#tagging this way in case tumblr wants to censure this shot like he did before with one when eren loss his leg

[afolksongs]

[talpup]

Summary: Yami Sukehiro just wanted to join the Magic Knights and make his mentor proud.  He knew there would be trails.  He knew trouble would come his way.  Knew he would be faced with discrimination for being a foreigner and a peasant.  What he didn’t know.  Didn’t expect.  Was that literal Chaos would come his way.  That he and his mentor’s sister would be at the center of world ending trouble.  Or that he would fall in love with his mentor’s sister and face more than discrimination; but the jealously of Nozel Silva who loved the same woman he did.

Please remember this fic is rated mature and has warnings of violence, abuse, sexual tension, sexual behavior, and other possible triggers. For a full list of story tags please check the fics AO3 (link to that at the top of my tumblrs homepage).

***Unlike most chapters which are segmented into a days events, this one is a continuation of the same day as the previous chapter.

Chapter 99

Yami and Teris had spent the evening out at the Saber Wolf pens.  It had meant missing supper but neither had minded.  With the way Yami had been this last month or so, it was clear he needed space to breath.  And with events having Jax bar Yami from going out riding, cuddling after sharing what happened during each others morning had been the least and best Teris could offer.

In truth, Teris had needed the breather too.  Her reluctance to leave the space and return to the rest of the world and its never ending troubles leading her to tarry longer than she normally would have.  Yami hadn’t been happy about the reminder of this evenings meeting.  But his hope that Jax would finally tell them whatever it was he had been hiding for the past few weeks kept him from putting up much of a fight when Teris said they should head in.

Jax was coming up from the back hall when Yami and Teris entered the house.  “There you two are.  I was getting ready to send someone out to search for you.”  His eyes narrowed.  “You didn’t go out riding did you?”

“No.” Yami glowered.

Teris sighed heavily.  There went any release of tension their evening together had brought.

Jax huffed at Yami’s growling tone.  “I see you’re still in a temper.”

“Yami!” Bran dashed down the stairs.  Seeing Jax, he straightened and gave him a nod.  “Captain.”  Clearing his throat, he turned back to Yami.  “I need to talk with you.”

“It’ll have to wait, Bran.  I have a meeting with my Vice Captain's.”  Jax turned, expecting Yami and Teris to follow.

“It can’t wait!  It’s important.”  Bran blurted.

Jax turned back, brow raised.  Bran wasn’t the type to challenge.

Looking up at Yami, Bran told.  “It—it has to do with that thing we talked about at my family's farm on Vanessa’s birthday.”

Yami rubbed the back of his neck, muttering a curse.

“What’s he talking about?”  Teris asked Yami.

“You know what this meeting is for.  Is this really that important?” Jax asked, subtlety reminding Yami of the people waiting in his office.

“Yeah.” Yami told the Captain.  He looked down at Bran.  “It better be.”

“Fine. Teris.  With me.”  Jax pointed at Yami.  “My office, quick as you can.”

Yami gave Jax a nod.

Teris hesitated by Yami’s side.

Hand brushing down her arm, Yami tilted his head toward Jax, encouraging Teris to follow the Captain.  “I’ll be there in a bit.”

99.1.2

“Where’s Yami?”  Greywright asked when Jax entered with only Teris.

“Had something important to deal with.  He’ll be here shortly.”  Jax closed the office door.

“Well in that case.  If I may, I’d like to start by discussing the meeting I had with Teris this afternoon at Magic Investigations.” Marx said, not wanting to spend the evening repeating themselves to catch Yami up.  He looked at Teris.  “I am correct in figuring you already told Yami about that, yes?”

Sinking into a hard-backed chair, Teris nodded.

“You had a meeting with one of my Vice Captain's?”  Jax turned from Marx to Teris.  “Why didn’t I know of this?”

Teris opened her mouth to explain; but Marx spoke up first, telling Jax, Greywright, and Julius about the small painting Magic Investigations had unearth in the ruins of Yurist’s lab.  Marx stopped at the point where he had asked Teris to look at the portrait and ask the History of Chaos about it.

Julius turned to his sister.  “You had never thought to ask the History of Chaos about its author before?”

At his incredulous tone, Teris became defensive.  “It’s called the History of Chaos!  How was I to know it had any information about Yurist himself?”

“Because most authors put some kind of note or forward in their work.” Julius shot back.

“Enough.” Greywright ordered.

Caught between annoyed and humored, Jax complained.  “You two are such siblings.”

“I said, enough.”  Greywright rumbled.  He glanced at Julius, thinking the same as Jax and cursed the way of things.  Even if everything worked out to its best possible outcome, Julius and Teris would still face hardship and heartache.

A Wizard King gave up all family ties to serve the kingdom and its people.  On paper it sounded sensible.  It kept the Wizard King, and therefore the Magic Knights from focusing on the welfare of certain citizens.  Cutting ties and taking on a new last name also meant enemies couldn’t exploit a familial weakness, since there wasn’t any.  But in reality, many Magic Knights still focused on the welfare of certain citizens.  And while enemies might not be able to fully exploit a familial weakness; becoming Wizard King, cutting ties and changing your family name didn’t erase the love and experiences one had before those ties were cut.

Sighing, Greywright focused on Teris.  “What did the page of Chaos say when faced with this portrait Magic Investigations found?”

“It’d be easier if I just showed you.”  Teris unclasped the case that hung at the back of her waist and called forth her grimoire.  The tome landed in her hand, falling open to the page of Chaos.

Julius didn’t even try to tamp down his curiosity.  Getting to his feet, he moved to stand behind his sister eagerly looking over her shoulder.

“Who is this?”  Teris asked the page, thinking of the man and pregnant woman she had seen in the portrait.

“There’s a mental link?”  Jax uttered, unnerved.

“What’s that?”  Marx asked, turning to him.

“Since when could she think something and have the page pull an image from her head?”  Jax asked, wondering why no one else seemed distressed by this.

Marx blinked, eyes going wide at the disturbing realization.  He censured himself for missing such a thing when just this morning he had asked Teris if all Nova’s were guilty of ignoring the painfully obvious.

Too mesmerized by what looked like ink billowing on the page of Chaos, Julius didn’t even hear them.  The swirling dark liquid coalesced into letters, words, and finally full sentences.  He reached without thought, needing to get a better look at the magical sight.

Teris gladly let her brother take the spell-book, having read the answering message twice.  Once with Marx and then when she had shown Yami.

“My son is death.”  Julius read.  He looked up at Jax and Greywright, and clarified.  “Lower case ‘d’.”

Jax exhaled, relieved at the distinction.

Eyes lowering, Julius continued reading.  “He killed my beloved Celeste who died bringing him into this world.  A world dimmed of light and full of darkness now that she’s gone.”

“Little ‘l’ and ‘d’?”  Jax asked.

Julius nodded and went on.  “If I had seen it, I would have stopped it. Found some way to save my sweet, beautiful beloved.  What good is a Prophecy Mage who cannot see what will effect him most?  But the more connected I am to a happening, the harder it is for me to see.  I left my newborn son with a governess and threw myself into my work.  Years must’ve passed for he is now grown.  I didn’t even know Erin had left for the Spade Kingdom until this portrait had arrived.  He looks happy.  He and his bride, heavy with their child.  He and Mir—“ Julius faltered, looking up at the others, “Mira Spade.”

The Azure Deers Captain looked at Marx.  “Not the Mira Spade?”

“The time frame fits.  Though we have no images of her.  So even if we had a proper date, we wouldn’t be able to say for certain.”  Marx answered.

“Why? Who’s Mira Spade?”  Jax asked.

“The daughter of some long past Spade Kingdom King.”  Greywright said. “There’s not much we really know of her.  But the little we do has fed into some fantastical tales.  It was said she married a foreigner who took her name as a show of fealty to his new home and family.  Story says she was cursed for the marriage, and began to wither soon after becoming pregnant.  She supposedly didn’t last till term.  Weakening and dying.  It’s said the babe was cut out of her.  And despite being only seven months, that the child lived. That every nursemaid that came on to care for the child began to wither and weaken just like Mira had; all the while the child continued to get stronger.”

They all stared at the Magic Knights Commander.

“What? I know things too.”  Greywright said.

“Hear the story from Sabine?”  Julius teased, mentioning the Knights Commander’s ex who had once been an Investigations Mage.

Greywright colored slightly at being caught.  “It was a favorite tale of hers.”

“And tale is all it is.  For there is little we actually know about Mira Spade.”  Marx said.

“Well I guess you now know she married Yurist’s son.  Bet you and your fellows in Investigations will have a field day with that.”  Jax said.

