The night was dark and cold, the wind blew with a constant eerie feeling and the snowy ground echoed the moonlights bright rays, Rain walked around the old town he grew up in for only a short time, and walking up to the town sign he read it aloud.

“Soul Guard” he said and strolling in he kept a watchful eye, nothing seemed to be changed through the twenty odd years that had gone by, seemed to hold the town in a time bubble but moving through and across the ages his stomach began to hurt as he grew closer to the location he and Elanee set up, his home.

Rain crept to its structure and just touching it brought about painful memories that filled him with anger and hurt. Hearing a sound coming from the back area of it he drew his weapon silently and snuck around its perimeter. He saw her clear as spring water looking around through the stables where he hid so long ago; Elanee had planted to her mind that a book of secrets was hidden here that held the key to her mystery she wanted.

“Found what you were looking for demon” Rain spoke up and turning to face him brought about a bright light to her eyes she had to dodge quickly, she did and the lightning bolt flew past her face and impacted the ground.

“You know that wouldn’t have hurt me mortal”

“Then why move creature”

“To throw mortals off my natural defenses and the ones that do hurt me”

“Or maybe it’s because the one that surround you throws your ability to sense danger off a bit…you know…the cold” Rain smiles

“Someone has been talking to you I think…but no longer” Larissa finishes and charges his position. Rain raises his blade as she drew her own and the two spare for a time, Rain can feel her weakening while the longer she is exposed to the cold. The two berate each other with hurtful words and cold metal is heated as the blades continued to collide, but a standoff as the blade connect for a few seconds causes Rain to have a bright light blind his vision for a second and then vanish leaving him in an open summer field filled with flowers and mountains surrounding the prairie lands, and the sound of water falls flowing into a circling lake. Then he saw her walking up to him in a sparkling white gown, hearing Elanee`s gentle voice across the air, “Hello my love”.

“Is this real?” says Rain with shock looking around, he was about to contest that it was even her but the essence he felt just by seeing this form was different. It wasn`t the same as what he felt moments ago it must be her.

“Sort of, it’s a mental meeting constructed in my mind, she is using so much power to try and kill you that I was able to tap into your mind, but when this ends only a mere second will have gone by” Elanee explains to him

“You don`t have powers like that Elanee”

“No, but she does, she has empathic power as well as telekinetic strength…she is so strong Rain, it is taking all I have just to do this now”

Rain bolts to her body grasping it with his arms thrusting her to a embrace she doesn`t hold back from “It has been so hard without you” she pulls slightly, only to rest her gentle eyes upon his face, a smile grows to his sight as she takes his hands to her own.

“I know Rain I’m sorry what I did, I had no choice you must see that but this needs to end now Rain, she needs to end and to have that happen we both must go”

“Elanee…”

“I will create a feedback surge into her mind, it will be like a massive headache to her and cause her to be stunned momentarily and when that happens you must act, I will only be allowed this one chance Rain you must take it”

“I can’t” Rain gasps with shock

“Rain please don’t make this harder that it needs to be, (a single sparkling tear rolls down her cheek) I can’t go on like this anymore; I see them Rain, every soul that I have taken”

“Larissa killed then Elanee not you, Elanee listen to me now that I’m immune I need just more time-”

“Seventy thousand Rain, seventy thousand lives I have taken, I saw the terrified looks on each as they were brutally killed”

“Malice has killed more and was locked up; we can do the same until we solve this Elanee please”

“Children Rain…I`ve killed children, she picked them first. I spent my life at the orphanage to protect them and she knows it, one I even skinned to the bone”

Rain closes his eyes as the shame to her face was momentarily too much for him to see “It wasn’t you Elanee please understand that”

“We are one in the same Rain, for one to die we both must, and it needs to be done”

“There is another way; we can freeze you again Elanee like Sephinroth did before, giving us more time to find a way to solve this”

“Imprisonment again, it won’t work this time she won’t allow it, you cannot subdue her to unconsciousness Rain she can only end by taken her life here and now”

“Forget it Elanee I won’t…I can’t” he says to her growing weak to his stomach

“Rain, I don’t have to explain to you how powerless a person feels when they have no control over their own actions, but those actions have taken innocent lives Rain. Even if imprisonment was possible, that torture of killing my soul couldn`t bear, and if you truly love me as you say…you won`t let me ever endure that. You made me a promise to do this act if this fate became realized and now I hold you to that promise”

“And what about a certain promise you made to a child…our child. To be her mother and I her father, that vow holds no less weight”

