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It was hard to breath at first. The hiss of air a mish mash against his broken ribs as Aurora forced the movement into his lungs. It felt bitter hot and acidic with a soft wash of needles down his throat. His black fox tailed soaked with sweat clinging to his lips against the dust and dried earth. The elven rogue would get a handle of where he was...if he could see anything. Thankfully the web of Katanja’s held despite wherever he was. It would provide a guide back to them.
The darkness and swell of the empty space just as dark as the dismal light within his vision.
At least Ilyea was safe though…” Aurora whispered coarsely to himself and felt his voice echo and bounce off. Though the mage herself didn’t know it, he knew that Katanja could only save one of them with the spirit’s corroding strength with her webs. Of course that Katanja would chose her…he would want her too. He was worried but he knew dimly that Ilyea would find a way to bring him back.
They promised after all.
Aurora rubbed his useless eyesight with the back of his gauntlets and took in a few more harrowing breaths. His body wasn’t frail by any means but the shock of all the magic going through at once shocked his him quite deeply. No wonder his eyesight was first to fall. He couldn’t imagine how magic worked with his wife who looked even more sickly than him. The rogue couldn’t hear her at all and wondered if his hearing had gone as well. The subtle rattle of his breath against his lungs proved that it was false.
His heart leapt into his throat and hoped to the deepest of whatever hells the spider god wasn’t wrecking vengeance upon his wife. His family. Aurora growled deep in his throat but it came out ragged and wet. The action felt of blood and grit and he spat into the black expanse splatting his leathers with the wet ichor.
“Ilyea...love...can you hear me?” Aurora spoke within their bond attempting some kind of reach towards his wife.
“AURORA” The voice was soft and gentle against his mind but the connection at least there held. It was distant though. Like an echo rippling through a large pond of water. He yearned to feel her lips against his own and feel the softness of her body against him. Know that she is safe and his...family.
The rogue let out another wet cough as he took in another small breath. If not for his eyes, his soul would be his guide. Leaning down the man held onto the thin wrapping of web that Katanja provided feeling the thin wiry web against his palm and moved towards it led to.
He scuffled forward thankful for the distraction, thankful he couldn’t see within the time stream. Though his curiosity piqued, he remembered some of what Ilyea had told of her time being lost. Aurora focused instead on his battered body, the sting of sweat and blood that rolled down his back, soaked into his clothes. The rush of blood in his ears...and how exhausted he was.
If he died here….it’d be alright wouldn’t it? She wouldn’t be in danger, sure she would cry. Mourn him. Both Ilyea and Ophie...would...but at least they’d be okay.
Aurora grit his teeth. No they promised each other. He couldn’t die here. He couldn’t fucking die here at all.
The tired rogue imagined Ilyea smiling to him. The tired look of her bright green eyes and the way her dark red hair clung to her dirtied face. How much he longed to brush it away and hold her close. The thought poured more energy into his battle stern limbs. If it was just one step at a time, he could probably manage.
Just one step at a time, with the web as his guide.
Delirious thoughts entered into the rogue’s head as he pushed his body beyond extreme exhaustion. The thought of Ilyea’s smile seemed to have brought the order of her scent to him. Not the one that many would call foul, but the one that seemed to be inexhaustibly her.
The smell of ozone, sweat, earth and blood. Ah, she was like a goddess of the earth. The smell seemed to linger as Aurora found himself toppling over something warm as he fell against the earth.
The aroma became more pronounced and Aurora’s heart leapt once more in his chest. He couldn’t mistake it….not at all.
“Ilyea….ILYEA you shouldn’t of fucking followed me…….but I’m so…”He choked finding the words hard to suppress his tears. He did without. He clung to his wife he tripped over and held her so tight as if his very life depended on it.
“...What….how….I’m lost..I...how..”The woman croaked but he lined his fingertips against her dirtied face as he pressed his thumb against her lips. He pressed his lips against her dirtied forehead. “It doesn’t matter. You came...and now we can go home…”
“Home…?” Ilyea replied and laughed darkly. Her voice cracked as if it was filled with nothing but dust. If Aurora wasn’t standing so close to her, he may have missed her altogether.
Aurora figured she must of hit her head with grief more than anything else and fished for her hand until he grasped it tight. “Follow me...I’ll take us home..” Ilyea seemed to hesitate hanging loosely upon his hand but squeezed it weakly.
Now with two instead of just one, both of them seemed to move closer and closer towards wherever the web was taking them.
“Aurora!” Ilyea’s voice within the bond starting to reverberate clearly as more and more each step guided them. The rogue keeping most of his energy towards his steps merely squeezed his wife's hand nearby. Trying to provide combat to the both of them.
There was no rhyme or reason but Aurora soon felt the vacuum of something that seems chaotic and swirling about him and then suddenly, he was someplace cooler that stunk of dirt and blood. The edge of the web he was following sunk into the anchor clean upon the earth where his dagger held.
But the hand which held his Ilyea felt empty. Panic twisted in him through his whole body threatened to shut down. Aurora screamed with his garbled voice, gritty like worn sandpaper. “Katanja! I HAVE TO GO BACK…..Ilyea! She’s still in..”
He smelled her before he even felt her, arms about his neck holding him within her grip as salty droplets fell across his skin. He tightened his hold about her and they didn’t need to say much of anything.
Aurora knew that she was here and there…..the guardian chuckled within his wife’s embrace solving one of the small mysteries of what she had told him so long ago. She was lost in time but someone brought her back. He did.
The sound of Ilyea crying thankfully of his return became the nature against the thrumming of his heart. Though he usually hated the sound, here it was musical and a relief. Strength had feld them both as they held each other thankful at the large expanse that they had both endured.
Andy have arrived just a few moments before Aurora came back so the two battle worn souls didn’t have to sleep upon the hard ground. Mounts were taken for both as they were guided from their battle field to their home within Pandaria. Ophie and the kitties understood making no fuss against the dirt and blood that they tracked in. They deserved it even if it meant extra cleaning for the hearth mage in training.
Each barely awake were pressed within the softness of their bed, the morning light filtering through the drapes. The softness of the pandarian breeze salty and sweet lulling Aurora and Ilyea into a restful sleep.
If anyone were to ask what experience helped the pair, if they were to reflect upon this day...both could say without a doubt, the sheer amount of physical and magical prowess would never be enough to beat a god. They could train for years and never ever come close.
“Daevyn…….and…..my ex husband…Arie”Ilyea whispered next to Aurora within their telepathic bond. The two re-animated scourges scuffled forward as features filled in from reconstructive magic. Their faces and demeanor about as close to what the mage could give to her husband to give him an edge with what the necromantic magic that kept the souls close. Arie was pretty much match for Aurora in terms of his black fox tail and roguish demeanor through the eyes were deep blue. The soul that was plucked from him so early in life, lithe and deadly as an assassin should be. Daevyn, her older brother that fell into the well by design a few years ago was almost the same demeanor as Lledwyn. His once perfect dark black hair was greyed and thin but there was still power in them. His arms tawny and strong as more magic filled out the strength of its vessel. It wasn’t a surprise to see both of them emerge as the spider god’s chosen champion.
It was only a matter of when.
Ilyea shivered at the hidden powers resided against her. How many more champions could the Spider god make in this brief time? Her mind clicked and whirled with possibilities. This would not only test their defenses but the artifact she just created. Ilyea swallowed hard as she considered her lack of stamina to a gods. She had to believe in Aurora and Katanja.
The woman turned to stare at her husband’s nimbus of void energy along with the spider humanoid by their side. The last thing she needed to do was panic though that feeling was rising up like the necromancy she was seeing. The mage could barely feel herself breath in this oppressive atmosphere.
“Focus on me, love.” Aurora gently commanded, his voice rising slightly higher then the crescendo of energy. “Don’t worry about anything else..okay? I’m going to make you proud of me…”
Ilyea cracked a smile despite the atmosphere once more forcing down her fear. “I’m already so proud of you..”
