Nightfall - Reopening for new peeps

[Thaelasan]

"Stand up."

The boy frowned, slightly annoyed by this point, as the man in front of him demanded him to get back to his feet. He rubbed the dirt from his face with his forearm and stood to his full height.

As he was only roughly nine years old, he was quite short, yet his eyes burned with a maturity that didn't match his appearance.

"Your mother asked me to do this for your betterment. How will you ever ascend if you continue to be so pitiful?"

The man chided him, knocking him aside again so that the boy laid upon his back once more, unable to move. But, again, he shook it off, stepping back to his full height.

"Why aren't you fighting back, boy? Raising your arms? Protecting yourself from me?" the man asked, irritated. "I can't appraise your skill if you don't."

"Because I do not bully the weak." the boy seethed, hands hanging loosely by his side.

 

"Because the weak will die by their own weakness, an inevitability they prolong by their ignorant actions."

 

"The best defense... is ignorance."

 

-----

 

Isaac smiled warmly to Vex as the man asked him the question, though it troubled him.

"You sleep?" he asked, concerned. Truthfully, in all his years of knowing him, he'd never known the man to bat an eye or doze. In fact, he thought the man didn't sleep at all.

But his previous words sunk deep into Isaac's mind as well. Vex had chosen him. When it came to deciding between the family he'd given his strength to and the friend he'd depended on, he'd chosen him. It weighed heavily on him - even made him feel a bit guilty - to be chosen in this situation. But, he would accept the help without open complaint.

What position was he in? Even the strong could lean on others of their ilk, if only to make themselves even stronger. It was a weak man who couldn't admit he needed to lean on another.

"I know not of Vex..." Aurora said, placing a hand on Isaac's chest. "But I believe I will give you the honor of protecting me as I sleep.. and if that means sharing my bed, ... then I suppose I find it agreeable."

With that, she gave him a small smirk and a wave before disappearing into the other room, leaving Isaac to blink with confusion.

"You don't... you don't think ...." he stammered, looking for words. "Uh... Well uh..."

For a moment, he was completely dumbstruck, but then he turned to Vex, trying hard to hide what he had just revealed by his bewildered gaze.

"Oh. Right. Of course there is a very comfortable room next to mine, Vex. Large bed. And if it doesn't suit you, you have more than that to choose from." Isaac promised, bowing. "I am nothing if not... hospitable, ja?"

He then walked towards Vex a bit sheepishly, almost quickly though, leaning in so he could whisper quietly.

"What should I expect from this woman, and do you think when I walk in there she is going to be sleeping dressed or undressed?" he asked hurriedly, his face red. "Because I don't think I'm quite ready for that. In fact, I don't think I want that."

His voice was sincere, and his cocky accent was now replaced by genuine confusion.

"Nein... nein nein nein... I would be happy just to.. just to hold her in my arms as I slept... not to do something so... so intimate... In fact I think I would be appalled with myself... to do something.. something like that.... Nein nein neiiinn....Das ist nicht gut..."

 

(( The best defense is ignorance is a quote I like to think I came up with tonight. If someone finds something similar, let me know, but I've never heard something like it before.

It's just like that quote I saw in my dream,

"A boy gains freedom. A man loses it." ))

Edited March 31, 2015 by Thaelasan

[KuroKishi]

"I suppose I usually don't sleep, yes... but even the most mad, most energetic of men requires some rest. Plus, I was fully active during this last month, and just a few minutes ago, I went through quite a handful... so, as shocking as it may be, I need some time to doze off. Mainly to relax my mind a bit, of course." The Thresher answered, waving one of his hands nonchalantly at his last words to signify their importance. He was a cathameral creature, of course, but that did not mean he never slept. As he had mentioned in his last sentence, however, it was often just to organize his thoughts so they did not bother him. His body could go on as long as he had nourishment, really.

Staring silently at his companion, Vex seperated himself from the wall and awaited his response. However, he bemusedly noted Aurora's move and instead turned to glance at her as she spoke of her intentions, then promptly disappeared through one of the doors. After his confusion passed away, the man turned to glance at Isaac... and could not help but slightly snicker, once he noticed the utterly bewildered Shadowborne's expression.

Ignoring the man's reply to his earlier question, the spectre observed Isaac carefully and leaned in once he approached him. After his inquiry, however, Vex simply pulled back with a slightly annoyed expression and crossed his once calm arms over his chest.

"Listen, Isaac." He began, releasing a seemingly random sigh that actually sealed the two under a small noise bubble.

"The woman in that room, as grateful as she may be, just went through what I would only count my own demise as equal. She was cast out of her family by force, lost her powers and her only parent's approval. I kind of doubt she'll be naked." Vex continued, his voice turning a bit softer toward the end. His tone was obviously more befitting of a certain silver-colored dragonoid from earlier - at least, for the ones that didn't know his relation to the Princess of Light.

"Of course, I am sure you already know how to act, but I'll tell it to you once again. Since I know you won't push yourself in that way, the only remaining option is for her to opt into it. I don't care if she's naked or not, if she does not directly ask you, you act as normally as you can and head to sleep. You, just like me, are a man of love, not lust. The only exception, which I will tolerate... is if she challenges you as an actual male." The Chain Reaper finished, inhaling sharply once again to break the spell. Then, he exhaled normally and stepped forward.

"That's all... so, where's everything?" The Thresher asked as he looked around. He knew the way Isaac thought and hid things, so it would make sense for him to have some... unusual storage methods for the more useful things every hideout would need.

 

(( Hm... suppose that's true. A child has freedom, but only actually 'earns it' as he learns more of the world around himself and learns how to make use of this freedom. An adult, however, is often forced to rid himself of said freedom to earn different human rights from the state/country.

Ah... I've been studying about human rights these last days, so that's where that thought came from. Sorry if it doesn't befit your own idea - that's just what came to mind once I read it.

Anyways, I believe a timeskip is in order, no? ))

Edited April 4, 2015 by KuroKishi

[Thaelasan]

(( That's exactly the idea I was going for, Kuro. :3 ))

 

Isaac actually saluted, his form returning to its normal stature. Before he headed in the room, he turned back for a moment. He pointed at a kitchen area across from the two.

"The refridgerator is hidden behind the wall. Press the light switch in - not up or down - to activate it." he instructed. "Make sure you pull the light switch back out to lock it back up. It has a lot of preservatives and alcohol in it that lasts a while, so help yourself. Oh, and the wine is below it. There's a bottle in the fridge that looks out of place. If you pull it twice, it'll unlock the trapdoor to the cellar. And yes, all of this precaution was necessary."

Isaac leaned against the door threshold casually, his entire body now facing Vex again.

"It was mainly Dusk's idea. Which reminds me - your bed won't be visible until you press a button under the windowsill. Don't worry about locking it back up in the morning. It's got a broken pulley, so I have to do it manually. But I can put a bit of work into it for you, after all you've done for me. Don't let it bother you. And if you need more sheets, the laundry is right next to that room. Of course, the closet where the linens and such is also hidden... You have to press the dryer button and then hold it for ten seconds. Don't turn it on though or you'll have to wait til the dryer finishes to try again. Trust me, ja? It's irritating."

Aurora placed a hand on his shoulder weakly, and as Vex had predicted, she was not indecent. But she had removed one of her outer robes, leaving only a very beautifully shining dress that seemed to be made of stars. It was definitely ceremonial, and the outside garb had hidden it well.

"That must be worth more than this entire sector.." Isaac breathed in deeply, concerned.

"More than that. Perhaps even Sector D as well." she admitted quietly. "But I would tear it to shreds in an instant if it meant that this would all be over and my powers were returned without sending you into that dreaded place."

"Pfft." Isaac dismissed her worries casually. "We'll worry about it tomorrow. Let's just sleep it off for tonight. And you need actual sleepwear."

"Hopefully you're not going to trick me into wearing some sort of lingerie?" Aurora said wryly.

"Of course not." Isaac held up his hand as though to show honor. "Vex would never forgive me, even if I could forgive myself. I keep clothes for both genders here. Otherwise, Dusk would get annoyed.. and she can lecture like an old woman."

"Then I suppose I will have to work harder to meet her expectations when it comes to keeping you in line." Aurora punched his chest lightly and then headed back in the room. As the two of them left, small words about new sleepwear and what colors could be heard through the door.

 

(( Yes sure. Timeskip is fine by me. ))

[Clown_of_God]

A loud, booming voice resonated throughout the city of Nightfall at an unreasonable hour. Yet, it was impossible to ignore, even for the deepest of sleepers. Most of the residents had wandered to their windows, wondering what the source of the voice was, while others stepped outside into the slightly frigid air of the early morning hours. In the center of the city, a large silhouette encompassed by darkness had its arms stretched out parallel to the ground.

 

"Citizens, residents, and those of you who managed to slip in without my authority, I must first offer my gratitude for your patronage. You have served me well in ways that many of you were unaware. Thank you.

Now, many of you have lived here since the first stone was set while others are just arriving through the gates. Well, I have a glorious announcement to the young and elderly alike. From this day forward, Nightfall is at war with the rest of the world. Details will be passed on to those I deem necessary, but for everyone else, I now offer my condolences and give my support to your wellbeing.

May the darkness guide you and my shadow watch over you. Fear not of death for it is only my eternal embrace. Go, and show the world what it means to be a creature of the dark."

 

As the speech ended, a ray of light breeched through the veil as it slowly dispersed. Leaving many of the residents stunned and others frantically rushing back within their homes. Most of the creatures within Nightfall had been granted immunity to sunlightl, bestowed upon them by the overlord himself. Yet, those who hadn't received a direct invitation from the mysterious being we're quickly engulfed by the natural light and turned to ash.

 

Yet, this light soon faded as a dark cloud began to consume the sky, carrying with it the cries of war as the flames in the distance colored the sky in hues of battle and bloodshed. Each of the four major manors grew tense, some with anticipation of the coming battle while others were anxious.

 

Sitting in a chair within Isaac's private quarters, a familiar persona crossed her legs as the young couple gazed out the window to witness the message. For a brief moment, she let the news sink in before clearing her throat and twirling a cup around her finger by its handle.

 

"Well, well, well, what do you think of that, Sir Isaac? Now there's a war and you are caught between finding a way into the void of no return to retrieve your beloveds birthright or participate in this war so you actually have somewhere to return to.

Ah! If you think it'd be safe in another realm, Papa has stirred up chaos in each of those as well. So, unfortunately, there is no longer a safe haven to relax in.

Anyway, what do you plan to do now? What about you Vex? Even you should know that Ellecia will be participating, along with the other children you had sworn to protect or was that loyalty only a farce and your true colors are only now beginning to show?"

 

Mira had gone from sitting in the chair to leaning against the reaper's back, rubbing a finger up and down his forearm. In another instant, she was hovering upside down in front of him, her gaze set deep into his own.

 

"You do remember, don't you? That it was actually you who slaughtered your family, betrayed them even as they believed you were coming to their aid only to be the one leading the madness. Yes, those dark auras within you that taste so divine are the colors you hid deep within yourself, wanting to forget the real cause behind your own demise, your own trauma.

Such a pity that you didn't even realize that was the true reason behind Grim's choice. Albeit, I can take it all away, let you truly forget the man you had been. A clean slate, as they say. I can eat away all that darkness that you try to hide and turn you into the being you believe yourself to be? How's that sound?"

 

Mira sneered, looking at Vex for a moment before turning to Isaac and making a pouty face, almost like she was mocking him. While these thoughts settled within Vex's mind, Mira's 'tail' was expanding, increasing in size until it was double her own height. Unlike previous encounters, this variation's presence made even the metal frame within the building shudder and creak, the atmosphere about it growing thick and heavy.

[KuroKishi]

Giving Isaac a grateful nod and watching as he and Aurora disappeared through the door, Vex softly sighed and stepped forward. Silently, he approached the light switch and pushed it inward. A barely noticeable 'click' came from inside the mechanism as the wall next to it detached itself and then slid downward to reveal a large storage unit. Approaching the large freezer, the Thresher slid one of his hands along the surface of the machine and stared quizzically at it.

Ever since he had arrived in Nightfall, he had turned to a life more befitting of a... medieval person. Yes, his attire was not true to his lifestyle, but he ate and drank what was considered normal during those times. His mannerisms, both of speaking and behaving, were classy and filled with formality - so much, in fact, that a few of his clients would often get irritated and force him to stop it, lest they ceased partnership.

The city itself was really a chaotic mix of modern and old-fashioned buildings. There were a few sectors that kept an antique or present-day look, but the average section of Nightfall had at least one sci-fi bar next to a weathered western saloon. Electricity was used both often and sparsly. As one of his friends had explained him, places where electricity existed would often boom and consume other surrounding areas, as people would see the benefits of modern, current-powered systems and would immediately wish to ease their burden by using such machinery. However, spots that lacked this detail were very often kept unpowered. Mainly to keep the feeling of antiquity, he was told. At least the creator of Nightfall seemed to respect their wishes and supported them - each part of the sector had different street lights that depended a lot on the building behind them. Some were decorated wtih modern concrete posts with a light on top or special, modern, lightbulb-powered lamp posts, whilst others held the simplest of lamp posts that used gas or even candles. Looking at himself in the reflective surface of the metallic freezer hatch, Vex wondered just how much of the modern world he had missed.

