Lieron was late to the chaos of battle in Grand city. His brief nap lasted longer than he expected after he left the Bariston airship. He found an unclaimed cave a few miles from the city to recuperate his strength. Days of barely any sleep and little food took their toll when the shifter finally stopped moving. He was out for a full day before he left once again for Grand city after he devoured an entire deer. The remains were left to nature as he took wing, the scavengers would eat well.

He reached Eiler's capital at the same time the Northwatch was blown apart by Deanna. He could not harness magical energy but, the mystical nature of his blood allowed him an extra sense. Lieron could feel all the magical forces being thrown around as he approached Grand city it was terrible to witness. Such a perversion of nature wrought by the evil woman angered him greatly. Allies were tearing each other apart from a deliberate twisting of a primal force. The shifter had landed on one of the new watch towers. His drew his horn bow after stringing it and began sniping every attempted rape the aliscowri committed starting with the women. Lieron had no problem shooting them since he knew they had condemned themselves with their own actions. He changed his position constantly so that they couldn't pin his location down and blow him apart like so many unfortunate soldiers defending Grand city. His hawk form was invaluable in moving him from place to place. Eventually he ran out of arrows but, he had a high accuracy rate for kills.

A short time later the earth spirits were disturbed as someone struck a power line with immeasurable force. Such reckless actions often ended with the death of all living things in the area since it possessed the spark of life within. The life cycle would be disturbed in Grand city for some time but, he hoped it was only a brief crack instead of a complete severing. At least that way restoration was possible. Lieron only shook his head for the briefest of moments, and gave a mental shrug humans need to think more.

The distraction caused the shape shifter to be caught by some dead seed cubs. They destroyed the section of wall that he had been perched on. Lieron had a fifty foot fall to the cobblestone that was time enough to shift into his dull red colored hawk form to slow his descent. However, a black panther landed on top of one of the sorcerers crushing his ribs on impact which drove them into its lungs, death was quick. The twisted little demons surrounded him and attempted a fire blast at close range from five directions. His dark brown fur was singed as a massive ape rose up shattering their frail bodies with the force of his inhuman strength. Some remained breathing but, Lieron crushed their windpipes in his massive hands.

By this time, the chaos infection was nearly driven away completely from various sources. The Eiler guards could see his actions were meant to aid them so they left him alone. However, the lycans and aliscowri warriors were not so generous. The cannibals especially hated the shifter since he was singling out their kin. Lieron's unpredictable fighting style made successful attacks difficult as his body changed shape and size constantly. However, the creatures of darkness gave him several wounds as the battle raged thru the day.

Everyone Assumed The Same Thing, But It Was Understandable. The Brilliant Yet Fully Contained Glow Along With The Pale Vapor-Like Trail It Left In The Air, The Way It Utilized The Other Less Pure Energies Around It, Naturally It Must Be Magic. But It Wasn't. Only Ameerah Would Know The Truth Of It All. It Was A Quasi-Corporeal Presence Given Shape And Very Minor Density, A Dexterous Macrocosm; It Was Impossibility Made Improbability. The First Force To Exist. What Was Before Space And All That Filled It, Before The Concept Of Darkness. It Was A Piece Of The Positive And Negative That Begot All, Even The Essence Of The Gods Themselves. Did This Make It Better Or More Powerful? No. In The End All Things Were Made Of The Same Energy, Merely Infused With Specific Levels Of Positive And Negative To Make Them Personal And Distinct. His Own However Was Equal Parts One And The Other -- Truly Binary. Thus The Duel Energies That Comprised His Left Arm And Ran Him Like A Nervous System Existed In Perfect Balance. Both With Each Other And The More Organic Form They Were A Part Of. The Presence And The Absence Held Identical Measure All Throughout Him. It Was How He Could Take Life As Well As Return It. How He Was Able To Tap Into The Very “Soul” Of The World Itself And Use It Like An Extension Of His Being Without The World Resisting Him. Yet, Despite His Actions The Energy He Possessed Was No More Imbued With "Good" Than It Was "Bad". His Call For Order Was The Governing Force Because Of His Personality -- Not Due To The Energies Themselves.

So Magic. No, He Was Not Magic. He Was Synthesis.

Summoned Energy (Magic) Required Invocation. It Only Had The Power Or Purpose That The Wielder Gave It, Much Like A Bullet In A Pistol. The Untainted Essence Of His Core Was Connected To Him On A Level Beyond Physical, Beyond Spiritual. It Wasn't An Exterior Force He Controlled Or An Inner Power That He Tapped Into, It Was Always There Like A Muscle Waiting To Be Used Or A Memory Ready To Be Recalled. Which Was Why Even Though Several Of Aleris' Allies Produced Protective Barriers, The Sudden Flash Of “Lightning” From The Ground Never Combated Their Defenses. It Touched Against Them, As If Probing Digits Inspecting A New Surface. Energy Was Forever Drawn To Energy Hence Why It Reached Out To Them At All. But He Was The Will Behind The Essence, And They Were Not A Part Of The Opposition. They Were Never In Any Danger. However, From The Barriers They Produced He Claimed A Small, Insignificant Part Of Their Own Energies.

