Beneath the Eternal Lake that was now her frozen prison, Elysia hung suspended in solid ice as if a puppet waiting for someone to pull her strings. At least, for now, the Val`nothe was unmoving as well. As she waited locked in the icy lake, Elysia was drawing strength and power from the very element she had unleashed. At first, it was freezing and even as a Goddess of Winter, she had never felt such coldness. After quite sometime, however, she became accustomed to the cold once more and it was almost as if she was home, as if there wasn't a giant, scary, god-killing beast staring at her.

Elysia considered the chances of rising from the lake and thought it was an impossibility at best. Down here, Aleris was safe from at least one Val`nothe. This thought, had her closing her dark colored eyes as if she were taking a nap. As she took in more energy from the ice around her, Elysia felt something prickling her skin and knew it was not the frigid temperatures about her. Some one was marching towards Grand City; some one was coming to destroy it while the serpentine Val`nothe was attacking.

This thought and the noise of something loudly banging on the top of the lake woke Elysia out of her "slumber". Aurora was there and tree trunks were slamming repeatedly like missiles on the top of the lake trying to break her free. The ice started to crack around Elysia so the Goddess of Winter took in whatever strength she could from her element then started to climb to the surface in spots were Aurora had split the ice.

Dragging herself from the lake onto the edge of its shores, Elysia realized that she was not the only one who made it to the top. The Val`nothe was pulling its ugly head out of the lake and trying to escape with her. Part of it seemed to be stuck though and it seemed Aurora was using this to her advantage. Those spear-like tree trunks were now aimed at the Val`nothe trying to force it back down.

This was not the only thing trying to tame the Val`nothe though. Elysia was surprised to see a mortal man at the edge of the lake. This was the same man she saw at Chaliceton trying to climb up the Val`nothe and attack it. Only this time, his face was scrunched up and written with deep concentration, his brow layered with sweat and his mouth foaming as if he was rabid. It appeared he was trying to control the Val`nothe with his mind. While this bought her and Aurora some time, it was a foolish and sacrificial act. The Val`nothe was consuming him from the inside.

Elysia turned and went by her sister's side who was still busy working on the Val`nothe. Elysia took Aurora's hand and held out her other palm towards the lake. As she did this and as the Aurora's trees were hitting the Val`nothe, a giant barrier of ice much like a shield started to push the shadowy beast back into the lake. Elysia took what energy she had previously drawn in from the lake when she was resting and used it. The Val`nothe started to descend once more beneath the depths, roaring and whipping its head around furiously in response. Once the two Goddesses had the Val`nothe below the lake, Elysia casted a fresh layer of thick ice over the lake, effectively sealing the lake. Ultimately, however, this had drained her of any ice magic for the time being.

After this was done, Elysia turned back towards Madrin and before he could become possessed by the Val`nothe's mind, she punched him square across the jaw. This would knock him out for a few minutes, making him lose concentration and his strange, unpredictable link with the beast. Minutes passed before Madrin was stirring again and the Goddess of Winter helped him to stand, looking him over with almost disapproving eyes.

"The barrier over the lake will not last long," Elysia said turning to look at Aurora. "A few days at best. Until then, we need to seek out the source of what has captured Tempesturo and Galenous so that we may fix everything and return Aleris to balance. I sense that the source of all this trouble is on its way to Grand City."

Elysia went back to Aurora and took her hands in her own. It appeared the Goddess of Spring was shaking slightly and Elysia assumed it was because she was drained in the same manner that she was. Elysia leaned forward for a moment, resting her brow on Aurora's forehead.

"Thank you, my sister," Elysia said and when she took a step back she turned towards Madrin Kir, "and my thanks to you for assisting, though I do not recommend you try to control a beast that is meant to kill gods in the future. You may not make it out alive next time."

Turning her head towards the direction of Eiler, Elysia nodded knowing what they must do next. She could feel Tempesturo and Galenous closing in on Grand City. Releasing brother Autumn and Summer was a necessity to stop all the chaos that was happening.

With her hand on Aurora's, she squeezed it lightly. "We must teleport to Grand City. It will be the fastest way. Don't worry, I am here now with you," Elysia seemed to smile softly if that even was a possibility in this situation.

The Goddess of Winter took Madrin's hand also and as the two Goddesses of Aleris concentrated, the trio flickered out of view and were on their way to Grand City.

There was no accounting for the damage and devastation that had wrecked the city due to the Val`nothe. In all its history, Grand City and the rest of Aleris for that matter, had never seen such destruction. As the King of Aleris and majority of the rest of the realm, he was doing what he could and thankfully they had bought been bought some extra time thanks to the many number of soldiers that defended against and attacked the Val`nothe. Then there was also the obsidian scaled dragon that had thrown the Val`nothe out to sea. Alerion couldn't say he was pleased that more houses and buildings were destroyed in their path, but it was a necessary sacrifice so they could fortify their forces while the clock ticked.

Though the water of the tidal waves had started to recede out into sea, there was still a good four feet of water littering the alleyways and streets of Grand City. This, however, worked in their advantage. People were rushing back and forth and using this water to put out the fires on the castle and their houses. It seemed that during all of this most people had gotten used to seeing dead bodies by their ankles; they were now focused on saving whatever they had left.

As Alerion ordered people in various directions to put out the fires, he was also getting his army prepared. More weapons were collected and soldiers poured out from the castle and courtyard, moving to stand guard at walls and get ready for any next attack that might come. Healers were rushing about, getting the wounded back on their feet and moving the dead to the side. And mages were taking a much needed breather before using their magic again.