"Heh... I'm just like an old man..." The man muttered as he swung the door open, then threw a look at the assortment of bottles on its inner side. Spotting the bottle of wine that Isaac wouldn't dare touch - because he hated that type of wine, really - the Thresher softly smirked and then put his hand forward. Tugging twice on the dark glass container's top, he heard a slight swing to his right and turned his head to spot a trapdoor that swung open. Shutting the freezer, the reaper turned and walked to the hole, then slowly climbed down the ladder. Taking a step inside of the small lit room, he threw a gaze at the different bottles lined on the shelves and attempted to pick out one bottle from the assortment of wines. Deciding on a red "Pessac-Léognan" from 1991, he pulled it out and then retraced back up the ladder. Pressing down onto the trapdoor, he sealed the entryway and then made his way to the light switch. With a quick tug onto the bottom corner of the switch, he freed the panel from the floor and let it slide back upward to hide away the compartment.

Now that he had the wine he wished to drink, the Thresher briskly moved and put the bottle down on the table. Then, retrieving a sparkly wine glass from a small cabinet in the kitchen area, he returned and took a seat.

"Ah... relaxation at last..." Vex spoke as he silently opened the bottle with a quickly-spoken incantation, then poured out some of the red concoction into the wine glass. Swapping the two items, he silently lifted the holder to his nose and took a whiff. A soft sigh of relief escaped his lips as he moved the glass edge toward them, then took a sip from the crimson liquid.

"...Sehr gut..."

 

----------

 

A soft mutter escaped the spectre's lips as noise from the outside bothered him and forced him back to conciousness. His eyes fluttered open and gazed out through the window, feeling the calming cold air that floated in through the opening.

"Mm.... wha..." He mouthed as he struggled to make sense of what his blurred vision held, but immediately widened his eyes and rose up when he saw what truly was outside. Dropping the empty bottle flat on the table because of his quick movement, the Thresher gazed out and at the huge, shadow-covered figure.

"What the heck...?" Vex spoke as he listened to the strange silhouette's words, his mouth agape in disbelief. Was Seghil, or whoever this shape was supposed to represent, really about to declare war on the world?

The Thresher suddenly gasped as the sky split apart, revealing a ray of light that pierced down from the heavens. Stumbling because of the unexpected brightness, he fell down past his chair and onto the floor. Screams, hisses and whimpers rang out from around the house as many of the forced denizens burned away because of the true light's strength. Vex, however, was strangely left unharmed by the holy shine.

Rising back to his feet quickly, the reaper watched the sky change. From the usual blue, white and golden that it used to be, it rapidly shifted, turning into a huge, dark cloud. Flashes and explosions erupted in the far distance, creating dots of light within the shroud that appeared and disappeared at random.

"He's ****ing crazy!" Vex groaned as he slammed both his hands down on the table and immediately dashed toward the door. Giving the couple inside a benefit of doubt by knocking on the door, he went in a few seconds later and noticed them already at the window, their expressions warped with suprise just as his was moments ago. However, unlike them, he also saw Mira, sitting in a chair just behind the two and drinking something.

"How did you-" He began speaking in an attempt to get her attention, but she immediately started to speak on her own and adressed the Shadowborne once the two had turned to stare at her. Soon, however, she disappeared. Taking a step back instinctively, Vex noted a strange feeling on his arm and shifted his gaze accordingly just in time to spot Mira.

"I..." The Thresher tried to adress her, but lacked the simple concentration to do so. However, he pushed down the instincts that raged within him and bluttered out a reply.

"I have sworn an oath, and I will follow it through... but Aurora is also a Sekher I owe...." The man responded, uncertainty evident even in his own tone. He would stick to those words for now, though, as he needed to be brave and decisive in the face of danger. At her next words, though, his expression shifted, turning darker and more panicked with each second.

"W-w-what do you think you're even saying?!" He began his defense - or, at least, tried to, as he stammered what he meant to say - as he pulled back from her own face. He swung his hands and gestured negatively at her whilst trying to keep calm.

"I-I did no such thing! My wife passed away, and I know nothing of my children - I don't know if I even had any to begin with! I-I couldn't possibly go and kill them!" Vex continued to speak, his hands trembling both with fear and unbound anger. Why, even when he knew it was a bluff, could he not act? Why did her words sound so convincing? Had Grim taken over him and killed his family moments before he had gone to that other dimension?

No, there was no time for him to do it. The first contact the Chain Reaper had ever had with the essence of the Magus of Demise was days after he had recieved the news of his old wife's passing. It couldn't have happened.

"Cut that damn crap!" Vex suddenly responded as his stance shifted, now more confident once he had rationalized things for himself. Staring at Mira as she turned to face Isaac, he gritted his teeth and squeezed his fist, anger boiling within him.

"What are you here for, Death Eater?" He asked her, his tone filled with annoyance, as his fist started to shine with power. Preparing for an attack, whether it was from her or from the newly-made hostiles, was a good course of action according to his current mindset.

 

[Thaelasan]

"Oh .... oh yes... I can guide you. Most certainly, if you have the need..." the old woman said quietly, sitting in front of him as the two of them gazed at the incense burning between them.

Isaac waved a hand to rid himself of the smoke, uncertain of its necessity in this moment. After all, he'd only been recommended this by Dusk, and he was a natural skeptic. Even though he'd seen magic become reality many times, to see the future was an impossibility... right?

"You doubt my abilities.." the old woman said, reaching into the folds of her robes. She withdrew a deck of cards.

"Tarot?" Isaac wagered.

"In a way, yes. The symbols are similar, but Tarot cards are false. Misguiding. Mine are Fate Cards. Truth."

She spread cards on the table quickly, without a word, leaving a perfect fan of cards.

"Select five... As your heart guides you.." the old woman said.

Isaac was about to simply grab them, but he suddenly stopped. A feeling grasped him, almost magnetic, drawing his fingers across each card as he drew five of them.

The symbols of a great, stone monolith, a brilliant star, two people in a field, a great blade and an angel, and a raggedy man in clothes barely fitting him stood in front of him. He'd drawn the raggedy one first.

"Ah... the Fool.. one who brings disaster without his knowledge, whether to himself or others...or simply a man misguided to find the proper path... A hero." the woman whispered, holding it aloft.

"Are you saying I am a fool?" Isaac asked, concerned. He didn't feel insulted. Rather, he felt worried.

"Not at all... perhaps it makes reference to another man's folly affecting you..Or you being an unwitting hero in a story you have been pulled within..."

She moved her hands to the next card, holding it up.

"The Sun. A star that affects all with its warmth or its fire. A kindly being who helps all." the woman said. "A good omen, in most cases."

She then reached for the third card hesitantly.

"The... Tower..." she muttered. "Either to protect something which requires salvation... Or to signify the beginning of a great fall.... Chaos incarnate..."

"What sort of fall?" Isaac asked.

"Pray that it is not the path you are doomed to follow." the old woman said with a frown, incense shrouding her face. She reached for the fourth card, her features turning warm and pleasant.

"Ah... the Lovers. This is a very good omen. Two people, bound by fate, to face the world together. Surely, this means great things for you, and very soon."

"And... the fifth?"

Isaac pointed at the card with trepidation. The woman winced.

"....Well.. It can have many meanings... Judgement.. that is.." she said quietly. "Renewal... Rebirth.. Absolution... Or..."

"Or?"

"Like the Tower... The end of all things...To begin again." she said with finality, beginning to pick the cards up.

But as she put them away, one, single, solitary card fell from her hands onto the table, flipping over as it passed through the air, seemingly guided by an unseen force.

Both of them stared at it. The old woman gasped.

A skull, white, peered from under a helmet. Its body, clad in the armor of a knight, rode upon a white horse across a blood-stained battlefield, carrying a banner marked with the figures XIII.

"And... what... does that card mean?..." Isaac asked, as the old woman hurriedly grabbed it.

"I'm sure it has nothing to do with you! Ignore it!" the woman said quickly, almost hopefully.

"....What is its significance?" Isaac asked, but she had already retreated back into her home within the tent, leaving him without having to pay. He dropped a few dollars on the table, confused, as he headed outside.

When he told Dusk about it, she gave him a small look, almost concerned.

"Isaac..." she began, uncertain.

 

"That card means Death."

 

-------

 

He sat now beside Aurora, and it all seemed to click together. A memory, surfacing below his subconscious - something he'd hidden - almost thrown away, unable to believe its accuracy - was now coming forth. Her premonitions were coming true.

A Fool... What everyone seemed to call him these days...

A Sun... The woman he'd given everything to gain the favor of..

A Tower... The great castle that he'd been forced to enter and leave several times, bringing him nothing but disaster since...

The Lovers... Surely it was Aurora and himself?...

And now... beyond the threshold of the window, out in the darkness of the city...

Could this be anything but a Judgement, in all its entirety, incarnate? Whether a great change for the better or worse.. for absolution or condemnation... This was surely some form of it.

Yet, still, if that card applied to him...

The card's skull of death seemed to laugh in his ears as it flashed in his mind, breaking him from his trance. He grasped Aurora to steady himself. She let out a cry of pain as she pushed him away, grabbing her shoulders nervously.

"That... that hurt!" she stated, annoyed. "Do you not know how to handle a lady?"

"I.. I'm sorry.." Isaac said, gazing at his hands in confusion. He'd almost acted out of instinct, to grab on to something to steady himself. He hadn't prepared for this sort of situation. A woman in his home besides Dusk. His friend relying on him. All these people looking to him for help or hating his name in their dark hovels. Power he had never known he would possess being given to him by a being that now called for the destruction of an unknown enemy. And all he could do was gaze at his human hands and question his own mortality.

"I really.. I really am the fool... No matter how much I tried to prove I wasn't... Or how much I accepted it... It's true either way... ja?..." he said quietly, shaking, his nerves taking hold. "I'm the Fool...."

He grasped his face, feeling the flesh under the gloves, the leather separating his sense of touch from his German features. It was cold. He still felt it. He was alive. This wasn't a dream. None of this was some sort of crazy dream or nightmare.. or whatever he could classify it as. He was awake now. A night had passed - a night with his Sun... And now this?...

He placed his hands on Aurora's shoulders and was about to speak when Mira's voice interrupted his train of thought. He gave her a glance as he turned to face her.

His first instinct was to attempt to grab that weak-looking throat of hers and wring the life from her. In this situation, in this moment, before him and the people he loved so dearly, she was CHIDING him? He flexed his hands instinctively with the thought.

But no, he wasn't THAT much of a Fool, and even if he COULD do it without trouble... Could he? Especially in front of Aurora? And give Mira that... satisfaction of turning into the beast he'd said he wouldn't become? No. Not yet, at least.

He took a deep breath to calm his nerves as Vex came into the room and argued with Mira, furious with her for stating lies. Obvious lies. Things that could never be true.

A man was the same man he always was. You could never change who you were at the core. Ever. You could change your appearance or your strength, but your soul can't be easily twisted.

Whether alive or undead, Vex would never be capable of such a monstrous act, even if the proof was brought in front of him and was irrefutable. He'd never give it a second thought. This Vex - the man standing in front of him, though burly and made of bone and fire - was the same Vex who had spoke fondly of his wife, wishing to hold her again. He'd spoken of children he seemed to remember in passing, as the memories faded. Vex may not remember now, but Isaac did.

When Vex had been... well, ... a young Thresher, he'd still had many memories of his life before undeath. But over time, those memories had faded, and he'd begun to question how true they were. Isaac had come to understand Vex had hidden them, believing them false, that he wasn't a good enough man to have a wife or a child, let alone multiple children. But Isaac knew otherwise.

The Vex he had first met was - still was - an honorable being who could never murder those he loved, no matter how insane he became. In that fit of berserker rage, he would still understand what he was doing, and stop. In fact, he'd face the gun at his own head before he'd dare to pull the trigger on those close to him.

"Stop." Isaac finally said, putting a hand on Vex's chest. "Wasting your words on this * of Seghil is meaningless. Completely."

He gave her a firm, furious look before returning to his normal composure, his hand still on Vex's torso. He could feel the heat of the thresher's constantly burning flame under his gloves. But it wasn't a painful flame. It was a flame of life. He needed that flame now, when his mind and body felt so cold in this moment of panic.

His brother was here. His beloved was here. And this witch and her master - no matter what he had done for Isaac - were doing unforgivable acts of treachery and wickedness, as it seemed. Maybe later, it would turn out that Seghil was saving Nightfall. But as it seemed now, he was fighting a needless war with an unseen foe.

