Araya Lucaris (Elora Krisara x AndrewS)

[Elora Krisara]

Kelaria watched as the woman was dragged away from where the child was crying on the other side of the barrier. "Alexandra, I might have an idea, I'm not sure if it will work. I need time to figure out the logistics. In the meantime, could you try to see if you can get your magic to reach the other side of the barrier. Not through it but rather conjuring it from the other side maybe?" she wasn't sure if Alexandra's magic could work that way. Everyone was different, but she had seen firsthand what Alexandra was capable of, so she was optimistic. She just had to hope that one or the both of them were capable of using it beyond the barrier.

As she walked to follow Vander, she passed closer to Alex. "Please keep an eye out on the child trapped on the other side of the barrier. I want to know if anything happens to her. I fear most for the people trapped in here but I'm not comfortable knowing she's stuck there with no protection." She spoke so that only Alex and possibly Vander could hear her. She didn't want to cause more panic for the people around them.

Dutifully, Kelaria followed Vander. She was silent as they walked until Vander spoke again. "I knew him." she confirmed with a nod. "His name is Bastian Einar. He comes from a very wealthy and influential noble family in Arellia. He was the closest thing I had to a betrothal before all of this happened. His father convinced my father to entertain a courtship between Bastian and I. He was the only serious suitor I or my father ever considered. He was the first and last. I was kept far too busy by my mother in my studies to have time even for friends, much less suitors. However, this time my father was quite insistent that I make time to strongly consider Bastian. He was very charming at first..." It was obvious she was being more forthcoming about the details of the relationship with Bastian as she spoke to Vander than the summary, she had given Alexandra the night before.

"It didn't take long for me to see through his charm. The way he treated me made it very clear that his interest wasn't in me but the power that he would gain at my side, not only as the future King of Arellia but with my magic at his disposal and the addition of my magic to his future bloodline. As soon as I recognized that I was being used I put an end to things, but I suspect it bruised Bastian's pride. I never expected him to go so far as to try to kill me. I never expected to see him again, much less involved in all of this. Apparently, his desire for power was greater than I had realized." She knew Bastian to be a bit spoiled but clearly, he didn't like taking "no" for an answer. She let out a heavy breath and looked to Vander's face to watch his reaction.

 

[AndrewS]

Alexandra nodded her head in solidarity with Kelaria's request, willing to do whatever she could to try and protect the people of this village. She moved closer towards the radius of the ring and lifted her hand again, watching as the green light reacted to her magic, pushing her away from it's wall. "I will do everything within my power to make it happen."

As she started her testing, with one eye peeled on the child separated from their mother, Alexandra tried to manifest her magic on the other side of the barrier. Vander, in the meanwhile, listened to Kelaria speak in a more secluded area, granting them the privacy required for what was quickly becoming a very personal conversation. He experienced a ride of emotions as he went through the explanation, bit by bit, learning of this Bastian character who had nearly killed him and Alexandra, and of the connection he shared with her. A former suitor, as she explained. It was pretty obvious that Bastian's attempted courtship had failed, Kelaria herself said as much, but Vander's thoughts couldn't help but linger on the fact that she admitted that she had at least considered Bastian as a potential husband at some point prior.

But Vander Albright was the last person in either kingdom who should be judging anybody for what they have done in their past.

He digested it, allowing her to finish speaking before offering his own opinion, using the prolonged explanation as a cover for him to gather his own thoughts and decide how he wanted to proceed with this obvious threat. "Do you really think simple rejection would drive him to such lengths?" Vander wondered, out loud, looking Kelaria straight in her face. "With that much, potential, power being taken from him, I would imagine he would be upset, but to be driven to murder? Or to become a demon?"

Kelaria had been the main reason why Vander had begun to change, to find control, it was harrowing to think that she had been the reason for the opposite to happen to another man.

"I appreciate you being honest with me about this. I don't believe for a second that seeing him again was easy for you, regardless of what happened in your past." Vander began, again, composing himself, showing surprising understanding that should have been impossible for a man with as much bloodshed on their hands as he did. "We will make it through this, and we will bring all of these people to safety. Nobody else will be dying under my watch, yourself included. Should he try again, he will be met with great resistance. I would sooner have my own life taken from me than allow you to be taken away from me again."

