart, pulsing through the soul the way blood pulsed through the body. Outside her eyes flashed as she tapped the unrestrained essence of the Rod of Souls inside her. The choice of Malkate to become Sedian amused her to no end, in fact it rippled in a reflection of the power deep within her as she gathered energy, the pulse rippled like a giggle through he soul, causing a slight hiccup in the power.

~Making you into a Sedi would require me to reshape your soul as well as your body, you wont loose any of your identity or your memories but your personality will be affected, and it will take some... getting use to. Do you agree to this?~

She began creating the body, slowly building it using the Arc of Life, her eyes remaining closed as the body began to form in front of her, no specifics were as yet visible but the general form was taking shape rapidly.

[Malkate Rose Sedi]

Malkate felt the womans amusement and echoed it slightly though the confusion was there; of all the races Malkate could have probably described that she’d seen – even dragon; she’d ask for Sedian. The thought occurred to her that Malachite wouldn’t recognize her, and another thought hit her just as fast.

~I do agree, but… this is going to sound silly – is anyone going to even realize who I am? I mean like… will I still have my normal red?~

It was familer to her but the memory of what all those Sedian women looked like gave her only a brief pang, but she knew that she could get used to anything. The memory of the comment Lasius made to her about looking similar to a Christmas Tree when she wore green she openly shared with Lomes… as well as her agitation at the comment.


The body continued to take form, She added distinct features facial features that made her look like her former self, within Sedian limits, she built the body as close to Malkate's former body as she could. She had only the Sedian gene pool to work with though, and that meant dark hair, and Teal or Violet eyes, she opted for Violet, to give her a stand out presence among Sedi, as the Violet eye mutation was as rare as the gray was in males. Her eyes teared up briefly as she focused on the Violet eyes, so reminiscent of her own before the accident with the barrier, before all this horrible scarring. She shoved that thought out of her head.

~I cant change you outside of the Sedian genome. But I can do my best to make you as recognizable as possible. And trust me, those that care for you will know you, and if they don't I will tell them.~

She pulled in more energy till it virtually roared through her soul, the Rod of Souls pulsed with power inside her. She took hold of Malkate's Human soul with hers and caressed it gently.

~I'm sorry in advance for this, its going to feel... a little odd.~

Without warning to at least spare the anticipation of the moment she wrenched her soul, it shifted, and became malleable to her, pulling it into her own she imbued it with the Rod of Souls. Slowly its structure began to change, it became more resilient power opened a conduit from her soul directly into the core elemental power of Lighting. Lomes smiled ironically at that, it didn't take long, but it required an incredible amount of effort.

~Now I'm going to put your soul back into the new body. Be careful, your strength and speed are going to be far greater than they were when you were human. Also your soul has, not surprisingly chosen Lightning as your core elemental connection. You are going to feel erratic, it might be harder for you to concentrate for awhile, be very very careful embracing your element the first few times. You might want to seek out an experienced eh... teacher.~

She paused her eyes locked onto the dead soulless creation's eyes in front of her.

~Before we do this do you have any last questions for me?~

She watched the body take shape and even though her red was gone, she noted the fact that she mostly still looked like her, only… different in subtle ways. However, this thought was completely broken as she was pulled through the Rod of Souls and felt the element find her, attach itself to her. How ironic indeed, and almost in a dark humor sort of way. Her warnings on speed brought the image of flying into an object she didn’t wish to as her speed moved her faster – or tripping over her own feet which she, unfortunately, easily had a habit of doing a long time ago. Though even as she felt the element within her, this was definitely something completely new and unfamiliar. Lomes’ words to her gave her enough of the warning though, she’d worked with the element as a Magus, now she’d need to work at it like some new born Sedian Child… and the thought of having to ask someone to teach her what most children learn was daunting.

~No way to just, throw that knowledge in there?~

It was a sarcastic question, tinged with a bit of humor before she paused, and the thought of possibly – given the thought that the world doesn’t try to explode itself – spending some time with Lasius, with a viable excuse to be alone; and the thought process quickly tried to cover up those thoughts as she sent the message again.

