"Finale" (Isle of the Crown)

[Godah]

All that grows must shrink, he who is born must die and the beginning shall see an end. The laws of nature itself were stronger than the fabric of the realm, than the laws of order and the energy of chaos. The world as it was known was subject to change and only were equal to themselves the dead, Godah knew that well. The story of life and eternity was the mere result of the choices made, might it be in a raging storm of hatred and magic or on a deserved rest after a long walk. Milo made his choice, engaged his own life and that of the rest of the souls believing in him. The dorin saw the chance, his belief in the laws of nature gaining strength, for he knew the empire was about to change. A chance to take.

Despite his aversion to anything magical, the arakmatan considered and understood what he was given as duty and responsibility. The people of Aelyria needed protection, from the darkness, from oppression and Godah was one to stand and protect them. Not only with a sword, not only with an army, but with his honour. As sharp as was his great sword, changed forever, his mind was also cutting.

Observing the new crowned Prince of Aelyria, Godah took a decision. He would give the new kingdom a chance, offer it a friend's hand, a honourable's one. It was time for a discussion and aelyria was given a chance to undo mistakes of the past. Without caring about what winged creatures said, for he didn't trust them, the dorin approached the newly crowned ruler of a new state.

"This is a great brightening for it starts a new age. My sword I offer to cut through the darkness and my soul I owe to the people of these lands"

He paused, glancing to the skies where the ancient rulers of the dead empire flew. He reported again his gaze on Milo.

"But a crown is nothing without subjects. I believe Aslan is protecting me, but I believe in the cutting edge of my sword too. Before looking to the skies for approval, seek the hearts of the mortals"

Godah was frank and clear for he was a dorin. The man who received the crown of the aelyrians was not aware that the grey furred dorin was a member of the Ebon Watch, there to protect the empire, and he would not know before a certain time. For the then time, Godah just wanted to remind the new Prince of the responsibility that was forging a fair new state, undoing the mistakes of the old empire.

[Faust D'Rinishad]

In the presence of the regal Aelyrian King, Faust D’Rinishad stood in humility. The sheer magnitude of Auron’s disposition commanded the earthly Prince’s reverence, and he conferred it unreservedly. He’d met only one Aelyrian before, the benevolent Aerienne Sarista, and even her divine authority paled in comparison to the one exhibited by the winged noble. Braving a meek glance upwards, Faust was astonished by the gentleness that he discovered in Auron’s majestic eyes. They were strong, imposing, and piercing, but they were flecked by something else: acknowledgment.

For the King of the winged people to convey such a sentiment startled the young Vysstichi immensely. Who was he to have earned such gratitude from them? In the company of the angelic beings, he was nothing. He was a mortal. He was a faulty creation unworthy of standing at the immortal’s feet. The dark elf inhaled deeply, his elongated ears attuning to the unassailable voice of the Aelyrian patriarch.

Auron delivered the message of hope, one that the Prince of Har’oloth had thought lost to the perpetuating sins of mankind. They were a self-destructive lot, bent more upon needless wars than they were upon remedying the unbridled sufferings that afflicted the majority of the Empire. Subsequently, Auron’s words encouraged the dark elf. They led him to believe that, perhaps, there was something to strive towards after all –a fortuitous future looming on the horizon. And considering the darkness that had long descended upon the nation, it was a heartwarming thought.

“I will wear it as a reminder of what I have learned here…and what I have yet to look forward to in the future,” the young swordsman softly replied, and in a rare display of veneration, he bowed deeply to the towering Ancient Aelyrian. As informed, his cloak was newly patterned by silver-etched runes, their images winking in and out of sight as they speckled the recently enhanced garb. He could not begin to fathom the true value of the cloak, but time, like in all things, had ways of elucidating the most mysterious enigmas of life.

While the others underwent their unorthodox visions and explanations, Faust’s attention finally turned to Milo –seemingly the only one of the original party whose fate was encompassed in obscurity. Again, the prospect of a new dawn rising was foretold, and somehow, Faust understood, the Imperial Regent had a significant role to play in it. Folding his arms curiously beneath his flowing raven cloak, the Vysstichi Lord listened with intense interest to the unfolding conversation.

