Silence. There was always silence after death. Maybe not so much for the victim, but for the predator, there was always an unearthly stillness about the air. Terra stood as if a statue for a while, as quiet as those she had killed, looking down at her arms. Although there was no blood on her body, she imagined for a moment that she was covered in it, that her skin and armor was decorated in that crimson liquid. She had hoped this would make her feel more alive, but in the end, the only thing that jarred her from her trance was the voice of her invisible sister.

It is time to move on.

Terra breathed in sharply and looked around the Temple of Autumn. Ah, that was right. She had made it to Elved and unfortunately, Galenous was not present. But even though the God of Autumn was not around, didn't mean she couldn't carry out certain plans. Of course, adding Galenous to one of her twin swords would have been preferable, but taking souls was not entirely disappointing either.

No one had wanted to tell her where Galenous went; as a matter of fact, it seemed as if no one had seen the God of Autumn in quite some time. Even as she slayed each and every one of the Elved refugees and the priests and priestesses within the temple, no one would give her the answers she sought. They watched in horror as their lives were drained from them and they were left an empty shell of a person, withered like the leaves of Autumn, always on the verge of death.

What a waste.

The shapeshifter was about to give up on getting answers when a small child, trembling next to what might have been her deceased parents, pointed to the sky and spoke of Galenous heading towards Eiler. How curious that the God of Autumn would go there and then a thought dawned on Terra that he probably went to defend the continent against the Val`nothe. Distractions could certainly work in her favor.

She knelt down next to the shaken child. Terra did not use her swords this time, but she ran a soothing hand across the child's brow and through her tangled hair. As she did this motion, the child seemed to shrivel up much like the others inside the temple had. For a brief moment, Terra felt the little girl's soul move through her own and it was almost as if Aleris was returning to her. She knew that with each death - with each soul that she purged - she would be a little closer to having her home back. The small girl fell to the ground and Terra stood up moving towards the exit of the temple.

"Don't worry, Galenous," Terra said gazing upwards at the orange and crimson colored sky, towards the blazing sun that was setting. "I shall be with you and Val`nothe soon."

Melvin watched with glee as Ita flung herself buck naked into the stream. His Little Bug was in sheer heavenly bliss as she scrubbed the grime from her childlike form. The werewolf was perfectly content sitting on the grassy bank when Ita shouted to him.

"Get in here, furry-butt, the water's perfect! You can't hunt stinky, you'll scare everything away!"

ACK! His brave beautiful Ita wanted him to go in there...the water! Was she insane? Didn't she love him anymore? Was she praying for him to drown?

Melvin was on the bring of a full blown panic attack when Ita slinked out of the stream, a fair haired goddess dripping with water, smiling and fresh as she reached for his hairy hand. He was too busy making goo goo eyes at Ita, mostly fastened on her near non existent boobies, and lower things, when his precious angel literally yanked him in the water.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

Melvin was too busy thrashing about, a massive furball of stink and filth, fearing for his very life as Ita dragged him further into the water. "NO! I'm going to drown!" He tried pulling back, trying to flee from her grip (which was surprisingly strong for such a tiny thing), but in truth, Melvin wasn't trying too hard. He didn't want to hurt his beloved Ita, though she didn't seem to have a problem forcing him waist deep in water.

His fear of drowning didn't stop him from once more checking his pale beauty out. Melvin leered and stared, stared and leered and even went to grab her perfect apple bottom rear, when Ita scolded him for being....a manly werewolf.

"Sheesh woman! Might as well tell me not to breathe!" He rolled his black eyes, yet noticed throughout his lecherous escapade, Ita had managed to get him dead center in the stream where the water lapped lazily against his midsection. Melvin shuddered and attempted his futile escape, but in doing so could possibly cause Ita to drown, and he couldn't have that.

So the reluctant werewolf pouted (which he thought was adorable) while Ita began scrubbing the fur off of him in that furious little fairy manner of hers (which he thought was sexy as hell), her little face screwed up in a look of sheer determination that her hunky werewolf would soon be as clean as she was. Melvin sat back and relaxed as his little beauty tugged at his snarled fur, plucked the bugs from his awesome body, and generally washed him free of 'all sorts of icky grossness' as she referred to it.

Melvin grinned widely, exposing his killer canines and pointed down below the water. "Don't forget my bits. Those are really really dirty. Might take hours of cleaning."

WHAP!

Ita didn't waste any time socking him right in his snout. Melvin grunted and rubbed his nose, figuring he might have deserved that. Ita narrowed her eyes at him and threatened him some more, but then Melvin smiled winningly at her (or at least that's what he assumed it looked like), and suddenly his Bug of Beauty was laughing and splashing him in the face with water. Melvin, enjoying this new game, splashed her back, only perhaps a bit too hard for Ita was spluttering and nearly choking as she swallowed massive amounts of water.