~Oh.. never mind. No, but…. Thank you.~


She smiled softly, she knew the woman's thoughts as though they were her own, briefly, for a moment more anyway, and then she let go, placing the Soul gently in its new body, and watched as the eyes sparkled once more with new filled life. The body in front of her drew its first breath, all four lungs filling with air, and she broke the connection completely, staggering back and sinking to her knees. She lost her grip on reality now the world spun and darkness consumed her, The Arc of life could not replenish the Soul and she needed some small amount of rest to recuperate from the effort expended. She fell forward and lost her grip on the time stream, to all others gathered there they would have only seen Malkate doubling over, blood spilling from her mouth, and then a flicker as though time had hiccuped and Lomes passed out face down in front of the strange new yet distinctly familiar and unfortunately naked women.

[Lasius]

His eyes widened slightly at the intimate gesture between Lomes and Daegan, there was a potential possibility he had never considered, gods had it been so long since he had been mortal that he completely overlooked the basic nature of what it meant to be alive? His eyes drifted to Malkate as Daegan began manipulating the Shadows, time passed, not much but to him it seemed like an eternity, he was drinking in the sight of her, the Dragon next to him shifted slightly and it snapped his attention back to the here and now, just as Daegan made the horrifying announcement. It didn't even dawn on him right away what it meant, not till she began to bleed.

Power built in him but he had nothing that he could do to heal, his eyes desperately sought out Lomes but he couldn't find her form anywhere. It made no sense to him, she had been there a second ago, now... He blinked as a ripple passed over him, his vision blurred and he fought to clear it. When he could see straight once more his eyes focused on Malkate, at least he thought it was Malkate, then they darted to the fallen form of Lomes, concern didn't enter his mind. Nothing could truly hard her as long as she wore the Arc of Life.

But this strange change that had come over Malkate, dark hair, Violet eyes... He looked closer... was that a double ridge of spine up the center of her back? Was she? No some things were simply beyond belief. He staggered and barely caught himself on the foreleg of the Dragon next to him. It mirrored his shock, the creatures eyes were wide, its nostrils flared, It wasn't concerned itself, but the flood of shock it received from its linked mate was overpowering and had imprinted itself on the creatures mind.

He clutched desperately at the creatures leg to keep from falling to the ground under the failing strength of his own legs paralyzed by the shock. He noted that the Darkness clone had vanished, and he certainly was not blind as to the amazingly good shape her body was in either. Today was just getting to be a hair bit too odd for him.

[Malkate Rose Sedi]

Malkate’s first breath was not as painful as her last, but she felt… alien. The idea of two sets of lungs that moved in rhythm, the duel complexity of two spines of movement; it was like being in a way, born all over again. She tried first the simplistic things, a movement of fingers, and felt the answering twitch. She realized then too, the chill air against her skin meant that she was, again, completely and utterly naked. Her cheeks flushed instantly with the deep embarrassment that flushed over her and she tried to sit up, and almost managed to knee herself in the face as she curled up into a ball, trying to cover herself as she looked around, taking everything in. Her eyes went to the still form of Lomes and she smiled an almost sisterly smile, before her lips twitched into a larger smile. She’d died; she failed, but Lomes gave her one of the greatest gifts of all.

Her freedom.

No more Sever, the Nectrite blood died with the body. No more Sitherack – at least not again. His control died with that body and now she was free completely with only her magus powers and a body brand new to work with. Her eyes glittered with her gratefulness, but the pleasure was washed away fast with the ugly emotions that started overwhelming her. Anger at the situation; and that nasty little whispering bug of revenge; revenge against Sitherack for controlling her, for trying to use her against her loved ones, for almost effectively killing her off after she survived for so many years and he weaseled his way out of her death trap. Anger at him for the death on his hands, for his pain that he caused the others gathered here; a nasty sort of anger for the identity he stole of her.

