An Unlikely Alliance (Closed for CoSurvivor)

[BlondeAmbition4RP]

Ana had still been staring up at the platform over their heads when Chance had begun to show the contraption to her. She jolted to attention and turned to face him, eyeing the contraption as he showed it to her and doing her best to focus and listen carefully as he explained his plan to her... though her eyes still sometimes drifted up to the platform above. She couldn't explain it, but she felt as if something was drawing her there. They needed to get to that second level.

Turning to look at the hole that he'd pointed out to her, she examined it and the wall carefully.

"I can make it through," she replied confidently with a slight nod, "The wall looks strong enough to hold, not as many cracks as some of the others, but I'll go first just in case. If the wall doesn't seem secure enough for you as well maybe I'll be able to find a better spot within the throne room itself that I can secure the rope to."

With it decided between them, the pair got to work rigging up one of her arrows with the contraption and some rope. Once they'd finished she gave him a quick kiss.

"For luck," she explained with a smile as she readied the bow with her arrow, eyeing her target and taking a moment to correct her angle as she pulled back upon the bow.

With a soft exhale she released, the arrow soaring through the air with the rope and sliding perfectly through the hole upon the wall, the contraption shifting into place on the other side and anchoring the rope through the hole.

"Alright, here we go then," she told him with a smile as she stepped forward to begin her climb up the rope.

 

[CoSurvivor]

The quick kiss was all he needed to be convinced that Ana could easily make the shot. When she did, and the anchor locked in a place he welcomed her to take the first climb up the rope. Surely Elves knew how to climb much better than any human, and heck he could've asked Ana to scale the wreckage of the grand staircase and she'd have made it look simple. Knowing how clumsy Chance was, he'd fall over himself and end up breaking a leg or something worse. And at this point in their quest, it was not a good idea to be reckless, well to a point.

Taking the rope for a moment, while Ana got herself set up, Chance made sure to give it one more good hard tug, he could feel the anchor give only the slightest, then set again as he gave two more pulls on the rope, nowhere near as hard, but he was convinced at this point that the rope was secure where it was. Giving Ana a subtle boost on her butt, he watched intently as she made her way up the rope with practiced skill. Once Ana was up on the second floor, Chance made his way up after her, and thankfully the anchor never lost purchase once.

When he'd reached the first edge of the top floor, he realized it actually was the bottom edge of a grand stone railing. Pulling himself up and over it, Chance looked around the massive landing which the staircase wrapped around the room to both sides of it. The landing or entrance to what Chance assumed was the throne room. three massive double door entrances lead into another room, which Chance assumed was the throne room since he could see the resemblance to the throne room back home. It was eerie, empty hollow. And while Chance could see some commonalities between this castle and the one which was built to replace it, he could see some very distinct differences too.

"This place is like a tomb, There's got to be more answers around here."

 

[BlondeAmbition4RP]

Once she had reached the top herself, Ana had remained near the edge, peering down at Chance as he made his climb and ready to offer him a hand in case he had difficulty or the anchor threatened not to hold. Luckily there were no issues and after he'd pulled himself up over the bottom edge of the stone railing she allowed herself to turn around and take the room in more fully.

Like him she assumed the room they were currently in to be entrance to what had once been the throne room of the palace, an entry parlor of sorts. All of the doors were closed however, blocking their view of the throne room itself. She could not explain it, but she felt herself being drawn toward the other side of them, her fingers itching to open them and see what lay behind.

"This place is like a tomb, There's got to be more answers around here."

"I have a feeling that the answers we're looking for are waiting for us somewhere in there," she told Chance softly, here gaze fixed on the doors.

 

[CoSurvivor]

"I have a feeling that the answers we're looking for are waiting for us somewhere in there,"

"You're right, and we need to get in there. And if this room was designed anything like back home, our answer is right in front of us."

Approaching the center pair of closed doors, Chance pulled his skeleton key out of his bag and held in his right hand as he searched for the central lock just to the right of doors.

There it was, and it wasn't hiding, but plainly marked by an ornate number of circles and markings around it. The key once again changed shape, again cylindrical, but with three key notches. inserting the key slowly the first notch unlocking something behind the scenes, Something they could both hear release a great amount of tension in the building. Turning the key, Chance was able to insert the key farther in and used the second notch, which released another great lock from within the walls. All three sets of doors seemed to sway in at once. Chance again turned the key pushing in the third and last notch, and after that, they could hear a resounding "Thunk" through the walls as the doors locked open. Withdrawing the key, Chance approached the open doors and looked through. What he saw, was what he expected, and it startled him at the same time.

The throne room wasn't massive, but it was big enough where there was no mistake, this was the grand hall where all humankind ruled. Along the walls near the top of the ceiling were portholes that brought in light from the cave. behind the throne was a massive window, circular in shape, the glass long since removed, or destroyed. The Throne was at the top of a raised platform, 10 steps high. The Throne, even from across the grand hall seemed to hold a magic property that made the throne gleam powerfully. Even now in an empty room at least 1000 years after the last king sat in it was evident that this the seat of power long ago.

Waiting for Ana to catch up, Chance walked into the grand hall and spoke 'It reminds me of back home. I mean.. it reminds me of my father's kingdom, his throne room. some of the architecture is the same, but vastly improved, but that throne, I've never seen anything like it. My father's, it's hardened, w/ a swirl of a good many other metals, I tried asking what it was made out of once but my father wouldn't tell me."

