Ascension - (Alarian Warriors)

Aveyon watched for hours as the streets became alive below her. Men pushed carts full of decorations and furnishings she had never seen. Special lamps were attached and hung on buildings, and small triangle shaped flags floated on the wind, as the framed doorways and alleys. Before her eyes, the city transformed from the bountiful clean gold and white, to a colourful carnival atmosphere. The rich smells of fresh cooking made her mouth water as the scents wafted upward reaching her.

She knew Vincent had stirred even before he wrapped his arms around her shoulders. “You didn’t sleep, did you?”

“I will tonight, of that, I am sure.” She placed her hands on his forearms, slightly hugging him to her. “Will you take me to the festival?” She asked.

He eyed her suspiciously. “Who are you, and what have you done with the Princess?” He remarked jokingly.

She laughed; he wasn’t wrong in his words. It wasn’t like her to want to be around others, she preferred to be in smaller crowds, but never truly alone. She tilted her head back looking up at him. “I wish to spend but one night as a carefree girl, just a simple girl, not a Princess.”

“Ah! I see.” He raised a brow. “Yes, I think that can be arranged, but first-”

Aveyon yelped as he pulled her from the windowsill and wrapped her more tightly in his arms.

“I don’t like you balancing on the edge there, what if you fell?” he asked mockingly.

She easily twisted from his grip, finding freedom. “Of that, you do not need to worry. What you may need to worry about is your appearance.”

He placed his hand over his heart and his face morphed into fake shock. “You’ve hurt my feelings!”

She tried to resist the urge to smile. “I simply meant, that if you wish to take me tomorrow night, you must look the part.”

He looked down at himself and shrugged. “I suppose you’re right, I best go shopping.”

Lifting the back of her hand to his lips he placed a kiss on her skin before heading out the door. Leaving her standing in the room rubbing her hand with a slightly shocked expression. He was becoming slightly more flirtatious with her, and oddly she didn’t seem to mind.

Yawning she realized she felt more tired than she once thought. But sleep could wait, she still had time to plan ahead. Besides, she was sure that if she asked the elves they would help her tomorrow with clothing for the festival, so there was no need to worry about that.

Her innermost thoughts fixated on her next move and how to fix everything. It was puzzling how she could care less about herself and yet have this sort of drive. Her ambition for Ashera’s downfall driving her. Her eyes widened suddenly; it was so clear now! She’d even mentioned it on her mission when they found the poor shifter.

Existing in the here and now would mean facing a reality that only served to drive her down. But there was not here and now, the world was rotting. She thought of Emerald and her child, she wanted more than anything for them to have a peaceful life here on Earth. Elaina came to mind as she thought about the children, and those yet to be born. But as it was now, it was impossible for the Earth to be a pleasant place to grow up.

“I have changed.” She muttered to herself. “Thinking of such a thing is so unlike me.” With the King of Alarious already dead, and the King of the underworld wanting to consume her, was she reaching for straws? Trying to find a purpose and meaning in it all.

She needed to speak to the fates, but how? They already said they wouldn’t be seeing her or reaching out to her again until she was on Alarious. She gasped as a thought accrued to her, maybe Erisena would know of a way. Like her the elf was from another realm, if anything she would have an understanding. She quickly changed her clothes, which she was still in from her small adventure to Terramore and headed for the training grounds. She was sure she would find her there with Dam-

She saddened. Damon wouldn’t be there... not anymore. Quickening her pace, she didn’t want to waste any time thinking on the past and what could be. She’d get him back, she wished they hadn’t left him there. But she knew they hadn’t been wrong in getting out of there, they needed numbers and to be better prepared. Kirra had already made the maps for the groups, the amour and weapons were ready, all that was left was to have all the forces gather together.

Approaching the shack, she had spent so much time within over the past months, the door opened before she even reached for it. A shocked Erisena meeting her gaze.

“Princess? What brings you here? I was just finishing up for the day.” She could hear the mumbled groan of the fallen behind the elf.

