The Test of Bonds

[Rickter]

The Test of Bonds

Continuation From Here...

It was almost like an epic scene demonstrated in a play, or for better and worse, a surrealistic dream carried out by the synergetic ties between those present. Rickter and Telion spurred flame into action, generating a twister of flame from the very lodestone used to create the combination, while Talon and Aoren moved and unleashed an onslaught of their own combos. The tendrils of ichor quickly burned away from the flames that charred the very muscle and bone plating of the abomination, while the Avialae warriors danced with death to finish it in close proximity. Even from where he'd half lain Rickter could smell the foul stench of immolated flesh, the very being they struggled against becoming incinerated before finally Aoren reached out to coax at the flames.

Telion eased her way over to Rickter in hopes of helping him further, still concentrating on her casting as she kept her staff pointed in the one direction. Not much longer now. The blackened mob of towering flesh had darkened beyond recognition, the pained wail felt within the very fabric of Rickter's bones as he winced in turn. This thing needed to fucking die! The wolf felt the two men reaching out to each other, attempting to support one another through the Bond they all shared. He did too to an extent, still driven wild by whatever the hell consumed his mind. Yet the rage had started to die down now that exhaustion had started to settle in, the adrenaline coursing through his mind now lessening, as the abomination before them became a furnace which blasted apart from the ungodly amount of power thrown at it.

The heat was so intense, so maddening that Rickter felt his skin might get singed. Yet Aoren stood there to take it all, to weather the intensity of the storm they created. Not only did he protect them from it, but he managed to sway the chaotic flames entirely before it was all over. Before... Before the two maddening eyes of the beast bore down on the Kathar, the charred structure crumbling to ash as smoke and shadows lept from within. A red light burned from the center of the cloud that formed, and as the flames died out around Aoren tendrils of darkness lashed out to consume him. Rickter and Telion both cried out for the captain, the feathers of his wings still alight with embers as he looked ready to give in. Ready to submit to whatever dying breath this shade had left.

And then Talon pushed him out of the way.

"No!!" The bard reached out as the wolf himself could only watch, the fire inside him burning to the hottest degree as his mind demanded for him to move... yet for once his body could no longer heed it.

MOVE!!! The thought just wasn't enough, he was too battered and maybe even perhaps broken. The wolf could only watch as the one friend, the one who had brought light back into his life, had been consumed by the very shroud that dissipated upon that last dying breath. Aoren reached out after regaining his own footing, calling after Talon as he began to scream in pure agony, clutching at his very core as though a part of something had just been torn away. Rickter felt the same. The markings on his skin receded quickly, fading away as he sat on his knees in pure total shock of what he'd just witnessed. Talon was gone, swallowed by the darkness. Ar...cas....

Just as the thought receded his head lowered, the wolf nearly toppling forward had Telion not closed in to catch him. "What..." The wolf's eyes slowly opened then to the sight he'd just looked upon before, confusion filling his eyes as he saw Aoren on the ground still. "What happe- ngh!" He clutched at his heart then with his right hand, the left arm still dangling with the shield he'd used earlier hanging off the wrist. Telion knelt down to look into his eyes then, with tears streaming down her cheeks as she did, as she cupped her hands along Rickter's jawline.

"Rickter!" The wolf hissed as he struggled hard to well down that pain, grasping the fact that it wasn't just his pain but Aoren's he'd also felt. It hurt more than he expected, more than he would've anticipated, as he realized just what reason exactly had made the Kathar mourn so excruciatingly. Talon was gone? "You... you don't remember?" Telion inquired through her own grief, holding herself close to him as he wrapped his arm over her shoulder. "Talon... He's gone."

It was a reality he didn't want to accept, not after everything he'd done just to get here. All the effort to discover more about himself, all the enthusiasm he developed in becoming that man's own personal guard... All that time spent becoming friends. Gone!? His heart ached immensely then as the wolf clenched his jaw, biting at his lower lip as his hand clutched at Telion a little tighter now. "I'm sorry..." She whispered into his ear as the tears started to well down his cheeks now, the very hurt he felt deep within only matched by the physical hurt gently radiating throughout his body. What did the hell happen? His legs felt like jello beneath him to the point where he couldn't move, his insides all wretching at the very heartache that wracked his entire being as well.

Most of all though was the Pact shield he'd materialized earlier, while Howling Fang resided close by Aoren before it slowly began to dissipate. The shield on his arm did as well, the aether of his magic returning to him gradually as the wolf's mind went fixed on what he'd lost... and then it happened. Severe cracks and pain radiated within him, marring him specifically up the left forearm as he yelled out in pain. Telion leapt in his half embrace but stuck close to him, understanding that now the pain he was feeling was very real. Very stark in comparison to earlier. Rickter growled and hiss repeatedly as he felt his entire left arm radiate a burning heat, before losing all feeling from his elbow down to his fingertips. Yet still, it hurt. Everything hurt. And all he could do was sit there, on his knees in pain, while Telion tried to comfort him to the best of her abilities.

Aoren screamed out once more as his cries echoed throughout the caverns, filling the Warrens with the only sound within what could only be described as the calm after the storm. All that remained was the burn marks of the blasts that were made during the assault, before whatever the hell they fought to kill took Talon with him to the beyond. Was that where he'd gone? Even now as he reached out, searching ever so deeply for that connection, Rickter found nothing but a cold darkness awaiting him at every turn. He really was gone wasn't he? Not even the physical pain he felt was enough to put him out of his misery, to distract him from the fact that his one closest friend had been taken from him. It happened nearly at every turn when the wolf sought to protect someone, and now this time, Rickter had utterly failed in doing just that in the end. " I can't..." He exhaled harshly in between his silent sobs, the bard leaning back to gaze at him in the eyes. "I can't feel him anymore..."

