The Shadow's Reign Continues.

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As Volyn entered his sisters estate he found the dinning room and took a seat looking at what she had done with the house since their last meeting many years ago.

Seril set Jiten down, and opened the doors to the dining room. She allowed everyone in before her, and shut the doors tightly before preceding further into the room. That's when she layed eyes on Volyn, her brother. "Volyn!" The usually ghostly woman hurried to her sibling and wrapped her arms around him.

Elijah watched the performance with excitement. With every moment that he spent with Serils family, the more he wanted to be a part of it. He took a seat around the table and waited, laying his wrists on the edge of the rather large table. Another growth spurt went through his knees, and he clentched his teeth.

"Sister" Volyn said excitedly" Im here for your birthday and to check in with you, so hows the war going?" seating himself again before looking over at the young boy> With his jaw clinching he stood kicking his chair back "You kiddnapped the Kings son?!" Volyn asked raiseing his voice and feeling the current of electricty running through him only visable to others though his eyes that had currents jumping in his iris'.

"Kidnapping is no issue. The boy has not given up a fight since I first held my hand out to him." Seril said, setting her hand on her brothers shoulder. "Why the over reaction, brother? This is war. It means doing unexpected things."

Elijahs eyes were wide, his hands now clentching the table. "S-Sir. I.. I did not resist." Elijah admitted, feeling heat rise into his cheeks. A full blush over came him, and he looked at Seril. "She has not treated me badly."

"Though it is war my dear sister you have kiddnapped royalty and the heir the his fathers throne!! The king will be at your door step with an army larger then most of your servents can count. This estate and all in it will die." Volyn said in a dissapointed and saddened tone.

"Obviously you have forgotton who I am, Volyn." Seril said, sitting rather calmly. "Tellip appearing at my doorstep is quite a thought, but a dream instead. An army like that couldn't just appear. My eyes and ears would have notes sent to me in no time." Her eyes and wears were men and women about her lands, as well at Tellips, working for her as spies. "Right now, I am starving. Working my way though all of those men earlier was a small feat, but still enough to make my small belly grumble." She layed her hand on the table in the seat where Volyn would sit. "Please sit, and eat with me. Later we can discuss this issue."

Sighing Volyn did as his sister said after sitting he the greeted Elijah proporly "sorry for my rudeness I was only looking out for the safty of not only my sister but everyone. Hello I am Volyn, Seer of the mist and Eye of the storm, plus the Younger sibling of Seril." Volyn said smiling, though seril knew it was only a mask, for under that was the worry wort he always ways. Though he may be that way only because of his gift of forsight.

Elijah extended a hand across the table, though rather slowly. "I am Elijah. No specific title." He watched at sevents came in with plates of food, large palates of fruits and salads and meats.

"You believe I should return him to Tellip?" Seril said, calmly, without looking at Volyn, or anyone for that matter. She took a bite of a mango and awaite his response.

"No!" Elijah blurted, without wanting to. He quickly slapped his hands to his mouth and looked at Seril with wide eyes. "Forgive me." Seril turned her head to him, her wavey mahogony hair falling over her shoulder.

As Volyn noded to Elijah he grabbed some bread when all ofa sudden he went in to a trace his eyes widening and his face becoming pale after about ten seconds of it he came back through breathing hard he look to Seril and said " the boy, goes back now i promise you sister if you do not return him you will die.." he then look at the boy and then back to seril "Im sorry but i will not allow you to die if you refuse to take him back i will and you wont stop me."

Seril for the first time felt like something could go wrong. She nodded, taking everything in. "Come, Elijah. We need to find Yumoro." She took him by the hand. "Everyone else, have a wonderful dinner. I will not be joining you tonight." I feel to sick to even think of food now. I might even possibly throw up that mango in the confinements of my room later.

"Seril... Pleeeassse." Elijah was pulling back on Serils hand, trying to get her to stop. "Don't take me back. Please, don't take me back." He was near to crying again, though he tried to keep it back.

Seril turned, facing him. "It is what has to be done." Though her face didn't show a hint of sorrow, her heart skipped a beat lightly. A small realization that the boy liked it here, as she liked him being there. Well, for being here for such a short time, he sure has made an effect on me. She bit at her lips, closing the dining room doors behind her. "YUMORO!"

As Seril called him name Yumoro ported to her "You called my lady" he said with a bow of his head as smoke still rolld on the marble of the hall.

"Transport Elijah and I to the Kingdom of Light. I have to return him." Seril said, ignoring the whimpering yells behind her admitted from Elijah. The boy was pulling on her hand so hard she thought that her arm might just come out of it's socket.

Looking at Seril with a cocked brow Yumoro shook his head "as you wish" walking closerto the two he ported them to a empty feild out side of the kindom "I shall wait here for you."

Tala stared at Jester with a confused look. "A saddle. That's all?" Her eyes narrowed towards him. "Two favors in return and and explanation of why you have asked of this favor." She gave her demands and awaited his reply.

Auralis returned to is room, he muttered a little angrily to himself. He entered the door and closed it loudly, bolting the heavy lock in place with an angry shouve. Dartarious quickly seized control of the body. " We shall show her loyalty!" He hissed, he went under his bed and pulled out a crate of glass orbs, each swirled milky white. Dartarious hurled several at the walls of the room, continuing to do so until broken glass coated the floor of the room and each wall dripped with the odd fluid. "Hellfire!" Shreiked the demon. And there was. It blazed into the room, seeminly confining itself to the liquid. The Demon was now in control of The Counts body, wreathing the entire form in flames. Each eye was an orb of hate and a huge sword of flame rested on his hip, 'Char'. Words of arcane power blazed from his smouldering mouth, the hellfire condensed into the flaming doorway where the window once was. He laughed like a mad man, and hurled himself through it. The image of flaming wastelands and tower hewn from skulls raced through the minds of the two. Suddenly they stood on a road by a manor house, the house had all its windows barred and troops on parade in the front garden. A hold of Good.

Dartarious laughed as he marched towards the barred gate. There was ashout from the man on lookout. "Friend of foe?" He asked in a voice which shook. Dartarious just laughed, he aboached the gate and carved a hole in it with Char. As he entered the compound he was assaulted by several of the more daring troops the rest staying back and waiting for the officer in charge. Perfect... he thought. Dartarious parried a swipe at his head, returning the blow with a jab to the mans chest. He leapt forewards out of the read of the other two, allowing him time to turn and blast them both with fire. He smiled at the frightened gaurds across the compound, using their temporary fear to his advantage. Dartarious began to chant, these words of dark summoning rather than arcane power. Fire grew over the corpses of the three men, shaping itself into twisted forms of demons. They were large and of living fire, each gibbered or shieked in an unholy tongue. At the centre of each beast hung the charred body of one of the guards. "You have flesh." He spoke through gritted teeth.

Sighing, Seril pulled Elijah through the pasture toward the castle. It was dark, no movements could be seen. Taking the stone that Jiten had given her, Seril quickly became invisible, allowing Elijah to do the same. She came onto the steps of the gates and stood there, looking at him. "Go home. Your place is not with me."

"Noo." Elijah wrapped his arms around Serils waist and nessled his head into her stomach. "I'll be back. You can't leave me here." 

Biting her lips, Seril pushed the boy away, making him appear. She watched his eyes search desperatly for her before she turned, and ran back to Yumoro.

Davie took occupance in one of the chairs at the table, "well then" she grabbed an apple eyeing Volyn, "Why is the boy being sent home?"

Seril thanked Yumoro and went to her room when she got back. Trying to stay calm, she paced. Back and fourth across the room, afraid that she would wear a walkway in the expensive rug underneith her rather large bed. Her eyes crept to Jitens bed, which was two sizes larger than the boy himself, and across the room from Serils. She pushed open the door to her bathroom and threw up whatever food she had eaten that day. Without glancing in the mirror, she rinsed her mouth and went back to pacing.

Davie took a bite out of the apple she grabbed and grunted at the silence. She excused herself from the table and walked down the hall to Seril's room, she knocked, "Davie" was all she said, she waited for a reply.

Jiten sat at the table, nibbling at few of the items on the table, too anxious for Seril's party tomorrow. He wanted to see her face when she saw the cake. He waited until a few more people had left the table, and quickly disapeared. He made his way down to the kitchen to check on everything, and once he saw that it was all in order save for the last minute preparations that would take place in the morning, he went to one of the bathrooms. After hot water had been brought to the tub by a servant, he removed all of his clothing, but made sure that there were weapons within reach of the tub, a practice that had saved his life more than once before. Once he was finished washing, he made his way to Seril's room, where he saw Davie waiting to be let in.

Dartarious hissed in pain as the demons were released, it took him several seconds to force the lesser creatures under his control. The beasts imediately threw themselves at the opsosing force, charring and burning all in their path. "Cast the next spell demon, and then lets find what we are looking for..." Snarled Auralis through Dartarious' teeth. The demon nodded, he thrust Char into the air, muttering a word of infernal power. The sword leapt from his hand, darting into the air hitting a cloud. The living flames of the sword and the magic of the word of power caused the cloud to burst into flames. A steady rain of fire began to drench the manor house, screams echoed from within. The entire sky was now dark, and the ground blistered and blackened. "Welcome humans! Welcome to Hell on earth!" Roared Dartarious before joining the other demons in the assault.

"You can both come in." Seril said. What she had to tell Davie would have to wait till later. She stopped pacing, and made it look like she wasn't so anxious. She quickly took up a brush and began brushing out her hair. "Come, Jiten." She sat on the edge of her bed, and waited for Jiten to stand before her. She quickly began brushing out his hair. "My brother is fine, Davie? I'm terribly sorry for having to leave so quickly."

Davie Nooded, "It's fine, matters of buisness always come first" she smiled.

"It doesn't seem to be of business, it seems to have been about my life, and the rest of my people." Drawing a deep breath, Seril patted Jiten on the shoulders as if telling him she was done with brushing her hair. Her heart ached to tell Davie what she had read from her fathers journal. The entry had been torn out and put into a seperate book, and she had just found it. Barren.

Davie eyed Seril, "I'm not so sure I understand."

"Volyn had a vision, that if I kept Elijah, Tellip would come and chop us all to pieces." Seril bit at her lips. "Volyn seems to think that I have not the ability to keep my people and myself safe."

Elijah scowled under the washcloth of a nurse. "There's nothing wrong with me." He said, pushing her away. He quickly ran from the room and down the hallways toward his own, sitting infront of a calander and counting the days. "I was fourteen a week ago." He pulled in a breath, feeling the ache in his knees from his recent growth spurt. His father came in, and hit him rather roughly aside the head. "Fool. How dare you go and get kidnapped by the Spider Queen." Elijah growled, a sudden anger taking him over, as if the change from pre-teen to teenager was taking him over. A sudden angst against his father took his body over as he felt a headache forming. "You're the fool for leaving me in a place to be found."

Davie tossed that thought around in her head for a litte while, "well" she paused, "You must agree, you sent him back rather fast."

"You know Volyn. When he has a vision, if you don't act on it, it happens." Seril sighed. "Besides. I have Jiten. No matter if I have a heart for children or not, Jiten will always be my boy." A smile danced on her worried face. "Speaking of, my present for you.."

Davie smiled, "I have a feeling that boy will be back, on his own will..though..his father wont see it that way" she laughed

Dartarious aproached the door to the manor, he placed a clawed hand on the oaken portal. It was quickly reduced to ash, allowing Dartarious entry. Auralis now pushed the demon aside, allow him to focus on his demonic minions and hellfire spells. The young man flamed as he walked. A soldier leapt from an ajoining room to assault him, Auralis caught the downward slash of the blade, crumpling it like paper. He picked up the armoured man and hurled him out of one of the stained windows. Eventually Auralis found the stairs to the Basement of the manor, he padded down them silently. At the bottom were two gaurds, standing by a huge metal door. A vault, by the looks of it.

Tala walked through the halls on her way to the stables. "A big saddle? What in the world is he planning?" She spoke to herself as she entered the stables.

"Why do you feel that way?" Seril asked, studying Davie. Her eyes traced to Jiten. "Are you ready for your present?"

Auralis was faster than either of the guards. He brought one down with a quick nose crushing jab to the face. The other made to try and run past Auralis, but the young man grabbed the guard and spanned his throat before he had taken two steps. Auralis surveyed the old vault doors, he immediately saw the flaw in the design. The hinges were on the outside! Auralis approached the rusted hinges, he ripped the old metal off the wall without much effort. The door tumbled forewards.

Davie thought about what she said for a moment, "Well, he didn't put up a fight when you..Took him.. and you know his father, that boy is almost a teenager, all it's going to take is his father saying the wrong thing."

"True." Seril said, tapping a finger to her lips. "I would rather the boy actually want to be here, instead of using me as revenge. That could turn out very bad handed."