Eeek! Melvin grabbed her by the shoulders, spun her around and gave her back a few hearty whacks until Ita, barely able to speak, made some wild gestures for him to stop. A wide eyed and panicky Melvin ceased his brave and heroic actions and yanked his little woman/child fairy to him and hugged her tightly.

"Oh man! Ita. Little Bug! You ok? I TOLD YOU THIS WATER WAS DANGEROUS!" Melvin began patting her on her pale wet curls in what he thought was a soothing manner. He gave her a few moments to catch her breath, and check for internal bleeding and remained silent for a while. The two of them waded in the water for a while, enjoying the moment as the sky turned a brilliant orange-red color, announcing the sunset when Melvin turned suddenly toward his adorable girlfriend.

"Are we close to your home yet, my little dumpling? We can set up camp here for the night if you like, but in the morning we should set off." Melvin began fishing a booger out of his right nostril, once more thinking about Ita's family and their violent tendencies.

Gods he hoped they weren't interested in a werewolf rug.

The sun was starting to set, and Maestro Carlains' caravan decided to call a halt for the night and set up camp.

The last few days had been interesting, to say the least. It all began when the Aliscowri attacked the Moon Barrel Inn, in Jade City. Ravenous, bloodthirsty men and women, they had turned cannibals by starvation and desperation. But it was worse than that.

After praying, the Maestro decided his best course of action was direct, divine intervention. He was the tool of his God, and he had to do the dirty work that lesser men would not. So he gathered a group of sell-swords and warriors, and set out after the Aliscowri that very night.

Their route was rather obvious. The marauders left destruction in their wake - everything was burned, consumed, and discarded by the time the Aliscowri passed through. They headed north-west, trailing alongside the western edge of the Hyperborean Mountains. It was in this path of destruction Maestro Carlain and his entourage traveled, trying to catch up with the frantic pace of the deadly marauders.

The scholar brought with him twelve men, hardy and eager for blood. They had among them five destriers, powerful warhorses that strained urgently against their restraints, and seven lesser pack horses. Their pace should be well faster than the Aliscowri, which according to all reports travelled on foot, but the Aliscowri never stopped. It seemed impossible to the Maestro Carlain that this band of cannibals never slept, but in two days of following them closely, they'd yet to find a single camp site made by the raving hoard.

Ail broke him out of his reverie as the man strode up beside Carlain. The balding man had decided to join Maestro Carlain in his endeavor to stop the Aliscowri, though the scholar suspected he had more impure motives: Maestro Carlain paid well. "We have three men on watch, one to the north, one to the south, and one to the west. The mountains protect us to the east. Jaster and Uskul are out looking for game. Until then, we've got some radishes and cabbage, we're going to toss those with some beans and see what the hell comes out."

Maestro Carlain grunted. Food was never good when traveling, but they had been hasty when setting out and didn't even have bread or cheese to ease the ache in his stomach. They'd been foraging, or more accurately stealing, from nearby farmsteads as they passed through, but almost everything they found was destroyed. The owners of these farms were dead, already killed by the Aliscowri, and it wasn't uncommon to find their bones picked clean outside their homes. Even though they were cannibals, Aliscowri also had a fondness for 'normal' food, and everywhere they went the land seemed picked bare.

Ail shrugged. "Anyways, food'll be ready in half an hour or so. We figure there's no risk of setting up a fire. The Aliscowri are probably a day ahead of us. It looks like they're headin' straight for the Grand City."

"Yeah, I noticed that too." Maestro Carlain frowned. "This is all so strange. Why don't they sleep?"

"Perhaps they are cursed.."

"Cursed, or blessed. I'm not sure even my God knows.. There is dark magics at work here, my son."

Ail grinned. "Son, ehh? Well, I never cared much for my ol' man anyways, so I guess you'll do, Father." He winked. The humor in his eyes was short lived. "You said something about a revelation, back at the bar. What was that about?"

"They were stories.. nothing more. But still, they might be useful for us, since it seems stories are all we've got to work with. I heard they don't always kill their captives. Some of them, they force them to accept a revelation of some sort. A message. If they are indeed cursed, then it's their curse they're spreading, for those who accept this revelation... they eventually go mad."

"A revelation, that makes you into a cannibal? Sounds interesting. I wonder how I would receive this revelation?"

"I hope you never have to. From what I've heard, only the King was able to withstand it."

