Retreating to her old lair to escape any follow-ups from Colossus, Sephinroth reevaluates her approach to getting rid of or just escaping the continuing hounding of the evil master mage. Interrupted by yet another member of Colossus’s group coming to seek an audience invitation from the mage yet again, but fearing her position of being exposed she takes drastic action.

Sephinroth goes once again to the Lazarus tower. Inquiring to what the message was about but does so fully aware. Any tricks or traps that may lay down, she goes through the front gates for once and escorted to the throne room where she`s announced and greeted. Sitting on his throne of bone the mighty Minatare, holds to his hand the first of three stones.

“I see you received my invitation Sephinroth, in truth I didn’t know if you were going to show?” Colossus says surprised

“You’re as shocked as I am, but the message was shall we say fulfilling to say the least” she said standing at the edge of the table in the chamber scrutinizing the room for an ambush

“Wait, did you eat my messenger? Damn it all Sephinroth he was my captain”

“What can I say, I was lacking some iron in my system,” she said filing her nails on the tableside

“Then just eat the armor, nah scratch that it was worth more than his life anyway” waved off Colossus and growing impatient Sephinroth stared at him sorely

“Why have you yet again seek me out Colossus?” she barked

“I have another proposition for you” he replied

“If its desk work like before I’ve paid my dues and am through helping you, get your leech to do it”

“This task is somewhat too grand scale for Logan to handle, that is why I have asked you back, I need your help” Colossus went on standing up. Walking toward her holding the stone tight “I’ve been told of an old enemy you had, or war shall I say with a Silver dragon of great power and age; she attacked me at the city unexpectedly preventing me from gathering all the stones” he added

Chuckling to herself, she laughingly spat out “You fought the Drow and lost, again” and rolling his eyes with heightened rage, he quickly calmed down and ignored the comment

“As I was saying, I offer you a second opportunity to finish your encounter with her” he replied

“Finish the fight, the fight I had with Lalandra is long past done and so is she, so you are lying through your rotting teeth,” Sephinroth stated abruptly

“Maybe you’re not as efficient as you might think, the dragon I fought last night was of an age rivaling your own as well as her potent icy breath, for which I still bare the frostbite to prove” Colossus went on cringing as he recalled the icy blast done to him

“Impossible! Lalandra couldn’t have survived the assault I laid upon her…unless…was she helping the Drow” and looking to Colossus who nodded she grew angry “DAMN IT ALL! They must have nursed her back to health” she blasted out swiftly

“Listen to me Sephinroth, you can finish what you started long ago and regain your revenge, kill her as you accompany me on my assault at her lair for I’m sure that it’s where the stones are going to be kept, as powerful as I am a dragon of her class and power could cause a deep breech in my plans” Colossus intriguingly tried to focus her hate in his favor

“You might still be bent on revenge Colossus but I ended mine when I thought I ended her then, I have new paths to pursue and henceforth you are on your own” and she started to walk out

“Not so fast Sephinroth” he commanded stopping her stride

“You going to kill me” she said not even turning around

“Of course, not that wouldn’t be good business. but what makes a good player knows that sometimes you are always holding all the cards, since you have a strong mother baring burn again, perhaps I can make that fire grow stronger”

“What the hell are you getting at?” Sephinroth snapped

“Simple…I can bring back your other hatchling that you thought I had killed” he smiled to her backside which hastily spun around in a sight of shock and wonder

“She’s alive” Sephinroth stutters out

“In this” says Colossus pulling a crystal shard from his belt pouch and holding it in his free hand “I transferred her soul from the body to this after I snapped her peony neck”

“Talk ill of her again and I’ll snap yours” Sephinroth barked to him taking the shard quickly from his grasp, and waving his hand he brings to the table top an opened scroll that had some writing on it.

“This is the scroll need to restore it to her body” added Colossus and wasting no time she goes for it but has her hand runs through it like it wasn’t there, and with the act comes a laugh from his snout

“Do you really think I’d give you both parts now, you get the other after your help is done with me” Colossus stated sternly

“Give it to me now Colossus or I refuse to help you”

“Then grow old watching your youngling’s soul float in there till your end for all I care, you help me and then I’ll help you…so do we have a deal?” he finalizes and nodding her head in a tone of ungrateful shame for the thought of once again on his side turns her stomachs she agrees. Before leaving again she is stopped again from a warning through his words

“And one more thing Sephinroth, don’t cross me this time, the stakes are much higher than before. That stone is on a trigger spell that if tapered with by another means other than this scroll, it will be destroyed along with her soul, permanently! Help as you have done before and you will have what you seek” and turning to him to show a first scared sight on her face she nods and leaves being told that he will contact her when the attack is ready.