Telion's eyes widened before she held Rickter close to her then, resting his head on her shoulder as she brought her hands up to his head, running her fingers through his hair as he continued to whine and sob. "I can't feel him anymore..." She gently shushed in hopes he'd just focus on breathing, on regaining his bearings while they were still in a place of danger. She wanted to do more than help him, more than heal him, she wanted to mend everything he felt and make it all better. Yet she too felt powerless, only able to try and comfort him as Rickter reached out continuously; only to feel the constant waves of lonely torment battering him from Aoren.

"I can't feel him anymore..."

[Paragon]

The warm winds blew across the fields of the Dagaroth Grasslands. In the distance, she could see the wings of a red dragon soaring through the skies. Beneath the shade of her rotunda, she cast the bones. They fell from her hand as they always did, weighted with the burden of destiny. Today was different. Today, the pull of Vicis whispers was stronger in her ears. She could feel her beloved aunt lingering closer that day, watching as she always did. Waiting as she always did. Just as she could feel the touch of her father upon her shoulder. His gentle clarity lending greater insight and truth to the bones as they fell upon the earth. She watched them. She watched them as she had for millennia. They rolled and each one came to stop with their respective runes facing the sky. The winds shifted and for the first time in centuries, she breathed a sigh of relief.

“Justice.”

Scooping up the bones, she deposited them into her pouch. Reaching out, she extended a hand to her kachai cat, the little animal purred before stretching and climbing onto her shoulder. She gave the little beast a kiss upon the head. Around her was what once might have been a glorious temple. In an age long ago, it had belonged to a great spirit that the people of the region worshipped as a nature god. She had been close friends with this spirit. Its passing in the aftermath of the Sundering had been a painful loss. But now it was her home. A cozy place that was filled with books, scrolls, and tablets littered with her endless writing. Her gift to her people, it was how she chronicled the course of their history and it helped her to foretell their fortunes.

“Come, Ugue.” The little beast yawned and draped across her shoulders with a chuff. Grabbing her staff, she began walking. As she walked, she stepped through the world. Her footsteps took her across the veil. She moved beyond the mortal realm and beside her walked the forms of her aunt and her father. There was no fear for her as she moved into the Land of Nod, across the lands of Ecith and into the cold northern reaches.

She could hear their grief. She knew it. She had seen it coming, long before the pain had been made a reality. It did not change the fact that it still hurt. She could only hope that they would heal from it in the days to come.

She was announced by the warm winds of the southernmost savannah. The distant joyful roar of resplendent dragons soaring in azure blue skies. Her only companions were the grassland breeze and the kachai cat on her shoulder. She came to them, weaving the fortunes of her passage and willing the web and weft of fate to make her steps go unnoticed. This moment was one that could be filled with joy or it could be filled with sorrow. She had to be careful in the spinning of this fortune, of this future. For she had foreseen what could happen if this destiny did not see its proper course. She was committed to defeating that future, even if her aunt, uncle and father questioned whether it could be done.

Her garb was that of animal hides. A fur shawl to keep her warm on cold nights when her Warrior and her Lover were not there to keep her company, rest on one shoulder. Bone necklaces on leather string wrapped loosely around her neck. Her ears were decorated with ivory jewelry whereas her hands and wrists were adorned with bone rings and bracelets. Each piece was covered in writings that whispered stories grand and simple. Each one had been a gift given to her, a story for her to keep and to tell forever. Her hair was long, a mix of braids and loose strands that hung gracefully down past her waist. The wisdom of steel grey in her hair coupled with dark black graced her hair and added to the stern matronly set of her features.

An Orkhan woman came to stand before the three, Rickter, Telion and Aoren. From her shoulder, the kachai cat hopped down. As soon as it landed on the stone floor of the Warrens, it stretched lazily before padding up to the weeping Kathar. Wide eyes peered at the dark winged warrior before it brushed its body up against Aoren who stared at her and it in abject misery.

“Shed your tears, Young Ones of Old but let them be of joy.”

“Joy?” His voice was like thunder in the heart of a blizzard storm. Cold and filled with a pain that howled like the winds. She turned her eyes to behold Aoren sadly. She had known this grief would come. She would not deny them of it. But she would ease its passing.

“How--what are you? Some phantom come to haunt me for my failure? Some witch to steal what’s left?” Aoren was on his feet and standing directly in front of Rickter and Telion. His wings were flared. He was reaching across the only Bond he had left and clutching Rickter to him tightly. The little kachai cat murped curiously before scampering after one of the air lodestones that had been left behind in the wake of this terrible but necessary disaster. It pounced upon the crystal, grasping it between its paws and growling as it began to gnaw on the crystal. She smiled fondly at the little beast before turning her attention back to the three.

“Peace, warriors.” She invoked her father’s domain. He filled her with it. She gave it to them. “He lives. But he needs you. Come, I will take you to him. As I must. As I always have. As I always will.”

She had made a promise, long, long ago. She would honor it. Not because she had to but because she wanted to. She remembered the grief in her brother-god’s face at the loss of him. It was a long road to restoring his smile. But restore it she would. She stepped back, sweeping her arm to the side. The bone charms upon her gnarled wooden staff knocked together as though caught in a breeze and behind her, there stood a path.

“Come. He is waiting for you.”

[Rickter]

No matter how much he might've wanted it to the reality just wouldn't end, the grip of it colder than steel as the wolf shedded tears for his fallen ally... for Aoren as well. And yet out of that cold a curtain of warmth, one that gently caressed the three of them all at once, as the very sound of a dragon cry followed the manifestation of something. Someone. Telion quickly looked past her shoulder as Rickter sobbed, the wolf smelling the sweet warm humidity that clung strongly to the one who'd just arrived. An Orkhan? An unusual cat the likes neither Rickter nor Telion had ever seen rested atop her shoulders, though not before hopping off to approach the one Bondmate that Rickter had left. Slowly within his grief, the wolf looked to them, his somber blue eyes reddened from the number of tears he'd already shed.

