“Well it’s all up to them now” said Sephinroth getting a glare from Lalandra “What, did I say it wrong or something?” she asked and Lalandra about to say something gets a feeling another presence is watching them, they both turn to see the blue dragon Calisto. Sephinroth wastes no seconds and gathering a ball of flame to her hand, she fires it at Calisto’s head, Lalandra counteracts with a frost beam to freeze the flame ball and Calisto blows it up with a bolt.
“What the hell are you doing, I wasn’t attacking you” Sephinroth snapped
“And she didn’t attack you” replied Lalandra
“You good dragons and your untouchable morality and honor, I’m the one that’s sick now” Sephinroth complained not continuing her attack and just folds her arms.
“Calisto why are you here?” questioned Lalandra
“Who cares” snapped Sephinroth getting another look from Lalandra “She almost killed me last time we saw each other”
“Doesn’t feel good does it” quoted Lalandra
“Oh fine! Calisto why the hells are you here anyway” barked the question again from Sephinroth sternly and receiving a finger pock tipped with frost from Lalandra to Sephinroth stomach side she jumps at its biting cold.
“Ouch! Why you winter weather breathing Bit...”
“Solstanenice!” Calisto broke up the two bringing them to a stunned silence.
“What did you just say” said Lalandra slowly shocked to hear the word, Calisto said it again and Sephinroth stepped forward.
“That remark if a hoax is punishable by death, bolt brain”
“I agree” responded Lalandra in agreement
“A hoax it is not; the draconic council is convening to mount an assault on Colossus who has arrived on this plane not long ago but has done much damage since his reappearance, his power is unlike anything ever known”
“He did it!” said Sephinroth under her breath shocked and surprised but kept to herself.
The two follow Calisto in dragon form to the meeting spot but taking to the air for only seconds does Lalandra notice smoke rising from the mountains near where her lair dwelled.
She raced towards it with the others in tow and getting closer she sees buildings on the enclave on fire, bodies of Drow littered the ground and their blood coated walls and towers from defensive positions, “They died ready and in combat” she thought to herself landing and looking around she sniffed the ground to find residue of fire and ash, picking some up while the others landed behind her she smelt it’s charred ruin to catch a hint of sulfur in its remains. Lalandra’s nose ran cold with frost steaming from it and her eyes narrowed with a heated pure white chill as if possessed by a holy being, Lalandra spun around quickly knocking Sephinroth off her feet and pounding her massive body to her backside, dragging her scaling corpse to Lalandra’s front side Lalandra griped her throat and started to squeeze.
“YOU! THIS WAS YOUR DOING!!” Lalandra thundered
“Me I had nothing to do with this” Sephinroth said trying to loosen the hold.
“Don’t lie to me this was your fault, you knew this would work with me and the group away from the lair; free for him to walk in and attack, this was all a setup”
“Lalandra I know nothing”
“THE TRUTH” Lalandra shouted rattling buildings with her tone, and applying more pressure to Sephinroth’s throat Calisto saw that Sephinroth couldn’t back out,
“Lalandra please” Calisto pleaded “As much as I would like this to happen we need her at the meeting…we need her power to defeat Colossus”
“Lalandra please…I didn’t do this…but if…if you let me go…I will aid your assault on him…we…we will have vengeance from this” Sephinroth gasped
“Lalandra she isn’t lying…look at her eyes…she’s frightened to die with no knowledge of why” and looking at her hard and sternly Lalandra slowly released her hold allowing Sephinroth to breathe again.
“Calisto please take Sephinroth and go to the meeting place, I will be there in a while, I must check my lair’s interior”
“Very well!” said Calisto and taking flight the two great dragons leave her home.
They fly to the dessert area of the realm and land by a cactus and a large rock. Taking human form the two each touch the stone and say their name in draconic tongue to then be teleported to a great forest with a camp made and a roaring fire at its center. Walking toward the fire Calisto and Sephinroth see four other humans’ girls there that stand at their presence. A tall black skinned woman with short black hair and a dress that runs up and down her arms, her name was Morandrea the black dragon. Rothwintess the green dragon was a short brunette with childlike features and a playful personality. But Istalauria was not; the white dragon was a blonde haired woman and carried an attitude of a rich snob. Standing at the end of the fire circle was Terashayden; the gold dragon and the eldest of the group living for over 300 centuries she had seen it all, she had the look of an Amazon leader with golden hair and having it tied in a high raised pony tail.
“What is she doing here” barked Istalauria
“All dragons holding the status of the eldest and most power of their clan were summoned you know that, we need all the bands on this task, Istalauria” replied Terashayden
“She is only the eldest for what she has done to her clan” snapped Rothwintess
“They tried to kill me first; it was merely my last resort in self-preservation” Sephinroth calmly defended.
