The fire had cleansed the world around the arraki, Blends armor burning everything, the heat sweltering. For a moment as he watched he felt a pang of envy, a need of want of such a suit of armor to combine with himself but in the next the moment was gone and the battle was over. Syvern with Soul still in his mind nodded to Blend and stumbled away the sword jutting from his chest making the way easy as the survivors watched on with uncertainty.

Sometime later the lost prince found himself alone, in the quiet of the forest and he fell to a knee his mace falling in the dirt and gouging a chunk of sod with a heavy thud. One hand holds up his body as the other wraps gingerly around the blade of Obstinata, feeling the pulse of the sword, its energy coursing through itself and his veins. He understood why Soul wanted it, even as the arraki remained quiet in the back of his mind.

“You were always stronger than me.” The lost prince spits the words like venom, “But I found a
way to break you.”

“Maybe that was what I was always looking for in you.” Soul replies calmly, “I did my best to guide you through Misranchit, against Con-Quy’s army. But Obstinata saw I was stronger, I had no control over that day.”

“You let him rip us apart, and banish me to a century of wandering the world as an ethereal spirit. I could touch nothing, talk to no one. Do you know what that is like?” The lost prince tightened his grip on the sword the lobstered gauntlet bending at the force.

“In that same time I was trapped in the underworld trying to find my way out. It was not a vacation you can trust in that.” Soul responded, still in his calm voice. “I never meant for us to break apart. Apart we are strong, but together.” Obstinata began to hum, “We are indestructible.”

Syvern arched his back and stared up into the sky through the trees, his mouth open in a silent yell. The armor he wore began to crack and melt as the sword began to glow brightly, runes on its surface shifting and rotating violently. The armor melts away burning the grass and streaming in rivulets of steel across the dirt. In moments his flesh is left bare and the swirling runes began to glide from blade to flesh, smoking as they burn into it the smell of cooking flesh filling the air. The yell suddenly gains volume.

One rune, a curved number with two curves from the bottom and a Y shaped crest at the top glides up his face and sears around his right eye, the crimson eye, the eye that showed Soul was inside of him. His hands rise to clutch his face at the same moment as Obstinata begins to twist in his body.

The pain subsides momentarily as the blade turns downward, slicing him open and disappearing into his abdomen, acidic blood is streaming after the steel burning whatever the molten metal left behind. His yells echo off the trees, sounding like an animal being murdered. He collapses forward, as the wound begins to stitch itself together, the pain slowly fading.

“As one we are now. The lost prince, the arraki and the unyielding blade together as one body, one entity. The way it should have been from the beginning.” Soul says, but the voice is fading,

“Remember Syvern, together we are indestructible.” Syvern opens his eyes at the dirt.

“What are you doing Soul?”

“We cannot be whole as long as I am my own.” The voice was a whisper and suddenly Syvern felt an arc of energy shoot through his body, more massive than the little spirits he had felt in the recent battle. He realized what it was and suddenly his mind filled with memories.

The underworld, coming out in an unknown world, meeting his true father, Myrianna, Mystic, Gazah, Bansca, Lire, Animus, the taming of Chaos and Black, the fleeing of Mystic to Aleris. It all came to him in one swoop. His hands go to his head as he tries to process it all. “What did he do Obstinata.”

-He gave you his life, everything he has done since the split and everything he knows. You do not know it yet but now you are part him and part you, combined in one seamless mine.- The sword sounded almost saddened.

The lost prince found himself tearing up regretting what he had done, “Why would he give himself up?”

-Because it is like he said, he only ever meant to guide you through those early years. He never meant to take away your life. This is his apology. His final moment for the realms. You are now the last one, but remember, he will always be inside you.- The sword finished and Syvern nodded standing slowly.

“I will try to be as good as he was.”


After the Winter Ball……

The blonde serving girl from the ball dozed on a bed in a spare room, the orphanage where Soul had dropped the orphans at. Syvern stood at the window watching the sun rise over the streets. Jade City, where Soul had come to explore and had changed the fate of the city.

Syvern had come back to the city after speaking to the King. He felt inclined to try and become the mayor to help lead the city back from the events and to deal with the scheming Japshoot. He would not kill the man but when he saw him next there was sure to be a discussion of some kind.

The woman rolled in bed and Syvern glanced at her his mind racing to Merle, Myrianna and Lire, three loves lost probably never to be seen again. They had given up much in their lives but a pain filled his heart when he thought of the three. His ice elf princess, the amazonian, and the plain girl he had saved from vampirism by making her a monster. He closed his eyes a moment and turns his head away from the bed.