Marx had to admit that confirmation of such a long held question many had wondered over would be a rather large deal in Magic Investigations. That was if he wrote up a report detailing the discovery.  “There will be no field days for Magic Investigations yet, Captain.  The meeting I had with Teris was off book for a reason.”

Greywright nodded, glad he wouldn’t have to tell Marx to keep quiet.  “He’s right.  So long as Ellara is running Magic Investigations, nothing about Yami, Teris, or what we learn about the Agents of Chaos can be reported over there.  That includes anything involving the History of Chaos, Yurist, or any of his other works.”  He looked at Julius. “What else does the page say?”

Teris shook her head even as Julius answered.  “That’s it.”

“But what does it even have to do with Yami, Teris, or the Agents of Chaos?  Other than that Yami and Teris have the History of Chaos and Yurist wrote it and had a son who married some Spade Kingdom Princess who died before their child was born?”  Jax asked.

Marx opened his mouth to answer.  But before he could speak, a knocked sounded.  Yami entered with Bran in tow.

Jax shot to his feet.  “What’s going on?”

“That important matter was even more important than I thought.”  Yami said, closing the door behind Bran.  Sighing, he told them of the task he gave Bran the day of Vanessa’s party.

Jax stared in disbelief.  “You ordered him to spy on members of his own squad?  My squad!”

“Asked.” Yami corrected.

Jax scoffed, anger bubbling.  “As if he’d tell you no, even if you weren’t his Vice Captain.  In case you haven’t noticed, Yami, the boy looks up to you.”

“In case you haven’t noticed, the kid’s grown up.”  Yami snapped back.  “Yeah, he’s a bit creepy with the way he looks up to me. But I made it clear this wasn’t an order but a personal and dangerous ask that could land him in trouble if caught.”

Bran colored slightly, embarrassed at being called creepy and being discussed so openly.

Jax shook his head, still upset.

“If he didn’t have the backbone to tell me no, I wouldn’t have asked.”  Yami said.

Though nervous, Bran took a step forward.  “I did it cause I wanted to help.”

Jax ignored Bran.  “What did you tell him?  Did you tell him about Ellara?  Yami.  What were you thinking!”

“I was thinking that we have an unwitting spy and a creepy ass bastard, who knows more than he’s saying, living under this roof and it would be nice to know what they were up to when they thought no one was watching.”  Yami said, his own anger rising.

“He has a point.”  Greywright said.  “While I trust that you, Yami, and Teris are careful about what you say around Olsen; this is one area we can be pro-active about.  None of us want to think Olsen is being used to spy but what if Ellara used him to plant something?”

Jax frowned.  “Plant what?”

Greywright shrugged.  “I don’t know.  That’s the point.  None of us know. Bran’s ability to listen in was invaluable during the Nine Day War. It would be a waste not to make use of him.”

Bran ducked his head, tinting at the praise.

“Make use of him against my own people?”  Jax challenged.  Before Greywright could speak, he sighed and turned to Bran.  “What did you overhear?”

Bran quickly told how he had been riding a Jay following Iban through the forest when Ellara appeared, and had then explained how he jumped into several bees to listen in.

Jax was barely able to keep silent and let Bran finish.  As soon as he was done, the Black Bulls Captain exclaimed.  “She’s married to him!”

Disturbing as that was.  As troubled as Teris was hearing Bran tell of the deal Iban had with Alowishus, the entire thing sounding as if the Blood Mage use to have some personal and not just ancestral connection to the Agents of Chaos; she was more concerned about Yami.

Settling down Jax a glanced at Julius, Greywright, and Marx.  Naturally, he had told them about Iban and the binding vow Alowishus forced Iban into.  Jax had been disappointed when Julius and Marx confirmed that such a binding blood vow couldn’t be broken without suffering the ill effects stipulated when the vow was made; but somewhat reassured that Iban hadn’t lied about it.

The Black Bulls Captain looked at Yami.  “Well I suppose that explains your temper.  Good to know, I guess.”

Teris didn’t see anything good about any of this.  The Darkness within Yami was affecting his temperament, and according to what Bran overheard would consume him if left to grow.

“What do they mean, ’more desirous of Teris’?” Julius questioned, protective brotherly instinct simmering to the surface.

Mildly chagrined, Yami rubbed the back of neck, avoiding his mentor’s gaze.  “Yeah.  I’ve been struggling a bit.  Feeling pent up and angry.  But the force inside me isn’t going to consume me.  I’m handling it.”  He shot Jax a brooding look.  “Though it’d help if Teris and I could go riding on our wolves.”

Jax’s eyes narrowed.

Yami looked at Teris asking the question he had wanted to ask but hadn’t because he didn’t want to worry her.  “Did you have the same problem in the year leading up to the Solstice?”

“Yeah, but not--”

Teris was cut off by Julius.  “If the ritual the Agents of Chaos did on the Summer Solstice released the building force inside Teris.  What happens to Yami when we stop them from doing the same to him for the Winter Solstice?”

Teris’ eyes widened, darting from Julius and back to Yami.

“Let’s table that disturbing thought and come back around to it.” Greywright said.  “Everyone take a seat.”

Jax sat back down, while Julius handed Teris back her grimoire and returned to his place on the sofa.  Yami pulled a hard-backed chair next to Teris’ and sat down beside her.

Bran looked about nervously.  He hadn’t been invited to this meeting. He hadn’t even known the Magic Knights Commander, Captain Julius, and a top ranking Investigations Mage had been in here.  Yami had merely brought him in to relay what he had overheard while riding the bees.

“Take a seat, Bran.  You’re a part of this now.”  Greywright said.

Even though the Commander outranked his Captain, Bran looked to Jax for confirmation.

Jax nodded.

Bran looked at Yami.  This clearly surrounded him and Teris.  If either Vice Captain told him to leave--

“Sit!” Yami barked.

Bran nearly sat on the floor in his rush to comply.  He managed to back up a step and sit on a chest near the door.

“There’s that temper again.”  Jax chastised.

“No. That’s just Yami.”  Julius said, hiding his humor in his sympathy for Bran.

Greywright rubbed his forehead and sighed, thinking he was surrounded by a bunch of children.  “Julius, even though Marx was the one to discover it, Shadow was once a Captain of your squad.  So why don’t you tell Teris.”

Instead of telling, Julius picked up a fabric bound book from the coffee table and handed it to his sister.

“What is it?”  Teris asked, taking the book.

“It’s the last journal of Captain Shadow Banashe.”  Julius saw the change in Teris’ expression, and gave her a reproving look.  “I see you recognize the name.”

“She made no mention of Captain Shadow’s name in her report or debriefing of the geyser labyrinth.”  Jax said of Teris.

“I got it from you.”  Teris said, looking at Marx.

Eyebrows knitting together, Marx opened his mouth to refute ever telling her such a thing.

“Well not you directly.”  Teris went on.  “There were several files left open on the table during my debriefing that day.  I didn’t see her last name but I saw the first, and that she had been a Captain of the Azure Deers.”

Julius’ expression darkened, disapproval growing.

Marx bristled at the violating breach of classified files.  Julius never would've done such a thing.  Well, Marx amended in his head, Julius’ obsessive curiosity most definitely would’ve seen him do such a thing; but he never would’ve admitted to it without any sign of guilt or shame the way Teris just had.

Jax ran a hand over his face, both exasperated and impressed by his Vice Captain.

Thinking she would make one hell of a Magic Knights Commander one day, Greywright fought a smirk hoping Sir Jorah truly could find a way to keep Teris from being banished for her refusal to wed Nozel.

“Did you see anything else?”  Greywright asked.

“Nothing of use or that I’ve been able to piece together to make sense of.” Teris frowned, annoyed with herself.  Shadow had been the Clover Kingdoms last light magic user before her.  The mummified corpse had called herself the Light Bringer and Harbinger of Darkness.  She looked down at the long dead Captain's journal, the cover frayed and faded.  “When did you find this thing?”

“The day before Flic turned himself over to your comrades.”  Marx said.

Teris’ frown deepened.  She had held so much hope that Commander Greywright would learn something about the Agents of Chaos’ plans or whereabouts from Flic; but it seemed that even when something was dropped right in their lap, nothing of sizable use came from it.  It was frustrating.  They were always one step behind Alowishus and his followers.  No.  That was far too generous; they were no where near that close.  They were barely working on the same playing field.

“That was seven days ago.  You all keeping stuff from us again?”  Yami asked, eyes on Jax.

Jax stared back.  Even though he had listened to Commander Greywright and Julius despite his own wanting to tell Yami and Teris about the leather bound journal he found four weeks ago, he wasn’t about to be shamed by his Vice Captain for it.