"If you come to insult people's honor, then at least have the common courtesy to explain to them the meaning behind it." Isaac removed his hand from Vex's body and let it fall to his side. "I don't know who we're fighting or why we're doing it, but I know what's important to me. It's not those damn children and their *** father hiding in that stone monolith - that Tower. It's definitely not Seghil's interests, no matter what he did for me, and if he wants to take this power away because of my hesitation, then he's free as hell to do it.

The things important to me aren't this damn city or any of the people who waste their lives in it, fighting each other and arguing whenever possible. No. It's this woman right here who brought sunlight into my dark life, and this blood brother here who taught me one... very important rule of life..."

He leaned into Mira's shadowy aura, resisting the pressure that caused the building to creak under its power, and placed a finger on the chest she was so self-conscious of, daring her to strike him, knowing she would, and desiring it.

"A man chooses. A slave obeys. And I choose to ask a very pretty, powerful servant of Seghil to open a portal to Limbo so I can do what I need to do to see my beloved back to her brilliant shine. Then... and only then... will I do whatever it takes to see this war done. And if you can't understand why I want to do it, then I can't understand you either."

He stepped back, removing his hand from her, and putting it in the pocket of his jacket.

"We are people. Not toys. The rest of Nightfall may be little playthings for you, Mira, and yes - it's extremely painful when you drain me of my power - but if you want me to entertain you, you're going to need to set the stage for me to act upon. And that stage is Limbo. Otherwise.." he put his thumb back and grinned. "I'll head back to my trailer with my girlfriend here and my brother and sleep this off until we either die or this battle's over - which ever comes first."

He brushed his hair back with a smile and crossed his arms, his arrogant gaze returning to his eyes.

"Sounds like a fair deal, ja?" he asked curtly.

Aurora had her hand to her chest that whole time, unable to speak. She knew full well of Mira's abilities, as well as Seghil's, so to see Isaac go against her - no matter how foolish it was - made her a bit happy. As a treat for him, she wrapped her arms around his left and leaned against him, pleased.

"Indeed.." she said slyly. "I think my Fool here has made... a well-spoken proposal...to me, anyway.."

Her voice was still slightly weak, but a hint of confidence bled through.

[Clown_of_God]

For a moment, Mira remained silent, staring blankly at Isaac, then she smirked, and finally she began laughing hysterically. In retort, the building began to groan even more so than it had been until her laughter died back down. Wiping a tear that dared to spill across her cheek, Mira took a few deep breaths to regain her composure and once more there was silence. As the silence carried on, the room grew eerily still until an eruption of energy shot forth from her body and pinned Isaac to the opposing wall. Mere centimeters from his face, Mira ran a finger up and down his torso while the warmth of her breath danced across Isaac's cheek.

 

"You really are a fool. At least treat me out to dinner and a movie first before you go and tease me, but that's not why I'm calling you a fool. Of course, it's not entirely your fault for not knowing, but understand that I don't possess the ability to just toss people into Limbo. I consume.

There are only two people who possess said ability and that's my Papa, who shouldn't come as a surprise to you, and then Queen of Control, Luthinia. Now, before you run off to find Miss Luthinia, let me inform you of one other little detail that I probably would've enjoyed more when you found out the hard way. There's no getting back out of Limbo. Closest you can get is being sealed within a set space within Limbo. For instance, the crystal in which Miss Aurora's powers are stored. A visual display. Break it, poof. Gone. Said space is gone, absorbed into the nether that is Limbo's reality.

On to the next little piece of free chicken I plan on sharing, her powers aren't... completely gone, but they're not as easy to regain as yours or monsieur Vex's were. Unlike the both of you, hers were a birthright, given to her at birth and officially marked at her Wright. When a Sekher is stripped of their powers, chances of ever getting them back are slim to none. In her case, Papa informed Miss Luthinia to draw out enough so that she is officially... err... discarded, but has a possible chance of regaining them. How? Don't ask me. Never seen it happen before, doubt it ever will."

 

By this point, Mira was in her typical cross-legged seated position, floating within the air. For emphasis, she had acquired a pair of glasses and was pointing her finger in the air in a similar fashion to a teacher. Of course, she had released Isaac by this point, knowing all too well that her form of 'punishment' probably barely even phased the Shadowborne. Still, it made her feel a bit better knowing she had just tossed him across the room like a rag doll... or a puppy... either or and it would have to suffice.

 

"Finally, to add a bit of inspiration to your lax cause and ill will to participate in this war that was summoned by Papa, how about I inform you of a little bounty placed on the head of your beloved? Oh! You didn't know about that, did you? Why would she keep such an important piece of information from you if she was your significant other?

Yeah, the former Light of the Sekher residence has a nice little bounty placed on her by some... interesting groups. Not so much the residents of Nightfall, rather some other residents of some... opposing cities. Why, you might ask? As I'm sure you're very aware, Master Venheim isn't the most tolerable, patient, or peace-loving sort of dragonoid. No, these are some of the enemies of the Sekher's in which Venheim left a negative impression and now his children are on their death list, especially the one he had treasured the most. Yes, that's right, with this war raging on... the possibility that some of these Hunters will come looking for her, find her, and attempt to kill her are very likely. If you think your newly acquired shadow powers are enough to hide the two of you, let me throw this at you... where do you think Venheim got his scars?"

 

Smiling, Mira gently landed back on the floor and wandered over to Vex, weaving her arm through his and rubbing her cheek against him. As she did, some of his aura began seeping off and into her mouth, that still held the same smirk from moments ago. Not much was absorbed, but there was a definite shift in her expression. Growing more excited and satisfied than before.

 

"If you truly wish to know what your human life was like, those hazy memories, I can open them up for you. Of course, you gotta succumb to that wild side of you in return. I like dark, dangerous men and when you went rampant... the scent. It was intoxicating. Well, second to Papa's but it's always nice to try something new."

[Thaelasan]

Isaac wiped his jacket off, his back aching lightly from the impact. No matter how playful she wished to be, Mira could have crushed a mortal into less than atomic particles if she had done the same to them. He popped his shoulder slightly to get feeling back into it.

"It seems you at least understand my intentions." Isaac had his hand on his right shoulder, rubbing it softly with his left hand. "It's a start."

As he listened to her words, his face became increasingly concentrated in thought, his brow furrowing. Several ideas passed through his head, desiring to be given attention. But he brushed them away like the dust from the leather of his clothing, focusing on the crucial parts.

Well, Luthinia was out of the question. As a servant of her father and Seghil, she was a mixture of their conflicting interests. He had no idea who she was more faithful to, but he was heavily assuming it wasn't her "dear flesh and blood." Knowing Seghil, he'd actually desired Aurora's weakening as well, all to play a part in some twisted stage play he was watching unfold as his method of "entertainment." Or, perhaps he hadn't asked Luthinia at all, and it was old rivalries or a desire to usurp the Sun of the family? Too many variables, and not enough information to go on - nor did he think he'd find enough to make a decisive conclusion; at least, not until this "war" or whatever it was ended.

He was going to act on the assumption now that Seghil was twisting everything in Nightfall in some way to follow a story he'd either written or was writing. This made sense, considering his sudden meeting with Aurora, Venheim's interference, and the rest of the events that had followed. He'd been led straight into Seghil's hand, and had accepted it without question - like.. well, a Fool. And now it was coming back to bite him.

Seghil had no obligation to the wishes of his servants. That much was certain. He doubted even Mira could ask him for a favor without owing him greatly, and she was his... daughter.

Apparently Seghil had some sort of daughter-complex, or vice versa. He chuckled a bit at the thought, then quickly regained his composure as though nothing had happened.

Minutes were passing as he sat in silence, Mira finishing her "lecture" with her glasses adorned. If he hadn't had bad blood with the girl, he'd have found her adorable, or endearing in some way. But - as it was - all he could find her was irritatingly condescending and annoyingly arrogant. However, so was he, and Seghil.

All this arrogance was causing these sort of issues in the first place. He really needed to learn how to lay off the narcissism.

"Luthinia is out of the question." Isaac stated after a moment, drawing Aurora's eye. "She has no obligation to her family or any reason to help us. As it is, I don't doubt she'd try to kill Aurora and I the moment we stepped foot back into the ... the Tower.

And as for Seghil, unless it 'entertained' him, like with you, he's probably just as unlikely to do it as Luthinia would. Aurora being drained leaves a very nice plot-twist for him to exploit for his amusement, making us run in circles trying hard to regain her power. He's probably laughing at me right now for letting it happen, even though I couldn't have stopped it, ja?"

He put his hand to his chin, deeper in thought.

"My challenge to Venheim still stands... doesn't it..?" Isaac asked, realizing something crucial. "He's infuriated with me and he's desiring his daughter's reclamation for whatever reason... but he's still bound by the shadow duel... and the time for the fight is drawing near. I can't ignore it either."

As though to emphasize the point, a spark of shadow energy beamed from his chest, over his heart. He clutched it knowingly.

"We're tied. Time is ticking." he stated, irritated. "Whatever happens after, I have to face him - whether to prove I need his help, or prove he should help me, ... or to die painfully and then be done with all this madness..."

He brushed his hair back and sighed, just as a familiar voice beamed from the doorway.

"Ohhhhh... Mirrrraaaaaaaa...."

Dusk's head was in the doorway now, grinning. She moved into the room quickly, almost skipping.

"It's so GOOD to see a sorceress sister. I woke up a little early... or.. earlier than usual tonight... because I thought you'd hear my summons... Unless you came just because you felt needed?" Dusk asked, holding out her hand to Mira politely.

Whether she accepted it or not, Dusk continued to speak, gesturing to Isaac.

"Yeah. We're in a bit of a bind, y'know?" she said, looking at her fingernails and then turning back to Mira with a sly smile. "So we're kinda running low on options. Hence why I called you. And I'm very thankful you came, of course. I know you're usually busy with Seghil's tasks or something. We don't talk much anymore."

She said the last bit with a lot of depression.

"I mean.. you're the one who taught me the vampyric spells. The lost ones. And I thought you had more to teach... But that's unimportant now. I called you for one favor - a trade, actually."

She reached into her bag and retrieved three crystals, holding them out.

"You help us get to Limbo. Isaac, me, and I guess the other two slackers. Don't worry about helping us get out. Doesn't matter to you if we get trapped, right? I know you can't personally do it, but you also know the mimic spell, unless you lost it. You can copy Luthinia's spell, right? Open a portal to the same location in Limbo she did?"

She held the crystals out temptingly.

"One of these is coalesced from Isaac, when his powers were at their height, filled with his anger when he was going for Aurora. Something you won't find often. Loving vengeance, right?"

Isaac blinked at her words, realizing her trickery, but kept silent.

"Then there's one from Aurora... from before she lost her powers.. Something you didn't get much thanks to Venheim's interference. You couldn't eat a lot of her powers. You didn't even get to drain her. Luthinia did it. But this is a bit of her Sun power. When she was happy to meet Isaac."

Isaac began to realize - yet again.. she had planned for this. When she had shook hands with Aurora though it was unlike her... She was taking her power... Just enough to hopefully get Mira's attention.

"And.. finally, sorry Vex... but..." she held out his crystal too, giving him an ashamed look. "This one is from a LONG time ago, when you used to fight Isaac. It's not as strong as now, but it's filled rage, when he was at his angriest. So, a crystal of shadowy Love, sunlit Happiness, and fiery Anger, three emotions that you've said yourself - taste the best, and are the hardest to get when they're at their prime. And I have more of these, from all the years I've known Vex and Isaac. The Aurora one.. I was saving it... But.. I think this calls for it, wouldn't you agree?"

She put them back in her bag, tying it up.

"Now, if you can't do this, then I understand. I'll find another person who knows that spell, or something. I may need your help later on. You'll get these crystals one day. But you know how much these emotions are worth to Vampyric mages. There aren't that many of them.. but they're pretty rich. I could get a good price.. Maybe."

She bowed courteously.

"And even if YOU won't do it, I'd give you the crystals just for the spellbook the Mimic spell is in. Even for a one time use. I know Seghil frowns upon it.. At least, I think he does. He's the only one that uses it now. Plus another hundred 'forbidden' spells he uses every day. And you know all of them. And we really need it. Can't you do anything, Mira? I don't want to sound desperate, but.."

She gestured to the room with a frown.

"We're at a loss. And without Aurora at her full power, how can we fight off those Hunters?"

Isaac tried to interrupt but she silenced him.

"Isaac. Mira's right. Even if you beat five of them, there were a LOT, and they're out for money from the highest bidder. They will die making our lives miserable. We have no hope of fighting them all forever without everyone at their strongest. Just trust me for once. Jeez. You can't take on everything."

Isaac shuffled his feet while Aurora patted his shoulder assuredly.

Dusk turned back to Mira, hopeful.

Edited April 7, 2015 by Thaelasan

[Clown_of_God]

Mira was on Dusk's back, looking over her shoulder's intently as soon as the sorceress had pulled out the crystals. They were mesmerizing and the smell was certainly something that was like a high tier meal in a Class 5 district. Almost drooling, Mira snapped back to reality and hopped off her partner's back and stepped back a few paces, looking at the woman sternly before heaving a sigh.