“I wanted to ask if you knew a way to look into other realms?” Aveyon got straight to the point.

“What in the heavens for?” She frowned.

“I need to speak to the fates again, I want to know if I can create warriors of legend.”

“You speak of when Lady Vexous made the Alarian’s from humans, the ones that didn’t need auras.” The elf’s eyes widened in wonder.

“Yes.”

Erisena closed and locked the door behind her, motioning for her to follow. The elf led her around the side of the mountain and into the trees. There was no trail or path, but the elf moved with a grace and cunning that told her she knew where she was going.

The sky was already darkening as the evening was approaching, inside the dense forest she only heard an eerie silence. Broken only by the sounds of them moving through the foliage.

“This is a moon pool.” The elf parted some tree branches and held them while she slipped through. “Though any old water can be used as a medium to connect the realms, this pool absorbs moonlight meaning we can harness and direct the energy more effectively. It’s more powerful.”

If one didn’t know what they were looking at, it could simply be a puddle of water in the middle of the forest. But with closer inspection the water appeared to shimmer and swirl as though filled with flecks of metal. She could tell that Erisena had been here many times, the edge was framed with elegantly carved runes made of stone.

“I could not manage it on my own, but maybe together...”

Aveyon knew at that moment that the elf had been trying for years to connect with other realms. Her dedication to the cause was simply inspiring. They sat on opposite sides of the small pool, their arms linked in a circle around it. She let the elf lead the chant as she connected herself with Erisena’s mind. Their minds so familiar with one another merged with ease.

“Focus your mind on the place you wish to connect to.” The elf instructed.

Staring down into the pool she imagined Alarious, not like it once was but as she knew it to be now. The water rippled between them as an image formed, though it was not very clear.

“Channel you essence into the water, coat its surface with your energy. It will drain you the longer you keep the connection but that is natural.”

Aveyon did as she was instructed, allowing her essence to flow from her body and touch the water’s surface. The pool reacted vividly with the interaction, she felt something latch onto her essence. Her body slightly jolted forward as her essence was pulled from within. The connection more stable the image reflected in the water was now clear as day, she was looking at the palace ruins.

“Heavens, its worse than I feared.” Erisena muttered.

Aveyon studied the water looking for the three women. “I cannot see them.”

“Call out for them.”

“Will that work?”

Erisena shrugged. “Only one way to find out.”

Clearing her throat Aveyon focused on the water and projected her voice towards to the pool. “Lahk, Atro, Clo...” She waited. “Are you there?” She called again.

A figure in white materialized in the pool. The being narrowed her eyes on her seeming to have a rather unimpressed look on her face.

“Atro, thank the heavens.” Aveyon felt relief wash over her, this was going to work after all!

“No point in thanking such a thing, there’s no one here but us.” She responded dryly.

“It is a mere expression; I am grateful to be able to talk to you.” Aveyon explained.

“Odd that you would reach out, didn’t think you would be capable.” The fate huffed.

That stung a little. “I wanted to run something by you three.”

Atro shook her head. “Only I remain awake, the others were too drained from the last encounter, they have not awoken yet.”

Aveyon’s mouth fell open. “Are they okay?”

“We are beings of pure energy with no physical form. What do you want?” She responded sternly.

Though to Aveyon it didn’t seem like an answer. The Fate seemed keen on ending the communication more than anything. “You three mentioned that I would be taking on the essence of Alarious when I ascend. What can I do with it?”

“Your ascension will grant you access to be able to channel the entirety of Alarious. Be more specific.” Her tone was quite harsh.

“Can I give power to others without creating new auras?”

The fate creased her brow. “You could in theory, but that sort of transfer requires an anchor. Not to mention a physical change like your own ascension to house the power.”

“Can I be the anchor?” She pushed.

“If you are to be the anchor you will be giving up your ascension to complete theirs, though you could transfer the realms powers to a number of people before it runs out completely for you.” The fate pondered the idea as she answered.

“After the ascension would I have enough power to control the blood of others, to say fuse Alarious’s essence with theirs?” Aveyon’s theories were falling into place as the fate eyes opened wider.

