Return to the Ruins of Alexandria

He sat among the ruins of Alexandria. The sword at his side now silent from the excitement of earlier. He glanced around sadly, this once beautiful kingdom was nothing but rubble and dust. The Castle towers still stood, casting the area in a blue light, faded through the dust and ruins of the once bustling castle town. It was beautiful, in a sad sort of way. He wished he had more time, he would rebuild Alexandria bigger and better than ever. He stood and walked the long distance from the Town Gate to the Castle Gate, taking in the devastation all around him. Each step causing waves of sadness and sorrow to wash over him.

Aubresiah was in the castle, and he knew someone was there. He saw the orphanage that Aubs had built with her brother in arms. He saw everything that had progressed until he dissapeared. Aubresiah was going through her daughter Casandra's room just sitting there quietly cleaning it up and rearranging it. Aub's room had a small passage attached to Cass' room. Aub's took the passage to her room shaking as she held Cass' teddy bear. Going to the window she looked out at the destruction. She packed up more valuables, opening her cabinet of magic, one that Mandelyn and Kyuu showed her to use long ago. she breathed deeply out putting a ring in her pocket, grabbing a cross bow.

His feet dragged the ground, he felt his body getting heavier as he reached the castle gates. He raised his head wearily, but could not force his body to take another step. A small ember caught his eye, and he looked to see the forge he had created for his son Luka, still dimly burning in the dust. He turned from the castle and slowly, painfully made his way into the forge. He gripped the beams for support as he stumbled down the steps. It was cool, the embers down to their dying breath as they flickered away in the misery soaked ruins. He sat on top of the anvil, still as fresh and new as the first day it had been constructed. He sighed, looking around, the embers seemed to want to live. A small spark of hope that could still be ignited into a glorious rejuvinating blaze. He reached into the lean-to and picked up and ember. It seemed to dance in his hand, seeking a way to live and a small smile came to his lips as he tossed it back in. Feeling the weariness ebb slightly, he pushed down on the pump, feeding air into the forge, causing the embers to burn brighter. Raising it up he pushed it down again, willing life back into the dying embers. Sparks rose and the embers grew brighter, small flames popping up, but none catching. Willing himself, he put all his energy into it, pumping rapidly as the flames came to life and burned bright. He collapsed against the wall and sank down, staring at the beautiful flames that leapt up into the opening at the top of the forge. It burned bright, and the dust seemed to burn away as the flame steadied itself, and burned brighter and hotter than ever before.

Aubresiah saw the fire in the forge from the smoke rising out of the chimney. She jumped out the window, snapping her wings open she flew down to the forge. Landing, she tenderly walked into the forge. Her sword was in one hand, the teddy bear in another. "Who trespasses here? Show yourself and we can talk." Her voice was firm just like Mandelyn's. She cleared the first room expertly, until she got to the room with the flames. Looking at them she was mesmerized. "Who in the world..." The flames seemed to grab onto her fingertips as she walked closer. Her eyes got a flame back in them that was smoldered long ago. Aubresiah breathed out softly, shaking like a leaf.

He raised his head and looked up to her. "So hope still burns brightly in Alexandria." His sword twitched, and he placed a hand on the side of the blade as if quieting it. "With this forge Alexandria may live once again, but only if those who answer it's call are strong enough to face the grim reality of the situatuion at hand." His body betrayed none of the weakness or weariness that had possessed him earlier as he stood up and looked around, his gaze settling squarely on her.

Aubresiah rounded on him with such quickness only seen in experiments or well trained fighters. "Some hope yes." She watched his hand quiet the sword. He saw Mandelyns BloodBane brighten in Aubresiah's hand. He noticed the shadows around the area, ones that only dwelled in areas of darkness. He noticed how they obeyed her call and commands. Waving a hand the shadows squealed retreating. "What is your business here...?" He recognized her, the only changes, scars that wound around her stomach legs and shoulders. She was battle torn. Her wings looked slightly damaged, but nothing like Mandelyn's

"This is my son's forge, I might ask the same of you." His eyes grew cold as he saw the shadows respond easily to her command. "Why would one who trafficks with darkness care about this ruined city. Has it not seen enough pain?" His voice was enough to cause the flames to quiet down, and they returned to a slight flame, barely reaching over the top. He now knew why the sword quivered when she approached. He took his hand off of it and it began to quiver excitedly again. It smelled blood and it wanted a taste. His hand rested gently on the pommel, the stone glowing bright red at his touch, the intensity of the light was fierce as his eyes narrowed, electric blue, a trait that ran in his bloodline, eyes that would make even the bravest warrior lose his nerve with direct contact. He allowed his presence to fill the room, sending his aura in every which way, chasing the shadows out of the forge.