Animal pelts and hides covered the majority of her painted emerald skin, as the bones on her staff jiggled like chimes in a breeze. Setting his eyes upon her Rickter had to blink a few times, the blurred vision clearing to reveal her in greater detail. Wisdom riddled the length of her hair as strands were peppered with dark and grey, her demeanor calm as she addressed the trio from where she stood. Joy? Aoren was quick to deflect on that idea, the sentiment equal on the wolf's behalf as he bit his lip harder. Almost enough to draw blood, while Telion eased away to slowly rise on her feet between Rickter and Aoren. The Kathar had risen to stand in defense of them, Rickter registering the drive to protect him in his current condition.

The way he felt that hold on him, it was tighter than any desperate squeeze the wolf ever felt, earnest to keep the only thing left safe from the potential threat which manifested. Yet the Orkhan woman parleyed for peace in a way the wolf never felt, feeling a sense of calm washing over him as Aoren shifted, easing from his stance while the strange-looking cat moved to devour one of the spare lodestones left behind. Telion wiped the tears off her face briskly, her eyes upon the Orkhan woman as though she stared upon a wandering comet in the night sky. Rickter himself attempted to rise on his feet, only to find that his legs still failed to support him, feeling wobbly with each attempt he made stand in the presence of this... entity? She seemed akin to a normal Orkhan, but clearly, touched by something else entirely since she'd just reached them from Gods knew where.

And yet...

Talon was alive!? How!? Even though he tried the wolf felt nothing, no connection between him and the prince, so the only logical reasoning he drew was that Talon 'lived on inside their hearts' as others would preach so diligently. Yet from what he heard it sounded... Could it be true? Somehow, that flicker of hope was enough, it fed him just enough for Rickter to find the strength... to stand on his feet. Although not very well he managed to rise with the help of Telion, Aoren too stepping up to carefully aid the wolf's effort. The pair had to be mindful of the left arm which clearly felt broken, before the wolf could finally stand to face the portal that manifested behind the Orkhan woman. "He's... He's really... Alive?" Doubt obviously wracked his every concern when he asked this, but in looking toward the place where she beckoned for them to come, something inside him tugged to follow her beyond that gate.

"I'll help you." Telion assured him as she started to place his right arm over her shoulder, though, not before Aoren himself stepped between them with a pat on her shoulder.

"He's far too heavy for the likes of you, leave the carrying to me." In expressing this the wolf glumly smiled to Telion and to Aoren, admittedly a bit disappointed in the fact he even needed the help just to walk through. "I've got you, wolf."

"Just no more crazy stunts..." Rickter remarked lightly as the three looked to the doorway beyond, the bard first to walk as she timed her pace to match with the two that strode forward to the portal. Together they entered, together...

They would see Talon on the otherside.

[Paragon]

She made a soft clicking noise with her tongue. The little kachai cat perked up, scampering over to her. Crouching down she extended a hand, scooping up the little beast. With the air lodestone in its mouth, it climbed up to sprawl across her shoulders once more. She gently scratched between its ears eliciting a content murp from the little one. As the three approached, she observed them. As her eyes settled upon Rickter and Telion, her lips twitched into a smile before she met the fiery gaze of the one called Aoren. He did not flinch away from her stare. He did not back away nor appear mystified by her presence. She did not expect him to be. She gave a slight nod of her head before motioning for them to continue forward.

Through the veil she brought them. She remained close as they stepped across the mortal realm and guided them through the realm of dreams and gods. It was a short walk, a brief glimpse, but it was enough that if she were not watchful, anything could go awry. And she was watchful.

They came across the other side and were deposited into a clearing deep within the Wildking’s Forge. The trees were green, their leaves still in full verdant bloom. Sunlight streamed down from between the branches in columns that touched upon a sleepy hollow. Flowers covered the opening, a decoration of Eikaen’s Tears. A white rose-like flower with flecks of silver in the petals and stem. Beyond its sacred entrance there was a quiet enclosure within which stood a shrine to the once-fallen demigod. Fallen no longer. But he still needed to find his way back to the people who needed him. She turned to the three.

“I do not preside over the ways of Healing. But perhaps the threads of your fortune can be nudged just a bit to offer some comfort.” Raising a hand, she brushed her fingers over the threads of fate tied to each of the three before her. She studied them for no longer than a breath, finding the moment in time where destiny had been woven a certain way. For Rickter, the broken bones of his arm set themselves and were mended. For Aoren and Telion, some of the worst of their fatigue abated. Some cuts and bruises still lingered but some of their vitality was returned to all of them. She smiled softly.

“Apologies for not being able to do more. As I said, I am not the Mistress of Healing.” The little kachai cat on her shoulder nibbled on the air lodestone, gnawing on it. A stream of wind brushed across its body, making the Orkhan woman’s hair billow out. The little beast pawed at the crystal before hiccuping as it swallowed a chunk of the crystal. It continued to chew on the magical rock contentedly drawing her to nuzzle the creature fondly.

“Ugue, say thank you.” The cat chirped at Aoren before going back to munching on the rock. She shook her head with a chuckle. Inclining her head toward the entryway, she smiled at them.

“He is waiting. Help him find his way back and remember…” The Orkhan woman’s eyes grew distant. Her voice hitched as emotion crowded her. “...he needs you. More than you may ever know.”

[Rickter]

The Test of Bonds

Frost 53rd, 120th Year, AoS

As they crossed over through that threshold the Orkhan woman called to her companion, leading the magical cat to return to her with a lodestone within it's little maw. Such a strange yet fascinating creature, surely intelligent, and utterly adorable in almost a distracting way. The wolf normally never associated with cats very well, then again, he hardly ever interacted with animals in general. But for now that did not matter, what mattered was reaching the otherside of that portal, to cross through it and find their Bondmate waiting for them on the other side. Yet there was something in the way the Orkhan lady smiled at them, Rickter and Telion, something that led the wolf to wonder if perhaps she knew something.