During this, a special unit of archers, sorcerers and catapults were moving through the castle streets as quickly as they could to the edge of Hinewai Harbor where the black dragon stood watching the water. This great number of people were getting ready to barrage the Val`nothe with a swarm of arial and ground attacks should it emerge again.

Troops were also stationed all over the city - at the entrance, the sides and near the harbor. While it was a unified effort to get the city back in order, Alerion was not foolish enough to assume that no one else would use this destruction of the city to their advantage. Kingdoms always had enemies, no matter if you were a just or corrupt ruler, and as such he was making sure the whole of Grand City would be alerted should anyone else try to invade in the mean time.

As Alerion had swept the ranks of his soldiers and the remains of his castle, he found the duo of Maxim and Quinn standing on one of the walls where the dragon had left them. Alerion walked to them and nodded in acknowledgement.

"I give you both my deepest gratitude for distracting that Val`nothe," Alerion started and then turned back to one of the guards by his side. "Get these two a healer as quickly as possible should they need it. They may not be in our uniform, but they are friend to Grand City." After the order, the guard ran off immediately searching the fields for a medic that was free. Alerion turned back to Maxim and Quinn. "Maxim, Quinn, please help yourself to anything in the armory if you continue to stay and assist. I won't force you of course, as I am already in your debt, but the extra help would be much appreciated."

Alerion turned from them and then descended the wall of the castle. As he was doing this, he passed by Deanna who was most likely on her way to see/scold her mate. She was covered in some blood, likely from some one else or in an attempt to subdue the Val`nothe as well. Alerion dipped in a slight bow towards her, stopping the shifter in her tracks.

"Lady DiCorvino, your mate is quite the tamer of beasts. Quinn seems to be well, but there is a healer on the way to assist him and Maxim Redmont. If you need the same medical attention, please seek it there," Alerion started. "Anything else you need, you can find it in the armory."

Although he was extremely busy and trying to contain all the chaos that was going on, he was not unaware of those that had fought to protect the city though they were not members of the guard - Quinn, Maxim and Deanna. Despite this unfortunate event, Alerion thought in the midst of such terrible things people banded together to protect the people and things that they loved. He hoped in a way that the trio had felt the same.

Alerion continued moving past Deanna and headed towards the opposite end of the castle. He climbed the stairs to another wall and walked towards the end of one of the ruined towers were a few guards were positioned vigilantly for the next course of action. As if he was waiting for them, Alerion went to the spot were a few feet in front of them the Goddess of Spring and Winter and a soldier from Chaliceton materialized out of thin air. Both Goddesses looked quite tense and the mysterious man was a little bit shaken.

"Get this man to a healer," Alerion said nodding to one of the soldiers. After Madrin would be taken off by one of the soldiers to the medical tents, Alerion turned his attentions toward Elysia and Aurora. "Is there any good news?" For the first time, Alerion's voice that was once strong and controlled sounded weary.

"The second Val`nothe is trapped beneath this ice again - if only for a few days, this buys us some time," Elysia said. "The thing we need to be concerned about is that whatever has trapped our brothers - Galenous and Tempesturo - is on its way here. We must be ready; however terrifying the thought of this 'force' seems, it may be our only chance to restore balance to Aleris."

"And let us hope that we can do just that," Alerion said.

Aurora could faintly see and hear Madrin speak to her in his passionate voice, his pleas, his devotions, and though she wanted to comfort her 'child', wanted to acknowledge his presence, she could not. Truly the Mother believed it necessary to focus her attentions and powers solely upon the Lake so that she might free her sister and assist in controlling the Val'nothe once it broke through the surface.

And it would. That was inevitable.

At once she saw Elysia freeing herself from her icy tomb and a wave of relief washed over her. True to form, the Val'nothe had immediately followed, and the Mother's eyes and hands glowed a vibrant emerald green as she forced her beautiful and ancient trees to repeatedly slam into the Val'nothe to buy Elysia enough time to join her in combat.

As she concnetrated, she felt Elysia's cool grip against the heat of her hand and together the sisters drew forth their own energies to force the Val'nothe once more back into the depths of its icy prison. At the same time, Aurora felt the agony that descended upon her 'child' Madrin, the slow decay of mind and body as somehow this mortal was able to mentally link himself to the Val'nothe. Sweat beaded on the Mother's brow as she expended that intense green glow toward her son, knowing that without her intervention, surely he would die.

Elysia, bless her sister, had other intentions and Aurora winced as she 'felt' her sister's fist connect with Madrin's jaw. The Winter Goddess was not pleased nor amused by the mortal's intervention, but the Mother knew why such a man would do the unthinkable. His life meant precious little compared to those who would face destruction by the Val'nothe and such as that, he meant to help in whatever way he could.

He was a hero in his own right, and Aurora was grateful. The Goddess reached out to him with whatever expendable energy she had left for the moment and released it upon him. Madrin would feel a healing touch encompass him to calm the sea of storms that was his mind. Physically though, Madrin would require medical attention which would have been uncessary had Aurora been at peak condition to heal him. As it was, the Mother relied upon her sister for the time being until she could draw energy once more.

Once the Lake was sealed by Elysia did Aurora lower her arms and rest. Her legs felt wobbly and shaky and a weariness that she hadn't felt in ages overtook her, but a Mother must remain vigilant and unfaltering, and so Aurora gazed up at the night sky littered with millions of stars and closed her eyes, grateful for a reprieve.