Other thoughts wandered through his mind, what decisions had been made here, who's lives were lost or put in harm's way. Was it here that their kingdoms were shattered? I had something to do with the nightmare/fairytale. Of that he was certain.

When he'd finally reached the throne, taking the 10 steps to each the actual chair itself, Chance could see that the stone floor was covered in an ornate pattern, he'd seen something like it he was certain, but he couldn't place where.

Looking at the throne, there was a natural swirl to the metal, as if it was poured out in a mold and allowed to cool without being touched. When the mold was broken the throne was done, and whatever swirling formations appeared in the Throne would be left as is. Reaching out, Chance rested his hand on the right arm of the throne not knowing that Ana was touching the left arm of it at the exact same time. What drew his attention to Ana, was the amulet. it was shining brighter than he'd ever seen it.

"Ana?" Chance tried to say, but as he looked to her and looked upon himself they appeared to be shadows, while the rest of the grand castle seemed to have stepped back at least a thousand years. He could see men and women, both Elvish and Human chatting within the throne room.

Somehow the amulet had transported them back or was showing them visions of the past, and something told him they were about to witness the truth of what had driven their people apart all those years ago.

 

[BlondeAmbition4RP]

Ana had followed Chance carefully through the grand hall, her gaze following his to the throne and listening with interest as he compared it to the one back in the palace of the human kingdom. While she might have still been curious about the rest of the hall, once her eyes were upon the throne it was hard for her to look away from it, sensing the magic it emitted and feeling herself drawn to it.

Reaching it with him she gazed at the swirl of the metal in fascination, wondering what it was made out of. Fascinated, she stretched out her hand towards it, so transfixed that she did not even notice that he was doing the same or the glow of the amulet pinned to her hood until her hand was upon the left arm and its magical light suddenly glowed brighter for a moment, and then...

"Ana?"

She coudn't hear what he said, not in the traditional sense, but she could sense it. Lifting her gaze in surprise, she took in his faded, shadowy appearance with shock for a moment before turning to the throne room, the room now restored to its former glory and bustling with activity.

"By the stars..." she breathed in astonishment.

Suddenly she was drawn to a particular form within the crowd, the young Elvish woman sticking out to her as if she had a light shining upon her. She had long silvery hair and wore a regal looking dress of fine purple silks. At first her back was turned to Ana and she could not see the woman's face, but then she turned to address a young man walking towards her and she noted the woman's large violet eyes.

Her ancestor! It had to be!

"Chance! There!.." she cried, though she was not certain if he could hear.

Without thinking she began to move across the room towards the woman. At first she tried to dodge the crowds, out of habit, but when one of them walked right through her, reminding Ana of her phantom like state she began to just walk straight through them all with urgency.

 

[CoSurvivor]

Chance could see the same thing Ana was, and as he watched the whole throne room come to life, Chance witnessed as she did, a beautiful Elven Princess, the one from his book, or one nearly the same. The same violet eyes, violet hair, she was stunning. Chance rushed forward and actually tried to stop Ana and calmly grasped her right forearm. "Ana, we are watching these events I think. They've already happened, but I think the amulet may be showing us this, to make better sense of things. I no longer think it was just a 'Chance' that you and I came down here together. If it was you or I and someone else, we'd have never seen this, but it's our families mutual history that has created this. I think, I think we're about to get some serious answers."

As if on queue two men, one looking very much the part of a royal prince stepped through a back corridor which Chance figured lead back to the royal apartments, and another young man who immediately stole a glance at the princess.

"Oh no.." was all Chance could think to say, his heart sank, and immediately he knew the child's ghost story he'd been told a story that now looking at the key players has a whole lot more tragedy involved.

"I think.. I think we're about to find out what really happened to our peoples.. what drove us apart so long ago."

 

[BlondeAmbition4RP]

At the feel of someone actually touching her and pulling upon her arm Ana quickly stopped, turning and looking at Chance as he explained what he thought was happening now. She listened, nodding in agreement as he finished, her eyes following his as he noticed the two men stepping through the back corridor and spotting them as well.

She noticed as one of the men stole a glance at the princess, who seemed to catch this as well. She watched as the princess glanced back at the young man from the corner of her eye and excused herself from the group with whom she'd been talking, beginning to make her way across to the corridor.

"I think you are right," she told Chance, her eyes still following the princess, her ancestor, "Sadly I think we are here to watch whatever tragedy or betrayal occurred back then unfold... but we must if we are to discover the truth and use it to overcome the Darkness that threatens our world now... Come. We should follow them."

Taking his hand she began to walk in the way that the two men and now the princess had gone.

 

[CoSurvivor]

Following Ana a half step behind her, Chance looked at the walls, the tapestries, and he was trying to place one or two pictures that were up on the walls. As he crossed one of the older paintings, it was vivid in bright colors two families with their children surrounding them. A Human family, the royal family he knew it to be sure, possibly the king of the times he was watching with his wife queen and their two boys. One of about 13, the other maybe 5. The workmanship of the painting was amazing, vivid blues and grays, the second family which surely must be the Royal Elven Family gathered around the matriarch who was sitting in a high backed chair. She was an older woman, her husband, surely the king standing to her left, with her two daughters, one with emerald green eyes, the other a bright violet. Chance filed that thought carefully in his mind, it was something of great importance that he'd want to remember later.