Davie nodded, "Well then, I hope the first thing you do, if the boy does return, is see of his intentions yes?" she looked at Jiten then back to Seril, "what's this presant" she laughed.

"I have a big enough war going on around me as it is. I think that the boy returning would only cause it to grow larger." Seril said, and then fondly looked at Jiten. "I am bonding him. As my blood-son. My heir."

Elijah was busy growling at his fathers back as the large man walked out. A sudden teenage angst took over as he looked around, searching for a bag of some sort. Clothing, though it didn't fit Seril's idea of fasion, was stuffed into the bags. He could get better clothing once he was back. Books, scrolls, other things he swore he couldn't live without were also put in. Biting his lips, he sneaked out of his room and toward his fathers study. He stayed against the door, listening. There was no one in the study but a maid, who was quickly trying to clean up something. Elijah moved in, and told me maid that she was needed else where. She courtsied and ran out of the room. Elijah sat as his fathers desk, remembering when his father said it would be his someday. "I do not want this seat." He pulled open a drawer and pulled out a journal of his fathers, his recent movements and later plans. "If this doesn't show loyalty, I don't know what will." He ran out of the room, and toward the back door.

Jiten had been rummaging through his bag to look for another package of darts to replace those he had spent while teaching Elijah how to use them. When he heard Seril, he froze, stunned. "Y-you... you mean..." he stuttered.

"You do not wish it?" Seril asked, watching the boy stand up straight. Nervousness boiled inside of her, though it didn't show on her calm and serene face. "There are, of course, side effects, of which I suppose you should know." She stood, and walked to the the edge of her bed, sitting on it. "If you so choose to let me bond you, then you will, indeed be my son," The word Barren echoed through her mind, attacking her heart. "You will be heir to my throne, if, and when, I die. To add on to that, you will be able to use a mild form of my spiderwebs, and..." She hesitated for the last part, "You will know if I am going through any sort of pain. As I would know for you."

"You're serious?" asked Ten. "I... I'd always wished that you could be my mother, and in a way you already are, but... this is... more than I could ever have dreamed," he paused, thinking about what she had just told him. "As for the pain, I can deal with that. But just the thought of causing you any pain... I guess that's really up to you. But... if you die, does the bond break? I mean, it won't kill me when you die will it? I would gladly die for you, but if you are already dead... you know what I mean," he looked at Seril.

"Although you will feel certain feelings of mine, and any physical pain, you will not die if I do. That is one thing about making you my son. You will be my blood heir, and you will be in controll of my kingdom, if I so happen to fail." Seril smiled at what the boy had said, finally feeling how much the child actually meant to her. "You wish it done?"

With less than a moment of hesitation, Jiten said calmly and steadily, "Yes."

Seril held her hands out to him, taking the boys hands in hers and pulling him in closely. "Just open your heart to me." She placed her hand on his chest, directly over his heart, saying a few words in the ancient language to cast the spell. Spiderwebs crawled across his clothing, fading into his skin without the deathly appeal they usually would have. The warmth from them sunk into his skin as they weaved around his heart, taking blood from Seril and running it through the thin silk viens of the webs. His blood was exchanged, the two forms completing eachother. "My son."

Seril's blood was thick in Ten's veins. Thick and heavily laden with magic. "Seril..." he whispered. The sudden excess of magic had made him woozy, and he felt suddenly encumbered with all the resposibilities of the kingdom. How could she live with all of this? Hate for the "good" king, fear for those around her, love for so many people, particularly himself and her brother, not to mention Davie. Another thing he suddenly felt was... sadness. Overwhelming sadness. And not the residual feeling of sadness like he felt for Sencrade or like that of Seril's dead father. He felt... well, he felt that she felt... robbed, like something incredibly important had been taken from her. As his body attempted to absorb the immense magic held within Seril's blood, he suddenly was unsure of his footing. "Seril," he said again, and collapsed on the floor. The last thing he saw before all went black was the spider on his hand change. The spider's body became merely an outline, and within it formed another, smaller, spider. It was him. He fell asleep with a smile on his face.

Seril about fell over from lack of power, and she put her hand on one of her bed posts to keep herself up right. Creating such a spell could drain her body completely, and would have had she not been strong enough. Breathing deeply she tried to regain her breath, and only when she had did she pick up the boy and put him in her bed, under her silk black and red comforter. "Davie.." She bit at the inside of her lips. "I am so.." She yawned, "Terribly sorry for cutting our visit short." Her eyes fluttered, and she bent, near falling. Spiderwebs sprouted from the air and held her, laying her slowly on the bed.

Davie walked over to the bed and pulled the covers up over both seril and Jiten, "Well That was very interesting" she said to herself as she started to walk out of the doors down the hall.

Auralis climbed over the toppled vault door, he entered the torch lit chamber beyond. The room was dark and lined with chests, on the far end was a pedestal. The young man approached the small table slowly, he saw this was what we was here for. Under a crystaline glass bell was a spider in blackish metal, its eyes were eight tiny rubies. The spiders legs were long, it looked to be a clasp of some description, perhaps for the throat or wrist. Auralis wasted no time in shattering the crysal bell and taking the metalic spider. "Its dead..." Hissed Auralis. "It needs a life, a soul. Then it will wake again!" spoke Dartarious, his voice clearly strained. The Count left the vault, climbing out of the basement. The manor blazed with infernal fury, servants were screaming as they tried to douse them. Auralis grabbed a servant girl as she ran passed. "Master Auralis..." She said before the spider met her flesh. She shrieked as the small metal creature feasted on her soul, the body then crumpled. 

While Seril was sleeping, the after effect of making Jiten her child was running through her viens. The sudden interchange of lives and memories with Jiten created a whole new history for her. Memories embedded in her mind, making her remember new memories that she had never seen before. Memories fro before Jiten came to her now contained the boy in everyway possible. As Seril slept off the overpower of the change, she watched herself become pregnant, and go through the nine months of torture to have something so ultimaltly beautiful come into her life and tie her to emotions that she was never before able to feel.

Seril stood, in the grass, watching the wind blow red-orange leaves around her feet. Her hair touched the wind and danced, and she tried to tame it. Her lover, the man who married the heir to the kingdom, stood before her, readying to leave for war. Only, this time, he not only left his queen, his young wife. He left a yet to be born child. "I will return." The man promised. He was the highest general in her army, her King though she held power over him. Every leader in her family, cept for two, had been women, All in greater power than the man they married. He lovingly kissed her on the lips, pulling her in close. "Although I will not be here for our childs birth, he will never be fatherless." And he turned, saying no more, heading into war with Serils soldiers by his side. He never returned.

Seril rolled over, furrowing her brow in her sleep as she fell into a new memory. Seril held the boy out, a mear baby with tousled dark hair. His hair swayed as the boy lovingly reached for the two men standing infront of him, his grandfather, and Uncle Volyn. "Jiten." Volyn said, taking the boy first. The seventeen year old boy was whitehaired even then, but a smile touched his features. "A strong name for a soon to be strong child." Although Serils father had actually died when she was fourteen, the man stood before her, taking his grandchild from his sons arms. "The boy comes into the world with passion and fire burning behind his eyes, just as his mother has..." Her father said, cradling the baby boy in his arms lovingly. "Strong arms like his father, and a settled heart. He shall be the baby that never cried. No child is finer." There was a pause as Serils father studied her with dark eyes, and then the baby who lay safe and sound, asleep in his grandfathers arms. "Your mother would be very proud of you, Seril."

Tossing again, Seril bit her lips in her sleep, hard enough to make her lip crack. The new memory of her father played an old memory in her head, one of her mother before she died. Seril, age 13, stood next to her mother, tears threatening to fall down her face but never falling. "You are strong." The red haired woman said, the prodominate spider tattoo showing as she eached out to take her daughters hand. The intensely beautiful woman smiled, despite the pain. "Your body will never fail you in physical strength, so long as your emotions remain pure and controllable. My body is ending my life because I no longer have the strength to cope with my emotional battles. Your brother predicting your fathers death, your brothers illness, you soon falling into rule. The stress is taking my body over. Do not let it do the same to you." There was a pause, followed by a deathly cough. "Stay on your toes, and you will never fail. Nothing you want done will ever be done correctly unless you do it yourself. Remember that.."

Seril whimpered, clutching her pillow, biting down hard on her innerlip as another memory of her childhood played. "Your evil mother cast a spell on you?" A group of light haired boys continued laughing at the taunts, throwing their rocks at Volyn, who was barely 10, and loosing all the colour pigments in his red hair from a chronic illness. One that came apon him because of a spell, and would change his life forever. "You leave him be!" Seril yelled, picking up her own rock and throwing it at the boys. She twisted her arms around her younger brother and pulled him away from them. "You're a wench, Seril." The main boy said. "Your father must have put you into training early, like your mother." Growling, Seril eyes the boys infront of her. "You'll pay for this, Tellip!" The girl said. The already horrifying hate of the two royal familys grew deeper with every second that the two Heirs stood looking at eachother. Seril pushed Tellip back, webs sprouting from her hands, Curling around the blonde boy. Alarmed, She pulled her hands away, causing the spiderwebs to turn into dust. The sudden feeling of the sweet power running through her viens frightened her to the point of missing heart beats, though she didn't show it. The boys ran, and Volyn looked up at her. "How'd you do that, Rill?" Seril shook her head. "I don't know..

Sitting straight up, Seril eyed her room, and then herself. She put her hands down to her stomach and fought with herself about why she was indeed barren. She breathed in and then looked at Jiten. My Heir.

Ten stirred in his sleep, living the memories as they formed in Seril's mind. His own memories with her's, and he found himself forgetting Sencrade. His very essence mourned at the thought of forgetting, but part of him wanted to forget, wanted to beleive these memories. He fought against it, and won. His soul banished the coward, and with it banished the want to forget. His memories now were of two people, one of his childhood as an orphan, and another life, seperate, one of having always having been Seril's child.

As much as he wanted to completely give in to the memories of life as Seril's son, he never wanted to forget his orphan childhood, and the kindness Sencrade had shown him. The hardships of his life had hardened him, and made him who he was. From this moment forth, he would have lived two lives: one as a Shadowdancer, Sencrade's apprentice, and the other as Seril's son. Each life was a part of him, and together they made him whole. Seril had filled the hole in his soul that he had been searching for the answer to for his entire life.

As volyn suddenly sat up from his slumber his heart was pounding dressing quickly he made his way to Seril's chamber. Opening the door he walked over to his sister grabbing her shoulders and shaking her rousing her from her sleep."What did you do? Why is the boy in our past where others were? What have you done?" his voice was filled with worry and anger and his face showed the same.

The mountain overlooked the valley beneath, with its grassy hills waving in the dusk of a spring day. Reisen looked down into the valley to see scorched earth where there was once grass, and soldiers gathering the bodies of their opponents to throw into a burn pile. This was a sight well known to Reisen Teuer, who had lived an entire life based on warfare. He was tall, black hair moving in the breeze, with a sword and shield on his back...a very special sword. At a young age, Reisen's whole family, save his father, was killed by an eastern horde sweeping through the tribe. His father, later, had died in terrible combat, and Reisen had found his corpse many years later, only to take the old sword and embed part of his fathers skull into it, merging both soul and sword, as in the old times.

But now things were looking up once more for Reisen. The gleaming armor of the Red army seemed to indicate that they had done a very thorough job at demolishing their opponents. Perhaps they are willing to hire, thought Reisen. As he headed down the side of the small mountain, he noticed there were cobwebs scattered across the strewn bodies that were being gathered. The cobwebs littered the ground too, which was very peculiar. Reisen had seen a great deal of strange things, and fought along side and against many strange creatures, but never before had he seen so many spider webs! The soldiers seemed to labor away, gathering the webs with the bodies. It wasn't until Reisen was several dozen feet away from them that they noticed the large man.

The soldiers exchanged looks. Was this newcomer a threat, or an ally? 
"Hey, you, who are you and wots yo' business?" said a sergeant. It amused Reisen how little they knew about the Eastern tribes, despite how much his people travelled west. 
In his broken speech, he replied "I have for use of needing hire."
The guards exchanged looks again. Was it his accent? He didn't need to speak much, and even less when in the 'common' tongue. 
"I am for seeking employment" he said again. The guards lifted their heads as if some understanding had suddenly hit them in the back. 
"'Ey, you," the sergeant beckoned to a smaller troop, "bring 'im to the camps. I think this goy's a mercenary."
The soldier told Reisen to follow, and so Reisen did so. After half a mile of walking, he saw the brown-red of the tents in the camp.  Smoke from the small fires littered across the camp puffed skywards as he approached. They finally came to a tent much larger than the others, with a mid-sized tent adjacent to it. He was lead into the smaller tent, where a woman was there. Some kind of greeter or negotiator Reisen thought. The woman was probably in her early-twenties, with blonde hair flowing down a crimson dress with black trim. She seemd to be some sort of official, and told the soldier Reisen had followed to stand guard outside the doorway.

