You came..."
The dark grey stone of the cell floor was littered with straw. Despite the horrid smell it was surprisingly clean. There were no windows, safe for the small barred one in the door, making inside stagnant and suffocating. Her legs were bruised where she was shackled with heavy leg irons to the far wall. There were no torches and almost no light, however, so potent were her abilities that even in a place such as this it still caused nature to stir. Dying plant buds were to her right and left in the corners of the small cell. She smiled weakly at him through the dirt covering her face.
So filthy, yet so beautiful.
"I told you that I would." The dying buds bent towards Aivar, moving with his approach. As trees would reach for the suns. No guards accompanied him, matter of fact, Deinos had practically shoved him inside and shut the door behind him. "Have they hurt you, are you in pain?"
"I am... Fine, now that you are here."
He stood over her looking down, the white flowers that littered her raven hair had wilted, now appearing to be crushed discoloured parchment. "I am sorry, I am the reason you are here." He knelt so that he was level with her and met her eyes, he would begin this conversation with the truth. "Now I have come to earn your trust so I can rip your heart out once again."
Her eyes, polished by unshed tears, went wide before she looked away. Her gaze fell to the floor. "How?" She paused, rethinking her question. "Where have you been, Aimar? Why did you not return for me?"
"I... I went to find others like me. I could not come back until now."
"You found them and now?"
"I do not know." He felt a bout of discomfort as she looked into his eyes. She has been waiting, waiting for this Aimar to return as Sarah, back home, is waiting for him.
"You are different." She said, trying to recapture his shifting gaze. "But you still are the one I chose."
"Different? How so... How have I changed?"
She reached out slowly and held on to his hands, squeezing his fingers slightly. "Physically, and also... the seal on your forehead is gone..."
"The seal?"
"You are no longer under the control of the monks." She smiled, and her dirty hand moved to caress his cheek. He did not pull away. "You are free. Is this why you have removed your engagement earrings? Do you no longer wish to be with Rhea?"
He held on to her hand, pressing it firmly to his jaw. "I do not remember her. I remember you. I think that means something."
She pulled her hand away from him suddenly. "That night, that final spell tore your mind asunder. They went too far trying to protect you. I wish I could have stopped them. However, I will not claim you by default, I will take you to her, then you will decide."
"Decide, Leah?" He finally decided to use her name. Adonis's gift, Aivar assumed that's how he knew her name, for some reason always came in handy, even in the art of deception. "I think that choice has already been made, but if it will satisfy you, I will meet with her."
"If you felt abandoned by her or the others or even me, if you had turned against us, it would not have mattered, not to me, as long as you are safe, Aimar. My life and my heart included as always been yours to do with as you please, I told you this."
Nymphs; nurturers, mothers of great heroes throughout history and guardian spirits just levels below the Rais. Rai Uz's gift to a decadent world which would otherwise wither and perish without their presence, creatures to be revered. This is what is taught at the Athema, why then did she debase herself in such a manner to this Aimar, who is he? The Rais, the Sfins, the Nymphs, though humanity would argue otherwise, that was the order of the hierarchy.
"Why?" He asked. "Why have such feelings for a creature as lowly as I am?"
"Lowly?" She pointed to the blooming, rapidly unfolding, rose to her right. "Having been taken from my natural habitat at a tender age, losing my gifts as the grace of Rai Uz slowly drained away, the one I chose to call Satyr, the one that restored my faith and strengthened me can never be called lowly."
"That was not me," he said quietly. She was wrong, so very wrong. His gaze fell from the rose to his trembling gloved hands. "That was, and still is, all you."
"There is a light in you," she answered. "I have always seen it and I am sure the others, your new friends, have seen it too."
"I am sure they have." Aivar sighed. He regained his feet. "I will ask Deinos to try to have you relocated to somewhere there are plants and fresh air at least. I will tell him that you have decided to take me to the others." He met her eyes, changing his statement into a question. She gazed into them for a while, nodded slightly then looked away.
"Aimar." He halted and looked back over his shoulder as he was about to knock on the cell door. "I am not here by coincidence. I felt your presence and came looking for you. I know you came to fulfill your destiny, I will guide you to the keys."
"The keys?"
"Aidos did not return, the others are afraid. It is left to me." She answered.
"I do not know of what you speak."
Her attention was drawn from him to the now fully bloomed rose in the corner of the cell. "You should go now. Your comrades above have made the first move. They will need your strength."