They Were Now Linked To Him On A Resonant Level, Their Signatures Imprinted So As To Establish A Connection. In Short, Like Tapping Into The Proper Frequency He Would Be Able To Sense Them. Such A Form Of Ethereal Communication Was Instantaneous And Direct. What Was Around Them He Would 'Feel'. The Same As When He Seemed To 'See' The Chaos That Had Surrounded Blend During That First Encounter With The Soul Snare. Should They Need Assistance Or Should Something Occur That He Was Not Near Enough To Immediately Recognize – They Would Be His Alarm. Ainsley And Blend As Well As Tempesturo Himself Would Feel That Imprint, And Though It Would Only Last Until That Small Fragment Of Their Energies Was Spent They Would Know He Wasn't There To Harm Them. Tonight They All Worked As One.

Which Was Why He Didn't Glance Behind Him Even Though He Could Feel Blend's Presence. Constantly His Arm Flared Brightly And Arcs Of Emerald Surged All Along Its Length, But That Was Only Due To The Level Of Power The Skeleton Was Radiating. The Essence Within Him Reacted, Its Nature To Consume And Produce Energy. But His Will Had Long Since Adapted To Such Instincts And Ignored Tempesturo's Essence. He Did However Cast A Glance To Madrin. A Nod Of Acknowledgment Was Given, Not In Greeting But In A Soldiers Understanding. Despite One Wielding A Luminescent Force, One Bathed In Fire, And Now A 3rd Coated In Blood, Their Pursuits Were The Same.

The Path To The Castle Was Clear Until The Forces That Still Remained Saw Where He Was Going. They Feared Him, But They Feared The Goddess Within Deanna Too. Chaotic Influence Had Already Claimed Them As Well – And In The Mind Of Something More Beast Than Man, Chaos Had A Way Of Overcoming Fear. The OneThat Came Was An Aliscowri, Rushing At Him The Way An Animal Might – Fast And Loud. While In Slow, Certain Stride Towards The Castle The Young Prince Didn't Pause Even When The Creature Was Almost Upon Him. An Instant Was All It Took, A Moment That Was So Brief It Could Be Difficult To Say It Had Happened At All. His Right Hand Cut Forward In A Swipe, The Way A Human Might Throw A Punch – Only Several Times Faster. There Was A Only A Slight Sound As The Strike Didn't Knock The Creature Back Or Stumble It, Nor Did The Head Perform Some Kind Of Macabre Spin Or Grotesque Decapitation. Instead A Cloud Of Pink And Black Filled The Air Like Smoke As The Fist Met Flesh, Blood, And Bone. The Body Dropped Instantly To The Ground, 200lbs Of Dead Weight. The Jaw And ¾ Of The Left Side Of The Creatures Face Were Gone, No Torn Flesh Or Bleeding Wounds – The Impact Had Seemingly Fused Any Veins Shut As It Atomized The Area Where It Struck.

The Hand Lowered And The Blood That Dotted It Disappeared As Tiny Crackles Of Light Crept Over His Knuckles, Removing Any Foreign Body Deemed Unnecessary. The Physically Composed Portion Of Him Had Been "Fed" By Enough Tainted Essence To Where He Could Now Ease More Of The Restriction He Held Over The Energy Coursing Through Him. He Moved Continuously, Finally Reaching The Wall Of The Castle That Held The Hole He Made Some Distance Above. And Yet Still He Didn't Stop, Instead His Left Foot Came Up And Touched To The Stone. Soon He Was Ascending, Walking Vertically Up The Surface Before Speaking To Blend, And Perhaps Madrin If He Followed.

”There are several competing forces inside. All of them capable and powerful. With such a confined space, every action needs to count. This castle is only stone, but the significance of it is the strength of this world. Should it be completely destroyed...the heart that remains in the people may stop beating.”

The Two Men Behind Him May Have Already Thought The Same But Voicing It Merely Put Them All In Accord. Perhaps Madrin Or Blend Could Ascend The Wall, Perhaps They Could Fly (Valorius Not Being Able To Achieve Complete Gravitational Defiance, Merely A Subtle Bending) But Either Way He Knew That The Energy-Infused Skeleton And Not Truly Human Commander Could Make Their Way Up So He Moved Higher And Higher Until He Was Able To Find Himself Horizontal Again Upon Entering The Hole In The Wall. Instantly He Was Aware Of Ameerah's Presence Only A Room Or So Away.

There Was Just Enough Time For Him To Step From The Wall Before A Loud Rush Of Sound Was Heard From Below. Deanna's Army Was Badly Wounded But Not Yet Extinguished, And They Had Seen The Path Of The 2, Possibly 3 Men. They Began Rushing Towards The Castle In Droves, Only Those Who Were Needed To Keep The Fight Raging Below Remained Behind. All Others Sought To Find Any Way In To The Castle To Protect Their “Mother”. Ainsley Would Notice The Sudden Change Of Aggressive Direction From Outside, And Those Who Were Able To Find A Less Difficult Way In Were Already Charging Through, Trying To Reach The Higher Levels. As The Sound Drew Closer, Valorius Glanced In Ameerah's Direction. Seeing Her -Beyond- The Walls He Knew That With She And Maxim In The Same Vicinity, Any God Or Group Of Gods Were More Than Well Met. Which Meant That Now He And Those With Him Were The Proverbial Wall Between A Rampaging Army Of Terrified, Primal Beasts And An End Being Put To This Sleight Against Equilibrium.

