SephoraHer plan had worked. She had poured every ounce of fear and love and anger, every shred of her heart and soul into that shard of stone in her hands as she gave a mighty roar.The blast of her power being unleashed rippled across the crowds, people crying out and wailing in terror, just as that shimmering wave of atmosphere began to descend over the town. Only to be stopped by a blazing sheild of fire. The same sheild of fire she'd once used to stop Ambrose from falling to his death by the cove, Sephora now used it to sheild her family and her people from that toxic Igritann atmosphere.A small part of her trembled though, at the knowledge of what she was doing, at what she was sacrificing for her people. She knew she'd never be able to see her family again, but to loose Ambrose after all that had happened...Sephora's heart bled at the thought, but grit her teeth and continued to pour her soul into that stone. This was bigger than just herself and her mate, this was about the
SephoraHer plan had worked. She had poured every ounce of fear and love and anger, every shred of her heart and soul into that shard of stone in her hands as she gave a mighty roar.The blast of her power being unleashed rippled across the crowds, people crying out and wailing in terror, just as that shimmering wave of atmosphere began to descend over the town. Only to be stopped by a blazing sheild of fire. The same sheild of fire she'd once used to stop Ambrose from falling to his death by the cove, Sephora now used it to sheild her family and her people from that toxic Igritann atmosphere.A small part of her trembled though, at the knowledge of what she was doing, at what she was sacrificing for her people. She knew she'd never be able to see her family again, but to loose Ambrose after all that had happened...Sephora's heart bled at the thought, but grit her teeth and continued to pour her soul into that stone. This was bigger than just herself and her mate, this was about the f
AmbroseHis body trembled, his grazed and bloodied hands shaking. He wasn't entirely sure how he was still standing, not just from the exhaustion in his body, but from what he'd just witnessed - what his mate had just done.He'd been battling with Vince relentlessly, the sly devil had always been quick where he might have lacked power. But where Vince lacked power in his physical side - he'd more than made up for in his tactics and the strength of his Soulborn power. That hideous darkness had hit Ambrose again and again, obliterating several of his obsidian shields before Ambrose could even get close enough to scratch the dark Lord.And all the while, Ambrose had been bellowing for Sephora down their bond. Trying to warn her about the shard of veil-stone, that it would kill her, that he couldn't lose her again, not again. He could endure anything else but losing her.Because if Sephora died, there was nothing to stop this new side of Ambrose dying as well - the side that only his mate
The seven of them stood around the twin pyres in silence, watching the flames climb high into the sky, the wood splitting and crackling under the heat. The yellow of the flames reflected in each of their faces, sorrow and loss weighing down their steady gazes.Lady Valda's eyes were ringed with red once again, only this time the tears did not fall - she would never cry in the presence of Lord Rhonan, regardless of how she felt toward Lance and Megan. No, she had already cried in front of Sephora and Lord Daemon when she'd come out from seeing the healer, and that had been enough for the Winged Lady.There had been worry as to why her wing still hadn't healed 12 hours after she'd been hit by Vince's spear of darkness. Turns out he hadn't just shot through her bone in her wing, but through some vital arteries as well. Her accelerated healing had stopped her from bleeding out altogether, but in doing so had stopped the blood getting to the important muscles in her wing that helped her to
Sephora was kicking and screaming as they dragged her deeper into the forest. The night air was cold and bit at her pale skin until it sank into her very bones. But she didn't care, not as hands were gripping her arms and legs, while she thrashed in their hard grasp to try and get free. She growled in frustration and looked about her frantically; trying to determine how far it was back home, if she somehow managed to get free and make a run for it. But it was no use, the entire spread of the forest all looked the same, the towering pine trees above her started to look a lot like prison bars, as they still carried her deeper. She bucked and kicked again, thrashing and twisting, anything to relieve that iron grip on her arms and legs, but to no avail. This couldn't be how it all ended, she still had so much she wanted to see and do, so many days with her family that she'd looked forward to. She growled again at the four figures dragging her, their dark hooded faces r
[One day earlier] Sephora gave a sympathetic smile to the grocer after paying for a few cooking apples. But the poor woman didn't return the smile, instead she turned to her next customer, her tired grey eyes brimming with anxiety. Hardly a surprise really, everyone was afraid today. Today was the day of The Choosing. It was an event held every year on the day before the evening of Samhain; the night when the veil between the Mortal world and Igritann was at its thinnest. Whoever was deemed as The Chosen, would have the whole day of Samhain to do whatever they wished. Most of the time, it consisted of having one massive party, when everyone could get devastatingly drunk and have as much sex, food and drink as they could possibly feeling their stomach. For some people, they considered being The Chosen as the best way to go out. But once it reached midnight, The Chosen would be taken deep into the Leath Forest, where th