“It wasn’t like we had much of a chance.  What with Nozel and Fuegoleon turning up missing the morning after Flic turned himself in.  You and Teris being taken later that evening.  Flic becoming gravely ill two days after you returned, and then him dying yesterday.”  Julius said, in defense of himself and his friend.  He glanced at Bran disturbed that what the young man overheard between Ellara and Iban all but confirmed his and Marx’s theory on how Flic was killed.  A part of him wanted to find Iban and force the man to tell everything he knew no matter how insignificant, and no matter the cost to the Blood Mages family.

“Julius only informed me about the late Captain's journal two days ago.  Marx telling him that same morning.”  Greywright said, thinking that they needed to come up with a better way to communicate.  But even communication crystals could be tapped into.  And according to what Yami had seen the morning of the Summer Solstice, the Agents of Chaos had hundreds of members.  Without knowing what type of magic those members had...

“A quarter of the journal is blank.”  Marx said.

“I’m guessing it’s more than just empty pages of an unfinished journal from a life cut short.”  Teris said, not seeing any other reason Marx would point out such a thing.

Marx nodded.  “While the blank pages are at the end and likely would have been thought of as empty, there are two sentences and a signature three pages later.”

“Three blank pages and then more writing?”  Teris looked between Marx and Julius figuring that even with everything going on they would've tried something to reveal what, if anything was written.

“You were able to sense what no one else did in the geyser labyrinth.  As if the remains of Captain Shadow had been calling to you.”  Julius said, disturbed and intrigued.

Teris darkened at the memory.  “She used me.”

Julius’ eyebrows furrowed in confusion.  “Used you?”

Teris picked at the threads of the frayed journal.  “She used me to get to Yami.  She called herself the Harbinger of Darkness.  Said she called to me to fulfill her destiny.  A destiny that was clearly to bring out the Darkness in Yami.”

Julius sighed.  “I can see how you might think that, but--”

“There’s no other way to think of it.  It’s what she did!”  Teris stormed.

Yami grabbed Teris’ hand and got to his feet, pulling her up with him. “Excuse us a moment.”

Jax and Julius blinked as Yami opened the office door, stepped out with Teris, and closed it behind.

“Well,” Greywright sighed, sitting back, “anyone want to relay to Bran the importance of keeping quiet about all this while we wait?”

Jax, Julius, and Marx turned to Bran.

Not knowing what to do, Bran smiled and waved.  Knowing that was the wrong thing to do but unable to stop, his other hand grabbed his waving hand and pulled it down.

An embarrassed blush tinted Bran’s cheeks.  “Sorry.  I’m just really nervous.”

99.1.3

Yami turned to Teris as soon as the door closed.  “You’re not some transformation mage pretending to be Teris, are you?”

“What?” Teris’ eyes furrowed.  “Yami, this is serious.”

“I know.  So why are you afraid to look at that thing?  It’s not like you.”

Teris bristled.  “You heard why.  She--”

“Whatever happened, happened cause I needed to get to you.”  Yami said, cutting her off.  He looked at her remembering the fear and anger he felt when she disappeared behind the rock wall.  He shook the memory away, telling himself as well as her.  “We’re not in some labyrinth where you can be locked away from me.”

“No we’re not.”  Teris agreed.  “We’re standing here after having just heard that the force inside you is growing so fast and strong that it might consume you.  That even the crazies who want to see that force grow are concerned.”

“Weren’t you listening?  I said I was handling it.”

“Yami. I’m worried.  I love you.”

Yami’s fingers clasped behind Teris’ neck, palms cupping her face in both hands.  His forehead pressed against hers, steel grey eyes staring into her dark bottomless ones.  “I love you too, Ikigai.” His nose bumped hers, breath fanning her face. “It’s why you have no reason to worry.  I’d never lose to anything, least of all some force inside me, so long as I have you.”

Head shaking in his hands, Teris opened her mouth.  Yami silenced her with a kiss.  It was meant to be a brief, reassuring kiss; but as soon as his lips touched hers his desire for her ignited like a broken jar of Wild Fire.

One hand dropped from her face, arm wrapping tightly around her waist. Yami pulled her close, leaning over her.  The words Bran overheard Iban tell Ellara replayed in his mind.  “The Darkness is already bleeding out and effecting him.  He has been more volatile.  Angrier than usually.  Possibly even more desirous of Teris and the Light that is inside her.”   That last sentence echoed as he kissed her.  “Possibly even more desirous of Teris and the Light that is inside her.”

Yami didn’t think anything could make him more desirous of Teris.  He certainly didn’t like the idea of anything effecting him that way. But as the kiss grew ever more heated, he thought he understood what Iban meant.  It had nothing to do with desire.  At least not his usual loving desire.  This desire was darker.  Consuming and unquenchable.  It wasn’t for Teris herself, but for what Teris was. What Teris could be.  A light and warmth that could fill a dark cold, bottomless hunger.

Yami pulled away leaving them both breathless.  “Read the damn pages.  I know you want to.”

Teris stared up at him.

Yami quirked a brow.  “Aren’t you the least bit curious?”

“Yeah. But…  The last time I gave into my curiosity where Captain Shadow was concerned bad things happened.”

Yami’s lips brushed hers as he spoke.  “You have no clue what you mean to me If you think some long dead woman could take me away from you.”

99.2

“A letter from Lady Ellara.”  Calen said, entering his Master’s office.

Alowishus frowned.  He wasn’t expecting anything from her.  Given the suspicions of Captain's Julius and Jax, coupled with the traitor Flic surrendering himself to the Magic Knights, Alowishus hadn’t imagined he would hear from Ellara for more than six months. Something had to have happened.

Alowishus opened the missive.  It was a brief message, straight to the point.  Typical of her communications.  But what wasn’t was that it didn’t bear her usual endearment at the end.  Curious.

Setting down the letter, Alowishus told Calen almost proudly.  “The Darkness in Yami is growing.”

“Already? Isn’t it far too soon?”  Calen asked.

Alowishus thought back to his latest dealing with Yami and Teris, three days ago. He supposed his eagerness and following anger over the Future of Chaos had something to do with his having missed the signs.  Still, that was hardly an excuse.  He was better than that. He had spent too much time and had too much riding on his plans to become sloppy and not notice every little thing.

“How do we tamp the force down?”  Calen asked.

“Tamp it down!  We will do no such thing.”  Alowishus said.

“But--”

“Yami is not the real concern here, his fix is an easy one.  What we need to worry about is Teris.  At this rate she will not survive the Ritual of Darkness.  If she doesn’t grow stronger, the Darkness within Yami will kill her and the Light inside her with it.”

“What are we going to do?”  Calen asked, worried for their hopes for the new existence.

“We will deal with Yami.  Contact King Morris.  I think it’s time I made good on my promise to let the Diamond Kingdom have Teris.”

  99.3

Back in Jax’s office, Teris took up Captain Shadow’s journal.  She hesitated, eyes lifting to Yami.

Yami gave her an encouraging nod.

Taking in a fortifying breath, Teris opened the journal to the marked page. Her eyebrows furrowed, wondering if the page marker had been put in the wrong place.  The pages weren’t blank.  Sure, that’s what Julius and Marx had been hoping for.  That as a light magic user like Shadow, she would be able to read the blank pages.  But surely it couldn’t be this easy.  Could it?

Teris began to read aloud, half expecting them to stop her and say that wasn’t the spot.  Only they never did.

“I was a fool.  I fell in love with him.  Everard Spade.”

Jax straightened in his seat.

Yami saw the looks the Knights Commander, two Captain's, and Marx shared. Was this about whatever secret Jax was keeping that the Captain had been going to tell him about before Greywright called in about Flic dying?

“But how could I not?” Teris continued reading.  “He was handsome and kind.  Powerful and strong.  More powerful than I could have ever imagined.  But we will get to that.  There was always something about him.  A melancholy.  Even when he smiled, it never fully reached his eyes.  He told of his mother's death.  And I thought that was why.  Who wouldn’t be forever marked by sadness when your own father said you caused your mothers death?  It broke my heart for him.  Opened me up to him.  Which I learned too late is what he had wanted.  He didn’t need to lie to gain my care and sympathy. His truth is that sad and broken.  He truly is a wounded, tormented soul. But the way he used that truth.  Sprinkled in just enough without telling the whole horrid tale…

I thought I was going to spend my life with him.  Little did I know.  It was my life he wanted.  The betrayal happened on the Summer Solstice.  He came to my base before dawn.  I thought it romantic.  Thought he couldn’t wait for our picnic that afternoon to see me.  He was ravenous.  Insatiable. The two of us making love as the sun rose on the longest day of the year.  Little did I know he was feeding on more than my lips.  He left me in bed weak.  Nearly dead and drained of mana.  My Vice Captain found me.  I was unconscious for days.  Stuck in Healer’s Hall for two weeks.  Confused. Heartbroken.  He had used me.  It was months later that I realized just much he had used me.  Had any of it been real?  I don’t know.  He never said.  Doubt I would have believed him if he had.