Turning Towards Where The Sound Was Obviously Drawing Closer His Right Hand Unfastened The Metal Clasps Of His Coat And Then Reached In To Draw Out His Modified Pistol. The Ebony Chain That Had Been Used Earlier Once More Emerged From His Wrist As It Coiled Around The Grip, Then The Length Of The Barrel Stopping Just An Inch From The End. As His Thumb Clicked Both Hammers Back, He Ran His Left Hand Down The Length Of Chain. Small Flashes Occurred Beneath His Palm As He Used The Black Links Like A Channel Between Limb And Firearm. If The Hand Touched The Gun Directly It Would Have Broken Down The Carbon. Instead The Chain Transferred The Energy To The Weapon.

”Nothing survives. We do not beat this army, we do not repel it. We extirpate it. So that any descendants they may have left behind, any weak willed thing that they might have influenced in this war knows never to come here. This place..it is death ground.”

Such A Comment Would Normally Be Followed With Anger, With Emphasis, At The Very Least Perhaps Some Conviction. But No, It Was A Statement That Was As Objective As It Was Decisive. In A Way That Might Have Made It All The More Unsettling.

That Is Until He Glanced Over His Shoulder Towards Blend; Long Enough To Blink Twice Before Looking Straight Ahead Again.

"The fire works...the helmet might be a little much."

For The First Time That Night He Grinned....Slightly.

Verial had not seen Sharay's eyes go wide at the sound of Elijah dying. In fact, he had stopped listening to her somewhere when she started chastising him for his apparent wrong-doings after she burned off his wings. Though she went on and on, trying to taunt him in his obvious agony, Sharay's words were comparable to the sound of bees buzzing in his ears; annoying and incomprehensible. He did, however, understand her facial expressions, that mocking look written across her features.

It was very clear time him, more so than anyone else perhaps. Verial knew he had done something wrong - an action that was otherwise unforgiveable. Instead of trying to save Deanna or stop Sharay, he had given into the desire and call of the Dark Goddess (sexually no less), much like any weak-willed human would have. It would have been easy to blame it on the fact that Sharay was such a being of lust and power that she could have taken anyone in her bed and that they would have succumbed in the same manner as Verial had. But she had chosen Verial, because as the Protector Regent he was an easy target and the scale he had left on Deanna's grave led her right to him. So, Verial fell hard and lost his wings as a result.

If this was to be his punishment for his "crimes" - for his failure to shed Deanna's blood and protect his kingdom - then so be it. No longer did raven feathered wings decorate his back. In their place, his back had been burnt and was marred with blackened, charred flesh, slow streams of crimson liquid trickling across his sides from the open wounds. Verial bit the back of his hand hard, attempting to smother out any cries that wanted to surface from the back of his throat. He closed his odd colored eyes tightly and when he felt he could breathe again, despite the pain he was in, Verial glanced over at Sharay.

Her laughter had appeared to cease completely. At first, she let out a gasp and then that sound was followed by an angered scream. Verial could only imagine that she had felt the death of Elijah Bluefield, that some one outside had killed her beloved Bluefield Lord. Instead of taunting her for her pain in return - which would have been a foolish thing for anyone to do - Verial started to push himself away from the bed.

The bed, covered with burnt feathers and blood, a mix of his own and Deanna's, was near impossible to push himself away from. With arms shaking the entire time and every movement sending pain jolting down his spine, Verial managed to sit up. At least he had the satisfaction that his stubbornness and inability to accept death was going to get him out of this castle, no matter how much additional torture it cost him. Verial was aware that in Sharay's current state, she was a ticking time bomb. He was not going to stay around to watch. Whoever was behind the door getting ready to attack Sharay - whether it was a group or one person - was going to be one sorry son of a bitch.

Verial gathered his clothes, pulling on his shirt, breeches and boots. Each action he took was a slow one and regarded with caution. Strangely enough, Sharay did not bother to stop him from leaving. She was on her knees, trembling in the corner, her rage bubbling over and ready to explode. In the state Sharay was in, Verial knew there was no way he would have been able to save Deanna or reach her and he also knew there was no way he could just go over there any kill her like some had so humbly suggested. His failures, as most would look at it, had saved part of him. Though his soul would not be saved - tarnished over the loss of his angelic wings - Verial was going to walk out of this room.

"Good bye, Sharay," Verial said, not turning his head to look at the Dark Goddess that was cloaked in Deanna's body.