"Leah?"
"Go now, Aimar. Hurry!"
He turned away from the sudden panic in her large green eyes. A Dryad no doubt, a forest nymph, those eyes were a dead give away. She had chosen this Aimar, someone she thought was so far above her that she had not the right to love him, to be her Satyr. To love and never be loved in return, why would she choose such a life? He thrummed on the door. Deinos opened it, his expression that of an enquiry.
"I will be waiting." Leah cried as he stepped over the threshold. Deinos closed the door as Aivar stole his final glance at her.
"Well?" Deinos asked.
"I am sure you were listening." Aivar answered.
"Yes, I was." Deinos's brown eyes weighed him a moment. "Do you know what she meant by the keys?"
"I have not the slightest idea." Aivar attention was pulled upwards, where his eyes met the dark dungeon ceiling. Beyond it, something was stirring, it felt like trouble. "It seems something is happening above." He brushed pass the captain and the guards. "I think we should go take a look."
"Whatever is happening up there, I think it can wait." There was a quality to Deinos's voice Aivar had never heard before. "I need answers, now."
A sudden alertness, a heightening of his senses and tension hit Aivar suddenly. Something was definitely happening above and it was causing his Quorae unease. He felt their emotions bombarding him through their bond.
"You will have your answers," Aivar pleaded. "But right now we are needed above. Please Deinos we have to go."
He watched Deinos, in frustration, weighing his decision. What was happening above, and how did Leah know even before he did that something was amiss? Were her senses that keen, or could it be...? He was taught at the Athema that nymphs had the ability to communicate with plants, but inside that small cell there were only the two roses, how did she know?
"OK, we will go above and see what is happening." Deinos finally answered. "However you will tell me everything you know right after."
"I will." Everything? What did he know? He walked away wondering.
"For the love of our Rai."
"What did you say?"
"I said you will tell me everything you know after."
Aivar turned away at a run. There was something ominous about that thought. A tension he did not feel earlier whilst with the nymph was steadily growing, slowly becoming unbearable, it was gradually overwhelming even the stench of the dungeons.
"What is the hurry?" The guard at the dungeon's entrance seemed prepared to block his path.
"Stand aside, I have to..."
"Let him through." Deinos called from behind.
"Our Rai..."
Aivar slipped through the small opening as the guard slowly opened the dungeons heavy steel entrance door. His heart began to race. This sudden thought, this niggling voice at the back of his mind, why out of nowhere?
"For the love of Rai Aiden."
Once outside in the cool night air he found himself sprinting, rushing in a random direction as if he was being drawn there. His breathing was rapid, his cloak was flapping in the wind behind him, but to him it seemed he was not moving fast enough, such was his anxiety.
He was not alone, beside him and from every direction, even on roof tops, lamechs were running to the same area he was.
"Our Rai."
He arrived there, this unknown place of such importance, this place he had to get to. He stopped so suddenly that he began to slide, ripping loose dirt and stone and grass. He was now in a court yard behind a circle of hundreds of guards. They stood, three ranks deep, their spears pointed towards the center of the circle. On the roofs of the surrounding white stone buildings was a circle of archers, all with quivers full and with arrows notched and ready to fire. In the center of this court yard stood a very small circle of lamechs standing back to back with their swords drawn. One had a scroll strapped across his back.
"Auron!" Aivar shouted, surprised to see his mentor. "Auron, no, no, no. What are you doing?"
Aivar stepped back and without thought leapt over the three ranks of guards, he landed heavily and rolled forward, springing to his feet.
"Auron, what is this, what are you doing?"
"Hold!" That voice... It was Kaleb's? "Do not fire, wait for my command."
The sneer Auron wore softened as he regarded his pupil. His expression changed from that of regret, to sorrow, to one of pity. "I waited for you."
"Stop this Auron, lay down your sword." Aivar cried. "We are here on a mission of peace, not of blood shed."
"I will lay my life down for yours." Auron answered. "You were the one chosen, however before I was your mentor, I was your guardian. It is only natural for a parent to want to save the life of their child. I will be the sacrifice."
"I do not know of what you speak, you are not making any sense." Aivar pleaded. "Please Auron, please..."
"Enough, enough of your weakness." Auron was abrupt. "Lead the others back to Pejora, there will be no peace, for there should be no greater love than that for your Rai."
That thought? It had come from Auron?
"Fire!"