Vander had taken a few steps towards her, closing distance, only for the sound of villagers screaming to interrupt them, yet again. The look on his face non-verbally screamed 'here we go again', as he turned back towards the area they had left. The circle had constricted, moving in closer, forcing back everybody who was near the edge, Alexandra included. It moved slowly, seeming as though it would never stop, but in reality, it had only advanced a couple of feet. The child on the other side quickly ran to keep up with it, while Alex pulled two villagers away from being touched by the barrier.

"It moved?" Vander asked, rejoining the crowd.

"Yes." Alex responded, gravely. "We aren't being caged inside..."

"We're being suffocated." He answered, looking back towards Kelaria. "He's trying to draw us out."

"I couldn't do it." Alex quickly said, with shame in her voice. "I couldn't make my magic appear on the other side. I can't stop this..."

"If anybody can figure this out, it's you, Alex." Vander reassured her, trying to help her steady her heart. "Were you not First Lieutenant? Are you now not the blade of both the Astellian and Arellian Crowns? There's nobody else like you in either of the twin kingdoms, you will find a way."

"Van, I..." She paused before nodding again, with renewed determination. She approached the wall of magic once more and focused with all that she had. First, there was nothing, but then, there was a spark. It was small, but it was there, clear as day, on the other side. The blue jolt danced in place a couple of times before fizzling out. Glancing back at Kelaria and Vander for further validation, she tried again, shutting her eyes. This time, the spark was accompanied by several more, revolving in a circle until it stabilized into a ring of magical energy that remained in place on the ground. "I...I did it. Kelaria, I did it!" She called out, joyously. "What will you have me do next?"

 

[Elora Krisara]

Vander handled the news of Kelaria's history with Bastian better than she had expected. "Let's just both agree to just staying alive and safe?" Kelaria amended as he stepped closer after promising to keep her safe. "You need to stop running head on into danger with no regard for your own safety Vander. I'm not sure how much more I can handle seeing you nearly die in front of me." She too stepped forward in an attempt to close the distance between them when the screams interupted them.

Kelaira immediately jumped into action but not without looking at Vander with much the same look. she hurried back to the crowd of terrified villagers and to Alexandra. "How does he plan to draw us out if we can't pass the barrier?" She shook her head. "It's only a matter of time before he arrives with whatever reinforcements he intends to bring with him. He wants to force our hand." He looked to Vander, speaking quieter. "We need to find a way to keep these people safe. They're terrified." She then turned her attention to Alexandra when she shamefully admitted to being unable to conjure her magic outside the barrier. Kelaria knew it was a long shot but she had been hopeful that somehow Alex would prevail. Kelaria was about to assure Alexandra that she had no reason to be ashamed when Vander stepped in. She watched the way he spoke to Alexandra, the way he was able to so quickly inspire her to try again.

A grin spread across the princess's face when Alex finally did it. "You did! Alex you're amazing!" she walked closer to the warrior. Her eyes were bright with a spark of hope and admiration. "Do you think there's a way you can start with helping that child? I don't like knowing she's stuck out there alone. I do not know where Bastian will come from, and I won't have her in the middle of it. I want to see if I can tunnel down enough to know if I can see how deep the barrier goes. I need to create somewhere for these people to hide but I can't do that if they're just going to get trapped by the shrinking barrier anyway." she spoke more quietly to just Alex now. "I need to see if there's a way to get someone out of here. Even if it's just one of us. I need you to try to see if you can get out somehow. Maybe the barrier is weaker from the outside? See how it responds to your magic from outside."

After giving Alexandra her orders, she moved to one of the edges of their shrinking prison, away from most of the crowd. She knelt down on the ground and placed a palm down. Light poured from her hand and the earth beneath her palm began to shift and soften, allowing her magic to dig down along the edge of the barrier. It was painful, having her light trail along the edge of the demon magic but she needed to know how deep it went.