Aubresiah's fangs inched forward from her mouth. Her eyes were a bright amethyst with blue as dark as the oceans in them. "You...You're Luka's father.." A small smile came to trembling lips, he noticed the purple turn blue the blue to green. "You're Mandelyn's husband." She sheathed Mandelyn's sword. "I'm here because i can't leave. Im stuck in the city and the woods. I sacrificed...a lot... when Luka left...The shadows came. Most of us evacuated and got patched up at Kyuu's home...but I needed to leave, I just." She sighed "Couldn't stay with people." Aub's touched the flames again and they came back to roaring "Im the keeper here...the keeper until you...or Luka.. or someone comes to help. The shadows are apart of me now. I control them. The small ones are of no mind.. the larger ones nearly killed me." A small flicker of a grin came to her cracked lips

His body did not relax, he had fought the darkness enough to know to never let his guard down. "You know an awful lot about me and the Kingdom I created young lady, but you still have not told me who you are, or how you know my family." The sword quivered anxiously, it wanted to be held, to be wielded and used in battle, it did not matter with who or what it fought, as long as it got to taste blood. His eyes narrowed and the flames seemed to go into a seizure, turning bright blue with a white hot core that would scorch anything in the world." Now explain yourself, by what right do you claim to be The Keeper of thiese ruins?"

"Aubresiah Arcane experiment care.." She held out her palm over lass two now that Mandelyn is back. When Auron came, Micheal died...here just let me show you" She held her palm out after sheathing the sword and her other hand on her temple to show what had happened from Mandelyn's and Aubresiahs point of view since Aubresiah showed up at Council and Mandelyn was captured in Council. Long after Sivad left. Until six months ago.
Six months ago Cassandra died. Luka had left. Lily had gone insane and beat her son Lucas. Kyuu had taken him and a dying Mandy back to Kyuu's realm. Aubresiah snapped. She wanted to go back there and fix everything that caused them to leave here in the first place. She wanted to kill the shadows. All of them. She got over powered and wanted to give up until Desix drug her out of it. Arillia came back, and she tried to help her. But the damage was done. Aubresiah wanted to kill Council, and the Shadows. All of them. She pushed them all away. Arillia gave up on Aubs. She was colder now. She wanted to rebuild, but she wouldnt try that without Luka, Lucas, or someone who this belonged to to say so. "I cant leave now though. I pulled to much of myself here, to much energy into keeping the shadows away" He noticed how dim her light was. Almost like a worn down Mandy.

He growled and took a step back, settling into a defensive stance his hand gripping his sword tightly, preparing to draw it. "You have trafficked with the darkness, do not touch me. I said explain, and you have yet to say anything that convinces me." His body was tense as tendrils of darkness slithered into his peripheral vision out one of the windows of the forge. He turned slightly as the tendrils got bigger, backing up towards a wall so they could not circle around him, the sunstone in the pommel of his sword glowing white hot as he prepared to unleash the light.

As an act of good faith she waved the shadows away, they seemed to burn as she did this. Taking off her ring she tossed it to him, her swords were away, they were clearly Mandelyn's "I am Mandelyn's replacement. When Luka and i went to a castle to find help we found nothing. I got shot by a starshot. He told me to come back here and that was two days ago. The shadows leeched off my blood and some of them decided to help me get on my feet. Light cannot exist without darkness. A few shades, revnants and desires came around. I know how they work through the shadow program now. You need experiment program basis. Luka was put in the program. Someone around here shot me, and the shadows came. Thats all i know and all i have aside the files Janier and i went over" Holding out her hand she asked for her ring back. "Now im going to wait one more day for him. If he doesnt come im going back for him." She folded her arms over her chest. She looked determined, angry , cold, scared, and dimming. "Either i need to find him, or i need to go back to Mandelyn and see what she thinks if i dont find him tomorrow." she warmed her hands on the fire and closed her eyes. "That ring, Luka, Mandelyn and the memories are holding me to my humanity. Im held here by threads now. Im trying to keep it clear so he can get here."