"That soldier tells me that you're a mercenary." the woman said.
"...yes...a mercenary" Reisen said. She seemed somewhat surprised by his accent.
"Are you from Easternland by chance?" she thought that a mercenary from the east could be quite useful, despite the fact that he was a barbarian.
"I am from the Lands of East" he replied, "I am what is call Huskarl. You have need?"
The woman was silent, but still. Inside her head she was thinking; should I disturb The Lady and possibly risk my life, or should I tell this mercenary to leave and risk other lives? "I'll be right back." she said.
She went behind a curtain, where a small assortment of military strategy books were kept in a small cart. She found a book she knew well called "Soldiers, Professions, and Personnel in Battlefield Careers". She looked into the glossary to find the term the man used...Huskarl...
And there it was. It briefly described it as an eastern mercenary who kills archers. It wasn't much to go on, but if the text was right he could be an invaluable asset to The Lady's Army. 
"I'll be back" she said to the Huskarl.
Reisen looked around, and saw that the tent had been furnished nicely, with a chair and a small table with parchments on it. He unrolled a parchment to see it was a woman, one who looked to have some form of very intimidating power. Before he could stare at it any closer, the woman came back out.
"The Queen will see you now."

Davie wondered around different halls unenthused she found a maid, "will you run me a bath" she said to her. The maid hurried off into Davie's room. She followed slowly stripped of her clothing and submurged herself into the warm warm water, always nice after a war. She laid her head back and let her mind wander and connect with the women on the field, "a new comer" she sat up.

Seril opened her eyes wearily and looked at Volyn. "I bonded him. He is my blood son now." She removed herself from his grasp and made her way to the bathroom, washing her face. Her head was pounding, more so from a horrible nights sleep than anything else. "There is no going back. The boy is as much a part of our lives bonded or not. I love the boy with every beat of my heart, now leave it to rest. I have two pasts now, and I hope that it will help me to hold myself more steady." Or hold me to my emotions. She sighed, jumping slightly as a maid came in. "Mistress. A man, he's here to see you. We have brought him to the meeting room." Sighing, Seril looked at her Armour and searched for a new dress and corset. "I will ask you later what sort of memories you hold because of this, but now I have matters to tend to." She made her way into the bathroom, changed and then started toward the meeting room.

Jester stalked through the halls. Tala had been good with her word. Under his arms, Jester carried a huge saddle. However, the other party was late, and Jester was in a foul mood. Heads would certainly roll. He looked out a window, and saw the giant, cover cage being pulled by a team of Oxen into the courtyard. He mutter a few curses about slow service and went down to the Courtyard. "I take it this is the correct thing i ordered?" He asked the beast handler.
"Thats right sir. My boss told me you payed up front, so i'll just leave this with you." The dirty, ugly handeler spat in the dust as his servants, all 15 of them, unloaded the cvered cage onto the ground.
Jester nodded. He watched the men leave, and stared at the cage, hearing the quarry skittering inside.

"Brother, come with me. You are as good, if not better than me at interrogating." Seril rested her hand on his shoulder. "Rest asured. Just as I have our wholes lives, I will make sure that no harm is done to you or our kingdom." She turned and kept her pace, reaching the room quickly.

Elijah was out the door and into the forest in no time. He slung his pack on his shoulders, and wished he knew how to teleport. Biting his lips, he pulled out his fathers journal, which held a map. He studied it, and found his direction. Once he had the directions down, he snuck the rest of his way through the forest, and started running when he was on the otherside.

Davie quickely dressed, she was usually around for interogations. She caught a maid, "Where are they" the maid pointed down towards the meeting room Davie nodded and headed in.

Auralis sat on one of the fortified walls of the deadened burnt out manor house. Around his upper arm the spider artifact stood, the dark metaled object looked to be breathing, but if could have been the ruddy light cast from the still smouldering corpse of the building. "One of the servants, they new my name Dartarious..." Muttered the young man, pain in his voice.
"It would seem your family is more intent on our destruction that I had origionaly thought. These excursions may become dangerous if they start to place there own guards around." Snarled the demon
Auralis sighed. " Are you rested enough to send us back yet?" He enquired
"Almost human. The hellfire and demonic summoning spells took their toll. One more hour should do it" He grated.

Jiten rolled over in bed and fell over the edge. He jumped to his feet, wary. Once he saw his surroundings however, he relaxed. He hadn't realized the that Seril had put him in her bed. He was so used to sleeping on the floor that falling had quite disconcerted him. He sat back down on the bed, rubbing his eyes, suddenly remembering everything that had happened. Seril had changed the past. He got back up and wandered out into the hall, thinking to find something to eat, when he saw Davie hurrying down the hall toward the meeting room. "Hey!" He called out. "What's the rush?"

Auralis flinched at the icy touch of the Spider Artifact. "Dartarious. Was this item worth so much of our time?" He muttered
"Perhaps. If Seril knows how to use it. If not, well its a pretty bauble." Hissed the demon cheerfully.
"Can't we use it?" Enquired the young man warily.
"Ha! Dont be a fool. You have no ability with aracnids! And my power is infernal and would consume this trinket. But our lady may be able to access its potential. She may be able to reach into the icy and dark planes below. Places I would never tread." Snared Auralis. "If she can bind a Spider Demons sould to this artifact, with our help of course, it shall be a great asset. Much like the Jewel on your palm is."
"Very well..." Spoke Auralis Moodily.
He saw a horseman on the horizon, the man galloped closer. Auralis drew a throwing knife, the man was now close.
"What ho! The manor! What happened!" He bellowed. Then he saw Auralis' face and paled. "YOU!"
The Count stood atop the wall fury written on his face. He drew back his arm and threw the knife into the awestruck scouts chest. The man crumpled and fell off his horse.
"We cannot remain much longer Dartarious." Spoke Auralis before fetching his knife and feeding on the horses soul. HE resumed his perch atop the wall, keeping watch.

Elijah stumbled out of the forest and kept his run. He had to be in the kingdom. Something called him there, as if Seril's hand was still being held out, calling his name. As he approached, he noticed a wall. He looked down the length of it, and sighed as he started to climb it.

The Count heard something odd from down the wall. He stood and wandered idily down, checking for agressors. He looked down and saw the young man attempting to scale the wall. This one gets around He thought to himself. "Need any help?" Asked Auralis. He thrust a hand down, so Elijah could reach it.

"Thanks." The boy, who was a boy when he left Seril and was now a teenager, climbed up on the wall. "I'm trying to get to the Queens Kingdom."

Auralis smirked at him. "Your a long way out." He laughed lightly, clapping him on the shoulder. "However! Myself and my 'accomplace' are on our way back there. As you can see, we are done here" He gestured at the smouldering wreckage."Another few minutes and we can leave."

Davie stopped when she got to the door turning to Jiten, "Someones here" she nodded and pushed open the doors enterting the room.

"'Someone?'" inquired Ten. "What's that supposed to me-" he stopped short as he saw the man in the next room.

Seril was already sitting, arranging herself on one side of the long table. On her right would be Volyn, then Davie, and on her left, Jiten. She awaited them while she sipped tea, watching the man across from her. She weighed him, and wondered what his ideologies were.

Before the man had a chance to turn around, Ten disapeared. He walked slowly up to the man, and circled him, inspecting his every detail. After this inspection, Jiten decided against surprising this one just yet. He went and sat next to Seril, materializing as he went.

There was a hint of security in Seril as Jiten came near, as if she no longer had to worry about his well-being while she was gone. "Well. We shall start." She set down her tea and kept her posture, her dark eyes on the man. "State your name, and reason for being here."

Davie sat at the table she grabbed the cup of tea already set for her by a maid she eyed the man while Seril started her questioning.

"My name is Reisen Tueur," said the man, "I have travel from far east in search of employment. I am fought many places, bu your wars are making it difficult to find hire because there is too much spending. I am wondering if you will hire me now?"

Auralis scanned the horizon warily.
"The scouts abcence will be noticed soon Demon" He hissed
"I am aware of that boy." Snarled Dartarious "Melting a hole through existance is difficult however! I am almost ready"

Seril thought about it for a moment, and eyed her brother next to her. "I shall consider. For now, I would like to know more about your past. Why were you brought up to do things they way you do, and a deeper reason for why you would swear loyalty to me. You do know that loyalty to me has.. many side effects."

As his sister questioned the new comer Volyn let his mind free allowing the threads time grab him and see the vision as he came through he looked at his sister smileing. He leaned over to his Seril and whispered in her ear "This one has potential his his future, of coarse with the right guidence."

Seril smiled at her brother, though it was a rather slight one. She sipped her tea again. "My brother says you have great potential in your future, though you will need the guidance of my Kingdom." Pulling in a breath, she smiled. "We will have you branded and set to hire within a day." She stood, happy to be done with the interrogation. "Davie, will you please take Reisen to Flarian to get his webbing done." She turned and pushed in her chair. "Welcome to my kingdom. If you will excuse me, I have some other matters to tend to." She left the room quickly, and started toward her study, grabbing a maid on the arm. "Bring Auralis to me, I need to speak with him."

Elijah looked up at Auralis, smiling. "Thank you, Sir."

The Count grinned at Elijah. Dartarious seized control of the body, a wave of heat spiraling off him. He begins to chant, his words slow and pained. The air around them starts to distort with the heat, a flame leaps up, the height of Dartarious himself. The flame spreads forming a portal in the air, for a second the entire area is blasted with an almost unbearable heat.
"It... is. Done" Snarls Dartarious weakly.
Auralis returns to control, he takes Elijah by the hand, smiling reasurringly at the boy. The Count and the teen then enter the portal. Once more plains of fire and roads of skulls flare through their minds. They arrive in a hallway. A young woman is closeby and goes very pale.
"C, c, Count Auralis..." She stammers.
"Yes my dear?" Enquires an urbane Auralis
"Lady Seril requests your presance"
The Count nods and then starts towards Serils study, keeping Elijah in tow. He reaches the door, and knocks politely.

Davie stood up from the table eyeing Reisen, "Grab Your things" was all she said as she headed to the door she stopped, "you know what your getting yourself into ya?"

"Come in." Seril said, taking a seat behind her desk. She had a scroll out, a map with words on it. She was clicking her tongue, hooking her hair behind her ear as she waited, tapping fingers on her desk.

At the sound of Seril's voice, Elijah jittered, and pushed open the door. "Seril!" He ran to her, setting down his things. "I told you'd I'd come back, I-"

"You were not supposed to come here." Seril said. "Sit, I will deal with you after I am finished with Auralis." Her eyes rose to the older man. "It is not bad this time. I think you will rather like your new position in my army."

Auralis smiled at her. "I am yours to command, Lady of Spiders" He spoke smoothly

"I think you'll like what I'm giving you." Seril said, motioning for him to sit. When he did, she pushed the map forward, watching him with her intense eyes. "The Front Estate. You'll live in it, protect it. Keep your eyes and ears open, and keep me informed of all changes that are in your reach. You'll also be granted the priviledge to.... eat the souls of any man from Tellip that steps near your grounds." Seril's eyes flickered to Elijah, and then back.

Auralis grinned at her.
"I am eternally grateful. However, the Demon and myself too bare gifts." He said.
The metalic spider unclipped itself from the mans arm and scuttled down onto the desk. It glared at the both with ruby eyes.
"An artifact of a long dead people." He explained "We 'aquired' it for you. It has some power, but the demon and myself are unaware as to how to use it"

"Oh?" Seril rose an eyebrow and watched the clip for a moment. "Aquired? How so?"

"We may have reduced a bastion of Tellip's army to smouldering rubble." Spoke Auralis almost off handidly "They seemed rather intent on keeping the spider. Incidently thats where the lad came from.

"The boy came on his on mind." Seril said, eyeing Elijah again. "No matter. It will be kept and studied, and I will figure this out yet." She stood and put the clip into a bag. "Well. Happy birthday to me. I've interrogated, given you your estate, and now I have to take the boy back to his father." She sighed. "Just how I thought twenty-seven would be." She rose her eyes to Auralis. "You're dismissed. Keep me posted on every movement."

"As you will My Lady. Would you travel with me to the border? Or will you go by another method?" He enquired politely. Rising to his feet as he did so

"I will have Yumoro transport me to the kingdom and back. I have many matters to tend to before the day is over, and he is my quickest route." Seril said, walking over to Elijah. "What are you doing here?"

"Seril.." Elijah stood, feeling his height grow by the minute. "I belong here. I am yours. I'm not my fathers son. I disown him completely. Take me and put me under your rule."

