Ascension - (Alarian Warriors)

Damon was looking grim as he strapped his weapons to his back. “Are you sure about coming with us?” He asked Aveyon.

She was leaning against the wall of the armory as he readied himself, waiting for the others to arrive. She nodded. “There is no reason for me to stay behind. I know it is but a simple recon mission, but if lady Vexous is to be found it is best that I am present.”

She held her hand before her, toying with the liquid that was floating just above her fingertips. She practiced often, imbuing essence, and changing the properties of her blood.

Vincent approached the two with a half-smile as she allowed the liquid to flow back into the vial at her hip. “She can handle herself now, you know that.” He injected joining the two.

“Is everything sorted?” Aveyon asked. “You did not return last night, it was concerning.”

“Sorry about that, I was feeling pretty heated, and yeah, at least for now. But she has a strong will.” Vincent shrugged. “I hadn’t intended for anyone to overhear us.”

“Get a room you two, bloody hell.” Damon snickered rolling his eyes.

Scrunching her face up confused. “But we have a room?”

“Mate, I feel sorry for you.” Damon eyed Vincent with sympathy.

“Have I missed something?” She queried.

“By miles, my lady.” Damon laughed.

“Pay him no attention, he’s just jealous.” Vincent stated while pushing a stray hair behind her ear.

Her head tilted up looking between the two boys curiously. “Of what though?”

“That you like me and can handle my touch.” Vincent grinned wide.

“But I like Damon too and am getting better with his touch.” It was true, though she had considered it maybe because he had been created with ichor.

Damon burst out laughing. “You have no hope in hell, I’m out! Good luck with that one.”

It was refreshing to have friends that bickered and joked with each other, it reminded her of a time when she would attend school on Alarious. One of her brows rose as the thought crossed her mind, she actually saw them as friends, as people she cared about.

She stifled a laugh. “Yes, yes, that is it! You both remind me of school children.” Not exactly what she had meant to say.

Damon looked at Vincent with a frown. “I never went to school, being created by a demon lord and all, kind of limits you.”

“Nor I, brother. Not sure about the creation part. But pretty sure I was already fully grown when created.” Vincent added.

“And the only girls I ever meet before now, well they just wanted to court me because of the blood that runs through my veins.” Damon pondered aloud. “I like it here, with you guys it’s a lot better, freeing.”

Aveyon visibly cringed, what a trio they were. Pushing the subject aside, she checked herself over, making sure to have all she needed. “I think we are ready.”

“Onward!” Vincent posed holding his sword high.

“Has he always been like that?” Damon asked Aveyon in a hushed whisper.

“Pretty much.” She nodded.

Damon laughed, flashing his fangs for a moment before sobering up. “Let’s meet up with the others.”

Leaving the training grounds together, Erisena was next to join the group. The veiled elf greeted them with a gentle bow of her head.

“Erisena, I really think you should throw out the veil. If I have learnt anything, it is that here, in this city, nobody cares what you look like, or one’s past. Your actions speak louder than a thousand words.” Aveyon offered.

“Princess, forgive me. But I have lived so long with it... it is odd to be without it. I wouldn’t know what to do with myself.” She responded, lowering her head.

“May I?” Aveyon asked.

The veiled elf tilted her head sideways, contemplating the request, then nodded. Aveyon reached forward and gently unlaced the veil from the binding in her hair.

Removing the cloth, she held it in her palm and looked to Damon. “If you will.”

He nodded, lifting a clawed hand he snapped his fingers together creating a spark. From this spark he ignited a fire and burnt the material to a sunder. Though Aveyon could wield fire essence, she couldn’t create it out of thin air, Damon however had learnt to make sparks with his claws. At the beginning of their training, she had asked Vincent how he had lit the fire on their earlier travels, he sheepishly explained that he used rocks to create a spark.

Erisena looked on wide eyed and shocked as she watched her safety net burn and crumble away. “I didn’t know you intended to burn it! I don’t mind having it off around you lot, but to others I’m hideous.” She exclaimed slightly panicked.

“Blasphemy! If you are hideous, what are we? Damon has fangs and claws, and I am scared from head to toe. We all have flaws; it is time to not let them define you.” Aveyon began.

“And do you accept them, or even like them?” The elf hissed.

“Of course not! I would give anything to not have them, as I am sure you would too. But I do not need to hide my face away because of what others may think, not anymore. Besides, the elves dare not stare. You are the most revered for your talents here, they know you, your struggles and your efforts.”

Erisena’s mouth curled up into a slight smile. “Not a fledgling anymore, are you?” She began. Placing a hand on Aveyon’s cheek, she looked into the princess’s eyes. “You, my dear, have grown so much, it has been an absolute pleasure to have you as my student.”

Aveyon blinked a few times, slightly taken back. “If I have, it would be because of you.” She closed her statement with a smirk.

“Priestess.” Damon bowed, greeting the next member of their group, as Kirra came jogging up to them from across the way.

Kirra eyed the veil-less elf and Princess but did not question what she had walked in on, she simply nodded to the group.