“You don’t think I want to see her grow Rain, to see her first step and speech…her first love. Those acts now have to be reflected through you on my behave Rain, she needs you as much as you need her, and shall be with you Rain I give you my word as well as my heart” she bleeds out with heavy emotion

“And I to you for if you are slain here and now my love goes with you, I have never met anyone like you Elanee and never again will I. My heart will close to the world for what it will have shown me and all that is will have been lost”

“My death cannot be then end of your love Rain please, you promise me that you will find love again and when you do that you will never let her go” Elanee pleads as she starts to welt up

“Elanee there are things in this world that I never could’ve understood without you, things that I won’t understand without you, your loving eyes allow me to see them and if you leave me now they will become blind to me once more”

“Oh Rain,” she says staring to cry

“I will always be with you in every decision you make…in every step you walk. (Tears roll down her face) in every breath you take” she then cracks a small chuckle “Geez I didn’t think I could cry in this form” and in only looking at his face tears complimenting her own run down the cheek of his face, only able to bring silence to his lips from her words. She then grows close to him and touches his cheek with her hand and the warmth of her skin causes Rain eyes to blur and close only for a moment. “I’m going to miss you, and I’ll always love you” she cries the words to him. In the moment she kisses his lips holding him tight, and after she pulls away Rain shakes his head.

“I can’t…I just can’t” and smiling to him, she kisses him again, grasping to his hand with hers and with the other holds tightly around the one baring to its palm his blade.

“Know that in this life I choose you and no other Rain” and she keeps kissing him breaking away to speak words to him “Be strong, show me once more you have the courage to do what is needed (kiss) now strike (kiss) Strike Rain (kiss) now (kiss)NOWWW! She screams as the vision of paradise warps him back to the face of Larissa. A pause in her movement leaves her open to attack, Rain closes his eyes, thrusting his shacking blade forward into Larissa ending her life.

No great explosion occurred, no massive displacement of energy, black blood surfaced in the corner of her mouth streaming down her chin and the great light of life to Elanee`s eyes slowly went out to a still nothing.

Rain catches her body “Elanee! Come back girl you can do it” nothing happens; putting his lips to hers as she did to revive him. His first breath took in much blood that he coughed to the ground, he goes again breathing to her body.

“Come back Elanee please,” breathing again

“Lllliiiiivvveee! Sweetheart please” time gives him only silence, no remark came from her lips. Rain buried his head in her chest having her body fall and his on top of hers, with a shacking hand he looks to her lifeless face closing her eyes. “Forgive me my love” Rain bumbles out with quivering speech “I`m sorry, I’m so sorry”

He lays up her body to his arms, pulling the blade from her torso, watching just blood coated to the blade. Rain lays her down and holds tight to his weapon, rage builds to his souls and body. “AHHHHHHH!” he screams out throwing it to the air, he takes a shot with pure energy from his hands sending a shot right at it. It hits it hard sending the blade flying across the now dismal field but indestructible to his own magic it hits the ground unharmed. Rain assaults the side of his family barn, smashing upon it spells of immense power screaming as he thrusts out each one, persisting until weakness overwhelms him, falling to his knees he continues until his barn his father built now lay to ruins.

Rain on his knees, moves to her body, barely breathing from emotion and exhaustion. He stared at her motionless movements for a time, having flashes of his time with her right from the first meeting they had until now.

Exhaustion puts Rain to a sleep, resting for hours beside his fallen love. Awaking only again to see her, the feel to her skin was now cold…she was truly dead.

Scooping her to his own weakened arms, he moves her body to the ruined stables of his home, laying it upon some wood and straw; slowly he griped an unused torch and lit it up. The flame came alive like the torch just made and walking close to her corpse Rain again drew tears to his face, the final time he would look upon her beauty. Kneeling down to the straw and wood, he leaned in the flame to ignite her tome when a winter fresh chill came over his body blowing out the torch. Rain spun around to see what the cause was and was shocked to see Lalandra standing at the rear of the scene. Rain knew dragons held a high sense of life, no tears or sobbing was upon Lalandra but a saddened look of loss was defiantly there.

“A body burning is fit for a king Rain; she was worth much more than that. I can constitute a proper burial for her one that will incase her beauty and cherish her memory throughout the ages, a tome of crystal”

“She didn’t deserve this Lalandra,” said Rain, staring at his love, she approached slowly and calmly speaking as she walked,

“We only live the life given to us by the fates”

“They chose for her to live, only to die” the Sorcerer snapped, “She didn’t even get a fair chance at a life guided by her own will”

“That is the fate of all of us Rain”

“You know what I meant”

“She was given a choice, Rain”

“What choice! To be a demon and then die by the hand of another!” barking to her, getting to his feet.