Out of the murky distance, marched an army. Heavy steps echoing out forboding, voices raised in a solem dirge. At its behest strode a suave looking man clad in easy flowing mail, and a black cloak with the inside glowing dull red. His head held high, though eyes holding a somewhat wearied look. He rested his hand lightly on the handle of his sword and marched in time to his army. His gaze fell upon his homeland, and for once he smiled. It had been years. Countless to him, a seeming life time. He turned back to his 'army', a now visibly shadow construct. The souls of the fallen bound up in the stuff of the nether. He bowed low and severed the ties to them. "You've done me well my bretheren, go to your rest now.... For I have returned home, finally." Brand smiled mockingly and shook his head, as he headed toward the waiting fold of his home.

"You stupid, stupid child!" Seril cursed him, grabbing him by the arm. "Do you not understand the jeporady that you're putting my kingdom in?" With quick, ghostly movements, Seril had him out the door. She seached for Yumoro. When she couldn't find him, she cursed again.

"No Seril. I belong here." Elijah told her, pulling back. "I'm on your side."

"You are on no side if you so wish it. You are not on my side." The over whelming feeling of Volyns prediction ached at her as she thought of Jiten. "YUMORO."

Auralis leaned heavily on the wall. He was pale and breathing heavily. "We over did it demon" He gasped. Dartarious just grunted weakly. The Count slowly made his way down the corridor, searching out his room. As he reached the wood of the door, he cursed himself for bolting it shut earlier. At that point her gave up and slid down to the floor. 

Brand wended his way through the streets. Not traveled in many a years time, but not forgot. He trod them like one who did so constantly. Missing all the loose stones, skirting ruts. He smiled dryly, and looked around. Not much had changed, to his eyes. A few things here and there. His feet found him drawing ever closer to the seat of power of the one who lorded over it all. He wondered how she'd faired all these years. He'd left, yes. But he'd returned. Was he still in favor? Or was he cast out, like he walked out of her life? His minded entertained these thoughts idly, as he first caught sight of the mansion she'd ensconsed herself in. It looked more foreboding then when he last had set eyes upon it. He liked the feel.

Reisen gathered his sword and armor, and began following the one called Davie. If he had heard right, he was being branded. This was a common practice in the east, and Reisen had had many brandings in different places, including one on his palm. He was not sure what to think about this Davie person though. She was short, and somewhat young. Yes, I know what I'm getting into, he wanted to tell Davie. I am a mercenary for a reason.

He was brought to a make-shift blacksmith's ironworks. Awaiting Davie and Reisen was a lesser warlock...a fresh one no less. The blacksmith was heating a branding iron, with a shape Reisen could not distinguish. After it became red hot, the blacksmith handed it to the warlock, who gazed intensly at the brand, and cast one hand above the heated metal while whispering an ancient text. The red flashed into a blue flame, and became a crimson. Davie grabbed Reisen's hand, and thrust it towards the warlock, who immediately shoved the burning rod near his thumb. The searing pain caused Reisen to look skywards and growl, while he smelled his flesh being burned.

After dowsing his hand in water, he pulled it out. He had many other brandings of empires and armies that he had served with, but this brand was different. The spider forever scarred into his hand seemed to possess some sort of bond with it, one that made it so very unique. Now the Davie person told him to follow once more.

Davie walked towards Seril with Reisen following, "He's been branded he's all yours" she had a slight smile. "anything else before I retire back to my interupted back" she eyed Seril. "Would you like me to take him to his sleeping quarters?"

"At the moment, my friend, take him to his sleeping arangements. I have different matters to tend to. And, since Yumoro cannot seem to hear me, I have to get Elijah home myself." With no other words, Seril was walking out of her mansion quickly, leaving Elijah to follow in her footsteps with a run.

Seril was dragging the boy behind her quickly enough to not notice who she was passing. She didn't care much for who she was passing either, she just kept her head held high and her arm straight as Elijah protested in everyway. "You're going home. I cannot have your father killing everyone in my kingdom because of you."

Brand walked up to the main door of the Manse and pushed the doors open, ignoring the looks of those around him. Some had a questioning look on thier faces, a faint memory come to haunt mayhap. He smiled wolfishly and stepped through the threshold. He was home at last.

Davie started to lead Reisen to his sleeping arangements, she turned a corner towards the main entrance stopping dead in her tracks, "Master Brand" she bowed her head.

Brand smiled and crooked a finger at Davie. "Tell me, Seril, where?" His eyes studied her face idly, then turned to look at Reisen and smirked slightly and shook his head mockingly before turning to look at Davie once more.

Davie looked at Brand, "you did not see her? She just ran past you but minutes ago....matters of tellips son, he came back... and This is Reisen"

Brand shook his head slowly. "I was lost in thought... it has been so long since last here... So long. Thank you Davie." He eyed Reisen thoughtfully then shook his head and headed off in the direction he had come from. He'd missed Seril, he must have really been deep in thought... Or she'd changed enough for him to have missed her. He doubted it.

Seril was now standing in the middle of the street, drawing Elijah near to her. "You listen here. As much as I would adore you here, you're putting my operation at stake. You cannot be here. You are your fathers son. You are against me." She was hard in thought, her eyes intense on his. "Did you get taller?"

"I'm fourteen now." Elijah said. "I grow rapidly in age. I grow a year every five months..." He looked at her and shook his head. "I belong with you, Seril. I do."

Davie nodded showing Reisen his room, "Here, if you need anything, grab a maid." she smiled softly and closed the doors behind her, "anything else before i can go back to my bath!" she said to herself as she walked towards her room grabbing a maid, "I'll be needing fresh water" she watched the maid scurry off.

Brand wound his way through the streets. His eyes roved, catagorizing, filing, and noting all around him. After a few moments of back tracking, he finally saw her. Standing over a young boy, talking. He looked over the boy idly and leaned against a nearby wall. Its residents off somewhere, and passers by, ignoring him. His grin slowly grew, till it became his customary wolfish grin.

"Right. I'd have you explain it to me, but there is no need. You're going home." Seril said, straightening her back. She glanced around and her eyes fell on... Brand? Well well, bonding Jiten really did suck her energy, now she was seeing things. Although her mind knew she had matters to tend to, she stood and watched. There's no possible way. She turned and started pulling Elijah off, determined.

Brand smiled all the more at the look of uncertain that flickered acrossed Seril's face. He shadowed her, curious. He'd approach her in due time, make his reappearance concrete. Till now he was amused, toying with the fringe of her mind. He laughed dryly and walked foreward.

Seril entered the stable yard and got her horse, pulling Elijah up with her. "You stupid, stupid child." Was all she said before she kicked her horse toward the opposite castle.
When she had closed the distance, she dismounted in the forest and took Elijah up to the mansion, holding the invisibility stone again. "You listen here. You are not to come back to my side." She turned, and the pull of Elijah's arm knocked the stone out of her hand, making her body appear next to his. Her growl could have shaken the hearts of everyone around her, had it been anyone but Elijah.

Elijah's eyes widened as he looked behind Seril while she picked up the stone. "Seril.. Behind.." Before he could say anything, one of his fathers guards had grabbed her and pulled her inside, Elijah left to run back to her horse. He got on and went back to her Kingdom, desperate for help.

Seril was taken inside a holding room, where her arms were chained above her head. She sighed, blankly dissapointed in everything going on around her. Tellip walked into the room, striding over to her majestically and hitting her square across the face. The bruise that was forming was already healing, Seril barely felt the hit. "You. You wretched woman. You stole my boy from me! I have no heir to my estate!" He kicked a chair across the room and looked at her with deep blue eyes again. "You're going to make me another heir. I'm going to have my way with the precious queen till I get what I want. And after that, you're head is gone." Seril only laughed. She couldn't help it.

"Go right ahead, your majesty." She mocked. "I'd like to see you try."

The Count hissed as he stood, every muscle screamed in agony. Eventualy he was up, without the support of the wall, he pushed the door lightly and when it would not move he hit it. The light beech door crunched on its hinges, and the bolt gave way. The Count staggered into the glass covered remains of his room, he bent over the tray of white filled orbs on his bed. Picking up an orb, he smashed it at the top and poured the contents into his mouth.
"These souls are stale..." He hissed
The body then shrugeed and smashed and ate another one. Each captured soul eaten rejuvinated much of The Counts power.

Tired was all Reisen Tueur could think of. He had travelled many days before reaching these people...it is typically unsafe to camp by ones self. The one named Davie had been particularily decisive in trying to persuade Reisen. As a man, Reisen indeed felt needs, but as a bred warrior, his needs were more than fulfilled on the battlefield. The one they called Brand had become more concerning to Reisen. He had a sharp instinct for being spited, and this Brand had little respect. Does he not know of my people's legacy?! thought Reisen. Obviously he had never heard of the Burnings of May, when his peoples' tribes had laid to ruins the eastern empire of Rothulan. Perhaps he had never even heard of Rothulan. Nevertheless though, it was time to sleep. He laid his shield next to his bed, and his sword near enough to grab. He took off his armor, but kept his boots and clothes on incase something happened. He had long learned how to sleep with only one eye open, waking up every few hours to open the other. He laid back into the soft bed, content with his new employment. But nothing seemed right around here. He blew out the candle, and began to doze into slumber. It was not long before he heard a soft creak from nearby...

He had followed them tirelessly, Seril and the boy child. Effortlessly keeping up with them, despite the fact that they sat astride horses. He teleported himself every once in awhile, staying well within the shadows, an unseen observer. All the while he'd been sorting out some way of making himself known to her. Then he saw he grabbed, and taken off. He pursued.
Brand paused momentarily, thoughts whirling in a chaotic swirl. Half concocted plans formed, swept away, then recollected again differently. In a span of two heart beats he'd made up his mind. Nobody took the lady without his consent, and certainly not some brawny lice ridden man handlers such as wich had done so. His eyes blazing brightly with the hint of madness oh so well known amongst his people. Legend unto itself, he strode forth, a smile splitting his lips, as deathless and fearsome as any before. Brand was on the war path. The door before him was solid, oaken, bound and locked. A formidable task for most, he bunched in one leg, then let loose a kick to sunder stone. The door exploded from its hinges, spraying the rooms contents with lethal shards of wooden shrapnel. He started laughing, softly at first. It soon built up to a loud almost cackle. Like one who found something incredibly amusing, and just couldn't stop. The laughter though, was tinged with a mania, and the urge to undo all who stood before him. Two guards were in the anteroom


Auralis was shaking from exersion.
"We need a live one..." He growled
"I am aware of what we need child. But, this is not the place to hunt, and we are not strong enough to travel." Spat the demon angrily.
The Count sighed. He stood, with a determined grimace and wandered outside. There was a brazier nearby, Datarious kicked it over. The flames did not spread, but circled around the Count. He sat down among the coals, recieving many frightened looks from servants.
"You there!" Barked the demon at a pale man servant. "Fetch me chalk!"
"Y, yes sir..." Stammered the man, a confused look on his face.
Chalk demon? Planning on teaching this pertified mortals a lesson?
Dartarious did not reply, he simply enjoyed the heat of the coals. 

Tala sat in her room against the window and sighed as she looked at the marks carved onto the wall. Her gaze shifted to look outside, a few moments later she felt the familiar darkness surround her. "Tala, your time is up. Do you have all of the stones?" The deep voice asked with a tone of taunting. Tala's eyes shifted to the man, the Devil, and she shook her head.

"All I would need is one more year..." Her voice shook as she spoke; if she was scared of one person, it would be the Devil. Three years to collect 666 death stones, seemed simple when she agreed to the deal, but she didn’t know that one death stone was equivalent to 100 deaths.

"Not a chance." The Devil's voice dripped with cold malice, just as Tala had expected. She stood from her spot and faced the Devil as markings appeared on the floor around her. "One soul is the price for a favor, unless you can meet my demands, which you did not."

Excruciating pain erupted from deep within her as a black substance began to flow from her mouth, eyes, and nose. The Devil raised his hand and held out a small vial while Tala's soul was ripped from her body and placed into the vial. The woman's body fell to the ground with a light thud.

The Devil grinned to himself and erupted into black smoke that seeped into the floor and back to his kingdom of Hell. One soul, one life, Tala's debt has been repaid.