Her eyes turned, hearing a quick shuffle of movement and noticed that Lasius had almost fallen from his mount, and her violet eyes glittered with amusement; the darkness fading slightly. She turned quickly once more at more movement as Nuria blinked, completely shocked as Lasius and stepped forward, her eyes narrowing. Power collected and for a minute Malkate almost tried to summon up her own magic – even with Lomes’ warning afraid the mage might harm her – but the Shadow woman simply held out two black garments, a kind of large black robe and a long black dress that Malkate frowned when she saw it – but accepted it anyways. She grabbed the Arc of Magik, quickly, and dressed herself with a speed that surprised her – and also caused her to almost rip the dress in attempt to get it on before she moved to drape the robe across Lomes.

Her black hair shifted oddly across her back and she turned to Lasius, and not caring at the moment what was going on, all her negative emotions, only the sudden surge of pleasure she had that she lived, and could do the thing she should have done before; her body carried her as she threw her body up, jumping off the ground towards the Dragon with barely a thought that it might see her sudden rush as an attack to throw her arms around Lasius and kiss him full on the mouth, her relief at being alive and seeing him pushing through the emotional tide bursting through her all at once.

[Daegan]

Daegan’s brow furrowed deeply and his lips curled back into a silent snarl as he went to rush forward. The Soul Fire around his body left a sort of ghastly haze with his motions, the shadows blurring his form as he moved towards the convulsing Malkate. His grip around the Arc of Shadows was still white-knuckled, and he was waiting for the manifestation of the Sage of Darkness to appear from the crimson pouring from the Magus.

But there was nothing. Instead there was only a stillness that seemed to last just a second too long. The strange sensation of time crashing to a halt when elsewhere the world spins on. It was almost nauseating as Daegan found himself tumbling forward suddenly, Lomes’ grip upon the delicate element diminishing and faltering. Instead of the preparation for combat, Daegan now heard the shadows scream to him in a different voice and the Sage’s head snapped around just in time to see Lomes face plant into the ground below.

All Daegan could see was a brief flash of white as he was suddenly standing over Lomes’ fallen form. The shadows had recoiled in horror from his body as he moved, touching the Light element that still lingered from the Avian. He crouched delicately over her, forcing the shadows to wrap around the two in a sort of thick cocoon. Tiny wisps of Soul Fire danced along the growing shadow as Daegan forced his will through the Arc of Shadows, creating more and more of the dark substance to wrap around his lover.

He hadn’t really taken in Malkate’s new body, nor Lasius’ reaction to it as he pulled Lomes into his arms, the shadows slithering away from the faint golden glimmer of the Arc of Life. He pulled her small frame close to his body, forcing the shadows to wrap more and more around the two until it seemed as though they had shifted into a sort of darkness; layer upon layer of the element building up around the two.


The pirate only watched in disbelief as the Sage moved forward, and the words he spoke smashed into his ears like a tidal wave. Every muscle in his body tightened as he closed his eyes, the Arc of Water shimmering slightly as he pulled his element through the artifact. The torrent energy of the very depths of the oceans rushed through his veins as his eyes flashed open again, the crumbling figure of Malkate being replaced with this new and exotic looking creature.

His eyebrow rose questioningly and he took several steps forward, his all white eyes taking in the figure before him. The Captain glanced over at Daegan only for a moment as the shadows built around the Sage the image of both he and Lomes becoming harder and harder to see. Instead he turned his attention not only to Lasius but to the woman that was leaping through the air at him.

He halted the thrust of the Arc of Water in mid swing as his other eyebrow shot into the air, the ends to the woman’s means becoming apparent. Dumbfounded the pirate looked on, glancing back and forth between the kissing couple, the shadowed couple and the massive dragon that stood with them all.

[Lasius]

The impact of her diving into him, combined with the numb kind of shock he was in resulted in a pile of Malkate and Lasius on the ground next tot he Dragon's claw. He didn't respond at first, his mind still completely frozen by the bizarre turn of events but soon that melted away in the feel of her. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her back, relief, happiness, shock, surprise, all coursed through him, mingled with anger, and a desire to rip his brother limb from limb. Sitherack unfortunately knew Lasius and his personality all too well, he had pulled the chords that would lead to the kind of confrontation that Sitherack truly desired.

