Once Forgotten 3.1

Emperor Alandris had ruled his kingdom for more than five decades, yet in all that time, he had never faced anything like this. A disease that targeted victims rather than spreading. And now there was talk of an angel. He had heard a few even say Goddess.

He sighed and turned to his advisers. “What’s to be done? Are we truly under divine wrath?”

“No, Oh Greatness. The Angel has come to free us of our afflictions.” One said.

“But we will have some real answers when she comes before you, perhaps.” Another said with a lavish bow.

“Perhaps indeed. When is she to come?” Alandris demanded.

“She is to come before you with Brint and…a Katar. A slave perhaps?” An adviser suggested.

“I know that! I asked when!”

Another adviser bowed. “Within the hour, Greatness.”

He nodded, satisfied. “Very good.” A servant entered the room and bowed.

“Lady Rya is here to meet with you, along with the Warrior, Brint, and a Priestess, Alda of the Katars.” The servant bowed.

His brow creased in a frown. A Priestess? He cast a glance to his advisers, but they were all in discussion over this news. He turned to meet his guests. He eyed the Katar with unhidden disdain but gave Brint a curt nod. But his attention was quickly captured by girl that slowly, consciously aware of his stare, entered the room. Her eyes, so violet with sapphire lines, enraptured him. The way her wings, bluer than the bluest sky, moved as she took each stepp. Her hair, the light blue like those of Salcarian nobility, fell past her shoulders. He now understood the rumors that floated around. Power seemed to emanate from her; he felt himself awed by her very presence. “Lady Rya, it is…an honor to stand before you.” He managed to say, somewhat regaining control of himself.

Rya gave a slight curtsey, her wings spreading gracefully about her. “As it is an honor to meet you, Lord of the Rising Sun.”

Alandris felt his lips twitch in a smirk. “Why have you come to my domain? If you are here for the demons, then you have come for nothing. My soldiers have already decimated their hordes.”

“With all due respect, Lord, we believe a M’rachtkenta to be here as well.” She noticed the shiver that ran through the room.

Alandris frowned. “You…you do not flinch at their true name?”

Rya frowned and surveyed him with new regard. “And you are even aware of it?”

“Shouldn’t I be?” Alandris frowned.

“It depends.” The mortal angel answered. “I was under the impression that name was all but erased from memory.”

The Emperor laughed. “Surely you jest? I am Alandris, Emperor of the Rising Sun.”

Rya raised an eyebrow. “And I am Rya, Overseer of Wind. The very wind and sky are at my disposal.”

The Emperor frowned. Whatever she was, she disconcerted him. Before he could speak, Brint entered the conversation. “Rya!”

She frowned at him, then her eyes widened with realization. “I apologize, your Greatness. I meant no offense to your reign.”

Brint turned and bowed to Alandris. “She has gone under much stress recently, as I am assured that you have heard about.” He continued after a nod from Alandris. “We heard about the illness that has been plaguing your villages. We are simply here to help.”

“The Demon Lords are gathering their forces, yes. They are only now beginning to enter our world, yes.” Alda added. She returned Alandris’s look, glare for glare.

Alandris turned back to Rya, his attitude purely business. “So, you have come hunting demons is it? I suppose you wish to have free passage throughout my land? I will take your silence as a yes.” He turned his back to them, deep in thought. His jaw was set as he turned back around. “I will give you one month. If you can find the cause of the illness, then I will believe that you are who you say you are and all will be well. However,” his eyes gleamed maliciously, “if you fail, then you will forever be banished from this kingdom. Do we have an agreement?” He held out his hand.

Without hesitation, Rya placed her hand in his. “We are in accord.” As she and the others turned to leave, she paused. “For one who claims to be a son of Alacandis, you truly are ignorant, aren’t you?” Without another word, they left.
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“I know the plan was to draw them out, but this is getting ridiculous!” Lirand yelled, bringing his blade down upon a demon’s skull. Black ooze spurted from the wound, and the creature fell. The demons appeared as solidified shadows, red eyes glinting. Shades.

Gartrand snarled as he fought. “And to think that these are nothing but the Shades! Besides, look on the bright side!”

“What bright side?!” Lirand called back.

“At least there are no Reapers!” Gartrand shouted, stabbing a demon’s heart.

“Point taken!” He bashed a demon with the hilt of his sword. For every Shade slain, it seemed hundreds took its place. All around them, the people valiantly fought against them. Several men fell, adding their bodies to the carnage. Several of the Shades pounced, tearing at their flesh with delighted sqeals.

“Everybody, down!!” Lirand yelled. The fighters dropped, just as he threw a palm upward. There was an explosion of a pure white. Howls of pain and agony unlike any heard in the Realm resounded, echoing in their ears. The light faded away, revealing only pools of black blood where the Shades had been. Gartrand let out a whistle.

“For not living as an Overseer for a few centuries, you sure kept in touch with your element.” He said. He raised a palm and the ground absorbed the black ooze, erasing all trace of it.

Lirand sighed. “I knew that I would be called upon to uphold my role once more. I only did what needed to be done.”

Gartrand was silent before his eyes widened. “You...dispersed them? You did, didn’t you?!”

Lirand sighed and raised an eyebrow at him. “Of course. They are creatures of both Shadow and Darknesse. Both of which are dispersed by Light. Really, Gartrand, think of the sun. When it is in the sky, the world is filled with Light. Darkness, of any kind, flees before Light. But only Divine Light can cause what happened.”

