FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Iridell: "This isn't just going to affect the Chirithan," Denver said calmly, standing with his arms crossed over his chest as he regarded the ship masters and mistresses. "The war is spreading to all nations, those that the Ryodan is aware of and those only your ships have gone to. That is why I need you to send word, not only to the other clans, but the lands your people have been to."

Alviara's face didn't change, but some of the other members of the Chirithan council didn't look pleased with his words.

"The prophecies-"

"Are being fulfilled, but I need everyone that I can gather to face this Darkness in hopes that some will at least survive whatever happens. If you don't wish to listen to me, you do not have to. I'm not trying to command you or your people in any manner," he said evenly, lowering his arms and sighing. "Either way, I still need to head for the mist coast where Indell's people are. Now...are there any captains that would be willing to take my companions and I to the place we need to go?"

There was silence for a few moments, until one of the younger captains' finally nodded in silent understanding.

"Tellon of the Eastern Daughter shall take you and your companions," he said in a surprisingly rough voice for such a young face. "My family and clan will not rest until you reach the Mist Coast and find the weaver's kingdom..."

"Our deepest thanks to you," Denver said bowing his own head respectfully. "Now...I ask that you leave my companions and I alone until morning. It's been a long day for all of us..."

The council nodded and turned to leave without so much as a backward glance, the tent flap falling closed behind them. Going to one pile of cushions, Draven sat down heavily with a sigh, one that I could have mimicked. A proud and stubborn people, the Chirithan; one would have better luck getting blood from stone.

"You look like you could use a drink," Arosha remarked, picking up a clay bottle resting on one of the low tables and pouring a couple glasses of mead by the smell of it.

"That would make four of us," I said, giving a tired smile as the wolfess looked up in surprise and arched an eyebrow, Lesanna already ahead of us sipping her own drink.

"Never thought I'd appreciate alcohol as the mainstay of what people drink in an age such as this," Denver remarked, drinking deeply before lowering his chalice and leaning forward, one hand rubbing his brow scales lightly. "I still feel as though I'm not ready for this...leadership. All I can ask is 'should I learn more or head to battle and try to learn things on the way?'"

"Best plan lasts until the first arrow leaves the bow," Arosha and Lesanna commented at the same time, both of them looking up in surprise before sharing a companionable grin. I chuckled and shook my head, reaching for the pitcher to pour myself a second cup of mead.

"Things will happen as they are meant to happen, Denver," I told him, meeting his eyes easily and smiling reassurance. "With you here, as the Chosen One, we at least have a chance of surviving; and by 'we' I mean all the nations that are threatened by the Darkness and it's power."

"His power, Iridell. Not 'it's'. He is a shard of what I was, the strongest of us because he kept his immortality and memories. This fight won't be won simply through armies slaughtering each other. The real battle will be between him and I alone."

"Such thoughts can wait for the moment," Lesanna said firmly, setting down her goblet and climbing onto the pillows behind Denver, her hands sliding along his neck and shoulders carefully. Sighing with delight, our love closed his eyes and lowered his head, his posture slowly becoming relaxed as the Naga massaged his muscles carefully; working out the sore area's created by tension and worry.

Looking over at Arosha I caught the grin that slowly started to spread across her lips as she looked at our love with more than just casual appreciation. Removing both armor and clothing, she let it fall to the floor and strode up to Denver, caressing his face gently before kissing him with a deep growl. He responded almost immediately, pulling the wolfess closer and caressing her back, one hand reaching down to squeeze her ass gently and getting a muffled whine in response.

Lesanna tsk, tsk'd a moment but with a broad grin on her serpentine features as she continued to massage Denver, her lower body shifting back to its long tail like appearance. She leaned forward to kiss his neck and I caught sight of movement near his waist, a grin spreading across my lips as I saw the tip of her tail sliding under the loin cloth Denver was wearing, my guess being that it was to explore his new form a little more thoroughly. I stayed where I was and watched, feeling my own heart start to quicken its pace as I watched them, my own tail acting of its own accord and slipping up along my inner thighs...

Lesanna: Denver broke the kiss with Arosha and lowered his head to nuzzle and kiss her breasts, her breath catching for a moment before letting out a plaintive whine as he pleasured her. My hands moved gently along Denvers' back and sides as I watched, murmuring encouragement to him as my tail teased along his sheath. I found this new form of his highly attractive, and I planned to find out as much as I could of just what he was capable of now. Feeling his member start to harden, I rubbed against his sheath gently, the tip of my tail lightly caressing the swelling tip and making him growl against Aroshas's breast as he suckled upon her, the pleasure rising from one as the other became more aroused with each passing moment.

Having a sudden thought, I pulled my love back against me, hands sliding around his sides as I worked the underside of my tail against his member, feeling his heart race as his body tensed. Licking my lips with anticipation, I felt my sex suddenly press against his pulsing shaft and hissed loudly, working the tip of my tail up Arosha's inner thighs slowly. She yipped in surprise, staring at me before looking down as the tip of my serpentine appendage teased the lips of her sex, turning surprise into pleasure. Denver shifted his hips, pushing his shaft against my pussy slowly, the head slipping inside of me and I cried out again, already in such a high state of arousal from the scents I could taste.

Pressing myself onto him as I wormed my tail deeper into Arosha, I quivered, rubbing myself against Denver's back as we made love to each other, my glazing eyes going to Iridell and Arosha as I whatched the former of the two pleasuring herself nearby with her own tail, her hands caressing the wolfess gently, whispered words filling the air with the sounds of pleasure.

Denver: I pulled Arosha closer, raising my head to kiss her passionately, tongue slipping out to taste her as I thrust up into Lesanna, mind already swamped by desire as my veins burned with flames. Arosha whined into the kiss as he hugged me tightly, grinding herself against Arosha, the additional pressure sending me ever closer to climax as I closed my eyes. All my senses seemed heightened; the slightest touch sending shivers down my back, the scents a heady intoxicating mix that filled my mind as much as my lungs. I hungered for all of them, to show just how much their love meant to me and what I wished to give them in turn.

Lesanna pulled off of me without warning, the sudden chill of the room making me tense, on the verge of release, only to be denied it by Arosha who took the opportunity to replace the serpentine princess. Both of us cried out as I entered her, feeling her pussy stretch around my draconic length, the tightness of her body staving off the climax for the moment. Gods, did she burn though! One hand sliding down to rest on her hips, the other to help support her back, I pulled out a little, growling loudly as I felt her body tighten around me before thrusting back inside.