She pulled out her beacons and looked at them with a frown. The messages had sent to Tox, Mandelyn, and Linares, however no one had contacted her back. No one had come but Sivad. Sighing she opened her mind out to Luka, to Mandelyn, to Linares. Bombarded by Mandelyn's voice she heard "Aubresiah Arcane come in...open your...Aubresiah! You're awake!" Mandy smiled in her mind "Are you alright? Is Luka alright?" Aubresiah murmured back "I got shot...i dont know if Luka is safe... Sivad is here and hes questioning me..." Mandelyn arrived shortly after flying in low to not get shot "Is Alex alright?" Aubs asked worriedly. Mandelyn nodded touching Aubresiahs forhead "You're burning up..." She injected Aubresiah's forarm with the black liquid. "Sivad...howd you come across eachother?" Mandelyn kept glancing at Aubresiah nervously. "Aubresiah you need to be put on observation and i need to see what the shadows did to you.. it can help you as well as Luka" Aubresiah nodded, "You can find him right?" Her eyes were watering. "Of course. Did you have any memory issues? Loss, feeling of overwhelming.." Aubresiah nodded "Sadness. It worked through my system like water... infested the happiest memories and made me doubt so much...We need to find him." Aubresiah was firm about finding Luka. Mandelyn nodded walking to her medical center in the castle. Only Sivad had ever enetered there. A small little infirmary. Aubresiah got on the table and lay down breathing calmly. Mandy strapped her gently down and squeezed her hand. "Go in with love and trust. You tell him where you are, and his memories and mind will follow you here." Aubs nodded blowing out air from her lungs as Mandelyn pulled a plunger down Aubs gasped and fell into a sedated state. Mandy looked at Sivad. "Shell bring him home." Mandelyn worked quickly placing her palms on Aubresiahs heart. The shadows and tdarkness filtered out thick and slowly. "She was infested when the starshot hit her. Council or people like them... they did this to her. No choice was hers."

Aubresiah brought herself to Luka's mind teasing her way in. "Luka...its me.. ,I need you, Mandelyn and Sivad need you" She bore no scars of the shadows anymore in here. She touched his cheek lovingly and moved her thumb gently "Come home. Theyre in the forge, im in the infirmary. If youre not here in twelve hours... Im coming back for you. I promise." She kissed him tenderly and smiled "I need to wake up now. So do you. Wake up. Go with love, trust and light" She gasped out with a smile and woke back up "I got in his mind and i know he heard me. " Aubs said with a blush on her pale skin. Mandy smiled "Great, you did great. Im proud of you. I need to know where you were shot" Aubs nodded "Fourty miles southwest of here. I was well above human eyesight. Desix is okay right?" Mandy nodded "Ill go check it out. I need you here waiting for him. I need you to clear out the buildings and rebuild. The pillars will respond to you." Mandy smiled and looked up at Sivad "Ill be back, stay safe.. " she whispered she loved him in his mind and left with one of the swords she gave to Aubresiah.

Marcus smiled at his love with his own light shining. "Immortality." He sighed out happily, as he intertwined their fingers walking into the forge and following Aubresiah's scent to the infirmary. He saw Sivad and bowed respectfully. "Sir." he moved to Aubresiah and shook his head "Aubs....your light is so dim..where is he that hes so far from you..?" Marcus went to touch her shoulder gently but she pulled away. "I got shot on the way back. He made me leave. Something got inside of me and its holding on tight..worry not Marcus ill be well soon.." I hope... she added to her mind. Smiling at Carson she waved softly "Im glad you found your light Marcus...I can call you brother now.. We shall talk later..." Aubs said softly to him. His face lit up like a burning sun as he squeezed Carson's hand. "I..have to rebuild this place...Mandelyn wishes it, and ka needs to come home...to a home.." Aubresiah smiled at them. "Carson would you like to see my magic? Possibly Marcus if he wishes?" Aubresiah looked at him and smiled. He nodded "Whatever Lady Aubresiah wishes"

It seemed to be centuries since Will had once been at the place he considered home. Now, it seemed as if it was the only thing that had been on his mind. He was, lack of any better words to describe it, physically and mentally spent, walking both day and night, cutting his way through anything and everything that stood between him and his home. Just within the boundary of what he knew to be Alexandria, or, at least what was left of it, he dropped to his knees. He forced himself to get up, the scabbed cuts from blades and arrows seeming to tear themselves open again, and every muscle in his body aching. He continued to walk, using his greatsword as his support to keep him stable. When he got to the ruins of what he knew to be the castle, he dropped to his knees, uttering just one word, "M-Mandelyn..." before he fell to the dirt and the rubble, face in the dirt and the dust. He could not muster the strength to move another inch, having used everything he had to get home from the battle which he appeared to be the only survivor of.

