Post originally by Character_Odin Kirk

[Note: This storyline takes place before The Lost Soul of the King ]

In the beginning there were two people. A man, named Dravvin Kirk, and a woman, named Emily Kirk. They fell in love. Over time they were married and given more time they had children. The first was named Cerridwen. She was what some might call a "Daddy's Girl". Emily had had two children with another before she married Dravvin, and Dravvin too had two children before their marriage. Draco and LilyRose were Emily's. Lysander and Isa were Dravvin's.

Through many twists and turns, the Kirk family finally came together. And all was good. Well all except for the fact that Dravvin was dead. I guess that isn't something that should be skipped over. Dravvin died, several times as it turned out. His first death came at the hands of an unstoppable plague, the same plague that drove Emily to bring her family to Reino Del Hielo. His second came while at his daughter-in-law's house trying to convince her to come home with Cerridwen and himself. His last two deaths came while finding, and oddly enough holding captive, his lost daughter and son.

The point is Dravvin was Dead. The rest of the family was safe at home, in Reino Del Hielo.

That was twenty years ago. My father never knew I existed. To be fair Mother didn't know about me until after she got here either. I was the surprise. My name is Odin Kirk, the last son of the Iceman. And I can't tell you how annoying that is. Yes, it's great that I'm Mother's favorite. I'm the last connection she had with Father. I guess that should be expected. Of course I know that she still loves my brothers and sisters just as much as she does me, but...I'm "the baby".

Stop your whining. At least they know you're here. No one even talks to me. Sometimes even you don't.

Ignore that. It'll go away.

Oh yeah, sure I will. Just wait Odin, one day we'll have a nice long talk.

As I was saying, I'm the last son of Dravvin and Emily Kirk, and that being said, if he were here now, I'd tell Dad how much I hate him for that. I know that he was human like the rest of us and flawed, however this seems to be a fact that the rest of the family has forgotten. Which makes my life hell because I have to live up to their standards of "Him".

A little bit about myself. As I said, my name is Odin. While my sister Cerridwen seems to be a "life elemental" for lack of a better phrase, and my brother Lysander is a cross between Ice elemental and vampire, I seem to have gotten most of my genes from Dad. I blossomed late, but sure enough on my fourteen birthday, my powers kicked in. I can freeze rivers faster (so Mom says) then Dad could. I stand about 6'6" and weigh roughly 190 pounds. I look a bit like someone pieced together parts of my parents and put them together. I guess that was kind of what happened.

Now that you know a bit about me, I can get you caught up on what I'm doing right now. Right now I'm exploring some caves close to the house trying to figure out the noises that have been coming through them. There never seemed to be much need to look through the caves before seeing as how nothing ever came out of them to try to eat us. We figured twenty years and nothing yet, why bother it?

Recently though there have been moans and loud crashes heard from inside. While Lysander and even Draco had said they'd do it, I could tell that neither truly wanted to. So that's why I'm here. I'm stepping though yet another passage that could pass as a hallway. The noises have actually died down a bit, but I'm pretty sure that that is just a trick. Echos in caves like this can mess with your head making you think you're going in the correct direction, but in reality you're about to fall into a near-bottomless pit.

I'm not about to fall into a near-bottomless pit though. I know it. I can tell that I'm almost to the source. This of course is when the ground beneath my feet disappears and I fall. I fall almost straight down, and its the "almost" that saves my life. I'm certain that if the hole didn't slant just enough to turn my fall, my legs would be broken now. As it is, my body is sore and bruised. Despite my aches, I stand and dust myself off.

As I get my bearings I notice a faint glow from behind a turn in the rock wall. I make my way around the wall and I'm face to face with what I can only guess is a portal. I've never actually seen one of these face to face, but Mother is very good at telling stories. And the thing before me looks just like how she described the portal that brought us here.

Turning I reach mt hand out and with a flick off my wrist, form a staircase out of ice. I need to tell Mother. She will know what to do. Maybe this led back to the land we came from. I shiver as I think about what that could mean for our new home. What if that plague came here? I have to get to Her.

It had been a long and very hard road for Cerridwen. She had been only a few months old, chronologically speaking, when the Plague had struck and a series of violent events ripped her Father away from her and forced her family into exile. The wierdling child, at that time the only child born of a vampire and in elemental, took this sudden death very hard. She was Life, in every sense of the word. That she had been actively prevented from saving her father did more to undo her than the death itself, and her mourning was done with the single-mindedness of the child she was.

Ceri's mother, Emily, had taken no further chances. Ever the practical woman she had gathered what was left of her kin and fled through the random portals caused by the death of the Time God, Denuo. Emily took the time, and found a world that reminded her so much of her lost husband that she chose the icey world for their new home. They had been living in Reino Del Hielo for only a short while when Emily discovered her pregnancy.

Cerridwen had been navigating the world in a daze. While she tried to help she was also listless and lost. So much of what she thought she knew was useless to her in this new world. Even her own powers had strange side effects. Odin was born, her very own little brother, and though she loved him she could not seem to break through the ice in her own heart. Only one thing mattered to her. Her father. She hadn't been able to save him, but perhaps she could bring him back.