But for now, for a brief moment in time the simple essence of her filled his mind, his thoughts and his being. For a moment he didn't really care that there were others around, he had almost lost her again, came within a hairs breadth, and despite all his abilities all his knowledge of countless centuries he had no idea how to even begin to express the joy that she was still here in whatever form, and so he simply stuck with kissing her.

The Dragon moved slightly, shifting it s weight laying down, a mountain like creature between them and the others gathered, some sub-conscious manifestation of Las' desire for privacy perhaps echoing in the mind of the Dragon, or perhaps it was just a comfortable spot to lay down. Her head moved slightly and looked at the shadowed cocoon that Daegan had weaved around Lomes and himself, her Azure eyes played over Passions figure, and then drifted to Ish. The Pirate amused the large creature, as utterly impressive as she was she had a feeling that perhaps this creature was the only other one around that simply wondered what the hell was going on most of the time.

Las broke away from the kiss long enough to stare down into Malkate's now violet eyes, it was a strange feeling to see eyes so different yet the light behind them so familiar. ”I'm not entirely sure I want to know exactly what has happened here today, Just tell me this, Are you alright?”

[Lomes Artelias]

Her mind was blank in the regenerative sleep she has collapsed into, there was no dreaming no realization of what had happened or any of that, She simply lay still quiet and gathered power back into her soul. It wasn't long before she had enough to begin stirring in her sleep, and within the span of 15 minutes she was coming out of the unconscious state. Her eyes opened slowly, and the first thing she saw inside the dark embrace of the shadowed cocoon was the shimmering dancing flames that first captivated her so. Her eyes locked with Daegan's and she whispered softly to him.

“How terribly weak you must find me, every time you turn around I'm fainting like some dainty little girl.” She laughed softly “Really though I'm not hurt, It just takes a lot of effort to do some of the things I do, and there is no Arc to fuel the powers of the Soul.”

She closed her eyes for a second before opening them again slowly memory coming back to her important things she needed to make him aware of before he rushed off to fight Sitherack.

”Sitherack isn't what we thought anymore, He's not a Sedi any longer, No Sedi, Arc or not could gain the level of control he has over his element. Everything he touches is corrupted, he could corrupt you, me anyone except for Lasius. You must be careful, something in His mind is missing, something that held the Sage of Darkness in check, its gone and the Sage has consumed him utterly. His only driving desire now is the devouring of all into the void, everything even his vengeance against Lasius is but a sideline to that ambition.”

[Daegan]

Daegan smiled softly down at the Avian in his arms, kissing her forehead as the hundreds upon thousands of layers of razor thin shadows began to fall away from the two. Slowly he stood, gingerly shifting Lomes from his arms so that she could stand again. His expression shifted to one of gentle amusement with her words to the grave resolve once more. He knew Sitherack was a foe they had experience before and even the War of the Gods would have been welcomed over the certain annihilation they were about to face.

As the last layer of shadows melted away from the two and their forms became visible again, Daegan’s head shifted over towards Lasius and the strange new comer on top of him. He glanced back over at Lomes and then shook his head, the Soul Fire still burning brilliantly around him. He took several steps forward and then turned his ghastly form to face the pirate holding the Arc of Water.

“Captain Ishmael, I am going to release those I have Raised from their servitude, as when we pass through the shadow barrier my control over them will waiver and I’d prefer to have all the strength I can when we go up against the Sage of Darkness. Your crew will have to be the ones to take their place… to ensure some semblance of order. And as a failsafe in case…”

He trailed off and shook his head. Sighing, his eyes slid closed as he turned away from the pirate and moved away from the small gathering entirely. He could still hear the faint whispers from the Arc of Death, especially those of his daughters. He closed his eyes tighter for only a moment before both arms shot upwards into the air, a plume of the Soul Fire erupting from his body suddenly like some sort of explosion.

The aqua fire stopped just shy of the shadow barrier and rippled along it for only a few seconds, the brief disturbance with the nether energy vanish as Daegan dropped down to one knee again. All across the Capital City there was a slight murmuring and in unison a sound like clay crumbling into dust. It was as if the earth had completely reclaimed those that had been pulled from its eternal slumber as Daegan released his control completely upon the Undead.