Mandelyn sensed William was around but was already at Aubresiah's place of injury. Sighing she rubbed her temples as she looked around the forested area. "I can smell you.." She growled at the darkness.
Aubresiah was already out the window already and had lifted William effortlessly. Taking him inside to the infirmary she breathed out deeply. Her hands had started to glow with some of her remaining light healing him with a shock of warmth and light. "William what are you doing here?" Aubresiahs lips were cracked and bleeding now. Her skin looked flakey and pale. Her light was dimmer now. Her scars from the shadows were more present now. "What the hell happened to you Will?" She whispered softly.

Will opened his eyes and looked up. "We were ambushed by Shadows. More than I could even count. My wounds were not from them though..." he said, tears forming in his eyes. "We fought for what seemed like months, or at least it felt as such, but suddenly they had left. I was captured, but gutted their castle out. I know not who they were, but they were... burly, and cruel. They did things to women and to children that I dare not repeat." he seemed to cringe at the thought. "My first instinctive thought was to return home. To here, the only place I have left to call home. I am not welcome anywhere else." he sat up. "I was separated from everybody else. Alex, Vek, Seth, Nathaniel, and everybody else pushed further into enemy territory and knowing them they are still alive." he shook his head. "I did not have the strength to keep searching. It would have killed me to try and reach them wherever they are. I only had enough strength to return home."

"Alex is safe. Alex is with Desix... William...Im not okay... I wont EVER be okay again this place has turned me against myself and everyone dear to me. The shdows offer comfort but...i know thats not what i want" Aubresiah was shaking softly as tears rolled down her face. "Vek and Lex are back safe with Kyuu..I came back here because Luka needed me. I..needed him to be alright. This is my home. I cant leave here anymore" She laid it all on him. Just like that. "They gave you false memories Will...We just got Mandelyn back in her body not long ago.. We were at the tournament... and i was called here. Its far to long to explain but how you got here...howd you get here?"

He stepped into the doorway of the infirmary, glancing down at the prone figure on the bed. His clothes were covered in blackness. He had ignored all communique's and had set to clearing the castle of all the shadows that had infested it and setting up barrier's to prevent the darkness from re-entering the castle. Now that the castle had been reclaimed, they could start rebuilding. The tower's of the castle still held their mystical energy of engulfing the city in a blue shimmer. His mind was thinking of the future. Once the tower's power has been restored, they could clear out all of Alexandria, eradicating the darkness from the town entirely, but he would have to find a more powerful sunstone, and they only grew in the other world where he had come from. He watched as Aubresiah worked. He had decided to finally trust her, upon hearing Mandelyn's voice in his head. He did not reply, blocking all future communique's from entering his mind, but remained aware of her current whereabouts. He reached out and felt for the familiar presence of his son Luka, finally locating him in the Centura lands. He mused over why Luka would go there, thinking about the possibilities and wondering what he hoped to gain from such a trip. He listened to William's story. "It must've been the Shades, Ash Wraith's and Revanants who did this too him. His wounds are similar to the types of blades they use."

Will nodded and looked up at Aubresiah. "I walked." he said plainly. He wasn't being sarcastic. "Tournament?" he tilted his head curiously. His mind was starting to race again and his strength was beginning to return to him completely. "Is there anything I can do to help you, Aubresiah? Where is Mandelyn?" he was concerned. For some odd reason, even in the company of friends, he felt as though he was alone. He did not know why.

Will then looked to the person he had never seen before. "Whatever they were, they were stronger than almost anything I had ever faced." he looked to the greatsword that he had carried with him, and sighed. He realized that it was cracked and broken and probably would not survive another encounter. "This is my first time in it seems centuries, that I have been near anything relative to CIVILization." he said, emphasizing the word civil.