That instant Aivar found himself before his mentor, his body moved, it was as if he had no control over his actions. His sword made quick work of the arrows rocketing towards them. With one swing, in mid air they were reduced to fine powdery ash by the fiery arch produced by the sword. The other Lamechs of Auron's group had done the same, leaving them all unscathed.
"Show them no mercy. Destroy them all."
The second volley did not come. On the rooftops above, the archers were being engaged. The Lamechs were fast and adroit at close quarter fighting, their swords were almost unblockable but the archers were well trained. They sidestepped and feinted, avoiding the heated blades of the Nandurans by hair widths and dispatched their arrows at their attackers. The Nandurans destroyed the arrows with a strike of their sword and again attacked, the archers feinted, sidestepped and attacked, continuing their dance for survival.
"Aivar, what are you doing?" Auron asked, pushing him aside. "I told you to lead the others out of this place."
"I am not their leader, and I will not leave without you."
"I knew none of you could be trusted." Daimos was leaning against Kaleb, glaring at them. "This experiment was a failure as I knew it would be. Now none of you will be leaving here alive. However one good thing did come of this, we finally have an excuse for the invasion of Pejora."
Auron, behind Aivar, laughed, "Invade the home of those blue eyed traitorous infidels to your heart's content. However, go up against Rai Aiden's flames and you will burn."
"Do not speak of our home in that manner." Aivar whispered fiercely.
"Enough of your insolence." Daimos roared. He dash forward in his anger, leaving behind the protection of the circle of guards armed with their heavy steel spears in hand. He got to the lamech closest to him and with a vertical strike attempted to cleave him in two with all his might.
Aivar, at the very last moment, stepped aside causing Daimos's sword to struck the ground with a resounding ring. Aivar smashed his temple with the butt of his sword then, spinning, knocked his feet out from beneath him with his heel.
The human, to Aivar, was too slow and years of training dictated that he take his attacker's head.
"Stop!"
Aivar was frozen in place, his movements restricted by glowing white chains that had sprang from the ground. Behind him Auron and the others had been chained in place as well. On the ground beneath their feet was a rotating, glowing, white transmutation circle.
A tall slender figure dressed in a shimmering grey robe emerged from behind Kaleb.
"Seems I am not too late." His hair, beard and moustache were long and as white as newly fallen snow. Yet he seemed of an indiscernible age. Around his neck was a silver chain from which hang an oval transparent stone within which was inscribed a crest. His Order's sigil, the base of his magery.
"Just in time Master Alicien." Kaleb replied.
The mage's attention was drawn from the lieutenant. "Such strength." He regarded the six lamechs straining against his bounds. "Finish them. Finish them off now whilst we have the chance. Before the others interfere."
Kaleb signaled and the interior rank began closing in, leaving the other two ranks to defend against the other lamechs. The magical chains shrieked under their strength.
..
They were non magical creatures that had succeeded in establishing a realm with only their strength and agility at their disposal. How unwise he would be to underestimate their power.
Following the time of Great Lamentation--before the ascension of Queen Daidra and King Ekron--when the sun had vanished from the sky, the Rai Aiden took out his wrath on the world. Nandura swept across the land, leaving death and destruction in her wake. These tall slender figures had then appeared, with an inferno raging in their eyes they had picked up where the flames of Rai Aiden had left off, hunting and slaughtering any they found alive, offering the bodies as sacrifice to Rai Aiden's all consuming flames. However with the sealing of Rai Aiden their power waned, what was once a blazing inferno was now no more than a flickering candle light.
Still the world had been thrown off balance, the Hagarians feeding on the death and ash left behind ushered in the dark ages. A century passed under the rule of the dark Rai Hagar and the lamechs blue eyed counterparts appeared. And though they had lost the fire from their eyes they were just as strong, if not stronger.
The tide of the war was turned with the followers of Rai Uz using these more docile lamechs to their advantage. These lamechs were taught the way of Uz, a philosophy by which to live, love and fight. The armies of darkness were pushed back and five of the lost realms were recovered.
However on the verge of one their most significant victory the followers of Rai Uz were betrayed, the lamechs fighting on the front lines turned their swords against their masters. Jeagan, the lamech who was appointed overseer of his brethren had allied with surviving factions of Rai Aiden's army and in their treachery and ignorance they fought to establish the realm of Pejora.