Or rather things that they were not yet aware of. She had referred to them earlier as "Young Ones of Old" but what did that mean? What did any of this mean exactly? Ever since Talon's initiation with Reaving things hadn't been the same, in fact, it had been unusual situations one right after another between the few of them. Rickter experiencing his blackouts and unusual dreams, while Talon seemingly awakening some ancient power that slumbered within him. Together the trio crossed through the veil under the Orkhan's guide, the woman bringing them through to walk into the very beyond no mortal should tread lightly. And for good reason. Rickter could only wonder where in Ransera they actually were, in their passing through the Land of Nod and into the next realm beyond. Though only lasting temporarily their walk felt as though it were a while, completely ignorant to the passage of time in fact, as they crossed through that final threshold into wherever she led them.

Where they exited was something akin to the Wildking's Forge, at least, a clearing off it where verdent trees resided and the Glade welcomed their arrival. There was such vibrant warmth here, a lingering one that felt very familiar the moment the wolf stepped through. Aoren felt the same thing evidently, the trio noticing the hollow they were entering, as Telion herself paused to admire the hanging flowers above the entryway. "Beautiful..." Was the one word that had been uttered out her mouth, about the best word to describe the serene environment around them all. Entering through they all reached what looked to be a shrine, a remote sanctuary nestled within the nook of this peaceful paradise they were brought to. When they came to a stop the wolf grunted lightly, patting Aoren's shoulder appreciatively as the Kathar checked on him, making sure he was alright to stand on his own before being released.

The Orkhan woman spoke out to them then, hinting at the fact that while she was no healer, she could still alter aspects of their fortune to help them. Initially Rickter hadn't any clue as to what this all meant, such things were beyond him at this point, but when she finished studying them just a moment later, the wolf found that the dulled throbs within his left forearm receded. In fact, the arm began to mend completely just before his very eyes, the bone structure restored to its previous state just before the showdown with the abomination. Had she... altered their time entirely in just that one moment? No. For what it was worth Rickter still felt the same, just in better condition than he was earlier, leaving only the several cuts and scrapes prominent across his back and shoulders. The light knick at his head had gone away as well, the blood that had dried there crusting away, as though it were a wound that had healed days ago already.

"Oh wow," Telion murmured between the two men present, looking down at herself and to Rickter as he moved and flexed his left arm, "This is... Amazing." At the Orkhan's apology the bard quickly shook her head, bowing to her respectively with a gracious attitude in her lilted tone. "We're still humbled by your care and generosity my Lady." It was then Telion looked to the Ork with a warm and vibrant smile, her eyes then upon Rickter as he gazed back upon the shrine once more. All of this... Was beyond him. Here. In the realm of Gods, or so he speculated, he was but a mortal man seeking a friend. A companion... A Bondmate. Aoren likely knew how he felt right now, probably even shared the sentiments in his own right.

Ugue the magical cat scrumped on the lodestone it had brought with them, chewing down a bit of the elemental stone with a light hic, before the creature chirpped to Aoren when told to thank him. Was that because the lodestone came from him then? The wolf would have to ruminate on that later, already thinking that much of this was a dream. Some surreal fantasy he walked to overcome Talon's absence even. There was no question how out of place the wolf really felt now, and yet, none of that mattered when they were told about what to do for Talon. He needed them? Now more than ever? "Then... let's reach out to him." The wolf looked to Aoren then with mutual understanding in his eyes, the Kathar able to tell what Rickter planned to do once they headed inside. Aoren nodded.

"Follow your heart." Telion remarked aloud with a thoughtful gaze shared between them, smiling softly as she tucked her hands behind her waist. "No matter how far apart you are, it'll always be what brings you three back together." Nodding to this Rickter softly grinned to her in turn, before turning back to enter the clearing and approach the shrine within. It looked as though he had entered a chamber that once was a chapel or room, ruins that were now overtaken by the very trees and nature surrounding him. At the center within the floor was a sword carved within the center, with the blade wreathed in a helix of flame on the surface, much like the scar found present on Rickter's left forearm in fact. So... was this Talon's symbol then? Was this a sign of his divinity? There were so many questions that floated in his mind now, so many mysteries that he wanted to have answered as of right now. And yet...

Yet he knelt down to concentrate, Aoren standing over him until he knelt beside the wolf, placing a hand on Rickter's shoulder with a gentle squeeze. He understood. He knew because he was privy to everything crossing the wolf's mind, and through that connection, the wolf in turn felt the one important thing he needed to focus on as of right now. Talon. He needed them just as they needed him, therefore, all these other factors were just unwanted distractions for the time being. "Talon..." The wolf stretched a hand out to brush his rigid fingers along the stone surface, his eyes then drew to a close as he focused from beyond where he was right now, and centered his mind on that very connection that existed between him, Aoren, and of course... Talon.

---

Deep within stirred the depths of his heart, as Rickter could feel bubbles caress the surface of his skin. He was buried deep within now, centered within the very depth of his being... reaching out across to find that missing link. "Talon..." He exhaled air as more bubbles tickled out through the bridge of his nose, the wolf's eyes opening to see the surface dancing far above him. He felt Aoren with him, spiritually, as he kicked for that surface in hopes to breach it entirely. While he did he felt it then, the lingering cold that gapped Talon from his bondmates, that residual emptiness between them that had taken form. It was as the wolf rose closer and closer to the surface, that the waters around did shifted...

And thus Rickter plunged forth.