 

"Dusk, my friend, you should know it's not within my capability to just drop things into Limbo. Sure, copy Miss Luthinia's ability, put the three, or is it four, of you in Limbo and then what? Spend years searching for her power, hope the two are still compatible, and then... create an exit? Papa just might fall in love with you if you manage to get out of Limbo."

 

Looking at the crystals once more, Mira bit her lower lip for a brief moment and a look of disdain washed across her face when Dusk put them away into her bag. Those were delicacies and Dusk was playing every angle to get Mira to do her bidding. It was painful, knowing that this woman was hitting each nerve in the right fashion. Groaning, Mira turned her back to the group and in the same instant her 'tail' grew so enormous that it wrapped around the room and squeezed everyone into the center.

 

"By the way, Isaac, I lied to you. Every aura, essence, energy I consume, I'm able to use that beings abilities. So, your shadows are useless against me, Vex's soul gaze would only be reflected back at him (not that it hasn't happened once already), and because I'm one of Papa's daughter's we have immunity to the sun.

Anyway, I'm getting off track, I feed off Papa consistently so creating a portal into Limbo is obviously something I'm capable of, but... it makes me really hungry. I don't like being hungry, so I don't openly do it, but for those crystals... I hope the sun's despair is as... sweet as it smells."

 

Hovering above the group, her tail's maw was wide open and a sinister, empty aura poured from its gape. With her toothy grin, Mira winked, blew a kiss and the tail came down upon them and a world of darkness surrounded them. Popping her head in, Mira looked about and then at the group, pulling a piece of paper from within her jacket and replaced the glasses she had been wearing moments ago.

 

"Okay, my name is Mira Neuvhorn, I am your host here in Limbo and during the course of this ride, please refrain from irritating, feeding, fighting, destroying, consuming, touching, smelling, tasting, listening, and seeing any of the creatures that pass your way. Keep your hands and feet within the boundaries at all times, otherwise... you might get sucked into a separate area of Limbo where no one except Master Seghil has access to and the Universe's most deadly creations reside. If you are hungry, have to use the restroom, or you start getting tired, refrain from attempting any of said activities otherwise you will become a permanent party of this world, blah, blah, blah. Yada, yada, yada. So on and so forth... Oh! Time here is different than in the outside world, one minute here relates to an hour outside. Obviously the longer you take within the forbidden realm, the less you'll have to return to on the outside. So, if you wish to participate within this war whatsoever or have a home to return to... I suggest you make your search quick. By the way, did I remember to inform you that locating a specific item within this realm can take years? Yes? I was referring to the time standards here, not outside. Questions, comments, concerns? No? Good. Enjoy your trip, hope you find a way back."

[KuroKishi]

Vex struggled to keep himself together as he stared at Mira, his gaze focused at her own as she hovered in front of him. His blood seemed to boil as the heat from his body became evident and started to warm the room like a fireplace... but slowly, it was transcending the comfort zone and turning dangerously hot. Stripes of energy flew from the tip of his fist, spiraling around his lower arm and fading away into the air. The Thresher seemed really pissed as he stared at Mira's back, wondering just how a hole forced through her chest by his own fist would look like. His wish seemed to slowly near reality as he lifted his fist up...

Until Isaac suddenly appeared in front of him and placed a hand on his chest. The heat burned away at the leather of his gloves, but he seemed to pay no heed as he spoke to the reaper. Making eye contact with the Shadowborne, Vex stood silently, his body seemingly unchanged by the man's efforts... but soon, he sighed, hot air escaping his mouth, and dropped the fist to his side. By now, the flames on his body slowly calmed down until they reached their standard heat levels.

Only now that he had gotten his senses back could the Thresher really focus on the other things around him. Silently, he stared at Isaac, his eyes slightly narrowing as they gazed at his expression. Though he still seemed the same, the spectre knew something was wrong. His stance wasn't that confident. What had happened to him? What could make Isaac's body and heart tremble, even for a moment, out of fear?

Thankfully, the man seemed to calm down as he continued speaking with Mira, his usual bravery shining through at that moment. Stepping forward and placing a finger on the young woman's chest, he seemingly dared for her to strike at him, and spoke the words Vex had recited only a few hours ago. Though the effect of time was minimal... the Thresher was left without words and could only listen to the words that came from the man.

 

Isaac played tough. He was a human, just like many others on this planet. Many could argue that they were the weakest species, since they relied so much on technology and so little on magic that their only usefulness was making mundane things less mundane. What differentiated him was his shadow powers, his new Shadowborne status... and his recklessness.

One could call him brave, reckless, arrogant, confident... but many would choose not to. Their intelligence could never appreciate this trait of his for what it was - one of the key human characteristics, perseverance.

Almost everyone thought he was but a fool.

But what made him exactly a 'fool'?

His unwillingness to back down.

Yes, Isaac was a fool for sticking to what he thought was right... but did not everyone do that?

Everyone had ideals that they believed in. Everyone had a lone mindset that guided them through life.

For one side... he was a fool. Reckless, arrogant, brash... ready to do anything to get what he wants.

But for another... he was a hero. Brave, confident, upright... ready to do anything for what was right.

As long as he remained on this side, Vex would think of him... as a hero.

 

Snapping out of his thoughts after Isaac's words to Mira, he watched her laugh. His eyes narrowed as the building creaked under the pressure of her power. Then, as she came to an end, the Thresher spotted a tendril of energy move through the air. Before he could somehow react, Mira had already pinned him to the opposite wall and was speaking in his face.

For a moment, the reaper felt confused about staring at an older man pinned by a younger girl, and especially because of Mira's usual mannerisms. After silently making the connection that she was no mere girl, however, he shook his head, gave himself a soft bash on the side of the head and continued to gaze at her.

Apparently, there were only two that could send people into Limbo - Seghil and Luthinia. That... practically meant there was no entry to Limbo, as none of the two would directly turn and allow them entry to those lands - after all, Seghil was the one that had ordered Aurora's Judgement, and Luthinia was the one to go through with it.

The next bit of information only served to discourage them more, really. Aurora's powers were a birthright, unlike Vex's and Isaac's. The two had claimed it through a rough method of assimilation and training, but it had always come from another donor... and it was always a transaction forced by them. Aurora, however, had to reintegrate the power she had lost into her own core, which was now weakened. Practically, that meant she would need to forcibly increase her magical storage to be able to contain the power and then, without any transformation, bind it to her will. This was a tougher process, as power assimilated and changed into a familiar version was easy to use. Aurora would not only need to get the power, but she would need to bind it to her own ruling again and be able to contain it properly so that it did not disappear. It would kind of equal covering some of your belongings so they don't fly off because of the wind.

The last news that Mira had truly caught both Isaac and Vex off guard. Aurora had a bounty on her head. It was probably something truly pricy... probably more than the entire C sector combined, both in estates, lives and any gold that belongs to it, no matter where it is stored. Even Venheim had not managed to escape his enemies, as she hinted with her last words about his scars. A frown appeared on the Thresher's expression as he shared a gaze with Isaac.

Suddenly, he felt something along his body and moved his eyes to stare downward. There was Mira yet again, and right now, she was slightly embracing him. As she rubbed her cheek against his chest, some of his energy started floating out and absorbing itself into her. He watched her sternly as she turned to gaze at him, the excitement and satisfaction in her eyes meeting with the bound fury and irritation in his own. At her touch, his skin started to flare up again, which probably slightly burnt her cheek.

"Mira... shut up. I know you're lying, and I am pretty sure that I could never do what you had said I'd done moments ago. I also don't care if you like my aroma and taste better when I get pissed. I'm not going to be your... meal. Go chew your father off already." He replied bitterly as he cut off the flow of power to her and promptly pushed her back. The drain had only lasted seconds, but it had affected his lungs and he was forced to breathe in and out clearly for a couple of moments to regain the steady rhythm in his respiratory system.

As he attempted to turn to look at Isaac, a new voice caught the Thresher's attention and he turned instinctively toward the corridor that lead to the house's entrance. From the familiar doorway emerged a familiar figure - Dusk.

Throwing a quizzical eyebrow up as she walked in and absolutely brilliantly teased Mira with her words, he stared at her and wondered just what she was trying to do. The smiles, the soft tone, the teasing... it all started to piss him off yet again, really, but at a slower pace in comparison to Mira's actions.

As Dusk procured three crystals from her bag, however, Vex went from confused to outright baffled. His eyes shone a bright red as he rummaged through the contents of the crystals, his magical core managing to scan over the power within them.

The first was definitely Isaac's. The color was a swirling black, the power was dark and reeked of shadow, and the world within contained moments of Isaac's rush toward the Sekher manor. Flashbacks within seemed to capture the emotions of the man as he got passed the guards and freed Aurora from her cell.

The second... seemed to be Aurora's. The crystal had a bright, hazel-yellow color that seemed to pulsate ever so often, and the power within was bright and glowed warmly. Frames of time slid past him as he stared at the feelings of the young woman from when she had met Isaac... and had grown to like him.

The third, however... made Vex really pissed. It was his own strength. The crystal glowed brightly with a crimson color that seemed to burn under the crystalline surface, causing it to slightly radiate heat off. Gazing into the contents of the seal, he could recall a time long ago, where he used to fight Isaac. This could very well be from their first fight, where Vex was absolutely mad because Isaac claimed he was a villain and he was actually just protecting himself, but no one would believe him.

"You..." Vex muttered as he gazed at Dusk, his eyes burning with red. The pressure within the room seemed to only increase as his body turned hotter and the flames grew bigger. Smoke came from the corners of his mouth, billowing out, whilst his teeth gritted themselves together angrily. It all would remind one of a rabid, angry wolf - glistening eyes, filled with fury; a vicious, ferocious snarl, constantly quivering with rage; and hot air, escaping from the sides of its mouth and from its nostrils, mimicking its temper as it reached a boiling point.

The Thresher seemed to be extremely close to changing, as his clothing was starting to warp to its black and blood red colors yet again - the same which had appeared during his moment of anger at the castle - but, for now, he was keeping it together, even if barely. The room seemed to simulate just how close he was, as thin cracks appeared along the walls and it became hot as a furnace.

With the new revelation Mira had for them, Vex came even closer to breaking down. By giving them these three crystals, Dusk was practically rendering her immune to her efforts. This would come back to bite them in the rear sooner or later, and, though he knew he couldn't do much about it, the Thresher breathed out rapidly and growled, making him seem like a dog, ready to jump at someone but currently snarling and just waiting for a right moment.

As the group was consumed by Mira's tail and sent into Limbo, Vex stood silently, his intents seemingly unclear. His body was still as hot as molten steel on touch and gave off tons of heat, but he was silently standing in one spot, his arms crossed and his eyes shut. Only once he truly sensed that Mira had seperated herself from them and had torn them 'into' Limbo did he release a soft breath.

"So..." He began, turning to Dusk with a nasty expression that seemed to stare daggers not into, but through her body.

"You've been doing the same damn thing as she has been doing... for far longer than she has..." Vex continued, his tone turning worse by the second.

"You have been taking away from my power, as well as Isaac's and Aurora's, even before we first met her..." The reaper seemed to speak as his appearance warped slowly, the skin from his bones flaking away as if embers falling off a tree to reveal the new, dark color underneath. His clothes went through a change, too, as a slow flame spread from random points along them and engulfed the white, turning it to dark. In the end, Vex was left in his new, anger-induced form. Smoke billowed from his nostrils and the sides of his mouth, floating away and disappearing into the dark abyss. His closed eyes leaked an aura that seemed deadly on its own, and his body was shaking with anger.

"YOU!" The Thresher finished with a loud roar as he turned around and dashed off, disappearing into the darkness of the Limbo. He was pissed, and it was evident, as he cared not one bit about the warnings uttered moments ago and dashed off. His vision allowed him to avoid trouble, really, but for now, he would prefer being alone MUCH MORE than being around that...

 

 

(( Dun dun dun! ))

Edited April 10, 2015 by KuroKishi

[Thaelasan]

Isaac reached for Vex's cloak as his anger grew, hoping to calm him. He quickly withdrew his hand, the leather partially melted from the intense heat. He removed his glove from his right hand, the smoking material useless.

"Vex... that's not what..." Isaac began, but Dusk silenced him as they entered Limbo. She tossed Mira the bag and sighed.

"Emotions aren't power, Vex. Do you think I'm that ignorant of my Vampyric powers? I took what wasn't necessary. Bit by bit. Those crystals took years of small bits of power, drained over time when you were feeling those emotions. Your magic reflected it."

She crossed her arms irritably.

"Even before Seghil made you power sponges, I knew all three of you would be useful. And you're not the only ones I drained - but you're the most powerful. And... I'll admit, the taste was intoxicating. Mira can agree. It's hard to stop. I can at least be frugal in my theft. But she became so addicted to the taste that she-"

Before she could finish, Vex was stomping off. Dusk stared at him in amazement, appalled. She made a motion to stop him, but Isaac did it first.