Being summoned at her very polite request he arrived through the gate portal into Shadowell city; dressed and draped with a thick heavy leather cloak engraved with a golden strip down the middle of the backside, and a golden skull emblem on each front shoulder side, he was lead in to the Matriarchs’ personal chambers from the grand room by four elite heavy armored Drow guardsmen, the guards grew tired and more wary the longer they stood around his close proximity. He stood roughly seven feet tall towering over the minuet guards surrounding him and continuing to follow the guide given to him, was lead to the bathing room in her personal quarters.

He looked upon the Matriarch still occupying the bath pool who was getting a private sponge bath by her female servant, upon entering the room the guards following him drew their curious eyes away from her beauty for even a mere glimpse upon her natural figure is a crime in disobedient respect. The Matriarch’s back was to the guard party and him, but he not being a Drow himself indulged in the view, she was sprawled out extending her arms along the rim of the bath pool side. She tosses back her head to gaze upon the bone divinity that was under the cloak from her upside down view and then turned her head to face him, moving her finger slightly in the air she signaled the servant to stop the bathing of her body.

“Malice, I’m glad you have accepted my request for an audience” she says getting out of the pool and fully into the bone eyed vision of the lich, he stared profusely at her righteous flaming figure that could only be described with one high end term “perfect”. As she made her way strutting her body across the marble floor to the left side of the room she grabbed a robe from a hanging rack and looked to him while she wrapped herself. As she put it on she waved for the guards as well as the servant to excuse themselves from their presence, and watching them go she looked upon the guard’s faces to see that they were feeling the effects of long term exposure of being in the presence of the lich. They showed signs of nausea and headaches as well as turning a paler color than they were built with, but watching the effects quickly wear off as they left his location she shook her head with Mel contempt.

“You know acting the way you do doesn’t leave very much to the imagination” said Malice

“And this phrase is coming from a walking, talking pile of bones that’s only covered by a cloth” replied the Matriarch “Still haven’t shaken that plague curse you have upon you I see, my men were ready to puke”

“They were just posters of amateurs who can’t handle the presence of great power” he cracked back with a small chuckle “And with all that power comes a great cost doesn’t it” she covertly shot back as she reached for a crystal goblet off the table by her towel rack and poured herself a glass of blood wine, “So I’m not wrong in thinking that you haven’t sheared the goal of demi-lich power hunting yet have you?” she asked taking a sip from her glass “Must be hard to complete, with you recent convicted escape being publish and public all over this realm, as well as having everyone growing sick to death around you must make it difficult to stay in one place to long”

“What’s your point Matriarch?” Malice grumbled out

“Maybe we can help each other out a bit, interested?”

“Perhaps; what do you have in mind?” he inquired to her

“Oh I’m sorry where are my manners, would you, like a glass” she smiled pouring another goblet of the wine “oh right I forgot you can’t hold it in, must be the lack of shall we say stomach strength” she chuckled to his face and taking another swig of her own, and looking to his face Malice grew impatient with her vivid jokes. And rolling her eyes from his lack of humored enthusiasm she went on.

“It seems to me that you are in need of seven children that each needs to possess a natural unique gift to be sacrificed in a ritual sense for you to achieve this correct?”

“Have you been keeping tabs on me Sophie?” Malice questioned

“Let’s just say I like to keep a scout full watch for talent in my same league, but with your escape posted at every village and city the chance you won’t be suspected when everything goes ill in the area will be slim” she went on

“I’m listening” added Malice

“I could get your children for you, gift wrapped even but I need something from you in return, what do you say?” Sophie replied

“I’d say what’s in this for you?” says Malice

“I require items…set of them actually from the astral plane and very few mages I have found can get there without dying a horrible death, every one of them actually but you” she stated

“And just what do you need from this Templar location might I ask” Malice questioned her further

“The ruin stones of the dragon ancients” she replied

“That’s quite a tall order Sophie, you understand this” Malice said

“Yes I know but then again so is demi-lich mage powers of countless proportions wouldn’t you agree” she grinned to him

“And for what purpose do you require such powerful items” Malice asked

“That is not your concern…but if you must know they are only needed so that I can gain access to the treasury in the high elven city of Lavairius, in there are scrolls that will undo the power on my sister’s necklace and grant the full ability to destroy her once and for all” she explained