Dartarious juggled smouldering coals idily. Awaiting the return of the chalk bearing servant. He popped one in his mouth, crunching the hissing coal.
"That can't be good for our teeth demon" Muttered Auralis dryly
At that moment the chalk arrived, several hunks of the pouruous rock were uncerimouniously dumped by the demon, before the servant scampered off. Datarious picked one up, he tossed it into the air and spoke a word of power. The chalk burst into white flames and hung in the air. The rock seemed to shriek with one thousand tiny voices. The demon repeated the action with the other hunks of rock, untill a ring of screaming blazing chalk hung in the air.
"Chalk is crushed creature. Thousands and thousands of them, smashed together over time, denied rest and peace. Perfect, wouldnt you say?" Spoke Dartarious, answering Auralis' unasked question.
The Count then stepped into the ring, surrounded by the sulphously burning chalk he began to chant. The flames forked inwards, each slowly rapped itself aoround his body. The chanting rose in volume and in turn so did the wailing. Until all that could be heard was the deafening scream of the damned and the eachoing boom of Dartarious' words. A pillar of white fire now covered the Count and the chalk. Dartarious stopped chanting, and for a second all was silent and the flames froze. The souls were free and lingered aimlessly for a moment. Then the glove was removed. The screams rose again, this time desperate. The Jewel blazed ruddy with the demons infernal will, and slowly the fire was pull into the flaming gem. A whirlwind of fire spiraled into The demon and man. Who now screamed along with the souls.

Davie walked the halls after her bath, she walked by the room and saw Tala lying on the floor and ran in, "go get help!" she screamed at a maid walking by.

The Count heard the scream from within the colum of fire. The flames lessened now, the souls almost consumed. With a final roar of triumph, Dartarious absorbed the final and oldest souls. The fire was gone in an instant, nothing left of the chalk. On the patch of scorched earth stood The Count, he glowed with energy, a wicked grin set on his face.
"There was a scream!" Snapped Auralis
Then he was off, towards Davie's scream. A few moments later, the glowing Auralis arrived, seeing Davie.
"Whats wrong?" He enquired, a worried look on his face.
Dartarious cringed and gagged at something, something crueler and more twisted than himself...

Davie sighed and look up at Auralis, "Tala" was all she said looking back down.

Jiten had been following close behind Seril and Elijah, but as they entered the forest, he lost sight of them. He hurried to catch up with them, but stopped short when he saw that Seril had been captured by Tellip's guards. He noticed that Seril had dropped her stone, and he hurried to snatch it up. Afraid that they might hurt Seril, Ten followed the guards into the holding chamber. He was about to strike the guards down so that he and Seril could escape, when Tellip entered the room. Ten listened to the threats that the king made with terror and outrage. There was no way he would let Tellip do that to her.

Still invisible, Jiten slowly and silently crept up beneath the king. Using his newfound powers that allowed him to create spiderwebs, he attached himself to the ceiling, and hung directly behind the king's head. As Seril retorted to the king's threats, Ten felt within Seril an overwhelming terror, though she did not show it.

"You bitch," the king spat. As he raised his hand to strike her again, Jiten sprung into action. Ten quickly grabbed the king's hand and pushed it onto his head, where he fastened it with his webs. Though the webs were not strong enough to hold the king indefinitely, they gave Ten enough time to do what was needed.

Jiten quickly threw a dart at the two guards holding Seril, then swung around to the front of the king's face, where he materialized. The guards began to jump at Ten when they collapsed from the dose of curare they had just taken to the heart. Ten held a needle to either side of Tellip's neck.

"Don't. Move," said Ten slowly as the king ripped his hand from his head (attached to quite a bit of hair), and registered the fact that if he moved at all, he was dead. Ten tossed the nightstone to Seril. "If you so much as hiccup," he told the king, "You die."

The Count winced visably as he glanced at Tala. He crouched next to her body, running a hand over her face to close her eyes.
"Poor, poor girl." Hissed Dartarious. "He has her now... Poor, poor girl..."
The Count still glowed faintly from the infusion of power he had just recieved.

Davie zoned out staring at Tala. She let her mind wander and sensed something was wrong, "Where is Seril" she asked looking up at The count, "something is not right"

The Count glanced at Davie. "When I spoke to her last she was looking for 'transport'. The young man had returned and she was not pleased.." Explained Auralis "Other than that, I do not know. I myself will have to leave fairly soon. So, is there anything to be done here?"

Davie sighed glancing at Tala then back towards The Count, "I suppose not" She stood up brushing herself off, "I better get to seeing where Seril is." She bowed her head and walked out the door.

It is said that people who have been through war are keenly acute to noise and movement, and Reisen was no exception. He had heard the shrieking voices screaming from a room somewhere, and the light sound of a body hitting the ground. He had his ear pressed against the wall, listening to a man and the girl called Davie talk over something. There certainly wasn't something right...he heard something about Seril being gone, which didn't worry him completely, but the fact that few others knew was alarming...there also wasn't something right about the man talking to Davie. Reisen reached for his dirk, and began to pace through the hallway. He walked swiftly until he began to see Davie, and beneath her the frozen body of Tala.

Dartarious let out a low growl at the knife weilding Reisen. (never having met him before). He stood, burning eyes locked on the other mans.
"A warning. The last people to come at me with naked blades ended up drained and very much dead." He hissed "I very much doubt that little thing would even pierce the boys skin..."
Auralis smiled slightly.
"I apologise for Dartarious, but he is correct. Weapons are not needed among friends are they?" Spoke the young man calmly.

Seril allowed spiderwebs to form out of her hands, and they covered her chains, freezing, and then turning the chains to dust. "You silly man." She said, a laugh. "This woman cannot bare a child." She bent and kissed him lightly on the forehead. "We'll leave you living, but you best not ever do this-" She rose her hand and struck him hard across the face, letting her nails cut his skin "-Again." She grabbed him and put her face close to his. "You ran after toying with my brother. You'll run after toying with me."

Ten jumped to the ground and chuckled at Tellip's bleeding face. Keeping several darts visibly at hand to keep the king from doing anything stupid, he turned to Seril. "Can we go now? I don't like this guy at all."

"Sorry...I am new to this place. I am very paranoid of things..." said Reisen. How stupid can I be? he thought, I am running around with a dirk in the middle of a mansion. He sheathed the dirk and looked at the scene. The count seemed to be very cunning, very smart. Although not sure what to think of him, the count seemed to be concealing something. But again, it could be nothing. He looked at the body of Tala, and how the whole body was completely black. It didn't look like anything he had seen before, and he had seen strange things. The work of the unknown maybe? It did not matter, because now she was dead. But there was something else wrong. Usually the dead have a calm, relieved look about them, but this time, the body of this girl seemed disturbed.

The Count smirked
"The work of a greater Demon. The Devil I would say" Answered Dartarious to Reisen's worried look at the corpse "Her soul was stripped. Not devoured, I imgaine she has an eternity of pain before her" He sighed "The Devil is a cruel creature. But then, who would deal with him?"

There had been a good many dealings with things beyond supernatural with Reisen. The count seemed to know a lot of the Devil, a character honorably mentioned in Reisen's tribe. What a shame it was to have one's soul sucked from their very body Reisen thought...a terrible pain that would never end. Reisen had learned that it is best not to make costly deals with the underworld.

"I haven't dealt with the devil myself" Reisen said to the Count, "I have worked for those who have, but my involvment was merely to mercilessly slaughter. Do you know why this girl's soul has been drained?"

The Count eyed Reisen, an heir of superiority overtaking him. "The devil is cruel, the very meaning of the word is him. I imagine she must have made a deal with him, then failed to deliver." He sighs angrily "Silly, silly girl."

Eternal suffering is the punishment of such stupid things Reisen thought. Without much pause, Reisen went back to his chambers. I'm glad I'm not on the other side of this conflict he thought. But still, where had Seril gone?

Auralis took one more look at Tala and then left. Allowing the servants to deal with her corpse. The two wandered for a while in silent conversation.

Sencing Jiten, Seril turned. "Let's get back to the kingdom. When Tellip wakes, he'll have a bundle of joy for us." She picked him up quickly, moving out of the room. She set him down and smiled at him. "You worked rather well with your webs for your first time."

Ten thought back to the moment. "Well, I guess the neccessity overruled my lack of experience."

"I will work on training you later. The need for you to understand such a power is becomming greater as we move on." Seril said, "Let's get back to the kingdom. We have much to accomplish before this day is over."

Ten dissapeared and began walking towards the door. He walked into the antechamber and looked around for guards. When he saw the coast was clear, he walked back to Seril and said, "Let's go."

As they neared her horse, Seril pulled Jiten up and set him near the horses neck, and then mounted herself. She lead the horse off back toward the kingdom. "My dear new son.." She wrapped a single arm around him as she magestically rode through the forest, wishing she had a way to contact Yumoro so they could arrive faster. "I am terribly sorry for what you heard.."

Ten put on his most innocent face he could. "What are you talking about? I didn't hear anything..." he trailed off.

Seril thought for a moment, and wondered what she would say to her child. She was deep in thought when she remembered that she had seen... Brand? Or, well, an image of Brand. Could it have been him? Thoughts apon thoughts layed down in her head till she thought she would drive herself mad. "Let's get home." She kicked her horse harder.

As they rode, Ten grasped at the bond. He felt in it anger at Tellip, sadness from her barreness, and frustration with the same.

"You will never fully understand the emotions that flow through our bond, Jiten." Seril said, feeling the boys conciousness reach out to her. "I would love you to, but you will never know my complete feelings, as I will never know yours." A laugh escaped her lips. "You're quite close though. You seem to rather like touching our feelings together."

"I was just bored. And curious. You have a great many expressions crossing your face right now," replied Ten. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small blacksmith's puzzle that he had been working on for quite a while. He fiddled with it furiously, frustrated with it's somehow simple complexity.

Auralis sat outside. He juggled pebbles absently.
"We can leave now boy. I have regained more than enough power." Hissed the demon.
Auralis nodded. He grabbed a servent girl.
"Tell Her ladyship that I have gone to the border. She can speak to me with the spider artifact if she needs to. Just tell her to hold it and picture us." He muttered to the frightened girl, who nodded and scampered off.
Dartarious snatched control back from Auralis. He began to sketch a flaming portal in the air. Once more melting reality. The Count stepped through the portal, flames roared in the sky, charred wastelands stretched on eternaly. They appeared on the wall of a castle. It was built high up on a cliff edge and afforded the Demon and his host a view of army encampments in the distance.
"Well. Best get to work quickly, looks as if we shall be needed to defend this place sooner rather than later." smirked the Demon. "We will create new demon hosts fromsome of the more 'willful' people in this keep. We should be able to hold indefinately." He said, seeing that the cliff was of white chalk.
The Count walked along a wall scanning the horizon with his demonically enhanced vision. He counted the enemy encampments, four or five. Then Dartarious shuddered internally.
"Auralis, your family controls one of those camps. They will know how to deal with us. We must be ready child!" Snarled the demon in a terrified fury.

When Seril and Jiten were back in the kingdom, Seril handed her reigns to a stable boy and kept her pace. The way she walked gave away her urgency. Why was it that on her exact birthday she would see Brand? With renewed force, she pushed open the doors to her mansion and strode through the halls, ignoring every "Lovely Birthday, My Lady"'s that she heard. She found Davie, and clutched her on the arm. "I saw Brand, it had to be a ghost of him, I haven't seen him since. If you come across this... thing that I have, capture it and bring it to me. It can't be Brand." Without saying anything else, she strode off, going to her Study.

Davie watched Seril slowly walk off, "You did see Brand Seril."

Ten jumped when he heard this, and disappeared. He scouted around the area, but found no one.

The Count caught one of his servants. The young man balked at the glowing Auralis but stood his ground.
"Who are you!?" Barked the young man
"I am your new leader. Count Auaralis, host of the Master of the cult of fire Dartarious. Announce my arrival boy. Have the main gate opened" Ordered Auralis.
The servant bowed and ran towards a door to the keep.
Rather overdone Auralis...
The Count heard rather than saw the great wooden gate open, he turned just as the portcullis was slowly wound up. At that point an elderly greying man approached him, his face red and his fists clenched.
"What is the meaning of this!? We open the gates!? Why not remove our armour and break out blades!?" He roared.
Auralis eyes him coldly.
"Willfull, isn't he?" Hissed The demon. "He will become a host, restrain him boy..."
The older man looked around for the second member of this conversation. He didnt see Auralis untill to late. Within seconds the loud man was pinned down under The Count's iron hand. A small group was gathering to watch the spectical.
"Y, you cant do that to the captain..." Stammered a young woman.
Dartarious ignored her, he removed the glove. Allowing the burning to jewel to meet skin. This time, the demon used the blazing crystal in a different way. He forced his own infernal power into the writhing man, in seconds he was shrieking. The captain's body began to steam, and there was an agonising gurgling coming from his throat.
"MASTER!" Hissed the captain in a voice not his own.
"Gorgan, you have a host. Subdue, coerce or crush him. Then pick nine others and infuse them." Hissed Auralis
"Yessssss masssster" Hissed Gorgan. On his left palm, a rudy jewel now burned.

