Quinn and Deanna had had a very pleasurable time not that long ago. They finished their last "session" and as he looked around he noticed that the wall he'd spoken about had a few new holes in it. A small smile crossed his face. They'd had moments like this before in the last few days, but today was going to be different. He could tell.

Looking over to where Deanna had been earlier he smiled thinking about their...workout. He pushed himself to his feet and made his way to the kitchen intent on making them something to eat. It seemed that ever since this whole thing with the weres he'd been starving. He couldn't seem to get enough to eat. Not to mention their sextra-curricular activities.

When he got there he saw that Deanna was dressed and looking like she was ready to leave. "So, where are you going?" he wasn't the jealous type. He didn't think that Deanna was running out on him for another guy. No, she was running out on him for some other reason. What happened next was another of their knock down drag out fights. The lower part of the house was pretty much destroyed, not that there was much left, but afterwards, well...there were still four walls.

She left and he stewed.

"Well, well. You two have been at it a lot since we returned. Not that I mind, it's actually exactly what I wanted to do." The werewolf looked around the bottom floor of the small house.

Quinn jumped not having expected to be having a heart to heart with his new roommate. "What the hell do you want?" he didn't sound exactly happy to see the darker half of himself.

"We need to talk young Redmont. There are a few things that we need to get straight. You're under the wrong impression about a lot of things when it comes to us." He sat down on a chair that was more or less together.

"Oh really? Like what? You're just another hitchhiker in my head who thinks he knows more than I do. I kept control over the demon, trust me, I can keep control of you." he chucked a piece of something at the wolf and watched as it went through him. A confused look crossed his face.

The were stood and walked over to him, tapping his head with a claw, "I'm up here...remember? Geez I wonder why people who ride up here think they know better than you. Anyway, that is exactly what I'm talking about. You don't realize that I'm not a demon. You damn humans with your small minded thinking.

"You always have to have a name for everything, 'demon', 'werewolf', 'Redmont', 'Bluefield'. When you realize that names don't really matter, that's when things get much easier. Look at you. You're torn because you don't know what I want. 'Is the big bad wolf going to make me eat someone I love?'. I'm -not- a demon. I'm not going to try to make you do something you don't want to do."

Quinn just looked at him, not believing anything he said, he was about to speak when the were growled. "I'm. Not. Done. Talking." Quinn shut up. "As, I was saying..." he paused as if waiting for Quinn to try talking again. He didn't. Good boy. "I'm not a demon. I'm not just hitching a ride." He leaned in towards Quinn's ear, "I'm you. I'm a part of you now. The demon was shoved into your body. Lycanthropy is a virus. It infects you, mutates to make your body accept it, and then changes it from the inside."

After a bit of a pause, Quinn took it to mean that he could speak now, "So, if you're me, then why are you talking to me like you're another person?" pointing at the were's body, "I mean how can you be standing in front of me talking to me if you're me?" It seemed like a perfectly logical question.

"That's a perfectly logical question." the were replied. "Quinn, we're in your head. Seriously, you know you're not as thick as you're pretending to be right now. You should know the answer to that already." He sighed, "Stop and think about it for a little bit and you'll see I'm right. I haven't tried making you do anything, or influencing your decisions in any way since we've joined. I'm not trying to make you into a killer...well any more than you already are...I'm not pushing you to become a Bluefield or to reject the Redmonts. There's been no talk about killing or leaving Deanna. Hell, I love her as much as you do. Just open your eyes and understand that. You have to understand."

Quinn turned from the were, "If you are really a part of me, and we're really in my head, then all I have would have to do to get you to leave is to..." he turned back around and the room was empty. "think you away."

"Damn." The were...he...Quinn...was right. And something inside broke...or rather fixed. He knew instinctively that what the were...he...Quinn...had said was completely correct. Quinn needed to find Deanna. He finally felt at peace with his "beast", with himself. It was strange. He'd been fighting something his whole life, the demon, the "Redmont" name, and then the werewolf inside him.

He needed to make up with Deanna, not like they have been...well, maybe not at first. He was in such a rush to leave that he almost forgot to put his clothes on. He ran upstairs, tossed on his pants and shirt, grabbed his coat on the way out stopped in his tracks. The heat outside was unbearable. Tossing his coat back into the house he turned around and made his way towards the Tavern.

Of course before he could even get to the Oak Barrel Tavern, he saw the distinctive backside of his wonderful mate, going in a different direction, after two guards who happened to be lugging a third man, and a small woman following her. It appeared that he wasn't going to be getting a drink after-all.

Keeping an eye on the group he watched as they caught up with the trio, and his mate spoke calmly and sweetly to them. "Dear lord. You really need a better bouncer at that pub. If you're forced to leave every time someone starts a fight, then you'll never be able to do anything about those corrupt employees of yours." he came up on the other side of Deanna, opposite of Wish.

He turned to Wish and smiled, "Hello, I'm Quinn." and left it at that before going back to what was going on in front of him. He didn't have a great opinion of Aleris' guards, but that was only because he didn't ever see them doing anything worthy of the "guard" title. However, they were supposed to be "the good guys" and he was hoping they'd prove that they were. Assuming Deanna gave them the chance.

