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Sorry I keep going back and rewriting and refining. I'll get back up to date soon. I hope. |
| Chapter Nine: Allianna fidgeted nervously in her wedding dress while Mithel arranged her hair. Three times Alex had attempted to come see her only to be shooed away by his niece and Keleb’s wife both spouting the immortal phrase, “It’s bad luck for the groom to see the bride before the wedding.” Her gown was soft white velvet, the skirt flowing to the floor and a soft silk ribbon tide in a bow at the small of her back, streamers trailing to the floor with the train. Delicate white slippers graced her feet and a crown of white lily’s sat in wait as soon as Mithel was finished with her hair. Amnira and Star stood by trying the hardest not to muss soft pink dresses or lose their own flowered crowns, theirs soft pink cherry blossoms. Tris, along with Keleb’s wife and daughter, fluttered over Allianna like mother hens in a flurry of violet silk and lace. In the dining room, which had been rearranged for this, Alex was pacing. Keleb watched him with a grin on his face, offering comments like, “Don’t worry the ball and chain will come soon enough.” The Elvin priestess that had been asked to perform the ceremony watched the two men with humor glittering in her eyes. Then her eyes glazed for a moment and she stood and pointed Keleb toward the door. Alex stood alone at the alter waiting. He watched Amnira and star walk gleefully up the isle, trailing rose petals in their wake. Behind them Mithel followed in Lilac silk. Then came Tris and then Keleb’s wife. Allianna looked like an angel as her brother led her up the isle. She met his gaze with hers, eyes filled with joyful tears. The rest of the ceremony was all a dreamy haze. No one else was there to watch but it didn’t matter. Everything was perfect. Afterward they all laughed as they drank wine (bloodwine for those that drank it). Finally Alex was allowed to carry her off to bed as the sun began to creep over the hills. The three little girls were sent to bed, Mithel went back to the forest and Keleb and his wife sat reading together in the sitting room. Tris went back to her side of the house, a smile on her lips. Three weeks passed in blissful happiness. Keleb and his family had left a week after the wedding with a promise to visit again soon. Everyone was out in the yard under the moonlight. Allianna was sitting on a blanket beneath an apple tree while she watched the girls play. Alex lifted Amnira to his shoulders and Star shifted to her feline form to join her. Amnira squealed happily, no longer paying any head to the shadows. Her eyes sparkled with a light that Allianna had been afraid would never be seen again. It seemed the girl had all but forgotten her past abuse. Tris took the girls from Alex and he joined his wife on the blanket. Tris smiled as she looked back and saw that both had dozed off as she’d expected. She’d felt the same pull but someone had to watch the little ones after all. Alex held Allianna close and kissed her as all the memories came flooding in. Here she had been his for a long time and now she was his in the living realm. Nothing could be more perfect. It took a few minutes to adjust as his mind became one with his living mind. Allianna giggled. “It wasn’t a dream last time, was it?” “No, love. We’re really here.” They really were. The realm they were in now was Dawn, a realm created for the Dawn angel, who had been created to balance out the coming evil, Thielle. It had become a neutral sort of paradise for souls that were good but condemned to Hell for infractions that were committed out of necessity or even for the simple fact of being born something that could not be allowed in heaven. It didn’t matter if they were good they were born damned. Also were the other souls like theirs that had been handpicked by Hellen, the Dawn Angel herself. All of those that were living, known as the Dawn linked, would have their souls whisked away to the Dawn realm most of the time that they slept, sometimes put to sleep if Hellen was in dire need. She drew on them at all times if she needed an extra boost of magic. Also dwelling in Dawn were the Parrallels, mirror images of the angel. The two women looked exactly like her save their race. They had completely different personalities then the angel but they were her very best friends. Allianna frowned as she turned to seek Hellen and inquire why they had been called on. Hellen was a mess, her wings drooped and an open wound bled at her hip where a sword must have caught her, someone had put her to sleep after she’d called on the Dawn linked. All over the realm the less fleeting residents were nursing their own wounds. Her breath catching in horror, Allianna ran to Neren. The demon parallel was the only one that wasn’t wounded. Alex followed close behind. “What happened?” Neren looked up from the wounded woman she’d been tending. “Thielle has a new pet and you aren’t going to want to hear who it is.” “Why?” Trepidation filled Alex as he waited for Neren to answer his wife’s query. She looked hesitant as her gaze fell on him. Finally he answered for her. “My brother came out of hiding did he?” Slowly Neren nodded as she tied off the bandage she’d been wrapping around her sons arm. “He’s got my daughter-in-law. And I think he’s headed to Ven.” Allianna would have fallen had Alex not pulled her against him. He looked back at Neren. “We have to get back. Now.” He knew exactly where his brother would attack next. Kormik would go straight for him next. Alex needed to be awake over there to protect his new family. Tris was not strong enough to protect the two little girls and the sleeping adults. Not from Kormik. “I’m going with