Arriving back at the Lazarus tower Sephinroth appears bearing a massive feeling of sorrow and guilt, walking slowly; brushing her feet along the floor she holds the image of Rain’s last look deep in her mind. Getting her thoughts disturbed she turns to the blasting open of the main hall door with Colossus leading Logan. Clapping fiercely his hands together she hears his voice “Bravo! Bravo! A magnificent performance my dear truly spectacular, I could not have done a finer job myself”
“Did you get what you needed from my tower?” Sephinroth snuffed out with annoyance
“The jewel wasn’t there” said Logan
“They must have moved it somewhere else” added Colossus looking to Sephinroth
“Silverspire city, they must have it there. That is the last place I know they took it” she replied
“Then to the city is where I will go to retrieve it”
“NO!!!” she shouted “I have done enough for you, it’s time to pay up and pay up now!” Sephinroth demanded holding out her hand
“But of course my dear, after all I am a ma…or bull of my word” said Colossus waving his hand about in the air reaching into a magic made hole merely cut from the air to pull out a black smoldering scroll and hands it to her “Here you are, one rapid dragon aging spell as promised, you take care of that youngling carefully we don’t want to make the same mistake twice, do we”
“As long as she’s out of your demented dominance she will be fine” Sephinroth smiled sarcastically and walking away she holds the scroll tightly but stops, over hearing a bet made by the two “What did you say?” she asked them
“Oh I was just telling Logan here that he owes me a bag of gold for losing the bet”
“What bet?” she questioned
“Whether you would fall in love or not and with whom, we both thought you would but he chose Rain so I lost” Logan replied
“And you chose Cloud?” Sephinroth questioned back
“Actually I chose Dawn, the girl cause after all your entire race is all girls so…” walking swiftly up to Logan Sephinroth slaps him abruptly cutting his check from the impact while giving him a look of hurtful eyes, she just shakes her head to both of them “You are both despicable beings that I am so glad to done dealing with”
“Don’t go too far, I my ask for you before long Sephinroth”
“Nothing you could do or say anymore would sway me to work for your cause anymore, enjoy your time on this retched world while you still can” as she vanishes in to flames.
She goes back to her tower lair and into the basement where her dragon egg lays, holding the scroll open she wipes the tears from her eyes thinking sparkly of Rain and what she did to him, reading it aloud she tries not to crack her speech saying the words clear and correct but half way through she breaks down stopping the chant and dropping the scroll she falls to her knees covering her face with her hands “I’m so sorry Rain, I didn’t mean for us to go so far, I never wanted to hurt you…not like this” she cries for a time before attempting to pull herself together again. Trying a second time with her emotions more under her control she finishes the spell and watches joyfully as her egg begins to hatch. Holding her second newborn tightly in her arms she looks to the grave of her first remembering what Colossus said about making the same mistake twice, thinking for a time she comes up with a plan and looks deeply to her baby “I’m sorry I hope you forgive me but I can’t allow this to happen twice, you’re all I have left in the world and I won’t let anyone take you away from me” she glows her eyes and hands and transforms her baby into a human infant then disappears out of the tower.
A flaming entry brings Sephinroth to the town of Parle, the first town the three visited on their quest to the city and here is where Sephinroth disguises herself to do a thing she is against; abandonment. She goes to the town’s newly renovated church which was left to ruin by the Naga serpent. Sephinroth goes to the door and asks to speak to the head of the church, and waits while the zealots bring to her a robed woman.
“Hello there I am Kate, can I help you?”
“More than you know” Sephinroth explains, telling Kate about certain problems she is having in her life which are of course fabricated to gain the pity of the church and it’s help, she asks for her child to remain until such time that she will come to claim it again. Requesting for guardianship by Kate to be placed for this baby in her arms, Kate uncovers the babies face and falls in love with its young beauty instantly happily agreeing to the offer. Kissing the youngling’s forehead Sephinroth places a small blessing as well as a carefully covered spell upon the child that will allow the girl to recognize Sephinroth as her rightful mother when she comes later. Sephinroth; wiping back some tears of an unhappy break away leaves the church, baring the baby into the giving arms of Kate.