It was as if the Soul Fire around body was suddenly sucked into some sort of void as it was pulled inward, disappearing completely from his body and returning only to the faint aqua ring around his eyes. He sighed once more and climbed back to his feet, turning once more to face the others.

“That takes care of that, then.”

[Nuria Volaskie]

She understood Malkate’s words as the mage whispered to her in the Magus tongue. It made her lift her brow, the simple command of find him but whom she wasn’t sure of until the chaos unfolded. A bitter kind of satisfaction underneath the horror at watching Malkate die before her eyes struck the Shadow woman, and for the first time in most of her life sorrow faded over her normally bright features, and a kind of dark anger that made her face look more still than anything. Around her the shadows danced, their normal glances of faces shifting; and if one looked close the semblance of tortured spirits would show as a kind of dark emotion brewed deep within those ice blue eyes. She watched and knew when the distortion of time flowed as she could weave time herself; but often than not preferred not to. Too many troubles could brew up from time weaving and she didn’t wish to deal with the paradox left behind.

Even as the little spitfire appeared with a naked body of a woman Nuria recognized even as another race; for a fire still burned within the woman. She moved to present the Avian with clothing and Malkate, and shortly after her body simply vanished into the shadows, as simply as if she’d never been there; making a stop by the man wielding another Arc; the Pirate Captain, with a flirtatious brush by his legs, only a pair of blue eyes appearing with a wink before she faded off and shifted through them. Through the network of the ‘creatures’ that lived through the land she whispered, sent, received and felt through every ounce of her being the powers that manifested through the world. She felt an answering tug of the equivalent of some sort of power house that both attracted her and aggravated her; though Malkate and her had a simple truce Nuria’s hatred of the woman never completely faded and the idea of that woman dying at another’s hands was more than slightly infuriating to her.

So she slid through them, through the Darkness, towards Sitherack and even as she was near she manifested, all shadows and whispers as the gems glittered against her pale skin. The delicate flesh shivered among her as she sent an answering whisper through the Shadows towards Daegan; merely the imagery she took into mind of where she was and where Sitherack was located. The ice blue eyes glittered as she took in stock of her surroundings, and the large infernal like creature that stood there. A neutral party if he hadn’t killed Malkate she might have just as easily stood aside and waited to see the victor but now she wished to see the face of the one clever enough to outsmart the ‘chosen one’ of her Magus Class, and more than anything; to see what all this fuss was about this man that it sent people shivering with the amount of power they held. Her eyes narrowed as she peered at him from beneath long lashes, and her ruby lips curled into quite the precarious smile as she spoke to Sitherack, taking stock of the very being of him.

The shadows told her all she simply needed to know; this man was as much human as she was. The fight with Malkate proved a lot as well as the simple energy that simply reeked from the man. How interesting.

“So you seem to be what all this fuss is about… and the one who finally managed to kill the little red mage.”

[Wynne Siusan Sedi]

Deep in her room Wynne stared at the events that unfolded. Even as the boom of shadows told her that her father had arrived a sort of jaded feeling overtook the young woman, and she stared simply out of her window, before she turned back inside. A sort of anger and frustration built up in her; The death of her sisters, the fury of her father and his complete disappearance as well as the feeling that she was being treated as a lesser Sedi. All of the other’s were able to be warriors and yet not one of them thought to come to her and seek her help, so they considered her weak. Her knuckles turned white as they gripped the wood of the four poster bed in the room she stayed in, and her blue eyes closed as she felt the whispering reassurance of the winds brush against her damp hair. She’d out done herself with her temper earlier after her sister’s deaths; and she’d been weak when the eruption from that woman took over things, and woke up here simply to a pale man and some caged Sedi.

She was weak, but she wouldn’t always be. Not today, she was going to fight Sitherack and she would revenge her sisters. She’d prove to her father that she wasn’t some weak little girl and that she could be a true Warrior as well as a daughter, someone he could be proud of, that her Uncle could be proud of. She pushed away from the bed, grabbing one of the tunics that had been stuffed away dyed a soft blue that was one of her favorite colors and pulled it on quickly, tying it tight to her skin as she moved down and out through the winding halls, ignoring those whom she passed. As she moved her fingers deftly braided her long blonde hair, and she took the braid and quickly curled it around her head before tucking the ends in effectively Bunning the braided hair against her head. Her pale cheeks were flushed pink with her determination and the edge of her Father’s temper she’d inherited, as she went towards the old Armories.