“In theory yes, though only on Alarious, the realm will allow it and aid you in order for the bodies to harness its power.” She Fate’s voice had turned from her usual sarcastic tone to that of intrigue. “This course of action requires a great deal of sacrifice from you.”

“How so?” Aveyon knew there would be a price.

“To be the anchor you must remain in the realm until all its essence is passed on or diminished. You cannot leave.”

Aveyon winched as she felt her energy draining, she needed to end the session and soon. Vincent’s essence was already seeping into her, filling in where she was wavering.

“You also can not die; the realm will prematurely collapse spilling it’s essence into he Earth causing disasters beyond your wildest dreams.” Atro watched closely as she spoke.

Aveyon flatly laughed. “Ironic.”

“You still have time to decide your fate.” Atro vanished.

Ending the connection, she broke the circle with Erisena. The elf looked to her with a meaningful gaze.

“She has never been that informative or helpful with me before. She always makes me feel as though she doesn’t want me to ascend.” Aveyon pondered allowed.

“After the questions you were asking tonight, it looked more like she had the up most respect for you.” Erisena commented.

“I agree...” It only made her feel that she was on the right track.

“She has left you much to ponder.” Erisena smiled sadly.

“Honestly, not really. There only seems to be one clear path ahead of me.” She concluded.

Erisena placed a gently arm on her shoulder as she walked to stand beside her. “You see yourself as having no choice, but in truth you do. I know one person in particular that would be happy to search for another way.”

Aveyon sighed. She knew who she spoke of and it was Vincent.

“Actually no, I meant Emerald.” Erisena was still in her mind.

Aveyon’s cheeks flushed. “Heaven’s what was I just thinking!?” Emerald hadn’t even crossed her mind in that moment. The elf was not wrong, Emerald would also want her to find another way. But why had Vincent come to mind first?

Erisena chuckled. “I’ll leave you to figure that one out. The heart is a fickle thing sometimes.”

The elf led her back to the city, each step seemed to fill her with a dread she wasn’t sure how to overcome. How was she going to tell Vincent that she wasn’t coming back from Alarious, but he was?

After wishing Erisena a good day, she walked herself back to her room in a complete daze. She nodded hello to the clerk again and ascended the steps all out of sheer muscle memory. She opened the door to the small dwelling and froze.

Vincent was sitting with his arms folded over his chest looking up at her with a concerned look.

“Care to tell me why I almost fainted in the street?” He raised a brow at her.

“Sorry, I needed a little extra essence.” She sat down beside him looking at her hands. Her chest tightened at the thought of telling him what had happened, she couldn’t find the words.

He suddenly grew worried “Is everything okay, did something happen. Were you attacked again?”

Her head jolted up. “No, no, nothing like that, I am fine really. It is just... I am figuring some things out.”

Vincent reach for her, he placed a hand on her waist as he rested his head on her opposite shoulder. “I’d thought...” He trailed off.

Feeling his fear, she smiled sadly. Lifting her hand, she gently stroked his back while leaning her cheek into his mess of hair. “I wouldn’t leave without you. The battle to come, we will face it together. Until the end.” She couldn’t tell him yet. But she promised she would.

With a sigh he pushed himself up and away from her. The coldness of his disconnect alarmed her a little, she very nearly reached for him pulling him back.

He’d caught the panic in her eyes, and they sat staring at each other for a long moment. A calm stillness spreading through them as they just sat there, mere inches apart. He smirked and she let out a single laugh before playfully pushing him back on the bed, standing she stretched.

“Do we not have a festival to get ready for tonight?” she questioned, peeking through one open eye at him.

“I best go freshen up then, I have a certain simple girl to take to a festival!” He slid himself off the bed.

“And I, the same.” She added, grabbing a few things from her pack.

“You do, which girl?” He looked mockingly shocked.

“Come now, clear the room.” She rolled her eyes at his antics before pushing his form toward the door.

“Seriously who!? Don’t make me jealous!”