The lamechs, possessed by Rai Aiden's flames, according to the records of the ancient archives they had just attacked, are the original lamechs. Bestial, quick tempered and cunning, what could the Senate have been thinking making a deal with them? Master Alicien watched in thought as they strained against the chains.
Such folly, if one thing was to be learnt from history, it was that the lamechs were untrustworthy. Even now, rumour had it, a civil war was brewing in Pejora, the originals were being marginalized. The section of their civilization that was responsible for winning their war and establishing their realm was being persecuted. That they would be willing to send this group here to be sacrificed to the Daughters of Daidra was proof enough of this.
The lamech at the front of the group glared at Master Alicien as the guards drew closer. He was the one that had tried to intervene earlier, the one Captain Deinos had asked Master Alicien to keep an eye on. The other originals seemed to walk on egg shells around him but as far as Alicien could see, he was nothing special.
He was more mild mannered and generally oblivious to the schemings of his colleagues but that was about it. Why the special interest in him?
He seemed to be whispering--from his demeanor, a prayer maybe. A prayer to their imaginary Rai Zohar no doubt. Only simple minds such as that of the lamechs could have invented such a being. The Creator they call him, responsible even for the creation of the other Rais, such hogwash. This is exactly why they are unable to use magic, power was granted only to those who exhibit utter devotion to the Rais. Magic of light could only be used by the devote of Rai Uz, dark magic however was granted by the power of Rai Hagar, an imaginary Rai could grant nothing.
He could strain all day and pray the year round, he will still die here calling on the name of his false Rai, there will be no miracle. The lamech directly behind him, the one with the scroll on his back, eyes were fixed to him, and within them a plea. A look that a soldier at a lost on the battlefield would give his commander.
Master Alicien scoffed, what does he think that child can do? Did they really think he was special? He was nothing but a drowning man clutching at straws.
The guard who was about to deliver the final blow vanished. The ground quaked, and the other guards that were close to him were suddenly airborne. Something had plummeted to the ground, and like a boulder hitting the surface of water, a huge splash radiated from its point of impact. Guards were sent flying in all directions, bloody, torn and screaming.
"By the Rais!"
Where the object had hit, at the epicenter of the quake and the scene of a mini crater, a creature roared. Those that could, were sent scurrying backwards in retreat. Blue from darkness, its fur gleamed. Along the length of its body was a golden seal that led up to wings of massive glistening black feathers. The savage tail of a scorpion curled up and over its back, it struck the ground at the creature's front paws twice, sharp and precise, hitting the earth with resounding thuds. Snake strikes, below its feet lay the body of the guard who had been about to take the life of the lamech, broken and oozing black, tar-like, venom.
"The chimera?"
"That is the creature you were sent to hunt?" Alicien asked in response to Kaleb's rhetorical query.
"Of all the places for it to appear."
It leapt forward with astonishing speed, its jaws open wide displaying savage fangs. A guard with shield up and spear pointed forward in defense was crushed in an instant within its herculean mandibles. It flashed him from side to side like a rag doll, reassuring itself of his demise.
It attempted to spring forward again and was restrained by glowing white chains. "You will take responsibility for this failure Kaleb." Alicien demanded.
"On your right!" Kaleb shouted.
Alicien was pushed back about a yard and the white glowing shield he had conjured crackled as it repelled the creature that had smashed into it. "There was more than one?" They watched as the creature regained its feet and shook off the shock of hitting the shield of pure white energy. It lowered its head and stalked towards them, seeking an opening through which to attack.
There was screaming, yelling and total pandemonium all around as the ground shook over and over, from the darkness of the sky above an army of these creatures descended with tremendous force on the city guards below.
"What in the hells, what is this?" Kaleb cried.
"This is not normal, these creatures are not natural." Master Alicien eyes narrowed. "Those markings, it's a seal, they are being controlled."
"But by whom? Move!"
Alicien did away with his shield at the last second as the chimera attacked, a white transmutation circle appeared under his feet, launching him into the air. Simultaneously, the energy that was the shield was reshaped into a sword, another transmutation circle appeared in mid air launching him groundward, he came down hard trying to sever the neck of the creature. His sword was blocked, it collided with a black blade and shattered like glass into a thousand pieces. He found himself looking into a pair of filmed blue eyes. The lamech launched a roundhouse kick that caught him in the gut and sent him tumbling backwards, winded and writhing in pain.