Elysia had given her thanks to both Aurora and Madrin (along with chastisement), and Aurora did the same only with a gentle smile and kiss upon his brow. “My love and light are for you, my son. What you did was incredibly stupid, yet incredibly brave as well. Elysia is correct though in saying you should not attempt such folly again. My heart would break to lose you, Madrin Kir.” As Aurora stepped away from him, a faint verdant mark appeared on his skin where she lay her kiss before disappearing entirely. Aurora's blessing was upon Madrin, a gift from the Goddess to show her appreciation.

Aurora gratefully took Elysia's hand once more and drew strength from her sister. Though a Goddess and containing her own powers, Aurora was not nearly as strong in power as her sister, though she had other gifts to offer her children. Her body felt stronger and surer as she squeezed Elysia's hand, and together with Madrin did the trio disappear in the blink of an eye only to appear before King Alerion. Almost immediately was Madrin taken from the Goddesses to a healer, for mortals were such fragile creatures, and Aurora was relieved to see him tended to.

“I will see you soon, my son.” She spoke softly to Madrin as he was being led away, a gentle curve of her lips indicating she knew the soldier would not be down for long. Somehow it didn't seem in his nature to rest and heal while others fought in his stead. No, she would be seeing Madrin soon, very soon.

Aurora was quiet as Elysia and Alerion conversed and after a few moments of their silence, did the Mother finally speak.

“The other Val'nothe is still running amok in the Grand City causing chaos and strife where it may, and now we must contend with a being that can overpower the gods and trap their very essence.” Aurora paused and sighed as she rubbed at her temple. “So many lives are lost already and many more are to come. Elysia and I are the only ones left to protect our people, our world.” She turned then to face the King. Hope sprung eternal. Hope was what drove those to do the impossible, yet Aurora was finding it difficult to find some sort of resolution to this matter.

“Is it possible to turn the Val'nothe upon this 'being of darkness'? Perhaps in doing so we can free Galenous and Tempesturo and in the process, the four of us can contain the Val'nothe once more?” Aurora frowned as she closed her eyes briefly. “I am at a loss of what to do, great King, my sister. Sacrafices must be made to ensure the survival of Aleris, and I would gladly lay down my life for my children, but...” She trailed off, unsure of how to continue. “There must be a way to release my brothers, destroy the one who enslaved them to begin with, and imprison the Val'nothe. We must find out all we can about this 'being' who has my brothers.”

Vibrant green orbs fastened upon King Alerion and when Aurora spoke once more, her voice lacked the warmth and love it normally held. “There are those here in this very City who believe in Order, those who do not fear death but face it with a smile on their lips and joy in their heart. Those who were born and bred for battle, who would die in the name of honor and a just cause. Send them out to kill this Dark Being. Free my brothers, and I promise you, Alerion, the Val'nothe will be but a distant memory once we are finished here.”

Aurora smiled then. “For a god's wrath is a terrible thing to behold....as is a Mother's.”

Continued from chat...

The small group of Alerian guard accompanied by Deanna found their way near the Harbor, where hundreds of soldiers were already present armed with swords and shields, with axes and crossbows ready to attack the Val'nothe that was brought to bay with the help of Verial in his dragon form. Somewhere in the crowd she was sure Quinn and Maxim were as well, though presently she could not pinpoint either males.

Perhaps it was for the best. Deanna had left Quinn on a not so joyous note, and though she knew she owed her mate an explanation for her behavior, she couldn't bring herself to confront him in the midst of battle. If they survived, then maybe, one day, she would. The shifter did not have time to nurse her saddened heart, to tend to her wounded pride, not now. Even as her mind began to drift elsewhere, she would reprimand herself sharply and focus once more at the task at hand.

This is the way the world will end, not with a bang but a motherfucking explosion.

“Did our King recruit you to join our army?” William's voice brought her back sharply and she turned to face him, brows raised. “What makes you say that, sir?” The soldier whom she befriended in a manner of speaking jerked his head toward the borrowed armor she wore. Deanna glanced down at the boiled leather and chain mail and shook her head. “No,” she locked her gaze with his and stated calmly and clearly. “I took it from one of your brothers. He no longer needs it.”

William stared at her for a beat or two then asked quietly, his mouth a hard line. “He no longer needs it? Does he still live?” Deanna's amber gaze didn't waver. “No, and for that I am sorry, truly I am.” She offered no other explanation as she shifted her attention to waters of the Harbor. She could feel the hurt confusion and anger radiate from William's body for she knew he wanted answers to unasked questions, yet the soldier chose not to further probe the woman who stood beside him. He turned once more toward the Harbor, his hand flexing against the bow he held as he asked another question that had been burning on his lips from the moment he saw her fight, saw her wounds healing at an unnatural pace. “What are you, lady?” Deanna's mouth tilted upward into a brief smile of amusement. “Does it matter, William, what I am, as long as I have your back?”

The soldier considered her reply for a moment then shook his head, far too tired to persist any further. “I suppose not, lady. You have a name, by the way?” He asked as they moved down the small groups of men that gathered around the Harbor. “Deanna,” she offered as she strolled off, deciding to reposition on higher ground. William frowned before signaling to his men to follow her. At the vantage point they were at, they could not only see the Harbor, but the Castle and even parts of the City. “Why are we up here? The creature is in the water with that dragon and will burst through any moment, hopefully. We can't kill it up from here.”