“Captain” Yells Colossus back in the tower
“Yes master” replies a voice formed from fear and obedience
“Gather your best strike force members but keep it small, we have an errand to run” Colossus laughs as he gets ready to attack the city for the stone.
Elanee is brought with the rest of the group to the camp hidden to the lair of the Silver dragon and immediately looks for Rain, she runs to his most likely location in the cave of Lalandra’s walking in on him tossing about his furniture, throwing spells as they are airborne blasting them to nothing screaming and yelling that he is to blame. Dodging splintered chairs and carefully stepping around broken glass, Elanee tries to reason with Rain verbally with no success. She stands for a while watching Rain trash his study and finally seeing him slowing down running out of energy, coming closer to his side she sees him stopping his rant leaning up against a wall hanging his head and catching his breath.
“Rain stop please” Elanee pleads to him “I won’t sit here watching you trash your study and harm yourself anymore”
“She’s dead because of me Elanee, it’s my entire fault” he says not raising his head to her gripping tightly his fists “Maybe if I was better prepared…more powerful”
“Then yes things might be different, but maybe not Rain” Elanee says closing in enough to place her hand on Rain’s shoulder stopping his gripping hands from shaking “But fate has taken her from us not your failure”
“TO HELL WITH FATE! It has brought to me and my family nothing but fear and misery” he snapped
“Do you think Cloud would agree to that” she said smirking to him
“Dawn would” he combated
“Rain” leaning now next to him staring into his sweated hair covered face “When I saw the torch from the warriors hand fall, I looked to Eve’s face and you know what I saw?”
“Terror” Rain smartly answered
“No Rain; a smile aimed at you, she was proud of what you had done for her…what you tried to do, her end is regrettable and heartfelt but at the same time, she died with a single most comforting thought”
“Yeah and what’s that” Rain asked with his eyes looking into hers
“That the one man she loved and shared with believed in her to the absolute end and put his own life on the line to prove her innocence, and that was the single best thing you could have comforted her with in that last moment Rain”, Rain turns away to stare at the wall across the room and giving a little smirk he just lowers and shakes his head slowly.
“Why anyone in such gloom and darkness would attempt to be good and pure is beyond me, all they receive is disappointment and deceit”
“For the hope Rain” Elanee replies “Hope that one day the world will return to what it should be”
“I miss her so much Elanee, and with all the recent events taking place I now see the terrible side effect of misjudgment and negligence…I’m sorry Elanee, I really and truly am for what I put you through since the day we met, you are a good soul and I see the good in you as I did in her”
“And I you Rain but you don’t need to apologize, you have had much toil and hardship in your life that was no fault of your own, you were just acting out”
“But it shouldn’t been against you, not someone I lo…like and care about so very much” Rain finished and smiling to him she gets up from her spot and leaves him slowly and softly to his thoughts in peace, knowing that some things need to worked through alone.
Sephinroth stands on a hillside overlooking the town that bears her hidden child when smoke appears behind her, knowing the familiar scent she didn’t even look back.
“What do you want Logan I didn’t order comfort food and on a plate you would only rate as garnish anyway”
“I couldn’t help but notice your lack of enthusiasm on how the extraction went down” Logan says upon her rear sided view.
“Well you are mistaken, this resentment I have is from being bathed in humanity for so long, it has sunk into my blood and not even a hundred baths in a fire pool will get rid of it”
“Perhaps it is you that is keeping the stink upon you” Logan speculates
“These ravenous uncontrolled emotions of hurt are sickening to my stomachs, why would I keep such a burden willingly?”
“Maybe it’s because a certain Red Dragon is in…”
“Finish that sentence and I’ll burn you down” Sephinroth turns angrily at him “I’m not in love nor is it even reasonable to a dragon to make such a bond”
“All living things feel as you do including vampires; granted with us it is a lustful hunger that will never cease but none the less it is there. And if not acted upon and closing the issue in your mind, it will forever destroy you.
“Pain and pleasure of any kind is pointless without a purpose and reason for its side effects” Sephinroth argues
“And love to a man is such a pointless purpose to you?”