"King? Now, wait, this is an interesting twist in the story. Someone tried to give the King the revelation?"

"It's what I heard, that's all. Some madman from the desert got himself killed trying to touch the King, but nothing happened."

Ail leaned in, his eyes filled with creative mischief. "What if the King did accept this revelation? And he's just not telling anyone? What if he's also going mad?"

"What if squirrels could sing and dance?"

"You made your point. Anyways, let's go check on this food. I'm starved. I could eat a whole box of radishes if they made me."

--


Blend and Ternal broke out of Chaos with a crash. The world rippled around them, the chaotic fires and ices of Tempesturo fading into the predictable landscape of Aleris. They were in a thick forest, and it was nighttime. A chilly breeze pushed through the eaves of the pine trees. The looming shadow of a mountain towered over them, obscuring the moonlight, but the stars overhead illuminated the landscape well enough.

They weren't alone. The Kharl'at and the human were accompanied by one of those demons, the three-legged monsters from Chaos. Its single eye twinkled in the darkness, and its skin glowed faintly. Wisps of black smoke drifted from the cracks in its flesh, where red-hot plasma touched the chilled air. The beast was twice the mass of a horse, and stood as high as a proud stallion, though it looked anything but.

"Wait.. that thing is coming with us?" Blend asked, turning to Ternal.

The dragon tilted its head slowly, and began clicking out a reply. The ancient tongue of the dragons forced its way into his mind. "That thing is a Greater Hound, an Iltorian."

Blend looked at it, frowning. "Why does it has to come? It gives me the creeps."

"They are sacred Guardians of Chaos. Like the crystal bear."

"What about the Septorians? Why do these look so much alike?"

"We call the Septorians the Lesser Hounds, the Jahr'laiti. They are descendants of Iltorians - the Greater Hounds, the Jahr'lanis. When my ancestors made the warren Eliskan, they created a place of Order inside the Chaos. The Septorians willingly abandoned Chaos, and became creatures of Order to live within Eliskan. But there were many of them who remained unchanged and refused to leave Chaos. Thus, the Iltorians.

"When the Septorians left Chaos, they lost much of their strength. They grew weak, and incapable. But the Iltorians have remained tempered by Chaos. They are immune to magics, for their very blood is charged with sorcery. They are immune to fire, for their flesh burns hot as the sun. They are immune to cold, for their lungs breath ice."

"If they are immune to so much, what are they weak to?"

"Stone. A blade of earth would kill them as quickly as it would kill you."

"What about steel?"

"Their blood would melt it like ice. It will not pierce. Stone is their only weakness. Stone embodies order, and peace. Restless attacks, forged in fire and lightning, will only fuel the Iltorian. But calming earth, the sigil of Order, will destroy it."

"Hmm. So he's coming to protect us?"

"To protect you. I have a different mission. We will see each other again."

"What if I have another question?"

"Ask the Iltorian. It speaks the ancient tongue, you know." The dragon vanished into Chaos, a burst of fire and it was gone.

Blend looked over at the frightening demon. "Looks like it's you and me, pal. Let's go find the Aliscowri."

When the door to Alerion's study finally did open and Victor and Wish were rather rudely shoved outside, Deanna shoved away from the wall she was leaning against and breathed a sigh of relief, only to suck in her breath once more upon seeing Wish's new attire.

Dark arched brows rose in question and she shared a glance with Quinn. So Wish was now part of the City guard, was she? Was this by choice, or was she grasping at a way to stay close to Victor? Speaking of the latter...the shifter narrowed her gaze at the mage. She had managed to hear a few snatches of conversation, and part of that was something about Victor wanting to cage her. Cage her indeed! Deanna was tempted to pluck that smug little potato shaped head off his shoulders and play kickball with it.

Deanna remained silent after the rather cool reception from Victor (which was expected) and Wish (which was not), regarding them impassively as they stated they were headed towards the armory. Apparently they were headed their separate ways now, with the latest additions to the City guard heading toward Joi. Fine. She was prepared to turn on her heel and figure out their next course of action even as Wish and the mage brushed passed them, when she caught a faint but unmistakably familiar scent from the two.

Deanna's teeth clamped down, her jaw squaring as she turned her attention back to the study. Her brows drew together as she contemplated why Maxim Redmont was here meeting with Alerion in the first place, or why he slipped from the study without so much as a greeting. Deanna surmised it was obvious he was going out of his way to avoid the pair, and though perhaps she could understand the vampire lord not wishing to see her, she couldn't fathom why he wouldn't want a word or two with his brother.

The realization hit her, and twisted in her gut. It was because of her that he was avoiding Quinn.