He tackled Vex to the ground right as the Thresher stepped on the boundary. The two of them were now gazing out into a dimension they could not comprehend. Thousands of timelines and spaces were merging here. Trees, people, plants, animals... things they had not seen and would never see. Isaac shut his eyes quickly, his brain giving him a headache. His body burned from grabbing Vex, but he ignored the pain as his flesh began to crackle and sizzle.

"Dammit!" Isaac swore, lifting Vex to his full height with a bit of effort. The two of them flipped through several timelines before finally getting back to the "tram" Mira had created - but not before Isaac saw three more glimpses into time...

 

----

 

"That's not the path he chose! It's not!"

"How could you be sure? He was the one who began all of this. If it wasn't for him you'd still be my daughter! But instead you chose him! What sort of rebellion is this?! After all I did for you!?"

 

It was Venheim. It had to be. Isaac reeled from the emotions that poured into his mind. Anger. Betrayal. Hatred. He saw himself standing in Aurora's own mind, a figure of trust... And Venheim's... A burning devil.

Gods, it was excruciating. He couldn't truly understand it. Was this from the Wright?

"It is better now that he's dead.."

No... It couldn't be..

 

----

 

"Aurora! No!"

"I suppose... the death of a Sun... is unavoidable.. even after everything you did..."

It was him. It had to be. And Aurora. Her voice was still honey to him, though weak. He felt the depression. The remorse. The anger.

But who was that figure standing with the bloody blade in the distance? With the large features? The huge figure?

The voice of a familiar Thresher broke the silence as Isaac and Aurora turned to him, dismayed.

"Brother, it's better for all of us if it ends this way, after what she began. After what's happened. This is the best I could do..."

 

----

 

"It's so bright! The sun is so blinding! Beautiful! Isaac I'm so happy you showed it to me!"

"It was nothing, meine Sonne. Nothing at all. But..."

"But you wish Vex could have enjoyed it with us?.... We both do... I promise you that.."

Vex? When?

Isaac's brain stung like it was being attacked by wasps. He cried out, spinning in circles within a closed space, unable to understand what was up and what was down...

 

----

 

"Isaac!"

A warm, female hand clutched his shoulder and pulled him backward. But it also felt as though he was being drawn forward. Or to the right or left. He had no more sense of direction. But he went with the force - wherever he was being pulled. He dragged... Vex? Who was this being in his arms? Vex was dead. He had seen him die. Just now. And so was Aurora. And.. so was he. It was so real. So insanely real...

"Isaac! Get out of there NOW!"

That was Dusk's voice. And it was close. Was that just another image? Another foreshadowing? It couldn't be.... Not now....

And it echoed. All of these words echoed. His entire life was an echo. An afterimage. A predecessor. A current event. It was all three. Past. Present. Future. And then it wasn't. He understood it all now... Existence. What Seghil felt. What he saw. He could see all of this. Seghil was no mere man. He was an entity. They were all entities, but he was a true entity. In all of these timelines he was there. In all of these futures, he was present. He was necessary for them to continue. But why? How? Did that mean that only the timelines he was in existed, or he only allowed those with him in them to exist?

Yes. That was it. He used Limbo to destroy timelines without him. End them. He could see it now. The shattering of epochs and spaces like glass. Meaningless glass.

 

----

 

"Isaac?"

He awoke, his eyes flickering open silently. He blinked several times. He still felt those images in his mind. Several times over. And he felt as though they would never leave.

"Aurora?!" he cried, grasping her firmly but lightly about the shoulders. "Aurora!? You're ok? You're alive!?"

"... I believe so... But we didn't think you would be...." Aurora whispered. "You were screaming about Vex being dead. And me... And yourself. We've already been moving here for a while now..."

"And Vex?"

 

(( Did Isaac rescue him!? ))

[Clown_of_God]

Meanwhile, in the world outside, things had grown so chaotic that only those who enjoyed such events felt it was just a normal day. Mira wasn't present within the battlefield that now raged just outside the city, but her sister, Kira, was actively engaging whoever dared to oppose her. Four distinct tendrils extended from her rather unusual piece of headgear, lashing out at those that neared and practically obliterated them with one swipe. Humans, demons, angels, whatever approached her with hostility was slain with added emphasis. Yet, unlike her sister, there was no enjoyment or sense of exhilaration as she casually walked through the wasteland. No, all that could be felt from the girl was emptiness. It was eerie and it drove the weaker opponents away.

 

As the battle drew to an end, Kira retracted her tendrils and the headpiece vanished, leaving the white haired girl to look rather... natural. With so little as a second glance, Kira turned and returned to the city, pausing when her sister lunged at her and bound her in a tight hug.

 

"You did GREAT out there. Papa says you can take a rest now, as there shouldn't be any more problems. Also, if you see any of our other siblings, please inform them that Papa has requested their audience. Seems we've stirred the beast, now we just gotta see if it shows up."

 

"Nnn, I will."

 

"Great! I'm gonna go have a little fun now, see you in a little bit!"

 

"Nn."

 

With that, the two separated and Kira continued for a moment until she decided walking bored her. Within a moment, she was within the dark confines of a room, decorated with white curtains and rugs. In the far corner was a bed, neatly made that she approached, sitting at its edge and laying back. Adjacent and on the far end of the room was a door where a knock echoed in the empty confines.

 

"Where's your sister, Mira?"

 

"Playing."

 

"I see. Get some rest, my doll, things are going to get interesting here in the next few days."

 

"Nn."

 

((In case you're curious, Kira looks something along these lines: Kira))

 

((Kira and Mira))

 

((Chibi Kira and Mira))

Edited April 8, 2015 by zakku_uchiha

[Thaelasan]

(( Did you honestly link to Sankaku. On this site. Zakku no. ))

 

Isaac rubbed his head, trying hard to recuperate. He felt... distant, yet close. He no longer felt of this plane at all. But at the same time, he understood his place in time. Time wasn't set, but neither was it allowed to run free. He could see, now, the lines where time diverted here, and what one choice would do.

"....I know where Aurora's power is..." he said quietly, Dusk turning to him with confusion.

"How could you possibly know that?" she asked, concerned and skeptical.

"It's where it's always been. Where it will always be. There are no locations in Limbo. Only destinations." Isaac tried in vain to explain. How could he explain something so inexplicable, yet easily understood? It was like an opinionated fact, or a factual opinion. It wasn't concrete, yet it was as solid as stone. Limbo was both a thought and an existing object. It was like the dream of some ancient being, who was far beyond understanding, yet as average as the common bystander.

He reached his hand out, grasping like one would for a doorknob. As though a door swung open, time seemed to shift as he pulled backward, revealing another black void in Limbo which was full of nothing.

"Limbo has no map, but it has paths..." Isaac said as best he could, walking into the apparent doorway. "It knows everything about us. It always has. Always will. No matter what choices we make, it has made a path for those choices... And yet, at the same time, we have free will to choose whatever we want..."

"Isaac, that doesn't make any sense. How do you know where to go then?" Dusk asked again.

Aurora nodded, concerned.

"Isaac... are you... feeling alright?" Aurora asked thoughtfully, tugging on his jacket to slow his movement. "Are you sure you know what you're doing?"

"No... But at the same time, yes. I know how Seghil has gained all this power. How he has all this control. At least, I can assume... I can see all of it.... Limbo is like the shadow of existence. It has no set plane or time of its own. But it desires one. And as such..."

"You can see through it... Because of your shadow control.... Like Seghil and Venheim.... That explains a lot... actually.." Dusk commented, hand to her chin. "But then if he knows what is going to happen..."

"No. He can't know the future. No one can. It's impossible to predict it, even using Limbo." Isaac said sternly. "But we can assume based on our paths what the outcome will be. That's what he's done. He assumes. Because he controls a lot of the choices we make, he can guess what will happen. He watches what we do. It entertains him..."

He reached forward again, but this time with his foot. A staircase, invisible, yet ethereal, guided their footsteps to a new destination.

This time, they entered a field familiar to Isaac and Aurora. In the distance, two figures stood, hands clasped.

"Are those us?" Aurora asked, pointing and turning to Isaac.

"Are us. Were us. Will be us. They're from a timeline that has both passed and hasn't reached that point. And it will happen again." Isaac said, grasping her hand in a similar way. "They are also passing through Limbo. Because Vex is trapped there."

"But he isn't.." Aurora began, at a loss for words. "You mean..."

"In that timeline, he moved in front of you, and was sealed instead. You and I escaped and began searching for him. There are timelines where Dusk was sealed, or died. Where I died. Where you died. Where we were both sealed. Numerous possibilities. All explored. All explained. Echoed."

"Echoed..." Aurora repeated, feeling out of sorts. She put a hand to her chest as they continued to walk, hesitant.

"Your power is sacred. It's something Venheim protects for good reason... It wasn't supposed to exist." Isaac suddenly said.

"What?" Aurora asked, confused.

"Aurora Sekher... In all timelines, dead. Never meant to be born. The one daughter of the Sekher who fell. But in one timeline where Seghil wasn't an influence, she survived. And flourished. But then died later in life, leaving her power behind to manifest." Isaac said.

"What do you... what are you even saying?" Aurora said, now utterly lost.

"You only survived in a few timelines. And in one of them, another Venheim showed up with Seghil's help, and took you away... You aren't from here." Isaac whispered, patting her on the shoulder.

"Why are you telling me this?!" Aurora asked.

"That's why your father locked you up." Isaac explained. "Because you were a sacred treasure that he had lost once. And replaced. And he feared losing you again. So your rebellion was especially hurtful. And that's why he sealed your power away. He wanted your power to stay for another Aurora."

"How... how many times has that happened?"

"I don't know... But I know that's what happened here... Because when I saw glimpses in Limbo.. Now and before... You weren't in this timeline... And when you were, you were static. Distorted. Even now."

"I don't... belong here?..." Aurora began, now afraid.

"You did. And you can again... We can fix it. I'm sure. But first we must go to where your power was sealed."

"And where, pray tell, is that?" Dusk asked, now slightly irritated.

"Where it was placed. Exactly when it was placed. In that point in time. Fixed. Immovable. Like all things in this plane of Limbo..." Isaac said, walking towards some sort of glowing object.

"Is that.. is that it?" Aurora pointed, placing a hand on it. It was warm, like a sun. Around it, An'zul and Luthinia were sealing countless Auroras in front of Isaac, in a great kaleidoscope of timelines.

"I've been here before. I saw that Sun. It guided me here. It's always been here. Your power has been in Limbo since it all began. You never truly held it. You only had access to it. It's the Source of all of this." Isaac replied.

Aurora gave him a questioning glance.

"But taking it won't be easy..." Isaac said, grabbing his skull. He'd been trying for a while to wrap his own mind around what he was saying. As he did so, a sudden spasm hit him, sending him reeling into yet another moment in time...

 

---

 

"As it stands, we are but pebbles in the rockslide that is time. And yet, are we unaffected by our movements? No. We constantly travel, unable to halt, unable to placate the unwavering fury of the traveling of time. And we are forced to obey."

The leader of the clan stood to his feet as he spoke, each of the members giving him a gaze. Young Isaac, barely of age to hold his position in the court, gave him his full attention - as was expected. His mother - before her descent into madness - sat next to him, a comforting hand on his lap to assure him that all was well.

"But it is said - beyond this plane of existence we are forced to eternally sit within by powers we cannot control - that there is a realm where we can truly shackle time, force it to follow US! We will become the rockslide, the storm, the rising tide! With that realm on our side, we could finally bring peace between our clans and achieve enlightenment! For what greater knowledge could there be from control of time!?"

A single man stood up, an elderly one. One of his eyes was cloudy with cataracts, the other obviously blind. No one questioned how he had come to be that way. His words held even more power than the leader's, and they knew it. When he spoke, his heavy, elderly German tongue sounded like creed rather than speech.

"Control of time? You young ones... You have no idea of the forces you'd be trifling with..." he coughed once, adjusting his useless glasses with a small frown. His aged beard trailed across his hands as he spoke.

"No... That sort of power should never be given to mortal hands, let alone ours. Not even an immortal being such as Kaiser Schwarze or The Great One should try his hand at altering or viewing time. It is a dangerous entity, not an idea or a thought. It has powers of its own, and it guides us with hands that know not pleasure or pain. It just flows, like a river. It is a being, and as such, should never be made to bend to the hands of things lesser than it. To do so would incur its wrath-"

The younger man gave the older man a glare as he interrupted him, sending a small gasp through the mouths of a few of the elder members, who respected the older one much.

"The wrath of time? You mean what you've already felt, old one?" the man said smugly. "Of course you would fear it, as your own time draws near its end. But for us younger ones, who have much to see before us, we still have a great power over time, and I know that if we tried to bend it to our will, it would obey us."

"You.. arrogant... foolish boy.." the older one shook his head gravely with disappointment.