“It is one of the worst kind, for it carries both pain and pleasure time and time again, pointless for me yes due to I don’t need the pleasure of a man to conceive a child” she says to him
“The bond may be pointless to your dragon side but it completes what you long for and miss at night as a woman, when your own internal flame won’t keep you warm during the front of evening’s chill” Logan goes on
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“And what would a vampire of the countless ages know of love, more importantly why do you care, yesterday you were finishing a beat mocking my relationship”
“I was not fully aware of its severity at the time, realize that I was once a man and as an Asmairian in racial nature; we lived longer than traditional humans. For two-hundred years I was married to my wife and raised my child and for the entire time I loved them fiercely, and yet even after centuries of their passing I love them still, regardless to the contestation of anyone’s argument love is an internal blessing and strength, not a weakness”
“And all this time I thought you to be heartless and shallow Logan, you surprise me yet again” she smirks
“Make no mistake Sephinroth, I follow Colossus for my hateful revenge not my unwavering loyalty to my family, I will love none other than my wife nor have I ever and if I was placed in your position, such a decision would weigh heavy on my mind as well” Logan finishes fading away to her staring at the tree behind him, and looking to the town again she thinks to herself,
“But which love is stronger to me, the one to Rain or my child” sitting there by the tree having flashes of both she loves, conflicting emotions run through her mind.
Joining in Namor’s chambers the Captain, Namor and other head leaders from Stormguard take part in their weekly meeting in private of current events pertaining to the city back home and their involvement here in Silverspire. They talk about battles going on back at home and the encounters during their stay here as well, they finish up the topics after about two hours as horns blow signaling the return of Elanee and the Drow leaders from the enclave. The leaders and the Captain are dismissed from Namor’s chambers having Namor go to the window seeing Elanee arrive. Tristan is the last to leave the room but holds back to watch Namor’s reactions; Namor sees Elanee and Rain enter the city riding at horse side with one another laughing about something.
“Ah!” spouts Namor “She is always with him, feeling sorry for his hardships and recent pain, what about my pain! The mere sight of them two talking hurts my mind and stomach, all these men at my disposal and I can’t seem to be the one woman in this city I deem worthy, when it seems he could do it with no effort at all”
“Maybe it’s because you won’t give her the one thing she wants” came Tristan’s voice from behind him, startled and turning around quickly he looks to the Captain.
“And what would that be; with me she can have everything and anything she wants, what does he offer that I can’t” Namor argues
“How about a life of her own, around him she has a purpose besides being your lap dog that is on call whenever you wish, making her your personal escort has kept her from the one thing she enjoys and loves…children and the orphanage” Tristan explains
“She can have that back at home” Namor states to him
“She doesn’t want to leave here Namor” Tristan bolts back at him
“She will with a marriage proposal” Namor smirks
“You wouldn’t dare, Namor you already have two wives or have you forgotten from your extended absence from them” the Captain glares
“No I haven’t but multiple marriages are not a sin or crime now are they, and with us married she will under the loyalty oath not wish to associate with him so personally” Namor continues
“You bastard this ends now” snaps Captain Tristan and he turns to storm out of the chamber
“I’m warning you Captain, you make one motion to inform her about my marital status and I’ll have you removed from title immediately, and shipped back to Stormguard wearing slave robes and ship deck scrubbing brushes, and with your new born son waiting at home for you as well as your loving wife Penelope, you’ll be hard pressed to keep their comfortable life style in tacked with the reputation you’ll be granted by me!”
“You son of a bitch you would threaten my family’s life to keep your own filth secured in the shadows” Tristan barks to him
“I will do whatever is needed for my own survival my dear Captain, now give me your word or else!” Namor says and sweating, he waits for an answer from his Captain, who takes some moments fighting a battle in his mind.
“Fine you win, but watch your back Namor for she is as much my sister as blood to me now and if you harm Elanee you’ll be sinking to the sound of a frozen water funeral” and Tristan turns to storm out
“That sounded like a life threat my dear Captain but I’m sure I heard wrong” Namor boldly said
“You’re right it wasn’t a threat it was a promise my lord” as Tristan walks out
As nightfall comes to pass Cloud and Alisianna enjoy a peaceful picnic by the sea shore and during the meal Alisianna tells her worries to him about if the child they have is going to grow up in the right life style, he get her close and reassures her about that he would have it no other way than how it has played out, as well as nothing will falter the birth or raising.