“Nadarin certainly knew what he was doing. He knew the world would need us.” Gartrand said with a nervous laugh.

“Nadarin…” A whispery voice, filled with a delirious malice, interrupted Lirand.

“You dare speak mention of mine brother?” They whirled to stare at the creature before them. He stood eight feet tall, two feet taller than the tallest of them. His eyes shone with an unholy crimson. His body was skinny, resembling a human with his skin stretched out. A skeleton with pale yellow skin pulled over it. The ground about him was barren, devoid of nutrients and all else necessary for life.

“Your…brother…is far more godly than you, you withered decaying thing!” Lirand grimaced. Quick as lightning, he was sent flying by a single swipe of the M’rachtkenta’s hand.

“Do not speak of him to me! You would not be talking as such if you knew his treachery!” Beraneathan hissed. He whriled on Gartrand, but the ground beneath him shot up, sending him flying. The Demon picked himself up, laughing. “You have some skill, mortal, but it shall not save you!” With hate filled cries, a multitude of demons appeared. Unlike the ones before, these were not Shades. Grim intelligence shone within their animal skull heads, multiple horns sprouting out. Each one stood a foot shorter than their Lord, carrying a variety of weaponry.

Gartrand glanced at Lirand. “Alright. Now it’s just ridiculous. Reapers.”
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A young girl kicked her feet playfully against the side of a fountain, her sun bleached hair fluttering with the wind. She appeared to be around the age of eleven, yet her sapphire eyes spoke of untold wisdom, gentleness, and love. She turned to the woman next to her, who wore a cloak and a drawn hood. Silver hair framed her face. Yet it was her eyes that would have draw attention, but her hood hid them.

“Oh, you really must relax. The loophole is completely sound.” The girl laughed. People passing couldn’t help but smile at the pleasant sound of it, and she smiled at them.

The cloaked woman gave a huff and glared. “Still, if our brother is right…”

The girl sobered and nodded. “Then we mustn’t let them know then, must we?” Her sister stared at the world about her with a deep bitterness and grief. “You can still help them you know.”

The silver haired woman sighed and leaned upon the fountain. “I had such plans. I wanted to make Mother so proud, so joyous.” She angrily swatted at the water. “A lot of wishful thinking that was.”

“You really shouldn’t be so hard on yourself. Should they be punished just because they exist?” The girl asked.

Her sister gave a weary sigh. “No, and that grieves me even more. They don’t deserve this. They don’t deserve any of this.”

The girl smiled sweetly. “I am glad that you have come to your senses.”

Her sister sighed. “But is it already too late?”

“No.” A male voice said beside them.

The woman’s head came up, her eyes now visible. Sapphires, streaked with silver and flecked with gold, stared with shock. “Nadarin…”

“Ariadni. Amari.” He replied. “I…I didn’t expect to find you here.”

Amari smiled sweetly at him. “And we have been waiting for you. See, I told you he would be by here.”

“A part of me hoped you would be wrong.” She muttered.

Nadarin nodded at his child-like sister, pulling his hood further over his head. “I figured you would find the loophole. Even Gairi has found it by now.” He looked away from them. “Ariadni…”

“Don’t!” She cut him off. “I am the one that’s sorry. You and I were set apart from the beginning. I should have…” She broke off.

Nadarin leaned against the fountain, watching the people. “Ever since Mother created Thyninairnn, I have watched over them.” He looked at her with a curious expression.

“I thank you for that. My children deserved so much better. I had such great plans for them…” the Goddess sighed.

Amari chuckled. “Soon, they will be free from the M’rachtkenta. Then they may have more peace.”

Nadarin glanced at her then at Ariadni. “We will still need to guide them. Our Father’s stench lingers still, and just as my will is self-sustaining, so, too, is his.”

“So what’s to be done? Sanshi is still fuming at me. Not that I blame her.” Ariadni sighed.

“You nearly destroyed the balance with that bout of jealousy. It took every ounce of my remaining power to stabilize it. Yet now, the Time foretold is coming.” Nadarin said.

It was Amari that sighed now. “Another war? I suppose it’s unavoidable. Our dear ‘Brother’ has gone on long enough.”

Nadarin reached into his robe and pulled out six Jewels. A sapphire that glowed with a changing luminescence. A ruby that shimmered like fire. A topaz that shone with a gentle warmth. An emerald that swirled with power. A crystal that emanated a pure white. And the black Jewel that tried to consume all about it. “Yes. He has.” He stared at the Jewels with a grim determination. Ariadni placed a hand on his arm.

“They really had no idea what they were building. I should have been there for them. I should have guided them.” She looked into his eyes. “I should have listened to you.”

Nadarin sighed. “It no longer matters. What’s done, is done. Let us move on and speak no more of what should have been. You will be there for them from now on.”

Amari cocked her head at the Jewels. “Only six? My, they hid the Jewel of Life well.”

Nadarin turned to her gravely. “No, Amari. There is no Jewel.”

Their eyes widened. “No! No, I won’t allow it!” Ariadni stated.

Nadarin turned to her. “It must be done. And Rya and Nadar are the ones who will do it. They were the ones that Mother chose.”

“Then let it be so. If Mother has Touched them, then I will not stand in the way.” Again she looked into his eyes. “Not again.”

Nadarin nodded and placed the Jewels back into his cloak. “I must be going. There is still much to be done, and my own Chosen may need my help.” He turned about and found himself alone. With a weary sigh, he continued on.