“Wow, that’s heartfelt I think I’m going to cry” and shaking his head at her goal he adds another comment “Look I may be a lich and got this way from a wrong made spell that blew me into a living wall but seriously even I’m not insane enough to take on the defenses’ at that city. I wouldn’t survive and neither will you unless you have something under that robe of yours capable of granting, total victory” and ending his comment he sees her say nothing but a smile as she finishes off her glass of wine

“That’s my little secret” she only says to him

“Ok, then how do you plan on getting my payment or do I need a Shadowell membership to have that answer as well” Malice looked to her “Not that I would want one anyway I do trust you even if we are partners Sophie”

“Nor I trust you, a pile of rusty bones that has been aged with disgrace and has a sickening stench to go with it, a trail that can be as easily hunted as a herd of wild beasts, but that’s beside the point are you in or are you out?” the Matriarch ends her statement, “I want the tablets when you’re done” Malice says agreeing with the temporary partnership

“Why do you want them?” inquires Sophie

“The history of Kahn has always been interesting to me; such power research is difficult to pass up”.

“Indeed” Sophie replies and snaps her fingers, following the crisp clicking sound comes a creature similar to the Bodak. It has no nose or mouth and it’s head it widened at the top of the skull, it’s eyes were a deep red with a slightly emanating glow to them, it came dressed with clothes similar to a common fighter of the Drow army and stands like a regular human and at a height of nine feet tall. Malice looks at the creature and cocks his head like a dog to one side,

“Now what the hell do we have here?” he says with a puzzled laughing tone

“My bloodhound so to speak, he will track and trap your payment to wherever you want to make the drop” says the Matriarch

“Ok, that’s great but what is he, she…it!” Malice asks with hand gestures

“You mean you don’t know I thought you knew everything” Sophie smirked

“I only care to know what involves with me gaining what I want or need at the time and with him I have never had a use for…what is it again” says Malice

“It’s a race called doppelganger and his name is Teremicus, his abilities are shape shifting, and if they touch a target they also receive their memories and pasts experiences making them practically indistinguishable from the original copy. Also they don’t carry or inherit the abilities the target has or empowers but with its added silver-tongued talking wisdom they rarely would have need for it.” Sophie explains

“I’m impressed Matriarch, this might just work out after all, but how does he talk” and finishing his question the Teremicus transforms into Malice and speaks

“Like this my good sir, I gain the language of my reflected upon shifting into them whatever or however the difficulty rate of learning the language” Teremicus says and nodding with acceptance Malice comes to the table passing the doppelganger and shaking his head at the realism of the fake, taking the glass poured for him by her he holds it up toasting their partnership and downs the drink into his ribcage through his mouth, the blood wine runs along his backbone and hits the marble floor splashing when it spilt and showering the Matriarchs feet.

“Thanks for the drink, I’ll need two or more days to complete the portal traveling device and will alert you when it is ready” Malice says wiping his jawbone dry and setting the glass goblet down, he turns after giving a sorry excuse for a bow for an added insult and walks to the door leaving the Matriarch with a serious look of annoyance to her face.

“Well what are you waiting for, go get ready and start your hunting of the children, so that I can get this skinless disgrace out of my plans” she snaps to the doppelganger and swiftly he exits her sight, and looking down at the mess she sighs “Well that’s no good now I need another bath” and snapping her fingers again she gets the servant back in to finish her bath.

A cold winterized chill blows firmly in the air as the arriving soldiers from Silverspire and surrounding towns under the banner come to the newly formed encampment outside the enclave. The ringing of smith hammers and maces echo throughout the enclave. As the camp buzzes to get the extra support structures built for the impending attack and weapons and armor are being forged in mass amounts. In the main cavern of Lalandra’s lair sat the group Cynn, Straud and Lalandra; Elanee gave her speech about the book she found after Artanis dropped it and of the history ties between her and the great evil being Larissa Blackstaff.

She explained to them all how the key to her transformation into such a creature was showing a full embrace of love to a single being, and when she kissed Rain the last time she first felt the power trying to get out.

Artanis then took his turn on the spotlight to reveal to them his complex bloodline and his ties to the zenith tower, he explained fully about how the book works and that lastly by his father’s order was he told to destroy the tower.