His eyes roam turn back to the street, one blue, and one crimson. He had shaved the beard he had at the ball and trimmed his hair short a look he had taken in Mystic. Or had that been Soul? It was hard to separate the memories now, almost impossible. He turned away from the window and strode toward the door, stepping over the orphan care taker who had fallen asleep on the floor after their love making.

He had to find Zafiro.

There was a chime from the magic mirror resting upon the living room wall. This particular chime sounded like wind chimes jingling in a soft breeze. He had been in the kitchen getting himself a mug of cider when he heard it, so he quickly hastened to go and answer it. Ita was enjoying herself at the Ball, and he'd been hoping she'd had a fun time. After brushing his hand across the glass, and whispering the Sylvan word for 'open', he stepped back and took a sip of his cider.

"Papa?! Papa?!" she called to gain his attention.

"I"m here, what is it? Is anything wrong?" he inquired. "You sound like you've had a good time."

"I have, we've danced, and there's so much food, and everyone's costumes were really pretty, and there's so much snow, I could build a massive castle out of it! It's so -white- and cold up here!" she said excitedly. Melvin was off picking his nose or something. Probably bothering the kitchen maids for more of those cheese and meat balls.

"Ohhh, the King was even here, though he didn't speak to me. I hardly know a soul here, besides Verial." she confessed. Clearly she had a lot to tell him. "Don't say nothing, but it looks like Melvin might win for the 'Best Costume' contest. We even made the paper! You'll have to have Mythras read it to ya." Course she didn't mention the stares they got or the weird looks, she figured her papa would know that was a given.

"What are you doing, do you have any plans upcoming?" she wondered, curious for some reason.

"Hmm..well I had thought about taking all of the Yule decor down, with Mythras' help. And then going to visit Josh and Rook for a couple days. Do you need me up there?" As much as he didn't like admitting it, she was growing up, even if it was mentally faster than physically. "Your not in any trouble, are you?"

There was a shake of her head, though she knew he wouldn't see it. "No, papa, everything's fine here." she assured him. "We're alright, we just thought we'd stay for a little while, see another part of the world, don't worry too much, Melvin will protect me."

That's what he was worried about, that somehow the pair of them would be into some great mischief. But he didn't say that aloud. "Is something bothering you, darling?" he asked after a bit, cause he heard her fidgeting her wings.

"Not really...its just that I ran into someone up here at the Ball and he claimed to know you. Asked if you were attending, then asked me to deliver a message to you. He said he hadn't seen you in some time and that he thought you might think him dead. Said he was going to be in Jade at the moon's next turning. He seemed nice enough, but I didn't recognize him. He just said that your old friend Soul would be in Jade. Whether it was him or not, I don't know."

Upon hearing his old friends name, his eyes widened. Soul was in Jade, or would be. "He's right, we haven't seen one another in some time, not since he came to the Villa a while back. Seems I'm due for a road trip to Jade and I reckon I'll leave Mythras at the temple with your Ma, the world is still a dangerous place considering the recent wars and whatnot. Don't worry, I'll have a mirror with me so you can keep in touch with me. I'm in need of a break from the Valley anyways, so I'll go see my old friend. I'll probably leave out as soon as I gather some things, probably tomorrow morning. You have fun up there and if you need me, get in touch with me."

"Alright, Papa. Be careful on your trip." After goodbyes were said without actually saying the word 'goodbye', the mirror returned to normal and Bansca raked his fingers through his coppery, silver streaked hair. "Time for an adventure indeed." he mused to himself. Draining his mug of cider, he headed off to his room to start packing up some things for the trip. Just how did a blind man pack for a trip and how would he navigate through a world while seeing only darkness?

Pretty damned carefully.

With his hawk perched on the foot of his bed, he peered through the creatures' eyes to hunt down everything he would need for the trip. Clothing, weapons, first aid gear, rations (for him and his horse), coin, camping stuff, since he imagined he'd be stopping at night along the way. He had to collect his gauntlets, jesses, and falconry gear for his hawk. He was packing light, because he didn't know for certain how long he'd be gone.

There was a letter written to his lovely wife as well, explaining where he'd be should she wish to join him. It was left on the kitchen table. He then had to lock the Villa up, tend to the animals, and make sure everything was settled before he could depart. There were windows to lock, doors to lock, animals to be settled, and then he had to call for Khementh and have him come to tend to the animals while he was absent. The Old Bronze Dragon obliged, grateful for something to do for a while, he was tired of being bored anyways.

Naturally Khem would remain in his humanoid form as to not scare the animals. Once everything was settled, the trio enjoyed a simple supper and relaxed for the night, chatting about this, that, everything else. Come the morning, Bansca would be on his way to Jade City, back out on another adventure; not that he's ever stopped, every day was an adventure.