 

"How little you know of time...."

 

----

 

As Isaac sat there, struggling, time began to bend, morphing around the group to match the thoughts within his mind. He stood to his full height, then stared at the "sky" above them, determined.

"There has to be a way to release your power from the bonds of time. We know where it is in space, and we can see it, but we cannot get it yet..." Isaac said, frustrated. "I can't think of anything now. If I try to access anything else, I'm going to lose my sanity. My head is already aching."

"I'm still not understanding anything about this." Dusk said, sighing. "If we can see it in front of us, why can't we just grab it?"

"Because it hasn't accepted this Aurora. That much I know. There are too many Auroras and the power belongs to all of them. It has to remember her. I can't explain it." Isaac said, grabbing his head to dull to pain as he winced.

"I wish I had some sort of remedy.." Aurora said, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"I'd use spells if I could, but I'm afraid of using any sort of magic in here." Dusk said. "Wherever this place is, its not in time or space, and its not giving him an easy time. His headache isn't caused by his brain, but his mind. He's dislocated. And it's only going to get worse the longer we stay here. We'll all get affected. I know that much."

"What do you mean?" Aurora asked, confused.

"This plane of existence is where Seghil seals stuff for a reason." Dusk gestured to the void around them. "It becomes dislocated in time, like a bone in a socket. We can no longer remember which timeline we're from. We begin jumping them randomly, our bodies staying in one place but our minds becoming unfettered. And if it continues, we'll be locked here forever, forced to watch different timelines without being able to do anything about it. And Mira's magic won't defend us from the Outside for long. Why would she need to waste a lot of magic on us?"

"What's the Outside?" Aurora asked, standing back up.

"The Inner Limbo is where time and space meet, a void, a pocket universe Mira gave us access to, where Aurora's power is. But sooner or later, this barrier will break, and Inner and Outside Limbo will meet and we'll have to fight a lot of strong to get out. And if it gave Seghil a problem..."

"I get it.. you have no faith in our combat abilities." Isaac grinned, standing hesitantly. He was shaking anxiously from the pain. "But I'll admit, with my head like this... I doubt I could be much help. Mira probably knew this would happen, too... And we're so close..."

"I'll see if I can figure out some kind of time spell to help get Aurora her power back. You need to rest." Dusk pushed him back down with one hand casually. "Aurora, give your lover something happy to think about to get his mind off the pain."

Aurora gave her a questioning glance.

"Flash him your underwear or do something even more risque. I don't know." Dusk waved her hand dismissively. "Jeez do I have to do everything around here? I'll do it myself if I have to."

She pointed at her own black skirt with a small smirk. Aurora blinked. Isaac stared with confusion, half in pain, half perplexed.

"But I already know you wear black." Isaac said plainly, making Aurora turn to him with a silent gasp.

Dusk frowned.

"I knew you looked you little ." she kicked his shin once and turned back to her work, pondering.

He grabbed his leg, wincing, as he turned to Aurora to try and explain it to her, but she only gave him a little grin as she leaned forward.

"I didn't know you took such risks.." she said, placing her head on her hands as she laid across from him. "I wonder if I'd be safe around you knowing that."

"Do you want me to try and guess yours too?"

"You guessed hers?" Aurora blinked.

"You'll never know." Isaac shrugged, grinning.

Edited April 10, 2015 by Thaelasan

[Thaelasan]

(( Bump? ))

[Clown_of_God]

((Okay, Kuro, we're gonna start off where we did in the chat... So... yeah. Hopefully I can get back into character/s.))

[Thaelasan]

The last thing he remembered was the feeling as the void brushed through... or perhaps upon.. his skin. It absorbed him, yet also repelled him. He had been there long enough. The escape had been simple, yet also complicated. Nothing in the void had made sense at the time. Even now, trying to remember it, he couldn't grasp the memories. All he remembered for sure was that shining light as Aurora had passed into the sun, after they had finally found it.

He was on the ground now, on all fours. Gravity was readjusting itself to him, and he was beginning to regain his balance. He coughed a few times, dust clogging his throat and lungs. Where the hell was he now?

"Be careful, Isaac." she had warned. "Leaving the void isn't easy. We probably won't all exit in the same place."

Isaac had given her a questioning glance, worried.

"It's based on memory. If two people share a memory, they will end up in that location. If three, or four, hold a place strongly in their mind, they may end up together. But remember, if we don't all leave in the same place... Look for me.. for us."

"I will, Dusk."

He stood back to his feet, coughing again. Why was it so dusty? Why was it so dark?

He moved his hands around, his eyes readjusting. The shadows weren't his friends here. They were trying to suffocate him. It was almost tangible, their black hands wrapping around his neck to take the life from him.

He pushed the thought aside and reached out further before he found a blockage that was preventing the light from entering this place. It was hard - cold. It was stone. It had to be.

He pushed it aside with a great amount of force. After a few tries, the rock slide from its position and fell to the earth beyond, allowing moonlight to seep through.

What time had it been when they had gone in? He couldn't remember now. Day? Night? It was night now. He squeezed through the hole, just as the rest of the rubble fell where he had been. The stone had been supporting it, barely.

Now he could see clearly, in this pale moonlight.

This was no shelter. This was a ruined home. And it carried a sense of familiarity. He stepped across broken statues and cobbled stone that had once been walls and floors, ceilings, stairs. Wood that had been doors. Glass that had been windows. Cloth and silk that had once been beds.

He found silver plates amidst the rubble, meant for dining, now simply reflecting the cold light. It was a scene of destruction - of despair. For some odd reason, he felt sad.

He continued to move across it, as the only sound around him was the wind. No voices. No sounds of dining. No celebrations. Those were the sounds of the night he was used to. He almost tripped a few times, things hiding in the shadows creating obstacles for him.

He coughed again. The dust was becoming thicker now, though these ruins looked old and far abandoned. The dust should have settled long ago.

Something was gleaming in the moonlight, far from him. He felt drawn to it. He stepped over the rocks and stone, wood and cloth, and headed for it, confused and disoriented.

When he finally came to it, his face fell further. He knelt down, now absolutely certain where he was.

It was his gun, the one he had thrown to an old opponent as an act of youthful aggression, of stupidity and blind devotion. Now, it was a silent reminder of who he had once been, a man without a cause or motivation besides enjoyment. A quiet testament to ignorance - to a fool.

And behind it lay a dagger, deformed, chipped and cracked barely holding together as it rested on the floor. Once, as a child, Venheim had bared this weapon against his superiors, refusing to accept the Order - those against the Sekher and their battle-hungry personalities. It had been molded over using a large sheet of metal, forming the claymore Venheim had wielded when Isaac had first met him. The great blade he had been able to lift with one hand, used to cleave hundreds, could now not even cut through a thread easily.

He turned back to his gun, certain of Venheim's fate, from what he had seen now.

He bent down and lifted it up. The only way it would have left Venheim's hands like this would have been...

He sighed, visibly shaken.

"You didn't deserve this... You may have been an old fool, a fool like me, too protective of your daughter... but... Nein.. you did not deserve a fate such as this..."

He placed the gun back onto his hip, opposite its twin. He began to climb now. There was more rubble that resembled a tower, more broken stone that was calling to him. He pulled himself up each makeshift ledge to reach the top, hoping to look out and see where he was.

Where were his allies? Vex? Dusk? ....Aurora!? Where was she? His heart began to race as memories of her darted through his vision. With renewed vigor, he quickly ascended the shattered rubble and reached the top.

Up here, half of a room remained, a room he could not forget. It was balancing poorly upon its foundations, the other half of the tower ruined by some unknown force. It had almost been cleanly cleaved in half, leaving behind only a bed and a window, one that had been used many times by its occupant.

Laying upon the only remaining bed in this ruined castle, her hair falling over the sides, her body as bright as the moonlight, was a woman Isaac had sworn to die for many times.

"Aurora?!" he shouted, running to her bedside. She was visibly pained. Her body was covered in a sweat, her forehead warm as though fevered. Her sleep was not restful. She was moving ever so slightly, her breath uneven. He listened to her heartbeat. Its speed was not promising.

"Wake up, meine Sonne!" Isaac shouted, his voice echoing through the broken wasteland.

Far above, the moon seemed cold and distant, its light unforgiving. This was not going to be a quiet and peaceful night.

And this was only the beginning.

 

------

 

Her hair blew gently as she stood underneath the stone structure, her face confused. She hadn't yet understood why she was here, but she knew that she had left the void, and it had brought her to this place.

"Where is this place?" she asked herself, crossing her arms.

The only response was a gentle whisper of the wind, and then silence. She sighed, rubbing a hand through her hair.

"Fine then. No response? I didn't really expect one anyway." she groaned, walking up to the door.

She supposed the first thing to do was go inside.

[Clown_of_God]

"So, you really don't remember. You don't remember who you were, what this place is or even what this place used to represent, do you? I find it intriguing, but it was indeed a long time ago. I remember. That was back when I was still rambunctious, acting on impulse, uncontrolled. My powers seeping into anything and everything within its grasp, living or not and then you appeared. Well, not you, but who you used to be, who you were. To imagine, if you hadn't been separated, sealed away from each other, I bet even I would have a little bit of fun for once. Back then, your power was like mine, unrefined and uncontrolled. When you started to get a hang of it, they banished you, locked you away and divided you."

As was typical, a shadow spoke from the dark confines of the forest, the edges of it feeding on the weaker surroundings, causing the nearby plants to wither up as his shadow fed on their very life source. A dull set of glowing red eyes were looking at the ground for a brief period before he looked up at the young woman about to enter the castle. Stretching out his hand for emphasis purposes, he first motioned at Dusk and then the rest of the castle in a rather exaggerated method.

"This... this is your castle, your home, this is where you were born, Miss Morgan LeFay and this is where you shall be reborn, so that you may complete the mission that has been flowing through your blood the moment that man took the throne. Do you remember what that mission was or shall I give you a blunt reminder?"

[KuroKishi]

They had been split for so very long.

The four adventurers that had found themselves in Seghil's pocket were seperated - at least, on a ratio of one to three. When Vex raged, he had dashed away and had actually broken his way through the wall of the dimension. In fact, he had been so quick about it that he had left an afterimage - the thing that Isaac had caught and thrown out of the strange anomaly the 'two' had found themselves in for barely a second.

Trying to comprehend a space within a wall of a dimension between dimensions... was quite the challenge. At times, Vex wouldn't even exist in a tangible form - he would simply float through the void as a bond of two souls with an idea inside them. At others... he found himself within battlefields of the past that Seghil had been in, with the same creatures he had faced. There were some he fought... and there were some he had to avoid, for they were too powerful for him to even observe or be observed by.

All the time, he had been looking for his companions. Sometimes, he'd find them within a memory that was contained here... at others, he saw them wandering and trying to find something. He never could reach them, however, as they were simply what Limbo kept for itself.

During his entire stay within Seghil's realm, Vex had found that this dimension was... quite like a sentient being. It coexisted with its inhabitants and constantly changed - it memorized what had been once within and sorted things properly so that it would be easy to access. If he had spent more than three weeks within it, the Thresher was sure he would sooner or later get used to the paradox's design and roam through it freely.

After what seemed like eons of wandering, but was about two weeks and a few days, Vex had found it.

He had found the dimension that still contained the three others he had been split from so long ago. They looked changed, both to his eyes and his spectral gaze... but the form of their energy, as well as the color, had remained the same - hell, Aurora even had more than before, which had drawn a grin on the man's expression.

Vex silently sat down in front of the crack and focused until he had gathered every ounce of his power. Though it took him seconds, the real process had been a meditation over the course of a whole day within Limbo. He concentrated it all into his fist, then swung at the border that seperated him from his friends.

It seemed impossible, at first. The matter of the wall simply bounced his energy back, managing only to damage him and his body. However, at the moment of despair... his power went overboard and fused itself with the wall.

He was scared of what this could bring him. In a way, his fist was a part of the barrier that made up the entire dimension. However, instead of fearing what could happen... he acted with confidence.

Drawing his hand until it tore away and left a hole, he leapt through it and infused his body with lighting to move quickly. The void boosted his magical strength, however, and made it go overboard. Emerging on the other side for only a brief moment, Vex appeared as a flash of red and white, then moved through the huge room the others had spent their last hours within. Before they could even react to it, he had slammed directly into the weakness on the wall and had torn through it.

In a way, he was the first to cross the border.

Pain flared through his body as he was surrounded by the endless void between the dimensions. He had only been in the voids that the Limbo itself housed before - in comparison to these, they were harmless. The beings that somehow lived here, as well as the infinite energy that filled it and kept the barriers alive, attacked his exposed form and attempted to kill him. In these moments of anguish and endless torment... he was reminded of his last moments as a soldier, when he could only recall his homeland.

He had barely survived by the time he had found himself on the other side. He collided with the wall on the other side and punched at it until his hand bled. The walls didn't falter, but he also did not.