The ocean swirled at the center point of his surfacing, beckoning him as it enshrouded his entire being, when he shot out from its body like a bird taking flight. The water surrounding him coalesced into that of an enormous form, as the wolf gave rise to the very heavens that were above him. Though higher above where he sought to ascend was ice, a thick sheet of it layered onto the skies above as though he were crossing to another void entirely. The wolf growled as he rose higher and higher, the body water giving way as it unraveled around him, as he surged forth from its wet embrace with a hand-stretched forward; and a clenched fist tucked away at his waist. Still, he soared ever onward, reaching the apex of between the two surfaces of the world he'd withdrawn in, and now plummeting the rest of the way down toward the layer of ice beneath him.

"TALON!!" He roared as the very winds around him responded, heeding his cry out for the prince as he drew closer and closer, until finally when he came to nearly meet the frigid ground below him; Rickter lashed out with that very fist he'd clenched on his way over. The wolf thrust as hard as he could as his bare knuckles impacted on the ice, a thunderous boom carrying out across the very surface as he smashed into it with his landing. As his weight shifted and the momentum followed his landing, Rickter unleashed yet another roar much like he did before. Only this time it wasn't a warning against the abomination, no, this roar was the howling fury of a friend bridging the gap between him and his bondmate.

The roar crescendoed as the force of impact billowed out, causing cracks to jut out dramatically from where Rickter landed, as that howl carried outward across the rest of the sheet of ice. "I'll find you yet you bastard!" With that thought carried out through his other arm Rickter raised it to smash it down, pulling his other fist away so yet another weighted blow crashed into the ice beneath him; with the accompaniment of another howling roar that pulsed from the very fiber of his being.

Thus did the ice snap beneath him as chunks were blown away, the surface caving beneath him as he began to puncture through it by sheer will alone.

"Every side attacks you, when you don't take sides."

[Paragon]

Glass shattered and the world went silent. Darkness surrounded the wolf as he plunged into the mouth of an yawning abyss. The winds rushed forward whipping through Rickter’s hair as it rushed toward him. The bitter cold that had so suffused the bond between himself and Talon crawled across his body. It dug into his muscles and threaded itself into the very weave of his soul. As he plunged further and further into the dark the rushing came suddenly to a stop. Rickter landed on his feet, body dropping into a crouch as a scene played out before him.

A broad shouldered man was playfully running away from two boys. The man had hair that was a dark black streaked with white despite his youthful appearance. His skin was a sun bronzed and glowed with health. He appeared human from a mere look. His eyes were a bright grey that was reminiscent of a winter landscape. He wore the worn leathers of a man well versed in travelling the world. He was tackled to the ground by the two boys as a woman sat perched upon a rock, sketchbook in hand. Though she was not watching the scene, a smile played upon her lips as her eyes were focused on the ruined remains of a statue in front of her.

It was easy to tell that the four of them were a family. There was happiness. There was joy.

The darkness returned, opening up and swallowing Rickter once more. He fell, the shadows rushing past him as he spiraled through the dark like a kite in the winds of a hurricane. Until once more he was on his feet and before him was a different scene. The family once again was before them. The boys were older, each of them gazing with wide eyes at a creature of such wondrous magnificence. The mother and father each stood behind the children, hands resting lightly upon their shoulders. In front of them was a glittering dragon with resplendent silver scales. It stared down upon the family with a humble majesty. Between its legs were curled up three wyrmlings that were beginning to stir. One of the infant dragons yawned widely, eyes opening to stare at the family curiously. It wobbled to its feet, hobbling forward. The mighty dragon, presumably its mothers, gently nudged the little one forward.

With eyes filled with wonder, the mother and father brought their sons closer. One of the other wyrmlings flapped lightly into the air before zooming forward to tackle the older boy with a hiccup of excitement. The elder boy exclaimed in excitement before rolling around with the young dragon. The younger boy, however, seemed more shy. He clung to his mother. With a kind and patient smile, the father knelt before the small wyrmling even as the mighty mother dragon nuzzled his hair. Gently, ever so gently, the father pet the curious little wyrmling before reaching out for his son. The boy hesitated before timidly stepping forward. Taking his son into his arm, the father brought the two together. As the boy brushed his fingers over silvery scales, his eyes widened with awe. He eagerly picked up the wyrmling giving the infant dragonling an exuberant hug. The wyrmling squeaked before purring contentedly as the parents of all looked onward with fondness.

The ground dissolved and the scene faded.

Once more the darkness wrapped around Rickter. But it was no longer silent. It was filled with voices. A man’s deep voice crying out in fear for his family, commanding them to stand back. A woman screaming in pain and fear. The cry of a boy frightened and in pain.

Rickter landed.

The air was filled with ash. It drifted lazily like snow falling lightly. A young boy sat sobbing over the bloodied body of his mother. Tears streamed from his face as he clung to her.

Gone was the father.

Gone was the brother.

“Mama, please come back.” He wept as he gently shook her. “Come back, please.”

There came no reply. She remained still. One hand lightly grasping the hand of her son. He wept until the sound of wings filled the air. The boy hiccuped in fear, eyes going wide but he remained by his mother. The haze and ash in the air was stirred to reveal a silver dragon. It walked forward solemnly, neck extending and muzzle coming to nudge the boy gently. He threw his arms around the dragon and sobbed.

Ash continued to fall from the skies.

The world shifted and as Rickter plunged into the dark it was not long before he landed on his feet once more. But this place was different. This place...felt different. It was the chapel only it was no longer a ruin. The columns stood as though they were only recently complete. The windows were not broken or faded with age. There were few walls, the chapel having been built to be open to nature and inviting of its serenity. But Rickter was not alone.

He was human, at least he appeared to be. His hair was a dark black. His body was strong and lean, the mark of both a warrior and an explorer. The light sought him out, brushing over his skin giving it a healthy golden bronzed cast. The irises of his eyes were a mercurial silver. In his face there was a strong resemblance to both the warrior father and the explorer mother from the visions previously. He radiated a calm and noble strength but within it was woven a quiet sadness. He smiled at Rickter.