When the door to the King's Chambers eventually opened, it was not Sharay that stepped forth as most wished, but Verial. Behind him, the door closed and Verial lifted his head to stare blankly at the pair that had formed in the hallway. It was Ameerah and Maxim. Verial regarded both of them, but did not say anything about what was behind the closed door. He then moved past the two, ignoring their stares that appeared to be equally bloodthirsty and vengeful. Stepping over Elijah Bluefield's dead body, Verial sought out the castle's entrance hall. Occasionally, Verial had to lean against the wall to support himself and then lift himself away from the cold stone to continue on.

As he began to descend the stairs to the great hall, Verial noticed not far off Valorius, Madrin Kir and an armored skeleton on fire were fighting off what appeared to be the remaining ranks of Sharay's army. As the lycans and Aliscowri quickly fell, Verial headed past the group and out the doors of the castle. Outside, the castle grounds and the city, as far as Verial could see, was littered with bodies - enemy and ally alike. There were truly no words for the sight before him. Some remaining soldiers and citizens of Grand City were already rummaging through the dead, trying to pick out the bodies of their friends and loved ones. Verial breathed in, the scent of blood, death and decay stronger now.

Walking away from the grisly scene, Verial let his sensitive drow hearing guide him along. There was a particular voice he wanted to hear, a person that he wanted to find, and after picking up on her speaking, Verial was headed in the direction of the west wall. Rounding the corner, Verial found Sahar (strangely enough) with Alastair Bluefield. The two had just recovered from what appeared to be their final battle in the war. It was an unlikely duo, but for some reason, Verial was relieved to see the two of them.

Upon meeting them, Verial rested against the side of the castle's western wall and then slumped down towards the ground. He leaned forward against folded legs and cast his odd colored eyes towards Sahar. The blood from the wounds on his back where his wings were absent had soaked through his shirt and the wound Elijah had inflicted upon his neck was still open. Verial opened his mouth once and then twice before he finally got the words out.

"I don't deserve to ask, but I need your help, Sahar. Please."

Later, she would find out exactly what he meant.

The skeletal figure watched as Valorius simply walked up the face of the castle, the face of his helmet transforming into a look of shock. The man, if such a simple term applied to the ascendant that strode up the face of the castle, never ceased to amaze.

Blend didn't have the luxury of such abilities, but he was always good at adapting. His body coated in flames, the skeleton radiated heat enough to melt the ground beneath his feet into a pool of glass, and he used this to his advantage, digging his hands into the wall as if it were mud, then climbing up the surface like the face of a cliff.

As the superheated stone cooled in his wake, convenient handholds were left behind for Madrin Kir. The skeleton looked down to the warrior, beckoned, then followed after Valorius.

"There are several competing forces inside. All of them capable and powerful. With such a confined space, every action needs to count."

Blend was still trying to decide what course of action he would take when he joined the others. Would he try to save Deanna from the certain death that now awaited her? Would he help slay her? Tempesturo had said to stop Deanna. He said nothing about killing her. But was there truly any other way to end this? Would Sharay die, or simply flee her destroyed vessel like a discarded doll once it served no use? If that was the case, wouldn't it be better to keep Deanna alive long enough to make certain the goddess within is captured?

Such questions plagued Blend, screaming in his head like a million irate Aliscowri.

No, he realized, that screaming was coming from reality, as Aliscowri converged on the castle in one last desperate attempt to save Sharay. Valorius was obviously prepared for the encounter, as he wielded a weapon the likes of which Blend had never seen before and began to take aim.

"Nothing survives. We do not beat this army, we do not repel it. We extirpate it. So that any descendants they may have left behind, any weak willed thing that they might have influenced in this war knows never to come here. This place..it is death ground."

Blend listened to Valorius while he studied the advancing Aliscowri. Lycanthropes were in their midst, wild eyes filled with rage and .. confusion. Among them, scattered throughout the crowd were Gulawrath and Dead Seed. With Gethe preoccupied, the massive catlike beasts had taken to protecting the sorcerous children.

"The fire works...the helmet might be a little much."

Blend grunted, his helmet warping into a silver-toothed grin beneath the fiery swirls of metal. The fiery pits of his eye-sockets seemed to be focused on the killing ground below. "It's all Tempesturo's fault."

--

Two young Dead Seed children approached the corpse of Delorah. The boy carried a human leg bone, and seemed to be around thirteen years of age. The girl stood carefully behind him, taller by far but apparently the same age, her eyes wide with horror as they stared at the bloated corpse. Already, Delorah's lips were turning blue, and her face was contorted in a mask of grief and agony. Blood had pooled around her, the crimson vitae dark as the shadows which even now danced around her corpse.

"She's dead," the girl whispered, her voice trembling. "They shot her."

The boy crouched down and began twisting and yanking on her leg.

"What are you doing!?" the girl hissed, reaching out to grasp his shoulder. The boy gave her a threatening glare and she yanked her hand back as if bitten. Then he went back to work. Within a few moments, he'd ripped her lower leg completely off, using the bone he'd brought with him as a knife to cut and dislodge tendons. Pleased, the young child stood up, wielding his new trophy and tossing the old leg bone aside.