He was the Master of a group that called themselves the Agents of Chaos. The group apparently went back several hundred years.  Several say they were started by Yurist’s son.  Others that Yurist himself began the group.  All I know is that they were a group of zealots obsessed with ending it all to bring about some knew reality.  And that they were being led by the man I once loved and thought had loved me in return.

Everard Spade stole my heart to steal most of my mana.  Did he know I would survive?  Did he even care?  Was our accidental meeting even an accident?  Over the course our continued battles I would learn that Everard left nothing to chance.  Our meeting had been no accident.  Our love affair fully planned.  The man was patient.  Obsessed. While he might not have known I would survive having nearly all my mana taken the morning of that Summer Solstice, he had to have had a good idea that I would.  For his plans for me were far from over.

I don’t know how, but he began to enter my dreams.  Showing and telling me such haunting things that I wish I could have forgotten upon waking. One of the things he continually told me about were the primordial forces and the rise of Chaos.  That there would one day be a light magic user who was inhabited by a portion of Light; and a dark magic user inhabited by a portion of Darkness. That together their magic could end not just the world but existence itself. As time passed I came to dream of this Light and Darkness; but never when Everard visited me in my dreams which always happened on the night of the New Moon and the two nights before it.

It was during those dreams of Light and Darkness that I came to realize my destiny.  I am the Harbinger of Darkness.  I will call the Light and see the Darkness show itself, announcing the rise and growth of Darkness.  I don’t understand it or know why; but I am certain my fate as the Harbinger will be locked in place this day. Which is why I am writing to you, my fellow light magic user. Because those dreams have also told that I am the Light Bringer. I am the light magic user that comes before you, the one who is inhabited by a portion of Light.  It is to you that I write this warning.

Everard Spade is ancient and strong.  Older than any person has a right to be.  It is little wonder that he has gone mad.  Seeking out knowledge and making plans that will let him finally, truly, have the peace and rest he so desperately desires. But how does one kill Death?  Mana knows I have tried.  Tried to give him the death he wants and justly deserves. In the years following that Summer Solstice he has haunted and tormented my every step.  And I have tried and failed to rid the world of him and give him the eternal sleep he wants. I thought I had finally succeeded. That you and this dark magic user would be spared of his plans.  The world safe from his aims.  But I fear I was wrong. Though small and faint, I feel his presence once more. I fear I only succeeded in killing the body.  A body I know no soul could still reside in.  I saw that body burn to ash. I incinerated it with my magic.  But somehow the life force that had been within that body is growing and among us once more. Whether because of a curse.  A spell gone wrong.  Or a cruel twist of fate.  The man that calls himself Death lives on.”

Comments are VERY MUCH appreciated and really make my day.  Thank you to those who have left hearts.  And a special THANK YOU to those who have recently commented or re-blogged. It really means a lot.

Next chapter snippet:

Julius’ eyebrows pulled together.  He didn’t like Jax thinking he was right.  He didn’t want to be right.  It had been a crazy theory at the time.  It was still a crazy thought.  Just because what they had learned last night further pointed to such a possibility didn’t make the idea any less insane.  But given everything else; talk of Chaos and primordial forces, and crazy zealots who wanted to end everything to start a new beginning.  Was the notion that they were dealing with someone that old really that insane?

[talpup]

Summary: Yami Sukehiro just wanted to join the Magic Knights and make his mentor proud.  He knew there would be trails.  He knew trouble would come his way.  Knew he would be faced with discrimination for being a foreigner and a peasant.  What he didn’t know.  Didn’t expect.  Was that literal Chaos would come his way.  That he and his mentor’s sister would be at the center of world ending trouble.  Or that he would fall in love with his mentor’s sister and face more than discrimination; but the jealously of Nozel Silva who loved the same woman he did.

Please remember this fic is rated mature and has warnings of violence, abuse, sexual tension, eventual sexual behavior, and other possible triggers.  For a full list of story tags please check the fics AO3 (link to that at the top of my tumblrs homepage).

Cause I’m impatient to share and all the manga I read are taking a week off, here’s the final chapter of Book I.  ******FYI I’ll be starting a new ‘work’ over on ao3 for Book II so please be aware and be on the look out for that and know that though this work will say complete on ao3, the fic isn’t finished.******

While the fic has had plently of breadcrumbs scattered about.  This chapter has LOTS of hidden and not so hidden nuggets about the Chaos plotline and what’s to come.

Chapter 83

Yami woke up on the dawn of December twenty-first.  At least he figured it was morning.  After being in a cold, damp, dark cellar filled with spirits he wasn’t allowed to drink for two days, Yami’s internal clock was likely a bit off.  He didn’t know where they were.  Three nights ago Julius had time jumped him and Jax here while Greywright had used his transportation charm to portal himself, Teris, and Julius’ Vice Captain Jon somewhere else.

Neither group was suppose to know where the other was.  Though that wasn’t entirely the case for Yami and Teris.  Their heightened sense of each others mana allowed Yami to sense the direction and relative distance Teris was from him.  Though he couldn’t say exactly where she was, he would've been able to track his way to her with ease.  It was why Yami thought this plan entirely needless and stupid.  Not that he’d ever lead the Agents of Chaos to Teris if they found him.  He’d kill them all or die trying before he ever did that.

Yami sat up and stretched his sore neck.  Three nights on cold, damp cobble stone floor wasn’t good for anyone.

“Morning.” Jax greeted.  He saw the tenting of Yami’s pants and looked away, clearing his throat.  “Wanna take care of that?”

Yami ignored the Captain's question.  Bending his knees, he rested his forearms on them, hiding the bulge as best he could.  “Where’s Julius?”

“Checking in with Bronn and getting breakfast.”  Jax answered.

“Not checking in with Greywright?”  Yami questioned.

“Julius couldn’t check in with them even if he wanted.  You know that. It’s safest that way.”  Jax told.

“At least you know where we are.”  Yami complained, looking about the cellar.

“One more day.  Once the sun sets, we can go back home and sleep in our own beds.”

“And see Teris.”  Yami added.

The Captain smirked and stretched, back popping.  “I’m getting too old for missions like this.”

“You’re not that old.  I mean you’re old.  But not ancient.”  Yami said.

Jax huffed.  “Thanks.  I no longer feel bad about your embarrassment over your personal camp ground.”

Yami parted his arms, hands spread.  “Who said I was embarrassed?” Mana, would the thing just go down already.  He had to pee.

“Damn it, Yami!  Have some of decency if not shame.”  Jax might've made a quip back about camp size it were Bronn; but Bronn was his closest friend next to Julius.  The two had come up the ranks together. Always looking out for each other, it was obvious to all that Bronn wouldn’t be where he was if it weren’t for Jax.  But Jax would argue that he wouldn’t be Captain let alone alive if it weren’t for Bronn.

Yami rested his forearms back on his knees.

After a moment Jax asked.  “You can still sense Teris’ mana, right?  It hasn’t moved.”

“She’s still were she was.”  Yami said.  “I still don’t get the point in separating us when we can sense each other.  They could just spell Teris or I into leading them to the other.”

Jax sighed at Yami’s reiterated complaint.  “They’d have to find one of you.  Have a mage capable of compelling you.  And then travel over there.”

“I’ve seen the numbers Alowishus has following him.  I can only imagine the number of Spatial Mages he has to portal such a group.”  Yami argued, recalling the mass of people he saw the morning of the Summer Solstice.

“It’s still an extra step and it makes us feel better.  Stop being difficult for the spite of it.”  Jax snapped.

Yami huffed and got to his feet.

“Where you going?”  Jax questioned.

“To pee.  Care to watch?”

Jax rubbed his weary face.  They were all cranky and tired.  Honestly, it was a wonder Yami wasn’t more temperamental, having been locked inside for six days now.  At least when at the Black Bulls base for those first three days windows provided natural light and fresh air; never mind space to get away from each other.  After being holed up in a windowless cellar for the last three days, Jax was even more certain that he and Yami and would get on as Captain and Vice Captain.  That was if he didn’t kill Yami before this final day was done.

Yami returned, appearing from behind stacked casks of aging brandy.  “If we make till sundown think we could take a barrel or two to celebrate?”

Jax smirked, liking how the man thought.  “No.  But we’ll go out and I’ll cover your tab for the night.”

“I’ll hold you to that and see you regret it.”  Yami grinned.