As Khory prepared for her journey, making sure she had her bedroll and enough food and water, she paused to think of religion in general and her own place in it. It seemed that every realm had its share of gods. She had come From Mystic, and there she had become Priestess of Justice to the God of Peace, Contego. Her "ordainment", if it could be called that, was as much a surprise to her as to anyone. Truly, she had chosen to becaom one of Contegos faithful in an effort to erase the atrocities she had committed in her life of military service. Instead he took the regret in her heart and made her a tool for peace. She was trained to fight, so she would fight for the innocent. She would speak for those that had no voice.

Here on Aleris the Gods seemed not to represent human ideals of Peace, Life, Hate, etc. Here they were more natural, the personifications of the Seasons. These were beings that not only presided over the yearly cycle of change, but who WERE the seasons in every meaningful way. Thus it was that Khory assumed the heat was some fault of the God of Summer. However, it could just as easily be a failure of his sister, Spring. And so the reason she was travelling became clear.

Aurora's Temple was not terribly far from where she was in Grand City. She did not take much in the way of rations, but took extra water, knowing how heat and thirst affected a body. She was ever one to travel light. As she walked, her pack a comfortable weight on her back, she observed the lands around her, and became more and more concerned.

The animals were already starting to show signs of worry. The fresh spring sprouts were already withering, having not yet flowers or born seed. Hibernating animals were waking from their long slumber ravenous, and finding nothing to sustain them! She knew this was a microcosm of the suffering to come. The same thing would begin to happen to the people of Aleris if this unseasonable summer continued. She hated to think of the riots, the fighting, and eventualy the killing, that would spawn in the cities and country sides when food became scarce. She had seen famines before. It was one thing to have no food because the opposing army had torched your fields. It was quite another to have nature itself turn against you. When the pleading to the Gods failed, there would be revenge against the supernatural creatures that had allowed their world to be starved to ruin.

It was a thing even Khory feared. For once the Gods failed, what hope had the rest of humanity?

Khory approached the Temple of Spring slowly, and with some trepidation. This was the first time she would have any dealings with the deities in her new world and she was cautious, not knowing what sort of welcome she would receive. As she came nearer she saw that even in the heart of Springs power the drought was taking hold. There were leaves curling and browning in the sun. The green which should have been bright and vibrant was the dusty color of late summer. Even the grass seemed to struggle to put out its shoots. Ahead she could see a canopy and arches formed by the branches of a mighty tree. The shade inside promised a sanctuary from the sun, and she entered its inviting coolness with relief.

Here in the very Temple Spring still reigned. The Great Tree fairly seethed with Life. You could almost smell renewal on the air. Before her stood the seeming of a woman, simple and pale, wearing a gown of diaphanous fabrics in pale shades of green. Graceful as a willow the Goddess appraoched and bid her welcome, offering her refreshment after her long journey. Khory was inclined to accept, but first she simply had to know what was going on.

The sadness and stress of the situation was not lost upon the Goddess. In Auroras face Khory could see the worry, the concern for all her children. The direness of what was happening had struck her to the heart. Even before Khory could voice her questions the Goddess overrode her. Of course Aurora knew why she had come, and regretted that the answers sought amidst the shade of her bower were not to be found. Breifly the Lady let fly her frustration and her helplessness. She seemed to curse her inability to make this right, and the ignorance of information she possessed. It did not bode well that the Lady of Spring was as clueless as the rest of the world.

Then an idea seemed to strike, and Aurora whirled on Khory, eyes shining brightly. Swiftly she closed the distance between them, taking Khory's war-roughened hands between her soft, cool ones. And then the Goddess laid out Khory's own thoughts in her own words. If the solution could not be found in Spring, then Summer is where the search must lead. Aurora could not contact her brother, and so asked Khory to be her emissary. Perhaps a mortal could succeed where Gods could not. Khory doubted it greatly, but how could she refuse?

"Will you do this for me, Khory? Will you help save our world?"

The Priestess in her screamed for Justice. The warrior in her looked at the options. It really was no choice at all, when you came right down to it. She could not stand idle while an entire world suffered, especially if all she had to do was go knock on someone door. True, the heat made her hair frizz, but there was nothing to be done about that.

While she was being selfish and childish she did stop to consider: how long would she last if this heat continued? The truth was, no longer than anyone else. Turning down this Quest would be her doom, plain and simple. She would watch Aleris bake away to ash all around her, and she would die gasping of thirst right along with everyone else. So she did the only thing she could do. Bowing in that stiff way she had she answered Auroras plea.

"If you truly believe sending me will prove more successful than your own endeavors, then I will go. If you please Lady, I would beg use of your springs here. I have not the water it will take to reach the high desert Heruin."

He'd spent the last few months on his island. Well, most of it was his at any rate, he was just waiting for the next time he needed to go inland to purchase the rest of his island. But since his last purchase, he'd been spending his time in the small shack he'd built. Dravvin had been meditating and focusing on himself for a while.

The Iceman sat, cross legged, floating just a few feet off the ground, and naked except for a pair of pants. He'd found out that while he liked food and drink it wasn't a necessity. It'd been a couple of months since he'd eaten anything, however beside him in the snow was a bottle of whiskey he'd been sipping on for about a week. It wasn't that he needed warming up, just that he liked the taste.