It was now time for Reisen Tueur to be on the battlefields. The crimson tents of the camp became darker as grey clouds began to cover the sky. Reisen was fitting his armor, checking each strap, examining each ring of mail, looking down the blade of his sword, and feeling the grip of his axe. The blue army's camp could be seen on the horizon, where they were probably doing similar things. Red soldiers not far away were leading a large spider, who made an evil scream for blood. The blue army probably did not know what it was getting into.  It seemed likely that it would be a quick and decisive victory. The blue army, however, seemed to be a bit more ready than Reisen originally asumed. They hadn't set their camp too far away...it seemed within firing range of a trebuchet...were they hiding something?

"What?" Seril turned, rather quickly. Her eyes were darker than normal, her features holding a hard determined look. "How is that possible? There is no way that Brand could still be alive. He's been gone for years."

Jiten thought back to the holding chamber. "You know... I almost thought I saw him as well when you were being held by Tellip, but I'd forgotten after helping you escape."

Davie looked at Seril, "Anything is possible, I was rather shocked to see him myself, he should be around here," she paused, "unless he was with then when you got captured, or your escape" she eyeed Jiten, "and doensn't know you're back yet?"

Seril contained her fear inside of her with her hard look. She kept her usual voice of athority and squared her shoulders. "If you see him, send him to my study."

Davie nodded, "Of course, everything okay?" she looked at Seril, and knew the calm was just a show.

The Count stalked into the night, having given his orders and making sure the gate was closed after him. He made his way to the nearest of the camps, making sure to stay back far enough not to upset any hidden sentries. The tents were pitched in a rank and file orde, the camp was small, but must have held almost fifty fighting men. A great bonfire stood in a circular space in the middle of the camp, the heat it threw out could be felt, even by the distan Count. Auralis located the first sentry with ease, he heard the boy coughing and immediately circled behind him. The Counts hand was forced over the sentries mouth as his soul was removed and devoured.


"Everything is fine." Seril said, keeping her shoulders squared. "It is just odd that he would return after such a long time gone." What would he do when he figured out I have a son now? She motioned for Davie to follow, and entered her study. "I have to find something to do with that Elijah boy.."

Davie followed Seril back to the study, "yes, I thought he was dead" she paused, "Did you return him?"

"I would not put my life in jeapordy for something that nature had caused." Seril said, rather delicatly. "No, life has returned him, for whatever reason. Now I just have to think about what to make of it."

Davie eyes Seril, There must be something she's not telilng me. "He is your husband, but since he's been gone, if you choose not to, does he still have power to the throne?" she asked.

"He's never been king." Seril said, "Women have always ruled in my family, cept for two men, who ruined our carefully put together structure. The whole reason why we're in war is because of the men anyway." She sipped the tea that the maid had just placed infront of her, her eyes transfixed on the swirling herbs. "He is still my husband. What will he make of Jiten? He wasn't around when Jiten came to me, nor was he for the blood change. He might think I backed from my vows and retreated to anothers arms." She rose her eyes to Davies. "My vows were the truth, and I would never beable to replace Brand." She nodded, as if it were right. "I just don't know how we are going to get back to normal with him back. It will be a rather tough task, but deffinatly possible."

Davie kept her eyes on Seril, "your worried he wont accept Jiten?"

As Seril and Davie walked into the study, Jiten took the opportunity to go back to his bedroll and refill and repoison.

The Count cast a glamour of fire about himself, making him seem like the scout he'd just devoured. He then proceeded into the camp. It was late, so most of the soldiers were seated around the large bonfire, eating, singing or drinking. Some were in their tents, asleep probably. The Count approached the fire and sat on one of the logs close to the blaze, Dartarious hissed a silent laugh in the confines of Auralis' mind.

"Not that he wont accept him, but that he'll think I birthed him." Seril rose her eyes. Her secret tasted horrible on her mouth. "Brand, along with everyone that I have ever known, has never known that I am barren. He might assume that I fell backwards into bed."

Davie Eyed Seril, "were the memories not transferd to him?"

"I am.. not sure." Seril admitted.

Ten finished restocking, and disapeared. He decided that he was bored enough that he decided to scare a few servants and thank the cooks for the cake.

"I will never be sure if the memories were transfered to him.." Seril admitted, "If it is true that Brand is back, then he will either have to believe me, or taste the vile in his mouth. There is nothing I can do, and I have bigger matters to tend to." She became overwhelm with emotion. "As of now, I have a battle to fight. I trust my generals, but I like to be out on the battle field as well, it lets me know what is truely happening." She moved down the hallway, to her room. "If anyone asks, I've left in search for what I do best." She moved into her room, and changed into black breeches, knee high boots, a tight white cotton button up shirt, and a blood red coat over it, grabbing her sword. "I'll meet up with everyone for dinner." She said, to Davie, walking out of her hallways, toward her horse. If Brand is back, She thought, Let him come to me, right now.

Ten wandered randomly down on hall then the next. There didn't seem to be a lot of servants about. He heard footsteps, and quickly followed them, dissappearing as he went. They exited the hall and entered the stable. He continued to follow, and realized that it was Seril. He slowly snuck up on her. He changed his mind at the last second and instead jumped onto her horse, climbing to the back of the saddle where he wouldn't be noticed unless she leaned too far back.

Seril gave her horse a quick pet on the neck, admiring his muscles and colour. You carry me into battle once again, my friend. She hooked her boot in one of the stirrups, and mounted swiftly, kicking her horse to a trot in seconds. When she was safely out of the stable, she kicked him to a gallop, riding low to his neck, to ensure his stability.

Jiten fought back the urge to laugh. Seril would flay him if she knew he was following her into battle. To reduce chance of detection, he rigged himself a small harness of his new spiderwebs and swung himself slowly over the side of the horse, ending hanging under the horse's belly. As long as the horse didn't lay down, he was safe. For the moment anyhow...

Seril rode hard to the battle ground, and when she arrived, she had a stable boy take her horse away. Completely ready for battle, she marched to one of her generals, who was standing watching the valley, a handfull of grapes. "Why are you not in Battle?" She demanded from behind him. His start almost lost him his grapes, which would have been alot more preferable than his head, Seril guessed. "Why are you not fighting along those boys, who are saving my kingdom? You are twice their age, twice as experienced, and you're eating grapes." The large general moved in harsh movements, dropping his grapes and grabbing his sword. "My Q-queen. I was just resting a moment."

Seril's eyebrows rose, a look of sincere dissapointment on her face. She set a hand on his shoulder, her reasons different than he would have thought. "Don't do it again," was all she said, but in the midst of his eyes watching her hand on her sword, he didn't notice the small black spider crawling it's way to his belt, where it would stay, and later bite him with it's fatal fangs if he meandered off from his job. Her smile was immpeccable. His eyes darted from her, as he ran down the hill into battle, armour clanking. She found herself thinking: How rediculous. His Queen doesn't even wear armour. Nevertheless, she walked like a queen into battle. Touching tree's as she passed, turning them to ice, where they later fell apart into spiders.

Jiten had watched this spectacle from nearby, and as soon as Seril had gone, he climbed onto the general's shoulders, who jumped in surprise at the sudden weight and began to swat at his back. Ten reappeared, withdrew a needle, and pointed at teh general's temple. "You will take me into battle, or you will die."
The general blubbered and protested for a moment, but finally gave in. "Y-y-yes."
A contented Jiten settled himself on the general's shoulders. From here he would be able to see the entire battle. He giggled to himself as he dissappeared once again and drew out a small packet of throwing darts and a bottle of paralyzing poison, this was going to be fun.

Seril turned quickly on her heel, tossing her sword from one hand to the other. She pivoted and slashed the nearest man next to her, catching him right on his stomach line. She turned to look for her Generals, not yet worrying about the one she had placed the spider on.

Unfortuantely, the General had other ideas of battle. He did as Jiten told him and acted normal. Normal in this case meant going over to a tent to make war plans. As the flap passed over his head, Jiten decided to make the best of the situation and see where the enemy had their generals placed.

Brand was in the thick of things, swinging his chaotic blade werewindle around with wild abandon. Flicking in under a plate of armor puncturing a lung here, and slicing a tendon there. He danced in and around blade strokes. Deftly turned aside arrows with a twirl of his cloak. It was magnificent. Soon the enemy began to clear around him, and he had to actively seek out those who stood against his Queen. He need not bother with any magical talents at this point, after all he was just wading through foot sloggers, thinning the ranks. Soon things would get better. He started to laugh, a rich deep booming laugh. His foes started to flee him now, which made his laughter take on an almost hysterical edge. He loved it.

Seril let herself become surrounded. With men dancing around her, cooing at her about capturing the queen, she smiled. "You no not what I have in store for you, oh so gorgeous men of the Light." She touched her sword to the ground and rose her left hand to the sky. A grin caught her face as spiderwebs curled around her sword and to the ground, running swiftly to the men surrounding her. It grew up their legs so they couldn't move. It curled around their fingers so they couldn't weild their weapons. It moved into their pores to attack their blood lines. It moved to their mouth to seize their wretched screams. It curled into their eyes and nostrils to fill their brains and insides with cruel thoughts, thoughts of suicide. Had they been able to move, they would have all slaughtered themselves in front of her. She clentched her fist above her, and all the men caught in her web turned to ash, falling to the ground in an instant. Her smile was perfect. "Where are my Generals!?" Her voice was loud and obviously angry. In the midst of battle, she saw Brand. Now wasn't the time to say anything to him, but to smile. She would meet with him later. She was startled to see her brother, suddenly standing next to her.

"I predict a thunderstorm in this battle." Was all Volyn said, as he lifted his hand to the sky. Every cloud came and formed in the sky above them, turning black with rain. "I hope you don't mind getting wet, Sister." Suddenly, a crack of thunder boomed above them, and lightning began striking down around the battle field. Rain fell lightly, but not enough to soak. The rain let up, but lightning kept striking.

With a slight shift in stance Auralis allowed the blade to pass by his head. He smirked; these so called warriors gave too much away before they moved, he could predict their attacks before they even begun them. He tilted his head back slightly, as if to yawn and a blade glided past his exposed throat.
Dartarious yawned inside Auralis’ cranium; he was far less impressed with the haughty dance his host was performing to these foolish light men. With a surge of will he seized control pushing his host back and reveling as his skin crawled with flames. The attackers had little time to act and those that could simply looked horrified as their target burst into flames.
This was all he needed, Dartarious brought Char in a deadly arc severing the head of one and burning another. The wounds both cauterized as they were inflicted and the stink of burning flesh befouled the air.
“Next…” Hissed the Demon through flaming lips.

Jiten watched as the generals moved peices about on a board, and listened with boredom as they explained how they would move the troops. "General," he whispered quietly in his mount's ear. "General, I wish to fight. This talk bores me. Take me to the battle."
The general froze. "E-excuse me gentlemen. I must uh..." Jiten pulled at his hair. "I must get a breath of fresh air." He left the tent.
"Now take me to the enemy camp. Now." Jiten reminded the general with a small prick of a very sharp needle that he was indeed in charge.
The general walked to the edge of battle and in a rather out of character action, suddenly drew his ornamental blade from it's sheath and drove it into the chest of the nearest enemy soldier. "For the queen!" He dove headlong into the fray, an excited Ten on his shoulders, giggling with glee as he threw deathly darts at anything that stood in his path.

Seril had caught a moment to gaze her surroundings, her eyes catching Brand again. She waited till the men around him fell lifelessly and moved forward to him. "You have returned..." She said nothing of the memories of Jiten, nothing else. Her lips were parted in a ghostly smile, as she looked up at him. "We have much to talk about." She turned away from him, heading back into battle with her sword in hand. When one man came slashing at her, she caught him in a spiderweb and wrapped him completely, letting the spiderwebs envelope him completely. "You are my pawn, now." She stated, clentching her hands to let the webs go. They formed to him and tightened around his body. He made a fluid bow. "Ancients, for the Queen." He said, standing with his sword, and dancing into battle to kill the Light Soldiers.

Dartarious shifted to allow a sword to fall just short of him. He caught his attacker by the throat, smirking horribly as the soldiers soul seeped from his skin and into the flaming palm of the demon. Dropping the husk he parried a slash and blasted the wielder with liquid fire.
“Burn…” He muttered.
Auralis pouted within the demon, this method of battle had not beauty, no elegance. Seeing that they were seemingly outnumbered the young noble couldn’t help but laugh at the foolish light followers. A storm of sparks leapt from the skin of the Count, searing the soldiers and forcing them back.
With a sudden push of will Auralis wrestled control back from Dartarious. The demon growled from within, but the young man grinned. He caught a soldiers wrist, halfway through performing a downwards slash. Pulling the attacker into a quasi-embrace and then turning the hapless light follower, Auralis proceeded to do battle with him, forcing the attacker to kill his comrades.
Dartarious roared with laughter.

Brands laughter drifted away to nothing at Serils words. He nodded his head tightly contritely, and followed just behind her, a shivering shadowy form. Coiled tighter than any spring, he looked around for any threat. He buried the urge to lash out with magical means, the foe he faced now was far from worth the effort and display of outright power. Let others sling about carelessly with their might. He always liked to lurk in waiting, letting others underestimate him, or think him full of false bravado.