Before Jax could reply Julius appeared, his form piecing back together.

Yami’s mouth watered at the smell of food.  He grabbed the covered basket out of the Azure Deers Captain's hands and opened it up.  Finally! After two mornings of oatmeal, Julius had brought bacon and sausage.

“I love you.”  Yami breathed.

“Thanks.” Julius said, uncertainly.

“He was talking to the food.”  Jax said.

Julius arched an eyebrow.

“What? He’s still growing.”  Jax defended.

“I hope not.  He’s as tall as me.”  Julius said.

Jax laughed.  “You wish!  He’s taller.”

“Is not.”  Julius argued.

Jax looked over at Yami who closed his eyes and threw his head back as he chewed.  “Sorry to be the one to tell you this, Julius.  But the kid’s nearly a full inch taller than you.”

“Yami. Come here.”  Julius called.

“What?” Yami gruffed, between chews.

“Stand up and come here.”  Julius ordered.

Yami got to his feet and moved to the Captain’s, taking another rasher of bacon as he did.  “What?”

Julius stood in front of Yami, blue eyes skimming him from toe to head.  He stepped back and shot Jax a frowning pout.  “Shut up.”

Jax laughed.  “I have no control over the boys growth spurts.”

Yami looked between the Captain's deciding now was the best time to broach the matter.  “As it’s our last day here.  Either of you wanna tell me what’s got you both so spooked about the Wizard Kings Advisor?”

Julius and Jax’s heads snapped to Yami, any lighthearted semblance of play evaporating in an instant.

“Wha-- Where did that come from?  There’s nothing spooking us about Advisor Ellara.  She—”

“If you had kept shut I might’ve been able to salvage this.”  Jax cut in over Julius, thinking his friend a terrible liar.

Julius turned on Jax.  “What did you tell him?”

“Nothing.” Jax said.  “It’s what we, or rather our Ki, told him.”  He looked at Yami.  “Right?”

Yami gave a nod.

“You just confirmed it though.  So...”  Jax patted Julius’ back. “Good job.”

Yami didn’t say that their Ki had confirmed it as soon as Advisor Ellara was mention.  Instead he watched the two Captain's, waiting for reply.

Eyebrows pinched with worry, Julius turned to Yami.  “We don’t know anything for sure.  So please don’t go doing something stupid.”

Yami’s muscles tensed.  “What’s going on that you think I’d do something?”

“No.” Jax shook his head.  “I’m not ready to bring you in on this yet.”

Yami turned to his Captain, expression darkening.  “You’re going do what Jorah did and leave us in the dark?”

“Sir Jorah.”  Jax corrected, frayed temper struggling not to rise at Yami’s accusation.  “And we won’t keep it from you for long.”

“Sure you won’t.”  Yami rolled his eyes.

“Yami--” Jax bit back an irritated censure and sighed.  “We won’t.  It’s just…  With everything going on right now I’m not telling you, alright.”

“Then don’t.  Let Julius tell me.”  Yami said.

“Not today.”  Jax growled out.

“Then when?”  Yami pressed.

Jax sighed heavily.  He scratched his forehead, considering a moment. “After Bronn’s retired and married.  We’ll start the new year, and your and Teris’ time as Vice Captain with that problematic bit of information.  Happy?”

Yami turned to Julius.

“Don’t look at him.  I’m your Captain.”  Jax snapped.

Yami glared, almost arguing that Julius was future Wizard King.

Jax’s expression hardened.  “Scowl all you like.  You just might change my mind into waiting longer.”

Yami turned away and went back to his breakfast.

Julius and Jax shared a look.  Both silently hoped that Bronn caught Ellara in the act of something so Yami and Teris could be kept well away from that particular mess.

83.2

While Greywright’s army men were capable of watching, listening, and relaying intel; his magic was better suited for close combatant and protective shielding.  With so many of his magics army men currently active and stationed in hidden areas around the property, they were little more than a type of motion sensor for an early warning system.

The Magic Knights Commander would’ve preferred actual Magic Knights positioned outside, along with two or three squads within.  He had re-read Yami and Teris’ reports of all their dealings with the Agents of Chaos.  The numbers Yami had seen on morning of the Summer Solstice was considerable.  Even if most of that force was untrained with middle to low mana levels, their numbers alone would be able to overwhelm with relative ease if they attack en masse.  And that wasn’t even accounting for the magic negating mage Yami and Teris had dealt with; or Alowishus Spade himself, who had somehow been unaffected by Julius’ time magic during their fight on the morning of the Summer Solstice.

Low light streamed in through shuttered windows.  The day was nearing its end, the sun almost completely set.  Yet Greywright’s focus and tension didn’t lessen.  It might've been the longest day of the year; but it felt like the longest day of his life.

So much depended on what happened during this last bit of daylight.  Not just for Yami and Teris, or this Chaos business they were trying to stop; but for Greywright’s own life.  His work, his friendships, the Magic Knights as a whole could be effected for better or worse this day.

If Bronn came back and reported having seen Ellara meeting with members of the Agents of Chaos, it wouldn’t matter if they kept Yami and Teris safe.  Chaos would descend upon the Order of Magic Knights that was Greywright’s life and love.  Doubt and suspicion would be cast upon the man Greywright had spent his career serving.  What would Sir Jorah do?  What would happen to the man?  Would Sir Jorah’s tenure as Wizard King be forced to an end?  Would Sir Jorah’s time as Wizard King be forever scarred?  Would all the good the Wizard King had done be forever forgotten under the stigma of Ellara’s betrayal?

Greywright shook such thoughts away.  Bronn could just as easily return with nothing to report, saying Ellara had stayed late at Magic Investigations as she was known to do.  Instead of worrying about possibilities he couldn’t control, he had to focus on what he could.

With only a twenty minutes left until the sun dipped below the horizon, now was possibly the most dangerous time of all.  If the Agents of Chaos found them, they would be desperate to get Yami and Teris to the ritual sight before the sun set.  Greywright had fought his fair share desperate people.  With nothing to lose, they were perhaps the most deadly and fearsome foes of all.

Greywright’s muscles spasmed in complaint when his already tense neck and shoulders tensed further.  “Someone’s coming.”  He usually wasn’t so tightly wound.  His years of experience had left him calm and ready for anything.  Or so he had thought.  But there was no amount of experience that could leave one ready for the possibly of confirming that your co-worker and counterpart was a traitor serving a zealotous group that wanted to unleash Chaos and end the world.

“You and Teris stay back.”  Greywright ordered Jon.  His gaze locked on Teris.  “Remember what I said.”  His eyes twitched and narrowed. “I’m not Julius, Jax, or Fuegoleon.  I expect you to follow orders without word or reinterpreting.”

Teris swallowed and stared.  Despite what might be outside, a small part of her was awed and envious.  How was it that with mere look and tone of voice Greywright could made her fear him more than what might be coming?  This was the man she admired.  The man who held the rank and position she wanted to achieve.  Would she ever be able to make someone fear with just a look and inflection?  Would she ever be so sure and confident?  The man didn’t even wait for her to nod.  Not that she would've been able to.

The Knights Commander had long since gone over his orders of what she should do if the Agents of Chaos came.  There was no doubt in Teris’ mind that she wouldn’t be able to obey.  She could never light travel away and leave Greywright and Jon to fight.

Where Jax would've given the same orders, telling Teris obey and not to be stupid.  Greywright had told her not to be prideful.  Teris glowered at the retreating Commander.  She didn’t think it prideful to want to stay and help fight.

Teris’ heart pounded in her chest.  She could easily sense Yami’s mana pool.  He hadn’t moved from the spot he had been in for these passed three days.  If they caught her, there were any number of ways the Agents of Chaos could magically force her to lead them to Yami. Her mouth turned as dry as the dust motes around them as Jon urged her into an inner room with one entry and no windows.

They were in the abandoned, boarded up estate of the defunct noble House Glesse.  The family having been stripped of everything immediately after it was learned Lord Glesse had hired Cin and his gang to kill Nozel.  Wrong as it felt to be in the house of the man who had tried to have Nozel murdered.  At least is was comfortable.  All be it cold and dark, as Greywright didn’t allow fires or candles, even during the night.

Jon standing protectively in front of her, Teris tiptoed trying to see over his shoulder; not that there was anything to see other than the wall she’d been staring at for three days.  Her gut churned.  They had made it this far.  There were less than twenty minutes left till sundown.  Her teeth gritted, hands curling into fists.  There was no way they were going to do to Yami what they’d done to her on the Summer Solstice.  She refused to let them use her to find Yami. She’d kill every single one of them first.  She’d rather die.