His eyes turned towards the castle as he sunk his teeth into the leg. After a moment of consideration and chewing, he spoke. "Mother is going to die, too. If we don't help her."

"We should ask Father for help." The girl pointed towards the sky, where the demonic figure of Gethe was even now doing battle. It seemed the creature relished war and had spent the entire time since entering the Grand City in violent conflict.

The boy nodded, his eyes on Delorah thoughtfully. When her stomach began moving, even the frightful child let out a squeal of surprise as he leaped away from the body. "Delorah's alive!!!"

The girl, hiding behind the boy, peered around and stared at Delorah's corpse. The stomach moved again as the child within kicked against its mothers decaying womb. "You idiot.." at this, the girl cowered briefly, expecting retaliation for her comment, but when none was forthcoming she continued. "It's the baby that's still alive."

Setting Delorah's amputated leg aside, the boy went to fetch his discarded bone. He then moved over Delorah's corpse and plunged the makeshift blade into her stomach.

"NO!!! Don't kill it!"

"Now who's being an idiot?" the boy grinned, reaching into the gory cavity to remove the child. A girl, this second generation Dead Seed had skin as black as night and bright yellow eyes filled with a frightening understanding. She did not cry as the boy began wiping away the blood from her face, and an unsettling grin settled across the infant's features.

"Here, you take her. I'll find Father and we'll save Mother." The boy thrust the child into the girl's hands without ceremony, then crouched to pick up Delorah's leg. He then headed off to find Gethe.

--

A few moments later, a bone smacked into the side of Gethe's head as he glided through the air, delivering attacks at Soul and the airship. The Dead Seed boy was incredibly accurate with his tosses, and it seemed leg bones were quite aerodynamic if given the proper spin. The demon, certainly enraged but by no means wounded by the Dead Seed's toss, glanced towards the child below.

"Father!!!" The child waved with Delorah's leg, trying to get the demons attention. Then he pointed towards the castle, where the last of the army was assembling in a desperate attempt to breach the fortress and save Deanna, their only hope of victory. "Pick me up!! We need to save Mother!!!"

The demon approached through the mock army of possessed puppets turning his powers upon them and destroying them one the other. The arraki watches standing still and silent, feeling at the demons power as it slowly drained. He had dodged in the first strike before realizing it was not directed at him. “To be honest I’ve never relished in killing.” The arraki walked slightly to his right still watching. If the display of power were meant to intimidate the arraki it was failing.

Once all the dead were dead once again he watched those wicked knives suck up the blood they could but realized the demon was not at full strength. He tilts his head to look at the orb that now floated in place of the sun grinning slightly, “Don’t tell me you are oppressed by such a tiny ball of light. Demons always talk the talk but their powers so limited. If you can’t use everything what makes you so powerful?”

As thought to prove his point, as the Scarlet Pearl dropped from the sky a column of earth rose from the ground, a rune on Souls body glowing brightly as the column caught the ship a mere twenty feet from where it had been and slowly lowered it into the ground. The arraki frowns swinging his right arm out to his side. The blackened metal splits at his hand a crimson point begins to emerge from his flesh punching through the skin. In a matter of seconds the blade of Obstinata extends from his hand, the hilt half entangled still in his flesh.

“Fine no more interruptions.” The blade glows and a ring of light seem to appear around each eye, “Though I must tell you that without my copies inside of me the bane to your existence as become much easier to manipulate.” His left hand raises and Obstinata flashes, it was getting low on souls but it had enough for this. A orb of pure life energy wraps around his left palm forming itself into a shield of sorts, glowing brightly.

He lunges in at the demon bashing at him with the shield knowing he would recoil from the bright light. “I have a feeling that when Obstinata absorbs your essence I will be able to use your energy for a long time.” The arraki grins swinging the blade high at the demon the blade threatening to tear through the demons barrier. “I do not relish killing, but when it comes to creatures like you, what is not enjoy?”

He dodged one of the knives of the demon just as a meaty bone hit the demon in the head. He peered over the shoulder at apparent children, but he could feel their energies. “I thought you said no more interruptions?” The arraki turns his crimson eyes back to the demon awaiting his next move shield of light put firmly between himself and the creature.

Madrin felt like an ant compared to the immense power of Blend and Valorius, he was only human despite the mixed curse and blessing in his blood. He had lost a lot of energy to Aurora's blessing by the time he reached the castle. He let the light fade, he was no longer a beacon of hope when he reached Blend. Madrin did all he could to stop the chaos infection, it was gone as far as he could tell. The battle was not over he needed what strength remained to him to see it finished.

Blend spoke to him in an light hearted tone when they met. He remembered the skeleton well but, the armor of Tempesturo was a new addition. "As you like Blend, I'm glad Tempesturo has decided to give aid to Aleris some suspected he was behind the dark army. Your presence here proves those claims false. I 'm glad to have you on our side." Madrin shook his hand without even the slightest hesitation even though fire surrounded him. The power of Tempesturo recognized he intended no harm.