The man smiled to his wife and turned to focus upon the pair in front of them. Aurora had heard stories about Ilyea’s ex husband being lost to the well but not of another sibling. The poisons that this Spider God had seemed to go further then his wife had let on. Even so he wasn’t afraid at all. His hand loosely gripped the white dagger at his side as his shadowed wings flapped and elongated. No fear remained in his eyes as the man only waited for the entities to make the first move. While the rogue could feel the panic in Ilyea as the bond was open its fullest so there was no lag in their feelings to one another, his attention was fully at the two in front of him.
The spider god in its haste attempted to provide both of the entities with weapons of their own, dual daggers for Arie while Daevyn was unarmed. Obviously it had failed but it didn’t make either one less deadly. The two sneered at Aurora creeping along the webbed floor avoiding the traps with slow movements. Necromantic magic continued to refine their movements until they were moving with no hint of just being created.
Ilyea leaned forward pushing down her fear summoning what little stamina she had to move. As soon as she stood up, the effect caused her head to swim as she toppled back to her butt. The mage sucked in a breath and looked around within Aurora’s eye sight, sharing his awareness.
“Don’t let them touch you…...they’ll drag you down…!” Her warning quick to her guardian to conserve energy. The mage couldn’t seem to breath evenly against the erratic beating of her heart. She wanted to do *more* to help Aurora. Even though he wouldn’t like it, Ilyea wanted to fight too.
“They can try….” Aurora commented back with a wane smile. His eyes tracking the two as they moved back and forth.
Katanja rose her hand at this time as well elongated the weave webs to ensnare those. It would dilute the protections but the weakness she saw in Ilyea made her react automatically. Her wispy arachnid imbued hands rippled the magic put forth closing as she could around the two that manifested. The webs shimmered and thickened as the spirit weaved back and forth within the shadows. The spirits presence inconsequential to the those that wish her charges harm. Just like a spider, she would react in quickness to her prey.
Arie was there for a few moments before he disappeared in a puff of smoke using his old shadow tricks as a rogue. Aurora reflectively moved forward where his dagger sounded off against the intruders weapon with a resounding clang. The movement so quick and close to his wife if he was a second too late. Ilyea turned her head to watch as she felt the shifting of wind that warmed near her neck. The undead thrall seemed to try to make a downward strike towards the prone target, the animation just as fast as in life. Aurora didn’t move much from his position from his wife, placing his dagger face up guarding her neck. The moved like a flurry of windstorms kicking up dust and dirt that wasn’t bound by the webs.
Ilyea didn’t believe in much but she was thankful for her husband’s quick reflexes.
“She is mine…” Her ex husband growled pushing against the blade that wormed its way so close to Ilyeas own throat. Aurora let his own steel slide against the intruders and hissed in return pushing it back.
“She was never yours…” Aurora retorted coldly with barely restrained fury. The slide of metal against metal chilled the the Sindorei female, her breathing stilling. Ilyea felt no need to speak as the melody of Daevyn’s feet against the web and the fight so close to her became her music. A symphony of destruction.
The shadows shaked in their retribution as Aurora aimed his own blade for the villains eye to cause a much needed repose. Arie smirked and held up his dagger using the same trick against the guardian. Redirecting the force of Aurora’s blow, the rogue directed the aim towards his right shoulder with a sickening squelch. Arie was frighteningly clever and used to fighting dirty. With no effect of pain, the undead rogue leaned in closer entrapping the blade more into his dead body.
Not expecting the loss of his dagger, Aurora felt blinding unfriendly stars in the split decision he dared look away from his opponent. The shadow imbued man stumbled back sliding to his knees as the sharp skull of his foe slammed against him once more. The guardian’s head swam more sharply then when he went under into the well and his lungs burned trying to catch up with his heart. It was a cheap and dirty move and Aurora knew he’d have to fight just as dirty.
Arie stepped with languid boredom almost as he dug his arm into where the white thing had laid. Rot dotted where the blessed blade had collided showing the preparations the star blessed had made against his master. Arie would have to be more careful a the undead thing took the holy thing and tossed it aside like used tissue. The echo barely audible against the raging storm that was the god behind him.
A torquised illuminated dark dagger that connected him to the spider god as one of its champions was replaced in his grip. The hell was Arie kidding? He had two daggers and went in with both to finish the job quickly. Once more the thrall jumped into the shadows aiming low to the ground kicking up dust ashe built up speed. At the angle he put himself, his dear whore of a wife would have a hard time to roll out of the way. Either dagger would be waiting for her and his mission would be completed.
Wind met up with him again as Arie stopped himself from slamming into Aurora’s body. It surprised him to see the guardian up so quickly from before but then again he had other things helping him. Without that dagger though, Arie at least a bit more time. His weapons pierced deeply into Aurora’s leathers, cracking into the worn battle wear at an awkward near his shoulder and his leg armor at the way the Sindorei intercepted.. No blood spilled for the guardian, thankfully. There was always opportunity and Arie pushed with power to at least send one of them to his master, wanting to draw blood.
Arie’s vision shifted from the ground to the sky and then quickly to the ground again as Aurora angled his body. It took some time for the lithe Sindorei male to fight with winds but a quick burst of power was enough to spin Arie’s leverage against him. The shadow wings flexed back and angled to allow the rogue hug Arie against him as Aurora curled them both within his arms. There was a soft grunt from the disorientation as the rogue used the momentum of Arie’s body against him to slam him against the ground. A little of Katanja’s webs coated Arie as he collided hard against the runed earth providing no cushion. Black blood bloomed as the thrall’s necromantic body made the sound of crunching bone.
It was short lived victory as Arie started to shake as more power poured into him from the well. Aurora’s eyes combed the dark grounds looking for the white glimmer of hope before Arie would fully recover. The rogue’s gaze noticed the rot where he had pierced Arie before being the only place that wasn’t being repaired. Aurora took this time to throw both of the Spider god’s daggers as far aways as he could. The white one gaining importance as the guardian would need to find it.
“I guess this one is better than your other one so he’ll make a fine addition to the well, sister.” The slow cutting voice of the other entity that was her older brother Daevyn. He had been a constant aggressive factor since Lledwyn got in contact with the weapons. When her brother had been part of their grand design when he made his axe. It was surprise that Daevyn did not have one when he emerged but the God was fighting against Katanja after all. The tall ghost of Lledwyn’s similarity of dark grey soaked long hair gazed upon her with the same ice blue eyes and smirked. Daevyn strode with a slow purpose unlike Arie that Aurora was fighting with.
“You won’t take him. Just like you won’t take Lledwyn!”
Daevyn stopped and allowed the smirk to increase in size like the necromatic magics that repaired Arie. No matter what she used to destroy that smirk, it would appeared again and again.
“Once we’re done here….I’ll take him back. I’ll take the whole light damned family back with me!” Daevyn promised and tilted his head. Strands of black hair blowing effortlessly against the howling terrokar winds.
There was a bravado in his step despite having no weapons. A sort of knowing that would come with the illusion of being defenseless. Ilyea didn’t know Daevyn as she grew to know Lledwyn so there was no tall tale signs of what he was up to. Other then the smirk, he showed no other emotion.
“Wh….at are…” Her question died upon her lips as Daevyn’s purposeful steps erased the webbing with a scuff back and forth of his feet. The spot was no matter then a scattering of stones though the webbing stubbornly clung to his legs. One more of the Spider God’s long slender legs emerged out of the damaged defense, Daevyn’s arm rising in tune with it akin to a puppet master. With a flourish of a bow, her dastardly brother brought his hand down violently in an arc touching the ground like crushing a bug. The leg which had been brought up in tune with him careened towards her with the vicious intent.
At the angle it sat, it would lethally be able to pierce her anywhere. Ilyea summoned what little reserves she had to move but couldn’t find herself to. Her body shook at the thought of moving and she couldn’t find herself stopping. This was way beyond mental exhaustion, she was mere seconds away from collapsing. Ilyea opened her mouth to yell when a sharp tug pulled her gracelessly to the side as the leg slammed mere inches away from her location. The small island where the ritual site rested shuddered as the tremors rippled about the small island. Katanja had her hands full tugging at some of the webbing which was a cause of her movement. Ilyea was thankful that Katanja was looking after her while Aurora was occupied.