Deanna was quiet for a moment, her brow furrowed as she stared off in the opposite direction for a while. “You've got to be kidding me,” she murmured to herself, utterly disgusted with the way things were turning out. With a heavy sigh, she turned to face her comrades. “Tell me William, do you really believe that your King's army has a shot in hell at killing that thing? I've heard the tales regarding the Val'nothe from the drunks who used to frequent a tavern I once worked at. Honestly I thought it was an urban legend until I saw one with my own eyes and was told what it was. If the tales are true, then the gods imprisoned that creature, you know, the one that is thrashing about in the Harbor with my friend as we speak, away until it obviously recently escaped. Note that I said imprisoned not annihilated. Which means if the gods didn't kill it and simply imprisoned it...” Deanna trailed off, allowing that little piece of information sink into heads of William and his men.

Deanna snickered seeing the dawning of understanding light up in their eyes that soon followed with identical looks of trepidation. “Ah, good. You guys are finally getting it. Took me a minute to figure it out, so don't feel bad. That beast that just destroyed the castle and several dozens of people that were unfortunate enough to get in its way? It can't be destroyed. Can't. If it could, then the gods would have done so already, would they not?”

The shifter notched an arrow and held her bow steady just in case. “You asked why we're up here and not down there getting ready to have our asses handed to us?” A smirk graced her lips as she eyed the small group of twenty that were with her. “Truth is, at first I thought it would be smarter to be the “back up”, just in case. Then I figured we could protect any stragglers that haven't ran like madmen to seek shelter. Both very good reasons for being up here indeed.” Deanna turned to the left then, facing away from the Harbor toward the City and began to climb higher to the hill's peak.

William didn't follow and instead called out to the shifter, confused to her actions. “Shouldn't you be facing the Harbor then? How are we supposed to be the back up if we can't see what's happening?” The soldiers all shouted out their agreements, but Deanna ignored them, her attentions held by something else. The shifter cocked her head to the side and grunted to herself. Exasperated by the woman's actions, William hurried upward toward Deanna's side. “What in the name of our good King are you looking at, lady?”

Deanna lowered her bow so that she could point with a free hand. “Follow my finger. Focus your eyes over there. You see them?” Deanna's eyes were far keener than the human male's and clearly she could see what appeared to be a woman leading an army in the direction of the City. “You see?” She waited a few minutes before William turned to her with a wary expression on his face. “Just barely, but yes. Are they coming to help us defend the City?” The soldier waved a hand to beckon his men to join them. Within moments the small group of twenty stood on the hilltop where they were pointing and straining to see the strange army approach in the distance.

Deanna's smile was grim when she finally answered the guard. “I hate to tell you this, sir, but somehow, I don't think they're here to help. Not at all.” Deanna closed her eyes briefly and thought back to her earlier musings of what else could possibly go wrong today.

She had her answer.

Boobs. Firm, wonderful boobs. Wish's firm wonderful boobs. That was the first thing I could remember. They'd been in my hands, and they were fantastic! This could be the last thought I'd ever have and I would have died a happy man. I laid where I was thinking about how nice Wish's breasts were when the realization dawned on me. If I had already switched from "boobs" to "breasts" in my head, then that meant that this probably wouldn't be the last thought I'd ever have.

Sure enough, despite how much I tried to fight it, the rest of what had happened came back. We'd been in the armory, (something about long weapons apparently got to her) and we started kissing. My hands had found their way into her shirt. I wanted to stop right there. I knew that whatever was to come next wasn't nearly as joyous as what I'd already remembered. It only got worse from this point on. Just stop the thought there, and let it die.

But of course the "it" in that last sentence was me. If I didn't finish this line of thought and get back to the here and now I'd be done for. I'd be dead. And worse yet, I'd let myself die now knowing if Wish was ok.

There had been a loud crash from another part of the castle and we froze. I claimed my innocence, and after that...the walls came tumbling in on us, and I'd apparently blacked out for a bit. I opened my eyes and saw nothing. Either it was too dark, or I'd been blinded by the wreckage. I needed to figure out if Wish was ok, and that meant I needed to figure out if I was blind or if my eyes just didn't want to work yet.

Oh yeah, the rubble. That explained the pain. Oh god. It hurt all over. Why had I chosen to come back to this? That's right, Wish. And then the shock was over and the pain hit me. Wave after wave of pain flowed through my body as if every nerve had been shattered and then replaced, only to remember everything that had happened to my body since. This was good though. Pain was familiar. It was something I could relate to and hold on to to keep my mind straight(ish).

I focused on my eyes. Had I truly opened them before or had I just thought I did? Either way I forced them closed again and worked very hard on making them work. When you lose the ability to use one of your senses, many people find that their other senses are heightened. This, I've found, is bullshit. They all work just as they did before (unless you've injured them as well in which case you're screwed) you just never recognize how well they work until you're down one.

As I lay there with my eyes closed I felt movement. I was moving, but it wasn't because I was trying to move, I was being moved. My eyes flew open, not sure if I was about to come face to face with the being the crashed the wall or if I was looking into the eyes of my savior. As it turned out I was looking into the eyes of an angel. A worried, and bloodied angel, but that's what I would expect from any heavenly being that decided to watch over me.