Elijah made a daring dash into the clash of men, a sword held out. He would show Seril that he was on her side, even if it meant killing men of his own family. He dipped and slashed, moved like a fox through the tangles of armour, dancing passed blades. "For.The.Queen." He said, with an angry force, stabbing into the men he had watched train. He gasped when a knife sliced him across the back. Staggering, he attempted to keep his balance, but fell to his hands and knees, sword still with him. "You have betrayed the king, Elijah." The man said, lifting his helmet. It was Tellips right hand, standing infront of him. "Who do you think you are, child? You cannot fight like a man. Your curse is the only thing that powers you, and yet you cannot grasp that. Stop being foolish and get yourself off of this field. You will be your fathers, and this kingdoms death if I don't have you." He lifted his sword above his head. "Forigve me, Elijah, but your traitorism is no longer." He pushed the sword down, and Elijah rolled just in time. He staggered to his feet, and ran off into the trees.

Auralis hurled his human shield to the bloody earth, kicking him several times to make sure he wouldn’t get up again. He turned quickly hearing footsteps; the young man he had brought back hurtled past, pursued by the looks of it. The Count had no time to try and halt the young man, but he was more than ready when he sighted his pursuer.
The demonic energy roared within the young noble, his eyes glowed. He drew one of his long silvered throwing knives and places himself between the trees and the possible pursuer.
“Well, it’s been a while” Spoke Auralis, each word over pronounced, every bit the noble. He stared at Tellips right hand, one hand holding the blade nonchalantly the other resting on his hip.
“It’s awfully rude you know?” Smirked the young man “Trying to run past without greeting me, I could be offended you know!”

"I have to kill the boy." The Right Hand stated, very blunt and to the point. "He is a traitor to our side, and I will kill you to get to him if need be."

Seril watched as men fell and the darkness rose. She turned, noticing that all the men on Tellips side had fallen around her. She grinned like a wolf and stretched her shoulders, sword still in hand. She bent to wipe off her sword on one of the mens shirts, and shiethed it at her side. She turned, her eyes on Brand. She walked to him like a Queen would. "After many years of battle, you have finally returned. And on my birthday of all days." She rose an eyebrow with an impeccable twitch of a smile in her lips. "Come. There is a dinner waiting for me at the mansion." She turned, assuming he'd follow.

Brand stopped her with an idle hand on her shoulder. "Well, on this most auspicious day, you shouldn't have to walk all the way back home." He began idly weaving shadows around the both of them. Cloaking them in an ever deeper darkness. Untill finally the shadows of the fallen got up and merged with the utter darkness. With a soap bubble pop, and a slight shimmer of opalescent glitter, the orb disappeared from the field of battle. A quick blink of an eye, and it showed up on the door steps of the Mansion, and began to lose its layers slowly. Smiling faintly Brand extends a leg and bows, all the while working the door open for Seril. "After you."

Auralis smirked nastily.
"To whom do you think you are speaking?" He questioned, his tone mocking "I think you'll find 'our' sides are very different and that boy will not be touched by you, or any of you other poorly trained and overdressed fellows. Now, run along."
Auralis knew that this would have little effect, so he pulled the glove off his left hand. Displaying the jewel of corruption for the light men to see.
"Now do you know me?" He snarled

"I pay no mind to your jewel of filth, worm." The General said, setting a hand on his hip with a hmmpf. "Give me the boy, and you will not be lost."

Seril rose her eyes to Brand. She had forgotten his powers, and how strong they were. As she walked through her halls, she wondered where Jiten was, and, even more, what Brand would take him for. "You were gone for so long I had imagined you dead." She said, making her way toward the dining room.

Brand smiled idly remembering some of the close calls. "Oh a few times I could have passed for dead. Though, I'm like a bad plague. It just kills and kills and kills, never dies itself." He looked at her silently appraising her. "How have these past years treated you? The kingdom?" He glided along beside her, almost seeming to not stroll but whisk along as if his feet had scorned the earth.

"I have been the same for all the years you've known me," Seril said, her red curls framing her face as she tilted her head up to him. "Still the same evil you once loved." She sat in one of the large ladder back chairs and waited for tea. "Things have been up and down, as they have always been." She gestured with her hand, like a roller-coaster. "Things have changed, though, Brand. People have died and friends have been lost. You have missed a great deal, I wish not apon you what I know." She made a slight bow of her head as a maid brought tea, and poured some for both of them. Seril lifted the drink to her lips. "There is one thing you must know. I'll have you know right now that I have never reached out of our bed, Brand. Never thought about it... But, I have a son. I bonded him."

Brand was floored outright. Not much caught him off guard, after all he'd lived in one of the more interesting of places. Wary as a cat and about as lithe, he plunked down in a chair, lacking any grace what so ever. "A son?" He said simply, mind a whirl with thoughts, wondering who, when, why. He raised the cup of tea to his lips partially masking his face. Though his abrupt sitting down, one could call it falling, belied his attempt at calm.

"I did not birth him, Brand, I have much proof of that." Seril added, daring to reach her hand closer to his. "I bonded him through webs, last night. I rescued him, and I have been raising him since. I..." She didn't know what else to say, but studied his eyes instead. "I am relieved to see you home, Brand. You still hold the same seat as you did the day you left."

Brand nodded his head slowly and ran a hand through his hair idly. "I see." He studied her silently, looking into her eyes. As if by sheer will alone he could rest the whole story from her. In by gone days, that feat could have been done by him. But never to his beloved. "So...our son, what is his name?" He asked in a nuetral tone of voice, once again in the center of calm.

"His name is Jiten." Seril said, her heart feeling lighter at the fact that he actually responded. She felt free to rest her hand on his, eyeing his wedding band. "Brand, he is not of mine own blood. I.." She, again, was at a loss for words. Her secret boomed through her head, echoing. "Am Barren."

Brand nodded and filed that fact away. "I would have begun to wonder after that fact... after a few years." He smiled briefly. "Jiten, sounds strong. Promising. I have much to teach him." His smile came back, this time more wolfish. "I doubt you'd object if I taught him my ways?" He didn't mind persay if she schooled him in her own ways, but if she did. He wouldn't have a prodigy to lead his ways and wield werewindle after he passed on, if ever.

Ten sat on the exhausted general's shoulders.
"Good job old man."
"Thank you. I'm a lot stronger than I look." He wiped at his brow.
Jiten hopped off, landing silently. He began to wander over to where he had last seen Seril.
"Child," the general called after him, "The mistress left quite a while ago." He paused to look around. "We may be able to arrange a small teleportation however."
Ten followed the antiquated general to a tent. As they walked inside, he saw a small stone balanced on a pedestal, and a man in robes standing next to it.
"This is the Mistress's son," proclaimed the general, "Send him home."
The man merely nodded.

Ten found himself standing outside of the mansion. He walked in, ignoring the servants that bowed to him and offered to take his things. After a few more attempted to remove his pouches, he disappeared and ran down the hall to the dining room where he heard the voice of Seril. As he approached the table, he noticed Brand. As was his custom with new guests, he suspended himself from the rafters (much easier now due to his control of webs), and appeared upside-down in front of Brand's face.
"Hi."

Seril smiled at Jiten, and looked at Brand. "This is our son, Jiten." She looked up at Jiten, and sipped her tea. "Jiten, this is your father, Brand." She watched them examine eachother. "Being your father, Brand will teach you a great many things, Jiten. You will enjoy his preasence in your life." I know I do.

Brand smiled faintly at Jiten. "Oh, I'm going to have fun teaching you." He made a whiplike motion with his hand, and the web thread snapped. He had all confidence that his surrogate son would catch himself and not topple and look like a clumsy oaf. "Yes, plenty to teach you." He smiled warmly at Seril, it actually reaching his eyes.

Seril smiled warmly back at him, watching him over the brim of her cup as she sipped. She had nothing to say, and for once felt warmth in her heart. The same warmth from the night before, when she bonded Jiten. She wondered if Brand had the memories of Jiten, but she didn't ask.

Ten disappeared as he flipped and his feet hit the ground. He began to walk randomly about the room, speaking as he went. "So," he moved again, "How much do you know about," he skip-hopped across the room, "me?" He thought about how the memories had gone from Seril to Volyn and so forth, and wondered if it would only spread to those directly related to her, or if this man knew more than they all thought.

Brand shrugged and said flatly. "I don't." He rested in his chair, leg sprawled out before him. Looking all the world like a lazy lounging cat. "Any thing that passed in the bonding between you and Seril, doesn't extend to me. I plan to keep it that way. I apologize in advance, but my memories are mine, and mine alone." He smiled faintly and looked an apologetic look at Seril.

Ten climbed up in the rafters and ceased his noisemaking. This way they would think he was gone, and he might discover things he shouldn't know. Which was... always fun. He masked his emotional bond to Seril by concentrating as though he were making posions.

Seril rose an eyebrow at Brand. "Do not look apologetic at me. I am fine with what has happened. I have my own past with just you, and a past which includes both you and Jiten, in which we watched him grow in my belly. Pitty, in those memories, you left before he was born and my father was still alive." She lifted one shoulder in a lazy shrug. She grinned, looking all the Queen she was. "For now, I must change out of these cloths into a dress. Come or don't, that is up to you." She stood and set her tea down, and swayed out of the room.

Brand rose from his seat. "Oh, I wouldn't miss this oppertunity even if I wanted to." He chuckles and looks up into the rafters directly at Jiten. "You'll have to do better than that boy, to evade my notice." He laughed a deep booming laugh, surprising for someone as lithe as him. He gestured to her out of the dining hall and closed the door.

"You are impressed, no?" Seril wondered at him, as she walked down the hallway, all too aware of her heels clicking. She made it to her bedroom and pushed open the oak door, and allowed him inside. "I haven't changed a thing since you left." She looked at him, watching him. "Your cloths still hang where you left them, your brushes still beside the sink.." She smiled and found a cream coloured dress, before she moved behind a changing screen and began to pull her boots and other clothing off. She pulled the dress on and zipped it up on her own, finding a pair of silk slippers to wear.

"Moderately, he shows potential." He let his eyes rove over the screen as Seril began changing. "You honestly kept all my things? Why?" Brand was truly impressed. He tossed his battle dusted coat over a chair back. Reaching into the closet and pulled out his favorite black silk over jacket. Pulling it on he smiled, noticing it still fit him perfectly.

"It could have possibly been the hope that you'd come home, someday." Seril emerged from behind the screen, and noticed him putting his old silk jacket on. "It is increadible to have you home." For the first time apon his return, she got on her toes and kissed him, like old times. "I kept your things because part of me knew you could not fail."

Brand smiles and returns the kiss. "Of course I wouldn't fail. Its not in me to do so, that and die. Only for you would I die, though damn me if I go down without a fight." He chuckles at that and eyes her warmly. "Oh these past years how I've dreamed of returning to you." He looked around the room again, a sense of nostalgia overwhelms him and he shakes himself. "So glad to be back in the havoc of this place"

"And I would only die for you, Brand." Seril smiled, and moved to walk back out into the hallway, to find Jiten. "I have dreamed many nights of your return, spending many nights unfufilled. The sun rose to wake me for another day, where, when I am not guiding my kingdom, I hoped you were alive." She watched his eyes, and turned, leaving the room, having the last word.

Brand laughs dryly and walks out after Seril. "Always have to have the last word. Never has changed, never will." He smiles crookedly, for once his maniacal nature held in check by being so near to his love. "Well you'll no longer have to lay in bed alone, nor be woken by the sun, alone." He chuckled wolfishly and entertained some rather interesting thoughts in his head. "Oh yes indeed."

"I always have the last words." Seril stated, meaning it. She idly toyed with an idea inside her head, tossing it back and fourth before she tossed it asside till later. "Jiten wants enchanted pockets," she started, opening the doors to the dining room, hoping Jiten was still there. "I was planning on having a spellstress do it for him, today."

"Pockets eh? What for?" Brand shrugged. "Well whatever he wants, I suppose." He shrugs and glides along beside her, his shadow capering and mimicing what his mind is still dwelling on with Seril and a bed. He laughed throatily at the idea and then firmly squelched it for later. "So explain to me about Jiten, whats he like? Besides prankish to a fault"

"He works poison, has needles and the like. He wants the enchanted pockets so he can keep all of his things with him." Seril caught eye of the shadow, but she looked away, not saying a word. "Jiten is.. Jiten. He was raised by an older man, and apon his death, he became a theif. I caught him trying to steal from me, and I have raised him since." She rose a silk eyebrow at Brand, and smiled. "He's prankish, yes, but loves to have his hair brushed. He's grown quite attached to Yumoro and Volyn, those that are always around us."