Dawn would not be for another couple of hours, and Deanna already had the beginnings of a plan forming in her head. The shifter turned towards Quinn and managed a faint amused smile. "It would appear that our comrades are offering their allegiance to Alerion. It did cross my mind that perhaps we might be of assistance ourselves in whatever way we can."

She linked arms with Quinn and steered him toward the stairs where Wish and Victor indicated they were headed. "Why don't you catch up with them, find out exactly where they're headed and what their orders are from there? I'm going to find Lani and find something more suitable for travelling to wear, maybe run an errand or two." Deanna hooked a finger within Quinn's shirt and tugged him downward to where she was able meet him with a quick kiss, which still required her to rise on her toes to reach him.

"Go on now," she shoved him gently. "We'll meet up in the courtyard at dawn." She waved to him as she headed in the opposite direction and turned a corner, where she waited until she heard his footsteps growing fainter. When she was sure Quinn was gone, she returned to where the young guard was still standing. His mouth was opening even as she snatched his spear out of his hands. "Quiet now boy. You're going to help me, whether you like it or not." She set the spear aside and grabbed his arm as he tried to wrestle away. "Don't." She gripped him harder, making him wince even as she exerted only the slightest of pressure. "I'll break it. Relax." He did so reluctantly and she was pleased that he managed to keep his mouth shut the entire time. "Now," she smiled at him. "You, my lad, are going to escort me to your room. Do so quietly and with a smile and you might remain with all of your limbs intact."

The young guard muttered under his breath as he did as Deanna bid, nodding to those who passed them by until finally they reached his quarters that he shared with three other guards. The room was empty and Deanna nodded to him as she indicated for him to sit on his bed. "I noticed you and I are the same size in clothing, more or less. I need to borrow some, and your boots as well." She opened the trunk near his bed and began plucking out items she would need.

"I knew you weren't a decent lady when I laid eyes on you, and this just proves it." He frowned sullenly as Deanna turned her back on him to strip out of the clothes Lani provided in favor of his. The shirt fit better than his pants, but Deanna remedied that with a belt. She had to don two pairs of socks before his boots fit her without slipping off.

"I never said I was." She replied with a shrug as she poked around his small assortment of weapons, holding up a dagger as she tested its weight before sheathing it and sliding it in her boot. "Truth is boy, I didn't think Alerion would just allow me to stroll into his armory and take what I wanted, hence your assistance in the matter." She found a sword suitable for her use and slid it in the scabbard before attaching it to her weapons belt with a smile. "See, that wasn't so painful now was it?" She was sliding boiled leather armor over her torso and adjusting it into place as she spoke. "A few more minutes and I will leave."

The young guard scowled at her as he plucked at his blanket. "You know that as soon as you leave I'm just going to alert my brothers and the king. We'll find you before you leave the castle and lock you away."

Deanna sighed as she glided over to stand before him, setting his helm aside as she adoptied a softer appearance and tone as she cupped his face with her hands. "I was really hoping you wouldn't say that, sweets." The snapping of bones was audible as she twisted his head sharply to the side. She stared at him for the longest of moments as he slumped against the bed, his unseeing eyes relaying the shock he felt as he died. "Damn." She murmured quietly. It was the truth. Deanna hadn't wanted to kill the boy, but she couldn't have him alert the entire guard to her presence. A shame, really.

The therianthrope lifted him and carried him over to the closet area where she dumped him unceremoniously inside before shutting the door. Gathering up the dress and sandals in one hand, and the helm in the other, Deanna quietly left the room, discarding the clothing in a nearby privy. Once that was finished, she knotted her hair in a bun and donned the helm, making it far easier for leave the palace unnoticed.

She estimated she had a little more than an hour before meeting up with Quinn, and was pleased to note the clocktower wasn't particularly far away. Deanna had a hunch that since dawn was so close, Maxim would seek shelter there instead of somewhere in Alerion's palace. The vampire lord was far to cautious to allow himself any risk while he slumbered for the day.

Less than twenty minutes later, Deanna entered the structure of stone and wood. The air was rank with mold, dust and the smell of rotted wood. She took the stairs two at a time before she reached the top of the tower. He stood there with his back to her, peering out through a small squared window out onto the Grand City. There was but a single fat waxy candle lit for light, not that either really needed it to see. The moon was bright and high still in the sky which illuminated inside the structure.

Her boots shuffled against the wood as she took a few steps closer, removing her helm and setting it down on a nearby crate. Her tone was neutral as she spoke, though the twist of her lips was anything as she caught another scent that had no business lingering on the vampire lord. "I was unaware of your fondness for cheap perfume, but I suppose we all have our little quirks. I would have thought you'd have better taste though." Dust rose from the floorboards as she moved once more, standing but a few feet from where Maxim remained.