“They had just cause for their action upon you, your ideas were insane and you only thought of yourself” Istalauria preached
“Not my fault they didn’t see my future advancing work as a good thing” Sephinroth spoke as she came to the fire circle blowing on her nails.
“You spoke of having the power and rank of the leading dragon for each clan Terashayden, Sephinroth cannot even birth her kind to populate this realm again…Still think your knowledge was worth the price” Istalauria slammed her final words to Sephinroth’s face who looked upon Istalauria with a deep feeling of shame and disappointment to her own self.
“Enough…All of you! Yes we have our qualms with one another on the more personal level and hate each other by sheer blood but that must be put aside right now to focus more on the growing evil to this realm that only a combination of our efforts will take away” winded Terashayden
“Where are the rest of the clan leaders? Spoke a voice from the dark as Lalandra walked toward the flamed light, they all sat with Calisto and Sephinroth sitting on other side of Lalandra and to Sephinroth’s right sat Terashayden, for she didn’t trust the others up close. They all sat and convened the situation.
“They’re all dead Lalandra” spoke Morandrea
“All the rest are gone!” Lalandra said shocked
“He brought his power by force and haste…we were unprepared and unaware” added Rothwintess
“He must be thinking we are his only challenge to this realm or he would not bother seeking us out” Calisto said
“It’s good to see you alive Lalandra” respectfully said Terashayden “I heard about your lair and it being the first attacked”
“I was the first?” she asked
“Yes” Morandrea replied
“We must find out what he is after and stop him” Terashayden announced
“He is not after us” Lalandra spoke up and looked at Sephinroth
“The children” Sephinroth said seeing Lalandra nod her head “He thinks were hiding them from him” she added but getting a look of confusion from the others.
“What do you know about this Lalandra?” Terashayden asked and going into detail Lalandra explained about the prophecy that the three children could be the ones to kill Colossus as a reborn man and probably still even with his power. Sephinroth adds his dealings against them in the past and how he has never won. Lalandra tells about him collecting the stones but is careful not to mention Sephinroth’s aid to Colossus side for that would bar her from the group and all power is needed to take him out.
“What should we do?” asked Rothwintress
“A diversion and an ambush would work the best” said Sephinroth
“And why would that be best?” bolted Istalauria
Stolen novel; please report.
“Because it led to the deaths of the twelve elders in my clan, I’d say the result speaks for the outcome” Sephinroth cockily put out. As they were discussing what they will do under the breath of the gold leader Sephinroth thanked Lalandra for keeping her ties to Colossus a secret.
As Cloud and Artanis emerge upon the other side to the realm of the dead, Rain arrives hitting the ground hard from being pushed into the portal. He rolls over just to be landed upon by his sister coming through, she laughs thanking him for the cushioned landing and shoving her off Rain gets to his feet. They all look around to see the desolate place that they were in. They look out to the rolling dry dusty winds displayed over the arid dull looking hills, plains and valleys that stood between them and their imposing goal. The air was heavy and hard to breathe as well as the moisture of their skin seemed to almost start to fade instantly in an attempt to blend them to the image itself, their eyes watered for the wind carried on it a dust that felt acidic and heated. From such a layout came another problem for every direction looked the same, they threw their hoods upon their heads and as they made their first steps along the new soil a glow seemed to slowly erupt from the pockets of Cloud and Dawn.
“What the…” said Cloud taking off his belt pouch the soul stone was in and tossing it to the ground, Dawn did the same and all four watched as the stones lifted into midair. They each saw with a bright glow of their own color and covering their eyes the children and Artanis looked away till the immense light grew dull.
Looking back the group was in awe at the after effect, for standing before them in full physical form with the stones embedded to their chests was Straud, his wife Crysonia, Dalamar and his wife Laurona. When the four emerged they hugged their loving partners for seeing them again brought about an internal joy that couldn’t be contained. Dalamar took his brothers hand and tossed him to a hug and the twin wives hug each other as well. They broke apart to look upon the children and the faces of Dalamar and Laurona lit up brightly.
“Straud, are they…”
“Yes brother…your sons and daughter” Straud replied
“My god!!...look how they’ve grown” Laurona said covering her mouth with her hands and having a tear of joy run down her face.
“Holy Shit!” said Cloud
“Cloud who are these people” Artanis asked
“Our parents” he replied in awed confusion
“Mother?” Dawn said with a scared look to her face and growing a spark of indescribable happiness she ran like a small child into her arms, Laurona gripped her tightly and sprung her around lifting Dawn from the ground.