There had been a sudden surge increase of people and she could only assume that the Arc of Life had been recovered and that some of those lost had been restored… and a painful hope with an edge of sorrow wondered if any embodied those of her sisters. She’d wished them ill once; now she simply wished company of a sibling close to her age. Shaking her head she quickly moved down into the old rooms and towards the weapon racks, moving over and through them as carefully as a predator would stalk it’s pray, her eyes moving over blades, axes, whips, chains; anything that could be considered a weapon and used. Sitherack was a strong foe; her sisters had revived him in curiosity and he’d managed to best them not to mention help fight against gods. Most of these weapons would be so little against him; but it would give her something.

She finally settled on a large scythe she had found set up against the wall, an old farmers tool. Lifting it up, Wynne started walking through the halls, moving with a determined grace that made most of the others get out of her way. The minute she got close to the doors that opened into the main courtyard, her body exploded into the air, pushing her upwards and quickly towards the small assembled group of people. Her eyes caught her father stepping away from a pale woman with a tattered face and remembered the woman from her Father’s tower, but a kind of move about them made Wynne scowl as her body dropped to the ground. Lasius was under some odd Sedian woman, which made her roll her eyes slightly; wasn’t he just with that Red headed woman awhile ago? Couldn’t seem to keep the women off of him apparently.
Her eyes went to the Captain and she nodded, remembering the pirate from earlier in her encounter with him, before her gaze moved to the Dragon and she blinked; rapidly. Shock caused her breath to hitch as admiration rolled off of her in waves, and she bowed her head slightly, unsure of how one really greets a Dragon; awe written across every inch of that adolescent face. Her body shivered slightly before her gaze turned to rest on her father, a familiar stubborn set of jaw that could easily echo his set itself as her fingers gripped the large Scythe, her blue eyes opening wide as she spoke.

“I’m going with to fight Darken, and you can’t stop me.”

[The Captain]

The pirate nodded slightly to Daegan as his all white eyes studying those of the Sage. The burning nether energy in the man’s eyes was uncomfortable to say the least and to get lost in the fire was something that sent a shiver down both of the Captain’s spines. He blinked several times as Daegan moved off and turned around, raising an eyebrow at his crew that had slowly assembled and were all staring with mouths agape at the massive creature before them.

“It’s a Dragon, you idiots! Haven’t you seen one before?!”

He began to walk towards them and returned the nod from the brash young Air Sedi that walked past him. It took him several moments to realize who she was, and a smirk spread over his face as her words hit his ears. That was certainly one of Daegan’s daughters, the same one he’d run into within the Keep when that wretched Existence Sedi was left behind along with the pirate.

Stopping before his assembled men, he took each one of them in, resting his weight slightly upon the Arc of Water. His brow knit together thoughtfully as he ran possible scenarios over in his mind. His men were loyal, but they were also pirates; and he knew that a pirate’s urge can only be sedated for so long. Images of the city in ruins and its remaining valuables being drug to the coast made him chuckle as he brought his thoughts back to the here and now.

“Gentlemen, we’ve had one hell of a run so far. This jitatin hero madness is starting to grow on me. You fools are to make sure the city stays safe while we’re away. There’s no quarter here lads. If we fail, you’re the last hope.”

He smirked as the irony of it all washed over him like lapping waves. Many of his crew weren’t technically allowed to even be in Sethia and now they were the city’s last defense. It made him shake his head with amusement. Even still, he understood Daegan’s concern and appreciated the fact he didn’t want a bunch of ravishing undead tear-assing through the city uncontrolled. That didn’t go to well the first time, after all.

“And I swear to the Depths, to the Locker with any of you misshapen, motherless dogs if this city is in ruin when we return. MOVE!”

