"Tibbers? Can you beat Daddy?"~ Annie, The Content Child
A different quote and title. Thanks to Yin_Yang_of_Cliff for the idea. Changed this before the chapter dropped. A fun way to see how Gregori's actions have influenced those around him. Kinda like the One Piece chapter pages.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gregori grunted as he walked upward. With Caalyx and his shield strapped to his back, weighing him down, the travel forward was harder.
Leaving his children with Soraka for the time being was the best decision he could make at the moment. Not only would they be safe, they wouldn't need to brave this weather and terrain. They would also be entertained for their duration there.
It would also do Willa a lot of good to rest there. At her age, having her follow them this far up was quite difficult on her. Any more would not be in her best interest anymore.
As he continued Gregori's eye fell on his wrists and arms.
Runic wrapping ran around his arms. Giving Briar the necklace had seen her sport a smile the size of which he couldn't believe. The looks on the faces of the children was not something he had missed. It had gotten him to consider getting each child gifts. He would be doing that soon a small gift for each child. It did not need to be very useful to them but just a little thoughtful.
Something they would appreciate as they got older.
Then again, he only had five years to spend with them before he began the next step in his journey.
And likely.....
The last step.
But for now he would continue.
Soraka had informed him of the route to the Solari Temple. The Temple of Solstice. It was where the Aspect currently resided. And it was also the area where the Darkin was held. A very straightforward route.
He needed to walk around the side of the mountain to the eastern side and then follow the gold vein-like markings to the end. It was located a little higher upward but nothing he couldn't solve with his magic.
On his way there, he spotted a series of structures stretching of to the side, going the opposite way. Two curved stones that jutted out of the ground or were carved into the rocks brides ran through. These two stones resembled a U-shape.
He didn't know what they meant and where they led and he didn't quite care.
His destination was no where near that location.
The weather was manageable at the start quickly worsened as his journey progressed and it wasn't until the snowstorm got so bad that he couldn't see in front of him did he stop.
By squeezing himself into a nearby rock structure a person wide, to protect himself from the cold he ate some of the rations he had brought along with him. After which he placed two illusion rune stones at the entrance of the structure and leaned against the back wall. The stones made it seem like the structure never existed and would be ignored by anything passing by.
Gregori then slipped into sleep, his mind taking him to a dream where he watched over his children as they played about in a wide open grassy plain. He had a content smile on his face as he watched them. Then he tilted his head and spotted two women behind him, both fussing over a baby.
His face froze.
He clambered to his feet and made his way to them.
Just as he reached them....
His eyes opened.
A dream.
He slowly closed his eyes once more and let out a shaky exhale, his fists clenched beside him.
Then he shook himself awake and looked outside.
Dark.
But clear.
He would continue.
Taking a sip of now colder water from his waterskin, he stepped out into the cold night and continued his journey.
Nighttime in Targon wasn't like other lands. With the brightness from the peak of the mountain illuminating the area, there was not a single part of the mountain that remained without light.
Gregori used the light to follow the markings to his destination.
Other than the occasional wind and the sounds of something shaking, there was nothing interesting along his travel. Every time there was some short of shake, Gregori looked around and pushed himself close to the mountain side. It was too easy for parts of a mountain to break and fall down crashing into him and sending him to his death.
But nothing of that sort happened.
And just before sunrise he had arrived at his destination.
And before him was a grand structure made of gold, the front of which had the shape of a sun carved into it.
Gregori stepped forward and was instantly stopped by two spears pointed in his direction from the sides of the entrance.
Just from out of his vision.
He stopped in front of the spears and waited for the wielders to either step forward or say something.
They didn't.
Gregori began to speak but the spears moved closer to him.
They still didn't speak.
But Gregori understood that they probably did not want him to speak either.
So he waited.
The two wielders stayed silent for a while longer.
Gregori took a step back. They didn't move to stop him.
And then the sun slowly began to rise and with the first rays hitting the entrance, the two wielders stepped out. Two men, with open torsos and wearing a helm with two small holes for the eyes and three metal prongs that were on either side and on top of the helm.
"State your purpose." They both said.
Ah. They were waiting for the sun to rise before speaking. Not many among ther Solari did that. Only the most devout ones did. Their entire belief was that the sun was the only source of light and everything else was false and would only hasten doom. And their greatest fear was the day when the sun would fail to rise.
Gregori stepped forward and held a hand to his chest, "I am here to meet with the Aspect. I come under the words of Rahvun."
"Wait here." One man said, "We will confirm your words and then let you in."
As the man finished, the other man turned around and walked inside. Fifteen minutes later, he arrived and whispered something to the other guard.
They both stepped backward and let him pass.
"Rahvun waits for you at the entrance to her chamber." The guard said. "I will lead the way. Follow."
Gregori followed him into the Temple of Solstice.
It was in stark difference from the Rakkor caves. The temple was made with pure white stone with golden veins running through them.
A short walk later, Rahvun came into view.
"Titan." He said.
Gregori shook his head, "I go by Gregori now. Titan died a long time ago."
Rahvun looked at him for a moment and then slowly nodded. "Titan died that day." He repeated.
Gregori nodded.
Rahvun moved to the side, "She awaits you."
Gregori pushed the big double doors open and stepped in.
And there she stood.
The Aspect of the Sun.
Host of the Golden Sister.
Leona.
"Are you here to honor your agreement with the Aspects?" She asked with her back facing Gregori.
"Yes." He answered, "I am here for Horazi."
Leona turned around, "Rahvun has told me about you. You who have run from battle. Leaving your comrades behind." Her auburn hair catching the sunlight.
Gregori nodded. "I have not come for redemption. I have come for revenge. This is my revenge." He did not intend to defend himself. He did not need to. He had a goal and he would achieve it.
"You have to prove to me that you can withstand the allure of the Darkin before I can allow you to leave with it." She said as she began to walk toward the other end of her room. She reached for the blade and shield that hung near the entrance. The Shield of Daybreak and the Zenith Blade. Both weapons were empowered with the power of the sun and its energies.
Gregori turned to Rahvun and nodded.
The man nodded back and followed them into the end of room.
And there it lay, floating in the center.
Horazi.
The Darkin Lodestone.
"Oh! You have brought visitors!" Her voice rang, "Maybe a host?"