“Mother, Mother is it really you” Cloud said still unbelievably overwhelmed,
“Yes baby it’s me, oh god you have grown so much, you’re so beautiful” Laurona said holding her tight, Cloud was embraced from his father but still held a look of uncertainty, Dalamar looked to his son who slowly grew a smile to his face and then lit up for a second hug much stronger then the first.
“Father, but how is this possible” Cloud asked
“We must be in the realm of the dead, right Cloud” Straud asked and he nodded; Straud went on to say that the stones Laurona created can cause the spirit to appear as it did on the other realm if it was brought here.
“I didn’t know if it would really work, I didn’t get a chance to test it” Laurona said smiling with tears and laughing to the face of her daughter as she stroked her face. Straud motioned to Dalamar and Laurona of one other who they know and pointing to Rain, they moved past Dawn and Cloud to see him.
“Rain…Son come here” said Dalamar holding out his arms, but Rain didn’t go, he backed up scared and shook his head.
“No” Rain said to them, “You’re not here…you’re dead!” Rain said sternly
“Yes we are Rain” Straud interrupted “but in this realm I assure you that we are as real as you are”.
“Rain…baby come here please…let me hold you” said Laurona softly
“Forget it, I’m not as easily swayed as my siblings” Rain muttered
“Rain it’s them” Cloud said to him “I felt it in their touch”
“Then go ahead and have them all you want, the dead are still dead” Rain said and then teleported out of sight. Laurona turned to face Cloud and Dawn, “where did he go?” she asked and all they did was shrug, she then closed her eyes and phased away herself.
“Where did she go?” Dawn asked
“Your mother always had a life coiled bond to you three, she simply needs to concentrate and she’ll be taken to where ever you are” Dalamar explained and asked for Dawn to come to his arms, she did and gave a hug she thought would never be possible. Crysonia held the hand of her husband and he looked back at her, he focused to her perfectly parted white long hair that split down the middle and her gentle bright blue eyes that always captivated his own. He looked to see she was wearing the dark golden yellow toga he bought for her as a birthday present so long ago and the necklace she wore around her neck that was carved from his own hands. Dawn approached Crysonia and held out the staff given to her by Straud, she smiled and pushed Dawns hands back,
“You keep it Dawn, it’s yours and if I was alive I would have been honored to hand it off to you besides…(and flashing to her hands another staff of the same look she smiled) I have my own, for this realm allows us to carry replicas of the things we held in life”
Sitting by himself on a rock ledge face, his legs dangling off the edge of a cliff side not too far from the side of the others Rain placed his fist against his lips and grew an angered look to his face.
“Rain please” Laurona said appearing behind him causing Rain to leap to his feet and spin around facing her “Please don’t fear us”
“Fear you, Fear you…I don’t”
“Then what is wrong my son”
“DON”T CALL ME THAT!!...I”M NOT YOUR SON!!!” Rain blasted to her face, Laurona started to cry with a look of confused terror.
“What do you mean of course you’re my son” she replied tearing up
“NO I’M NOT…YOU LEFT ME...YOU DIED AND LEFT ME!” Rain shouted growing tears to his own eyes; Laurona was speechless, Rain started to pace when Laurona spoke out.
“Rain I understand your pain…”
“YOU UNDERSTAND NOTHING MOTHER!” Rain continued to bolt at her “Do you have any idea what it’s been like for me…huh…to have this blood flowing in me and having no idea how to control it! To contain it! I have hated everything in this world for what you have given to me”
“Rain I wanted to teach you” she bolted back at him “I wanted to show you how to hold it in and control it, but first I needed to save you…from him, I thought I did but when I knew I hadn’t I had to place hope in you to figure it out, and you have done well baby, you have done so well. Your power has grown so strong and you did it yourself, and not because of hate…but because of love, yes Rain I know you hold love in your heart…you wouldn’t be so resentful of me if you didn’t” Laurona slowly walked toward him hoping he wouldn’t run. Rain lowered his head cloaking his face
“She was the only thing in this world that mattered to me; she made it all hurt less no matter how bad it was” Rain said growing a sniffling nose and tears to his eyes, he looked up at her and started to cry, Laurona moved in fast and held Rain tight. “She died because of me, because of being with me…it’s all my fault” Rain cried to her ears.