"Tell me Kinslayer, why do you make it a habit of running from me?"

"And even with the world crashing down around us, we still find time for ourselves..."

A few moments of silence passed after she had arrived in such dramatic fashion, until the Redmont shook his head and sighed in the same exaggerated style he used for dealing with the woman that Deanna was referring to. Her sudden disdain, though, was something that he found secretly amusing, though she wouldn't be allowed even a glimpse of that fact. As per what was quickly becoming usual for a pair who had once been closer than just about anybody, he was as guarded and aloof, not even bothering to look back towards her at first.

"As well as you should know me by now, I wouldn't be here, in such an obvious location for somebody who knows me as well as you do, if I were running. I knew whatever we had is dying, but I had no idea you were going to start forgetting what you did know about me. If I didn't want to be found, quite simply, I wouldn't be," he reminded her, choosing not to even acknowledge her other comment -- there was no need to. She knew what it meant, and that was that. He didn't owe her an explanation, and she most certainly would not be getting one regarding that issue.

Nevertheless, he finally turned away from the window and glanced back towards her -- fiery eyes were a bit brighter than usual, making it somewhat obvious that he had fed earlier in the night. Again, of course, it was something that he didn't need to explain. She had all but ignored the fact that he was dressed in the armor of one of Jade City's soldiers, and he assumed it was because somehow, she had already known -- but, he didn't bother asking. Instead, he glanced over her own attire, then gestured at the helm. "I would ask why you need a disguise to come see me, but I don't need to hear an answer that I already know," he absently remarked, with another shake of his head.

What was coming next, was years overdue in his eyes.

"I've spent more time than you'll ever know these last few months since I've returned, wondering if there was any way that things could've turned out differently, Deanna. And eventually, I remembered something -- I remembered telling you, several times and in completely blunt terms, what you meant to me," he explained, and though he maintained the distance between them, he studied her facial expressions to see just how precisely she was going to react. If nothing had changed, he expected hostility at the very least, possibly even an attempt at denial though she knew in this case, he was right. But nevertheless, there was always that one-in-a-million shot that surprise would be what registered on her face as she realized where he was going with the conversation, and worse yet, that he had a point. If there was one thing that Deanna did better than anybody else, it was consistently being absolutely f***ing unpredictable. "Your part in my life hasn't ever been easy, but I'm not going to lie now just for the sake of getting even -- I wouldn't trade a moment with you for anything else."

"But when I thought about it, I realized how many times you've said that your life has been a living hell since I came into it, either because of me, or my family, or any one of the various enemies that I've made over the years. And I'm not even going to delve into what I suspect you might've felt since you were turned, but I have my ideas nevertheless. So, I finally chose to walk away, in hopes that perhaps you might find whatever it is you've been looking for with Quinn -- that perhaps you might have that better life you imply you would've had -- and you have the nerve to accuse me of running from you?" He shook his head, and only now did he finally turn away from her, the verdant jade cloth draped across his armored shoulders shifting ever so slightly. The Redmont faced the window then, and she might even be able to hear that rare, unmistakable tone of hurt in his voice -- though it was all too clear it wasn't something new, that it had been there long before that night.

"How dare you, Deanna."

A few more seconds of bitter silence passed, but before she could say anything, he turned back to face her. "And just so you know, I left because Quinn was there, and I honestly have no idea where he and I stand. Apparently, he believed some kind of fairy tale about this family, that I was the one who led them into destruction rather than their own desire for war -- and finding out the truth didn't seem to change anything, nor do I know if it will," he unknowingly corrected her, since he had no idea she honestly thought the one he had been avoiding was her. His weapon -- the double-bladed glaive that, up until now, had been leaning against the wall next to the window was picked up, and a lazy spin left it strapped in place against the armor that adorned his back. Again, he glanced at her, this time to see if she realized that he hadn't chosen the clock tower as a place to wait for the next night -- that he had chosen it strictly so he could meet with her.

"But this time, I won't be walking away without letting you speak your mind, though I can only imagine all the hostilities and denials just waiting on the tip of your tongue. But before that, I have one final thing to tell you."

"When I came back this last time, it was for you. Every regret was buried, and every broken promise laid to rest -- I'm no longer who I once was, because I'm not haunted by the past any longer. I... finally had a chance to say good-bye, something I missed so many times before, and I'm finally free of that... and with it, everything else. I've found something new to fight for -- this land, our new home -- and I finally know I'm not living through the ghost anymore, Deanna. But... when I returned, we both know I was too late, and that door is closed now."