you,” Ryan growled, pushing away his mother’s hands. “Me too,” Neren announced. “She is my daughter in law and she is Dawn’s daughter. Anyone that can still fight will be going with you. We have to get Kienda back.” Alex hesitated only a moment before he nodded. “Just give us ten minutes to adjust and to give Tris the heads up. Find Mithel and tell her to vacate the forest and if she resists tell her I command it, she’ll have no choice.” When Neren looked as if she’d argue the last Alex met her with a level gaze. “It isn’t time yet for her to meet him and I can see from here that he is well enough to join the fight. His aid would do us more good then hers. The two woke up in the living realm and went straight for the children, pulling them inside. Allianna took them to the nursery and locked the doors and the windows while Alex went straight for his armory. He came out looking like he had the day that he torn down the Venor home so many years ago but his eyes now flashed with something different. Whereas once they had been filled with hurt and anger, now they were filled with the need to keep his newfound family safe. The armor was made of a deep black metal, as were the links of the chain mail that protected his heart. The blade on his back was made of the same black metal, forged in Venomira. Silver inlaid spells scrawled from hilt to tip, shimmering in the moonlight as Alex stepped outside. The sharp edge gleamed as well, lethal beyond a doubt. The one who would wield it looked even more lethal. The other’s stood on the grounds, ready for the battle they knew was ahead. They knew that Thielle would not come alone, and they had not been wrong in their theory. She and Kormik appeared with almost a hundred of her minions behind them. Within the group Thielle’s sadistic daughter held Kienda, bound and kneeling at her feet. The group from Dawn had increased its ranks since the battle in the angel’s realm. All the living Dawn linked that had not been there now stood in the ranks. Unfortunately those who were in Dawn always were the strongest. For those that lived in the third world and had not come directly the drain of both selves being in one world was significant. The battle raged on the manor grounds. Inside Allianna knelt listening with baited breath, afraid for Alex and all those that fought beside him. She looked at the two girls and saw the echoed fear in their eyes. They both seemed to be completely aware of the conflict outside. Then a presence appeared in the room. Allianna looked up and her eyes widened as she recognized the one that stood over her. No one outside felt the draw of energy that the vampires drew to protect the children, no on knew. Outside Alex wiped sweat from his brow as he pulled Kienda to her feet. He’d managed to fight off Thielle’s offspring but the woman had escaped into Shadow before he could end her pitiful existence. Thielle was nowhere in sight and the minions of Shadow that had not fallen had vanished as well. Kienda stammered her thanks before her husband and mother-in-law stole her attention and she was swept back to dawn. When only a handful of the dawn linked remained Alex finally made his way back inside, dropping all of his gear on the floor of the entryway and making his way up the stairs. Tris stood in the doorway of the nursery. When she saw him coming she looked up at him with a pain stricken gaze. Alex felt his heart plummet and all the blood drain from his immortal veins. “No.” He shoved his niece aside and looked into the room that was now torn apart, spell scorches covered the walls and furniture and at first it seemed no one was there at all. Upon closer inspection the two discovered both of the young girl’s hiding beneath the shattered frame of one of the larger beds. Amnirra ran to Alex and clutched her small arms around his knees. “I want Mommy. The evil lady took my mommy,” she whimpered. Moving in a fog, Alex carefully disentangled the child from his knees and handed her to Tris. He’d have to do this alone. There weren’t enough in Dawn that still could fight for him to ask their aid. First he would have to get there. As if reading his thoughts Tris met him with a determined gaze. “Call Mithel back to watch the girls, I’m going with you.” Alex knew that determined look far too well to argue. Within the hour Mithel was distracting the little ones as Tris and Alex headed away from the manor. Alex had no idea which way they were going, no idea how to get to shadow. Tris suddenly looked up and straight ahead, Alex followed her gaze to find Thielle’s own son waiting for them. He’d never been more glad to see the most unlikely of the Dawn linked. Daniel had come over to their side quite some time ago. “Lenn felt what happened and sent me as soon as I was up and moving. We thought you might need a lift.” As the two nodded in unison he shadowed them all into the dark chambers of shadow. It was as you would expect pits that ran deeper then Hell to look. The walls were made of a dark stone that seemed to be saturated in the pain and agony of the victims held within. The only light was so dark it was almost a black glow, darker even then the black lights used in night clubs and bars. That light came from wall scones lit with charcoal black flames. All throughout the small realm their was so much screaming and whimpering that it seemed to melt into one endless mournful hum. An empath without the ability to filter would die of insanity here, even without that the misery in the place was palpable. “I would ask if you needed a guide but Susan was badly wounded and we’re afraid she might lose the baby.” Daniel looked sheepish but Alex understood his need to protect his family. |
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