“Ok that all makes sense but the one thing that eludes me is the relationship with Namor you had Elanee, I mean you have kissed him countless of times but you never changed then, why?” Straud asked

“Because I wasn’t really in love with him” she replied

“When we cure this curse of yours and if you have a child together with Rain, would your child gain the oracle power as well” asked Cynn

“Well I really didn’t know how to say this yet but since you asked, unless I’m willing to give up my life for the child’s I can’t give birth to one, in the past oracles have never had companions for that soul reason, but if it ever happened when the first breath of the child is taken it would also be the last breath of the mother’s life, the transference of power is woven so tightly with the body of an oracle that transferring the power forfeits one’s life to the new one” Elanee said shamefully

“So if one lives one must die, how is that fair” protested Dawn

“The power we carry is so potent and strong that only one being of such power may exist and one time on the realm” Elanee replied to her and sitting down between Rain and Dawn, Dawn gives her a hug to show her hurt for the unbarring pain Elanee has to carry.

“Well now that we know and the tell session is over with we still have the colossal problem to deal with here and now” said Cloud

“How long till he could get here” asked Dawn

“A couple of days working fast and organized which we are granted he will and a week at the most” Lalandra replied

“Are we even sure he knows that the stones were brought here?” Artanis asked

“Cloud and Dawn saw him at Shadowell city which means at one time the Matriarch and him did work together, and she does know where the location is” Straud added

“And she would give up that information to him willingly?” Artanis asked again

“In a heartbeat if it meant getting a chance to end her sister’s life” Straud said again

“But this is Colossus, he trusts no one what’s makes us think that he even has an army” boasted Cloud

“In my brief time up in the battle with Colossus at the city, I did recognize the followers he had with him, they are striders of different elements and more than that they are part of the Shin doe clan, and if they came with Colossus then the high powered demon prince Siravithor is dead, this threat is real” she added painfully

“Then even the backup being sent by Stormguard will prove unmatchable to a demon army at his disposal, even adding our own troops we have it won’t be enough” Cloud said and having a moment of silence thinking amongst themselves Artanis speaks up abruptly

“Or maybe just a book” he says holding it up for them to see two phrases burned on the pages as he was thinking of what could be done, as DRAGON RUINS and ASTRAL PLAIN were written on them.

“What the hell does that mean” Rain rudely said

“I hoped that those wouldn’t be needed but now that they are shown” said Lalandra she explains their reason. She says there are each two stones made into two and were carved from the heart of the first dragon ever born to this realm, they have many powers but the one that would benefit them the most was only said; the shield power it can generate actually keeps out all spells and evil enchantments in the sphere created by the stones. As well as any demonical presence in the sphere when the stones are activated will be utterly destroyed, the stones need to be geographically perfectly set apart in a cross like shape of equal distance from each other and needs to cover the whole enclave and her lair in this case. She goes on to say they are in the astral plain and are guarded by beasts yet to be defeated by anyone who has seek them out, and since they haven’t been outmatched any knowledge thus far has not been gathered. She concludes that she can open a portal to the forgotten realm but it requires great energy and time elapsing over two-three days, complying to do the task before she was even asked.

Trying to think of other options that didn’t end in mass suicide the group came to no other option and agreed it would be the best and only course of quick action to take. They break up the meeting and go about the camp outside the enclave helping where they can to hasten the building and prepping of the defenses before the great attack happens.

Working hard for the majority of the first day the younglings of the group take a well-deserved break and retreat to spots to regain their lost strength. Elanee goes to the pond nearby the enclave and is later joined by Rain. Laying there with Elanee leaning against Rain’s body his hugging arms around her, they watch the pond’s calm movements in the water as fish swim around and the birds sing from overhanging tree limbs. Having thoughts to herself Rain sees Elanee making a half smile and then shakes her head with a thought that lingers deep in her mind.

“What’s wrong” Rain asks

“Just thinking how everything has come to be” she replies staring into the pond

“Just the right way I think” Rain says giving her a quick squeeze.

“Oh yeah you got real lucky, to fall for a woman that can only every be this close to you, to never be able to embrace the full love we share for on another, for fear of an unspeakable evil that could result…to never be able to bear a child with you unless I sacrifice my own life” she says starting to get teary eyed “To never be able to see my children grow up and witness his or her first thoughts on the world, oh yeah you got a good deal” she says trying hard not to cry.

“Elanee I have thought about our life and what it will be like and I’m not afraid of this only being as far we can go together, because we get to do it together” Rain says turning her face to see his

“You mean this could be enough for you to live life for” she asked and gets a nodding response from him, “As much as I want to accept that Rain I can’t feel the same as you, I want to kiss you again, share close moments together and make love to you…I want a child with you and to watch it grow I…I want to live a full life Rain, what have I done to receive this punishment, this curse”

“You have done nothing but follow your will and heart Elanee, and it always has lead you down the righteous path of truth and caring, this recoiled sickness is not because you have rooted evil in you but because of your unflinching iron will to fight it where others would fail, and I promise you Elanee I will find the means to make the life you wish and dream for to come true” Rains says to her smiling a sunlight beam of hope to her eyes and ears and nodding she turns again to the water and lowering her head she says to him.