He sighed, already knowing from experience that the hard part was only just coming up.

"I'll hear whatever you have to say, but when we leave here, that's the end of it. We can't keep doing this to each other -- if my existence was as much of a curse as implied, then you're about to have your chance to rid yourself of that burden. Understand this: I haven't been lying when I've told you that you're the most amazing woman I've known... I just wasn't where I needed to be, and for that, I am sorry. But if you love Quinn, Deanna, then I want you to follow that path and find whatever happiness you've been searching for." He finally fell silent, having said everything that was on his mind... well, perhaps not everything. There was still the matter of how she had also wished she hadn't ever known the Redmonts in general a few times that Maxim knew of, and the fact remained that Quinn was a Redmont... but in the end, Maxim supposed he could let her have that one and not mention it.

After all, the world was ending.

Up above the clouds that circled the continent of Eiler was the impressive sight of Galenous, the God of Autumn, and the Val`nothe sharing blows with one another. Unless one was flying in the sky, they wouldn't have been able to see this spectacle. Instead, there was only a loud rumbling and an occasional crackle and burst of magic filling the sky, much like thunder and lightning.

From a safe distance, Terra watched in the form of a raven as Galenous fought to keep the Val`nothe at bay. They were quite close to Grand City and that had been the beast's location until Galenous locked in on it. While Terra thought it unfortunate that the Val`nothe had been stopped from its destruction, Galenous meeting the creature was not entirely a bad thing. In fact, it kept the God of Autumn distracted and so she waited until the right moment came for her to make her move.

After what seemed like forever, Galenous missed a step in battle. The Val`nothe lashed out and with its large tail, slapped the God of Autumn harshly to the ground, knocking him out of the sky. Galenous plummeted towards the ground, falling like a blazing meteor, and hit the ground with such a force that large trenches ripped open the earth around him. The Val`nothe followed, hot on Galenous' trail, and when the God of Autumn would look up, he would find himself face to face with the head of the serpentine beast. The creature roared and bared a row of many sharp fangs Galenous. This assault was stopped by Terra who finally reached the ground where Galenous lay and now in human form, held a hand up to halt the monster in its pursuit. The Val`nothe went still and she spoke in another language that it appeared to understand.

"He is mine. Go back to Grand City - now."

All at once, the Val`nothe raised it wings, turning its head in the direction towards Grand City. The beast was on its way towards Eiler's main city and before Galenous could do anything about this or stop the Val`nothe once more, Terra had unsheathed one of her swords, the one with two missing gems and aimed her swing right at the God of Autumn's throat. As if he was like any human, the blade sliced through the flesh of his throat and the God of Autumn choked out in protest as Terra pushed her blade further to the ground, nearly severing his head from his neck.

"Shhh," Terra said shaking her head at Galenous. "Do not be afraid. There are better places for you to be right now. After all, you do know who I am."

Terra's hands tightened around the sword and as she did, amber light flowed from Galenous and into one of the empty gem holders on the hilt of the sword. Galenous' body disintegrated into a magical mist that flowed from around Terra's sword and back up into it. Not two minutes later was her sword decorated with an amber colored gemstone. The stone flickered responsively, as if it was trapped and Terra stroked fingers over it.

"Let's try you out," Terra said.

The lone woman held her sword out in front of her and quite suddenly, the wind picked up, swirling viciously. A cyclone formed, tearing through the lands and in its path, destroying an entire forest that was close to Jade City. As Terra dropped her sword, this tornado dissipated. She could not have been more pleased with Galenous' power that now rested in the palm of her hands.

Afterwards, she turned back towards Grand City and watched from afar as the Val`nothe attacked. The night sky erupted with explosions of magic from those who would try to protect the city. Terra could distantly hear screams from those who feared for their lives and shouts from others who wished to prove themselves foolish and heroic. The Val`nothe whipped its tail towards the castle and a whole section of the once beautiful building came crumbling down. Debris flew into the air and despite the town still being submerged in at least 15 feet of water, fire danced on the roofs of houses and building as the Val`nothe breathed this element everywhere.

What a sight to behold it was.

If there was one thing Elysia knew right now, it was that things were going terribly wrong. Sure, she was able to lure the six-legged Val`nothe away, to have it follow her throughout the continent of Arthuran. This however, was not the only thing it did. The land was ruined and rampaged over and Chaliceton had nearly been leveled. She was fortunate enough that the beast bypassed her stone temple which stood small in comparison to the Val`nothe. It was too focused on tearing the Goddess of Winter from limb to limb.