Sephora pulled back her auburn hair, clipping it back with a black clasp in a half-down half-up fashion, and smoothing down her grey winter dress. Although it wasn't yet winter, on the run up to Samhain the autumn humidity suddenly drops at a rapid pace. Nights become cold, and mornings are frosty - Sephora hates the cold. "Sephora?" Zach's little voice echoed down the staircase, down to where she stood waiting by the door. Sephora turned and grinned, to see her little brother clambering down the stairs with a smile that looked like he didn't have a care in the world. She wished she could share her brother's optimism about the world. It wasn't as though he was ignorant of the events that were occurring around him; he just chose not to let it get him down - you would never see him upset about anything, he could always find the good in things. Sephora loved him all the more for it. At the last of the steps, her brother hesitated and Sephora kn
Sephora grimaced for the fifth time after looking at herself in the mirror, whilst reaching blindly across the table for a hair pin, to hold back another section of thick auburn hair. She had not slept well. Despite the warmth of the thick duvet and the plushness of the pillows and soft mattress, Sephora couldn't get to sleep. The duvet was so high that it reached her chin and began to make her sweat, despite the cold autumn air. The mattress was too soft, so much so that she felt as though she were sinking and couldn't settle her limbs enough to relax; the pillows were no better, her head felt like she were drowning as the feather down pillows smothered her. And the room being so light and airy, and the curtains consisting of nothing but some thin netting; the sun had indeed come pouring in through the windows - waking Sephora up at the crack of dawn. Now, even as the clocks tolled for 1 pm, Sephora still had dark rings under her hazel eyes, making her cheekbones
The seven of them stood around the twin pyres in silence, watching the flames climb high into the sky, the wood splitting and crackling under the heat. The yellow of the flames reflected in each of their faces, sorrow and loss weighing down their steady gazes.Lady Valda's eyes were ringed with red once again, only this time the tears did not fall - she would never cry in the presence of Lord Rhonan, regardless of how she felt toward Lance and Megan. No, she had already cried in front of Sephora and Lord Daemon when she'd come out from seeing the healer, and that had been enough for the Winged Lady.There had been worry as to why her wing still hadn't healed 12 hours after she'd been hit by Vince's spear of darkness. Turns out he hadn't just shot through her bone in her wing, but through some vital arteries as well. Her accelerated healing had stopped her from bleeding out altogether, but in doing so had stopped the blood getting to the important muscles in her wing that helped her to
AmbroseHis body trembled, his grazed and bloodied hands shaking. He wasn't entirely sure how he was still standing, not just from the exhaustion in his body, but from what he'd just witnessed - what his mate had just done.He'd been battling with Vince relentlessly, the sly devil had always been quick where he might have lacked power. But where Vince lacked power in his physical side - he'd more than made up for in his tactics and the strength of his Soulborn power. That hideous darkness had hit Ambrose again and again, obliterating several of his obsidian shields before Ambrose could even get close enough to scratch the dark Lord.And all the while, Ambrose had been bellowing for Sephora down their bond. Trying to warn her about the shard of veil-stone, that it would kill her, that he couldn't lose her again, not again. He could endure anything else but losing her.Because if Sephora died, there was nothing to stop this new side of Ambrose dying as well - the side that only his mate
SephoraHer plan had worked. She had poured every ounce of fear and love and anger, every shred of her heart and soul into that shard of stone in her hands as she gave a mighty roar.The blast of her power being unleashed rippled across the crowds, people crying out and wailing in terror, just as that shimmering wave of atmosphere began to descend over the town. Only to be stopped by a blazing sheild of fire. The same sheild of fire she'd once used to stop Ambrose from falling to his death by the cove, Sephora now used it to sheild her family and her people from that toxic Igritann atmosphere.A small part of her trembled though, at the knowledge of what she was doing, at what she was sacrificing for her people. She knew she'd never be able to see her family again, but to loose Ambrose after all that had happened...Sephora's heart bled at the thought, but grit her teeth and continued to pour her soul into that stone. This was bigger than just herself and her mate, this was about the f