In the brutal chaotic field, the distant voices seemed to fade away as Aurora’s eyes lept about for the white dagger. The slam nearby rumbled across the platform echoing a dropped feeling in his stomach. Aurora turned his head just so adjusting his wings and brushing out his sweat soaked hair to watch the development between his wife and Daevyn. He was thankful for Katanja watching her when he couldn’t but it wouldn’t matter if he couldn’t find the fucking dagger.
Pain blossomed against his right check with a wet thunk as the man groaned as he felt a cold fisted punch against him. Aurora raised his arm to ward off another punch delayed as it instead was muted against his leather chest with an audible creak. The Sindorei male grunted and threw his own punch into wide open air. The rogue was feeling cold but the violence was starting to warm him as more adrenaline pushed into his system. Though it was was far past a life or death situation, he couldn’t help chuckle at the fantasy of killing Arie now. Aurora caught glimpses of the shadowed figure but punched again hitting cold meat against the Arie’s own chest. The cold exterior hurt as much as punching the ground but at least it caused the shadowed thrall to stumble. Just enough to throw him off so he could track him easier.
Aurora would need to make sure that he concentrated on him, really needed to piss him off. He usually wasn’t the prideful sort but Arie perhaps would be. He had to bet on that.
“No wonder you died so fast, you are so fucking weak.” Aurora growled with a bit of a laugh. “You probably didn’t even love her the way that I did...pathetic…”
“She’s not fucking mine but I’m better then some boring old fuck boy like yourself.” Arie hissed in return, but there was a glare in his eyes that wasn’t there before. “I’ll fucking enjoy getting you down into that well.”
Aurora curled the wings closer to his body to flex as the two dualed back and forth without their weapons and shadows. It wasn’t completely the man’s intent to let Arie hit him but it seemed to build the man’s pride more than anything. Katanja’s power helped to guard against the blows but it still hurt each time one of the thrall’s fists hammered against some of the soft bits of his leathers. If he survived, he would need to have his leathers repaired.
Purposefully as a spider catches his victim, Aurora began to lead Arie away from Daevyn and Ilyea. He led the thrall within the thickest of Katanja’s webs while also looking out for the white dagger. The white fluid began to coat the undead in earnest with each jab and thrust that Aurora allowed upon him. Catching himself starting to pant and Arie’s boundless energy was starting to wear him out even with Katana’s help.
The webs did well in hiding the white dagger away from evil intention but with all the distractions, it was hard to track the damn thing. The blows were not coming as much as Aurora had hoped and seemed to understand why as another dark shadow stretched within the ritual site. Another leg joining the three spider god limbs that still encompassed them from below. The webs that the guardian had used upon his foe were allowing more complications to arise.
“Fucking Hells…”Aurora sighed as his heart pounded to move out of the way of another attack of the giant spindly spider leg. His head swam as he felt the twist of pain along his chest where he had been battered and his side where Arie continued to use him. Perhaps it was doing more then he realized. The leg came down testing the length of its appendage arcing straight down to impale Aurora. The undead thrall struck at the same time attempting to grabble Aurora in place for a bloody spear.. A burst of energy that Aurora had been hiding slipped Arie from the grasping hug that would of ended him.
At least that’s what should of happened.
Pain exploded in his left side as one of the magically formed wings was pinned from the strike upon himself. The leg was stuck into the earth fastening the powerful wing in place. Aurora lifted himself up testing how malleable the wing was and disappointed to learn how real and stuck it was upon his body.
“I wish I could say it was a good battle, but like everything else you just need to give up. Bye bye replacement.” Arie admonished Aurora with a laugh as he squatted down. The Sindorei male could see the thrall’s legs glistening with Katanja’s power but there still wasn’t enough to use. Aurora needed to get out and with the legs pinning him in place; he was easy pickings for however Arie used to kill him. The rogue stretched hoping to find a rock or something to fight him off with.
Within one of the webbed areas that Katanja had produced, Aurora’s boot touched something hard against his shoe. Pretending to only move to avoid Arie’s next attack, Aurora pivoted his body to stare at what was in his reach. A plan hatched immediately after seeing what it was.
“How is Lledwyn….doing better after killing me?” Daevyn sighed as he walked with the same leisure, gesturing to the spider leg to emerge from its resting spot. The same harmony between the two was felt as once more the god’s appendage rose to its full height as he raised his arm for another blow.
Ilyea closed her eyes not quite answering the man but she knew of the history between the two. Her voice was dry as she summoned more words to speak. “You did it to yourself Daevyn….” Which was the wrong way to answer. Anger twisted at the thrall’s visage as he angled the appendage high above his head. Ilyea didn’t quite know of the pair as well as she did just Lledwyn but there had to be something familiar that she could exploit.
“There’s no surprise regarding that. Lledwyn and I trained every day together and I know your every weakness, sister. I can’t believe Dad sullied his blood line with your whore of a mother.”
The shadow of the god’s leg swinging once more towards her filtering any thoughts out of her mind like white noise. Thoughts of death pronounced within her head like a shimmering fog rising up to grapple her mind. Ilyea tried to will a bit of strength to her legs. Her useless fucking legs.
“We could of learned so much together sister, but I can show you that we can finally be family. We can finally have the family that you wanted all those years ago.” Daevyn paused with a blistering smile staring into the desperate eyes of the drained mage in front of him. Her red blood hair was swamped with sweat of terror and the helplessness of herself. Aurora perhaps was having as much trouble as her as the shadow of the god’s legs loomed once more over head.
Feeling pressure around her legs, perhaps she had the burst of power to move herself forward but it wasn’t true. Her appendages shook so much the mage could barely stand or even move herself. But it wasn’t the case thankfully. White fluid of Katanja’s powerful webs, ones that she had seen plenty of times before wound about her legs and pulled her to the side. The area where Ilyea sat at once more cracked and shuddered from where the large spider legs impacted the ground. The rocks shards hit up against Ilyea breaking a few of her callused patches splattering blood along the exposed skin. But at least she was safe.
“Just sit there and die! Where the fuck where you way back then, why did you have to come now? Just sit there and fucking die Guardian!” Arie cursed as his fists hit solidly upon Aurora. “We only had months away until she fell into our grasp!” As the enemy rogue reached back once more connecting a punch with a harsh crack against the sindorei’s chin. The rogue immediately felt blood whell up into his mouth as his head swam momentarily.
Even though the body should of been dead for years, the desperation in Arie’s voice made Aurora smile through his blood soaked teeth. It was easy to play the victim when your enemy thought that they had everything though Aurora wished he had more room to wiggle free to pull at least some of the sweat soaked black hair away from his eyes. All that mattered though is what his foot felt and the slow inching of that.
“Heh, finally getting into you. Don’t worry. You’ll see whatever she is soon enough once the Spider God has a hold of you.” The re-animated rogue grinned a blue tinged smile to Aurora as he put his foot against the struggling rogue’s chest. Bending down, Arie cupped his hands around his neck to choke Aurora to his defeat.
“I wish I could say it was a good fight, but it was a few good minutes.” Arie gloated as his clammy hands rested against Aurora’s neck. The pressure was intense as the corpse started to squeeze. Electricity collected against the sindorei’s body as the his air supply began to wane. The pressure of the suffocation started to burn around his eyes but the general sneer of Arie was enough to show that the corpse was stupidly committed to the act.
Aurora felt the handle of the white dagger finally reach his hand. His fingertips so alive as his whole body was focused on touch and the pain of it around his neck. The white inlay of the enchanted dagger fitted perfectly into his hands and none too soon.
Angling the dagger upwards, the living rogue slashed wide towards the deadly hands of his opponent. The dagger connected easily as Arie didn’t expect the luck of Aurora to come from nowhere. It sliced through the flesh and fabric of his reanimated fiend and quickly sweet air tickled his searing lungs. The ground shook at the inopportune time of the attack muffling Arie’s cries and his relative distance away from the scene. Aurora had no time to strategize.