As she ran, she fought the Val`nothe was well as she could. Magic erupted into the air and shards of ice like giant daggers plunged into the Val`nothe. Occasionally she was able to knock the creature onto its feet, but this stalling only seemed to help for a little while. The Val`nothe would get right back up and after roaring its ugly head, run after her again.

Elysia was by Eternal Lake when the worst had happened. Even from far away, she could feel her brother Galenous, the God of Autumn, being taken. Elysia crumbled to her knees, sucking in a sharp breath, feeling nearly all of the pain he had felt. No doubt that wherever Aurora was, she had felt the same as well. Elysia knew, however, that Galenous' imprisonment was not the work of a Val`nothe. No, someone else had taken him against his will and now the realm of Aleris was down to two deities.

Well two was her assumption until the Goddess of Winter was knocked off her knees. The Val`nothe had come up behind her and tossed Elysia into the air much like a rag doll. Before she could do anything, Elysia was smacked against the surface of Eternal Lake and was plunged into the depths of the lake with an incredible force. This did not stop the Val`nothe which went into the lake after Elysia. Water splashed upwards in a giant wave as the beast crashed into the body of water.

As the waves settled, all was quiet until from somewhere beneath the lake, the water lit up with a flash of bright light and all was quickly frozen. The water once more thickened to ice, but the Goddess of Winter was trapped with the Val`nothe, both stuck in her icy prison and unable to move.

Layla Victoire was breaking her fast in her chamber when there was a sharp rap on her door. “Enter,” she called as she dipped another slice of bread into some jam. Captain Ambrose Pennington quietly entered her room and nodded his head to her in greeting. “My lady, I trust you slept well?”

The Lady smiled at her Captain and indicated for him to sit and enjoy some breakfast with her. “I managed four hours if that is what you consider well.” Though the sun had barely risen, Layla was fully dressed and made up for the day, her blonde locks held back in an elegant chignon. There was still a tightness around her eyes, but the Captain still thought she looked as lovely and serene as ever, which made what he was about to inform her even harder.

“You look stressed Ambrose. Sit, have some tea and tell me what ails you.” Layla waited for the Captain to take his seat before pouring him a cup of herbal tea. “Thank you, my lady.” He blew on the steamy cup before taking a cautious sip. Ambrose grunted his approval as he set the cup down. “Rose hips?” Layla nodded with another smile. “I enjoy the fragrance as well as the taste. Now, you were about to tell me what is causing you such distress.”

The Captian cleared his throat and placed both palms down upon the table as he regarded Layla in all seriousness. “My lady, it pains me to tell you this, but there are rumors that the Val'nothe have escaped their confinement in the Eternal Lake.” He paused, waiting for this information to sink in before continuing on. “The creatures of death are running rampart across the lands, Lady. Some say that the gods themselves have taken to attempt to contain them once more,” he said gravely as he watched for Layla's reaction.

A moment went by, then another before Layla Victoire threw her head back and laughed, much to the Captain's chagrin. “Oh Ambrose, Ambrose,” she wiped a tear that trickled from her eye as she shook her head, still chuckling. “What foolishness is this? Surely you jest, or are simply the butt of some crazed tales. The Val'nothe are nothing but wicked fairy tales meant to frighten children. They are mythical bogeyman!” She began to laugh once more at the incredulous of the tale her Captain revealed to her when she noticed that Ambrose was not following suit.

Her laughter died, yet the smile remained on her face. “You do not join me in my merriment?” Her Captain said not a word, merely stared long and hard at his lady until finally Layla's smile slipped as well, her eyes widening a fraction. “You are serious? The Val'nothe truly exist?” Her words were barel above a whisper, unable to fathom such a truth, even if it came from one she trusted the most.

Captain Ambrose Pennington shook his head slowly and let out a heavy sigh. “I wish, my lady, I could tell you otherwise, but alas it is true. We are in for a far greater danger than whatever natural disasters occurred due to the gods and their follies.”

Layla rose to her feet so abruptly her chair fell backwards. “The people! We must inform the people and have them seek shelter immediately!” The Captain rose as well and placed a hand upon her arm. “Be at ease, my lady. My men are already seeing to that task. I gave the orders for the men to have our citizens gather up their most essentials and take refuge in the cellars below the mansion for those who have already sought shelter here. Those who remain in the city will be warned as well to remain indoors and preferably underground or in sturdy buildings.” Privately though, the Captain did not think hiding indoors would save anyone from the Val'nothe, but there was only so much room in the underground cellars of the mansion.