The crew scrambled as the Captain’s words boomed out. Like machines they filed into small groups and scattered throughout the city, holding true to the ranks the Captain had given each of them upon his many ships. It brought a half smile across his face as the men joined and moved off into the city, filling him with a sort of pride that even pirates could hold some semblance of honor.

[Malkate Rose Sedi]

Malkate’s body rocked them and her thrill at falling almost became a reality. The shock absorbed by the duel spine was something of a shock more to her, but she enjoyed it. Even as he pulled back to look at her she ignored the outside world for those precious few moments they had together, with the Dragon blocking view. She heard the mumbled words of outsiders but at that moment she didn’t care; she was taking in Lasius and only wanted to see him. She was ready to die for him and almost did; now though at his question a smile curved her lips and her violet eyes stared up at him glistening with that queer humor.

“I am better than I have been in quite awhile – and after your brother is dead, we are locking the doors and having a nice long chat. Worlds be damned.”

She paused, her eyes shifting as that chaotic pattern of thought took over, her mind going away from it’s happiness to settle on the idea of Sitherack; worse even the idea of loosing Lasius as she was still unused to how to channel things through this body and she didn’t want to end up hurting him when she tried to heal him. More to the point, she didn’t want Lomes near him and have the woman have any chance of being hurt, he was simply too powerful. She knew she couldn’t talk them out of going; but she had to try.

“Lasius… you’re brother is different. What made him who he was is no longer there… not even a little bit. He’s completely insane, and the Darkness has consumed him… but Lomes can’t fight. She shouldn’t… but you shouldn’t either. You’re people need you. Let me go…. I won’t fail you this time if you’re willing to open a connection like we had before… you can teach me and fight through me.”

Her fingers reached up, brushing against the side of his face as she moved to push an errant strand of hair from his face, tenderness as she smiled at him, her lips curving into a very devious grin as her violet eyes glimmered with a flicker of lightning.

“You won’t loose me to this Darkness, there’s a new light, and there’s no more bindings to hold me down. Let me fight, let me be your tool.”

[Daegan]

To say he was taken aback was an understatement. Deep down he knew that with everything going on and the death of all of his daughters, the thought of Wynne still being of the living had escaped him. He had assumed she had fell during one of the attacks on any of the remaining two cities left standing and was literally in shock that not only was she walking towards him; but walking towards him with an iron resolve to face sudden death.

“Wynne… it isn’t that easy…”

He sighed with a certain frustration. Daegan knew exactly why she was reacting this way and understood that she felt neglected and forgotten – notably so. But there was still the burning and fierce protective side to him that didn’t want to see a single hair shift upon his last remaining daughter’s head. His eyes locked onto hers, the Soul Fire ring quivering around his irises echoing his concern for her.

“This isn’t like the War of the Gods. This is beyond that. Beyond anything we have ever dreamed possible.”

Daegan turned slightly and moved towards the center of those gathered around him. He took in all of them; the pirate, his daughter, the Dragon, Lasius, the new apparent Sedi and Lomes. His eyebrows knitted together as he held onto the Arc of Shadows, pointing the tip of the blade from person to person to emphasize his words.

“We’ve been called upon to face fierce battles and ridiculous adversaries in the past, but the beast that lays before us is a terror we have not witnessed. It is all consuming and will stop at nothing to achieve its goal. Darkness. Total darkness. The return of the Void.”

He moved about like some grand orator, the ebbing of all the elements gathered striking him like cold punches to the face. But he did not wince and kept the same stone face, the burning ring of Soul Fire quivering in his eyes as tiny aqua flames began to dance along his shoulders.

“There has to be Balance. Fragile peace with absolute war. Shadows that stand as a barrier between the Light and the Dark. Order must be upheld!”

The shadows seemed to boom silently around him as the images of the Darkness Well flashed through his mind. It infuriated him that such a vile element had plucked away the joy of disintegrating Sitherack. Daegan would have much rather preferred to do that with his bare hands. His face shifted from his stone resolve to one of anger as the flames over his shoulders flashed more and more into view.

“Sitherack Darken al’Sedi has committed grave sins against the Sedian Nation. We are the swords of justice for our people. We are the final testament to what makes our people great and it is through that knowledge that I will not let Darkness prevail. The head of the Sage of Darkness will hang from the Tower of Shadows or I will be banished evermore to the Land of Darkness.”