This morning however he began to notice that the snow pile he'd been using was getting lower. It was melting. This was something that between his location and him, he didn't think would or even could happen. Standing, he turned and grabbed his shirt, hooded cloak, staff, and boots. Now that he was fully dressed he stepped out of the for the first time in months.

Dravvin looked around and noticed that there was grass popping up here and there. His brow frowned deeply. There shouldn't be grass growing on his island. Something was difinitely wrong. There was only one place he felt comfortable enough to for answers. Elyisia's temple wasn't far from the island he'd picked to be his home. Pushing up against the earth, Dravvin took flight and headed eastward to the Temple of Death and Ice.

As he got closer to the temple something tugged at his conscientiousness. Something was wrong and he knew that from the melting snow, but it appeared that it'd hit the rest of Arthuran as well. He deviated from his path to the temple, and flew towards the Eternal Lake.

What he saw forced him to land, and stare completely amazed. The lake was cracked, and to make matters worse there were people trying to cross it. They appeared to be on their way to the temple just like him. There were only about five or six all together, but still they were foolish enough to try crossing the cracked lake.

Taking to the air again he flew towards the followers of Ice. When he got to them he settled on the ice in front of them. "Exactly what do you think you're doing? You know this is foolishness don't you? The -Eternal- Lake is cracked and you fools are trying to walk across it?" He emphasized 'Eternal'. Dravvin shook his head just in case they didn't get the picture that he was upset with them. "Lady Death respects those with courage, but the foolish find themselves in her arms almost as quickly."

He was about to take off and leave them again when he noticed the looks on their faces. They were scared, each and every one of them. It was the weather that had caused them to seek refuge with the Winter Goddess and to force them across the patchy ice. He couldn't leave them here. Sighing he said, "Follow me. And don't stray from the path I'm going to be making for you. It's going to be hard enough to keep it up while all of you cross it, I don't need to be spending more energy than needed." with that he began walking in front of them and to a foot on either side of him, the ice refroze. How long it'd last he wasn't sure, but hopefully it'd be long enough to get to the other side.

The Elemental didn't make any attempt at small talk or chit-chat with the people he'd now taken and interest in. He wasn't in the mood for that. However he could hear one of the younger girls in the group start crying. Attempting to pay it no mind, The Iceman led the ragtag group to the other side of the lake. He looked back and saw that the trail he'd made didn't last too long beyond the room it' took for all of them to cross. Elysia favors small children, fools, and elementals named Dravvin apparently.

Turning on his group now Dravvin addressed them again, "You're on the over side now. My advise would be to find Elysia's temple and stay there as long as they'll have you." He didn't see the need to let them know that he was headed in that direction as well, but they could probably tell that he was. Why else would he be in the area? No one lived around here. They nodded to him and a couple of them offered him thanks verbally.

Moments later, Dravvin was in the air again and headed towards Elysia's Temple. The snow outside it seemed to have lessened since the last time he was there. Normally the snow is blowing so hard that it's near impossible to see the Temple, now however the Temple was clearly visible from the air. "This can't be good." he said to himself as he landed outside the front door to the sanctuary.

As he opened the doors and stepped into the cathedral, he walked through the first room and started towards the shrine, when something hit him in the head. Reaching up he felt around and his hand came back wet. He looked up and saw that the icicles that hung from above were dripping water down on the floor below. The already dangerous decorations were made worse by the heat outside. He wasn't sure if he should do it, or not, but if someone didn't do something those things were going to come down on those seeking help from the Goddess.

Having faith that the Ice Goddess wouldn't take out her anger on him, Dravvin took a moment to remove all the icicles from the ceiling. It made the already large room look even bigger. Before he'd finished several priests came out and where yelling at him for defiling Elysia's temple, but he ignored them until he was finished. Landing in the midst of the pissed priests he spoke over all of them, "There are about to be refugees coming in here looking for answers and if those ice spears fell on them, I'm pretty sure Elysia wouldn't be too happy. There's a time for everything and I doubt that she would appreciate you allowing her followers to die before she was ready for them to." That thought shut most of the priests up.

"Now, if you'll please move, I need to pay my respects." when they didn't move he made his way through them and to the alter. Kneeling in the church made him feel a bit at ease after all the stress of the last few minutes. "Goddess Elysia, I am here as your servant. I don't know what's going on in Aleris, but I trust your wisdom to see us through. If there is anything I can do to help, I offer my services to you." He'd never really been great at talking to the gods, and it still showed. However he'd learned to pray and he was more than happy to do so to the Lady who brought him back from the dead.

There are certain things in life that I just can't stand. Whole wheat bread is one. Non-alcoholic beer is another. People who "guesstimate" are yet another. People who hurt women. People who hurt my friends. People who hurt women who happen to be my friends. Well, you get the idea. So you can imagine when someone hurts my friend in front of me, I get mad.

However before I could do anything, the other two guards had my off my feet and out the door. I was so shocked that they had done it that the spell I was about to unleash on the one man-handling Wish. And suddenly we were stopping. In the middle of the street and someone was behind us telling the guards that they were going to be paying for the damages and apologize for causing a scene.