“The others are at the gate; the lynx is an interesting fellow.” She told them, joining the conversation and changing its direction. “This portal or...whats-a-macall-it, the one you can open, is it really best to be done outside the city? We are warded within the walls, it’s safer here.”

“I’m not sure how it would react to the fissure being opened within the confides, it’s best to open it just outside, getting back to earth is the bigger issue. There’s only one way back from Terramore that actually works.” Damon concludes.

“Yes, you’ve been very clear on that, but also that it’s not normally guarded.” Kirra pointed out.

“Not guaranteed, I have no idea what it’s like down there now.” Damon warned.

His absence would have surely been noticed by now, and Aveyon was sure he was not eager to return. Finally making it to the gates, Samuel waved eagerly as they approached the city entrance.

“Long time no see!” Vincent clasped the were-lynx’s hand in greeting.

“Indeed, just grateful I could be of some use on this little outing, thanks for recommending me.” He said to Aveyon who nodded in return.

They’d sent word to him just yesterday, he’d ran all the way here in a matter of hours in his cat form.

“We are finding it hard to trust our sensors, this mission called for more keen eyes, ears and noses.” She stated.

Damon quietly took over the conversation. “We’ve run through this many times in preparation, we know what we need to do.” He started. “I’m sure Ashera will be notified as soon as we cross into his realm. We are splitting up into three groups of two, we won’t have much time. Memorize as much of the layout as you can, I’m pretty sure Lady Vexous is in the Throne room, but we need to confirm it. Access the numbers, snatch as many shards as we can and head for the fissure to get out. In and out, fast!”

The atmosphere drew tense as they all nodded, ready as best they could be for the unknown.

Damon held his hand out to Aveyon, who handed him several shards. They had already been informed that the shards, not only used as a weapon, were used to open fissures back to Terramore, however only one to two people could use one shard, the power contained in the small jewel couldn’t keep the fissure open for long enough to allow more people through. Hence more than one shard was required in this instance. All eyes now on the former enslaved demon, they watched curiously to see how the fissure was opened.

Damon, taking the first shard pricked his finger with it. He followed up by flicking the shard along with droplets of blood in front of him. The shard hovered lightly in the air, as the droplets of blood seemed to be absorbed into the shard. The small crystal began to vibrate and jolt as the droplets disappeared. Damon grew his sword, with a quick, deadly accurate strike, he hit the shard with the very tip of his blade. The impact let out a wave of power, along with a blinding light. Causing many of them to shield their eyes as a rippling sphere like image of a dark, morbid place appeared.

“Quickly!” Damon ordered the first two.

Aveyon could barely make Erisena and Samuel out as they disappeared. The light died down and she could finally make out what was appearing in the rippling image of a place she had never seen before. It was eerily dark, no light in sight, water dripping from the rock walls, it sent a shiver down her spine. It slammed shut as quickly as it had appeared, making no sound.

“You lived there?” she muttered.

“Why do you think us demons like earth realm so much?” Damon laughed. “It’s not a nice place.”

As Damon began the process of opening the next fissure Vincent placed a hand on her shoulder.

“Are you certain you wish to go in with Damon?” He asked.

“You and I are linked; you will know if I am in danger and can find me quickly. However, I fear that once I enter, I will surely be noticed, given who I am to him. It is best to be last, giving the two groups before us the best advantage.” How many times had she explained this to him now? She placed her hand on top of his. “Do not worry, as you say, I can look after myself.”

Another blinding light exploded into existence behind them. His hand slid from her grasp, he turned and vanished along with Kirra seconds before the magical portal slammed shut again. She didn’t even get a chance to wish him well.

The moment the fissure closed she hadn’t been prepared for the feeling that floored her. She gasped as she fell to her knees. Her mind went blank as she felt like a part of her vary being was being torn from within you. He was gone, she couldn’t feel him. They weren’t blocked, they were no longer connected, her body screamed to be reconnected, the yearning resulting in a painful wave that ripped through her entire body. It felt as though a piece of herself was missing, ripped out.

She felt someone lightly shake her shoulders as she tried to get her breathing under control. The bond between them was crippling her, telling her that something was wrong. That he wasn’t here and that she needed to find him.

“Princess... Aveyon!?” Damon’s frantic voice reached her, and she blinked up at him. “You okay?” He asked.

She slowly shook her head no. Her hand clenched at the material covering her chest. “I feel like I cannot breathe.”

“Vincent has crossed realms; he isn’t on this plain any longer. The bond you two share is simply warning you that he is not safe.” Damon tried to smooth her. “It will pass and reconnect when we enter the next realm ourselves. Can you stand?”

She nodded, forcing herself to move her body, she felt as though her limps had turned to lead. Nothing wanted to obey her, her body was in shock. Taking slow deep breaths, she shielded her eyes from the light once more and moved as quickly as she could through the open fissure. She moved with ease from one realm to the next like simply walking through an open door. The simplistically of the jump surprised her, given her only experience with realm hopping at been when she first arrived on Earth.

And they were in, ready to explore the unknown and hopefully find some answers to nagging questions.