Arosha: I bit my lip as I felt Denver move under and inside of me, all thought of what I had planned to do to him for our mutual pleasure gone as he filled me again. It was a little painful at first, but thankfully he was taking it slow, giving me time to adjust which only intensified the sensations. Few times had I ever felt as complete and filled as I did now, but those had been passing moments of lust...this was love and passion.

Resting my hands on his shoulder, I rose up slowly, looking at his face and seeing it contorted with pleasure and the strain of keeping it in check. Grinning, I let myself fall again swiftly and whined as his member drove into me again, the tip pressing against my womb as my body shuddered. My hips moved faster as I rode my love, his face the only thing I could see in the haze of desire and passion as I felt his member twitch and throb within my sex, the burning heat bringing me closer and closer-

I howled loudly as I climaxed, body shaking as I let myself drop hard and swiftly onto Denver's shaft, my sex tightening around his even as it worked to try and bring forth his own release. Denver bit back a muffled roar as he pressed against me, holding me in a tight embrace as his member swelled before sending waves of burning seed into my body, the sensations setting me off again, both of us shuddering in each others arms...

Iridell: I waited for a few moments as Arosha and Denver clung to each other, my hands gently joining his in roaming over her body. Smiling, I carefully lifted Arosha off of Our love and lay her back upon one of the nearby piles of pillows. Kissing her passionately, I continued to keep her senses tingling with pleasure, my fingers lightly tracing the edges of her breasts, down along her sides. Curling my tail, I slid it up between her thighs slowly, running the tip of it between the lips of her sex and making her whine with desire...

Denver: I felt Lesanna Pull me back a little and I turned to look at her, eyes meeting and a mutual smile coming to our lips as I positioned myself above her, kissing her deeply, our tongues twisting tasting each other as she embraced me tightly. Moving to grind myself against her moist sex, I gasped in surprise as I slid into her instead, a loud hiss of pleasure escaping from her lips as she broke the kiss, arching back and up into me. Pulling back a little, I thrust again, growling loudly as I locked my lips around her left nipple, sucking on her hard. I could feel her writhe beneath me, her lower body twisting every which way it could, the sensations only encouraging me to make love to Lesanna faster.

Lesanna: I felt his desire and returned it a hundred fold, my body aching for his warmth, his seed to fill me as I stared up at him, breaths loud and hissing like the semi-silent prayers of the Priests in Ku'tarass. Each movement Denver made sent new jolts of pleasure through me, my coils twisting back almost painfully as I became lost in the sensations we shared. I fought to keep control, to be the one to outlast the need until I couldn't bare it anymore, my claws scrapping along his shoulder scales as I clung to him.

Denver took my hands gently, lacing his fingers in mine as he pulled my arms above my head, his eyes bright with an ethereal flame as he looked down at me, his pace quickening and with it my cries of pure ecstasy. My heart thundered with his thrusts, breaths muffled pleas for what was coming as we rode the wave of passion-

Denver: -I kissed Lesanna fiercely as I climaxed, her body tensing beneath me before thrashing about as she pressed her torso against my own, both of us spiraling out of control in the maelstrom of sensation. Laying against the Naga princess, I nuzzled her neck as I panted, trying to catch my breath, listening to the moans and other sounds of pleasure coming from my other mates, a wry smile touching my lips at one particularly loud 'yip!'.

Iridell: I shuddered as Arosha's lupine tongue dove into the depths of my sex again, eliciting deep throated growls from me as I showed that two could play at that game. My tongue twisted and caressed the depths of her pussy skillfully, pulling the combined juices that remained there from her earlier union with Denver. Spreading my legs a little more, I reached down to rub Arosha's breasts gently, using my thumb and fore-claw to tease her nipples as I lay beneath her, gasping as she in turn rubbed my clitoris.

Not one to be outdone, I tried a different tactic, pulling my hand back and gently pressing one finger against her tail hole. Arosha howled as she climaxed again, her body tensing above me as I flicked her clit lightly with my tongue to make the sensations last. I felt her slump atop of me and grinned before carefully rolling to the side and climbing out from her.

Looking up I noticed that Denver was rising as well from a very sated serpent, Lesanna's eyes half lidded as she shifted back to a two legged form. Beckoning him closer, I got up into a sitting position, and openly appreciated the view of his new form. Matching me for height, it was a perfect balance of physical strength and agility, his movements graceful and without any flaw that I could see.

Denver: Standing before Iridell I paused as she reached up a hand to gently stroke my still throbbing member, snaking her head closer to lightly lick the tip, making me quiver and inhale deeply.

"Hmmmmm...I think that I have need of your help again...to see just what lies in the future...for all of us," she whispered, flicking the underside of my member's head with her tongue.

"Is that a command, Lady Iridell?" I asked, slowly kneeling and pulling her closer so that we could kiss, my shaft pressing against her stomach as our tongues met and danced with each other.

"Most definitely," She replied, rising up a little with a broad smile.

Getting her to turn around and lean against me, the dragoness reached back to guide my shaft between her legs, Iridell growling loudly as I hissed, feeling the head of my member pressing against her burning sex.

Slowly, gently, I thrust into my love, her sex so tight around me, burning with need that I was more than willing to fulfill. Sliding my hand around to rub just above her crotch, I lightly kissed along her neck my other hand sliding up her body to cup her left breast. Pulling out of her slowly until only the head of my shaft was within her, I thrust back in, wanting to take my time and make this last.

Iridell: I moaned and tilted my head to the side as I felt Denver slide back into me, reaching back to hold onto his neck with one hand. My tail slides up and over his thigh to wrap around his own as I moved my hips slowly in time with his thrusts. This wasn't a quick fix for either of us, but something slow and passionate, a way to show our love for each other. Each movement, each thrust sent new waves of pleasure through me, his new form stretching me wider than his old, each inch of his member caressing my burning womb. A new warmth started to fill me and I gasped loudly, Denver's right hand having found my clitoris and working his magick upon it. Flames raced through my veins as I pushed back and down against his thrusts, eyes closing as I concentrated on the pleasure and emotions of the moment.

Turning my upper torso, I kissed him fiercely, letting a growling moan escape my throat as I took hold of his other hand and pressed it against my breast, encouraging him to do as he wished. My pussy was already starting to twitch and tighten even more as I neared climax.

Denver: With each thrust, I gently pressed the head of my throbbing member against her cervix, squeezing her breast even as I toyed with her nipple, pinching, flicking the nub of bare flesh. I shuddered with each motion we made, already so close to another climax, my guts feeling frozen as my veins burned with desire. Something caressed my balls and base of my member and I stiffened, letting out a loud roar that was echoed by Iridell as both of us came suddenly, my shaft swelling within her as her sex tightened almost painfully around me.