Wish was looking at me and yelling, but I couldn't quiet hear her yet. And then something caught her attention and she looked away. I followed her gaze outside just in time to see the outline of a dragon flying by. That nut job they'd met on the rooftop had come back and brought his winged friends with him. I pushed myself up out of Wish's lap and readied a fireball in both hands. It wasn't going to be a lot, but hopefully it'd get the beast's attention away from whatever poor soul it was attacking now.

Suddenly Wish was standing in front of me yelling something and waving her arms. Slowly I began to hear some mumbling of she was saying however I still couldn't make anything out. I yelled back, "Move, I'm Going To Get It's Attention So That It Doesn't Attack Anyone Else. You Should Get Out Of Here!" a weary look passed over her face as she clasped both of my ears in her hands. I saw her close her eyes and chant.

When she removed her hands, Wish looked at me and said, "Better?"

I could hear! "Yeah! Thanks!" I said with a smile on my face.

Wish smiled back and then slapped me upside my head, "That's a friend who beat back the real beast." she said pointing at the dragon.

"Oh." was all I could manage. In all fairness I was just in an accident. "Sorry." Master of the spoken word, thy name is Victor Sage. It seemed I'd been wrong in my dizzy assumption. Go figure. However now that I had my head back on straight(ish), I could look outside and see the army starting to move forward, towards the harbor.

I looked back at Wish taking in her ripped and bloody clothing, my face betraying my thoughts. "Are you..." but before I could even finish the question she reassured me that she was fine. She even showed me her "wound" without her shirt covering it. She did in fact seem fine. The Fae was moving better than I had been and she even healed me a bit, so I guess I shouldn't complain too much.

"I guess we should help him." but we were so very far away, how could we get there in time to be of any help? I have a very bad memory. No, strike that, I have a great memory, it's just that there are times when I choose not to remember some things and to remember others. This was one of those times when i choose to remember that I'm not just a mage, I'm a shifter. Unlike other shifters I wasn't constricted to just one form. I could shift into pretty much anything I could imagine.

Keeping that thought in mind I realized I needed to be something strong enough to fight whatever was out there, but fast enough to get us there sooner rather than later. And of course there was the fact that we were a few stories above the ground. That was when the idea stuck me. I released the magic I'd been holding and smiled at Wish "Close your eyes." I said and once she did I began to change. "Ok, you can open them now." I said when I was done. "You should hop on and hold on tight. It's not going to be a smooth ride."

As she opened her eyes she would notice that my normal form was gone and in it's place stood a tall, lean, griffin. Hind quarters of a lion, wings, head, and front claws of an eagle. I bowed down to one knee to allow Wish easier access to get on. Looking at her confused expression I explained, "We've already got a dragon, and a beast strong enough to destroy the castle without much thought, I might might as well have a bit of fun with this before it kills me and I send you to another realm to keep you safe." I stuck my eagle tongue out at her to let her know I was joking...kinda.

Darkness as far as the eye could see with a strange grey light and stale air. Ancient structures kept in perfect pristine condition scattered across the featureless land. Madrin wondered what he was doing in such a horrible place. Wait, why did he know his name yet nothing else. He knew how to walk and that he must keep going or else something sinister would happen. He wondered where that strange sound was coming from. It was like a murmur at first but, as he continued it rose in pitch and seemed to be coming from the buildings as he passed. Voices in pain that is what the sound was he realized as the gibberish began to make sense. Adults and children both male and female crying over their loved ones, and the gap they will leave in their hearts. Also, some protested how unfair life was that they were leaving while far worse people continued on. There were many cursing the gods and mortals alike for taking them from their desires. Madrin somehow, felt that the sheer number of voices was very unusual.

Suddenly the buildings burst into flames and the ground became a raging inferno. Everywhere the air was filled with the screams of thousands of throats. Madrin's mind was stunned by so many lives being snuffed out by uncontrollable destruction. He felt something deep within him awaken, it was like the fires around him, and somehow much more sinister. The power was taking hold he felt like something was whispering in his thoughts. "Kill everything nothing is allowed to survive, no matter how small or insignificant all must perish!" The disembodied voice sent chills to his very being.
The flames roared all around him, he felt lost and alone. Suddenly, a warm green light appeared before him and his memories came flooding back. He had done much damage in his life to many ill intentioned beings. He would not let something control him in order to destroy. His family had known such slavery before, never again as long as he had life left in his body. Nothing deserved such a fate no matter what it had done. Free will is a right that all creatures no matter their form are given as part of life. Many choose to use it for evil purposes but, others wish to give their hearts to helping in any number of ways. He has a reason to go on, there are innocents unable to save themselves from the carnage all over Aleris. He is not alone in this fight but, he refuses to remain on the sidelines wallowing in self doubt. With a cry of rage he cursed the foul thing to the abyss it came from and leaped into the fires that surrounded it. His eyes took in the aged stone walls of the medical room in the castle of Grand city.

Madrin's rough hands were wrapped around the neck of a terrified male attendant. The boy somewhere in his late teens had the remains of a washbasin dumped all over him soaking his dirty tunic. Madrin immediately let go of the horrified kid. "Sorry lad I had a terrible nightmare, you needed a bath anyway so calm down and get back to work," Madrin let some gratitude fill his icy eyes. "I would help you myself but, I have something I need to do," he gave a respectful bow to the attendant. Stop it boy you look like I you just saw a ghost," then Madrin noticed he was covered in bandages and several freshly healed burns. "Well it seems you just might have lad, I am deeply sorry for the scene I caused," this time Madrin gave the boy a strong pat on the back. "Could you tell me how I got here the last I remember I was staring down a very angry Val'Nothe," he put on his best smile and awaited the boys response.