Finally, after an eternity, his hands went through, and he followed suit.

He appeared on a field amidst southern England, a short drive away from Cornwall. Endless walls of spectral flame surrounded him, fueled by the green vegetation that posed no match to the magic within the fire. Past the flames, he could see a familiar fence and a walkway that stretched out until it reached a house, ruined long ago by time's effects. This... was the house of his grandparents.

He gazed to the right instinctively. Even from here, whilst lying flat on the grass, one could spot the famous castle - the birthplace of both King Arthur and Morgan le Fay, Castle Tintagel.

The Thresher groaned as he stood on his all fours, pain still flushing his entire body. His fists were the worst - the gauntlets along his arms had managed to fuse themselves with his hands to the point they had mended thmeselves into his flesh. They looked damaged, corrupt, worn.

His chest was scarred and tattered, the armor both melted into his skin and heated to a point where it had cracked and broken off at parts. His clothes were charred, the weak cloth and linen stripped down because of the intense stress along his clothing. His skull bore cracks, one of which had broken off a scar-like strip over his right eye.

"I..." Vex attempted to mutter, the pain from his stretching vocal cords silencing him, but he continued nonetheless.

"I'm back... everyone..." He spoke, pushing himself until he got to his feet. He gazed out at the distance, eyes scouring the distant castle and the landscape around it. Memories of the past came flooding into his mind, however, and he was left struck.

For what seemed like minutes, even hours, he stood silently and watched the distance. How long had it been since he last stood on this lot and had stared out at that building?

England's weather struck gold as usual, launching off a torment of rain that fell down and onto the earth. Droplets rained down the ruined spectre's figure, then evaporated once they reached the heated parts of his body.

Amidst the dark fields and mountains, Vex seemed like a small light - a speck on the gray void, still emitting a soft glow that did not bow down to reality.

The reaper was sure that, if he still had the ability, he'd burst into tears. He'd weep, like a little child, for all that he had lost and was still going to lose.

However, he was no longer a man.

He was a Thresher.

He was a Serhx of the Sekher family.

He was one with the most powerful Threshers, Grim the Magus.

He could no longer show weakness.

The world was crumbling around him, and the ones he gave an oath to were in danger. He could fall, he could die... but, until he was no longer alive, he'd continue.

He had to go. Now.

It would be tough to find the city, and he needed to go as quickly as possible... but, for old time's sake, he'd go for a quick detour.

"Let's see how Morgan le Fay's doing..." Vex muttered as he started to stumble forward, toward the old castle in the distance.

It was fun to watch how time passed regularly out here. Back in Limbo, it seemed that anything one did was slow - sluggish, even, in comparison to the real world.

Soon, he was in front of the excavation site. A tiny booth still stood at the right side of the entrance. It showed signs of rust and wear, but the few colors that still stood on the decorations along its walls gave off an odd feeling of nostalgia he couldn't explain. In a way, it appeared as a size comparison to the massive, worn ruin that once used to be a castle.

The double doors were strangely cracked open. He would expect that some fanatic would try to preserve the contents of the castle by sealing it... but he could blame that thought on his isolation within Limbo. Yes - for now, he'd go with that option.

Stepping slowly to the large door's edge, he leaned on it with one shoulder and grabbed it with his hand. Then, silently, he leaned out and around until his head poked out. Focusing his sight, he stared into the darkness... and went wide-eyed once he noticed the figure that stood in the centre of the room. Shock forced him to stumble through the gap between the two doors, and now, he stood in the beam of light that flooded into the dark room.

There, in the midst of the lobby, seeming much less affected than the reaper, was a feminine figure he knew very well. The sorceress that worked with Isaac, the woman that had tapped away their power - for better or for worse - and the one that had droven him to seperation from the majority...

"...Dusk." He only spoke one word, his tattered frame and dark look giving him the look of an old, nightmarish ruin. For some, he'd be a monster... for others, a welcome sight.

Edited May 25, 2015 by KuroKishi

[Thaelasan]

"I would act naïve or innocent, perhaps say I have no idea what you mean... but we both know that's a lie..." Dusk replied to the obvious Shade, her hand falling back to her side from where it had been in her hair. "I have always had a bit of an inkling that this current life is a lie, and that something else pushed me forward... when I was younger. These memories of when I was a girl, they felt false - faux, created, imposters of a true dream. So, I can only assume that whatever you hid within me... It was truly, truly monstrous... and you needed it for your own purposes, of course."

She placed a hand upon the castle doors, which seemed strong and impenetrable, though age had long worked its magic. The worn wood was still intimidating, and she doubted she could destroy it or open it by simple means. But it was meant to stand against time and any man who would wish to crush it... And she felt she had helped to shape that enchantment.

Yes, she knew how to open this door, though how she knew was a mystery. She moved her hand slightly, in a familiar yet alien motion, which caused the massive door to tremble lightly.

"And I suppose you were waiting for me to finally open this gate for you, and you, like me... have no idea what waits beyond?"

Before he could answer, a familiar, ethereal voice came from nearby, as though carried by that silent wind. She knew immediately who it was, and turned around, hoping to see someone else with him.

But no. No Isaac. Just Vex, standing there, looking Grim - pun intended - his Thresher form obviously taxed by some large amount of energy it had expended. It took her only a moment to piece together what happened.

"Isaac didn't save you, did he? So it WAS an echo..." she whispered, pondering. "That explains the flash at the end... but... Well, you're here, but where are the others?"

She waited a moment, then sighed.

"They aren't here, are they?" she said after a moment. "Of course not. The void is not that kind to those who leave its bounds. But that's troubling. I doubt Isaac knows how to handle what's going to happen to Aurora... But we can't worry about that right now. This... this is... I believe this is something very important, something that I forgot... and now I have to remember, if you will help me do so."

She stepped within the open door, the monolithic castle giving her a sense of awe and acceptance.

"Once I do, I think I'll change... forever..."

 

-----

 

Isaac bent over her body now, helplessly confused, anxious, and afraid. In this moment, under the moon, his beloved was caught in a fever dream that seemed dangerously real. Worse, he had no idea how to fix this, or mend it, and it was killing him.

If Dusk were here.... And where was she anyway, and Vex? Where had they gone?

He felt very... very alone right now, frighteningly so, in this desolate wasteland.

He reached his hands under her delicate, shaking form and lifted her as best and comfortably as he could. Her shaking was obvious now. Her clothes were soaked in the cold sweat. Her breath was even more ragged.

All he could recall was Dusk's warning as she accepted the power.

"Sometimes, it won't accept its owner right away, and especially not after being torn from her like that... It won't be painless... And she may not... Well,..."

He shook his head to clear his mind of such horrifying thoughts. He wouldn't let her die like this. But who else could help here? Mira? Seghil? Ven-.... Vy.. VYLAIN... The Sekher children! But where were they? And besides, why would they help him now, after all that happened?

Still, it was his only hope. He used his shadow powers to summon a suitable mount, a drake, the one from the conflict with the siblings. He placed her in front of him and then grabbed the black reins of the mount.

"Go. Find ... Find Vylain..." he instructed, hopeful that the shadows knew of the only man who would either give everything - like Isaac would - to save this woman...

Or had finally decided to let her die.

[Clown_of_God]

"You misunderstand, young sorceress, I was not responsible, nor did I take part, in the division between yourself and your other half. That was on King Arthur's council, probably because you threatened Merlin and even the King himself. However, in regards to this mysterious gate, I am slightly interested in what lays beyond. Do not misunderstand, my original intent for this area was a visit to see something... important. It had nothing to do with the four of you managing to escape my Pocket as not even I knew when or even if you would be able to get out."

Gesturing for her to proceed, the shadow turned to face the reaper, its glowing red eyes looking over the damaged body. A smirk spread across its face as it began to understand just why Vex was in such a damaged state and before the Thresher could even move, the shade had moved directly beside him, an arm crossed over and resting on Vex's opposite shoulder.

"It seems you crossed into boundaries that should not have been crossed and look what has happened to you. Pity, even this damage is going to be difficult for your souls to mend. Of course, I could always lend a helping hand, but I'm sure you know by now that my assistance is rarely ever free. Then again, I have nothing in mind for the two of you at the moment and you did manage to escape my Pocket. Just this once I'll lend an aid."

Stepping to the side, Kira bowed softly towards Vex as the shadow revealed her presence. Shortly after, it disappeared, leaving the three within the confines of the castle. Kira looked at the two for a brief period then leaned in close towards Vex, using her tendrils to hoist her up so she was just barely touching Vex's nose with her own.

"Father informed me that you require souls to mend. I shall transfer some to you then."

Without so much as a warning, the girl closed the remaining gap and pressed her lips to his, but the sensation was different than a typical kiss. For a thresher, this one was filled with both life energy and wickedness, a menacing flavor that could only be born from a child of Seghil. As she finished and pulled away, the girl turned towards Dusk and then pointed at the gate.

"I was also told to accompany you through the gate and not to hold back if you resisted. Do you intend to resist?"

 

------

 

Meanwhile, in a not too distant location from where Vex and Dusk had dropped out, the United Nations had a rather unexpected guest. Stepping through the doors, Mira and Sira on either side, and looking rather well dressed, Seghil let his presence seep and fill the area. Several of the room's occupants had fallen to the floor, foaming from the mouth at the intense atmosphere, while more resilient members were trying to keep conscious. Yet, a few Seghil allowed the freedom of his presence, creating a sort of shell around them that would prevent his essence from feeding on them.

Stopping in the center of the room, Seghil looked about and pointed at one of the patrons in the back. A young man, stood straight and grew extremely uneasy as Seghil motioned for him to step closer.

"Do not worry about how it will broadcast, but please do get on one of these cameras and film what I am about to say. I need to make an announcement to the entire world. Sira, if you would be so kind, attend to the guests who have passed out."

Stammering and tripping, the man quickly made his way towards the nearby camera and flicked it on. Simultaneously, anything that could project Seghil's image either flashed on or deviated from its original programming, in some instances Seghil's figure appeared in the air as it had when he had first announced the start of the war.

"Ladies. Gentlemen. Humans, demons and all creatures of this world, some of you might know who I am, while others have been oblivious to the presence of what they consider myth. I come here today, to this magnificent representation of human allegiance to leave you all with a message. Know that I have no intention of trying to steal your lives away or even the way you go about your daily routines, but I will not tolerate an incompetent being thinking that they are... more. That they are above something that they don't even understand. I have seen this world turn to dust and I have also seen it thrive with life, I have seen men not only reach out to the stars but even conquer other worlds as you expand. Man and beast alike have both thrived and have had their lives wrenched away in an instant.

My message to you, so that you may spread it through your colonies, to your neighbors and friends, is to consider which side of this fight you are on. On one hand, you have King Arthur, who represents humanity and wishes for the liberation and freedom of mankind alone. While I, Seghil Neuvhorn, only wish to see harmony spread between all species, so that we can truly coexist amongst each other. Now, you are free to follow who you wish, for I have no intent on changing your ideals or beliefs, but know that I did not come to this place and allow your leaders to sit idly. No, even now, they writhe at my very presence, fear preventing them from even moving. Some of them have even defecated themselves. If I ever have to administer my presence to the rest of the world, if you all wish to shun me and the beings I represent, then know that this war that continues to spread across the land... will no longer be a war."

As he concluded his message, televisions and other electronic devices returned to their original programming, leaving their viewers to think on his message. Meanwhile, Mira wrapped her hands around Seghil's waist, latching onto him tightly and nuzzling her face into the small of his back.

"So, Papa, are we gonna go back home now?"

"Indeed. A pair of your friends have returned and the light isn't sitting right in the lamp."

"Oooh! So, Aurora and Isaac made it out then?"

"As well as Vex and Miss LeFay, your sister, Kira, is currently accompanying them."

"When can I go play?"

"Shortly after we return, I wish to see how my friend's children react to the return of the outcast."

 

------

 

As Isaac flew through the air on the back of the shadow drake, an explosion filled the air behind him, felling the remainder of what had been left of the tower. This implied that whoever had shot, knew he had been there just moments ago. From below, in the ruined city and within a separate sector all together, a bright white flash filled the darkness and another explosion rattled into the air. With a heavy sigh, the white haired dragonoid dusted herself off and went to check on her attackers.

Before her was a massive tank-like object, its armor showing signs of prior damage despite having just exploded. Yet, even despite that, its turret remained unscathed, not even a scratch lined the cannon as its muzzle end faced where the girl had been standing just moments ago. Ears twitching at the sound of another round being fired off in the distance, she looked up into the sky and noticed a dark figure gliding by. Fingers curling into a fist and eyes going wide, the girl took in a deep breath and moments later a torrent of white flame shot into the air, barely missing the shadow beast.

"ISS-AAACCC!"

[Thaelasan]

Dusk listened half-interested to the shade's words. The other half of her mind was busy gazing at the rest of the castle as she began to enter.

She only slightly saw what Kira did with Vex. For now, her entire mind was entranced by what she was witnessing now...