Greywright relaxed when his guarding army men alerted there was only one person. That was until he saw who the person was.  Ellara Shaw.  He glanced back making sure Jon had moved Teris to the safe room then made for the front door.

Greywright waited out on the front landing.  When the Advisor got close enough for them to talk without raised voices, he asked.  “What are you doing here?”

Ellara squinted at the low hanging sun.  “I could ask you the same.  This isn’t where you were suppose to house Yami and Teris.”

“The place was compromised.”  Greywright said, hating that it could very well be true if Ellara was indeed working with the Agents of Chaos.

“How so?”  Ellara questioned.

Instead of answering, Greywright looked passed her asking a question of his own.  “You alone?”

“As if your magics army men didn’t see and report as much to you.” Ellara said.

Greywright’s eyes narrowed.  Ellara knew the limitations of his magic.  She also knew his connection with his army men was more of a sense or daydream depending on how many and how far they were from him.  Calling that connection a ‘report’ was more than generous.  It was completely inaccurate.  And with as precise as Ellara always was with her phrasing and word choice, something very unlike her to say.

At Greywright's expression, Ellara told.  “I may not be a Magic Knight but I know how not to be followed.  Jorah’s made it perfectly clear that Yami and Teris’ safety is of paramount importance.”

Greywright frowned.  Ellara never spoke the Wizard Kings name without a title of respect.

Ellara looked passed him to the door.  “They inside?”

“How’d you find us?”  Greywright asked.

Ellara crossed her arms, a toying glint in her eyes.  “Teris is a royal lady.  Hiding her in some distillery with no bed or proper bathroom would hardly suit.”

Greywright swallowed, heart quickening.  He was certain the mention of a distillery was to prove she knew where Yami was hidden.

She smiled.  “What’s the matter, Commander?  Getting a little paranoid after being holed up for three days?  Trust me.  If I was working for the Agents of Chaos and the Master of Chaos wanted those two, I would already have them in hand.”

83.3

Taking long shallow breaths, Bronn swallowed roughly, trying not to throw up.  Hitching a ride along side another Spatial Mages gate wasn’t something most Spatial Mages could do.  Nor was it something Bronn liked to do; and not just because the ability likely came thanks to his nobleman father.  Using a portal to tag-along with someone elses portal left him dizzy and vulnerable for a good few seconds.  But when a portal appeared before the Wizard Kings Advisor and she had walked through it, Bronn tethered a portal of his own to it and followed.

There were ten, fifteen minutes at most, before the sun completely set. Bronn knew he couldn’t lose Ellara now.  Not this close to the solstice.  He just hoped Jax, Julius, Greywright, and Jon had been able to keep Yami and Teris hidden and safe.

Bronn quickly crouched behind a shrub thirty meters away from Ellara and the cloaked figures she was meeting, and took in his surroundings. What were the Agents of Chaos doing at the geyser labyrinth?  Even with the labyrinth and its entrance disappeared, Bronn was sure of the location.  Though the geyser labyrinth shifted out of phase.  It always reappeared in the same spot.

Suddenly the ground beneath Bronn disappeared and he was falling.  He was deposited with a plop, the fifteen foot landing knocking the air out of him.  Rolling onto his back, he looked up to find Ellara, another woman, and two men staring down at him.

Bronn propped himself up on an elbow with a grunt, and critiqued.  “A halfway decent Spatial Mage knows how to stick the landing.”

“I did.”  The other woman said.

Bronn glanced from the other woman to Ellara, and greeted.  “Advisor, fancy seeing you here.”

Ellara frowned down at Bronn.  “You shouldn’t have followed me here, Vice Captain.  How did you?”

Bronn sat up.  “I call it ‘hitching a ride’.  Any Spatial Mage worth their salt would’ve felt me tagging along.  It slows the gate process and creates a sort of tugging tension.”  He looked at the other woman.  “Or is that how you knew I was here?”

“I knew you were here because you’ve been following me for the last three days.”  Ellara said.  “You’re not as good as you think you--”

“Seven.” Bronn interrupted, eyes fixing back on Ellara.  “I’ve been tailing you for the last seven days.  Guess you’re not as good as you think you are.”

Ellara glanced at one of the men, before telling Bronn again.  “You shouldn’t have followed me here.”

“And miss your ruined ritual when you couldn’t get a hold of those kids? Nah.  I just had to see your sorry faces for myself.”  Bronn said.

Ellara bent at the waist and grabbed Bronn roughly, fingers digging into his jaw.  “You’re far too early if that’s what you wanted to see. There is no ritual tonight.”

“I don’t believe you.”  Bronn glared.

“You really have no clue, do you?”  Ellara sighed, tone caught between reproachful and amused.  “No wonder Greywright humored Captain’s Julius and Jax in changing the location and hid Yami and Teris in that house and distillery.”

Bronn’s blood ran cold.  Though he didn’t know where either Yami or Teris were, Ellara sounded far too sure of herself.

Ellara released him, expression disgusted.  “Commander Greywright’s days of tolerating Captain's Julius and Jax in their workings against me will come to an end.  A transformation mage is meeting with him as we speak to secure my innocence in his mind.  Your death will be meaningless.  You really shouldn’t have followed me, Vice Captain. Senior Healer Gilly Shae deserved better.”

“You keep her name off your filthy traitor lips or I’ll kill you!” Bronn hollered.  He tried to portal away but couldn’t.

“If the two favored and chosen by Darkness and Light couldn’t use their magic unless I willed it.  What makes you think you’d be able to?” Calen questioned.  “You’re not going anywhere, Vice Captain.”

“Leave him.”  Alowishus commanded.  “It’s almost time.”

“I thought you said there was no ritual.  Leave it to a bunch of crazies to be a pack of liars.”  Bronn spat.

“There is no ritual.  This is a revival.”  Alowishus said.

“Revival? What’s that mean?”  Bronn demanded.  He wasn’t all that curious, though Jax and Julius would be grateful for any info he gave when he got out of here.  …If he got out of here.

Don’t think like that, he scolded himself.  Gilly was waiting for him.  He had promised her that he’d be back.  Bronn had broken his fair share of promises in his life; but never once had he broken a promise to Gilly.  He wasn’t about to start now.  He just had to keep these crazies talking until an opening for a way out presented itself.

Alowishus looked to the setting sun, the barest curve of light still visible but shrinking fast.  “To awaken Chaos more than the rituals of Light and Darkness must be preformed.  We must create our own chaos as offering.”

“Haven’t you pack of lunatics created enough chaos already?”  Bronn goaded.

Alowishus held up a hand, staying his followers from attacking the Vice Captain for his disrespect.  He had heard worse over the course of his life. “My offering will be something truly remarkable.”  Alowishus thought of the skull of his long dead father, memory of the skulls words ringing in his ears.  “What many would say is impossible.”

“What?” Bronn scoffed.  “You gonna drop this nonsense, admit you’re crazy, and suddenly turn sane?”

Bronn’s head wrenched to the side, Calen’s hit resounding off the trees lining the meadow.

Alowishus bent down, mismatched eyes boring into Bronn.  “I’m going to end this world so I never have to mess with nonsense ever again.  Does that count?”

Bronn growled, wiping the blood from his bitten lip with a shirt sleeve.

Alowishus dusted himself off and stood.  “But before I make the Darkness end the Light, I must see myself strengthened so history doesn’t repeat itself.”

Bronn snarled.  “If you think you can make that boy kill Black Sheep, you’re dead wrong.  There’s no manipulation magic or threat to anothers life that’ll make Yami Sukehiro end Teris Nova.”

Alowishus smirked and turned away,  “It’s time.”

The ground swirled around Alowishus as he stepped away from his followers, and Bronn.  He stopped where the entrance to the labyrinth would've been just as the sun vanished beneath the horizon.  Arms extending, Alowishus’ eyes closed.

His mana built as he focused on the residual, and once well known, mana of a long dead soul.  He was Death.  It wasn’t in his nature to give life.  But that didn’t mean he was incapable of doing so, in his own twisted fashion.  People said death was a terrible and unfair thing.  That it took and stole.  If that was the case, wasn’t taking someone from their peace by stealing them from death unfair?  After all, to Alowishus' mind there was nothing more terrible than forcing someone to live.

The ground trembled and split open.

Bronn jumped to his feet.  “What’s he doing?”

“You heard the Master.  Revival.”  Calen said, a look of awe washing over his face.

Bronn turned to Ellara.  “This isn’t you, lass.  I don’t know you well but I know that this isn’t you.  You’ve spent your life serving the Clover Kingdom.  Serving Jorah.”

Ellara looked at him.  “My bed was made long ago.”  Her eyes traveled back to her husband.  “I must continue to lie in it.”

A great explosion of dirt and rock erupted in front of Alowishus.  He crumbled to his knees, weakened from his efforts.