Deep in her secretive little self she cultivated and nurtured that hope, letting it grow and begin to drive her every action. Her family might have thought she was getting better, becoming more social and finally getting over Dravvin's death. They were wrong. She needed to learn, to grow. She had to become strong, and when she was ready she would launch her great Quest.

In the meantime she spent as much time with her family as she could, and when she was alone she forced herself into increasingly dangerous situations, making her powers grow and demanding greater and greater control over her own shifting form. Though violence still cause her great pain because of the pure contrariness of her nature, she was now capable of actively defending herself. Though she was nearly thirty now she still wore the form of a small child, knowing with her observation that people underestimated the young and the small. They would not fear her, would not even suspect her of manipulation, simply by seeming to be so helpless.

She was not nearly so helpless as she had been.

Odin gained manhood, and as if by implied consent became the head male of the household. He carried Dravvin's legacy of blood, and Emily only contradicted him when the safety of the family was threatened by his notions. Other than that, he seemed to have much more freedom than any of the rest of them.

Cerridwen had followed him in his exploration of the caves. She could feel his life essence, and could track her family anywhere in the world. Thus she stayed far enough back to avoid detection, and deliberately suppressed her own Life aura and the rampant plant growth that would mark her passing even on this glacial world. When Odin left at high speed Cerridwen stepped forward to examine the portal.

Since Dravvin had died she felt she had no place in this world. For some reason her father was the anchor she had tied herself to, and without him she felt adrift. Though she loved her mother she did not seem to relate as well to her. It was hard for her to feel close to her mother when she could feel the lack of Life in her. Her father, however, had been very alive. Odin was a lot like her father, and yet he had taken over command of the family. He was now the youngest child, and the most important, being the last of Dravvin's blood. Everything seemed to have been taken from her when her father died. Everything. So now she felt she had little to lose.

Standing before her, swirling in the air, was a chance, albeit a slim one, to make something of a life for herself. Perhaps in this strange new realm she would find her place. Or perhaps there were Gods here, whom she could petition for the life of her father. Of course, it could also be a realm deadly to her, but what did that matter? Her mother would move on, and she doubted the rest of the family would mourn long. It was sad, but she found the thought of leaving her family behind didn't hurt at all.

The small girl smiled in a way that would have been frightening were anyone else there to witness it. It was a feral thing, and all the more disturbing for being curved across such a normally sweet face. Solid violet eyes glowed in anticipation, and without a second thought she took a running start and hurled herself at the portal.

Post originally by Character_Emily Kirk

Emily led the way to the caverns that Odin had described. She didn't know the way, but still she led. At least it appeared that way. Years before when her husband had still been alive she shared a link with her family. They could all communicate with one another whenever they wished. All they had to do was "open the line" and the telepathy that her family shared would allow them to speak. However after Dravvin died she felt slightly withdrawn from her children. At first she wasn't sure what she was expected to do or how she would protect them. So, she shut down the line. For 20 years the only person that she spoke to had been Odin. And even he had shut her out before. That was fine though, everyone needed their privacy and she was more then happy to give it to her youngest son. As she walked, Odin gave her directions, giving the illusion that she knew exactly where she was going.

As the parade grew closer to the caverns Emily caught a scent that she hadn't noticed was missing before. Briefly she turned and looked over her family. Directly beside her was Odin, her last tangible thing to remind her of her husband. Behind them strode LilyRose and Draco, her children from her first marriage, and behind him Lysander and Isa, Dravvin's children from his last marriage. They were paired up, almost in military marching form. They hadn't been told to do so, but the last few years had made them realize that they might need each other more then they had before. Together her family had survived many hardships. If they hadn't all chosen to step through the portal and into this land she wasn't sure that those who did would have lived. It had been a learning experience for all of them. One that had brought all of them closer. All except the one that was missing. Cerridwen had been more distant then the others, and with good cause. She'd grown very attached to Dravvin in the short time they'd been together. She took his death almost as hard as her mother had. Of course Emily hadn't had the luxury of letting the "small" matter of her life-mate's death control her motives. Now she was responsible for the Kirks and she'd be damned if she let them fall.

Sniffing, as she turned her head forward again, the vampiress growled. Cerri wasn't here with them now, but she'd been here before. Lifting her arm in a signaling gesture to follow, Emily started running forward. She kept an eye on Odin. He was the only one there that apparently wasn't at least part vampire. He'd taken after his dad more then his mother. He was an elemental, through and through. And he kept up with the others without missing a beat. A gust of wind came up from behind him and propelled him forward, as the others let their powers speed them along. They closed the distance to the caverns quickly, Emily letting Odin take the lead once they entered. It'd be just be easier to let him show them where this portal was, even with Cerridwen's scent leading them all in the same direction.

It stood before them just as the one twenty years ago had. It was a portal, only this one was much larger. Cerridwen's scent went straight into the portal. How could the girl have been so selfish? How could she have risked everything they'd fought so hard to protect? No one knew what was on the other side of this thing or if there was something that could use it to get back into their home realm. The vampire was pissed to say the least. Her options were few. She could leave Cerridwen to her fate, seal this chamber and never speak of it again. Or, she could go in after her daughter. Emily didn't even know if there'd be a way back. Her options were few, but she only had one choice. Cerri was her's and nothing was going to harm her. She turned and looked at the rest of her family.