To Silverspire’s east woods, a mighty rustling in the bush is heard as heavy paced footsteps grinned through the dense brush of the trees.
“Hey can we take a break Dawn” Artanis says slowing his jogging pace that has been kept up for several miles, and slowing to a mild walk she turns to him not even huffing
“You’re tired already Artanis” she smiled to him “Are you going soft on me” she asked with a grin.
“Me never it just must be the dreaded old age setting in on me that has caused me to slow down” he says huffing hard to her getting out the words “Cause I know that it couldn’t possibly be the fact of you having unlimited endurance for being a vampire”
“Oh god I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it that way Artanis I just sometimes forget that I’m a… you know”
“Hey that’s ok, I pretty much was worn out 5 miles ago but that butt view that you have so kindly given me has kept my mind busy of the dizziness of no blood flow, talk about your potent painkillers” he said smiling to her seductively. Brushing off the comment from being uncomfortable but blushing to her feet from the words, she says that she would like to keep going a little longer. Artanis waves for her to go on without him and he’ll make up for the easy out on tomorrow’s run. Watching her leave Artanis stretches out his beyond sore muscles and patting his back he feels the book he got from his father. Seeing no one around Artanis takes the chance to see him again and carefully secures the area, saying the word to open the portal, he takes one more look around and enters it. Going down the hall way he went before he is surprised to see his father meeting him at the arch way of the door.
“Hello son” he said
“Father, it’s good to see you again”
“So you have accepted that I am your father and not just a mimic”
“It took some time but I am now coming around, yes”
“How unfortunate to hear at such a critical time”
“What is the matter, what has happened?”
“Colossus happened and has been accelerating his plans to a point that I can’t wait any longer to postpone this act”
“What act father what are you talking about”
“Son, I love you now and always but I must ask something of you that will be difficult to bare on such short notice…but understand it has to be done; son you need to destroy this tower, the chambers upstairs, the great hall and study, this room, all of it” he goes on
“Father please there must be another way, there is still so much I need from you, guidance and history of myself and memories”
“Our time is not ending my son only the time of the tower is, for my guidance and memory you only need to look to the skies and your heart my son, for as long as you need me, I’ll be there” he put his hand on his son’s shoulder and tears come to Artanis’s eyes “But for Colossus to fail fully this place must lie in ruins, now can I count on you Artanis?”
“How do I do such a task?”
“With your mind son, you merely need to think about it and it will be done, and being that you are the last living blood descendant here there will be no one opposing your thoughts”
“I’ve have recently often wondered how such a mortal man could mass such power without opposition or knowledge leaking to others, do you know father” Artanis inquired and turning his face away from Artanis his father thinks to himself and then lowering his head in what seemed to be a shameful stance he speaks softly about a shocking truth.
“Our lack of judgment lead us to this fate, for Colossus was one of us, our leader actually and if we had only stopped him earlier none of this would probably be happening” he said to Artanis “I’m not supposed to be telling you this but not being a mortal on this plane anymore I see no harm, if anything it should have been said long before now”
“He was your leader…father” Artanis said with a look of shock to his face
“Marcus Kane. That was his name before the darkness took him and created that which is now called Colossus” Artanis’ father went on having Artanis take to a seat as his father laid to Artanis’ ears the story.