Calen, Ellara, and Misandre made for him.  Bronn tore his gaze away from the scene.  If he made a break for it, he might have a chance.  The Mage blocking his magic had to have some sort of limit.  If he could just get far enough away...

Before Bronn could take a step, the ground swallowed him up to his knees.

Alowishus looked over his shoulder at him.  “You came all this way.  It would be a shame if you left and missed everything.”

Bronn’s breath caught.  The inky black pools of Alowishus' eyes were just how Teris had described Yami’s eyes when the force inside him took over.

Seeing his followers near, Alowishus ordered.  “Stay back.”

Fingers digging into the soil, Alowishus closed his eyes.  In his weakened state he could literally feel the thrum of life around him. It sicken him, the way he could could hear it cry out for mercy.  The only mercy was death Alowishus thought; wishing someone would show Death such mercy.

Focusing and condensing his mana, Alowishus exhaled, pulling his mana out of him.  A tarry, purple-black mass churned around him in a thick, volatile cloud.  The surrounding trees and shrubs shriveled and fell over.

Bronn looked down at his hands, seeing them whither before his eyes.  He had seen enough dead in various stages of decay to know what was happening.

“He’s taking our life force.”  Bronn told the others.

“You’re already dead anyway.”  Misandre said.

Ellara’s heart hammered in her chest, fear and excitement coursing through her veins.  “The Master is only taking the life force of the earth.  If we were any closer we’d have cause for concern.  This far away. There will be no lasting effects.”

Bronn was about to appeal to Ellara again when Alowishus released a blood curling roar that shook the earth and very air they breathed.

With a shout, Alowishus pushed the collected life force into the residual mana of the long dead soul.

Still kneeling on the ground, Alowishus fell to all fours, spent.

“Watch him.”  Ellara ordered the others before rushing to Alowishus.  She knelt beside him and gripped his shoulder, helping him sit up on his knees.   Her hand blackened and rotted at the contact.  But she ignored the pain, certain her husband and Master would see her healed before she returned to her role as Advisor.

Alowishus panted, face pale from exertion.  “I did it.  I brought the dead to life.”

Ellara exhaled.  Her concern for her husband growing as her fear over what he had attempted to do waned.  Despite what Alowishus thought.  It hadn’t worked.  Captain Shadow Banashe did not stand before them.

“Help me up.  I want to be on my feet when I see her for the last.” Alowishus said.

Ellara did as her Master bid, breathing through the mouth least she retch at the decaying stench of him.

Alowishus took a moment to steady himself before nudging her away.  “Get back with the others.”

Ellara stepped back.

With the sun completely disappeared beneath the horizon it was difficult to see.  That was until…  A wild wind whipped up.  Flashes of yellow lightening struck the ground in front of Alowishus, illuminating their surroundings.

A gold glowing ghost appeared.  The specter looked down at her see through hands then up at the Master of the Agents of Chaos.  “What have you done!”

Bronn and the Agents of Chaos stared at the long dead Captain of the Azure Deers.

“I told you, Shadow.  I would have your heart.”  Alowishus said.

A long ago memory of a lazy day sitting on a grassy knoll with the man she thought might be her future filled her mind.

“You’re beautiful, Shadow.  Nearly magnificent.”

Shadow laughed.  “Nearly magnificent?  Is this how you woo all women?”

The handsome man she was slowly falling in love with took her hand and turned to her.  “There are no other women.  It is my goal to have you.  I will have your heart, Shadow Banashe.”

Shadow shook her head and tried to step back.  She tried to travel to the nearest light source; her method of light travel.  But she couldn’t move or use her magic.

“Sorry. I was unable to fully restore you.”  Alowishus apologized, almost tenderly.

Ellara stepped back involuntarily.  She couldn’t believe Alowishus had actually done it.  To bring someone so long dead back to life.  It was truly extraordinary.  Truly terrifying.

Shadow pleaded with the man before her.  “Everard--

Alowishus cut her off.  “I am no longer the man you knew, Shadow.  My name is Alowishus Spade.”

“I don’t care what life you live.  Or what name you use for it.  You are Death.”  Shadow spat.

“That I am.”  Alowishus agreed.  “I wish I had been around to warn you not to go on that mission.  Dying down there couldn’t have been easy.  But you saw to it that I was out of the picture; and as they say, it all worked out in the end, at least for me.”

“Please, Everard. Don’t do this.  If you do this you will never come back from it. There will be no help for you.”  Shadow told.

“I don’t need help.  I need your heart.  The essence of your power.” Alowishus said.

Shadow looked to those behind him.  “Don’t let him do this!  He’ll be unstoppable.  He’ll see the world destroyed and all of existence with it.”

Alowishus’ eyes turned an iridescent black.  “They won’t stop me.  They couldn’t if they tried.  But you are right, Shadow.  And so was I.” His eyes returned to normal, expression softening for a fraction of a second.  “You were nearly magnificent.”  He said, recalling Yami and Teris on the morning of the Summer Solstice.  “And once I devour you heart, there will be no stopping me.  With your heart, I will be able to face the Ray of Annihilation with no fear. Poetic really.  That the light magic user of the previous age would help me destroy this ages light magic user.  Chaos has a way of bending Destiny to his will.  Does he not?”

He thrust out an arm, hand piercing Shadow’s stomach to reach up under her ribs.

“I feel it.”  Alowishus smiled.  “Your essence.  Your power.  To think I once thought you beautiful and extraordinary.  You are nothing, Shadow.  Weak compared to Teris Nova.  She is magnificent. The wheedler of Light itself.  The perfect opposite of Darkness.  She is fearsome and great.  But with this.”  He pulled his hand back holding Shadow’s heart which glowed brightly with a warm golden light.  “With this I will be the Ray of Annihilation’s end and see the Lord of Destruction tear this paltry existence apart.”

Alowishus squeezed the heart.

Shadow screamed, her eyes glowing gold.  Her heart, her mana, her very essence condensed in Alowishus' hand.

“Goodbye, my dear.”  Alowishus whispered.  His hand snapped shut.

Shadow’s phantom vanished.

The glow in Alowishus’ hand dimmed by half and spread throughout his body.

Alowishus gritted his teeth.  He threw his head back in pain.  His arms shot out wide and straight, body spamming violently.  He was Death.  He and Chaos had fathered the Darkness.  He was the enemy and opposite of Life.  And he had just taken in a fraction of the power of Life and Chaos’ own child.  Light.

Alowishus collapsed to his hands and knees.  Looking down at his hands he saw the once decaying flesh return to it’s previous state, taking on a healthy color the appendages had never had for as long as he’d worn them.  He pulled up his sleeves where the scars from countless replacements were no longer heal-able.  Those scars now faded and vanished.

“I did it.”  Alowishus breathed, hardly able to believe it himself. He got to his feet and roared up at the sky.  “I did it!”

If only his father and grandfather had been here to see.  If only the skull he tormented, that tormented him in turn was active and awake for more than the three nights surrounding the new moon.

Ellara rushed to Alowishus and was caught up in his arms.  Alowishus hugged her before setting her down and making his way to the rest of his followers and Bronn.

Bronn sneered at Ellara.  “I see why you’re betraying Jorah and the Clover Kingdom.  You’re more than a follower.  Your part of his harem.”  He glanced at Alowishus’.  “You know she and one of my men constantly fuc--”  Bronn choked, a mass of thorns swelling inside his throat.

“There’s no need to be crude, Vice Captain.  You’re death will go that much easier for you if you don’t aggravate.”  Alowishus said, ceasing the plant magic he could tap into through a replaced right foot.

Bronn spit out bloody thorns.  His raw, cut throat and mouth turning his graveled voice hoarse.  “You gonna pull out my heart too?”

“Of course not.  But I will take your hands for Misandre.”  Alowishus turned to Ellara.  “You never said the Black Bulls Vice Captain had such ability and power.  I would’ve ordered him taken.  Especially after Erskin’s death.”

“I... was unaware.”  Ellara said.

Bronn’s eyes narrowed.  Ellara may not have known that he could hitch a ride with another Spatial Mage.  But after years of mission reports, she had known he was a powerful and highly capable Spatial Mage.  He was certainly better than the Spatial Mage they had towing them around.

“You knew.”  Bronn said.  “Mana level and magically ability was the only thing my no good father gave to me.”

Ellara turned on him.  “You dare lie in your last hour of life?  The only thing I knew you were good for was getting drunk and causing trouble.”

“Enough, wife.”  Alowishus ordered.

“Wife?” Bronn echoed.

“The Vice Captain's perchance for falsehood is well known.  There’s no reason that you wouldn’t have informed us of his ability when you knew Misandre could have used the help.”  Alowishus said.