“I pray that will be enough, Captain.” Layla was suddenly no longer hungry and began to pace her room. It was then that the room seemed to spin, her legs seemed to give out and Layla dropped to her knees on her carpeted floor.

Layla Victoire, heed me child. Your people are in danger. Immediately seek shelter, indoors and preferably underground if possible. Do not emerge for any reason. A creature comes your way that will destroy all, even those you believe can defend you. They cannot be defeated. Keep your people safe. The beast is already in Chaliceton, and another on its way to Eiler. My prayers are with you and yours, Lady Victoire.

Layla pressed a hand to her mouth to keep herself from crying out. The warning that echoed in her mind was not from the god Galenous that she worshiped, but from another...Aurora. Somehow hearing the Goddess advising her of the Val'nothe seemed far more ominious coming from her than Ambrose. She wasn't aware of being hauled to her feet until the Captain repeatedly asked if she was alright. She shook her head. “No, Ambrose, I am not alright. I will not be alright until I know my people are safe.”

Captain Ambrose nodded. “Of course. Let's get you underground and then I'll-” “No,” she cut him off abruptly. “No. I'll not seek my own safety before my peoples'” Layla whirled on her heel and stalked towards the door, flinging it opened before striding briskly through the halls. “We will work together to evacuate everyone. No arguments, Ambrose, I mean it.” Her tone booked no nonsense, and the Captain had no choice but to agree as Layla made her way first and foremost to the infirmary.

“Pray, Captain. Pray that the gods do not fail a second time.”

Aurora felt Galenous' life force slip away seconds after he was taken and cried out the agony of losing her brother. Though it was hardly the time for tears, silvery trails glistened down her cheeks as she clutched a strong branch of her oak altar tree. Somehow she knew it was not the work of the Val'nothe, though she couldn't fathom what sort of being was strong enough to snuff out a god if not the vile creatures.

She drew more strength from her tree, feeling a calm wash over her even as distressed as she was. First Tempesturo, then Galenous. What sort of madness was happening here? Aurora inhaled deeply and let out a breath to steady herself. She had to proritize. Those she was able to protect were kept safe in her temple, but the Val'nothe would soon come to Eiler if they weren't there already, and Aurora needed to ready herself.

The Mother Goddess was not as prominent a figure as her sister or brothers, but she had her own strengths, her own powers. Aurora cleared her mind and reached out to contact Elysia, warning her of Galenous' fate, when she felt her sister fall.

“ELYSIA!” Her scream tore throughout her temple, causing the earthen structure to shake. At the moment, it did not concern her that those who were dwelling within would frighten more at the terror that had taken hold of their Goddess. The scene was replayed in her mind's eye, so clear as if she were there herself. Her sister was held captive under the icy exterior of the Eternal Lake with one of the Val'nothe, and Aurora could not stand idly by while Elysia was trapped with the beast.

The Mother began a low chant that grew louder and louder with each passing moment. Her eyes closed and a luminous green light surrounded her so that she glowed brilliantly as her arms raised above her head. Transporting herself to the Eternal Lake would take its toll on the goddess, but for her sister, Aurora would risk all.

Had anyone witnessed such a spectacular sight from the Spring Goddess, they would see her vanish before their eyes as the temple was lit from within with verdant light. Time and space were bent as the Mother Goddess stood at the bank of the Lake, her eyes lit with unholy green fire. She had lost one, perhaps two brothers, already. She would be damned to lose her sister.

The fury of Aurora was channeled as she extended her arms to her sides. The ground began to shake and what trees were nearby were suddenly uprooted from their earthy resting places. A loud rumbling was heard as thick roots broke through the grassy surface, spraying dirt everywhere. They hovered in the air as Aurora's magic navigated them above the icy surface. Beads of sweat dotted the Mother's forehead as she focused all of her energy and concentrated at the task at hand. She prayed that what she was about to do would ultimately free Elysia first, giving the Winter Goddess enough time to escape the Lake and freeze it over once more to trap at least one Val'nothe once more.

“Please. Please don't let me fail her or my children. Please.”

To whom Aurora was pleading to was unknown, but the murmured words passed through her lips nonetheless.

Suddenly Aurora's arms dropped to her side, and as that happened each tree raised by Aurora, shot downward to smash through the ice of the Lake. The sound of the ice breaking as nature's missiles impacted with the icy structure was deafening and would be heard for miles. Exhausted, but undaunted, Aurora reached down deep within her core to create a vibrant ball of green energy within her hands. She held fast and steady, prepared to attack should the Val'nothe be the first to rise from the hellish frigid tomb in place of her sister Elysia. Aurora was coiled and tense as she waited, hoping her actions were enough to break through the ice to free her sister.