Of course, Wish and I were probably just as much of the cause of the fuss. I was pretty sure that she would turn that ire on me as soon as she could. And then (as if this scary blood splattered, now that I looked at her closer, woman wasn't bad enough) another guy came up behind her and Wish. While they chatted, and kept the guards' attention on them, I pulled in some energy and before things got too far, I forced it back out towards the guards. The shock wave that hit the men who lost their grip on me and threw them into walls on either side of the street, knocking them out.

I dusted off my jacket and looked at the trio in front of me. Looking directly at Wish I raised my brows, "You really think I would let them take me off without a plan?" I mean I had just saved both of our butts from a sexual deviant, mind raping demon. "Thank you for the thought though." I sighed and looked at the bloody lady. "Um, sorry about that stuff back in the bar. I didn't want to cause a scene." it really was the last thing on my mind at the time.

"Now, if you'll excuse me." I turned and started walking away, before anyone could ask I shouted back, "I'm going to the castle to see what King Alerion wants. Obviously I can't keep running and fighting off the guards." Alerion, I mean who names their kid after the land they live in? I mean especially if they're the nephew of a group immortal kings. What are the chances of that kid becoming king? Well...I mean, chances aren't great, and the kid beat the odds.

Anyway, I made my way to the castle, I'm not even sure if I was aware of whether or not anyone was falling me, but I strode up to the front doors of the castle, looked at the guards there and said, "Yes, I'm Victor Sage, I'm here to see King Alerion. I think he's expecting me." I gave the guard a wink.

Of course more blades where drawn. This was going to be a long day, "Okay, lets not over-react here. I come in peace."

She was supposed to travel to Eiler. That was where her parents begged of her to go. The Grand City. There she would be safe from the beasts that roamed the area, save from the corruption of the wars. Safe. That was the key word. Her parents feared for their little girl.

Naturally, Rahne resented being treated like a child. She was a woman grown in her opinion, and could damn well take care of herself. Sure she had interest in visiting the City, and she had...for about a week. The excitement wore off, strange considering she was a small time country girl, but to Rahne, the City seemed, well, dirty. Dirty, and overcrowded with extremely rude people. Those she had met assumed she was some beggar street urchin who aimlessly roamed their City.

She dealt with those who looked down upon her, occasionally tossing coin to her, obviously feeling sorry for the young girl who feigned being a boy. Once she had stopped at some grungy tavern, hoping for a bite to eat and a room in which to lay her head. A kindly old man, or so he had seemed at the time, offered to pay for her meal and her room. Rahne almost took him up on his offer, until he whispered his 'payment' in her ear. Rahne had slapped him, coldly informed him she was a girl (the man had recoiled at this as it seemed he had a fondness for beautiful young boys) and hastily made his retreat. Ugh. The City. Not a safe place for a naive young woman.

Rahne didn't waste any time heading back to Elved. She arrived in Port Bariston, hoping to catch a ride to Garis Town, only to find that most of it had been destroyed, the people butchered. Some had escaped, like Rahne, to hide in Bariston where they felt safer. Rahne felt a strange emptiness upon hearing this news. Chances were good that her parents were not of those survivors. She wasn't sure how to handle this information, for her eyes remained strangely dry. Why didn't she weep for the loss of her family? She was an orphan now, yet she felt nothing, no remorse, no sense of loss. Nothing.

She remained in Bariston for several weeks, figuring she would travel back to Eiler once Spring returned, but Spring never showed its face. Instead, the season seemed unfavorable as it was passed over completely, for the sun shone brightly and brought the rise in temperature. People were in a panic. This was an ill omen indeed. The Goddess Aurora was in self-imposed exile. Tempesturo raged a war with his fellow brother and sisters, determined to show his strength. The world was coming to an end. All of these theories were uttered by the people, people who will filled with fear and panic.

Some thought to travel to Elysia's Temple in search of answers, only to be mocked and insulted by others. To travel to Arthuran was most perilous indeed. One had to travel through Elved, braved the Shadow Marshes at some point to where the Erronei Pass was located. Once there, and only if you survived the journey, there was the crossing of the Eternal Lake which alone was treacherous. If by some chance the gods favored you, and you were still alive and unharmed through such travels, there was the daunting task of finding Elysia's Temple through the torrent of snowfall. Fortune favored the bold.

Fortunately for Rahne, she was bold. She didn't hesitate joining the small group that would make such a hazardous journey to the Winter Goddess' Temple. What else did she have to do? There were three men of ranging ages, and a woman with girl younger than she as her travelling companions. No one seemed to mind Rahne tagging along, in fact the younger girl seemed to be rather fond of her, always trying to hold Rahne's hand or babble on incessantly about nothing of importance. Rahne did her best to pointedly ignore the girl and instead focused on the changing landscape.

There should have been nothing but snow covering the ground, yet clearly she saw patches of green grass, flowers poking up here and there, trees that were usually bare sprouted leaves. The sun shone brightly, and though the scenery was picturesque, it did nothing but frighten her companions even more than they already were. It should have been miserable and cold, yet it wasn't. Summer was showing its face in Arthuran.

It seemed to take forever, but finally they had arrived to the Eternal Lake. Surprisingly, they suffer no real hardships or injuries along the way. Rahne had secretly hoped that the little babbling girl would come down with a fever, or perhaps an accidental bite from a poisonous spider, but no such luck. The child hadn't shut up since they journey began, and Rahne prayed fervently they'd hurry along to the Temple so that she might beg upon the Goddess to take this child's life earlier than hoped for. A mean spirited thought, but Rahne had enough of The Annoying One.