The youngster told him of all that happened since the Val'Nothe made it's attack, including how Madrin arrived in the hands of Elysia and Aurora. Madrin let out a throaty laugh that echoed off the walls of the sickroom. The injured and the staff all joined in on the merry sound as the tension melted in the room even if only for a short while. "Now that's more like it folks remember no matter how dark it gets, the stars still shine even then," he let his posture show his relief smiled at all of them.

Next he acquired directions to were his weapons and armor were stored. He found the bathing area down the hall and washed all the sweat from his body and reflected on the state of the city. Chaliceton was safe for a few days but, Grand city was under attack from the land and the air. Madrin knew he had only been out for one day. He needed to decide how he could help the most in this situation. There had been several strength testing assaults from the blasted living zombies and their mage controllers. He really hated those twisted bastards that abused free will for their own ambitions. He would make sure they got peace even if it meant they had to die for it. The dragon that showed up seems to have the ability to at least delay the Val'Nothe so the goddesses were not alone in their fight. However, those bastards on the ground seem to have no need of rest or medical attention. He would have to see what he could do to help. When he finished his bath Madrin gave a prayer of gratitude to Elysia and Aurora and wished them well in their mission. He thanked the castle servant on duty outside the bath for all his hard work as Madrin put on his freshly cleaned clothes and handed the elderly gentleman his medical gown and a silver piece for his trouble. Next he got a longbow from the armory and a quiver as it was permitted by royal decree to aid in the defense of the city.

Madrin decided to join the regiment that first spotted the ground force moving in. They were led by a woman from some noble family from another world. He only hoped she didn't expect people to bow and scrape at her feet he only knelt to those that deserve it. Nobles almost always have an inflated sense of their own worth. He didn't care if they are king Alerion himself respect is earned not demanded. When he got to the small units current post Madrin looked the noblewoman directly in her hazel eyes. What shocked him the most was that he felt like he understood something very familiar when he looked into them. He bit back the sharp remark he had ready for her and gave her a bow used among equals.

"Good day Lady Deanna I am Madrin Kir I have come to help you in your mission," he felt like this may be more fun than he expected as he let joy touch his ice blue eyes.

“What do we know, Ambrose?”

Captain Ambrose Pennington stood at attention as he regarded his lady who was presently ticking off ration sheets. “There is some good news, my lady. Reports in Chaliceton regarding one of the Val'nothe. It appears Elysia has managed to seal it once more under the Eternal Lake with the aid of the Spring Goddess and an unknown male soldier.”

Layla Victoire arched a blonde brow. “Unknown? He is not one of ours?” The ruler of Bariston paused in her work and set down her parchment and quill upon a crate. She raised her arms over her head and stretched, easing some of the knotted muscles that plagued her weary form. “In any case, this is good news, indeed. What of our God, Galenous? Has he been spotted as of late?”

The Captain shook his head sadly. “No, my lady. Rumor has it that he has been...incapacitated like Tempesturo. I am not certain of details only that Galenous was seen fighting the Val'nothe that is now located in the Grand City one minute, then gone the next. Forgive me for lacking in information, but it is simply not known.”

Layla regarded her Captain silently as she considered his reply. “I see,” clearly the lady was unhappy with this bit of news, for if anyone loved and worshipped Galenous faithfully it was the Lady Layla Victoire. “Then I suppose,” she began slowly, “that we should pray for the safety and security of the goddesses who remain and hope they can be the salvation Aleris seeks.” Troubled, Layla resumed her checklist, pleased with her findings. “We are most fortunate for my 'harboring theiving ways', my Captain.” She smirked as she tallied up her total. “Our people do not starve or suffer or thirst, and despite having been adequetly taken care of, we are still in good stock of our supplies.”

“You have done well, lady, no one can say otherwise,” Ambrose commented, pleased by her reports and proud of the woman who handled great criticismn from others for her high taxes with a grace and quiet dignity that would shame lesser men and women. “The people owe you a great deal of thanks."

Layla shrugged as she wiped ink from her hands onto the dirty apron she wore to cover the simple grey dress she wore. “They owe me nothing of the sort, Ambrose. They are my people. It is my duty to provide and protect.” A hint of a smile caressed her lips as she secretly appreciated the praise given to her by the Captain of her Guard. “You are kind in saying so, though.” She could feel a blush creeping across her cheeks and was grateful for the dimly lit storeroom. “I suppose this means we can allow our citizens out of the underground saferooms now to go about their business and rebuild their lives.”

“It is already done, my lady. I sent Miles, Lewis and Danvers to see to it. Already the people have taken their belongings and returned to the surface. Most of the waters have receeded from Bariston and the Port, though Martial Law is still in effect. We have recruited every able bodied man and woman who can to aid in the clean up.”

Layla nodded as she left the storeroom with the Captain following. She climbed the narrow stone stairwell for a few minutes before reaching the door that led to the hallway of her mansion. A few turns later, Layla was seated in her study with a carafe of wine before her and indicated for Ambrose to sit and join her. The ruler of Bariston sipped at the crimson liquid thoughtfully before asking, “What news is there in Eiler?”

The Captain finished his wine and began pouring another, shaking his head in digust while doing so. “The second Val'nothe has destroyed much of the Grand City, including Alerion's palace. Much of it has been lay to waste. From what I could gather, the King managed to bring to safetey many of his people, but unfortunately there were casualties. How many, I do not know, but I imagine the number is high.”