Following the trio, they ventured through corridors, and into what appeared to be the prince's private chambers. He waved the duo in, and once they had, he shook hands with the young man, while giving the princess a chaste kiss on the cheek. At that he left the room through a concealed entrance, pressing his fingers firmly into the wall, it receded, almost as if it melted creating a narrow entrance to a hidden corridor. The prince stepped in, gave them both a wink and resealed the corridor behind him.

Now alone, the duo looked at each other. The young man a bit unsure for half a moment, he had that questioning look in his eyes. but then he found hers, and all doubt slipped away. "We shouldn't be doing this, Vilara, if we got caught.." He calmly stated.

The princess raised her left hand placing her pointer finger over his lips and shushed him. "Shush Tiberius. Gabriel knows to keep us safe my love. He's our best friend, he introduced us. If not here, where?"

The young man closed the distance between them and brought her into his arms, "I know, but..."

"But what?" She questioned, her eyes bright, her arms going around him and pulling her too him kissing him just as deeply as he'd desired to. Both of them audibly moaned, the kiss grew more passionate and as it did so, even though Chance knew they were watching this like some magic spell, unwinding time in front of them, he watched the two of them began to undress.

Tiberius the young man's name was, Chance, etched it in his mind, and he could feel Ana still holding his hand, he pulled her to him and whispered. "He's not a royal, the name Tiberius is not of Royal bloodline. This.. if they get found out they could both be dead.." But a quick sigh distracted Chance from his whisper to Ana, he watched as the young fair-haired man knelt and pulled up Vilara's dress, exposing her womanly parts to open air.

"You're naked Vilara.." He said, almost shocked where are your undergarments. She gave him a teasing smile "Their at home, in the palace.. where.. Ah..Ah...where I left them." Tiberius was now between her legs, Chance could tell what he was doing, and this voyeuristic experience of watching these two make love was having an effect on him. It shouldn't be, but it was erotic, to be witness to these two people passionately in love without a care for station made him think of his lost love, but he squeezed Ana's hand and drew her closer.

"They are beautiful together aren't they?"

 

[BlondeAmbition4RP]

Ana could feel her cheeks grow warm as Chance drew her closer. How she could still feel him despite their current shadow like state she did not know, but she was grateful for it. She squeezed his hand in return and leaned in against him.

"Yes, they are," she agreed.

She felt a little embarrassed by it, but like him she could feel the sight of the two lovers sharing their moment of passion in front of them as they watched having an effect on her. While she knew that these things were not actually happening in front of them, that they were mainly visions of the past, she could not help but feel like they were eavesdropping upon the very private and intimate moment between the elvish princess and her human lover. Yet she could not seem to look away, her eyes drawn to the couple.

The princess loved this man greatly, of that Ana was certain. She could see it in the other woman's eyes as she looked upon her lover, hear it in her voice as she spoke, the way her hands touched and caressed him. Ana felt as if it was palpable within the very atmosphere of the room, as if she could feel it burning within her own chest.

 

[CoSurvivor]

Chance could feel Ana growing warm to his touch, watching the two young lovers find each other. The young man had returned to his feet and pulled the princess closer to the massive bed that was nearby, slowly disrobing her, Chance took Ana by the hand and lead her over to where the prince had disappeared to, he placed his hand on the wall and watched the mirage disappear. The entrance to the abandoned corridor was wide open, it was pitch black down there, and he couldn't see anything farther down within.Turning back to the room were the two young lovers were, he could see them in near full undress. The young man had layed back on some massive sitting couch while the princess had joined him. She was on top, her back arched hair tossed as they coupled. As he watched them he whispered to Ana, "I think we know what will be occupying these two for a while, we best catch the prince while we can."

Using his own glow stone to light the passage, he could see the corridor go along the length of the wall and take a dramatic angle down, steep steps lead him down, and as they traveled, he held Ana's hand if only to keep them together, not exactly to lead the way. Ahead of them he could see lit torches on the wall, they were reaching the end of the corridor, snaking out and into another room. Chance stopped.placed his hand on Ana and stopped her from coming further.

"Do you feel that..." His heart was pounding in his chest, he could feel his heart in his ears, they were close to something, Something menacing.

For whatever reason it was Chance actually pulled his sword, pointed it forward and then felt really stupid doing so. remembering they were watching events that had already unfolded. They were in no true danger anymore. at least not from what had already transpired. Still he kept his sword out, whatever it was, made him feel enormously uneasy.

They eventually caught up with the young prince, he was exiting the corridor into a different room, and as he did Chance could sense there was something going on in there. Walking to the entrance to the room from the hidden corridor, Chance made room for Ana, In the room he could see an elaborate set up of runes carved into the floor, Many he didn't recognize, all he thought had no place in the palace. The Prince walked over and studied a text, took it over to the center of the room and scribed something, then rubbed it out and tried again looking at his text. Nodding to himself he calmly walked back to the text and started to recite something vocally, holding a small amulet in his hand, one not unlike the one Ana was wearing, although this one was blue.

Chance stared at it on the prince's chest and then looked at the text.

"Ana!, he's trying to spell cast! But no human in my bloodline is magically inclined! Can you read that and tell me what you think it reads? I can't read Elvish!"

Chance was worried, more so that the prince was going to unleash something he'd not intended to, The picture on the page was of a bright star, and from what Chance could make out it was a simple illumination spell.