“Hello, old friend.”

[Rickter]

Beneath him the ice cracked away, caving in as his weighted form started to cascade through the place of impact. What awaited him beneath though was a void, a place of constant black when he descended, the feeling of cold overwhelming him as he slipped within an endless abyss. The wolf's eyes widened at this, the last light of where he fell from quickly shrinking away, as he continued to plunge further in where he eventually just drifted. The cold ate at him then, nearly leading him to shiver as he dove further in, feeling his every fiber on the ferge of freezing... at least for a little while. Eventually he came to a full stop in his descent, landing with a heavy bend of his knees, as he appeared to stand in the void of black in pure isolation. "Why does this... feel familiar?"

He couldn't answer that question for himself, only knowing that this felt akin to his own being, and just when he started to gaze about something unfolded. Manifested perhaps. He'd come across what looked to be a scenario of a sort, an event born within the very heart of where he'd traveled. Rickter lightly shivered as he watched it unfold, his somber eyes fixed upon the family he got to witness at play. There was something about them, about the serenity and how they all laughed, and the way they were all genuinely happy together... Why did that resonate with Rickter so much? "What is this?" He wondered as his eyebrows furrowed some, his eyes upon the father and his boys, and then the mother as she etched the memory onto paper. The shadows veiled them, however, as he stood watching until finally Rickter's foothold went away as well.

Thus did he drift further within. Shadows being the only thing around him as he felt lost once more, chaotically soaring to only the Gods knew where in the immensity of this constant. He felt as though he were flying, or perhaps simply floating, as he shifted about to look for the one he'd come to find here. Somewhere within he knew Talon had to be here, the only question was how was he to find him? It didn't take long for his feet to feel as though they were on solid footing once more, another situation manifesting behind him as he turned to see what awaited him next. Rickter's eyes fell upon the sight of the family from before, the boys more aged now as though years had passed. Not too many but enough to be noticeable, they were all gathered to meet with something the wolf had never imagined seeing in his life. A silver dragon. "Holy shit..." His eyes widened as he turned toward the family, walking around them so that he could see the event unfold from a different perspective.

The dragon looked down at them and for a moment, the wolf's skin crawled at the sight of its piercing eyes. Infants of the dragon were nested between his forelegs, the creatures stirring as they were brought to greet the children of the family. "This is..." Had this not been a story he'd heard once before? No. Impossible. So then how could he explain the familiarity to it all, the sense of experiencing a dream in reality or a lifetime you once had... that was how he could describe it. The mother dragon nudged at her kin in their rousing, each family prompting their next generation to interact with one another. "This is a memory." But of who's exactly? Talon wasn't anywhere here at all, so whose to say it was even related to him. But the wolf was only grasping at straws here, wondering more and more about the connection with this family in particular, and the family that the wolf had chosen to protect back in the waking world.

Would Talon have had a family like this? Would he come to be like the one found here at this moment in time? The moment of the younger boy's timidness was displayed, and Rickter thought to approach them closer now, only to refrain as he watched with a melancholic gaze in his eyes. Seeing the boy gradually warm up to the wyrmling in his arms, something stirred within Rickter as he watched the scene fade away, the temporary ground beneath him gone once more as he fell further within. Voices soon began to echo around him as he projected further, their quietness ceasing as he drew closer to the next stop on this venture through their Bond. When he landed once more the wolf grunted softly, dropping into a kneeling position this time as he looked around to see where he'd wound up this time. The voices were of the family once more; the father beckoning his loved ones for safety or even sanctuary, although the dread in his tone mixed with the agonized cry of the mother, and the sound of a child who wept and cried out accompanied his arrival.

"No..." His eyes were more somber now as he watched the next bit, for only one of the boys remained as his mother laid dead. "How!?..." He looked about but there was no answer, just the constant pleading of the child mourning his mother, as the wolf himself clenched a jaw the moment he felt a couple of tears well out from the corners of his eyes. He did not want to see this... he might've needed to but he didn't want to, not when he knew all too well that pain the poor child had. The loss and the absence that no one could ever hope to fill... And yet he wasn't as alone anymore, once the brush of ashen wind briefly gusted past Rickter. Another silver dragon. "It... protected the boy?" Certain profound confusion filled his thoughts as he tried to grasp at things, the bits and pieces of the story so far starting to connect... but just not yet adding up.

Darkness folded around him once again as the scene faded away, Rickter dropping further within as he looked up from the place he'd fallen from. No light filtered in here anymore, just a cold constant that never ended no matter how far he traveled. Yet it wasn't the brightness of the exit he'd entered through on his way down, it was the remnants of that final memory as he still wondered... about the boy... about the dragon... Suddenly with a blink of his eyes the scene changed entirely, for the overgrown ruins he'd seen before coming here were ruins no more. The balance of nature's overgrowth was met with a rounded room, the glass pane windows filled with light as their colors glowed from the outside. "I'm back here again..." He noted warily as he checked beneath his feet, a little relieved to see stone beneath them when he moved. It looked as though the chapel had been restored, or perhaps just recently built even, from how sturdy the walls looked and how fresh the painted murals were.

And then he felt it.

The wolf turned to face the one who accompanied him, his eyes narrowed as he hoped to discover Talon waiting. Instead, he found someone else waiting to greet him, a human-looking male with the same dark hair as the boy that he'd witnessed before arriving. The color of his eyes possessed a familiarity akin to the one he sought out, leading the wolf to speculate that this was more than just a dream... more than just some entity he'd come face to face with. "Old friend?" Rickter repeated with confusion in his tone, a tilt of his head demonstrated the curiosity in his eyes as he looked thoughtfully at the man. A smile? Something within the wolf stirred then, the resonance he felt from before filled his being with a hum that tickled his very core. "You said we'd meet again," Another voice echoed but this time it was from within Rickter, leading the wolf to widen his eyes as he looked around in pure confusion, "but when we did, we might not recognize one another."