 

[AndrewS]

Vander had to admit that his initial sweep of the situation was not entirely founded by truth, but he could see no other way. He wasn't sure exactly how Bastian intended on drawing them out, but the constriction of this zone around them eventually meant everybody inside would run out of room, like rats trapped in a constricting cage. What would happen if it decided to close entirely? Was everybody inside doomed to that fate?

He speculated that they would see him soon, and that he would have a long-winded, demon speech about how they needed to turn themselves over. He had been there, after all, he had been part of that hive-mind of dark energy with his brother, he practically knew what was going to happen before it did, but unless whatever Kelaria had in mind with Alexandra worked, he wasn't sure how they were going to get out of this one. He focused on motivating her, and it appeared to have worked, convincing Alexandra to try and try again until her magic manifested on the other side of the barrier, although just barely for now.

Alexandra seemed pleased with herself, and Kelaria echoed a similar excitement about the development.

"But if what Vander is saying is true, we would be caging the child inside with us instead." Alexandra reasoned, sighing under her breath, her enthusiasm waning slightly. "You want me to move to the other side?"

If she could get there, she could protect that child herself...maybe she could find a way to get them all out? Or she'd be freeing herself into the clutches of their enemy without her allies being capable of helping her. The morality of the situation bounced back and forth in her head a thousand times in an instant, and Vander could see the contemplation and confusion in Alexandra's face as she tried to process this.

The edge of the barrier shrunk inwards, again, as if on cue, just as Kelaria began to dig at the dirt around it's circumference, as if it knew exactly what they were trying to do. The energy seemed to dig deeper into the ground, at least deeper than what she had dug, but it was still unclear whether it completely surrounded them in a dome on the bottom as it did on the sides and top. Meanwhile, Alexandra's magical sparks danced on the other side of the demon magic, flickering in and out as she tried to find the right way to conjure it strongly enough that it would last for more than just a moment or two.

"Any luck?" He asked, Alex shook her head in response. "Remember what I said. You will find a way." He nodded in her direction and Alex's eyes met his, causing her to nod as well.

Vander passed by her to check on Kelaria next, watching her bend the earth itself away from the dark magic of the barrier which seemed to bite back at her light whenever errant strands of magic bounced off of it's edge.

"I wonder if there's anything I can do with this." Vander mused, out loud. He had tried before, but to no avail. Still, he knew this was demon magic at it's core, maybe if he could channel that darkness inside of him a little more thoroughly...but that too was much too dangerous in an enclosed space, especially with all of these innocent people around them.

A few moments passed until they both felt a sudden influx of magic. When he looked over his shoulder, Alexandra was no longer on their side of the barrier but, instead, on the other end. The child ran towards her, almost immediately, throwing their tiny arms around Alex's leg. She placed her hand on their head, surprised that she had managed to make it work.

"She did it!" Vander pointed out to Kelaria, a proud smirk adorning his lips to match the timid smile that Alex was giving back to them.

"Now what?" She asked, from the opposite side, hoping Kelaria had more instruction. She asked if the barrier was weaker on the other side, but Alex's initial test, after telling the child to step back, seemed to squash that idea.

Her hand moved to her side, suddenly, reaching for the sword she had left on the other side of the barrier. She summoned it to her hand, immediately, and Vander began to notice why. The overwhelming dark magic had clouded the fact that something strong was approaching, and Alexandra was alone to face it, just as she had feared. A chill ran down her spine as she turned, slowly, towards the trees on the outskirts of the village. Two figures emerged from the brushline; one taller, one much smaller, but they were not the only visitors. There were more, at least half a dozen, lagging a few paces behind of Bastian, and Marley, both of whom seemed surprised to find Alexandra on the other side.

"Oh, hey, Lex Lex." Marley chimed, happily, in unnerving, child-like wonder. "Ready for round two?"

"Leave her out of this." Alex said, sternly, staring directly into the face of Bastian.

"And why would I do that? She's the only one here with the guts to do what must be done. Would you stand alone against all of us to defend your allies? These people?" He asked, as Alex tightened her grip on her blade. "I told you I'd be back with some allies of my own. You can't win this, van Arbos. Turn them over."