Ellara settled.

Misandre lowered her head and looked away.

“You’re married to this creep?”  Bronn asked Ellara in disbelief.  He shook his head.  “Well if that doesn’t explain a lot.  You could’ve done so much better, lass.  He could be your what?  Father? Grandfather?”

“Countless times over.”  Alowishus said, though his followers only knew the half of it.

“Really?” Bronn looked up at him, squinting in the low moonlight.  “You don’t look it.  I mean you look like crap.  But to be several decades older...  I suppose you look halfway decent then.”

Calen stepped forward offended on his Master's behalf.

Alowishus lifted a staying hand.  “They’re only words from a man who knows he’s about to die.”

Bronn gritted his teeth.  The crazy bastard was right in that.  He was dead no matter what he did.  Was dead the moment he had hitched a ride and arrived here.  He had been in enough fights to know when one was decided before it begun.  Fighting would get him nothing but a messy, drawn out death.  He’d be a liar if he said he didn’t fear death. But he was more concerned with bravely meeting his end.

Bronn sighed, roughly rubbing a hand over his face.  “So this night really wasn’t about those two troublemakers, was it?”

Alowishus didn’t see a reason not to explain.  Not when the Vice Captain couldn’t escape.  Leaving a dead mans questions unanswered seemed heartless.  And while his long life may have made him cruel, he wasn’t heartless.

“While any Winter Solstice will see Yami Sukehiro at his most connected to the force within him.  A regular ritual of Darkness would not achieve our end goal of awakening Chaos.  No.  This night really wasn’t about Yami and Teris.  The ritual that will see Darkness descend will be something as unique and extraordinary as Yami himself.  Good attempt at keeping them safe though.  I’m surprised they allowed themselves to be separated.”  Alowishus taunted.

Bronn’s lip curled, remembering the fuss Yami and Teris had made.  “They weren’t given a choice.”

His eyes skimmed the dry, dead earth and fallen trees.  He wished he could warn Jax just how out of their depth they were.  That despite all their care, Alowishus and his Agents of Chaos knew where Yami and Teris had been hidden.  That their foe was so much more powerful than they could imagine.  He wished he could grab and squeeze Yami’s neck one last time.  Or better, fight him.  He wished he could tell the Lord of Destruction to give those royals a right good lesson when he fought to free Black Sheep from her family.  He wished he could be there when Yami and Teris invariably caused trouble as Vice Captain’s and tell Jax ‘I told you so’.  But Bronn’s greatest wish was that he could hold Gilly one last time.  That he could tell her how sorry he was he had broken his promise and wouldn’t be back to marry her.

“You seem like a nice man, Vice Captain.”  Alowishus said.

“I’m not.”  Bronn huffed.  “Ask anyone.  I’m a right old bastard.”

“Then I suppose you won’t tell us all that your Commander Greywright, Captain Jax, and Teris’ brother know and suspect.”  Alowishus said.

“That’d be right.”  Bronn said.

“It’s no matter.  Ellara.”  Alowishus commanded.

Ellara stepped in front of Bronn.  Though her expression was haughty, her eyes held a sort of sadness.  “Forgive me, Vice Captain.  Forced memory access is hardly pleasant.”

“I think you’ll be the one finding it unpleasant, lass.”  Bronn told.

Thinking he meant what she would find in his memories, Ellara’s eyes milked over.  She screamed the instant her mind connected with his.  The pain was like a hot poker being driven through her head into the center of her brain.

She staggered.  Calen steadied her.

Bronn cried out, Alowishus magically compressing the earth that had swallowed the bottom half of his legs.  The snapping of Bronn’s bones only slightly muffled by the compacted soil.

Holding her head, Ellara assured.  “I’m alright.”

Alowishus allowed the ground to ease.

Bronn fell forward, arms holding him up.  He forced a chuckle through the pain.  “Warned you, didn’t I?”

“That was more than just a mind block.”  Alowishus said.

“What? You think you’re the only one’s who can think of ways to hurt people?  Me and my lot can get real creative when we have to.” Bronn told.

Alowishus sneered.  “I should have figured.”

“Guess you’re not as smart and informed as you think you are.”  Bronn sassed.

Ignoring the taunt, Alowishus turned to Ellara.  “Are you alright?”

Ellara nodded.  Though no longer hot, it still felt like a poker was lodged in her head.

“Misandre. See my wife home and bring Liva back before she does something out of Ellara’s character that might make someone question.” Alowishus ordered.

“What are you going to do?”  Ellara asked, fighting a glanced at Bronn.

“Calen and I will make the Vice Captain's death as painful as possible, then take his hands and leave the rest for his people to find.” Alowishus looked down at Bronn with a sympathy that was ruined by a small smirk.  “I’m sorry to say, you’ll be missing your wedding, Vice Captain.”

83.4

Yami stepped among an inky blackness that had no up or down, no beginning or end.  He would’ve thought such a space would make him disoriented.  Dizzy even.  But he felt none of those things.  After all this space was his and him at once.

He surveyed the expanse waiting for crazy, happy, killer voice to start going on about how Light could not survive without the Darkness.  But it never happened.  Instead he saw that all was not right within his space.  There was a faint, flickering light far off in the void.  He wanted to get closer to see what it was, and suddenly he was.

Yami found himself standing behind his grandmother.  “Obāchan?”

The old woman turned to him.  “It is time, Sukehiro.”

“Time for what?”

“I used what was left of my magic to save you when you were a babe.  But there is magic in death.  And I am here to bestow that magic upon you.”  His Grandmother told.

Yami shook his head.  “No.  I won’t accept it.”

“It will serve me nothing, Sukehiro.  I will die either way.”

“Why?” Yami asked.

“I am an old woman.”  She said, keeping to herself just how old she was.

“Why give it to me?”

“You know why.  You face a great foe.”

“What do you know of Alowishus Spade?” Yami asked.

“Nothing more than you do.  But I know of his power.  It is Death itself.  The co-creator of your own power.  Darkness.  Why this very night he brought the dead to rise.”

“If he’s Death how can he do that?”  Yami questioned.

“Similar to you, his power is heightened on the shortest day of the year.  But be warned.  His power is greatest on the night of the new moon.”

Yami shook his head again.  “But they didn’t find us.  Their plans--”

“I know nothing of their plans other than Chaos is slowly stirring and it is because of Death.  He has somehow taken a piece of Lights essence--” “Teris...”

“Teris is fine. But now that Death has consumed a piece of Lights essence, she and the Light within her will not be able to stop him.  The only hope this world has left is you.”

Yami laughed.  He couldn’t help it.  “Then the world is screwed.  Sorry Obāchan, but I’m no hero.”

“Not even for Teris who you’re so fond of?”

“How do you--”

“I’m in your head, Sukehiro.  I know what you know.”

“That’s a scary thought.”  Yami quipped.

She felt her life slipping away. “We don’t have much time!  Sukehiro. You won’t remember this.  But you must tuck the knowledge away in your heart.  You must believe the truth so you will have the power you need when the time comes.  You do not have to lose yourself to the Darkness. Like Death now does, you will have your own essence of Light with you when it is time.  Use it.  That essence will be enough to keep you grounded.  It will make you remember who you are, and what you exist for.  It will bring you back from the Brink.”

“I don’t know what you mean.”

She took up his left hand and kiss his thumb.  “You will.  Never forget your chosen purpose.  And never forget who you are.  You carry the magic of three worlds within you.  You are the seventh son of a seventh son of a seventh son.  You are Darkness and the lover of Light.”

“I don’t want to forget!  Don’t leave me!”

She stepped to him pulling him into an embrace.  “You have a hard road ahead, but I know you will make it.  You have done so well.  I am so very proud of you, Sukehiro.”

With her last breath she pressed her lips to Yami’s forehead, channeling the magic of Death into him, and faded away.

I really hope you all enjoyed the end of what’s been my favorite arc of the fic to write thus far.  If you did, please leave a comment. And THANK YOU to those who have recently left comments or re-blogged.  They really mean a lot.

So who noticed my hints, and had doubts that this was Yami’s time? Did any of you pick-up on my death flags/warnings for Bronn?  Any thoughts or theories on what’s to come?  Questions are always welcomed.

Looking over stuff as I prepared to post the end of Book I, titled ‘Light’, I noticed the end of chapter3 was cut short.  Why did no one tell me??!  SORRY!!!  It’s only a few lines, but it’s now fixed and complete over on ao3.

This fic will be taking a three week break.  We’ll resume Tuesday posting on ***February 2*** and start Book II, titled ‘Dark’, off with a 3month time-skip and drama at the Star Awards Festival.