It occurred to Rickter then that the voice wasn't just around him... it came from him. Within his thoughts, within his feelings... Just as he realized this a soft glow cloaked him, shifting as though something stepped outside the silhouette of his frame. "The hell?!" The wolf stepped back a couple feet, bewildered but silent as he watched another man stand in front of him. Platemail armor the color of azure clinked lightly from where he moved, the light surrounding him dimming a little when he came to stop before the other. Tall as the one with dark hair, this one looked a smidge darker as though he'd been kissed by the sun many times, and the scent of saltwater clung heavily to his burly form as he turned to look at Rickter in turn. Deep blue eyes bore upon him as a strong jawline seemed to clench, the man gazing at him lightly chuckling before he looked to face the one Rickter had met just moments ago.

"I don't think he realizes anything yet." The new arrival remarked with a sense of amusement, before looking back to the other man in question with a fondness in his eyes. "It's been far too long, Arcas."

Arcas? Somehow that name... felt familiar to Rickter now that he'd heard it mentioned.

[Paragon]

Silver eyes beheld Rickter with naught but tenderness and kindness. The dark haired man looked at though he wanted to say many things to Rickter. Exactly what those things were however, there was no telling.

“We will always recognize each other, in the end.” Those eyes turned from Rickter to the form of the burly armored man that had manifested beside him. This one, the one referred to as Arcas, stepped up and drew into a firm hug. More emotion than perhaps words could convey passed from Arcas to the form of the man he held tightly. When he managed to speak, there was a hitch to his voice.

“It is good to see you, Tiberius.” He squeezed the man’s armored shoulder then stepped up to Rickter. Even with that simple movement, there was a regality to the man’s motions. Though he wore no crown, the very light in the area itself seemed to bestow one upon him. The world around him paused as if to hold its breath and await his judgement, be it filled with wrath or kindness. From the broadness of his shoulders and the lean strength of his frame, it seemed that this man was capable of rendering either. Those silver eyes fell upon Rickter once more but they saw more than just the Rathari in front of them. They peered through him, into him, gazing upon Rickter’s soul in its fullness with a light that shone into every dark corner, exposing every hope, hurt, and hardship.

“Rickter.” He spoke the Rathari’s name and somehow it was a familiar one on his lips. “You do not know me. But I know you.”

Those silver eyes softened and beheld Rickter with a love and tenderness that could be born only from the most intimate of familiarities.

“Or should I say, you do not know this version of me.” A sad smile touched his lips and it was...familiar. As if someone Rickter knew smiled in a very similar way. The way this man spoke, the way he walked and carried himself it all held a hint of familiarity. He touched a hand to his chest and within it blossomed a silver-white light. This light, this gentle warmth, was utterly familiar to Rickter as it caused a corresponding blue light to shine within the chests of both Tiberius and Rickter as well. As he touched over his heart, the man spoke softly.

“I am Arcas. Son Eikaen. Draegir of Justice, Hope and Light.” This next he spoke firmly but with a hint of sadness. “And I am also Talon. I am him. He is me. We are one. He just does not remember it fully yet.”

The silver-white light faded and Arcas extended his hands to Rickter, opening them so that he could take the wolf’s hands into his own.

“But that is where you come in, my wolf. We do not have much time but...will you listen to me? To what I have to say?"

[Rickter]

There was just confusion in his eyes the entire time he gazed upon Arcas, the wolf searching his thoughts for the point of familiarity he knew to exist. The way this man looked at him suggested that they were perhaps friends, close ones from the amount of endearment projected in his gaze. Truth be told the wolf was lost admit a whirlwind of uncertainty, his emotions incomprehensible only to himself, only because of what all this could potentially be leading up to. Yet the other one, Tiberius, had appeared and greeted Arcas like long lost buddies, their shared tones of tenderness another infliction of confused curiosity for the wolf. Were these two... the literal same personification as Talon and Rickter were? Did they share such innate history in their time, that the very echoes of their existence carried on through the wolf and prince today?

Did that not just make the two of them an echo? Or were they perhaps more? Something that surpassed the trepidations of history, even so much as transcend them to bring the two closer together? This was all so immense to him that wrapping his head around it, made Rickter feel like he was just going to burst with emotion from within. He somehow felt nothing but relief, even joy, in meeting Arcas when he clearly never knew the man to begin with. Yet part of him wanted to, that part that searched deeply for Talon still, finally seemed to align focus on Arcas in general before...

Before the man looked from Tiberius to him, the utterance of his name evoking more anxious desire out of the wolf. He wasn't sure how this was entirely all possible anymore, realizing now that he was only seeing this because of the Bond. Or no... perhaps there was more to it than just that. The Orkhan woman had brought him elsewhere, and from there everything started to seem more like a dream. A realistic dream that the wolf, heavily wondered in fact, was stuck in or soon to wake up. So he didn't know this Arcas after all, and yet mighty hero before him already knew things after they'd just met. Tiberius could even see the innate pout of confusion in Rickter's eyes, the gruff knight stroking along his chin quietly with his gaze unrelenting.

Arcas on the other hand... his was a tender gaze, one a touch too soft to be akin to just friends. Was there really such deep residual emotion? For him? Rickter struggled to understand, only able to fathom the next statement that came out from Arcas' familiar tone. Rickter was touched perhaps? He'd felt the sentiment many times throughout the seasons, all thanks to the first moment Talon stepped in to speak with him on his birthday. That sole moment... led to this? Never in his wildest dreams did he ever believe his affections, nor his desires, would bring him so far and deep into the thick of something... profound. Another version? The touch of a hand to his chest allowed Arcas to reveal the connection, the very core that Rickter had a chance to gaze upon once before. That silver light had been a beacon for the wolf in their past, just as it was now the moment he glimpsed it from Arcas... and then Tiberius. And then himself.