The blood in his mouth felt hot as he spit out to the side inhaling more dusted air into his needy lungs. Mentally preparing himself to do something reckless again, Aurora cut across the shadow wing with the dagger. The pain was blinding hot and sticky but the rogue could barely feel it with the amount of adrenaline flowing through him. The shadowed wing ripped like wet fabric as the rogue carved the created wing away from him. He could feel more hot blood slide down his back and sides as he completed the task.
“You mutilate yourself….and deny your gifts? For what?” Arie growled as he sucker punched Aurora with a tight left turn, his own bloodied hands connecting with a wet thud against the Sindorei’s face. The fiend however found himself unable to bring his left hand away as Aurora held his arm securely. The beating that Arie gave him from before as a way to memorize the rogue’s pattern as well as find the white dagger.
“For her, obviously…”Aurora uttered as dagger hidden within his left hand plunged into the man’s neck for the final blow. The effect mesmerizing as the white material slid effortlessly through the dead flesh. The purification the relic had bloomed like ashen flowers as the head separated from the neck in a solid thump. The body falling forwards following the head as if trying to make one final push towards the guardian.
Aurora’s eyes scanned the battlefield through a darkened haze of chaos. His whole body ached like it was being choked again though he could easily breath. Adrenaline seemed to wean as he moved slowly towards where Ilyea and Katanja may be with a pronounced limp. The wing which was still fused to his body seemed to hang awkwardly to the side without its twin to provide balance. The rogue leaned back and cut it off with the same liquid determination so that he could move easily again. Once more the feeling of blood seemed to leak over his back as the sound of wet fabric tearing echoed as he cut the wing off.
The winds howled relentlessly and the battlefield seemed just as dark but Aurora moved on. He still had people to protect.
Daevyn paused his assault as his eyes darted back to observe a battle that was happening far away. “Feh.” He hissed. “Guess the better husband won.” He mocked with a soft sigh.
Ilyea’s heart swelled as she couldn’t really concentrate upon what was happening with Aurora and Arie. Even though she wish she could of given more mortal support to her love, it wouldn’t of done any good if she got hurt instead. The small amount of guilt she felt for thinking that way was quickly squashed.
“Well, it’s only time before more come anyways Ilyea so...I wouldn’t celebrate too much. We have thousands down there...and many many more willing to come find you..” Daevyn chuckled. “Besides, I wasn’t the only one to find a gift. See?” The man chuckled as he held up one of Arie’s daggers. “Just one good knick and we’re all done….besides...master is busy..”
“D-d-don’t you hurt her!” Aurora yelled just out of earshot of the two. “I’ll fucking kill you..” He growled as her guardian limped forward. Blood pooled around his armor staining the fabric with his dark crimson. The black hair splayed about his face stuck with the dried blood from his hit before. Bruises were starting to form along his face and some swelling but Aurora still seemed determined. It was clear from the last battle that her guardian had taken quite a beating despite his bravado.
“Or…”Daevyn chirped as if getting an idea. “I could just kill him and make you watch! That’d be kind of funny really…” Her brother snapped his fingers with a grin. Dagger at the ready, the tall gaunt re-animated paladin moved towards the broken rogue. At least that’s what it should of been.
The second element of Katanja’s webs came into play as the fiend’s legs didn’t seem to move any faster. Fused into the ground as the bits of webs that littered the ground seemed to sufficiently cover them. “Well, I’m starting to get really sick and tired of all three of you.” Daevyn growled reaching down with his daggers to remove sticky trap.
“I...I...can kill him. Wait for me Ily..”Aurora whispered as the rogue collapsed upon his knees. The last power of his magic from Katanja draining out of him like the adrenaline from a bit ago. At first, he thought it was just the remnants of the battle field to why everything seemed to be so dark but the rogue could tell it was his eyesight. Blurry images of everything seemed to flit in and out despite him rubbing his eyes with his gloves. It just never got any clearer.
Bright blues and turquoise hues illuminated over the battlefield as the spider god’s legs that were once anchored in earth reared back towards the entrance of the well. The massive appendages waved back and forth as two more pairs of hands emerged from down below. More champions from the god to fight.
Ilyea looked back to Katanja and then to Aurora and finally to Daevyn. The abomination had one leg free but in no time he’d be free to descend upon the two of them. Not to mention the other two champions that were being raised. There was no way they could keep fighting like this. Her throat closed in on itself as terror spiked in her veins as she considered her options. But it was only one thing made sense.
It had to be that…
Closing her eyes, Ilyea opened up the telepathic bond towards Aurora in a weak whisper. Her voice as unsure as the choice she had made.
“Love? We...I am going to do something really incredibly stupid but I don’t know of anything else that can help at this point. Katanja is holding as best as she can but Daevyn is almost free, there’s more enemies on the way. I don’t have enough power to close the well…”
“I believe in you, Ilyea….I fucking believe in you. We’ll keep fighting until we die...love. But they will *never* take us both down the well.” Aurora answered in a growl. His actual position made it unsure of what exactly they could do. But his confidence in her was boundless and she added it to one of the many reasons why she loved him.
“I’m going to use chronomancy love…” Ilyea remarked gently as both reflected on the grave nature of the sentence. The magic itself was never one of the mage’s forte and her mis-application of it before caused her to spin out of time for several years even if the use of it saved Lledwyn’s life. If Ilyea was disciplined enough, the mage could possibly become a master of it but years of misuse and trust caused the magic user to abandon it completely except in dire circumstances. The only reason why she didn’t keep endlessly careening into the timelines was due to an act of love upon her husband. Aurora kept her anchored to this time.
“Anchor me love….you and Katanja. Do it now!” Ilyea screamed into the air for both parties to hear. Weakness still trembled all over her body, but there was still one thing that had still had power. The dagger hummed as the mage considered the action not knowing what exactly the artifact did. But Ilyea had an inkling considering the parts she used and in some way, Malefaca would finally have a piece of her soul.
Aurora grunted in reply through the hazy and blurry dark. He smelled the coppery blood from his body and the faint musk from his wife. He could also smell a decayed thing only a few yards away but it mattered not to him. The ground made a satisfying clunk as the metal of the dagger braced securely into the dirt. He moved his body down against the dirt trying to make himself as secure as possible. It was all up to his wife now.
“Aurora….if I’m lost to time….find me.”
“I’ll find whatever I need to get you back to me, Ilyea. I will use every fucking ounce of energy to do so.”
“If we’re both lost Aurora….promise me….fucking promise me...that we’ll search. I’ll search until the end of time. Until I can’t move...until my hair goes grey. I will do everything in my power to find you…”
“Those are supposed to be my lines Ilyea…”Aurora chuckled amused despite the atmosphere. “Deal. I love you my star... don’t you forget that“
“As I love you my light……I never will” Ilyea replied with a small smile. The dagger started to warm and pulse as she tentatively brought it to life.
Thin webs from Katanja wrapped about Aurora’s leg one more time as well as her own as she started to prepare. Their own spirit’s preparations for what she was about to do.
(Mentions @iamauroracole @lledwynlomeriel ) @scions-of-antiquity
It seemed like only seconds before all their carefully laden plans went to shit.
Aurora barely had enough time to reach forward when Ilyea disappeared under the rocks, drowning into molten rivulets of darkness. Achingly his hand grasped at the silhouette of where his wife passing through the after image like figurative smoke. The screams of his wives lasting words echoed in his ear against the pounding of his heart. His mouth ran dry as he stared into the impossible darkness where Ilyea laid. Her red hair shimming against the waves like a school of koi fish.
“Under…” He remembered her saying. Stretching his legs as the details of a suicidal mission were clear upon the guardian’s mind. Aurora touched the surface feeling the barely open portal where she was plucked, tactics and designs flowing through his mind in rapid detail. He paused for an extra moment to push hard against his instincts to follow her wife to save her. The rogue looked down below to follow but paused at the large entity that seemed to build underneath their sanctum recognizing the slim chance against him. It felt to him as though he was diving into the deep end without first knowing how to swim.