SephoraHer plan had worked. She had poured every ounce of fear and love and anger, every shred of her heart and soul into that shard of stone in her hands as she gave a mighty roar.The blast of her power being unleashed rippled across the crowds, people crying out and wailing in terror, just as that shimmering wave of atmosphere began to descend over the town. Only to be stopped by a blazing sheild of fire. The same sheild of fire she'd once used to stop Ambrose from falling to his death by the cove, Sephora now used it to sheild her family and her people from that toxic Igritann atmosphere.A small part of her trembled though, at the knowledge of what she was doing, at what she was sacrificing for her people. She knew she'd never be able to see her family again, but to loose Ambrose after all that had happened...Sephora's heart bled at the thought, but grit her teeth and continued to pour her soul into that stone. This was bigger than just herself and her mate, this was about the
Sephora let out a piercing scream of grief and rage as she watched that pink red Veil slowly ripple away like a wave drawing back into the sea. All sense and reason vanished from her mind as her knees buckled from beneath her and the world swayed from under her feet.She vaguely heard Ambrose roaring from behind her, followed by the clashing of steel. Lady Valda was crumpled in a heap on the bloodied ground, Lord Daemon's face was pale as he ran for her. Ravyn was still crouched over Joe, blood continuing to gurgle from the General's chest, his lips turning a feint shade of purple.But none of that mattered now.With tears streaming down her face, Sephora burst into a sprint with all her strength, toward the broken remains of the Veil-Stones.Massive, pale opal-like boulders and rocks lay scattered everywhere, armoured limbs left slightly exposed beneath them from where Ambrose's men had been too slow to get out of the way. Sephora ran
[Ambrose]The Lord of mountains sprinted toward the dark Lord with a earth rumbling growl. Not even waiting for Sephora to give the order to attack, before Ambrose was summoning spears of diamond and obsidian to his hands and hurling them with all his immortal strength.Vince had barely enough time to respond, before his grey eyes went wide and he dodged, summoning shields of black mist to block the oncoming attacks. After 500 years of knowing each other, they both knew how each other moved, knew how powerful each other's Soulborn power was.So it was hardly a surprise to see the fear flickering behind the dark Lord's eyes, hidden carefully behind that serpentine grin of his. He knew what Ambrose was capable of doing, knew what kind of terrors he could achieve with his power.Ambrose was barely holding that side of him at bay. The mere sight of Vince, already stirring his rage into something dark and wild.Punches and cannon balls of flame shot past Ambrose, their heat and intensity en
[Ravyn]The Shadow of Queen Sephora Beltane and Lord Ambrose Stone, laughed as she thrust both her blades into the stomachs of Vince's soldiers, not even waiting for their corpses to fall, before she moved onto the next. She was a whirling mist of death and fury. Fighting for her freedom, her people, an entire race who had no idea just how much the Queen loved them. And now, they stood a chance at winning - now the odds didn't look so impossible.Reinforcements had come. They had finally come, and boy - did Lady Valda train her legion well.Winged warriors, male and female alike, dropped from the skies like fallen angels. Scooping up grown men into the air, taking off and dropping them like a stone, or barreling them into a group of dark soldiers. Their incredible feathered wings tucked in tight, as some of them wielded swords or spears, their movements swift and graceful, despite the weight on their backs. They were a force to be reckoned with.It fired up Ravyn's own spirits enough,
[Sephora]The sky was still darkened with what seemed like a cloud of infinite smoke and death. The tidal wave of Vince's men continued to slam into Sephora and Ambrose's defenses. Though they were holding strong, a line of silver holding back the inky black darkness - the line was beginning to crumble and the men were starting to tire. They couldn't hold this up forever, something had to give.But they had no reinforcements. No reinforcements were coming to their aid.Over the sounds of battle cries and the screams of dying males and females, Sephora tried to wrap her mind around what that meant about the fate Veil-Stones. And more importantly, what it would mean for her family's fate, the fate of the Mortal world.Neither could she think of a solution. Those extra armies were all they had as a plan of defense, and now...Sephora's bloodied hands began shaking again, that familiar fear and hopelessness was beginning to paralyze her once again. New doubts began swimming around in her
Because if that sheild was broken, there was nothing stopping Vince from getting to the stones, and all it took was for one stone to be destroyed and the Veil would come down."Tell me what you're thinking."Ravyn turned her head to find Joe's powerful dark eyes focused on her, his face open in question, but his brow evidently laced with worry and nerves.The Shadow had to fight to form words, since her tongue had become leaden with anxiety. "I'm worried for Sephora and Ambrose." She confessed, surprised that she'd chosen to be honest with the General for once.Even Joe seemed to be surprised, his eyebrows raising a little, before forcing a light smile, "And what about me - you're not worried about me?"Ravyn couldn't help but roll her eyes, "No, I'm definitely not worried about you."Joe chuckled, "So cold, even to the end." His mouth twitched with laughter, but his smile didn't quite reach his eyes. "And what if I was to die tragically, heroically killed in battle? Would you still n