So it was here that Rahne was brooding and contemplating murder of the little girl who never left her side when they suddenly came to a halting stop. The men were talking among themselves, pointing to the large crack that appeared in the icy of the Lake. A crack that wasn't supposed to be there. They were weighing the pros and cons of the matter, for trying to cross the Lake could prove fatal at this point. One argued that they had come so far just to turn back now. After several minutes of debating, they concluded they would indeed cross, with care, and with a prayer to the gods for safe passage.

The woman held on to her daughter tightly as the men led the group across, but they hadn't gone very far when suddenly a man appeared before them, a man who seemed to have come out of nowhere. They all stopped in their tracks as this man began to chastise them for their foolish attempt to cross the Lake. She studied him while he continued with his scolding. He tall with hair as black as hers, only his was speckled with grey. His eyes were blue as well, but unlike the violet blue of Rahne's, this stranger's orbs sported the color of icy glaciers. He was handsome, in an old guy sorta way, and he was seriously annoyed with the group of people he obviously thought to be raging idiots.

The little girl was whispering furtively that this man had flown over them! He could fly! How spectacular! Rahne stared at him in awe, while the stranger took pity upon them and begrudgingly ordered them to follow him as he would lead them across safely. Rahne's mouth dropped open in shock as ice began to take shape and form a path, ice that appeared wherever the man stepped. Was he a wizard of some sort? He could fly and create ice! Now this was a man that the teenage girl wanted to get to know better. Someone of interest!

The little girl began to weep softly beside her, scared of whatever beasties lurked under the ice. She tried to grab onto Rahne's sleeve, but the older girl was having none of that. "Let go of me, stupid. Nothing's going to come out of the ice to attack you." If only. Rahne snapped at the girl and shoved her forward, ignoring the angry looks her mother was shooting at her. "Just keep walking, we're almost there." The man led them safely across as promised. Once the Lake was behind them, he counselled them to seek shelter at Elysia's Temple. The men thanked him, and once more the strange man took flight in the direction of the Goddess' temple.

Rahne's pace quickened as she was determined to catch up to him, but the rest of the group pushed along at a slower pace and urged Rahne to stay with them. The girl's eyes rolled in their sockets in annoyance and impatience, and muttering under her breath, she remained with her companions, though she kept her distance from them, especially The Annoying One. Finally, Elysia's Temple was visible. Rahne raced ahead with excitement, hoping that the wizard man was still there.

Rahne pushed through the doors of the temple, barely taking notice of the marble cathedral, its icy beauty or even the priests within. She did however pause to take note of the little blue flowers that sprung from the walls of Elysia's Temple, poking through the little cracks. How pretty, she thought. It was cool in here despite the warmth outside, yet Rahne still shrugged out of her cloak and nearly ripped the wool cap from her head, black tresses tumbled around her shoulders. Her eyes darted around until they settled upon a form kneeling before what appeared to be the Goddess' altar. He was here!

Vaguely she heard voices behind her as the rest of her travelling companions entered. She didn't bother to turn around to acknowledge them, figuring the priests would take care of their needs. Instead she made her way to where the man prayed, her booted feet slapping lightly against the floor before she stopped perhaps a few inches from him. She knew it was rude to interrupt him in prayer to his Goddess, but waiting patiently wasn't exactly one of Rahne's strong points. She cleared her throat and the man turned his head, a dark brow lofted in inquiry.

Well, here goes nothing. The teen girl placed her hands upon her hips and fixated her violet gaze upon his face. "So, uh, thanks for helping us cross the lake. Wow, you can fly! And that thing you did with the ice. That was so amazing! Can you teach me how to do that?" This man was a stranger and she just walked right up to him without any knowledge of his person, if he was dangerous or whatnot, but Rahne figured she was in a safe haven and if planned to do her any harm, the Goddess would unleash her unholy wrath upon his ass.

"Anyway," she continued on, undaunted by the peculiar look the man was giving her. "I came with those people here, because really, I didn't have anywhere in particular to go or anyone to claim as my own." She beamed him a bright smile, knowing that men were susceptible to such charms. "My name's Rahne, by the way." She squatted down beside him. "What's yours?"

Aurora smiled gently upon hearing Khory's answer to her plea, eyes the color of new grass lit with amusement. Her mood had lifted since her sister left her presence and upon the arrival of whom Aurora deemed her champion, though Khory was no doubt a reluctant one.

"Did you truly believe, child, that I would send you out on such a quest unprepared?"

The Goddess laughed then, and it was the sound of leaves rustling in the breeze, the sound of water rushing upon rock. She patted the warrior woman on her arm before disappearing further back into her earthen temple. Within moments, she stepped from behind the oak tree that served as her altar. A water skin made out of supple deer hide dangled from the rope that Aurora held in one slim golden hand, and draped across her free arm was what appeared to be a cloak made of the same moss that covered the ground of Aurora's temple. She handed the skin to Khory first.

"This is for you, and as you can imagine, contains cool water. You may drink of it as much as you like, empty it in fact, and when you thirst again it will be filled anew. You need not seek to quench your thirst elsewhere, Khory, for water is life and life is what I bestowed to you."