It was terrible and large to behold but what else do spiders do best then build traps to their prey. The attack upon the lab, the destruction wasn’t merely an attempt on their lives, but a doorway to the very old god they were trying to destroy. It breached their sanctum and waited until the very moment they made contact. Anger prickled at the back of rogue’s throat as he swallowed down his fear. That wouldn’t bring his wife back.
The white dagger of melded white marble and bone was produced with a quick arc with practiced precision. Aurora gripped the instrument feeling the ivory as flickers of his wifes magic ebbed. The echos beat against his own heart but unlike his own; Ilyea’s was slowing. The next decision was so instinctual that it surprised the rogue as he stabbed deeply into his healing palms. The guardian flexed the cuts splashing the ritual blood upon the floor. Using the same tool, Aurora cut a piece out of the base of his foxtail before dropping it into the bloody pool. Imaging Ilyea guiding him at this moment, Aurora tilted the edge of the dagger to swirled the viscous liquid with his dark strands until it melted into an offering.
“KATANJA!” The rogue screamed into the still night air. The illuminated outline of his wife and the dagger they were enchanting seemed to follow along like the fading of a light within deep waters. Aurora could barely follow them with his trained eyes, her red hair disappearing into the ground like his blood. Every second would be wasted if his prayers weren’t answered.
The rogue slammed his fist against the surface, not caring if the same spider God would pluck him like an insect. “I accept your fucking offer.” He muttered feeling the rush of adrenaline as he tried to remember the teachings of his wife. “I exchange my unborn son to learn in your service, I give you my fucking word. Just give me the power to save my wife. Protect her please!” Aurora growled as he pressed his bleeding palms together, desperately trying to remember if there was anything else to do.
The Spider spirit; Katanja appeared hazily from the offering; her form hidden against the grand landscape that Aurora and his wife had made. One of her many hands reached forward and sucked up the offered blood and materializing fully from the shadows that he conjured. The spirit as kind to them as he was.
“Your deal is accepted, guardian.” Katanja hissed in return as she opened her mouth. Two slim fangs erupted from her mouth as she slowly towards Aurora’s neck. The rogue tilted his head to the side closing his eyes tightly thinking that is how her power would be shared but he felt no piercing teeth upon his neck. Instead the materialized wrist was offered as she ripped her mouth there tearing her own flesh in a wet sloppy tear. The loa moved her wrist to the side allowing the black blood to flow freely from the wound, eight red beaded eyes watching him.
If there was any doubt before, it was gone as soon as Aurora opened his mouth for the offered blood. Katanja pressed her wrist to his own and he drank deeply as he could to provide any edge that she could give him. The vitaetasted of smoke, shadows and deep arcane. A living testament of all the magics that himself and his wife wielded creating the link to the spirit that offered its help. He drank as much as Katanja could give, choking when it hit the back of his throat with the sick dousing freedom he didn’t know he could endure.
Aurora’s heart exploded in his chest as the full effects of the viscera reached his lips, reacting to the depths of his soul. It smoothed things together just like the blood of his wife did when they enacted their blood magic. Aurora stumbled as the fluid knitted his form together and the shadows that he wielded. Everything made more sense in that moment with what he was, his void and the abyssal that lay dormant within lovers. There was no dull pain in his hand, no the fear that threatened to buckle his knees as soon as he gazed upon the other spider god.
It was only Ilyea that egged his movements on, and only her that he could believe in. They would find a way to push it back, or die trying.
Aurora would make sure his wife succeeded.
The guardian stretched and the shadows reacted in a wave in the fueled power that blinded him. There was a glimmer within the pond of shadows where Ilyea was taken down before, and he followed that. “Web me!” He demanded quietly to Katanja, as the lithe bond Loa did so threading her own delicate webs to one of his boots and waist. The other around the white dagger which he plunged into one of the few places the god’s darkness didn’t reach.
Aurora pushed down then into the pure darkness disappearing like a bird into a rising tidal wave. It was stupid, it was foolish but it was him utterly. The lapping shadows swallowed him as he shot like a stone towards his wife within the spider god’s clutches. Slowly the darkness started to peel away like drying paint transforming the darkness into bright whites and faded greens. It was at a dull point in the back of the his head that screamed about the possibility of never coming back. The shadows were not as dense but he was thankful to Katanja fed him so much power so help him.
The rogue could feel the peeling of the shadows across his face and hair, the grasping of the fallen souls as he wormed his way not only through the water shadows and into the lip of the spider god’s well. Aurora could see the brilliance of the space that powered the god’s summoning, thousand of azerothian souls crying out for vengeance and freedom but they could be mute for all he cared. His eyes were focused upon his celestial wife.
“Ilyea!” He screamed unsure if sound worked the same way. The words came out garbled but within their telepathic bond; they were strong. Ilyea’s head snapped to his and her hands reached out to blind hope for some sufficient hold upon his own.
Aurora only had one shot and he knew that as soon as he attempted his plan. Firm hands gripped onto her own and the fear was pushed down a bit as clammy hands could feel each other. There was no time for rushed thank yous or passionate embraces, there was only protection. His bloodied hands firmly pressed against her own encircling them within a death like grip. With his other dagger, Aurora spun and wretched the knife onto the god’s flail. Hoping that it could provide a small distraction as it focused upon its new curiosity.
It hesitated only for a moment but it was enough as Aurora pulled his fear stricken wife whom held upon the dagger with the same strength. The web string was pulled and both were quickly pulled up out of the milky shadows that hid the illuminated well of souls.
There was a large rumble of what resembled a scream within the shadow dimension but as the two passed through the barrier; they could only shiver. Ilyea seemed almost like stone struggling to breath as she was released by the rogue’s protective arms. Aurora reached over pressing his bloodied palms still sticky with sweat against her body. Allowing himself just a minute of his own fear, his shaking hands moving over her wild hair as she struggled to move her lungs. The rogue could feel the panic rising in her within their bond as he moved her around so that her widened eyes would look deep into his own.
“Focus on me….FOCUS on me.” Aurora commanded shaking the mage. “You’re alive. You can do this Ilyea. I’m here….” The rogue commanded softly and sternly. “BREATHE!” He roared in their bond before pressing his fear soaked lips upon her forehead.
The red haired mage swallowed her fear and squeezed Aurora’s hands for the same reassurance as she gulped large breaths of air.
Previous Installment here/ Musical Inspiration: here
(I was told that the previous installment didn’t have the same polish as the others, and I agree! So I revised it! Writing is a never ending process, and just like ourselves we are always growing! )
It was hard to breath at first. The hiss of air that worked within his lungs, a mish mash of pain against his broken ribs as Aurora forced the movement. It felt bitter hot and acidic with a soft wash of needles down his throat. His black fox tailed soaked with sweat clinging to his lips against the dust and dried earth. The elven rogue would get a handle of where he was...if he could see anything. He wiped the back of his hand that ached against his useless sight, shortening his breaths to prevent the pain.
Thankfully the web of Katanja’s held despite wherever he was, Aurora mused gratefully. It would provide a guide back to them. He felt the live giving web about his leg caressing it lightly lest it become undone.
At least Ilyea was safe though…” Aurora whispered coarsely to himself and felt his voice echo and bounce off. He knew that even if the web broke and he was lost in the ebb and flow of the time magic, Ilyea would find him.
They promised after all.
Aurora rubbed his useless eyesight with the back of his leather gauntlets and took in a few more harrowing breaths. His body wasn’t frail by any means but the shock of all the magic going through him at such a concentrated rate shocked him quite deeply. No wonder his eyesight was first to fall. He couldn’t imagine how magic worked with his wife who looked even more sickly than him. Working his arms and legs carefully to determine where any other problems may lay despite the weakness he felt.
The rogue felt he could sleep for a thousand years despite where he was. His fingers scraped the small skin of water that rested near his hip, the red vial to help ease some of his wounds, the small communicator Ophie gave him among other rogue utilities. Jiggling the water skin, there was barely a few gulps of water within. He’d have to conserve though the thought of water felt so sweet against his dry dusted lips. Aurora shook his head and once more moved forward with a slow moving gait towards his wife.