Aubs looked at Will "Rest and keep Carson safe. Mandelyn is fine as far as im aware." Aubresiah nodded to Sivad "I can help you get a better sun stone..." she said softly to Sivad standing up "You will stay here to re st William. " Looking at Marcus she sighed "I want you protecting Carson. Don't let anything hurt her" Gazing into his eyes she said "Even me" in his mind. Marcus nodded "Yes Lady Aubresiah." He placed Carsons hand in his. "Sivad, accompany me if you wish, or go to her, i dont like her alone here...it makes me very uneasy." Aubresiah smiled at Carson sadly and jumped out the window to the first pillar grabbing earth she opened it, then the water one, then the air, and fire. She stood in the middle of them and opened her wrist, a small portion of her blood opened it, the blood was liquid light. The pillars shook and a large sunstone was unearthed, Aubs stood upon it and the shadows seemed to burn away until she stepped out of it. Then she looked more broken. Doll like. She waved a hand to Sivad to take it when another few shots rang out Aubs hit the dirt with a thud. Shadows licked at her wounds and Sivad realised the shadows and bolts had come from another person. She burned most of them off, Luka had felt her pain again break through his memories and isolation. Mandelyn had come crashing through the forest with a shade upon her blade. Shed been shot as well "Sivad...i knew this would...be useful sometime.." she smiled and he realsed how beaten up she was. The pillars started to tremble and retreat again, the sunstone going down as well. Aubs got up shaking.
Marcus was at the window looking out. Tossing a sword at William "Will... you know how to fight so get you get out there...Carson baby?" He smiled at her "Can you hide in Mandelyns room?" He had sheilded her from seeing what was going on

William had gotten up from the bed right as Marcus had tossed him a sword. He caught it and immediately went out the window, when he brought the sword to bear, his wings unfurled, then overlapped in front of him as he descended swiftly from the window, only to go back up faster than what he went down. He was searching for the first threat he saw. When he noticed it, like an eagle upon its prey he swooped down at it ready to kill it in one instant move. He had quickly went from being a man in recovery, back to being a warrior.

He laughed, a harsh cold laugh. "I wouldn't exactly call my family's kingdom anywhere close to being civil, not with the Darkness creeping around outside." He noticed Will's eyes focus on the greatsword and made a quick assessment of the damage. "If you plan to be in these parts for long, your are going to need a better blade than that one." He walked over to the blade and tapped it with one finger. The responding ring was dull and hollow. If you'd like, I can reforge the blade, make it more durable and lighter at the same time, as well as more suitable for the times this area has fallen into." He barely registered Aubs' voice as she activated the pillars. He took the sunstone and ducked down hearing the shots ring out, the pommel glowing brightly he sent a flare of red up into the air, it flickered at a bright intensity, having the same property of a strobe light as he dropped the sun stone onto the floor and watched as it cracked and rolled away, it was a fake of course, true sunstones being grown in trees high above the veil in the otherworld where sun was seperate from the ground, and the world was blanketed in eternal night. He charged quickly in the direction the shots came from and drawing his blade, it glowed red with anger, the color emanating from the sunstone and washing over the blade. The crimson hue arced through the air in the flickering light as he quickly dispatched the three shadows firing the shots. The forest quivered, and the trees began to back away from the singing blade as he spun around to survey the area for more attackers.

Marcus had taken the blade he had given Will and gave it to Carson now that the other man before him had fixed William's sword. He got his palm cut on William's blade as he swapped them out. He glared at William and placed Carson behind him, taking her to Mandelyn's room. It was still peaceful there, full of light and a mural matching hers in Kyuu's realm. Its sister. Here the mural wasnt Alexandria, it was Kyuu's home. There were notes all over her desk in the study off the bedroom. Marcus did as Lady Aub's asked and protected Carson. He shut the door behind him and cleared the room lighting Mandelyns room with a wave. The fireplace roared to life as did all the candles. He looked severly mad, upset, sad, angry? A mixture of emotions threatened to bubble to the surface. "Carson if I need to go help Aubs can you defend yourself?"

Aubresiah pulled herself up out of the dirt crying out in pain as a revenant held onto her leg. She dispatched it quickly, however her leg was shattered, her ribs broken, her wings hung at odd angles. Grabbing a cross bow off the ground she started to shoot shadows. Her nose leeked dirt and blood all over her face and chest.

Mandelyn pulled the sword Sivad gave her pressing the pomel to his, and closed her eyes. The entire area lit up, most of Alexandria actually lit up burning all the shadows. Panting Mandelyn took her sword from his, she fell to her knees "Im getting to old for this.." She laughed nervously. When the light burned everything shadow like Aubresiah cried out in agony. She was burning up from the inside, her wings seemed to catch an ember in them burning ever so softly. She endured and looked around. "Mandelyn?!" She couldnt see. Her sight was burned away from her.

The sound of Will's sword slicing through a revenant that was about to stab Mandelyn was heard right before everything shadow like was consumed in fire. He kept his guardian stance in the event something else attacked. He was ordered to join the fight by Marcus, but it was over almost before it even got started. Will said nothing, but looked down at his stomach where a shot had gone through his armor and all and dropped to one knee.