"His hair brushed eh?" He shook his head slowly and smiled. "Well regardless I'm sure I'll learn plenty about him. Though if I catch him spying on me, I'm going to go rough on him. Until I can no longer sense him spying on me of course. Which may never happen, then again he does have an incredible talent for skulking about." He idly rubbed his jaw. Brand smiled, "And his knack for poisons will be an interesting change for me."

"He is a good kid." Seril assured him. She moved silkily to the large dining table, snatching an apple out of a basket and biting into it, savoring the flavor. "He will not disturb you unless you call."

"Oh, I don't doubt it. I'll encourage him to try and spy on me, just as long as he understands the consequences of being trained by me." He unwinds a bit of his shadow and spools it out to pull a peach from the same basket. Taking a bite out of the succulent and juicy peach he smiled contentedly and made a rather content sound along with it. "Almost as good as the flesh of another." He winked at Seril and wove the shadow strand back into himself.

Seril slightly smiled at him as she moved her curly mahogony hair to one side. "Jiten, if you are in here, come down." She reached out in the bond for him, feeling to see if he was close. "My flesh hasn't changed," and it hadn't. She had no scars, except for the large one on her back. No wrinkles, no new freckles. Nothing had changed of her bodily appearence since he had left.

Auralis grinned at the General. "I said you won't have the boy. I meant it." He said, ever calm but with a rising tension in his voice "You can try to kill me, but as the corpses on the ground around you indicate, that may be ahrder than it looks."
Arualis gestured florridly at the corpses with the long silvered knife.
"Now, leave. Or I'll show you a side of me you won't much like"
As he spoke the last few words, smoke began to coil from his mouth.

Ten fell the fifteen feet to the floor and landed silently, appearing as he went. He walked over to Seril and climbed up on her lap.

Seril helped him rest comfortably in her lap and she moved hair out of his face. "I was thinking of getting your pockets enchanted today, Jiten." She smiled at him, leaving one arm wrapped daintly around his waist.

Jiten nearly twitched with delight. "Really?" He hugged her with all the force he could muster.

Seril coughed at the squeeze. "Yes. Brand and I are going to go with you to the spellstress to get them done."

"Thank you!" He ran over to Brand and hugged him as well. Then he ran off to his room to look through his things to see what he could put in his new pockets.

Brand blinked at the sudden hug and shrugged slightly as if to say, not my doing, but oh well. He smiled after Jiten vaguely, wondering how on earth he was going to manage this new facet in his life. Typically a cold hearted man with only a warm spot for Seril, he had a lot of rethinking to do, for Jitens sake.

"Let's get moving then. The Sun is early to set this time of year." Seril stood and held her hand out to Jiten, careful for his safety, especially now, in the dark.

AS Seril stood Valyn walked by "So headed off to to see the enchanter are we? Well then watch out for out the dog on the corner." he said with a wink.

Seril rose her eye to him. "Unless the dog on the corner is Tellip, I worry not. And even he could fall against my power if I willed it." She grinned. "Come with us, Brother? It would do you some good to get out in the air."

Brand stood then looked around silently. For some reason he'd just gotten a terrible feeling in the pit of his stomach. Almost as if the contents had turned to acid and bile. His limbs shook minsculely then faded. He frowned and shook his head slowly. Shrugging his shoulders he strode over to stand beside her once more.

Knowing Seril was afraid for his safety, Jiten climbed onto Brand's shoulders and disappeared. This way nobody would even know he was there.

"Fresh air?" Volyn looked at his sister "Sis do oyu not remember one of my gifts i am thee air" giggling he noodded and started to walk next to his sibling.

Seril smiled fondly as she watched Jiten climb, and she turned back to Volyn. "Then you will do fine walking with us, wont you?" She grinned and lead the way out of the mansion.

Brand opted for following along behind the two. Eyes scanning around almost lazily. Oddly enough, the weight of Jiten, invisible or not, felt strangely reassuring on his shoulder. Almost like a cat he'd used to own ages and ages ago. A one Loki by name, a mean fether. He chuckled at the memory of the bob cat and shook his head slowly. Odd how being back revived all these old memories.

Jiten sat contentedly on Brand's shoulders, resisting the urge to hum a strange song that came into his head.

Looking behind himself Volyn looked at Brand "So, BRand are you glad to be joining us after so long, plus it also has been a while since we last met, i beleive i was still young then.

Brand snapped out of his reverie and looked at Volyn a little hollowly. "Glad? I'm glad when I have a good breakfast, or a nice night. No, I'm not glad... its to weak of a word. Years I've dreamt of my return. I don't think anyone could explain how I feel. Not even myself." He smiled faintly and turned inward once again. "Sometimes I thought I'd be coming back as a corpse. Fates sure tried damned hard to make that so." He looked back at Volyn again a bit more warmly. "And yes, you were about... oh just about shoulder height when I left. It really has been along while."

Looking at his feet Volyn looked at his siter and then back to Brand. "I tried useing my curse to find you or your fate, but so many paths came to me that none where clear, I am happy to see you made it through." smiling he turned back and watched his feet walk the path.

Auralis quickly tired of the stalemate. In the blink of an eye he was level with the enemy general, he sneered at the mans shock.
“Goodnight good general” He muttered, a hint of mockery in his voice
He would then plunge a silvered throwing knife into his armoured chest, delighting at the angry gurgle.
“Die…” Snarls Dartarious

"My sister, we must talk when we return to your grounds alone" With a quick glance back to where Ten sat upon Brands shoulders.Volyn enounced "And that means you young boy must not feed your hungry of curiosity, and stay out of ears shot, you know i will see you my nephew, foresight is a beauty." Winking Volyn looked back to his siter, regaining a serious expression.

Seril put a hand on Volyns shoulder and stepped a few paces away from Brand and Jiten. "What is the topic, brother?" She wondered at him, her hand still on his shoulder. "I will cast spiderwebs around my room, no one will hear."

"Topic.....well Seril, my sister, our future, the future of our family, you know happens when men come in to power within our family, things....well....go wrong." Volyn stared into his sisters eyes knowing that his worrie was showing within his own. "I'm afraid and when we return i am going to look into our future and his" he said as he looked back at Ten,"i want to know what is going to happen, don't you?"

"Of course I want to know what will happen, and.." Seril paused, looking up at Volyn. Though he was younger, he stood taller than her. "I have also been thinking about his ruling. I find myself wishing men could rule in power, now that I have Jiten, but I need a daughter, no?" She bit at her lips, breathing in. "The only way a woman could come into rule would be if you had a daughter, or if I miraculously became healed and could actually have a child."

"Before we rule out Jiten, We shall look to the future and see his posabilities yes?" volyn said placing his hand on her shoulder"all our questions will be answred, in time."

"Yes, but I cannot help but worry what happens if he cannot rule." Seril replied, looking up at him.

Jiten drummed his fingers on top of Brand's head. "Which enchanter, or enchantress for that matter, are we going to buy these pockets from?"

Seril looked up at her little boy, and smiled. "Kirana." She said, keeping her pace on the cobble streets. "You've met her, once."

"Um..." Jiten thought back. "When was that? Which part of the city is she in?"

"She's right in this city, silly. It was a while ago, but you'll remember her when you see her." Seril said. They were nearing the house she lived in.

looking to sky Volyn's eyes slanded to slits, "A storm not of my doing is coming the wind is scouting it's destination, Telip is instore for a wet week. Sister what has happened to the heir of light?" he asked with a raised eye brow.

"I returned him to his kingdom." Seril said, looking at her brother. She watched his eyes, watching as they slitted. "What type of storm, brother?"

"Rain, alot of rain." Volyn looked back to his sister crossing his arms. "I have some buisness to attend to send a messager after me once you get we shall meet in your room, we have much to talk about, oh and Brand if you would like, your are more then welcome to join our gathering." Volyn began to leave with a grin on his face and miscif in his eyes.

Brand batted at Jitens fingers drumming on his head. Glowering up at where he is he grumbles idly. He'd developed sharp ears over his long stint out at war. He'd of died many a night from assassins if he hadn't trained his ears. He'd caught some of the conversation between Seril and Volyn. Jiten reigning over this kingdom. His mind ran amok with plots and intrigue. All the while wondering where he himself would stand, and deep within it all an old voice murmuring about him taking rule. He shook his head and frowned. He'd always been loyal, to a point. But also sought after power as well, he wouldn't of gotten this high without a careful balance of both. Silently he plotted and planned. But for now he'd wait and see how the dice fell.

Auralis smirked as the weighty form of the general fell gasping from his clutches. He gave the older man a solid kick in the bloody chest and turned on his heel towards the forest where he had seen Elijah run.
“Come now boy, you know me. We must leave now.” He shouted into the dim wooded space “I am sure there are more windbags with their eyes on you and I cannot spend all day fending them off”
Auralis leaned on a tree, patiently awaiting the boys return. Dartarious was too exhausted to complain and so, broiled silently to himself.

As the group approached Kirana's house, Jiten hopped off of Brand's shoulders. He ran over to Seril and grabbed her hand.

"I will run, Sir." Elijah said, darting through the tree's in the direction of Seril's kingdom.

Seril held Jiten's hand easily and lead him into the house. "Kirana. My dear friend." The woman had short, tousled black hair, and even darker eyes. She looked up, looking extremely like a bird.

"Seril. I have begun enchanting the pockets for you." She pulled her long body out of the chair, looking extremely skinny and almost too light. Her body stayed in a position that resembled a bird. "Hello Jiten. It has been many moons since I have gazed apon your face." Her eyes flickered up, to the taller man. "Brand." She dipped into courtsy. "You have returned."

Auralis shrugged, one less thing for him to worry about. He stepped over the corpse and wandered in the direction of his castle, he needed some news for Seril.

Jiten, curious minded as he was, let go of his mother's hand, disappeared, and wandered around the shop to find his new pockets.

With in the corner of Kirana's shop smoke rolled out with Yumoro within them Steping towards his queen he bowed his veiled face " Auralis aproaches the castle M'lady, would you like me to bring him to you or leave him be?" Waiting for a reply he looke straight at the concealed Jiten and winked a red eye.

"Ask him if he wishes to speak with me. If he does, please do. Thank you, Yumoro." Seril said, smiling at him lightly.

"As you wish M'lady" bowing his head Yumoro vanished in a veil of smoke only to apear before Auralis "Would you wish to speak to the Spider Queen? I am ready to escort you to her highness apon your request, Count Auarlis." Yumoros Molten eyes stared into the eyes of the posssesd human.

Auralis bowed florridly, he met Yumoros star with his own nonchalent gaze. One of his eyes flamed red and the other remained its origional color.
"Escort me?" He questioned with a hint of sarcasm "Very well, I have some little information for her. An interesting day my man! An interesting day indeed!"

"AS you wish" Lowering his head and closing his eyes Yumoro placed his index finger on Auralis' shoulder removing it again within a second. Opening his they were now back at the enchants shop before them was Seril along wtih Brand, and the hidden jiten. "M'lady, Count Auralis is here to, speak of a little information wasn't it?" Yumoro said wtih a hit and as much sarcasm as he had ever used in his life, before vanishing once again.

Seril picked up a bottle of some sort of powder and smiled at Auralis. "What have you to tell me, Auralis?" She rose a single mahogony eyebrow in question.

Auralis smiles warmly and bows again, first to Seril and then to Brand.
"The battle goes well, as no doubt you have already seen for yourself." He speaks slowly "However, the boy. Elijah was being persued by Telips right hand general. Who is now dead may I add, however the boy is on his way here. I thought you should know as he seems to irk you slightly my Lady."

Seril tightened her lips to keep her from saying something she didn't want to. She breathed in deep and kept her eyes closed, calming herself before she took care of the matter at hand. "Do you know what the boy is running here for?" She questioned, wishing she didn't already know.

Worn out, Elijah stopped running and leaned back against a tree. He stayed there for a moment to catch his breath and waited. Waited for his jeart to stop racing, waited for time to catch up. Those blasted knee's, they were killing him. He doubled over in pain, feeling a growth spurt.

Auralis frowns and then both his eyes flare red.
"He seeks you of course Seril." Spoke Dartatious, his voice weaker than normal, fatigued from the days fighting. "I cannot imagine what for, some sense of safety perhaps? Who knows, would you like me to escort him here safely or..." He grins "perhaps see if he can survive the edge of the battlegroud alone?"

"I would not leave a child on the edge of battle alone." Seril said, sighing. She was torn, save the child, or listen to her brother? Could she fake out her brothers prediction if she prepared well? "Bring the boy to me."

Dartarious sneered a little savagely and bowed.
"Very well, I will need Yumoro to transport me, I dont have enough energy to force passage myself." He spoke, the voice wavered and became Auralis' "If this is too your liking my Lady?"