 

[BlondeAmbition4RP]

Like Chance, Ana had been able to feel the sense of something menacing and dark as they had traveled further down the corridor, as they had drawn into the room she had sensed the feeling growing even stronger within her. Something was not right here, she could feel it in the depths of her very core. Something was terribly terribly wrong.

Her eyes went down the to runes on the floor, reading the ones that she recognized. Some were older and beyond her understanding. It was clear to her however based on what she could read and based on the words that the Prince was beginning to chant that he was trying to summon something.

At Chance's worried shout she quickly moved to get a better look at the text that the prince was using, her eyes quickly scanning over the page.

"It's a summoning spell for illumination," she explained, her eyes still on the page, "He's trying to bring forth a star, pure light. Perhaps to use to light the city with."

Here eyes went back to the runes, the Elvish inscription the prince had written within their center beginning to glow and bringing it to her attention, her eyes going wide as she made out the words.

'No.. oh NO!!" she let out with a startled cry as she realized what was happening, what had happened, how the source of her nightmares had come into being, "The inscription he wrote is wrong, he used the wrong word! He's trying to summon a pure light source, but the symbol is flipped, he's going to summon the opposite!"

The room began to tremble and she turned to Chance, a look of terror on her face.

"Chance... he's summoning pure darkness."

 

[CoSurvivor]

They had no choice now, watching as the young prince took position standing next to the small lectern he'd place the book on. The Prince closed his eyes, squeezed the small amulet in his hand and pointed his hand a the center of the circle. As he started speaking, the young man's voice was clear, and if the incantation had been correct, he'd have succeeded in illuminating the entire room in daylight.

Taking Ana with him he pulled the two of them as far away the prince as he could, which put them against the far wall, Chance could see the entrance the hidden corridor behind the prince,As the spell was cast, Chance could see a bright flash, and indeed the room was illuminated in daylight. The look on the prince's face was one of wonderment and excitement, he'd succeeded! Or so he thought. But the light began to swirl, growing grey, dark and eventually black appearing to be a complete rip, a tear in reality. The edges of the tear oozed spilling out something a substance which rolled along the floor on their own attempting to reach beyond the circle, but as they reached the outer ring that the prince had drawn upon the floor they stopped.

Taking one deep breath, Chance commented to Ana, "At least he had the bright idea to lay down a protection circle just in case, but how long would it last.?"

The Prince began to panic. Flipping through the book he trided to find another spell. Fingering a page he cast again. As he spoke the spell, the darkness focused on the prince, seeking him out, The tear couldn't move from the spot it within the circle, but one could tell it was trying to pull itself toward the prince. A sound of pure anger projected from the blackness. It screamed angrily whatever it was, and tried to stretch itself, breaking the bonds which kept it. That scream was deafening and it felt as if someone was trying to tear the world apart. The walls rumbled and shook, Chance could tell there was a small crack in the floor starting to form at the edge of the inner circle. The protection spell would hold but not much longer.

"He can't hold it much longer..," Chance said above in a hushed tone The Darkness, stopped trying to pull itself toward the prince, and began to turn toward Chance and Ana. Stuck in place, Chance was about to say something to Ana, but was interrupted by the princess and the young man appearing from the hidden entrance along the far wall.

Gabriel! What happened!?" The princess yelled as they entered the room. She was mostly dressed, trying to shoulder her dress as Tiberius stepped out and put his shoulder in front of her.

"I.. I don't know! I followed the directions the letter. I did everything as I had each time previous!" The prince looked back, But whatever that is, it's not what I cast!"

The princess looked at him, and brushed Tiberius aside going for the book, the Darkness turned toward her, and held it's place, as if watching her. "We need to close that tear. If what's behind that opens the rift we'll all die, and not just us, everyone, It'll consume everything it touches!" Vilara was about to point at the tear, and cast a spell of her own but Gabriel pulled her back, and looked at Tiberius, his life long friend. "Get her out of here. She can't be down here, get her to her chambers. NOW."

Hardening his glance at the tear, the prince could hear a dreadful laugh coming from within the blackness. He drew blood from his hand with a small knife he had at his waist, and touched the amulet to the blood. He made one last look at his friends and looked at

"Gabriel, it'll kill you! I'll get my uncle and with your Grand mage they'll destroy it! Don't DO THIS!" She pleaded..

"GO! We can't wait for them... GO!"

TIberius took her back into the passageway, and Gabriel sealed it behind them..

"Let's end this.."

 

[BlondeAmbition4RP]

Ana could hear the shouts of protest from the Elvish princess Vilara coming from the other side of the heavy sealed door as her lover Tiberius pulled her back. They faded and then disappeared entirely, hopefully indicating that the princess had gone to get the help of the mages that she had mentioned before.

"Let's end this.."

As the prince Gabriel spoke to the Darkness another deep and menacing laugh was heard echoing forth from the pitch blackness of the tear. It ebbed and flowed, the strange and oozing form moving and expanding, pressing against the protective barrier that the runes formed around it, the crack within them growing. Seeing this the prince hastily began to recite another spell, blue amulet in hand as it began to glow.

Ana watched with wide eyes as the runes of the barrier began to glow as well, the blackness jerking back from them with a hiss and then letting out another wall shaking scream of anger. The tear pulsed and ebbed with a palpable rage, like heatwaves radiating from the tear and filling the room. A sheen of sweat could be seen upon the prince's brow as he struggled to keep the Darkness at bay. She knew that as a human with no natural magical giftings of his own, the poor prince would not be able to hold it back for long.