“Oh baby no it’s not, you loved her and that’s all that matters” she said pulling his face to see the river tears on his face, and seeing it she smiled to him “Trust and Loyalty have many levels, and are forever a changing bond…but truth of spirit never lies”
As she held him close she induced his feelings to her skin, he was so angry and filled with so much hate that it overlaid any foe she had ever faced before. Her eyes watered from the notion of him growing to such power with only rage as his fuel source, she could feel all of his loneliness and hurt upon his very soul, and then a massive buildup of energy he had inside him that only needed a spark to release it, so leaning in close to his ear did she calmly say
“Baby it’s ok to have this in you, it’s ok to have hate in you for what has happened…it’s ok to be mad for her dying, to hate for me dying…just let it out baby” she whispered to him and feeling his body warm to the touch did her skin begin to as well, she could feel his massive charge redlining like a overloading generator and laying out a yell of inner pain did Rain scream out, a nuclear like explosion erupted from his body spraying out in a nova form from the two of them.
As Laurona and Rain start back on foot they see a bright flash of light in front of them and appearing was the group from a spell caste from Crysonia. Drawing their blades the males look around; Dalamar runs to his wife and touches her shoulder.
“Are you alright, are you both alright?” he asks
“We’re fine guys, the nova you saw was power from Rain …he had something to get off his chest” Laurona says smiling at him. Artanis grips his head and Straud asks him what is wrong.
“It’s nothing just a little head ache” said Artanis shaking it off
“Artanis I told you about keeping in tone with those long distant run exercises” cautioned Cloud to him
“No Cloud it’s not that it’s this realm; for the dead to be here is not a problem but for the living to be in here does has a rapid aging curse come about that in minutes passing is equivalent to a day…an hour or so a year”
“Are you saying that if we don’t finish what we came to do in less than a day…?”
“I’ll be dead from old age” Artanis added finishing Dawns statement
“Here Artanis, I’ll take you home” said Laurona
“No” replied Artanis “I can do this, you need the help besides; I live longer than humans with my part demon lineage so I’ll be good for a few more hours” he smiled
“Don’t worry Artanis we’ll get you home in time; that is if we can find the Lazarus tower” Crysonia reassured him
“Last time I was here it was somewhere south” Laurona went on
“That sounds right” added Dalamar
“Whoa, what, Wait a moment you two have been here before…when...not to mention why?” blurted out Straud but getting no response and just a blank look of not wanting to reveal why Artanis then spoke up.
“Well come on now let’s not keep the elderly waiting, south is it?” he said and agreeing with him the group moved on to the south. The group walked the rest of the way to conserve their powers but to stay on the path directly southward Laurona and Crysonia teleported the group across great fissures and canyons that arrived in their way. During the hike the group makes small talk to rekindle their lost past as best as possible, Crysonia talks about not being there to even see them born and talks about some things relating to her for the children to know. Dawn especially takes interest for being in the presence of such a great priestess was a high point to her life. Dawn then reveals about her being a vampire from certain acts that followed, and they start accusing Cloud and Rain of their responsibilities for keeping her out of harm. Straud steps in to defend them from Dalamar’s speech saying that it wasn’t their fault, but his own call. Straud was asked about anything changed in his life and hiding his relationship to Cynn from his wife he just went on about being kept busy from Colossus and his continuing threat to the three. He also tells about how he dies for his brother was curious about it, and hearing it brought a saddened face to his wife. The kids speak of Maylor’s death and Cynn’s status though no answers from their parents helped as to how to reverse Cynn’s condition. Straud told them to wish her well and that his sprit will always protect her as a captain though the children know he meant more from the speech. Dawn tells of her relationship to Artanis and being taken to the side Dalamar goes on to him with a fatherly talk about making sure she’s safe and how her needs must come before his own. Cloud says that he has in the dark times found love married a woman and has children of his own. The bolt of joy to his parents’ eyes was unflawed, Laurona goes to his side and uses a spell to see an image of her and shares it with all who haven’t seen her.
“She is so beautiful Cloud” says Laurona and gives a blessing upon his hopeful future with her. Dalamar finally asks about if Rain has anyone and his mother steps in to aid in the delicate conversation explaining his deep dark history with her.
Attempting to ease the tension the three and Artanis change the subject to more ease and talk about embarrassing stories that happened to them and the parents did the same. Dawn also grew a close attachment to Crysonia and was asking about her healing techniques. Crysonia looked to Straud with a smile seeing the bond Dawn was trying to form with her so quickly; she noticed as well and answered Dawn questions as much as she could but ultimately tried to enforce to her mind the importance of self-reliance.
They came to the final climb of the last large hill and as they arrived at the top the Lazarus tower started to show to their eyes. It was greatly deteriorated and destroyed and though the group knew not why Laurona said she would scout ahead and advised everyone else to stay out of sight as well as quiet.