I hugged Iridell close as we both shuddered, panting for breath as we shared in the overwhelming sensations, our minds fogged by pleasure and love. Looking down I found and felt Arosha still laying before us, gently licking the joint juices that seeped from Iridell's sex.

"Mischievous wench," I muttered with a broad grin, Nuzzling Iridell's neck as I reached down to caress Arosha's cheek. She smiled and rose high enough to kiss me, and I felt Lesanna embrace me from behind, all four of us laying down slowly on the pile of pillows and falling into the blissful void of slumber in each others arms.

***

Denver: ...Mist surrounded the ship as it edged closer to the mountains the crew had sighted earlier in the morning. Nearly two months had passed and this was the first landfall we had made in that time, the captain understandably uneasy having to follow on hints and subtle course changes as Indell directed.

Now within the shrouded coastline of an unknown land, Tellon was right to be cautious. How far away the mountains were from where we entered the fog bank was nearly impossible to tell. Nearly.

I felt the distance to shore as easily as I felt the beating of my own heart, the breaths of air filling my lungs, the sounds of shore birds and seals among the rocky coast. I knew where the shore was and could have almost claimed to be able to see it, but it was an impression, nothing more. Almost all of my powers had returned after going through the Oracle Arch, but I dared not risk using them. Not yet since my body was still getting used to the changes wrought by the time and events that had happened to me.

"Drop anchor!" I shouted, looking back at the captain in earnest, my eyes seeing a shadow of a shadow ahead of us beneath the water. The order was relayed even as the release for the massive chains and iron weights was triggered by other Chirithan sailors. Slowing until the anchors could bring us to a complete stop; the ship shuddered slightly, a low grinding sound filling the air that vanished just as quickly. The crew scrambled aloft to the shouts of the first mate and I turned my attention back toward land as Indel and the others gathered at the prow, their eyes staring at the mist.

"How the hell are we to tell how far we are from shore?" Elayna asked, awe and sarcasm mixing together in her voice.

"There are ways," Indel chattered, her hands already busy weaving something in the air before her.

"Prepare one of the longboats with a small number of passengers. I will try to clear the mist around us until we reach shore."

"Ask the captain to have things ready," I said to Elayna, her eyes flashing in outrage that faded instantly under my gaze. She murmured something and hurried as fast as her skirts allowed to the stern, ignoring some of the sailors she passed that commented about her appearance. It was probably better that she did.

Lesanna, Iridell, Arosha, and I, along with four of the Ryodan guards to help row the longboat set out within moments, following a silken sail that Indel had woven from her own threads. The star shaped pattern shimmered in the dull sunlight, glowing with all colors and none as it led the way. As suddenly as the fog had engulfed the ship at dawn, we were out of the mist and approaching a stretch of white sandy shore that ended abruptly at either end of the beach where outcroppings of black volcanic rock rose in jagged spires and walls.

Seals dotted the sand, most staring at us with curiosity while others shuffled and worked their way down to the clear waters, diving in and circling us, their calls filling the air like a crowd of hawkers in a marketplace. As with their cousins from the world I had known, their eyes were intelligent and joyous, part of me feeling sorrow for what was done to their kin for money and their furs. It was something I couldn't do anything about. Not yet anyways.

Beyond the beach rose a jungle, the trees massive and thick with foliage, flowers and the sounds of hidden avians singing their loud and broken tunes. The jungle rose up the sides of the mountains, breaking off here and there at cracks in the stone sentinels that emitted columns of steam, the fissures gleaming a bright red even in the sunlight.

"Home," bubble/belched Indel, her head swiveling this way and that as she took in the landscape before us, the others almost as speechless as I. The tone of excitement and anxiety worried me, but I didn't ask why she felt this way. Too many things counted on keeping a clear head and somehow finding the Weaver city. Waiting until the mist cleared enough for the ship to be moved closer and the rest of the Ryodan guards to reach shore, we started out with Indel leading us through the jungle, the light of day fading to a brilliant emerald hue that suffused or heightened the rest of the forest around us.

Arosha: ... "How long until we reach your people, Indel?" I asked nervously, the multitude of scents and humidity making me uneasy. After a good rainstorm, I could usually pick out the scent of two feral squirrels sitting on a branch a couple dozen yards away.

Here though, the scent of vegetation and flowers was nearly overpowering, hiding that of any predators we might stumble into. Twice I tried resting for a moment, only to feel the object I chose to sit on move with something three times my size making its way silently through the underbrush away from the group. Creatures I had never thought of growing past small or medium sized game were almost double or triple the size in this jungle, the thought of what hunted them keeping me on edge constantly.

"Shouldn't be long now," she said, pausing by a tree and examining it a moment before continuing on.

"You said that half an hour ago," whined Elayna, and for as much as I hated the bitch, I had to agree with her. This was ridiculous.

"As you said the same in response to my reply," the Weaver countered, pausing at another tree before turning to us. "Keep quiet..."

"Why?"

The canopy moved and in moments we were surrounded by Weavers, weapons of sharpened volcanic glass and worked steel bared along with fangs and claws. I yelped and started reaching for my sword, only to feel a rough chitenous hand grab my own, gently but with enough pressure to make sure I didn't draw my weapon. Looking back, I shuddered, the massive Weaver 'yawning' to expose a pair of fangs that gleamed in the dull jungle light.

"It would have made it easier to talk with them had they not already decided to stay out of sight until a proper ambush was in place," Indel replied coolly.

"You shouldn't have brought them here in the first place," replied a Weaver to her left, standing the same height as she. Dark brown with dapple green and black patches of chitin, eyes gleaming pitch that seemed to shift slightly as 'he' took in the rest of our group. "Why have you broken the oath and returned from exile, Indel?" As the last was spoken, he turned his back to the rest of the group, staring at her intently, his mandibles twitching as if he was irritated.

"I would not have done so without great need, you know that," she replied coolly, raising one arm and cleaning herself idly, her demeanor calm and collected. "Things have taken place and events have unfolded that I foresaw thirteen seasons ago. As is my right, I demand an audience with the Great Mother and that these people come with me..."

"You ask for much former Thread-mistress," he rejoined, voice respectful but with a hint of something I couldn't quite place. "The law says that I must honor your first request, but not the second. You were exiled for what you claimed to have witnessed forming in the Tapestry of Worlds. You have condemned those who have come with you to death by returning, and revealing Our sacred home to them."

"The blame for that is mine, Weaver," Denver intoned, slowly walking forwards until he stood next to Indel, his cobalt eyes showing no fear or hesitation. "I would not have asked her to betray her oath if there wasn't something more at stake aside from keeping her people safe and protected."