 

[CoSurvivor]

Amulet in hand, the prince stared at the tear of darkness, he steeled his feet, raised the amulet and cast a spell he'd been taught from birth. As was their birthright, the royal family could envoke their own name a spell of power, but it would come with a price.

As the prince spoke the spell he could feel his own youth drain from him, and a blinding ray of energy shot from his hand focusing through the amulet. Knowing the cost, knowing what could happen if he didn't succeed, he gave all he had left.

The tear began to heal, slowly receding, and closing. It looked like the prince might succeed, as if the tear would close. until the voice from the darkness screamed, shaking the castle. At that moment, a stone block from the ceiling broke loose, dropping on the prince, crashing into his right shoulder. The effect was immediate, the spell was broken, and chance could hear an audible crunch as the prince collapsed to the floor in serious pain.

Looking around him, the prince gathering the amulet and looked to see if he'd succeeded in closing the tear. As he looked up, he could quickly see that the tear was possibly half the size it had previously been. But it wasn't small enough. Looking at the floor around him he could see the runes had been broken, the lettering smeared by his hands and by the fallen stone. What happened next Chance couldn't bear to watch but forced himself to. The tear in reality advanced. Slowly, menacingly a laugh of madness shook the walls as it knew it could now take it's time devouring the prince.

Advancing on the Prince, the tear stopped within a few feet and spat out a massive amount of green ooze hit the prince as he brought his arm up to protect his face. It made no difference as the ooze slowly began to eat the prince. The prince screamed as the ooze grew over his arms and legs, a look of intense pain and agony overtook him as eventually, it covered his body. The effect caused him to go rigid as a board, grasping the amulet tightly in one hand, his head looking back, his eyes desperately looking at the closed doorway that his friends had escaped through. With the prince now completely covered, the ooze turned translucent, absorbing into the prince which turned him a sickly gray color sucking all life from him.

While this happened, the tear stretched again, doubling it's the original size in an instant. two massive tendrils snaked their way out of the darkness wrapping around the legs of the prince and began dragging him up and into the mouth of the tear. The prince now dead, his body limp, flopped in the open air until the tendrils had recoiled inside pulling him in feet first.

The wall to their right quickly felt hot, and Chance could feel two blasts of raw energy inflict incredible damage upon the wall. Quickly looking, Chance could a circular hole begin to form, bricks and stone melted and disappeared, two old men dressed in robes that even today Chance was sure signified they were both grand mages of their order stood at the hole they'd created in the wall.

One, a human male possibly about 60, was dressed in shades of tan and blue. The other was an elf, dressed in purple and white who appeared to be about the same age as his companion but was probably tenfold his age. Their eyes quickly surveyed the room and found the limp body of the prince being dragged into the darkness. In a voice filled with fury, the grand mage raised his staff shouted.

"SAVE THE PRINCE!"

 

[BlondeAmbition4RP]

Ana watched in horror as the scene played out before her, wanting to help the prince in some way, but unable to do anything but watch as he was overpowered by the Darkness seeping in through the tear. As she watched the life draining from him she wanted to look away, her body pressing in to Chase and gripping him tightly, but unable to pull her eyes away from the horrible sight.

The mages finally appeared, undoubtedly retrieved by the princess who had been forced to flee before. She winced as the human mage shouted for them to save the prince, she herself knowing that it was already too late for him, but the two mages rushed forward anyways, using their combined powers against the Darkness and provoking another room shaking shriek from within the tear.

The two mages fought valiantly and with great skill, but despite their best efforts, they were not able to stop the darkness from dragging the poor prince's lifeless body into the dark depth of the tear. As he disappeared within it another shout of rage was heard from deep within the grand mage followed by a dark, sinister laugh from the Darkness, the sound causing Ana to tremble as she watched.

Undeterred, the grand mage lifted his staff and began to shout out and chant a spell, the elven mage joining in. The room shook and the Darkness shrieked once more, a sound of pure fury as the tear began to shrink, the barrier that the prince had originally created around it strengthening once more.

 

[CoSurvivor]

in a move of pointed anger, both men combined their powers to try and subdue the tear. With the prince lost, the human mage used that frustration that anger to channel his anger, attempting to seal the tear in reality, attempting seal off the darkness before it consumed anyone else.

With the runes of protection back in place, both mages concentrated on containing it, unleashing spells of magic that Chance couldn't even begin to understand. A thunderous bellow of pain emanated from the tear, and as the began to slowly close, almost reaching the size of a pinhole, the mages tried again, and again, containment spells, banishment spells, healing spells, anything that might heal the tear in reality. After 30 minutes of continuous frustration, yelling and discussion, both men resolved to take the protective runes on the floor and seal the tear within a massive block of granite.

Watching both men use their combined powers in a whirl of blue and green blasts of energy, they sealed the tiny speck in solid granite, using the rock from within the room. When they were done, the perfectly round orb of fell to the stone floor with a resounding "THUNK" Only when the orb was completed did the mages realize they had an audience.

Both royal families were there, the princess nearest her parents, the king and queen of the human kingdom holding each other, the queen in tears, as the king looked over at both of the Mages and asks in a concerned voice that only a father can have for his child. "Where's my son...."

The old mage, now relieved of having to contain the tear, shares a knowing look with his counterpart as he slowly walked to the waiting king and queen standing outside the opening he'd made in the wall not long ago.