Unbidden other thoughts pushed out of the one of his survival instincts as he found himself thinking about his family. His heart leapt into his throat and hoped to the deepest of whatever hells the spider god wasn’t wrecking vengeance upon his wife, Ophie or Lledwyn. Aurora growled deep in his throat but it came out ragged and wet. The action filled his mouth of blood and grit and unconsciously he took a some of the water he had been saving to wet his mouth. He swished the liquid and then spit it out before swallowing the little that remained.
“Ilyea...love...can you hear me?” Aurora spoke within their bond attempting some kind of reach towards his wife.
“Aurora..” The voice was soft and gentle against his mind but the connection at least there held. It gave no indication how far away he was from her but gave him a small glimmer of hope. He yearned to feel her lips against his own and feel the softness of her body against him. To know that she is safe as well as his family.
The rogue let out another wet cough as he took in another aching breath, pain radiating against his lungs shaking him from his thoughts. He had no time to think of what ifs, he had to get back there himself. Leaning down the elf held onto the thin wrapping of web that Katanja provided feeling the thin wiry fabric against his palm and moved towards where ever it let to it led to.
Aurora scuffled forward thankful for the distraction, thankful he couldn’t see within the time stream. Though his curiosity was piqued, he remembered some of what Ilyea had told of her time being lost. Aurora focused instead on his battered body, the sting of sweat and blood that rolled down his back, soaked into his clothes. The rush of blood in his ears...and how exhausted he was. It was better than worrying about things he couldn’t change.
If he died here….it’d be alright wouldn’t it? Ilyea wouldn’t be in danger anymore, sure she would cry. Mourn him. Both Ilyea and Ophie...would...but at least they’d be okay. The fatigue of the situation was starting to plague his mind, he surmised with a bitter sigh. He didn’t like the thought of making Ilyea cry, no matter how much his body wanted relief.
Aurora’s thoughts drifted once more as he felt the softness of his eye sight cover him. The landscape like skittering ink droplets swirling like the errant strands of dark hair that drifted across his skin. How much Ilyea’s name garnered complete domination to the guardian’s mind. The tired look of her bright green eyes and the way her dark red hair clung to her dirtied face. How much he longed to brush it away and hold her frail body close. The way her lips curved into a smile when she was nearby him. The memories of his love poured more energy into his battle strewn limbs. If it was just one step at a time, he could probably manage.
Just one step at a time with the web as his guide.
Delirious thoughts entered into the rogue’s head as he pushed his body beyond extreme exhaustion. The thought of Ilyea’s smile seemed to have brought the order of her scent to him. It was a smell that many would call foul, but it was one that was inexhaustibly her. He could practically breath her in as each foot harkened against the ground. The smell of ozone, sweat, earth and blood.
Ahh, she was like a goddess of the earth.
The smell seemed to linger as Aurora found himself toppling over something solid as he fell against the earth. The rogue would of called it quits at that moment but Ilyea’s scent became more pronounced as he shifted. Aurora’s chest started to pound at the thought as he slowly rose to touch the figure. He couldn’t mistake it….not at all.
“Ilyea….ILYEA you shouldn’t of fucking followed me…….but I’m so…”He choked finding the words hard to whisper along with the tears that threatened to spill. He clung to his wife that he tripped over and held her so tight as if his very life depended on it.
“...What…who the fuck....how….did you find me?.”The woman croaked but he lined his fingertips against her dirtied face as he pressed his thumb against her lips to stop her from speaking. Shakily he pressed his lips against her dirtied forehead taking in her scent like an elixir. “It doesn’t matter. You came...and now we can go home…”
“Home…?” Ilyea replied and laughed darkly. Her voice cracked as if it was filled with nothing but dust. If Aurora wasn’t standing so close to her, he may have missed her voice all together that seemed to melt into the background.
Aurora figured she must of hit her head with grief more than anything else and fished for her hand until he grasped it tight. “Follow me...I’ll take us home..” Ilyea seemed to hesitate but hung loosely upon his hand squeezing it weakly charmed by his confidence. The rogue reached into his pack and pulled out the red vial which helped heal his wounds and took a small sip of the bitter liquid. It gave a bit of stamina but he saved a few gulps for his wife.
“How did you find me?” Ilyea asked taking the red liquid greedily as Aurora passed it to her. She gulped the liquid loudly and passed it back to him.
“We always find each other my love…..you are my wife, my soul mate….”Aurora chuckled squeezing her hand once more. “I love you...Ilyea…” And Ilyea herself grew quiet, perhaps tired. The rogue didn’t really question as he felt the security of her hand within his.
Now with two instead of just one, both of them seemed to move closer and closer towards the exit that the web was taking them. The rogue keeping most of his energy towards his steps using the web as a guide as the other hand merely squeezed his wife's hand nearby providing comfort to the both of them.
There was no rhyme or reason but Aurora soon felt the vacuum of something that seems chaotic and swirling about him and then suddenly, he was someplace cooler that stunk of dirt and blood. He could smell the stink of magics long before and the swell of shadows that guided him towards his goal. The edge of the web he was following sunk into the anchor clean upon the earth where his dagger held.
Unfortunately, the hand which held his Ilyea was empty. Panic twisted in him through his whole body threatened to shut down. Aurora screamed with his garbled voice, gritty like worn sandpaper. “Katanja! I HAVE TO GO BACK…..Ilyea! She’s still in..”
The guardian smelled Ilyea before Aurora even felt her, arms about his neck holding him within her grip as salty droplets fell across his exposed skin. He tightened his hold about her collapsing into his wife. They didn’t need to say much of anything.
Aurora knew that she was here and there…..the guardian chuckled within his wife’s embrace solving one of the small mysteries of what she had told him so long ago. Ilyea was lost in time but someone had brought her back, she told him. He knew he did.
He was always her guardian.
The sound of Ilyea crying thankfully of his return became the nature against the thrumming of his heart. Though he usually hated the sound, here it was musical and a relief. Strength had feld them both as they held each other thankful at the large expanse that they had both endured. The battle that they had won.
Andy had arrived just a few moments before Aurora came back so the two battle worn souls didn’t have to sleep upon the hard ground. Perhaps to provide council that Ilyea needed before risking her own self in the time stream.
Mounts were provided for Aurora and Ilyea as they were guided from the carefully constructed lab turned into destroyed battlefield. Each were carefully lifted into the waiting vessel as their flying guides were given coordinates to their Pandarian home. Katanja, the spider spirit gave a nod to Andy before disappearing into the tree line about the lab. Recovering her own essence that was given to her two charges.
Ophie was up waiting for her parents as she heard the rush of wings. Andy originally was there to protect her but when he suddenly was summonsed she feared the worst. The small girl was entirely too thankful as seeing both of them relatively unharmed. The tiny elven girl understood and would make no extra fuss against the dirt and blood that they tracked in. They deserved it even if it meant extra cleaning for the hearth mage in training.
Though it was way past her bedtime, Ophie hummed and went about to start creating many morning treats for the two warriors….well when they woke up. The kitties began to play about knowing that their home was once more in harmony.
Aurora and Ilyea were barely awake as they were carried to their bed chambers. The softness of their bed was dirtied by the dried blood and dirt but the two could care less about that right now. The pandarian breeze salty and sweet, caressed their exhausted selves into restful sleep.
If anyone were to ask what experience helped the pair, if they were to reflect upon this day...both could say without a doubt, the sheer amount of physical and magical prowess would never be enough to beat a god. They could train for years and never ever come close.
Previous installment here/Musical Inspiriation: here
In her training with the Scions Ilyea had dealt with various artifacts and relics. From rage inducing duck whistles to Loa tinged daggers that could summon avatars of Hakkar. The mage always used them as much as one could use such things with a bit of trepidation and fun.
But using one that she created herself…..in such a way that it wasn’t intended? Or whatever it should of been..
The blues and greens seemed to stretch on within the limbs of the spider god that extended and faltered in a silent wave. Ilyea could see the beginning of the reanimated heads come out the well and could feel her breath falter as well. Her body felt hot and sticky as pure exhaustion arched through each part of her. Aurora too, was not doing so well despite his prone position. The mage could see the still dripping blood that gathered freshly along him in puddles.
There was no more hesitation...it was do or die.