Madrin struck the head off of the Galuwrath that stood stunned, with no sensation except pain, in a smooth motion of his two-handed sword as the pair passed in Valorius' wake of destruction. He found torture cruel and unneeded so mercy was granted to the terrible creature. The eternals methods were effective but, Madrin would never follow such a man if he had a choice. However, he would use whatever force was necessary to save Grand city from the onslaught of darkness. He made sure to finish anything that Valorius left alive to suffer.

Madrin reached the entrance to the castle and cut down the werewolves and aliscowri that attempted to enter by the normal way. He had no special means of travel like the other two men but, Madrin had the skill's of a well trained fighter. The dim part of his mind that was rational noticed Verial pass thru the space the three men had created. If his wings weren't an important part of the image Madrin associated with him, their absence would have been unnoticed within the red mist of his thoughts.

The handholds left by Blend were quickly employed as he was beaten back to the castle wall. He threw both his silvered boot knives at two incoming lycans to give him time to ascend. The weapons were buried in their hearts causing instant death. Since he no longer wore his midnight black cape he had to employ other forms of concealment for two of his throwing daggers. However, the handholds gave the incoming hostile forces an easy climb. He had no long range weapons on him so he cut down the enemies that got as far as the top. With bullets raining down from Valorius there weren't many that made it that far but, the eternal could only shoot some not all.

A sudden thought occurred to him as he struck down another aliscowri fighter. Verial was safer than him so he could admit he was doing his job properly. Where were the royal guards, they should have been with the Protector Regent. He was blind to the power behind him until something destroyed several layers of stone wall. Instinct made him able to duck and roll as a massive collection of rubble hit where he was a second before. The hole was sealed as the wall collapsed around it killing the creatures still scaling it.

As it has begun, so it shall end...

Wretched suffering tore through Sharay, her borrowed body began to seizure from the rage that boiled within and threatened to spill outward. It was nothing but sheer will that kept such instant annihilation from occurring. Elijah Bluefield, her wolf, her Consort and one she came to care for as a partner was gone. She felt his life-force slip away as he took his last breath, and the Dread Goddess knew who was responsible for his death. Maxim Fucking Redmont.

Her despair was so great that she did not have the desire to prevent Verial Akilara who managed to draw strength into his battered body to simply walk out of the room with a single farewell to the Goddess who used him for her own gain. As the door closed, Sharay closed her eyes and quickly she mentally scanned the entire surrounding area, seeking out her own children. With a sob, Sharay realized that less than a third of her army remained standing, and many of those were injured. Her Beloved Delorah was slain as well and this brought fresh grief to the Mother. Delorah. Her daughter. The only reprieve in her aching sadness was hope that her child had been brought into this world by two of his cousins. Her Dead Seed. Her children.

As her mental reach grew, she found that there were others beside Maxim in the castle, including the traitorous fleshless Blend who was not Blend, and not one but now two who masqueraded as living human beings. She recognized them as Cosmic Balance, though their reason for participating in this war was questionable. Balance had not been disrupted, the scales had not tipped in favor of one side or another. Their purpose eluded Sharay, but nevertheless, she continued on in her mental scan. She touched over the arraki and demon, and a human warrior who was more than he appeared. Some of her lycan children were within the rapidly decaying structure, and still others her Aliscowri and Dead Seed Children were soon on their way to aid their Mistress, their Mother. Sharay knew she was surrounded and quite possibly outmaneuvered, but the Dark Goddess and Queen refused to surrender or bow down quietly. She would reign utter Chaos upon this City that she had wanted nothing more than to rule over, to show the people how a true Goddess would care for them would nurture them, would make them stronger. One who would never abandon them to their own fate. Now, it was too late. Sharay would bring them all to their knees with complete obliteration, herself included if need be. But first…

Her message had to be brief, but powerful and clear, for her wrath was so powerful, she feared destroying those she sought to warn. Her last attempt as a Mother caring for her brood.

My Children heed my warning. Do not seek me out. Do not attempt to come to my aid. You will find death here if you do. Flee my own. Serve Chaos well, my beloved children.

The Goddess opened her eyes and saw red. Literally. She reached toward her eyes and found blood seeping from those onyx orbs. Drops of crimson fell from her nose as well to splatter upon the stone flooring in Verial’s chambers. Her body, Deanna’s body, was being drained from the massive amounts of chaotic dark energy that Sharay was channeling and eventually would be consumed by such force, unable to sustain life or withstand the power of the vengeful Goddess of Chaos and Death.

The Goddess stood in one graceful movement, her features grave and her bloodstained eyes burned black fire as the door that led into the hallway where those who sought to destroy her waited. Her dark hair lifted and crackled as concentrated electricity flowed through her body, indigo currents ran swiftly around her form and flashed with each step she took. Her arms outstretched before her and she began to chant in that long dead language once spoken as a child so many millennium ago. A vortex of wind appeared without warning, so incredible in strength it was capable of tearing apart the entire foundation of the castle as easily as a child tore at parchment. A low throbbing humming sound began to intensify, the sound deafening to those in the vicinity. Within seconds Sharay drew upon the magnitude of Chaos and unleashed her fury without thought, without care. The destructive blast of the pure evil force that was transformed by Chaos exploded throughout the castle as its epicenter, and the ground shook from the concentration of dark energy as the castle began to crumple, unable to withstand such catastrophic impact.