"Master Alicien." Kaleb came to stand between the mage and the onrushing lamech. From his experience earlier he knew that his steel blade would be of no use against the black sword, but if he could use the arm guard of his armor to block his strike and deal a debilitating blow, maybe he could steal a victory.
The lamech stopped abruptly just out of strike range and sprang to his right as the chimera came dashing in from behind him.
Kaleb thought about jumping aside to safety, but that could mean losing any advantage they had. It could mean losing the mage.
"Origen!"
Fire erupted from the jaws of the iridescent green dragon hovering above the battlefield, several Chimeras and guards were engulfed in its breath. Was this sacrifice a miscalculation on Kaleb's part, could there have been a better way? It was a split second decision.
"You fool." He turned to see the mage pointing. The lamech had not been stopped, after leaping aside he had continue in one flowing move, sprinting towards his imprisoned brethren. Their bounds had been broken, sliced through by the infamous black sword. "How could you let yourself be outsmarted by that thing."
The freed lamechs turned away from the battle at a run. Their goal was to get the scroll away from the city, not a prolonged fight. The other lamechs seeing this ran in pursuit, leaving the city guards to battle the deadly chimeras.
"After them Kaleb, do not let the scroll get away."
Kaleb signaled and Origen alighted the ground. He mounted and sat in a black leather saddle on the dragon's neck. "We are going after the scroll."
In his head he could hear Origen swearing at him as they went airborne with a single flap of the dragon's monstrous wings.
From the sky Kaleb could see the damaged he had caused and the bodies of the city guards he had burned. And as he watched he saw the chimeras that had been engulfed by Origen's breath, stood, shook off the fire and took to the sky. "What in the name of Uz."
Origen ignored Kaleb's outburst and went in pursuit of the scroll as instructed. Below, Kaleb could see the lamechs racing through the city, sprinting, leaping from building to building and cutting through anyone that got in their way. He could have Origen burn everything below, but, as before with the chimeras, was he and his partner at a level where they could inflict damage on the heat resistant lamechs. Or would he only be damaging the city and killing his comrades?
His only option now was to allow them to enter the forest beyond the city, it would be difficult to see them through the foliage then, but it did not matter, he would burn everything to the ground. Let them survive those flames if they can.
The chimeras in the air around had not attacked him as yet, he wondered why. He then thought of Daimos and Master Alicien, he thought of Aivar and that half blind lamech, anger welled up in him. Damn you, Quorae thirteen.
..
What could he have been thinking? Aivar watched the moonlight bounce off his mentor's flowing hair, the city cloak and the large scroll strapped across his back as they raced through the city. Had he gone mad, first his ramblings on and on about Rai Aiden's glory and now this. Should Aivar have left him to the mercy of the city guards, had Aivar through his recklessness placed Pejora in danger?
Auron is his mentor, what was he expected to do, let him die? Instead he had raised his sword against those that the High Council had signed a treaty with. Even if they did make it back to Pejora some how, he was certain that all that awaited them there was death. The Jeaganites would not let this go unpunished.
And all this for that damn scroll, what did it contain? What could be worth the risk of exile and death?
Maybe if Aivar had not intervened and allow only five to die, maybe that would have saved the life of ninety five, maybe that would have saved a realm. Can Pejora in its current state survive a full scale invasion?
Aldien, Ethos, Echelon and beside Aivar, Adonis--who had in his resolve to rescue his friends had taken on a mage and a dragon warrior--if only Aivar had thought twice before jumping in, maybe, just maybe their lives would have been spared. Damn it Auron, damn it.
As it was now, the entire city was at their heels, a dragon was above and these blasted creatures had appeared again out of nowhere. Their impromptu appearance had probably saved their lives, Aivar was desperate enough to invoke the name of the Rai Aiden after all, asking for Auron's life, but why were the creatures here? What were their significance?
Maybe if he got Auron to drop the scroll, maybe the guards would consider their capture secondary to its retrieval, which could give them a chance, a slight one of escaping. What else could he do, the entire city would be up on them soon, and they had barely survived the melee earlier. That mage will not be caught off guard a second time.
Aivar launched himself at Auron, tackling him. They fell from the top of the building on which they were running and hit the ground hard below. Auron fell on his back, he forced his legs between he and Aivar and in a rolling move toss his student from him. Aivar twisted in midair and came down on all four.
"Drop the scroll Auron, right here, right now." Aivar demanded.