Ilyea reached back against the dagger as the warmth of magic started to gather and build. The changed piece of metal glowing with the bits of bone and runes that made up its magical exterior. The black metal gleaming with the green tinged bone so that it looked like a reflection of one of out lands many moons.
It was instinct at this point to what exactly what it did but Ilyea closed her eyes. Crawling deep within herself, the flutters of chronomancy built within her already spent resources. The reservoirs of magic gutted and dry, withered flowing like dust in the wind. But there was enough dust to pinpoint something that shone against her soul.
The dagger reacted and her gaze went away from the battlefield towards inside herself. Her magical soul.
Ilyea had spoken dumbly to Aurora at times for the sake of throwing away her sense of magic. If it meant saving the ones she cared about even at the expense of her life, she would. But her guardian obviously disliked that despite how good that option was looking right now.
But if she could take only a slice….perhaps it would be enough.
The mage looked now onto her soul watching the colors mix and allure in a general spread. The blues and whites of arcane with the small glitters of chronomancy that she had summoned from the depths of her own. The colors looked washed due to the strain she had placed upon herself earlier but she could see the same inside the dagger. Feel the hum that ran across the knife to the swirling tune of her magic.
The dagger continued to warm and started to pulse like her heart. As Ilyea crossed her the tip of the weapon slowly from her forehead across her lips in a circle as the fel grew bright and the golden sparks of her soul gathered forward into a point. The sindorei continued to remember the flow of her signature, the *feel* of the golden bits that were as scattered as her casting methods.
As she gathered what she knew about the extent of her chronomancy, the elven woman could feel herself wanting to go back into the time stream as before. When she was lost.
“I have you beloved, keep going…”Aurora’s cracked voice as he whispered against her neck when she felt the doubt whell up. She had to remember that he was there for her and how much more she could lose if she didn’t try.
Like her own turbulent winds the magic around flowed as the artifact grew near collecting in the middle of her stomach like a golden eye. All of her magical talent for chronomancy to use. The dagger continued to pulse in time to the very tips of her fingers and across her hands glowing green with divine energy as she focused the dagger to sever that part of her.
Ilyea technically wouldn’t be *casting* the magic but it would solve at least one problem but create a few more that one may see. The daggers felt like an extension of her heart beating constantly against her soul.
Ilyea squeezed her eyes closed and felt the magic that emanated from the artifact, her soul, Aurora’s guidance and the Spider god that ached ever closer on the horizon. It all threatened to overwhelm her.
Turning the dagger inward, Ilyea made the hesitant first steps and performed magical surgery upon herself. The flickers of gold that swirled within the exhausted supply of her arcane easily flowed to the top where she had gathered it. It was easier than the mage had though, the dagger plucking the golden sparks soaking them within the breath of the weapon. The skeletal shards that were part of the relic glittered a deep golden hue as they soaked up each one.
The heat of the magic started to fold into her skin as she collected as many of the shards that would make the magic infallible. Or at least work to what she think would help. The magics that she managed to hobble together worked in unison and the mage was simply going off of instinct.
The winds continued to whip and bend as Ilyea finished fishing to use her ability to use chronomancy tying it to the dagger. As the weapon emerged from her chest, the golden green hues illuminated her pedestal. The darkening sky as more ill blue hosts peeled themselves from the focal point of the well. The host which housed Daevyn watched curiously wondering if there was any point to their desperate struggling.
“ I love you...Ilyea…” Aurora answered from his position dagger deep within the frigid earth. His vision was mere shadows at this point and he could barely field the strength to hold onto the dagger but something held him there. Her voice did. Her resolve.
He’d be there towards the end, whatever it took.
“I love you too, Aurora…” Ilyea replied in the bond as she closed her eyes. Using the directions of where the winds carried the foul smells of the well damned, Ilyea pointed the dagger towards the spider god and unleashed the pent up golden light.
The first thing she noticed was how quiet it was.
Releasing a breath Ilyea didn’t know she was holding, the mage opened her eyes to see what calamity her dagger had unfolded.
The scene of destruction was the same as before she thrusted her weapon, but the loudness of everything caught in silent effigy. No howling winds, no screaming damned, no words of love. Just the frozen battle space and the flowing golden light.
A subtle tug was felt seconds later upon her finger tips before expanding against her whole body. At the singular point where the golden light was moving towards, it was opening up a portal to who knows light where.
And taking everything that wasn’t tied down to it.
Ilyea let out a small groan and buckled down still heavy by the webs that Katanja had enforced upon her prior. The retching of magic so pure and turbulent that it felt like she was under water. The air sucking straight out of her lungs as everything was disappearing into the golden point of duress.
The god was first of course, the massive being shoved so easily through the small hole that it seemed to be no smaller than a gnat. The well following after due to the deep connection to the gods taint. The vacuum allowing no lasting curses to be uttered as everything was unmade towards the sacrifice filling up until the magic was needed no more. The golden hues dissipating after having its fill.
As sound returned from the vacuum power surge, Ilyea moved to where Aurora was hunkered down ready to grab him within her arms. Ready to kiss him of their battle hard won.
Ilyea didn’t know how hard she was holding the dagger until Aurora shook the death grip she had over the incomplete thing. There couldn’t be any more time given to the mage to comfort her raging thoughts but Aurora managed it. His clammy hands pressed along the inlay guiding her own hand along the whorls where the bones laid. The powerful warlock’s skeleton that they had wrest from the ground would go into the groves of the handle to direct the flow of souls that were illuminated in the well. That was completed easily before Ilyea was plucked like the insect she smelled like. The danger came when she tried to *complete* it to the very energies that the god resided in and that was enough for it to act.
“I...Aurora…”Ilyea muttered as he lifted her chin with his hand. Aurora’s lips pressed up against her own cold mouth keeping them locked together transferring his confidence into her. This wasn’t a kiss of passion but one of warmth and love. The Sindorei male could feel the prickle of the magic and the monstrous thing waiting below them but time slowed. He’d always make time for her.
The nimus of void energy that stretched about him was finally noticed by the woman in its sharp tones that were protected by him. It haloed sharply outlining dark energy induced that fed along his body in pulsing veins. Ilyea could feel the crown of his magic in his continued embrace feeding off the core of mixed vitae of himself and Katanja. Her husband pulled back as their lips slowly moved apart looking into his obsidian guarded eyes, strands of his black hair wild and thick reflecting the magic across the night sky. The air seemed to vibrate off of him as Ilyea’s fingertips dusted against his cheek as her other hand pulled the dagger out of his grip to rest it along her chest. Reluctantly, Ilyea removed her touch from her husband as her other hand joined upon the guard of the weapon.
Once more the instrument encrusted with the old bones of a warlock was held out as Ilyea began to channel her magic. Threads of magic began to pour as she focused her arcane upon the weapon itself she was creating well down below. Ilyea didn’t have much time but she concentrated. Just like the shadows, the arcane flared and began to weave delicately around Ilyea’s flesh. The lines of power shared within the knife, hitting the warlock’s bones changing from purple to green. Fel green eyes glowed more brilliantly from the mage as she invisibility plucked lines adhering the well’s power into her own creation. Over time the green taint of the Fel over powering the essence shading them from green to icey blue.
The mage wasn’t focused upon her dark protectors as more lines of arcane filtered through the knife forcing entry to all the careful barriers that the three had constructed. The god shook its eight legs fraying Ilyea’s confidence as the arcane vibrated with each movement from below. Her mind unintentionally went back into the still blackness and the blue aura of death that surrounded her own while within the spider god’s clutches. Fear once more found itself into the back of the mage’s mind and the concentration faltered falling like raindrops into parched ground. The mage focused on what little she could reaching out to feel her husband. The shadows moved protectively at her call, coiling around her as Ilyea halting her ritual to steal a peek upon her guardians.