"Who is this?" he asked Indel, the other Weavers shifting, each of them holding a spear or knife ready to throw at Denver should he move the wrong way.

"The Wayward Son returned," she told him, pausing in her grooming a moment to regard Denver. "On my oath, it is true else my life is forfeit."

The other Weavers spoke softly to each other, their free hands moving in complex patterns as the bubbles, clicks and low wheezing hisses filled the air.

"It may just be that, former Thread-Mistress," the leader responded, gazing at Denver thoughtfully. Giving a slight gesture, the weapons held were raised to a resting position and the tension in the air seemed to lessen somewhat. "I am Ghan-thes, Trap-runner and member of the city guard. We will take you to Ethanissal and her majesty, Oribana Thell. Do not try to escape from us or we will kill you..." Denver nodded calmly and looked at each of us in turn as the weavers carefully started to disarm the group, some of the Ryodan guards muttering, but none making a move to resist...

***

...The rest of the day passed by uneventfully; Weavers setting up camp with silken tents and leafs bound by the dry durable threads they produced. Two left the camp briefly, returning with fresh caught game, also shrouded in silk for easier handling, one large bundle handed to the group while the rest were divided amongst the arachnid people. Upon opening it, we found the largest boar I had ever seen, already gutted but still fresh and ready to be cooked upon a spit. While I prepared a fire, the others helped clear away the dead and dry debris that lay scattered across the ground...

Denver: I watched the others prepare, noting the glances of unease that many of the Ryodan guards gave our escort, more than a few murmurs reaching my ears as I felt the tension starting to rise with the fall of night.

"There's going to be trouble," I muttered to Iridell, shaking my head slightly.

"They are afraid," she told me, looking through her pack for something and finally pulling out a small book and quill. "These people are unfamiliar to them and they do not know what to expect."

"When can anyone know what to truly expect when meeting another culture?" Sighing, I rose from where I sat, heading over to where Lesanna rested, her coils making a soft cushion of their own. "How are you doing?"

"Fine all things considered. This place reminds me of home," she said with a wry smile. "How about yourself?"

"I'll be fine...if we can ease the tension a little..."

"Should be easy enough," she told me, pulling out a small case and opening it to reveal a harp. "Just need someone that's willing to sing."

"Music?" I asked, raising an eyebrow at her.

"The best way for any people to get to know each other and find common ground is to already have something that both might enjoy. Music can work wonders, not always magickal, Denver," she told me, plucking a few strings, the soft notes filling the air and causing a kind of quiet to fall upon the camp. Lesanna continued to play softly, the notes giving a sense of relaxation that seemed to help the tension fade a little, but not completely.

An answering chord came from the group of Weavers, Ghan-thes approaching slowly with a pair of mandolin's which each played tune and counter tune to the notes the Naga princess produced. Iridell came up beside me and sang; her voice beautiful and strong without overpowering the instruments. Kneeling to touch the ground, I felt a rush of energy as the jungle responded to the music, shifting subtly to allow the peace and calm of night to descend and ease the fears all of us held.

Sending a silent request and receiving a reply, the soil beneath my fingers shifted as a glowing object slowly emerged, still hot from the earths core, its shape changing, settling to the one that part of me was familiar with to the surprise of the guards and Weavers not focused on the music. Cooling quickly, I lifted the silver flute and stood again, memories floating to the surface as I raised it to my lips and started playing.

The notes were sweet and clear, the sharpness mellowed by the others participating and the magick of the moment itself that encompassed us all. Iridell's voice rose and the flute's notes fell to the background as the tune grew faster, matching the pace of a wild river, fluid and graceful, the mandolins and harp adding to it, a rising storm coming to sweep all away before it and cleanse what remained. My loves voice reached its highest and fell slowly, the others following suit until only the flute was left playing.

Soft and slow, the waters of the music swirled around the ruins of hatred, uncertainty and fear, washing it all away and bringing about understanding and hope, the joy of the moment. Holding the last note as long as I could, I let it go and looked around the clearing, smiling at the joint feelings of wonder amongst all present before mixed shouts and applause came from the guards. The Weavers chattered and bobbed their heads in appreciation, some of them making attempts at whistling without much success.

"I've never sang so well in all my life," Iridell remarked, her voice wistful and cracking slightly as she picked up a water skin and drank deeply.

"First time for everything," I remarked with a grin to Ghan-thes, nodding respectfully to him.

"A most interesting group of sounds and idea's in that song," the weaver replied, tilting his head a little and smiling.

"Well...since there's music, I don't suppose anyone knows a good tune to dance to?" Arosha asked, a slow smile spreading across her lips. One of the Ryodan guards approached Ghan-thes and asked to use one of his mandolins, the Weaver consenting and soon what would have been called a quick country dance tune sprang into the air, more than a few rising to take part. I stayed in the background, watching and smiling as new bonds were created between the people gathered, guards on both sides breaking off and chatting with each other. It was a start if nothing else; and I could only hope that Ghan-thes and the rest of his people would be willing to at least listen to what I had to say...

***

... Two days later, we emerged from the jungle onto the edge of a cliff overlooking a majestic valley.

"Ethanissal," wheezed Ghan-thes, raising one arm in a grand sweeping gesture. The weaver city surpassed everything I would have imagined possible in my wildest dreams.

Tucked into a deep chasm at the base of the volcano valley, towers and buildings of silk rose into the air and at odd angles across, within, and high above the deep crevice. Figures moved every which way across the structures and zig-zaging bridges, and even from here; we could hear music and a strange thrumming sound. In the late dawn light, everything shimmered and gleamed with dew yet to evaporate, sending cascading rainbows across Ethanissal.

"Beautiful," Elayna whispered, her eyes wide as she took everything in. I kept silent, my thoughts for me alone.

The path leading to the city was smooth and easy to walk which was surprising considering its people and their abilities. Ghan-thes brought us to the edge of the first 'street' and my companions hesitated, unsure if the webbing would hold them up. Taking a deep breath, I took a few steps and was surprised at how strong and solid the ground felt beneath my feet, my eyes going to our guide in question.

"Despite what you may have thought," the Weaver intoned in a gurgling wheeze. "We do trade with other lands and peoples, their caravans brought and taken back to the borders of our kingdom under blindfold."

The others, encouraged by his words and the fact that I hadn't fallen through the web soon followed, and all stared at the city around us as we moved through it, heading for a large silk orb, easily the size of the Coliseum in Rome. Twice as tall and dotted with windows and large balconies that seemed to be almost as thin as a table top, there were few things I had ever seen before to surpass it, in this life or the memories that were now a part of me.