I'm afraid your grace, your son is lost. We attempted to save the prince, but he'd been.. consumed.." Immediately he regreted the words he used but there were no other words to describe what'd happened.

Walking the queen back to her chambers the king proclaimed, "Seal that room, allow no one to enter it.."

"My King, the tear, the darkness must be dealt with.. it can't stay here. it must be dealt with."

Resting his hand on the old Mage's shoulder, the king replied kindly. "Do as you must. we shall discuss what happens next once that.. thing is taken care of."

Chance watched the exchange, surprised, looking at Ana, he spoke, "So they never did seal it.. all these thousands of years, the pin has been sealed in that orb..despirate to get out..."

 

[BlondeAmbition4RP]

Ana had tear her gaze away from the poor queen's face as she was lead away by the king, still weeping for her lost son, the prince. The Elven princess, Ana's ancestor, also had visible tears within her violet eyes. Her gaze turned to Chance as he spoke, giving a small nod of agreement and understanding.

"And now after all this time it is somehow trying to escape again," she spoke, looking up at him in worry, certain that this must be what was happening, what was the cause of the quakes and the darkness that both of them could sense so strongly down here in the deepest parts of the tunnels.

"We have to stop it," she told him in earnest before turning back to look at the mages as they discussed quietly with one another, "But where is it now? Where did they take it?"

She moved closer in order to hear their conversation. They were discussing a tower away from the castle but within the city, an academy for human and Elven mages that the two of them headmastered together.

 

[CoSurvivor]

Chance openly moved close to where Ana was standing, watching and listening to the duo of mages. For a moment he could swear one of them actually knew he was standing there not more than a foot from him. When they discussed sealing up the box in their tower of magic, Chance shook his head.

"You are absolutely right Ana... They can't seal the fracture completely so they are going to seal it into their own tower. But how? I've never heard of such a thing. " Far off in the distance from the hallway that leads away from the chamber, Chance could hear audible shouting, men and women yelling at each other. He heard a woman's voice a shrill scream echoed down to where Chance and Ana were standing. The Mages turned their attention toward the raised voices, then returned to their own discussion.

Chance walked down the hallway, he could see the young man, Tiberius being lead away in chains. The princess, Vilara on her knees, being consoled by her mother the queen. "Why.. why did they take him, mother. I don't understand."

"Someone must be held accountable for the prince's death, Tiberius is his closest friend, and he hid Gabriel's secret, which means he's at fault, no matter if he was with you. The King and Queen have lost the heir to the throne, and young Mitchel is but maybe 13.. too young to take the throne."

"Oh mother.. Gabriel was careful, he did this on his own, Tiberius is not at fault, if anything.." The Queen cut her daughter off mid-sentence before she could complete her train of thought. "No... do not even think that. No.. Gabriel was a good man, impetuous at times but a good man. But I'm afraid your young lover Tiberius is a dead man. If I know the King.. and I know him well, he will demand compensation for his son's death, if not for himself, but for the Queen."

"What do you mean by that. Surely he can't..." Vilara started to say only to once again be cut off by her mother, although this time, her voice was far more soothing and confident than the last time she stopped her daughter mid-thought.

"No.. you were betrothed to a man, not a child. to do so would be.. outrageous. I can't imagine the king making such a demand. Even as she said it, the look in her eyes made Chance believe that she questioned her own words.

In the meantime, the mages were constructing a magical carrier, a number of spells began to be woven over the stone, interlaced with two long poles that would act as a litter to carry the stone safely out.

Looking at Ana he asked her, "Which way should we go? stay with the mages? or should we follow the royal family? We can't separate... the spell will be lost surely since we cast it together.. And I'm wondering if the spell will only work within the walls of the castle.. What do you think?"

 

[BlondeAmbition4RP]

Jolting at the sound of the scream and hearing the commotion down the hall, Ana had ventured with Chance to go and see what was happening, witnessing the Princess Vilara's lover Tiberius being taken away and hearing the conversation between her and the Elven Queen, Valara's mother. She was shocked by what she heard. She had not realized that the human Prince, Gabriel and Valara had been betrothed to one another.

This was very grave indeed. Now she truly understood why the lovers had been so worried of being discovered. Even with the Prince's knowledge of Tiberius and Valara's affair, what they had done could very well be seen as a form of treason, and now that the good Prince was dead there was no way for him to confirm that he truly had known. Death seemed imminent for poor Tiberius, and who knew what else the human King might demand in compensation.

As Chance spoke of the mages, Ana's attention turned to them once more, seeing them about to leave with the stone.

"The stone is more important, we have to try and see where they are taking it so we can find it ourselves in the present day. We should try and follow them to the castle exit at least and try to see which way to go next. We can come back and try to see what has happened with the royal family after." she suggested.

 

[CoSurvivor]

Chance shared a glance with Ana, nodded his head, and agreed. "We follow the box, where ever they go."

Time seemed to speed up then, as additional members joined the group, some dressed in regal blue, while others wore the royal purples and violet of the Elf kingdom. a good deal of discussion was done regarding the transport of the box, and that it would be sealed.. but it would require a cost.

"A cost? But what? they'd already decided Tiberius was to die.. but are they talking about a his life as a 'cost' then they mean to use Tiberius in whatever way they hope to keep the box sealed away. And, those two dressed in Royal Mage's robes, those aren't Mages. Those are Royal Guardsmen, surely sent by the King to make sure whatever the mages do, are approved of by the king, and queen."