Layla sucked in a breath and murmured a quick prayer to those who lost their lives. “Elysia watch after their souls.” She ran a hand through her blonde locks, aggitated. “And the Val'nothe itself, Ambrose? Has it been contained?”

“No my lady. Alerion's guard as well as a few others have been fighting against it, and my sources indicated a dragon attacked the foul beast as well, though...” Ambrose smiled. “I can only imagine the armed soldiers are as fearful of such a creature as well, helpful or not.” The Captain sobered then, studying Layla's reactions. “My lady, if I might...”

“Send our soldiers, Ambrose,” Layla stated quietly. “Whatever rivalry I have with Alerion is to be put aside immediately. My people for the most part, are safe and sound, but on Elved...” she trailed off, shaking her head sadly. “They will need all the help they can get, though I am sure Joi and Jade has sent assistance as well. Nevertheless, send one hundred of our strongest men, supplies and food, and ten of our healers.” She sipped at her wine, her fingers clutching at the stem of her glass. “That is the least I can do for Aleris, to honor my fallen god.”

Ambrose Pennington stared at his lady for a moment, a warm glow in his eyes for at this moment, he was pleased and proud of the woman who offered her services without his asking. “The King, I know, will be grateful for all you can give, my lady. I shall see to it at once.” He stood and bowed his head to her before turning to leave.

“Ambrose, I want them on the airship within the hour to arrive at the Harbor as soon as possible, and you as well. Our men will need a leader with them, for they might not take kindly to the orders from Alerion's guard.” Layla stated as she too rose to see him out. “My lady, no! I'll not leave you here unattended...” Ambrose began hurridly only to be cut off by the small blonde woman. “You will do as I command, Captain,” she stated sharply. “I am not some child that needs her hand held. Miles will remain here with me as my personal guard.” Layla softened then, seeing the distress on her Captain's face. Without thinking, she stood on her toes and placed a brief but gentle kiss on his weathered cheek. “I'll be fine. Go now. Do as I bid.”

The Captain relented, though grudgingly and nodded. “As you say, my lady. I shall instruct Miles not to leave your side.”

Layla smiled brightly at him. “I'm sure you will, my friend. Now go and help to save Eiler.” With a shove, she ushered Ambrose Pennington out the door and watched him stalk down the hallway.

“Oh and Ambrose!” She called as her Captain turned and looked back over his shoulder. “Give Alerion my warmest regards.” The Lady Layla Victoire grinned with a wicked gleam in her eyes.

Terra wasted no time checking to see who was behind her - whether it be Blend or Maestro Carlain. Her destination was set for Grand City with the cannibalistic Aliscowri in tow. Throughout the entire journey from Galenous' resting place to Grand City, they had not stopped once, decreasing the amount of travel time to get there. And as they moved towards the once beautiful harbor city, Terra was also preparing.

At first, it was just the Aliscowri and though they appeared quite ferocious and now hungry for blood, it was a small army at that. She needed more numbers. As she neared Grand City, Terra outstretched her arms, her palms lifting to the sky and as if calling them forth, all types of undead started rising from the grave. The earth shook as zombies pushed out of the earth, moaning in hunger and falling into the ranks of the army next to the Aliscowri. These zombies were also followed by a great number of banshees, wraiths, liches and skeletons. By the time Terra was about a mile or so outside of Grand City, her army of undead had reached to about a thousand in number.

Surrounded by her ghoulish army, Terra's hands finally switched position to both swords at her hips and drew them from her sheaths. The amber and red colored gems - Galenous and Tempesturo - that were within the hilt of her blades shone in response to her touching them. They were fighting to get away, but there was no unlocking these gods from their prisons. Against their will, the two would help her turn Grand City into ashes - into the ruined city it should have been.

Alarms went up; loud bells rung throughout the city announcing her arrival. Archers and all manner of soldiers suddenly lined the gates of the city focused on protecting what was left of their town from the latest threat to plague Grand City. Despite their determination, Terra did notice their faces still looked grave and worried. The citizens of Grand City had nearly been pushed to their limit by the Val`nothe, but now that she was here, Terra would send them toppling over the edge.

The army went first, a wave of undead rushing towards the city with surprising speed. They pushed passed Terra, the Aliscowri ripping off limbs and feasting on the scent of blood. Undead flooded into the streets, tackling people and fighting them with an unrestrained ferocity. Souls were taken and blood flowed into the three feet of tidal water that lined the cobblestone roads. Soldiers and townsfolk fought with all their might and while they did decrease several of the numbers in her army, the onslaught of the undead poured through the gates with ease.

After this, I will not speak with you for some time... but I have faith that you will fulfill what we came her for.

Of course. We are so close to ending this, I can feel it within every bone in my body.

Then, I have no worries of disappointment.

When have I ever disappointed you...?

It was now her turn. Terra placed an armor plated boot forward and then without any further hesitations, she sprinted forward through the crowd of fighting soldiers, undead and Alerian citizens. Obviously she was targeted as a leader, standing out from the rest of her undead army. This did little to stop her however. Terra weaved through the streets, evading and slashing through anything that came in her path. She moved like a dancer as she used her dual swords, fluidly and without missing a single step, leaving a trail of bodies and more blood in her wake. She could have easily enough just shifted into a bird or something else and flew above the crowd, but this... this was much more fun.