The illuminated blast lit up the sky as the sun began to break over the horizon, signaling dawn was approaching. Even as blood began to weep steadily from Deanna’s eyes, nose and ears, the Dark Goddess did not stop unleashing the Chaos that channeled through her, as she became the twisted and contemptuous conduit for Chaos whose only purpose was to eradicate anything and anyone standing in her way.

Let them all fall. Let them all fall to their knees in screaming terror. Let them witness the true essence that is Chaos.

The Goddess smiled cruelly, coldly as her lips began to crack and bleed. Already she could feel the effects her unleashed and unbridled powers held over those who were far too weak to withstand them. Her smile widened as one in particular fell, screaming the name of the one she sought to bring to ruin most of all. And she had. Regardless of her impending destruction or not, Sharay would savor this sweet taste of victory for all time, just as Maxim Redmont would curse her very name until the day he met his final death.

If I am to go down, it shall be in a blaze of infernal glory, and I shall take as many with me as I possibly can. Damn them all.

The desert magae had found herself in the main courtyard, backed into a corner by several lycans and bloodthirsty Aliscowri. When the dread army had breached the City gates and the attacks had begun, Sahar had sprung into action without hesitation. The healer managed to avoid drawing attention to herself, covertly finding those who fought for her King, those who needed immediate medical attention. As quickly as she could, Sahar began administrating her healing touch, doing her very best to tend to vicious wounds afflicted upon the Alerian soldiers, hopefully without receiving any herself.

The verdant glow that poured from the healing touch of her hands as she stopped the bleeding of a particularly nasty wound one young guard obtained to his sword arm did not go unnoticed by some of the opposing forces. Even as the young warrior attempted to keep the unarmed desert beauty safe from harm, his actions served useless as the lycans descended upon him swiftly and without mercy, flanking them were the Aliscowri. All turned their hungry eyes upon Sahar who in a panic, held out her hands before her as she planned on using the hidden magic from her desert people in defense. It was not necessary.

A rather large and imposing presence suddenly blocked her view, forcefully shoving the magae behind him and accidentally into the crumbling remains of the outer castle wall. Snarls of fury were heard, threatening growls and eventually blood curling screams as the Animal, Alastair Bluefield's better half as far as Sahar was concerned, quite effectively and without any particular trouble to himself, reduced the lycan and Aliscowri threat to nothing more than severed limbs and pools of blood. As the Animal was finished disposing of the last of the Aliscowri, he glanced over his shoulder to see Sahar watching him with horrified fascination. She heard him mumble something in a frenzied panic, but between mouthfuls of flesh and blood, couldn't quite make out what was being said. A smile touched Sahar’s lips for she was quite sure the prim and proper Animal was distressed upon Sahar seeing such brutal and animalistic behavior from her tea drinking friend, not to mention she was positive the very idea of being bloodied and covered in bits of flesh and fur were utterly distasteful to the gentle giant.

“Thank you, my friend,” Sahar said softly, meaning every word she said. The Animal had earned her loyalty and friendship for saving her life and she would not forget such a kindness. As the sizeable were-cheetah did his very best to clean the mess on his fur, Sahar could feel a change in the air. It was more than the mass amounts of deaths that were occurring, though each and every one affected and touched Sahar greatly. The healer abhorred violence of any kind, and seeing the massacre that was playing out before her was almost more than the desert beauty could bear, but bravely she trudged on knowing her talents were needed sorely.

Sahar had turned toward the Animal and noted that despite his ‘manly’ efforts, the werebeast had taken a wound on his forearm and was bleeding rather profusely. How it went unnoticed by the fastidious creature was beyond Sahar, but she smiled to him just the same.

“Come here. Let me tend to that before it dries and mats your fur.” The horrified look in the Animal’s eyes brought rich laughter from the desert magae as she lay her hands upon the gash. Golden green light emanated from her hands and within moments, the wound was healed, though there was nothing she could do about the blood that lingered. A bath would have to serve, but later. Much later. For now, the duo went about avoiding as many of the enemy forces as possible, though when a few came far too close for the Animal’s liking, he dispatched them with hardly the effort.

The unlikely pair were nearing the western wall when suddenly the battered and bruised Lord Verial appeared, his face paler than normal, his odd colored eyes lackluster. Sahar stared at him with wide honeyed colored eyes, as the appearance of the King seemed rather off and at first she couldn’t place what was wrong. "My King?"

And then it hit her.

And she was horrified.

His beautiful wings, those magnificent raven colored wings that marked his Angelic heritage…were gone.

His shirt was mostly in one piece was blood soaked where his wings once were. Sahar momentarily stepped from the side of the Animal and rushed to the King, where in his weakened state, asked her for her help in healing him.