Aurora shook out the floor length hooded cloak, mossy green and brown in color, a leaf shaped clasp done in tourmaline, and had to bite back laughter as the flame haired warrior peered at it dubiously. "Now, I know what you are thinking, child. You are thinking that it is far too hot outside to wear such a covering, and you would do naught but sweat under it." Aurora's eyes twinkled with mirth as she bid Khory to touch it.

"It is far lighter than you believe, and will serve you well under the sweltering heat of the sun. Heruin will be nothing short of a cauldron of heat, without sweet wind to provide any relief, overbearing and quite dangerous to you. Wear this to repel the scorching sun, to feel cool breeze kissing your skin." She handed the blessed cloak for Khory to don when she chose. The woodsy scented garment would be a life saver to her beloved in Heruin.

Aurora regarded Khory critically for a moment, her eyes darkened once more to the vibrant emerald even as she blinked. "Khory, I would not have asked this of anyone had I not truly believed they could handle the task of such a perilous journey. It will not be an easy travel, and there will be many a time you question your sanity and doubt mine." Another smile, a soft mother's smile graced Aurora's lips. "I would not blame you, but I have faith in you."

Having said that, the Mother swept her hair aside and reached behind her neck to lift the cord that was threaded through her medallion over her head. She held up the talisman in the shape of the very oak that stood proudly in the center of her temple, an oak made of rose quartz, emerald, and turquoise that burned brightly with the hope of Aurora. "This is my final gift for you." Aurora reached for Khory's hand and gently placed the jeweled piece into the warrior woman's palm.

"Wear this to signify you are my Chosen, my own. Should you have need of me, a mere touch of your fingers, a whisper of my name and I shall answer your call. If for any reason, your life is in jeopardy, utter home, and it will bring you straight to my temple. I will not have you harmed in any way, Khory, for you are most precious to me, whether you believe so or not."

There was nothing left to say, no further instruction to give to her emissary. Her hands were as warm as breath as she cupped Khory's face and bent her head so that she might place a kiss upon her brow before releasing her.

"My love and light go with you, brave child. Seek out answers, and with hope my brother so that we might end this destruction. The gods are with you, Khory. I am with you. Always."

Perhaps she was too stunned - too subdued - to do anything while she sat on the floor recovering from the guard's counter attack. She didn't realize that Deanna, with her lightening reflexes, had mauled the guards to death, breaking necks and ripping out hearts. It wasn't until the she heard the sound of chairs and tables scraping across the wooden floor that Wish was jarred from her trance. Sure, Deanna had offered everyone a round of drinks, but that didn't stop people from high-tailing it out of the Oak Barrel Tavern, fearful of losing their lives.

Wish was caught in the middle of this minor stampede; some one tripped over her as they ran to get out of the place. When she looked up once more, the whole tavern was cleared, save for a few people who were locals and too drunk to care about a bunch of blood and ripped out organs. Some folks were so classy. In addition to Wish's other signs of weary travel - sand clinging to sun burnt skin, dirt and sweat, tangles in her hair from the hot Heruin winds - since she was close to the guards, her clothes and skin were now covered in blood as well. She was sure she looked a lovely mess right now.

That bath she longed for was welcomed more and more by the moment. Nevertheless, there would be no such time for things. She was yanked to her feet by Deanna and had a moment to study the feral look in the shifter's eyes before the tavern manager was striding out the door with purpose. Wish pondered whether to follow the crazed therianthrope or not. Then Wish remembered why she had even started the fight with the guards in the first place.

Victor.

Finally on her feet, she was out the door and quicker than she had been in the last few minutes. Wish wasn't quite sure why Deanna was chasing after the guards. Most likely, she was angry over the fact that there'd been a fight in the tavern in the first place. Everyone seemed to have levels of elevated frustration recently - the guards and the tavern manager namely. Wish wondered if it was due to this strange rise in temperature.

Not soon after, Deanna and Wish had caught up the guards. They stopped, as per Deanna's shouting, and Wish wondered for a moment if the guards would actually apologize or if they didn't care to keep their heads. Seeing the shifter's previous actions, Wish did not doubt that Deanna was a woman to follow through with her threats. Oh, heads were going to be taken if apologies weren't made. And if it was a sorry that Deanna wanted, Wish suddenly thought of her own life. What was Deanna going to do to her afterwards, since she had started the fight by throwing a bottle at the guard's head.

Suddenly, behind her, despite the situation she heard a rather joking voice. As Quinn made introductions, she kept her eyes on Victor and the guards, waiting for what would happen next. She only offered Quinn a slight wave, one which seemed forced, and did not say anything. To Quinn, this might have been a fun street alley fight, but for Wish, the whole situation was rather exhausting. Wish never wanted to be here; she wanted to be back resting at an inn and she wanted her friend, Victor, to be with her.

Before Deanna would have any chance to engage in a fight, however, the guards were thrown by some force away from Victor. The shockwave's magic, though it rid Victor of the guards and knocked them out, had a ripple effect towards the trio of Wish, Deanna and Quinn. It seemed Victor's magic was stronger than he might have realized. As this shockwave rushed out towards them, Wish had just enough time cast a barrier, her hands out in front of her, protecting the three of them. The energy wave collided with her barrier, an invisible wall; both magics fizzled and then dissipated, white dust falling from the air momentarily.