My thoughts were interrupted by a group of weavers crossing our path, one 'female' with four youngsters riding on her abdomen, while six others followed. The Young turned and chattered, looking at us intently as they questioned the female leading them in the same language the Trap Runners had used during our encounter. One went as far as jumping off her back and scuttle surprisingly fast over to me, clambering up onto my shoulder before I could stop it, making me freeze.

"You strange," it belched, standing easily on my scaled shoulder, one back leg scratching itself as its head tilted from side to side, one hand reaching out to tentatively touch my snout.

"So are you," I said, holding up my own hand which the small weaver stepped onto. The hatchling was surprisingly light for as large as it was, standing just under a foot tall with a body the size of a feral house cats, the chitin was brightly colored with violet, green and dark neon blue, the eyes hazel in the sunlight. Touching my nose again, the youngster yawned, head tilting the other way as it looked at me.

"How you eat without fangs?" it asked, some of the other hatchlings gathering around the group, each one asking questions in child like phrases.

"I have fangs," I replied, baring my teeth a moment. "But I have to chew my food instead of drink it like you." The hatchling hissed in surprise and jumped from my hand, a thick line of gossamer trailing from the spinnerets to my hand as it dropped to the ground, cutting its safety line before running back to its 'mother' chattering in its native language.

We passed by shops that offered spices and other goods that were either traded for or found in the area by the Weavers, some of them as alien in design as the people were to us. Passing by one vendor in particular, I grimaced slightly at the scent and sight of one of the hung carcasses that dangled from one corner of the stall, the smoked meat having proportions that were easily discernable even without head, hands, and feet.

"Ghan-thes," I intoned softly, pausing in my footsteps to gaze at the gutted corpse and soon hearing the gasp and murmurs of the Ryodan guards behind me. "That..."

"A thief and murderer," he belched, shoulders giving as much of a shrug as his chitenous form would allow, head cocked to the side. "Rarely do we allow criminals from other nations to be slain for food after found guilty...but some do consider such meat a delicacy and also acceptable punishment especially for those who murder. It may still be the fate of you and your companions to end up as such but that decision is for Her Majesty to determine."

"Let us hope she doesn't consider us to be thieves or worse," Arosha whimpered, looking around even as she rubbed her left thigh absently, as if desiring to have a weapon to defend herself with just in case.

***

Lesanna: The Weaver Palace was a strange thing of beauty and curiosity, nowhere near matching the grandeur of the crystal towers of Ku'tarass, but the impression of power was apparent if not the wealth of the Weaver Queen. The inner halls were surprisingly well lit with small glowing orbs and the silk itself seemed to allow a generous amount of sunlight in from the outside. It was disconcerting however to pass by weavers who walked along the ceiling or walls without any apparent concern for us, and aside from gravity, there was little way to tell whether we were heading up or down through the woven castle.

An attendant led all of us to a large room with a balcony to the outside; telling Ghan-thes in its own language that he would inform Her Majesty that we had arrived and wished an audience with Her. The spindly legged weaver paused a moment before leaving, staring at Indell with distrust. The room itself was large enough to accommodate a group of sixty people comfortably, large chairs of silk and carved wood rested in varying places on the floors and ceilings; most looking to be large benches used to carrying more than one person at a time. The balcony also had its share of furniture but more for show I felt than anything else, a small rail of gossamer enclosing its edge.

The guards started to immediately ask questions of Denver as soon as the servant was gone, blatantly ignoring Ghan-thes as they spoke of their fears and uncertainty's about being here. How would they fight to escape without weapons? What if they were placed under a spell that froze their bodies while allowing their minds to still see and understand what took place around them while the Weavers sucked their essence dry?

"Enough!" Denver barked, scowling at the guards as he unfolded his arms. "Thus far they have refrained from treating any of you like freshly caught game and as long as you continue to act childish they will probably not even consider eating any of you. At the moment we are guests so try to act as such rather than frightened hatchlings striking out at their own shadows in the torchlight. Hasn't Ghan-thes proven that his people are far from barbaric and more than a little civil?"

"Chosen One-"

"Don't call me that!" He snarled, eyes flaring a brilliant blue as he snapped at the guard. "Leave the prophecies out of this and concentrate on the moment! If it turns out that we need to run then I will make sure all of us get out of here unharmed. Now shut up and calm yourselves!" More than a few of the guards stepped back, looking at each other before going to find seats, more often than not together where they could talk quietly.

Sighing, I got up and walked over to Denver, laying a comforting hand on his shoulder even as Arosha and Iridell did the same, his muscles tensing for a moment before relaxing.

"Relax, Luv," I whispered, looking up into his eyes as he sighed, sitting down heavily and rubbing his forehead. "Everyone's a little tense and on edge, not just you..."

"I know," he replied, sounding more exhausted than he should have been after the relatively small time spent traveling. "It's just...I don't want to be known as the Chosen One...I could still end up failing all of you and it scares me...what might happen if I do and end up something worse than what My Darkness has become."

"It won't come to that, not now and not in the future," Iridell said, pulling out a pendant and armband which she put on, the symbols for the temple and her gifts apparent on both. I doubted that she would have much influence on what the Weaver Queen decided but at this point in time, I wasn't about to comment on it. Arosha remained silent though I could see the concern in her eyes for Denver and everyone else in the room. Standing up he pulled all of us into a strong embrace, Arosha almost gasping for breath because of it but she didn't try to escape, if anything, she held him harder than before...

Iridell: ...It wasn't long before the door opened to admit a new group of Weavers to enter, this one made of only three, but with an air similar to Elayna's when she was still high priestess. One looked to be relatively young for her age, standing almost five inches shorter than the other two who came in with her.

The first to enter was by far the largest Weaver I had seen yet, almost matching Denver for height around seven feet. Where some of the other Weavers were thin and almost delicate in appearance, this one looked like the thick limbed tropical spiders I had seen once, covered in coarse brown hair and a few pieces of metallic armor. Resting along his back were four blades with visibly jagged edges to them, adding to his fierce appearance.

The second was female, her head covered with a silvery gossamer mask, leaving only the eyes visible to the casual observer. Silk robes carefully woven and arranged gave a strange ethereal quality to her, the patterns of webs overlapping across her form clearly, as if they held some significance. Her presence was distant and cold, but intent none the less, her orb like eyes immediately going to Denver.

The youngest of the three was dressed in simple black tabard of sorts, silver trimmed with midnight blue threads weaving their own patterns across her breast. On her brow rested a silver crown, angular in design and clearly modeled after webs like many of the other garments we had seen so far. At its highest peak was a golden spider holding a ruby the size of a thumb for all to see. She was uncertain but did her best not to show it through her posture, and I started to feel worried.