Over the next 30 minutes They watched the group deliberate as to what will be the best most permanent way of sealing the box. and only when they decided to use the darker threads of their own magic did they come up with a solution. One that surely doomed them all.

Following the group up through the long passageways of the castle, they watched as at the gates to the castle they were joined by two more men and Tiberius in chains. The lead human mage stopped and addressed the young man.

"You realize what this is.. that you'll be in continual torment, for thousands of years. battling the box to keep it secured. At which time your strength and all we can give you will fail, it will be up to those after us to fix what we, what no mage can fix. I only hope that future generations will realize how important your sacrifice is."

Resigned to his fate Tiberius held up his hands and jingled the chains that bounded him. "Are these truly necessary?"

"As a matter of fact yes, they are to assure that you don't back out at the last minute. It's either this, or an eternity of darkness. The Queen would have settled for nothing less."

Tiberius sighed, looked back at the castle searching for something, someone.. then quickly turned his back on it and stepped beyond the gates immediately disappearing, and then an apparition of him appeared beyond the gate. Eventually, the group joined him, carrying the box in a litter, winding their way across the landscape to a majestic spire.. and in a flicker Chance could see that this portion of the spell had been completed. A massive tower was within sight, but as the shapes began to flicker and fade back into history, the present took hold. What stood was a massive spire, darkened, and twisted, as if life itself had decided that this particular structure, would naturally appear darker than all the reset, crusted and it's appearance more violent than any other stalagtite across the floor of the cavern. At one point Chance thought he could see a face aged by agony and pain. the face was almost unrecognizable, but Chance thought it must be Tiberius. Stretched in anger and pain.

"So.. we know where they put the box.. but why did they fold? The answers must be in the throne room..."

 

[BlondeAmbition4RP]

Ana gripped Chance's arm with trepidation as they stood at the gate and watched poor Tiberius as he went with the guards to the tower and to his fate, condemned to be imprisoned for the death of the prince, a horrible incident which she had now seen for herself had been in no way his fault. Her heart ached for him as he gave his final searching look towards the castle, for she had an idea of who's face it was that he was searching for, that the young lover's eyes wished to gaze upon one final time, but the elvish princess was no where to be seen.

Did Valara know what had happened to her love? Surely she would have tried to stop it.

She watched as the present took hold over the landscape before her, the dark and menacing looking spire where the once majestic looking tower had stood flickering into view. She shivered at the sight. So this was where they would find the box then. Her hold on Chance's arm tightened as she heard him speak up beside her and turned her head to look up at him.

"So.. we know where they put the box.. but why did they fold? The answers must be in the throne room..."

She nodded in agreement and, still holding his arm, began to move back the way that they had come.

"Hurry, let us hope that the magic will hold and we will be able to see what happened," she told him with urgency as she guided him back with her to the throne room, back where this strange journey of theirs through the past had all began.

 

[CoSurvivor]

Sharing a look, with Ana, he could see the corrupted spire in the distance. "How long can one man's will holdout. It's surprising that the spire has held as long as it has, that it didn't collapse long ago. But you're right Ana, the Throne room. The answers are there, as to why our families split.

Returning into the castle their view returned to the past while looking backward Chance could see the spell was starting to collapse. He squeezed Ana's hand and rushed up the stairs as fast as they could. Upon their entry, they found both royal families in an uproar.* Queen Whitestone, sat in her chair on the throne while her husband the King stood behind her. The Queen*pointed at her youngest son, far off to the side of the argument. Raised voices, a heated argument ensued. The queens of both royal families were screaming.

"MY SON IS GONE, and your daughter was betrothed to him, They were to marry and consummate the union of our families and give stability for generations to come. Now that's gone! You know what must be done, if you have any intention of saving our two kingdoms, your daughter Viiara will marry my son." *

In a tone of both shock and contempt, the Elven Queen yelled in return,

"But he's not even of age! What sort of marriage would that be? And to decide their fates like this would be... would be disastrous!"

The elven queen was trying to be reasonable, while clearly the opposite was happening for her counterpart. She could see it herself, as a mother*who could have lost her only daughter, if she'd been the one who'd just lost her child in the worst way possible, she*too might be a bit.. unhinged.*Standing, her face red in anger, Queen Whitestone pointed her*finger at Vilara, "Your daughter.. *is just as guilty as my son's friend is. That 'boy' will pay the price, with his life, his soul. Be glad we don't demand the same from your daughter."

The King, clearly moved by his wife's words reached for her arm, steadied her, and forced her to sit. The woman was clearly beside herself. He stood fast, his emotions clearly boiling. In his most authoritative tone, he spoke addressing them all.**
"My Queen... is beside herself. My oldest son, heir to the throne is dead, His closest friends are lovers behind his back, and even if he knew, you two were off... FUCKING while my son was dying. No.. While I would never demand that Princess Vilara be given over to the protective spell, I do demand some sort of... compensation."

The words came from his mouth with forced resignation, as if the man hated the thought of anything that could match the worth of his son's life. The thought to the man he was, was impossible, but he was the King, it was within his position to require something from those he felt were responsible for his son's death.

"And what sort of compensation do you require Godwin.." The Elven King shouted back, standing in front of his family defensively as if his physical presence could defend them. "I'll give you nearly anything else* Godwin, but you may NOT have my daughter."