When Wish dropped her hands, the most unexpected thing had happened. Victor was leaving to the castle once more, but this time he was going off on his own. Her voice caught in her throat and immediately her hands were in tightened into fists. So she was just supposed to know he had a plan? She was not supposed to react? Boy, didn't she feel like a fool. There was confusion and anger in her own olive colored eyes, but if Victor saw it, she didn't know because he was heading towards the castle now.

How could he be so sure that going to see Alerion was the right thing to do? Unfortunately, she had to face the facts that it wasn't her decision to make - that ultimately she had been deserted.

Djarin was not sane. The sun had cooked his flesh, and blisters tore at his skin in wrenching agony as he clawed his way through the sand. The wind was harsh. The desert, a cruel mistress even in the best of years, had turned into a demonic succubus with his own life trapped in her eager claws. Sand pushed against his cracked eyelids and he squinted, groaning against the wrath of these vicious gods.

Tempesturo, known to the T'ral Ithan as Ae'Vescra which translated crudely as the Winter Sun, had apparently abandoned all hopes of winter this year. Indeed, spring itself was skipped, and Djarin wasn't sure he'd live to see another drop of rain.

Not like it mattered. He only had to reach the oasis.

The wind groaned against his starved frame and he clawed forwards in the sand, unable to stand, unable to look forwards. But he knows he's going north.


--


Hours later, his parched lips touch the precious water. The spring, normally an oasis which pooled up from the cracked earth, was no more than a mud puddle in the ground, surrounded by the withered remnants of date palms and bushes, but for all Djarin knew it was heaven. The sweet liquid reminded him of life, and rewarded him for his determination, for not giving up in the barren wastes of sand. But the desert had left its mark, and he felt the heavy weight of what it showed him crushing him with revelation. But not now - first, he must drink.

--

Djarin struggled with his name. How did he pronounce it? What were the four sigils with which to write it? He scraped them into the dirt, then frowned. No, that was Djarit. Satisfied with a correction, he stared at the dirt, trying to remember the language he spoke, the very language he'd just written.

T'ral. He was T'ral. Of the clan Ithan. Yes, it was coming back.

But madness prodded the edges of his mind. Or was it revelations? Djarin turned to the puddle of sand and mud, frowning. Revelations?

Ae'Vescra, you speak to me?

--

Perhaps it wasn't a god which spoke to Djarin, but the man that left that miserable spring was changed forever. Wide eyed, he pushed into the sand, embracing it as he headed back to the remnants of the T'ral Ithan, who struggled for life near similar such springs to the south. He knew, surely, that south was destruction, deserted wastes driven ever more barren by the early summer, but logic no longer compelled the nomad.

He had to show them.

He had to give them the revelation.


--


Madness has a tendency to spread, when food and water is in short supply. Whatever Djarin had said to his fellow clan, the word spread fast and the entire tribe was fevered with the news. Brown eyes, flecked with dust and withered with dehydration, stared in awe at what had become the sole object of the T'ral Ithan's attention. The entire group, twenty-three including Djarin, stared hungrily at a puddle of muddy water.

"The gift of Ae'Vescra," Djarin mumbled reverently. "The gift of our lord, the sun."

The tribe murmured their agreement.

"We must bring this gift to others."

--

The wastes have embraced Djarin.

It's been a week since the T'ral Ithan charged into the desert, dragging the few weakened goats behind them. A week since the desert has taken them.

Not everyone was as lucky as Djarin. Most of them died.

Thirst overcame the unbelievers, those who held doubts, those who didn't embrace the truths he revealed. The desert claimed ten victims, within three days. The next two days claimed six more. The sixth day, only one man died. His eyes bloodshot, his skin wrapped around the tattered remains of his bones, the man questioned "What if we're wrong?" and fell down seconds later.

That settled the question for everyone else.

--

No one can survive this long without water. Hours, days, weeks - they all began to blur. But Djarin, leading a tattered group of five, pushed through the desert without hesitation. He no longer felt thirst. He no longer feared the heat. The blisters on his back seemed to have calmed, leaving cracked and torn skin in relative peace.

The T'ral Ithan clan came upon the T'ral Astrej, another set of tents encircling what remained of their pitiful spring. The dust beat against their shelters, and as Djarin approached he could hear the cries of mourning.

This will all change, he thinks as he approaches. They will soon see the glorious truth, like I have.

Madness ripples around the T'ral Ithan as they enter the encampment.

--

What remains of the tribes of T'ral - three hundred, give or take. There had been thousands, but the desert consumed most. The crushed remnants are driven by an unquenchable desire, pushing north towards the more fertile lands of Aleris. Each and every one of them is beaten by the sand, their skin withered, their faces dead. But madness grips their eyes. The madness of the desert, of the sun.

They don't need water. The heat feeds their thirst, their thirst feeds their determination, and they march north. The T'ral, desert nomads before, are now consumed with a religious fervor and a sacred truth which taints everything they touch. Hungry, thirsty, one and all, yet led by a single man, a man who hasn't consumed a drop of water for weeks.

A man who spoke with a god of madness.

Djarin.