And just where was she headed? The castle. There were only so many places that the remaining gods and Alerion could hide after all.

Ternal was right. The Val`nothe's eyes were opening. Verial, the black dragon, had damaged it, and while Ternal would get his shots in as well, it was far from finished. As Ternal would blast sorcery from his mouth and clamp onto the Val`nothe's neck with its teeth, the shadowy, serpentine beast did not relent. It lashed out at Ternal, even with parts of its hide falling off from the damage it had taken.

As Ternal's fangs sunk into the Val`nothe's neck, it wrapped its tail about Ternal in an attempt to squeeze the life out of the dragon, much like a snake does to its prey. All this time, it was pushing to the surface. It could feel the remaining gods of Aleris in the city and as far as it was concerned, it would stop at nothing to get to Elysia and Aurora.

The Val`nothe broke through the surface, shooting through the air, water exploding upwards in a giant wave. As it was launched into the air, catapults armed with large boulders were shot at it in addition to magic and arrows. Either Ternal was lucky or the Alerian army was good at aiming; most of the aerial assault had managed to hit the Val`nothe instead of the Kharl'at. Even with Ternal still attached to it, the Val`nothe writhed about and threw its body towards the edge of the harbor. Half in the water, half on land, the Val'nothe tried to move forward, Ternal still hanging on like a leech.

I will break free. I will end this, dragon.

Sometimes all a man needed was a good slap across the face. Three times Wish had given Victor Sage a slap across the cheek. Some people say that three was a magic number. Though she cared for him deeply, Wish thought that this was probably not the last time she'd have to hit Victor Sage. This time, it was to stop him from attacking an already wounded Verial Akilara who was trying to defend the city from the Val`nothe.

After getting their bearings and healing Victor's lack of hearing, Wish showed him her battle wounds, that being where the sword had impaled her and almost killed her. Her clothes had been torn in places where the sword sliced through and blood soaked through the once white colored garb that was her Grand City soldier uniform.

As if reading her thoughts, Victor shifted into a griffin for them to make it to Verial more quickly and help him out. In all her years, she had never actually seen a griffin; she wondered when Victor had. Wish assumed that at one point Victor had probably studied them in order to be able to shift into them. For a moment, she admired him as this mystical beast, noticing even in shifting that the creature took on some of Victor's human qualities like being tall and lean. He even had that boyish, and somehow charming, glint in his eye as if he was very excited.

As Victor kneeled forward, Wish looked around the armory. Before departing, she ran to another side of the wall where there was a closet. She yanked it open and pulled out a new uniform, changing into it quickly, unaware of the staring looks Victor was given her. Good thing she wasn't changing right in front of the hole that was now in the armory, unless she wanted to distract some of the soldiers that were already running around in a fury trying to prepare for anymore attacks.

Her transformation into new clothing was fast and she followed this up by grabbing the rapier she had picked earlier, attaching it next to her hip with a belt. Then, she swung her leg over Victor's back, sitting on top of his griffin form and they were off. She had to admit, it was kind of strange riding on Victor like this, but just like slapping him, she knew this wasn't the last time they would need to do something like this. Wish knew she could get comfortable though; after all, she had shared her bed with him, so at this point, this was really nothing.

Her thoughts and Victor had carried her to the edge of Hinewai Harbor. Thankfully, no one seemed to stop them. Wish wondered if the Grand City citizens might have thought she was some sort of battle maiden, riding off in her Grand City's soldier uniform on top of a griffin. But no, she was just a healer, a healer that needed to help a very wounded dragon.

At the edge of the harbor, Wish dismounted from Victor and rushed up towards Verial. Not hesitating, she placed her hands on the obsidian colored scales. Previously, he had been concentrating on ocean waters as if waiting for the Val`nothe to come back up again, but when he felt her touch, Verial turned around to face her. His odd colored eyes clearly looked shocked upon seeing her and she knew why - she was supposed to be dead and he had been her killer.

She never blamed Verial for what happened that night in Oneiro; her death was not his fault really. In time, she would explain how she came to live again to the entire family of Dreamers who had mourned for her with Oneiro's passing, but for now, a healing session was in order.

"I will explain later," Wish said looking up to Verial. "For now, I will heal what I can."

Healing a dragon was not as easy as healing a person. She knew Verial could not shift though; if he tried, the wound might have killed him in his more human-like form. As Wish closed her eyes, a white light washed over Verial's wounds and started to patch up wherever he was bleeding from. Unfortunately, she could not heal dragon scales; that would need to be done over time. When she was done, a fine patchwork of scars now covered where the Val`nothe had bitten and scratched Verial.

A little bit shaky from healing the dragon, Wish wandered over to Victor and leaned on him, resting her head against his back for a moment. As she breathed in, regaining her strength, she suddenly heard the sound of shrieks and screams filling the night air. When she looked up turning her heard to the other end of the city, her breath caught in her throat. The undead had taken over the entire city and people were fighting for their lives. If that wasn't enough, the Val`nothe had suddenly emerged from the depths of the ocean, a water dragon desperately latched onto it.

Without thinking, Wish drew the rapier at her side knowing it was only a matter of minutes before the barrage of undead reached Hinewai Harbor. She glanced at Victor and nodded at him knowingly. They needed to help protect this city as so many othershad already tried.

"Let's go, my love."

And with that, she placed a kiss on the brow of his eagle-like head before heading off and running into the fray.