Katanja was nearby weaving enforced web lines to keep the God from entering their realm again as Aurora forced more of the offered vitae into his own shadows. The webs seemed to stretch thinly against the earth turned portal. Slices of well energy flickered against the casings illuminating them so sharply that it seemed only a little bit was needed for them to fall back in. Ilyea noticed then that they had a secondary purpose, the patterns harsh in their speed of creation blocking the unnatural light that threatened to swallow them. The night which seemed to be what many fear provided its protection against the supernatural. Aurora was doing his own to provide comfort as darkness prickled over him like a second skin. Large demonic wings ripped from his back as the spirit’s power was used as the armor to protect her beloved. Many wouldn’t recognize the rogue within the thrall of dark weaving, his fox tail wild clouding his eyes dark and purple; demonic in their seeming. As his vein etched ink black wings stretched, the shadows seemed to pool around him reinforcing Katanja’s weavings. Aurora seemed so beautiful in his simplicity and wordlessly, Ilyea gazed upon her husband as if she knew if she died here at least it would be with those that she loved.
The bond that the two shared was once more pierced as her husband soaked up the fear of his wife. Confidence flowed in from her beloved as the rogue roared his battle cry to the rotten God.
“FACE ME.” Aurora screamed into the well; dishonoring the god with his bravado. His purple glazed eyes met Ilyea pouring more of his confidence to himself. The magical signature illuminated in a sharp crown of power and void.
Ilyea felt her fear pierce together like the lines of magic meeting the dagger she was creating, growing stronger as she held the static image of her husband in her heart. Teeth gritted against her dry tongue breaking the rubbery flesh until her own blood filled her mouth, rejuvenating her. Like the magic she was weaving, it dripped down like her blood was doing upon her chin. The darkened bone filigree of the knife started to hum as the magic filled it for whatever purpose the mage had for it was being fulfilled. Ilyea continued to pluck at the invisible threads of magic using the dangerous opening teasing the dangerous power. The threads of controlling the well had to come from somewhere and it was the same place that herself and her guardian were trying to avoid. The well answered lending its power to the mentally determined mage but the small opening it created called the spider god that they had narrowly avoided rumbling now towards the crevice
Katanja held strong keeping the God from attacking the pair again, weaving strong magics from their webs. The spider god continued to brushes its legs scratching the surface of loa weavings, tapping so slightly akin to the scratching of nails upon a chalkboard. The unnerving sound replaced the wind testing the fabric between the two entities. The spider spirit did its best against the god, but the larger of the two had more wile and patience answering the call to its power source with exactly the menace that Ilyea cared not to experience again.
The spider god answered in low chitinous tones supplying more than just the small thin threads that the mage wished. No, it opened up the dam of power filling the usual dull green and grey hues with brilliant alien blues of its soul powered life force echoing the dagger that Ilyea was creating. The one that the god had been gathering for thousands of years before the three had decimated most of its champions to feed its source but it didn’t mean that it was without its tricks. It’s long appendages once more began to slide out of the well shortening what little time Ilyea had.
Aurora paced with his super natural high stomping on any weak spots that Katanja had made to keep the Spider god down. If it weren’t for the supernatural light, he would blend right into the shadows striking when others thought they were safe. Though it made him nervous to see the thing continue to move in such a manner, he would never let the thing lay a hand upon his wife again. The void mingled with the energy scattering different dark hued illusions as he paced and attacked weakened spots upon the invader. The black wings created of shadows extending as he floated directed by Katanja’s many eyes.
Siphoning just a tiny bit of the blue power to attune the dagger, Ilyea continued to work with the magical energies. She could feel the Gods power and shivered a bit in her magical styling until she felt it connect into the metal. Her mind skipped back to when she felt just a breath of it from Lledwyn when she first learned of the monster. Her brother was a pawn of the same god as a Champion and the dagger’s design was originally supposed to save him. Each champion that carried one of the God’s creations would give a piece of their souls to prove their loyalty. As long as their souls were bound, even if she could sever the connection; Lledwyn would not be free. The super natural blues reminded Ilyea of the magic that rested there. The endless tortured spirits grabbing at her mind tasting her fear extending their hands to pull her consciousness pulled down like the thousands others in a whirling pool.
But Lledwyn was free and she still had many to try and save. Many others to drain and de-power the God into a mere afterthought.
The dagger which was originally going to be used to create another champion that Aurora had stolen already had connections to the beast. That’s what made it so difficult as the wrong step could unwillingly make her into the same as her brother. The magical power she had stored was rapidly depleting as her fingers mingled against the top of the dagger focusing the power into its metal. There were too many distractions with the spider god just below ready to pluck her again as well as the flood of energy from the gathered soul source.
“Ilyea…” Aurora spoke into her mind sensing her struggles. His voice strained as he was still pouring most of his power into protection around the mage. “Focus…on me…”. The rogue whispered as he passed by her back. His fingers leaving after images of his hands along hers; guiding the ritual along as she felt the brush of his wings.
And she did just that responding to the strong silent voice within her mind. Her fingers barely registered atop of the dagger as she thought about Aurora, feeling his presence nearby. The energies of the well were dull and bright like sticky caustic sap. It seemed to burrow in with her proficiency of the arcane degrading it though the fel fortunately provided the glue to hold it together. The three energies dug into the stylized metal as Ilyea continued to adjust herself to create the artifact dagger which will once completed would drain the well of the souls. Make the God weak.
“Ilyea….”Aurora whispered closer now against her ear. His voice strained as much as hers with creating an artifact. Her directionless mind snapped back to him as tears dotted along her cheeks at the strain “I love you..”
The events which caused them to meet each other seemed to be out of a fairy tale. The spider god’s cultists were always after Ilyea and it was when she was sick that they struck against her implementing a strong poison. Aurora went after Ilyea at that moment which started their unlikely friendship...though at the time neither of them remembered each other. It was not the first time that Aurora had thrown himself into Ilyea’s undaunting protection. He got her the dagger which helped her create this artifact, he believed her words even no matter how outlandish or scared she was and he loved her with everything that made him. The rogue would continually sacrifice everything to keep Ilyea free from harm, his life as many times as he could.
That was the depth of their love for one another.
Arcane bits squeezed out of her as more lines of the shared magic swirled about the base to the tip of the weapon. The mage swayed to the music of the ritual running her fingers up and down coaxing the creation. Ilyea lit up like a beacon to the god below the magic unmistakably as it ran through her body and up against the weapon. Sweat dripped down the mage’s skin as she focused all she could into it as the flow of the weapon seemed to finally complete as the dagger accepted the last of her ritual. Just like the strength of her will, the completion sapped all the adrenaline out of the warrior mage as her legs suddenly lost all feeling as she fell to her knees. Sputtering gasps brushed up against her lips as Ilyea gathered her breath with her drained mana pool.
“...Aurora…”Ilyea smiled to him showing her completion of the task barely moving the dagger that was still within her hand along the ground.
Aurora studied his wife as the ritual vibrated branching against the protective wards that Katanja and him made. He wanted to be there against her feeling the magic flow of his wife but that was not where he was needed. His eyes leapt to a small opening of the sickly turquoise light where the Spider God has begun to advance. His wings extended as he growled again in defiance to his enemy.
“I’LL PROTECT HER.” Aurora snarled and the stars themselves vanished for just a moment against his rage. Reaching back he plucked up his exhausted love and moved her back to where Katanja was situated and the wards were the strongest. His lips pressed up against her lips as he turned to look at his foe.
Two thin ghastly hands ripped through the protective barriers, their faces stitched together only with the necromantic energies that the creature possessed with what the god had widened. Two vaporous entities of blood elven origin that broke forward from the hole before rising to their animated limbs. Another thin spider leg starting to emerge widening the hole hopefully enough for the rest of the creature to follow, the two large legs in mocking display. Aurora was thankful that the breech was far away from his wife, but it wasn’t to say how much time they had.
The rogue did not recognize the scourge like created figures but they themselves seemed to know him, and that unsettled him. He stood protectively in front of Ilyea glaring at the two creations.
“Guardian….”One of the men eluded mockingly beckoning to Aurora. “Just let my sister come down with us. It’s been ever so lonely….” One of them added with a mock sneer.
“Besides, it’s my wife that I made these vows to first. You have no claim over her.” Another joined in with a glowered sneer before chuckling. “Now hand her over.”