King Whitestone looked at his wife, then at the amulet around Vilara's neck. "Then I demand a shard of the amulet. A reminder of your family's culpability in allowing my SON to die...And... since you refuse to allow her to marry my son, I want you and your family to vacate the palace we built for you. You are NEVER to return below ground. IF you refuse... If you refuse my dear friend, then we are enemies and we are all doomed. May we one day come together again to finish what we could not today, but it will be long after I am dead. Until then, I wish you no ill will, but this again affirms your arrogance, the hypocrisy of the elvish people that I warned you about. WHERE did my son get the book of magic? The grand mages tell me it is not theirs, which leaves someone within your own court. Check your people.. check their allegiances, as I suspect all of this was set in motion long ago."

Searching his own thoughts the Elven King made but a simple demand.. "Then where is it? Where is this book your son had?"

With but a slight wave of his hand King Whitestone had the tome brought forth, a mage wearing the robes of the human royal court brought it in front of the Elvish King, showed him the book, and allowed him to inspect it. As he attempted to take the book into his own possession, the mage took it from him.

"The book is from your library, do you deny it?"

"No, but..." The Elvish King began,* "BUT WHAT?" King Whitestone retorted, "Someone in your own court gave my son this book, with what intent. I have no idea.". Maybe someday, long after we are dead and gone might we come together maybe not as friends, but not as enemies. I only hope that time will heal wounds."

The Elvish King, looking at his daughter and at his wife nodded. "You know what this might do, history will not be kind to any of us, but I will look into this... I will find out what happened. Goodbye Godwin."

Escorting his wife and daughter out of the throne room, Chance and Ana began to see the magic start to fade the current day returning.

"Now we know... but who started it? My family? Yours? members of both houses who didn't want a union between our two people?" Chance looked out the broken windows of the throne room, across the vast open space between what remained of the castle, and the now decaying spire in the distance. Chance was about to say something more, but he stopped...

Across the expanse, the spire rocked, just moments before Chance heard a scream of anger, followed by another, and another. A final scream of intense anguish and pain ring out across the cavern. Massive cracks began to form in the walls. and he knew the entire castle was going to collapse around them. They had to get out and fast. Pointing at the collapsed windows chance yelled.

"We've got to get out of here!!"

 

[BlondeAmbition4RP]

Ana's eyes had been on the royal families as she'd watched that final scene of the past play out before them, then the magic of the throne that had unveiled all of this for them began to fade, the present coming into view once more.

"Now we know... but who started it? My family? Yours? members of both houses who didn't want a union between our two people?"

"I don't know..." she replied, her voice trailing off as she followed his gaze out to the spire looming in the distance.

Even from here she thought she could see the horrifying imprint of a pained and angry face within it's decaying, twisted casing that she'd glimpsed before... Tiberius' face. It was then that the spire suddenly rocked and a horrible, anguished scream was heard, making her jump and grip Chance's arm tightly in her surprise and fear. Three more times the scream rang out, until the rafters shook, and cracks formed in the walls around them, bits of stone and mortar beginning to crumble loose and fall around them.

"We've got to get out of here!!"

With a nod, she began to run towards the windows where he had pointed, holding fast to Chance's arm, not letting go until they were at the now wide and open spot where the throne room's windows had once been. She peered down at what was left of the stone wall. There were enough holds. She knew she'd be able to climb her way down well enough, but she wasn't certain about him.

"Can you make it? Should I go and get the rope?" she asked him anxiously.

 

[CoSurvivor]

Chance looked back behind them, he stood a the precipice, the old windows long gone, a view out across the barren landscape, looking down the jump... was impossible, he'd die if he tried. looking at the walls he thought maybe he could scale down and make it to the bottom they'd have a chance, but that rumble... the castle had taken a fatal blow and was finally giving up. He thought maybe.. maybe Ana could get the rope before the throne room caved in.

"YEA, you'll have..!!"

Only to see the wall between the throne room and the landing before it began to crumble, the rope, lost beneath the wreckage. With a look of resignation on his face Chance looked to Ana and said

"Well so much for that idea.."

Looking around he tried to think fast, they had to get down and safely but... he then looked at her amulet, thought of how she put that wall back together from hundreds of years ago. With a squeeze of her hand, he kissed her.

"You can get us down... I know you can...I believe in you."

Hearing the floor crack, and the wall above them begin to give way falling in on them Chance grabbed Ana around the waist and jumped... knowing she'd save them both.

 

[BlondeAmbition4RP]

Ana had given a cry of dismay as she'd watched the landing crumble away, the rope and Chance's means of escape down the castle wall lost with it. She saw his gaze searching around frantically before landing on the amulet, now pinned to the front of her garment. She could see the gears turning in his mind and her eyes went wide as it dawned on her what he was thinking.

"Chance, no. I-"

She was not able to finish her protest as his kiss cut her off.

"You can get us down... I know you can...I believe in you."

This was crazy. Both times she'd used the amulet before things had been quiet, calm, she'd been able to focus. What if she wasn't able to control it now, with the world falling apart around them?!

There was no time though, no other option. She heard the floor begin to crack and give way beneath them. And with that he was holding her tight, hurling them both over the ledge with a jump.

"Chance!" she shouted out as she felt them begin to fall, her eyes squeezing shut in fear as her hand grasped desperately around the amulet.

Too fast, they were falling TOO FAST! Oh gods! We need to SLOW DOWN!! she thought in a panic, trying to focus all of her thoughts on slowing them down, on them landing upon the ground safely.