"We're all intermittently connected here." The gruffer looking hero lightly hinted at, a bit of a smirk on his face now as he still stared at Rickter. Strange. The wolf was almost comfortable with it, almost as though he were gazing upon a reflection... just one not entirely his own. Rickter didn't even need to hear it to understand now, because the moment he felt their lights intertwine, the connection that existed between them had been unmistakable.

Arcas was Talon. Or rather... Talon was Arcas? It was hard enough to wrap his mind around, but that didn't mean the wolf could deny it as true or false either. Earnest relief welled within and it became the eye of the storm, bringing calm to the hurricane of emotions hurdling through him. Then came the introduction as to who this man, who Arcas, really was once Rickter reached the threshold of this revelation.

Arcas... Draegir of Justice, Hope, and Light... Son to the Dragongod Eikaen, king of all dragons if Rickter remembered his mythology correctly. And then a shift of the tone to press the gravity of meaning, the intent of his words caringly received as the wolf listened to every bit of what he was told. So he and Talon were, no, they are the same living being. Rickter... he who was just a simple, maybe even lowly, mutt born out of pure circumstance, had been in the presence of not just royalty... but a Demigod. A son of the Dragongod King no less. The wolf couldn't help but bring his hands up to wipe over his face, beyond words as to express the significance of their friendship. What's more, not only did Talon fail to remember, and it was apparently Rickter's role to play in regard to changing that. Utter awe plagued his expression, leading Tiberius to soften his gaze at him. Sympathetically maybe?

The wolf's eyes wandered about anxiously as he heard the question, a hint of doubt casted on the significance the wolf truly held here. What role? No. Just as he felt it seep into him he clenched his fists, the pandemonium of thoughts in his brain conquered by a simple yet important reminder. He came here for Talon. Disregard the role that was required of him, for Rickter had no room for doubt if he wanted to help his Bondmate. It honestly amazed him how it even felt the same, now that he reflected back on those words. Just in the very way Arcas said it, Rickter had felt Talon calling out to him with just the words 'my wolf.' "Aye." Rickter nodded with a better look of determination, focusing on the current task at hand so that later, he and Talon could sort through the rest of it later.

"I'm listening." The wolf assured them firmly, and that caused Tiberius to grin once more.

[Paragon]

Arcas smiled as he took Rickter's hands into his own. He rubbed his thumbs over those callused fingers. He stared down at their hands with a look of near bewilderment on his face. Thoughts flickered across his features, the echo of some Rickter could nearly feel. Worry. Disbelief. But most of all, hope. A swelling of hope that seemed timid at first but was laced with a thread of desperation. All of those things passed between the two of them without a word being said. The emotions faded as Arcas stepped closer in order to rest his forehead against Rickter's. The demigod was shorter than the wolf but the gesture felt familiar all the same. He whispered softly.

"Fate was kind to us in the end, my old friend." With that, he stepped back. There was a slight misting to his eyes as he stared up at Rickter.

"There will be questions. Trust that the answers will come in time. Some things must wait." Arcas turned the wolf's hand over, pushing his sleeve back until the symbol upon his forearm was exposed. He touched it and the mark became illuminated in the light that followed the demigod. It blossomed across the lines of the Emblem breathing life into the mark. It shone with an argent luminance before settling. No longer was it just raised scaring. It was vibrant, shining and filled with divine presence. This close to the deity from whom it stemmed, the Emblem practically hummed with life.

"This mark is the Eminence of my domain. That is its name. Those who bear it are those whom you can trust. You will know them and they will know you. You will feel it." He touched his heart again. "Talon will be confused. He will doubt himself and the journey ahead. Just as I did. Just as you will."

Arcas searched Rickter's face.

"Do not lose yourself to that doubt. Believe that you have the strength to endure the coming hardships and you will." Arcas released Rickter's hands. He drew in a deep breath, casting a glance to Tiberius. There was much said in that shared look. It was filled with old promises being remade.

"But now it is time to speak not of reunions but of Destiny. Specifically, yours." The demigod gestured in front of him. The light bent and shifted to form the shape of two objects. Two swords came into being. One shone with a celestial brilliance, emitting light and radiance. The other was swathed in shadows that clung to the blade like a cloud of darkness, defiant of the light around it.

"Oathkeeper. A promise of light and hope. With it, no evil can stand against you. Seek it not for vengeance but for justice. The light of this sword can inspire a thousand souls or it can burn those same in an inferno of righteous fury. Be warned, Rickter, the sword will accept only one who it deems worthy. It is up to you to determine if you are ready for it." Arcas moved his hand over the sword of light. The blade was etched with runes that glowed with silver fire.

"Oblivion. The Void made manifest. A promise of destruction and desolation. With it, your rage can decimate an army. Seek it only when you have no doubts about the mastery of your power. For if you falter, it will consume you." He moved his hand over the blade of darkness. His gaze lingered on the sword for a moment and there was pain in his eyes. Rickter's gaze would be drawn to the barest hint of a scar over the demigod's chest, directly over his heart.

"Two halves of the same whole. See them. Know them. Destiny was set in motion today and now the clock is ticking. You must find these swords, Rickter. Find them in order to fulfill your sacred charge. A promise you made long ago. A promise that, if left unfulfilled, will come to haunt you the longer it is left unfinished." The silver eyes of the demigod were unblinking as he spoke. He dismissed the swords, stepping forward to rest his hands upon the wolf's shoulders. He squeezed them.

"Move with haste, my wolf. The blades have new masters but those poor souls were never meant to wield them. You must reclaim them. If you do not…" Arcas voice grew soft. "...death will come for all of us yet again. And it will start with those closest to you."

Arcas crossed his wrists behind his back, watching Rickter for his reaction.