"I'm going to follow Cerridwen in. I want the five of you to stay here and guard our home. Remember why we've done what we're done. Don't forget. Don't ever forget. I love you all. Hopefully, I'll be returning soon with your sister."

Post originally by Character_Isa Kirk

It wasn't her fault, and yet it was. Over and over she blamed herself for the death of her father. That he had gone in knowing it could happen, probably would happen just to get her and Lysander. So why was it she was still beating herself up over it, he'd made that choice. And yet she couldn't make any choices at that point.

Feeding just enough to survive, her thoughts were always on Father. The way he'd saved them, Emily as well with her kindness. Her gaze always drifting out the window. "Why.." She murmured softly. She didn't understand why it had to be this way.

Siblings had wandered off and out, then Emily had and yet she was drawn to follow at a distance. Her frosty persona making her rather an ice princess when it came to finding suitable companionship. Which was why she befriended animals better then people. Skirt swaying she pulled her cloak over her head and face hiding as much of her visage as possible. It was a matter of survival of the fittest, she couldn't understand why it was the younger ones that wandered off all the time though.

As Odin and CeCe as she called her had entered the cave, Emily followed. Isa stood back thinking and observing with a speculative lofting of an eyebrow. "What was going to happen now?" She murmured thinking mostly to herself even as the words were verbalized.

Despite the elemental vampress's nature, lately she'd felt a surge and charge to her that was ebbing into everything. "Stay here and protect the lands?" She asked hearing Emily and frowned. Not wanting to stay put, she sighed but nodded, "As you wish. Here." She stated picking up a large torch that wasn't lit.. And sparks ebbed from her tips. No she wasn't fire but with lightning occasionally did come fire.

A surge of lightning ebbed forth and started the small blaze at the end of the torch. "Good luck." She murmured her hands stuffed into her skirts as she pulled back and turned. Starting to walk to survey the grounds.

Maybe she'd be lucky and find something to exercise her mind and banish that haunting guilt that echoed through her mind like thunder.

Post originally by Character_Valhalla Kirk


The only white one in a herd of black sheep. Easily looked past and forgotten. Valhalla did it to herself. She was a naturally quiet person. It was possibly why Tremaros found her to not be enough for him; not exciting enough. Though usually she had decided to live away from the family and check in every so often. It had been awhile since she sneaked a peek.

There was a little bit of misinformation going around. Dravvin didn't only have two children before he had met and married his wife, Emily. There were three. Yes, three. Not that any of the other children had met Dravvin's very first child. Tremaros and Valhalla were married off quite young. They were childhood friends before they had become each other's first love's. They both fell hard and deep. Their hands barely caught the grace of anything but one another. The butterflies were always there, atleast for Valhalla..

Quickly after the wedding, Valhalla had found out of her pregnancy to their son who happened to be the only child between the two of them. Ghaleon D Kirk. Her pride and joy. Valhalla still feels that she had gotten the best part of Tremaros.

Soon though, Tremaros seemed to become restless. Unable to enjoy the simple life of marriage and parenthood. It was just too easy for him. No adventure in changing a diaper. By the time Ghaleon had reached the age of six years old, Tremaros was gone. By the time he reached the age of eight, Valhalla and Tremaros were divorced.

Eventually Tremaros found himself someone else; someone better. Got himself a whole new family. Forgot about his old, even his own son. Tremaros had even turned his back on the man who had taken him in and treated him as his own, his adopted father, Dravvin Kirk.

Now she was in Aleris with the family she had always considered her blood, it was odd though that she was not very close to anyone but Dravvin. It's odd. It was like he was the father figure she never truely had. Well, she had grown up knowing him her entire life. He was and still was good friends with her mother. She was who informed Valhalla of Dravvin's death. Probably the first time she had cried since Tremaros had left her. Had grieved for many weeks before she'd make an appearance only to find Isa about.. didn't really know the girl but would attempt to open herself up to more of the family.

Post originally by Character_Odin Kirk

Odin wasn't sure how to react. His mother wanted them to split up and everyone else seemed okay with it. The young elemental couldn't believe what he was hearing. After everything they'd been through these last few years, his brothers and sisters seemed fine with letting Emily go through a portal that for all they knew would kill her.

For twenty years the Kirk Family stood side by side, bled for each other, and helped heal each others' wounds. When they first came to this land there were creatures that had tried hunting the Kirks almost as if for sport. Of course the vampires quickly made it known that they were not an easy meal, nor would an injury go uncounted for.

He shook himself out of his stupor. Had he really just heard his mother and sister correctly? Shaking his head in refusal the Iceman's son spoke, "No. Guard our home? We wouldn't have a home without each other. We've done what we've done, to keep our family whole, and now you want to break us up? No. If you're going through that portal, We're going with you."

Before his mother could react, Odin took a running start and jumped into the portal. He was hoping that his speech was enough to make the others realize they needed each other. If nothing else perhaps they'd follow to bring him back as well.