"We bid you welcome to Our city, Ethanissal," intoned the mask weaver, raising two of her arms, crossing the other two over her chest and giving a slight incline of her head in greeting. "Who are you and what is your purpose here?"

"If your answer displeases us, then you may find that you've gotten yourselves tangled in the web of your own demise," added the large weaver gruffly, crossing both sets of arms over his abdomen. The smaller of the weavers looked up abruptly and hissed but the other two didn't appear to notice.

"I am Denver, and we come seeking an audience with your queen," he intoned, stepping forward as well and bowing slightly, as if to an equal. His eyes went to the young female more often than the others but he directed his words to the masked Weaver. "Our purpose for being here and asking one of your exiled people to reveal her homeland is something I will only discuss with Oribana Thell."

"You dare to make demands of Our Queen?!" croaked the warrior weaver, his arms uncrossing, two of which reached back to grab the pommels of his swords.

"I make no demands whatsoever...Yet I do request that the Weaver Queen speak for herself if she is indeed present," he replied, voice calm even though some of the Ryodan guards gathered closer, eyeing the large weaver like a pack of feral wolves deciding how to take down powerful prey. The young weaver stepped forward, laying a hand on the warriors lower left arm and gazing up at him a moment until he nodded and stepped back, resuming a stoic posture pf readiness.

"I am Oribana Thell, Weaver Queen and Keeper of the Chamber of Light, guardian of the tapestry. Please forgive my Master of the Fang," she gurgle/belched softly, bowing her head briefly. "It is in his nature to protect me and be aggressive...His way of testing those that might pose a thread to My people..."

Denver: I nodded and smiled reassuringly before bowing again, deeper this time to Oribana. "It is a great honor to meet you, Lady of the Web. Though I fear that such may be brief with the tidings I bear and the request I need to make of you and your people," I said, straightening with a solemn look on my face as I regarded each of the Weavers and the group I had come with. Taking a deep breath, I explained who I was and all the events that had led up to now, in hopes that it would help this strange race understand that we needed their aid...

...It was well into the evening by the time I had finished and answered as many of the questions that Oribana Thell asked. The tension in the room was almost nonexistent; Ghan-thes helping to keep the guards occupied by showing them how to play a game that resembled chess, but took place on multiple angled platforms which changed the rules of how the pieces moved and interacted. The Queen's advisors kept silent throughout my tale and the final explanation, but with the glances exchanged every now and then, I guessed that more than a little passed between them.

Silence fell for a long moment and I waited as the three Weavers conversed in their unusual sign language. My mates kept silent as well, Arosha still looking nervous about the entire meeting. At least Elayna kept silent as well, though her face was as white as the proverbial sheet. The silent conversation ended and Oribana looked to Indell, mandibles parting briefly as if trying to decide what to say.

"So...You were right after all," she intoned softly, crossing both sets of arms over her chest briefly and bowing her head. "Web-mistress. I am thankful that your search wasn't in vain..."

"Search?!"

"How could you-"

"-heathen bitch mean by-"

"SILENCE!" Howled the Master of the Fang, rising from his place, fangs bared in anger. The entire room went dead silence and I had to admit, the sound of the warrior's shout sent chills even down my spine. Something between a wild animal scream and the shriek of a lamenting woman.

"I think an explanation would be greatly appreciated, Your Majesty," I remarked, raising an eyebrow even as I tilted my head in a nod of respect.

"I am best able to answer in this case," Indell replied, turning to look at me. "I went into exile by choice and not without purpose. Ten years ago, I was the Web-mistress, a priestess able to view the world tapestry and the threads of lives woven into it. Over the course of a year, I noticed changes taking place in the threads and gates that lead to other realms. Parts of it were becoming frayed, decayed, broken even, and the doorways to certain worlds were oozing death and torment into our realm. When I looked deeper, I was horrified by what I saw..."

She shuddered and hugged herself which was a strange thing to see. I didn't know if the Weavers felt cold in the same way that other beings did, but it was sufficed to say that the memories seemed to chill her to her core.

"Entire worlds and realms had been destroyed-no...that isn't the right word for it...drained of every soul and energy possible, leaving a lifeless barren space where not even the dead would flourish. Something drew me towards one wasteland in particular and I beheld a writhing darkness that spanned an entire world, resting, waiting with its eyes fixed upon me and the realm I had come from...I think I would have gone mad if someone hadn't startled me during the meditation. I knew that it wasn't a dream and the cold certainty of it told me that I had to inform Her Majesty, Trellis Nitharam, Mother of Oribana Thell."

"My mother asked Web-mistress Indell if she had seen some way of saving our world from this terrible evil," the Weaver Queen said, her voice a little stronger and sure as she exchanged glances with Indell. "She consulted the Chamber of Light and received an answer in the form of another vision."

"I saw the lives of one soul in all their forms attempt to combat the Darkness, each time failing and leaving the secret of stopping the continued spread of this being," Indell continued. "I also bore witness to the last rebirth and death of the final champion..."

"Queen Trellis Nitharam wished for Indell to go in search of this champion but that would be impossible. As the most gifted seer our people had and being the Web-Mistress of the World Tapestry, the only way to allow her to leave-"

"Was to die and hope that the spirits would se fit to offer me rebirth with my gift intact. Or go into exile. Our peoples laws however forbid one of our kind from being exiled especially when they might be incredibly gifted..."

"Unless the one in question killed another person of great importance. The only means available to send her on this journey was for the unthinkable to happen. So, after explaining things to me and making the arrangements with the advisors-"

"-I killed Trellis Nitharam and was sent into exile," Indell finished, head bowed in sorrow.

"I don't understand," Lesanna said, shaking her head and looking at Oribana in confusion. "Why did she need to be sent into exile? Why not just allow her to leave on the journey as a wandering priestess?"

"It's the Life Thread," Her Majesty replied, giving a bubbling sigh. "It's an invisible means of communicating and connecting all of our people together. When one of our outer villages is attacked, we all feel it on an instinctive level, as well as other powerful emotions, not just felt by one but many and for the same reason. Some of our people know how to see the threads and the possible future for that individual. We couldn't risk the chance that someone tainted by the darkness already would keep an eye on her thread if Indell traveled and remained connected to us. It was the only means we had of severing the link..."