"I refuse." She responded, not backing down for a moment despite the odds. Her eyes never wandered from Bastian, yet she was already aware of the numbers game that faced her. "I am their sword, I have pledged to protect them, and these people."

"Then you will die as their sword. We really do not have time for this repugnant, heroic drivel that you lot like to spew so frequently. Step aside, or become a casualty. I offer you no other option."

Vander's hand pressed against the barrier, which repelled him backwards, causing him to hiss in pain that he ignored as he attempted to do so again.

 

[Elora Krisara]

Kelaria's joy and excitement at Alexandra's breakthrough was squashed almost immediately when the others materialized on the other side of the barrier, with the warrior. Kelaria's plan had left Alex alone to fight them. Damn it! She needed Alexandra to get free so that they had someone on their side who could escape in case things went wrong. Alex was meant to get herself and that child to safety, yet the plan backfired and instead they had been thrown to the wolves.

Stepping forward towards the edge of the barrier. "Bastian!" She called out to this shadow of her past. "Cut the nonsense. You and I both know you didn't come here for Alexandra. I'm getting sick of these games." she gestured to the barrier that surrounded them. "What is your goal here Bastian? Why team up with these demons against your own people? Whatever power he's promising you...you know demons don't share power. You're smarter than this." Kelaria stepped as close to the edge of the barrier as she could get. She glanced away from Bastian for only a moment so she could look to Vander. Her eyes returned to Bastian, but her voice filled Vander's head.

"Do you think if we both concentrated our magic at the barrier, light and dark, would it be worth trying?" Part of her worried it would be too dangerous, too volatile, but it may get them to Alex faster.

 

[AndrewS]

"You may think it stupid, but that is only because your mind is to narrow to see the larger picture, dearest Kelaria." He mocked her, calling out to her, past Alexandra, and through the barrier that still divided them. "The Araya Lucaris was always the goal, always the purpose. Your family kept their secrets to deprive the world of it's power, Alzahar wishes to return those secrets to the twin kingdoms. To unite us."

"You're insane." Alexandra protested, still gripping her sword as tightly as she possibly could. "He isn't going to return a damn thing to the people of our kingdoms. He wants the whole thing to himself. There is no unity, there is only darkness in places where light once shone. Can't you see that? ...Marley?" She said, focusing on her former friend instead. "Don't be another pawn for them. Please, you have to remember who you were..."

"Weak?" She asked, shaking her head. "Nah. I should kill you just for suggesting I remember that."

"Then do it." Bastian sighed. "We do not need her, and I have grown tired."

Brandishing her axe, Marley stepped forward towards her former friend and mentor and immediately lunged, connecting steel with steel, causing the child Alex had been protecting to scream loudly, in fear. The two began to trade blows, though Alex was acting entirely in self defense, hoping to bring Marley back to her senses while Bastian and the other demons watched the duel.

"We have to do something." He responded, back to her, upon hearing her voice within his head. A conflux of light and dark might just be what they needed to breach through, but if it wasn't... "Get everybody to the other side of the village, as far away from us as we can." He called out to the nearby villagers, and to Regis. The farther away they were, the less likely anyone would be injured.

Movement began, clearing the way. Everybody was focused on the battle except for Bastian, who was staring straight past the clash of sword and axe, watching what Vander and Kelaria were doing with curiosity. Vander's fingers curled, causing his dark magic to revolve around his fist, trying to conjure it without letting it take control of the rest of his body. "Ready when you are, Kel..." He told her, prepared to follow her lead, come whatever may.

 

[Elora Krisara]

"I'm not the one who is short sighted here Bastian. He'll never share his power with you or anyone else. He wants to 'unite' the kingdoms only for the purpose of putting both under his dark dominion. You have to see that Bastian." Kelaira didn't like the way he spoke to her, dearest Kelaira. She didn't like the way he called back to their past as though he still had any semblance of a claim on her.