He went into detail about the past history of Colossus’s family; the Kane family was humans and also half celestial beings. The only difference to normal humans was their capacity for understanding that which not many mortals could, Marcus’s parents created the Zenith tower and called it home for many years, and in that time created many items of power that were sought out by evil on countless occasions. When they had born their only son Marcus to the world; they found through his raising that he developed an incredible capacity for magic using, mastering spells at a much faster rate than even elder instructors had done. For a time well into his young adult life he lived with his family in peace, but one night a secret group of high level demons attacked the tower again seeking the items. This time the Demons were much more prepared, dealing critical blows to the tower’s defense they were able to penetrate the outer defenses and breech the tower. During the struggle to keep what was theirs, Marcus’s parents were killed in the assault, but not before hiding their son where he would not be harmed. For years he lived in solitude seeking no grieving help from all who knew and called him friend. Until one day something snapped in his mind, Marcus grew angry with the constant evil he was hearing about, as the destruction the Demons were causing from the items which had been taken. He then formed a group under him at the tower consisting of only the most powerful Mages and Sorcerers of the age. Marcus and the newly formed Zenith tower mages banded together to fight the evil plaguing the realm using his parents own items and devices against them, but even after the Demon’s demise it was not enough. Marcus then used all his tower resources and the magic of all the Zenith order to create a sword that would unite all evil under its wielder, making them obey the users every will and command so they would stop their mighty attacks. But the power came with terrible price that lingered undetected in the darkness after the forging of the weapon. The will of Marcus was the final ingredient to the weapons creation and there also was the binding of his very doom. He started to see normal mortals with no more of a grey line of learning but as either good or evil, he started big, the murderers, rapists, traffickers of rare items found only by the killing of pure creatures, were all slain under his blade. But Marcus grew more and more personal as the big threats of evil dwindled, even mere people arguing to each other now was the sought of his wrath and in protestation to his actions. Marcus then accused his own group of evil traitors, he fought them but lost due to the sheer number in question and by the declaration of the Zenith mages, and Marcus not willing to change his ways he was banished from the tower.
For betraying his judgment and loyalty Marcus changed his name to Colossus to mask his work for a time, but the name and acts came together eventually as Colossus continued his massacring. Figuring it out the council mages tried to stop him, only this time Colossus had learned and studied many more feats and abilities that now ran through his thick blood. He defeated the mages the second time and recalling the hurting number back to the tower they called out to all who would help put the mad mage to his end. The tower brought together other powerful being including those of Dalamar and Laurona, parents of the Drow children to end Colossus’ life. But they were deceived for Colossus had learned the arts of life after death through necromancy magic and gripping the embodiment of Griffon the Minotaur, he then continued his plans for revenge. The sword; after bringing death to his first body was carved and dismantled; scattered throughout the realm for safeguard, and as he searched for it he vowed to destroy all that attempted the horrific and vile act on him.
“The other events you already know and have lead you to this very point my son”
“But why destroy the tower father”
“It holds one last secret that if found by Colossus, will grant his fulfilling victory”
“What is it?”
“That I am sworn even in death to not reveal to anyone…I am sorry son, all that I can tell you is that our council believed strongly in balance of life, for all evil created or born flesh and blood comes with it an opposing form in good” his father concluded, understanding the phrase told to him clear as mud Artanis accepted the statement and proceeded to follow his father’s wish of the destruction of the tower, it took some time to learn the mental disciplines of the tower but with his father’s guidance he caught on fast.
Sephinroth puts to her eyes pages from a book when suddenly a fierce tremor erupts under her vary feet, summoning a servant from a snap of her fingers the servant tells no one is attacking the tower; it’s simply losing structure and falling apart. Cutting a hole in the vary air in front of her Sephinroth uses magic opening a pocket hole that was used as a special trunk holding items she wished no one else to know about or have. Floating fast to her hands key books she deemed worthy of keeping as well as weapons, items and other valuables Sephinroth took sight that she didn’t have much time. The Zenith tower was collapsing fast, maybe from catching on to an evil presence and it being a fail-safe but truth be told she had no idea why it was happening ; she only knew she had little time left there and a crumble of that magnitude Sephinroth fully knew she could live through.
Taking the tower apart piece by piece, it crumbled one section at a time until only the room he was in remained. Artanis’s father nodded for him to end it all and sending himself out of the tower at the same time he closed his eyes and brought the room to rubble, appearing once again where he was after speaking with Dawn.
Flames rise to a beachside as Sephinroth plummets from a quick needed escape from her newly claimed tower that from no warning or wonder fell to instant ruin. “What the bloody hell?” she replied putting herself to her feet from landing into the shore water, she shakes her hands free of dripping water and runs it through her sopping red curls unleashing the dripping liquid draining across her face, “Good thing I didn’t fully move in there…that couldn’t have been Colossus, he said he needed me and dead probably wasn’t the option he had” she ended with a thought of contestation and having almost not a care about the loss of the Zenith tower Sephinroth vanishes in a flaming exit to her original lair.