"This is for the future of our entire race. I know it is difficult to suddenly turn your back on a lifetime of brainwashing Aivar, but I would not be doing this if I did not know in my heart of hearts that this is right."
"In your heart of hearts?" Aivar asked bemused. "A feeling, is that all? Is that all you risked our lives for? Drop the scroll Auron or I will make you drop it."
"It is still a couple of years too early for you to be talking to me in that manner." Auron brows were raised. "I put up with your insolence and indiscretions for one reason and one reason only, but I see now that the gift bestowed on you has been wasted. Chosen?" Auron scoffed. "Why you of all people, a weakling?"
"My sole purpose is the protection of Pejora. I live, I die for my realm, this is the oath I swore, your actions have placed her in danger, and as laid out by the law of Rai Zohar all those who threaten the divide, those who would upset the balance shall die."
Auron glared at Aivar, he grinded his teeth causing the muscles in his jaws to bulge, his nostrils flared. He turned his back on him. "Such a good guard dog. OK Aivar do your duty. Stop me, stop me now."
Auron walked away and the other lamechs came between he and his pupil. A circle was formed around Aivar and his Quorae.
"Think about this Aivar." Adonis by his side whispered. "A fight here, right now would only get us all killed. Besides, you are no where close to Auron's skill level, even if you did get pass all these fighters, you would still be cut down in an instant."
"I have to do something..."
"Stop it Aivar." Aldien commanded. "Stand down."
Aivar lowered his sword and stepped back.
"Forgive him sir." Aldien continued. "He has always been like this, you better than anyone knows. However we are with you, how can we help?"
"Help?" Auron asked. "You cannot help. Once we enter the forest you will all split from my Quorae and join the others heading back to Pejora."
"Back to our execution..."
"As you wish Sir," Aldien interrupted Aivar.
Auron took off at a sprint, with his band of rebels behind him. In the blink of an eye they had cleared the city and had enter the forest beyond. He signaled as they went deeper and the five around him separated from the others. The dragon above followed the larger group, the group he could see more clearly from above.
Of course, a diversion. That was what the larger group was. The dragon swooped by and its path below was bathe in flames.
"Dragonfire." Adonis warned. "Do not get caught, the breath of a dragon is far more than just fire, its magic will still hurt you."
Aivar looked around at the forest being consumed by gold and scarlet. It was no mistake that they had taken off at the sight of the dragon. They were vulnerable to magic and a dragon's magic was magic that would seep into their body like a poisonous gas and consume them from within.
The lamechs were fast, but no way were they fast enough for all of them to escape unscathed. The thought seemed to be going not only through Aivar's mind because the lamechi army began to scatter, giving the marauding dragon a wider area to cover.
The moons and dragon above, and the burning forest all around reminded Aivar of something, something far away, and just out of his grasp. He had never before seen a dragon on a rampage, or experienced a forest burning, but some how it seemed familiar. He stopped.
"Keep moving, Aivar." Aldien ordered.
For the first time Aivar showed open defiance to his leader. "Pejora will be just as you see before you now, bathe in dragon breath."
"Do not be stupid Aivar, Pejora is invulnerable, the barrier has and will continue to hold for millennia."
"Do you really believe that?" Aivar asked. "Then why sign a treaty after all this time. After millennia to regather their strength, do you really think the forces that sealed a Rai can not break our pitiful barrier?"
"All we can do is return to Pejora and let the higher ups..."
"No Aldien." Aivar shook his head. "By then Auron would have made the situation worst. I think from his sermon in the library at the Athema that he has figured a way to free Rai Aiden, and even if he fails, he would have validated and solidified the Jeaganites distrust of us. The armies of Onra would be invading a divided Pejora."
"What would you have me do Aivar?" Aldien asked. "Go after Auron's Quorae? Brave the dangers of Onra only to be sliced into bite size pieces."
"And the alternative?" Adonis's all seeing eyes were directed towards his feet. "A divided Pejora is destroyed by Onra, or Auron some how succeeds and the world his left at the mercy of a bitter Rai Aiden."
"I say we go after Auron and stop him." Aivar was determined. "We will need help against his skill and experience and I know just who to get it from."
Adonis read him. "You are crazy." He turned about, watching the forest burn and wondered if the others were still alive. "You want us to go back to the city, for Leah."
"The nymph?" Echelon eyes were wide. "Aldien?"
Aldien rubbed his brows. "You two will be the death of me." The quorae leader turned and started for the city.