“Oh…Lord Verial,” she breathed as she took a closer look at the damage done to his back. His shoulder blades were cracked and blacked where the charred flesh was, deep crevices were opened and oozing fluid and blood in alarming rates. Without even thinking, the healer tore at his shirt with surprisingly strong hands and shed the garment immediately. She studied the severe wounds, and after a moment knew that it would take more than one attempt to repair the damage done. For now, she could at least stop the bleeding and provide some sort of temporary relief of the pain she imagined was considerable.

“This…this might hurt a bit,” Sahar frowned at him, tears flooding her eyes as the sorrow she felt for the loss of his wings, the obvious suffering he endured at the hands of what could only be the imposter who inhabited the body of Deanna for no one else would dare inflict upon Verial Akilara what was recently done to him. “Forgive me, my King.”

He was brave, she would credit him with that. Taking a deep breath, Sahar had held her hands upon his ruined back as the greenish yellow light radiated upon the charred and bloodied flesh. She heard the King suck in a breath, but did not cry out in pain as skin began to knit together, the flow of blood eventually slowing before it stopped altogether. Whispered words of healing cooled the burn that Verial no doubt felt spread throughout his back and upper torso, and within moments, the sensation of tremendous pain subsided into a dull ache. It was the best that could be done under the circumstances, but from the relief that washed over Verial’s face, it was enough and the King was grateful.

Sahar’s smile was sad and she brushed at the tears that flowed down her cheeks. She would not judge her King’s actions, or the result of such, as she could clearly see from the look in his odd colored eyes the regrets were there, as was the sorrow and loss. He was suffering enough, and the healer would not add to his suffering by questioning his poor judgment.

“My King, we need to---,” Sahar began, but as the ground began to shake, her words were cut off. "What...is...that?" Something was happening inside the castle. Something tremendous and destructive. The desert beauty turned toward the Animal who had already deduced the same. The were-cheetah reached for Sahar and gripped her hand tightly and commanded in his gruff voice to run. The magae healer barely had enough time to do the same to her King, but within seconds, the trio ran for dear life as far away from the castle as possible.

Chaos watched Verial go from the shadows, the protector Regent meant nothing to the demonic arraki. His dark red eyes glow in the darkness, inhaling slowly and feeling those who come for the goddess. Black’s spine trembles in his hand with power the bone readying itself to unleash the fury of the demonic arraki. It was in this moment that the castle shook to its foundations and cracks appeared in the wall. He grinned joyfully as he stepped to the side of a falling piece of the ceiling the stone smashing where he’d just been.

The demonic arraki approaches the door, falling off his hinges and steps through just as the wave of chaos and fury overtakes him falling to a knee. The demonic arraki grasps at his mind as the force of the goddess sucks into his mind and body. He’d been under his own will for a short amount of time but now she was there in his mind forcing him to obey. He lifts himself and shoves through the rubble staring at the bloodied queen of darkness. “What would my Goddess have me do?”

It a mere thought that entered his brain, no words were spoken but a picture of the Redmont filled his mind and he grinned, “Finish what Soul failed to do in Mystra Amor.. It would be my pleasure.” The demonic arraki turned just as suddenly, to let the Goddess do what she must while he fought the vampire and anyone else who got in his way.

The shadows in the crumbling hallway around Maxim shift and change suddenly, almost being tangible, a semi-liquid inky substance that crept and pulled from where they naturally had been. It was similar to the darkness that had filled the bodies of all the dead inside the castle walls that Gethe had destroyed. The shadows combine in the void behind the vampire into a twelve foot creature with a mane of blue flame cascading around where its head would be.

“Soul should have killed you in Mystra-Amor Redmont. But he always sees the good in people, or whatever he takes for good. Maybe he saw something of himself a warrior who had lost the way once or twice.” Chaos’s voice carries in the crumbling building. “I cannot allow to you harm my goddess, Soul was never much for gods but I can feel her power and I want to taste it.”

The shadow golem strikes out at the Redmont with tendrils of shadows that smashes the already cracking walls as the vampire deftly dodged out of the way. A piece of ceiling crumbles and the heavy rock falls onto the golem which spreads outward from the force as the inky blackness absorbs the force. Like a gelatinous blob the shadow springs back launching the chunk of rock down the hall towards the vampire before resuming its shape. Sunlight, release from the shroud of darkness by the Goddess, strikes the golem in the shoulder searing away the shadow and the beast seems to groan in pain.

It strides forward nonetheless past the stream of light approaching quickly on the Redmont. “The sun comes vampire; I hope I can kill you before it does.” The arraki laughs emerging from the darkness swinging the spine of Black at the back of Ameerah, the spine was weapon enough but it too was engulfed in the semi-liquid dark energy that threatened to stab through the womans clothing was easy. But she was quicker than she seemed and dodged the blow. Her wretched soul filled Talons struck at him but he backed away just as quick bringing the spine to bear. Blue flame began to swirl from the tip threatening to engulf the woman.

“The Goddess shall not be disturbed you desperate fools.” His wings unfurl filling the hallway as the shadow golem marched upon the Redmont. The ceiling threatens to crumble above them even more as the blue flames bounced off the walls shaking them. “Grand City will fall and once we rebuild so will all of Aleris!”