“To love you Rain, your love gave her strength and resolve she never even knew she had”

“Even loving me couldn’t change what was done to her, she never did love herself after the truth was faced to her, she didn’t love Namor…Me…No one. She always felt alone” Rain said, clinching one fist he grew mad “But I will make this vow to you and her Lalandra; she will be known by all by the strength I have seen and felt”

“And that Rain is why she chose you, don’t you see that for someone who hated the world, you even still found time to love a small part of it. Your love had always been there just covered in ice but it was her warmth that brought it shining back that was as alone as you” picking up her body Rain again looked to his love, to her gentle angelic carved face, her full lips and a perfect woven hair.

“I make you this promise Elanee; I will find who did this to you. They will die a bloody mess in my hands…I swear it”

Lalandra wished to say her peace that Elanee never would wish that from him in her name, but they would just be wasted and lost to the air. She placed her hand to Elanee`s forehead saying a passing in Draconic then kissed it.

“I wish to do this now Lalandra, with no one else present”

“Very well…lets us begin” the great ice queen ended with a frosty portal opening for them to announce a lasting farewell.

Entering the inner sanctum of the enclave Rain is greeted by a wave of sorrow in the air, the burial was now completed. Secluding for a moment to a hillside tree did he place his arms against it to think. He heard footsteps he knew well and turning his head, he received a fist to the face dropping him unaware to the muddy cold ground.

“I told you not to pursue her on your own, Damn it Rain why? Why can’t you just wait for once…?” Cloud ended with a fist from Rain’s hastened swing clubbing his brother back dropping him into the same muck. Hearing a jawed grunt from Cloud brought Artanis out from a building where the rest remained.

“Oh shit!” he said running to the fistfight.

“You selfish son of a bitch” Cloud said again hitting his brother, Rain crawled to a shoulder sprint slamming to his brother’s chest bringing him again to the ground and tumbling around in the mud did the two lash out against one another.

“She was calling out for my help, I had to go” Rain yelled at him with a slug to his face,

“Alisianna was calling to me” Cloud reprised

“And our uncle paid for the call with his life!!!” Rain said again

“It was a setup,” Cloud shouted back

“So was mine” Rain rebutted, a sudden force peeled them from one another with both feeling the aggressive cold to the air by Lalandra’s hands. Artanis took a hold of Rain’s arms, Could lashed out one last time through the magic but attempting one last hit Alisianna step in Cloud’s way. Cloud stopped his hand before hitting his wife and she glared to his muddied up face and clothing.

“Stop it both of you, can’t you see what is happening, no one is to blame but one and he’s winning every battle in this war…please stop this” the druid pleaded to them with a cry let out an infant to her arms. She stares to Cloud’s face, huffing with the rush of adrenaline and fast moving blood in his veins, Cloud wiped the mud from his face and hair.

“We need to work as a group if we are to take him down” Cloud said staring back at his wife in shame,

Rain still to Artanis`s grasp stared at his brother, to his beloved wife that flocked to his side “To hell with you brother,”

“What?”

“Damn you and Damn your perfect life as a Paladin” staring at his family to his side, “You get the combat training and the words to speak to God and nothing happens to you, you are always the good holy knight seen by all as a figure to look up to like a damn monument. (Looking to Alisianna) Always wanted by females as the perfect love and lover while others never even close to your greatness, ones like me are just pushed back to our dark holes and towers”

“That`s enough Rain” sparked Dawn who he just simply ignored turning back to the sight of his brother

“You preach that we need to work as one well it`s easy to talk when nothing of yours is on the line”

“I lost him too Rain”

“I`M NOT TALKING ABOUT UNCLE!” Rain blasts shaking loose of Artanis`s grip, “I stared at her, to the tears running down her face as one hand was to hers and the other on my mage blade” Rain walks close to him with all watching his moves, not fully knowing what he would do. Rain came to Cloud`s side looking him dead in the eyes.

“Look at her brother…LOOK AT HER! Look to the great beauty of your wife. Imagine her eyes glowing dark and death only in her wake…then pulling your precious blade that has saved countless lives, thrusting it through her like butchering a cow. You have no bloody knowledge of what I’m feeling so don`t even try to bleed off words of relevance” Rain ends looking to Alisianna holding her young ones, he shakes his head

“God Damn you and your pathetic luck” walking away in complete disgust.