Kelaira waited until the others were as far from them as possible. She looked to Vander as he gathered his own shadows around his hand. Kelaira gathered magic in her own hand, the purple swirling light danced across her skin and flickered angrily almost like a flame. Kelaira nodded once at Vander. She angled her hand so that their magic would combine as it hit the barrier. A blast of pure light shot from her hand and hit the barrier.

 

[AndrewS]

The barrier wavered, ripples shooting across the face of it's energy like waves in an ocean. It resisted the collision of their magic against it's own, the unique qualities of light and dark equinoxed around a central point. Vander stood his ground, gritting his teeth as he exerted more into the barrier, feeling the dark magic run through his forearms and back towards the center mass of his body, tempting him with it's allure.

On the other side, Alexandra found her attention divided when Marley realized the easiest way to get through her was to go after the child she was trying to protect. Alex was forced to use her magic to shield the screaming child, which left her open to an attack from behind. Bastian remained staring, past her, at the barrier, while the other demons he had brought with him swarmed around his body on either side, closing in on Alex. She slashed at the first one, in desperation, knocking them back, while the other grabbed at her arms. She dropped her sword and called it to the hand being held at the demon's side, impaling the blade straight through his body to liberate herself. She yanked it free, colliding steel with Marley's axe, overwhelmed and outnumbered but doing everything she could to protect herself.

Until she couldn't.

A claw pierced through her shoulder and she screamed out in pain. She pulled herself off of the sharp appendage, quickly trying to heal her own wound only to be hit square in the back by shoulder that knocked her to the dirt. She was pinned to the ground while Marley placed her foot down on Alex's sword, preventing her from moving it. She was wrestled to her feet and pulled back towards Bastian, battered and bleeding, yet still fighting to escape their hold.

When the barrier around the town shattered, it was too late for them to help her. The child ran past it, inwards, looking for her parents, as Vander walked out, summoning his own weapon to his hand, feeling his anger mix in with the dark magic he had been using. Even in that angered state, however, he forced himself to stop where he stood when a black blade of magic, like the night before, was created in exchange by Bastian and held against Alex's throat.

"Well, this is awkward." He mused, laughing quietly to himself. "All that work and you're not further ahead than you were before you started. Let's try this again, shall we? Kelaria is to come with me, and doing so will spare the life of your ex-lover. All that history, years of separation and love burnt like the wick of a candle...she's the one you truly care for, is she not? You would choose my Kelaria over her?"

"I'm not playing games with you."

"And you think that I am? I assure you I've little time for games of any sort. I came here to take what was mine, and to deliver the Araya Lucaris back to my master. If you will not hand her over to me, willingly, I shall take something of yours instead."

His grip tightened on his blade, causing it's magic to sear into Alex's flesh, drawing blood from her neck.

"Don't listen to him...Van..." She whispered out. "Go! Run, please..."

Vander looked over his shoulder, towards Kelaria, then back at Bastian and Alex. He was angry, so angry, yet divided on what was the right choice to make. Normally, he knew what to do, he'd act instead of think, but his heart itself was aching as his body tried to fend off his violent emotions.

"Very well, then. I will take your indecision the same as I would your refusal."

The blade in his hand disappeared. Instead, he placed his fingers against Alexandra's temples, and dark magic began to spout through, causing her to shake and spasm in pain from the invasion of energy into her body. In Alexandra's head, she was seeing her worst nightmares come true; the shattering of her honor, the death of her kingdom, the loss of her love. She saw Kelaria in the middle, the princess of her enemy, the thief of her childhood flame, and she heard a dark voice echoing around it all, tempting her to take up her sword and find her revenge. She glimpsed her fight with Vander before, when she had tried to take him and Kelaria in, but gone was the conversation she had with him within that fight, torn from her were the emotions that kept her tethered to Vander Albright. She just remembered fighting, and losing, and that her purpose had not been complete.

Bastian let Alex go, and she staggered forward, catching herself.

"Alex...are yo-"

Her eyes were clouded in purple. Marley let up her boot, releasing the sword that Alexandra then summoned to her hand.

"Yield...or face my blade." She whispered, with conviction, the wounds on her shoulder and neck laced with purple energy, sealing them shut as she launched herself at Vander and, yet again, their weapons were forced to collide.