“With that I request another promise from you Rain”

“Name it”

“Promise me that if all goes ill and the hope of curing this is foiled and through failed will I turn into that which I fear so much, you will end my life before I take another’s” she says to him

“Elanee don’t talk that way, you can’t think like that”

“Rain please; I don’t want to hurt anyone”

“You talk as if there is already no hope for you Elanee, for us” Rain replies heartfelt

“Colossus is at our doorstep with a demon army of immense power behind him, and through all the material I have found on this evil in me, there has been no use of the words curse or cure, it just exists in me” she says to him

“Elanee I tell you now that I won’t stop trying to save you, not even until the last breath in me is taken” Rain replies and stopping her sorrow wording speech she looks to him with a first smile he thought he would never get.

“That’s what captured me to you the first time I saw you, your determination to not stop until such an end has come to your understanding, it’s what made me fall in love with you, you had gasped my heart with your passion for knowledge and it’s why I choose you, it’s why the evil would only be released by you; and it’s why this is so hard to get through” she ended and holding her tight to release the evil dread from her mind.

The two lay by the pond for some time until the clutter of metal footprints and separating grass lines alerts them both of nearby visitors, getting up to address them the winding path for the men to travel through reveals to Rain and Elanee soldiers from Silverspire but not of the military joining their cause. There were three of them and approaching Elanee they go to one knee and bow in respect, moving quickly to them she grips the shoulder plate of the Captain and raises him up

“Please there is no need for this commander, I am no longer with the city council and need not to be issued as one” and standing tall again followed by his men he explains the seeking out of her need.

“Miss Kerrigan, it is upon your old title for why I have seeked you out Marshal, we have a situation that could use your expertise and if you hold time your attention as well”

Walking back to the enclave he explains to her about two murders that have happened in the town of Parle, he says that the couples to single children were brutally slain and the children were taken, for there was no sight of them anywhere. Elanee’s heart goes out to the thought of the poor children and what must be going on in their head if they are still breathing at all.

“You should go and help if you can Elanee” suggests Rain to her and looking at him shocked she answers

“But Rain the defenses here?”

“Look there is lots of hands around here to make sure they are ready but this is your field of expertise, the town needs you and so do those kids, do this and bring what hope has faded from you soul back in view, if anything arises we will contact you I promise, but you should do this” Rain said pushing the idea to her and nodding her head she accepts and Rain says that she will be there in one day, grateful to the assistance the guards party leaves back to the town. Rain finds Cloud and Dawn to explain what has happened

“I will go to Elanee for Rain’s sake; my blade will be your shield” offers Artanis who’s help is accepted by Elanee with a smile

“Take Alisianna with you as well” adds Cloud and his wife then looks to him with a confused look, “Just for added safety Alisianna, I would like you to be away from this threat as long as possible for peace of mind for my focus”

“So me going to a town housing a murderer will give you comfort, gee thanks I feel so much better” Alisianna says growing a glare to him

“A murderer not looking for you is better than one who is” Cloud states “And I trust Artanis, he won’t let anything happen to you girls, but my uncle will not let us three leave for our necklaces being the only thing needed to keep Colossus from what he seeks, us leaving for only a moment is all he may need and we can’t risk that, I love you but for me to be willing to die is knowing that you live on and with our family alive and well”

“You dying is not acceptable for me or our family, now you promise me that it won’t come to that Cloud…and promise me now” Alisianna sternly adds and agreeing with it he does hand over the word, and with that she goes to get ready as does Artanis after a quick hug to Dawn, who is starting to show a little more affection then she started with towards him.

They get ready and the three depart to the town of Parle after a quick goodbye.

In the depths of her cavern Lalandra gets her ingredients and items ready for the long drawn out process to build and create the portal and has a visitor while the gathering of her things takes place.

“Straud, everything ok” she asks him seeing a worried look upon his face

“I’ve been thinking, about what you said about these ruin stones and I have to ask, will these affect Artanis and worst yet Rain?” he inquires to her and giving him no solid look of confidence she replies

“I don’t know Straud, with Artanis it’s possible that he will need to leave the area, but for Rain I… I just don’t know if his blood is potent enough to have his life at risk, we need his magic and his necklace to fight Colossus back, I’m sorry Captain I just don’t know” and nodding his head in a silent sadness from the lingering thought he left her to her work.