Further thoughts were interrupted by the doors opening admitting two Weaver guards and a human with hands bound behind his back. Wearing leathers that were torn and covered with filth, his white hair was an unkempt mass of tangles and twists, face partly obscured by a grizzled beard and mud stains. Something on his left cheek made my eyes widen a moment; a bare patch of skin in the shape of a crucifix which I found to be strange considering the overall faiths I had encountered so far.

My reaction wasn't the only one that left a confused look on my companions face, the man still cursing fluently at his captors before staring at me in shock.

The laughter was as loud as it was unexpected, the man throwing his head back as he lay on the floor.

"He was sent to us as Fey-born and slain for his words," he cackled in a rough voice, eyes lighting up upon seeing me. "He has returned as the Fang and shall cleans the world of none believers, slaying the demons that led to his demise!"

"Silence cur!" The Master of the Fang snapped, snatching the man up in one hand and drawing a sword with his other.

"What is the meaning of this intrusion?" Oribana inquired, looking from the human to the guards who had entered.

"This human was spouting his mad sickness around the outskirts of the city, Your Majesty," belched one of them, bobbing respectfully. "Some of the younglings were submitting themselves to his strange rituals."

"Involving this," hissed the other, tossing a barbed cat-o-nine tails onto the floor beside the human. "They seemed to think it was a test of endurance...He claims that it's to cleanse them for heresy and sins of their forbearers."

"The sins that you and all those like you must be cleansed of! Now that He has returned, it shall be done!" Cried the man, staring defiantly at the weaver who held him. Hissing, the Master of the Fang raised his sword to strike but I grabbed his arm, shaking my head slowly.

"What was the name of the Fey-born?" I asked the man, his eyes looking to me as his smile grew.

"Susej," he replied.

"How did he die?"

"With spears through his wrists and ankles upon the object of punishment! A sword baptized in his blood let the glory flow from his veins to cleanse the world of its first sorrows!"

"I don't believe it..."

It was the story of Christ's crucifixion, differing in some ways but still essentially the same. Was this just some mad coincidence? Channeling a small amount of my magick I wove it into the man, seeking any illness or injury that might show whether he was truly mad.

I found what I was looking for, parts of his mind and spirit torn by events of the past and birth, leading to a loss of what he might have been.

His body shook and twitched in the Weavers grasp eyes fluttering until I had finished healing all that had been injured or infected. With a relieved sigh, the mans body went limp and I gestured for the Weaver to set him down.

Using my claws to tear the silken bonds wrapped around his wrists, I helped the old man to his feet as he shook his head as if to get rid of the cobwebs.

"How're you feeling?" I asked, stepping back a little but keeping on hand on his shoulder just in case he collapsed again. He looked at me again, eyes weeping tears, one hand rising tentatively to touch my own.

"The deliverer!" he cried out again, taking hold of my arms. Pulling out of his grasp I glared at him, part of me on the verge of snarling, the rest wanting to knock him out.

"Where did you hear of the Christ?" I demanded, gesturing to the mark on his cheek. "The one bound and slain upon the object that left the mark on your face."

He looked stunned for a moment before rummaging within the worn and stained leathers he wore, pulling out a dilapidated book. Taking it gingerly and looking at the cover, I almost swore in disbelief at the smudged faded gold letters embossed upon it.

'Holy Bible'

Opening it, I flipped through the pages, reading the few that had survived weathering and rain damage from the looks of it. Most of the passages were smudged or so faded as to be unreadable, but there were other things that gave me pause. Pictures of the Christ and other messiahs or messengers of the One God were changed slightly; the faces and other features of the body had a Fey, almost Elven appearance to them. Most of the legible pages had been typed in reverse, making it difficult to try and read anything, with only a select few phrases untouched.

"How did you find this book?"

"I-it fell from the sky, My Lord," he stammered, hesitant to meet my eyes as I gazed at him, wringing his hands. "Along with that which marked me some twenty years ago." Doorways...portals to other worlds...I knew that such was possible from the memories, but the fact that something like this could pass through from a world I knew to this one...

"I suggest that you don't follow everything that's written here," I said after a moment, handing it back and shaking my head a little. "I have seen where blind faith can lead people, and the massacres that result. Follow what you know in your heart and be willing to question your ideas and beliefs as much as anyone else's you might learn about...If you wish, you may travel with me...but on one condition...Don't call me the deliverer...My beginnings are far older and from a different path than the one this book speaks of..."

"You shall not be traveling unescorted," Oribana Thell said, rising as well and approaching me. "I already know of your need, and I can say for all of my people, we will join you in the fight against the evil that threatens this world. First though, there is someone that wishes to speak with you..." She turned and left the room after gesturing for the guards to depart, my companions and I leaving the room to follow after her.

Leading us through the many twisting hallways of the palace, the queen paused before an archway guarded by another pair of massive Weavers, each of them carrying twin swords and brutal looking ax's. Woven between the arch were fine thin fibers that shimmered with more colors than anything the palace had yet to display.

"She's waiting for you," Oribana said, stepping aside and gesturing for us to enter to the chamber beyond. Taking a deep breath, I started forward-

-and found myself floating in a chasm filled with light, colors and crystals. It wasn't disorientating though there was little to give any sense of direction regarding up and down.

"Where are we?"

I started and turned to see that Arosha, Lesanna, Iridell, and Elayna were floating next to me.

"In a place that I had visited only once in my dreams," I told her, looking around again.

"A dream that you had to witness in order to understand part of your purpose," said a familiar voice. The world serpent appeared in all her glory, thin bony maw yawning a moment, displaying rows of diamond teeth. Amber eyes gazed at us, the edges of the mouth curving upward in a large grin. "I am glad to be speaking with you in person."

"As am I...Can you aid us?" I asked, bowing my head respectfully.

"I can answer a single question and set you upon the path needed, after that, you will need to make decisions on your own," the serpent told us, tilting her head a little. "Choose what you ask carefully..."

"What kind of questions can he ask?" Arosha demanded, voice quivering a bit from fear even though the Wurm hadn't made any aggressive actions towards us.

"The past, present, or future," she replied looking at each of us in turn. "There are secrets hidden in each as well as individual lies..."

"I know what He seeks," I said, closing my eyes as I gave voice to my thoughts. "...Has the soul of Vivian already been reborn?"

"She has, thrice in thrice forms, bound by threads already woven by Fates desire when love was chosen," the world serpent told me, the room around us fading. "Find their true hearts to help the Darkness regain His and restore the balance of what was..."

...Emerging from the arch into the presence of Oribana Thell and her advisors, I looked back once at the silk shrouded doorway before accepting the words spoken.

"I must leave and begin my search for that which was lost, and contact any others that might be willing to join us in fighting the battle to come," I told her, meeting the Weavers eyes without hesitation.