"My home..." she whispered.

 

----

 

Isaac almost spun off the dragon as both the explosion and the flame disoriented him from where he was. He knew full well the flame was magical in nature, and the voice was familiar.

But she didn't have power like that, right?

"Ellecia?!" he yelled, sure of his decision as he turned the dragon around. Hope filled him now. Maybe not Vylain, but Ellecia - surely Ellecia - could help him now...

But then he saw it - the massive tank-like constructions which were roaming the streets, firing at the young girl and himself. Another one was swerving to aim at him. He frowned, furious. Not now. Especially not now.

He dove the dragon down immediately, sending a blast of shadowy flame from its throat. The heat began to cause the muzzle to melt before it could even fire, leaving it useless. But it fired anyway.

The inside of the machine exploded as the pressure found nowhere else to go. Another contraption nearby followed as the fuel and metal created a deadly combination.

"What the hell? Are those human tanks?!" Isaac shouted, bringing the dragon down near Ellecia, yet still at a safe distance so it was difficult to aim. "But... when?! How?!"

[Clown_of_God]

"E..Eh? How... How did you do that? Wait, that wasn't real flame. No, it was something else. Imitation flame? Shadow flame? Ah! Hold on one moment."

Turning to face down the road, Ellecia took in a deep breath, pulling her hands back to her hips as if prepping to strike. For a moment, she paused in her current stance then took a large, lunging step forward and a screech pierced through the air for a second before a white flame engulfed the entire street, racing down to the tank that had been taking aim. When the flame dissipated, the entire chassis was glowing and, if the patrons were still inside, the interior had been cooked. Turning back to face Isaac, Ellecia held up a finger until the tank exploded from the rounds inside being superheated, a 'Cook-Off.'

"Now, back to the original topic... WHERE THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN?! DO YOU KNOW HOW LONG YOU'VE BEEN GONE FOR?! 3 YEARS, ISAAC! IT'S BEEN 3 YEARS!"

That's when she took notice to what the drake had been carrying, rather who it had been carrying. Looking back at Isaac and then to the drake's back, Ellecia's gaze sharpened, her pupils narrowing and her ears folding back.

"Isaac... Aurora... What happened to her? What's wrong with my sister?!"

Ellecia pushed past the Shadowborne without even waiting for a reply, dashing past the rubble and hopping into the air, landing on the shadow drake's back next to her sister. Leaning down, one of her ears hovered close to Aurora's mouth, listening not just to her breathing, but other variables that a dragon's ears could pick up. At the same time, Ellecia's nose had been scrunching up, as if sniffing the area while she continued to assess the situation.

Leaning back, eyes wide and turning to look at Isaac, the gaze following could have pierced through steel.

"You... why... Don't you know the risks? Did they not tell you the risks?! Of course not... they aren't dragonkin, they wouldn't know the risks, but there's a chance... Maybe she won't... I don't want to lose anymore family."

[KuroKishi]

Vex simply stared at Dusk from a distance, his dim eyes flickering from time to time because of the power that he had lost. He was also kinda wondering if the one standing in front of him really WAS the same sorceress from earlier. For some reason, she wasn't even half-suprised by his sudden appearance, considering all that happened around three weaks ago.

"...Very important, eh..." He muttered once he finally regained a bit of his senses, then took a couple of steps deeper into the dark room. For now, he'd keep his bitterness to himself, just like he had done whilst still in Limbo. A pulse of light came from his eyes as he activated his ability to sense souls and stared out into the lobby, trying to find something still alive within these old ruins.

What WAS that important for Dusk, anyway? What was so important about this ruined castle? Was there something really special... or did she simply not care about what she had done to the Thresher?

Snapping out of his thoughts, the spectre heard another voice. He focused his gaze and, though faint, he could see one... no, two seperate soul signatures. Behind the shade that had evidently been speaking with Dusk before he had appeared, he could spot a different soul that was almost invisible even to his eyes.

Sure enough, once the shade that signified Seghil disappeared and reappeared at his side, he could spot the outlines of someone within the shadows. He had barely noticed some of the words the shadow had shared with them, but from what he had formulated, it spoke of King Arthur and Merlin. What the hell did Seghil even mean by that? Why did he refence figures of a past that, if not fabrications - which he knew was not really an option, but gave the benefit of doubt nonetheless - were already long forgotten?

Vex regained his focus as the figure from the shadows stepped forward and marched up to him, revealing itself to be one of Seghil's children, Kira. His eyes narrowed as she stopped in front of him, then used her tendrils to lift herself to the same height that he stood at. Standing only a few centimeters from his face, he could barely notice any emotion within her eyes.

It came as a true suprise, however, when she leaned in and planted her lips on his. Eyes wide at the gesture, Vex wondered what the reason for it was... only to feel a revitalizing warmth coursing from her to him. It dawned to him seconds later that this was a soul transfer - and, at that point, he was merely left a little irritated. Once she seperated herself from him, the Thresher stood in silence and stared out into nothingness for a few seconds.

Once they passed, his eyes shone with a crimson color far stronger than they had glowed before. The souls within his body immediately began to be destructed into magical resources for him to use, and it was evident from the powerful glow that was emnating from his chest that he was busy at work. Once there was enough for him to work with, he began his work.

His fists were, unfortunately, at a level of disrepair that meant he could never return them to their former look. However, strangely, he enjoyed the ruined and bent look they had. It seemed... chaotic, primal. In order to salvage the most out of it, he molded the fingers until their tips were sharp, then made the guard that usually went along his hand smooth and added sharp accents to the ends that surrounded his forearm. Then, he coated it with a special layer that seemed like a flow of magma. From forearm to fingers, it looked as if he had borrowed an elemental's hands.

After taking care of his upper limbs and rejuvenating his entire body, Vex repaired his dark suit, leaving it pure black like it had been since the start. A tie of crimson appeared yet again around his neck, then adjusted itself tightly around his neck.

The cracks along his face sealed themselves quite neatly... but the scar that ran from the beginning of his eyebrow, over his right eye and down to somewhere around the end of the nose did not go. Groaning lightly, he lifted one hand up to the left side of his face... and promptly used magic to snap away a matching figure on the other side of his mask. Behind the new openings that he had created, one could see the swirling energy shining and flowing into the core of his eyes. The three tips which served as the top of his face changed, the middle spike shifting into a flat piece that conjoined just behind the other two and the side ones growing in size until they gave him around a foot more in height. The three links that came out from them disappeared entirely - instead, from the head that the mask was attached to appeared a large amount of hair that, whilst still made of fire, was an almost pure black color. With one hand, he swept it backward and replicated the style that the three links gave to his old 'hairstyle'.

Standing in front of Dusk, now fully rejuvenated and repaired, Vex seemed as human as he could probably get. Yes, he had a strange mask and 'horns', as well as glowy forearms and strange red lights flowing through his shirt... but, other than that, he was so normal it could be called a type of cosplay.

"... I can't believe someone like Seghil was this welcoming to me... unlike someone else..." The Thresher commented as he fixed his collar and also checked the rest of his body. Once he was sure that he felt fine with his looks, he gave Kira a soft pat on the shoulder.

"She... won't resist, I believe. And, as little as it is worth to say, thank you." The spectre spoke to her, then seperated from the girl and approached Dusk's side. Walking down the small lobby, he filled the room with a very noticeable red hue that stemmed from his arms and the small amount of flesh and neck exposed from under his hair. He stopped next to the sorceress, in front of the strange gate, then turned toward her.

"Your... home? What, are you telling me you've been here before?" Vex asked, curiousity evident even on his mostly featureless face. He looked back forward and placed a hand on the door's surface, his touch slightly scarring the wood with its heat and causing a little smoke to flow up and outward. It felt strange to him that Dusk was able to recognize something about a ruin he wouldn't even relate to her. Releasing a soft sigh, the Thresher pushed forward, swinging the door open, then followed by shoving the other one until both were wide open. He turned to look at Dusk and gave her a sharp look, filled with curiosity.

"Ladies first."

[Thaelasan]

"Arthur will one day become too arrogant and headstrong for his own good, Morgan. One day, he will try to ascend to the rank of gods. Rather than slaying dragons out of necessity, he will do it for sport. He will create great war machines, attempting to turn the world to his own, convinced his leadership is the only true way.

And when that day comes, Morgan... you must do what must be done. They will call you evil. They will call you vile. They will hate you and spite you, and they may even try to burn you as a witch. But you will have saved them all, and later, you will be celebrated as a heroine of our time, and all times."

"When that day comes, my lord, I will raise a knife without question."

"Then you will kill him?"

"If it comes to it."

 

 

---

 

She leaned against the wall, trying to understand what was pressing against her mind so heavily. Images, memories, flickering visions of something that had once been. But why had it been? WHAT had it been? The woman's voice - her own voice... It was so familiar, because it was hers, but it was speaking words alien to her mouth. Why had she said yes?

She remembered an argument with a bearded, aged man, dressed in robes. A strike. Separation. Her mind had become fragmented.

Vex had told her to go in first, of course, but his words were foggy. She wanted to reply, say something.. sassy, normal, usual... but she couldn't. Her mouth wanted to say things she would never say, call for people who no longer existed.

She was pressed against the wall now, unable to even stand properly. She couldn't even enter the door. The mere sight of this place filled her with senses - celebrations, sounds of rejoicing, but also sorrows, angers. She felt it all, all those years, lost to her.

But it felt incomplete. She struggled to press on, convinced she had to continue. But her legs would not listen. It was almost a dream.

"V...Ve....Vex..." she finally said, her words a whisper. "Please... this... this once.. Help me to stand... help me to walk... I can't... I can't.."

She fell to the ground completely, on all fours, her breath weak.

 

----

 

Three years?

"Drei?" Isaac could only mutter in shock. Three years had done this to Nightfall? What had happened to the friends he had made before he left? Venheim, who now was dead? And Ellecia, who was now in danger by some sort of machinery?

"What the hell... what the hell has happened here?" Isaac asked, laying a hand on Ellecia's shoulder to calm her down. But she brushed him away, heading to Aurora almost out of instinct. Isaac couldn't - wouldn't - stop her from seeing how Aurora was in pain, how she was almost crying out for help...

and he couldn't do a damn thing. He felt useless. Worthless. He was mentally punching himself. Dusk had told him about this sort of thing before. But he couldn't possibly solve something like this...

"Ellecia..." he began, kneeling on the dragon's back, which had begun to rest in its position. "She... WE... went into Limbo, to retrieve her power... Dusk warned me... and when we grabbed it... she came out like this... I can't..."

He frowned, his voice now stern.

"What CAN we do to help her?" he inquired, his face serious. This was no time to speak weakly or foolishly. This was the time to act as a man should, and speak with firm resolve. He needed to find an answer.

He stood to his full height, allowing the shadows to coalesce around him fully, until his jacket was black and filled with the shadow smoke that almost obscured him from view.

"And how many of these beasts must we kill before she - and you - are safe?" he asked, withdrawing his pistols. "I will do it. If this is what Seghil meant by fighting, I will do it..."

He turned to her, smiling lightly.

"Ja?"

[Clown_of_God]

Ellecia looked at Isaac sternly for a moment before looking down at her sister and letting out a rather exaggerated sigh. Turning back to face him, adjusting in her spot on the drake's back, her pupils narrowed slightly as she began to speak.

"We tried to warn you Isaac, that a dragon who had been stripped of its birthright is a serious consequence and then trying to reobtain that power? To put it in a simplified matter, it's like trying to fire a .357 magnum round through a 9mm barrel. It doesn't work out too well."

Taking a glance back at her sister, Ellecia watched as Aurora's chest slowly raised and fell from her weak breathing. When she turned back, her gaze softened, but her ears remained folded back due to her tension.

"Even as we speak, her body is trying to reconstitute itself to house the power it had been stripped of. Of course, it's not impossible for it to succeed, but at the same time it's not impossible that it could cost her her life as well. Still, the fact that she is breathing, albeit weakly, is a positive sign to say the least."

Leaning forward, Ellecia looked into Isaac's eyes, her own gaze now reflecting a sense of gratitude as she tried to hold her embarrassment in, her cheeks darkening as a result. Then, without so much as a warning, she closed the gap and gave the Shadowborne a quick peck on the lips before facing completely towards her sister once more.

"Thank you, at least, for bringing her back alive. I'm certain if we bring her back to the safehouse, Vylain will be able to assist in some manner, but... don't go getting the wrong idea! I... I only ki-kissed you cause I was gra-grateful, okay? Not because I had any interest in you at all, okay? Also, it's normal... for siblings to kiss every once and a while, right?"

By this point, Ellecia's cheeks were practically as red as her flame would be and saying her body warmed up would be an understatement by this point. When she hopped off the drake's back, she stumbled slightly, but quickly stood straight and brushed herself off. Trying to regain her composure was proving difficult.

"We... we should walk. You'll attract too much attention if we try to fly there. Besides, there's no way you'd be able to sense him with the wards he's placed."