--

On the coast of north-eastern Heruin, three hundred T'ral stared hungrily at the port city of Aste'Tenur. Fed by the trades to the north, this city had grown to thousands, but the relative safety of the desert encouraged weak defenses - the town was sprawled out, without walls to defend her citizens.

Djarin had no intentions of war, but the defenders of Aste'Tenur interpreted his march into the city as an attack. Don't they realize, he thought to himself, that I only mean to spread the word of the Sun?

It was then he saw the state of the city. The heat had decimated trade, as the T'ral who mined salts from the dead lakes in the south had long since died of thirst or joined Djarins' tribe. Without salt, Aste'Tenur had nothing to trade, and to the north the stores from falls harvest were being hoarded greedily in anticipation for the shortages to come. Aste'Tenur was torn between these two great forces and left emaciated.

Nevertheless, five hundred or more soldiers stood at the southern side of the city, blocking the T'ral stubbornly. From the stances and positions, they were expecting a war.

Djarin frowned, then turned to his companions. They were Ithan, two of the surviving five, and their worn faces reflected the madness of their leader.

"We must show them. These men stand in our way.. but.. if I show them, too.."

The first companion, named Astarl, nodded slowly and replied, "Yes, but they will kill us if we approach in force.."

"You agree, then, that I must do this alone?"

"No," grumbled Astarl. His face was lined with cracks, and wispy black hair drifted from his balding head. "We go together."

"Very well. Tjuan, you come with us?"

The third nodded his assent, and the trio moved towards the defending army.

--

Hours later, the city was destroyed. Citizens and invaders alike stood on the north shore, loading into boats. Aste'Tenur burned behind them, but no one seemed to care. All they could talk about was the gift they'd received, the gift they were about to spread north, to their desperately starving friends. Anyone who would resist, the desert would surely take.

And they had become the deserts will, as mindless as a dust storm, as cruel as the baking sun.

It took her just a few days to get back to Arthuran, to the open arms of her temple that was now visible to all. Though she was a deity and perhaps in a sense a spiritual representation of Aleris, it still took her time to travel as the world of Aleris was huge. So, it didn't not surprise her by the time she went to the Temple of Spring and back to her own home that many things had transgressed. For one, the snow was starting to completely melt and grass was pushing upwards along the land of Arthuran. Even flowers - yellow and orange vibrant colored ones - were present. She imagined that the Shadow Marshes were dried out by now and the creatures that dwelled within those marshes were free to hunt down their victims even more easily.

It also did not catch her off guard that by now people - weary travelers - had sought refuge in her exposed temple. Most likely, they were looking for advice, but unfortunately, she had none to offer. Elysia headed into her temple and found many of those same people to be pulling off their coats and extra layers of clothing that usually provided warmth from the bitter cold. Her priests and priestesses were busy offering food and drink to these people who looked to have been walking for days now.

No one seemed to pay her any mind at first. She was after all, not dressed unlike some of the other people there. She wore dark, brown leather breeches complemented by a black, sleeveless corset and knee-high black boots over her pants. The only thing that seemed to evidently give her away was her unearthly pale, white skin and black and cerulean streaked hair. It might have been her appearance, but there was also a definite aura she gave off when she entered the room. For one, the atmosphere became slightly colder and a few of those people who took off their jackets were once again draping them back over their shoulders.

Obsidian colored eyes scanned the main room of her temple. She noticed the icicles on her ceiling had been removed, most likely for the best, and she sighed irritated. Dropping her vision, she found herself looking towards her altar where the person she currently sought was. Dravvin Kirk. Next to him there was a teenage girl who seemed to be chattering away, despite him obviously being in prayer. Elysia smiled for a moment and headed to Dravvin, offering quick blessings to those travelers who were now trying to get her attention.

When she was through the crowd and had finally met Dravvin, she both gave the Iceman and the youthful girl a look over. She waved her hands for Dravvin to stand and nodded gently toward Rahne.

"Dravvin, I see you have gotten yourself an apprentice," Elysia smiled softly to Dravvin first then to Rahne. Afterwards she pointed once more beyond her temple doors; if he could follow the invisible line her fingers directed to, Dravvin would know she was gesturing to the Eternal Lake.

"It seems you have found me first," Elysia started. "I must say I have no clear answers to give you for the sudden elevation in temperature. I hate to admit, but I am as clueless as most people in Aleris to the cause of it. I'm certain, being an Ice Elemental, that you are feeling this horrid heat as painfully as I am. Nevertheless, I would still ask for your help."

With this, she put her hand upon Dravvin's shoulder and directed him towards one of the antechambers of the temple where they could speak in a bit more privacy. A priestess asked if they needed anything and Elysia shook her head no as she young clergy member would turn to go away. Elysia was also aware of footsteps following them - most likely Rahne - but curiously she did not dismiss the girl.

"I have no doubt that you've seen the condition of Eternal Lake," Elysia began again once they were mostly alone. "There are things trapped beneath the iced waters that cannot be awoken, that cannot be set free. You can imagine my frustration, on top of this heat, when I also saw that the lake had begun to crack open. So, I would ask for your assistance in keeping the Eternal Lake frozen. Not completely, mind you. I know you can only do so much and that excessive use of magic shall drain anyone, but even a bit of your magic will allow me to buy some much needed time while my remaining siblings and I solve this mystery."