"We would be honored to join you and your allies against the Darkness," she told me, extending a hand which I took gently, bowing my head in respect. "If it is indeed the last battle of this world, all nations must be made aware of what is to come. The Zethanin, people of the Sun are the closest allies we have. A caravan shall be prepared to take you to a joint outpost between our kingdoms immediately. Rest for tonight, the morrow will be a long arduous journey."

"Many thanks to you, Queen Oribana Thell," I replied, bowing deeply to her...

Arosha: There was no feast or great gathering of nobles to give their blessings openly; just a small meal given in the presence of our companions and host, quiet conversation broken intermittently by music from Ghan-thes and other musicians that were called upon to play. The mood however was far from jovial, and it was more pronounced in Denver than anyone else.

His smiles were more forced than usual and he seemed to be staring off into nothing half the time, starting every time that someone tried to ask him a question or gain a comment. In truth, it was very much unlike the young human I had met in the field months ago, and it worried me for some nameless reason. Things were moving too fast for him...for us...and I didn't know what the outcome would be. Once dinner ended, I approached Iridell and Lesanna quickly.

"I need to speak with both of you," I said softly, glancing at Denver a moment before giving each of them a meaningful look. They said nothing, but Iridell raised an eyebrow in query at the urgency in my voice.

We went to a set of sphere like rooms that the queen had set aside for us, all of them with a connection to Denver's own. Gathering in Lesanna's, there was silence for a long moment as I tried to think of how to voice the fears and worry I felt.

"Both of you have the ability to see things that have yet to take place," I said slowly, taking a deep breath as I tried to stay calm. "We all love Denver, but I fear...I fear that he will forget us...that I won't be able to help him when he needs me the most...I need to know what is to befall us..."

"The prophecies-" Lesanna started.

"NO! I don't care about the damned prophecies!" I snapped, snarling at the Naga with irritation. "The prophecies made no mention of us or how everything would end! The never said I'd fall in love with...with..."

"A wool headed fool that doesn't know when he should let things take their course instead of worrying sick about them?" Iridell suggested with a sympathetic smile.

I stared at her for a moment before nodding a little, my face starting to burn as I realized just how frightened I was of losing someone that had become a integral part of my life. Not just as a passing lover in the night, but someone who was as dear to me as life, if not more so.

"I think that Iridell would be the best able to answer such questions," Lesanna remarked after a moment, shifting her lower body to serpent and coiling upon the broad cushions.

"I would if I wasn't so hopelessly in love with him," she remarked, her scales darkening a little as well. "I have seen a few visions around us as a whole and I can say with great certainty that Denver will never forget us, Arosha. You, Lesanna, and I are all part of the pattern being woven together, and we will be with Denver to aid him in the greatest moment of need. Of that, I am absolutely certain...Though there are other things that seem to be coming up in the visions as well..."

Denver: ...I listened to my mates as I stood on the balcony, able to hear them as clearly in the nearly still night air, the sounds of the jungle seeming distant as I gazed up at the stars. The Gods knew I would do whatever I could to protect all three of them, and despite Arosha's fear, I could never forget what had happened between all of us. Not even if I wished to with all my heart.

Taking a deep breath, I closed out their voices and those of others in the palace, slowly separating my soul from my body, making sure that both were still tethered together by my will. I rose into the air and traveled high over the world, the lush jungle, arid desert, and even lands that I never thought possible flashed before me but what I sought wasn't on the planet itself. Higher and higher I went until only the stars were visible, the world becoming a jewel in an already diamond filled void.

With a thought, I created a platform and dome resembling architecture common amongst the ruins of Rome and Greece. The platform made of obsidian, the columns of amber, and the dome sapphire mixed with ammonite.

"I'm here," I sent, voice ringing out in the darkness, echoing for a long moment before the cosmos devoured it completely. In an instant, I felt a reply and the night seemed to pull apart from itself and take tangible form before me, slowly coalescing into the Darkness which was part of myself.

"You risk much calling me here like this...I could easily destroy your soul and leave nothing but a puppet for those mortals to toy with...would that amuse you?" he asked, not bothering to keep up the appearance of someone I knew from my world, his garb pitch black robes decorated with images of people being violated in grotesque manners, the images themselves moving slowly and whispering screams and howls.

"If that were the case, you would have done so ages ago...Draven," I told him, his eyes flashing violet, but with rage or remembered sorrow I couldn't say. "You knew then that it was impossible to destroy a part of yourself, for it would be as immortal as you are. You made sure my soul would survive, that I, as the shard of light would remain regardless of how many times my body died. You have no power over me in that regard...not anymore."

"That may be true, but what of those around you? Would you still care for invalids who can no more raise a sword to defend themselves or those who they've sworn to protect?" he sneered, baring fangs as his face blurred momentarily, a twisted mockery of my own features.

"You have no power over them either, and I will know if you try to work your powers against them...This war is pointless."

"NO! This meeting is pointless! I will do whatever it takes to find her soul and bring her back! You have no idea what it was like to lose her! To be tormented by her curse!" He howled, striding closer until our faces were inches apart.

"You forget...I do know what it was like...I have the memories and the emotions you sought to seal away when you banished me to another world. I remember all too clearly," I said, no malice in my voice, only deep regret and sorrow...as well as pity. "I also remember the loss you inflicted upon Andallan, Orith, Varel, Seriph, Kelos, and all the other incarnations I went through. Each time it was like losing Her again, and worse...I felt the yearning for another if I lived, but more often than not, death was bliss, until I realized that I couldn't find the one I loved again. I know all too well, Draven...Both of us know, and have had enough...this must stop."

"It will stop, when I resurrect her and break the curse! I will find her soul!"

"What if she is to pained by what you've become to return?" He fell silent, eyes widening briefly before narrowing as he roared defiance and vanished. I remained, looking at the place he had been and crying silently. So much determination...if he succeeded, I had to wonder if all the anguish would be worth it for him in the end...for Us.

"It won't but regardless of how often I tell him that, he will not listen," whispered another voice, a woman made from the starry vacuum of space approached me slowly, her voice as soft as velvet and filled with emotions I couldn't begin to describe.

"Is there a chance that he will see reason before he destroys this world?" I asked Nox, glancing at her before turning my gaze on the planet itself.

"Once the truth is realized, he will, but that won't be for some time yet...I hope that when all is said and done, you will be able to take comfort in my embrace as you once did," she whispered, touching my shoulder reassuringly before fading.

"Duty heavier than a mountain...Death lighter than a feather," I said to the darkness, quoting a saying from Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series...Something that was all too true for me right now...