[Lasius]

He watched her eyes as she spoke, the raw emotions there cascading back and forth was something all too familiar to him, there was something beyond that however, a primal driving need for vengeance. Something he could understand easily, it drove a significant portion of his life, and had she been lost to him would have driven the remainder of it. Her logic about Lomes was valid, he had seen fit to hold her back from so much in her life to try to protect the Rod of Souls, but slowly he was beginning to see her as more than just his creation. Being Mortal again was giving him a different perspective on the world than he had become used to from centuries of godhood.

He smiled at her and took the hand that was caressing him and intertwined his fingers with hers. “I don't have need of a Tool dear, I have need of a partner. I know just how powerful Sitherack has become, I can feel it in my own diminished abilities to pull power from this world. That is precisely why I must go to face him. I am the Sage of Light, he is the Sage of Darkness, it is inevitable.” He sighed softly unable the break the gaze of those wickedly captivating violet orbs.

“If I could chain you to my bed in the Keep to ensure your safety I would, but you are Sedi now, the need to fight burns in your blood and comes as natural as breathing to you. But don't let it cloud your mind, Sure I could teach you, but then you would be a learning student using powers diminished in a world completely over run by Darkness itself in a hopeless battle against the very soul of that void.”

“As for Failing me, you should know by now you have never once failed me, or failed to meet the expectations I hold you too. You have always ever been a source of amazement to me, I hold no disappointment's in you, past present or future. I love you Malkate, and together we will go and put an end to the night.”

He stood hauling her to her feet at the same time, while slipping his arm around her waist and pulling her close to him. A simple glance in the direction of the Dragon was enough to cause an annoyed grunt and shuffle of motion as the massive creature moved to one side allowing the others gathered the sight of him and Malkate once more. His eyes scanned the gathered Sedi before him, a small but powerful band of the greatest warriors the race had to offer.

He glanced down at Malkate and smiled softly a mischievous glint in his eyes, “So Sitherack wanted you to bring us to him did he? I'd hate to disappoint him.” He raised his voice for all those remaining to hear “Daegan is right of course, now is the time, I'll waste no more time, Sitherack falls within the Hour, it is the decision of every mortal Soul whether to stand with us now. Make your choice, come or stay We attack now.”

[Lomes Artelias]

Lomes stood, her eyes on Daegan as he spoke, and glancing to Wynne and her natural Sedian desire to fight. It was the epitome of what she had been made to protect. Time was continuing its inevitable march forward, things were sliding into place and nothing, not even she, could stop it. The Arc of Life pulsed in golden brilliance around her form, she closed her eyes and embraced the Arc of Dreams as she too listened to Daegan then Lasius speaking. Sedian energy roared through this city in vibrant pulse with the Arc of Life.

She steeped far away from Daegan so as not to disturb the shadows around him, and embraced the Light element inside her, nothing was visible at first but soon Light pure and white, uncorrupted and glimmering began to shine from her skin. She discarded the robe, there was no longer a need for a covering now there was more Light coming from her body than one could see through, she was brilliant, a pure avatar of localized Light, something Darkness could not penetrate, could not reach through to corrupt. Not even the Aether leaked through the Light, for a brief time during this fight, as long as her strength kept up she was as pure looking as she had once been before the accident, albeit a little shinier. The only break in the shimmering white essence around her was the streaks of golden energy from the Arc of Life. The ultimate result made her look like some bizarre celestial creature, but was an effective defense against the Darkness they were about to encounter.

She drew in breath and closed her eyes, the darkness which held this world in an iron grip pressed on her, and the light that suffused her form, she could feel the pulsing power of the corrupted form of the Arc of Light calling to her, but she couldn't grip it, it was as though Darkness coated it in a slick oily substance. Her eyes played across the forms of Daegan Lasius and Malkate. Soon they would all be engaged in a fight that could lead to the death of any of them, yet they had no real trouble with that concept, the knowledge was there that they would die in the service of the greater good of the world. They were right there was no good in the loss of all.