The future of the Empire, to a great extent, would rest on Milo’s shoulders.

It was an impossible burden to bear alone, but Auron made it clear that his people’s blessings would accompany the Regent whatever his decision. The human agreed, and at that precise moment, a howling wind ripped across the time-suspended realm, thrusting the Vysstichi’s silver tresses behind him and tossing the folds of his cloak haphazardly about his frame. He braced himself, observing the chaotic scene through narrowed crimson orbs. As if guided by the hands of Ioannes himself, a stream of gold ricocheted off one carrier’s medallion to the next, inscribing ancient lettering upon the newly shimmering pieces.

The dark elf looked to his own: Victoria.

He’d been chosen, alongside his comrades, as a defender of the new age, the age of Prince Milo the first. Staring agape at the human who’d just been promoted as the ruler of the nation, the dark elf could not contain his awe. A brilliant crown sat atop the man’s head, identifying him as the chosen one of Auron’s ancient people. This was an auspicious time, one that would echo for eternity. At a loss for words, Faust instinctively fingered the glowing medallion that hung around his neck. He harbored no love for the Empire; in fact, he had ill feelings for Milo even. The Regent’s, no, the Prince’s wife had been responsible for the Sherian Inquisition that had nearly cost the Vysstichi his life.

Reservation initially gripped the dark elf’s heart, but as Auron’s baritone voice proclaimed the new age, Faust could not deny that a great part of him hoped that Milo would indeed become the conduit by which Auron’s alleged time of peace would actualize. Maybe, just maybe, the former Imperial Regent would prove that he was different from those conniving politicians before him. And maybe, just maybe, he would be worth fighting for…

[Kaelon]

Auron nodded and listened intently to the words of the adventurers. Before Milo could even respond, the Praelarctus felt an overwhelming urge to interject, and as he spoke, he rose a hand in caution and advice. "Just as in the founding days of the First Kingdom, a Prince ruled the land while a King reigned from the skies. So, too, must this Covenant reflect a sincere kinship between our peoples. Though we are home, Aelyrians cannot hope to guide and govern this land which still remains so strange and foreign to us. Indeed, the Crown of the Prince which Your Royal Highness now wears," Auron gestured to the top of Milo's head, "is a symbol of your primacy of state. You are the First Citizen of a shining new era, and like any sovereign, you know best to rely upon the counsel of your people and the wisdom of your subjects."

Auron walked over to the edge of Mount Corona, and looked towards the sea. "The task set before us is inundated in challenges," he said. "As we plan to enshrine this new Covenant, already, there are the Agents of Darkness which seek to let the Shadow thrive. As the Darkening closes, and a Brightening opens before us, we must become ever vigilant to the changes that will begin across the Realm." Turning back to face Milo, the King nodded. "Change. It is the only constant that Time brings us. And it is now what will unfold throughout Aelyria. The Empire of Old is gone, and with this new Covenant that you and I, our peoples together, have forged, shall a New Kingdom be seated. How and in what way is a mystery that cannot be resolved by the edicts of a Foreign King as I, or by the best wishes of her Native Prince as You." Auron closed his eyes, seemingly clearing his thoughts and trying to gather perspective.

"Some of the relics of the Past still have a place in the Hearts of People," reflected Auron, gesticulating to the west and the east as he spoke. "The timeless values, the ageless wisdom, the culture and flowering which history has brought to countless. But many new institutions will have to emerge to replace the ruined artifacts of the state. The Aelyrian Empire collapsed, and cannot rise as it once was. Instead, that new Covenant which we forge today must be the basis of a New Order that seeks to enstill the Virtues and govern the Charges tasked onto us. It is a Covenant which we shall administer together, but one in which every citizen and each adventurer has a stake in its success." The Aelyrian reflected on what Faust and Godah had perceived and thought, and raised a caution.

"This Isle is caught in a Torrent of Time," he remarked, almost apologetically. "And those who depart from it are consigned to return to the Present with no knowledge of the Future. For this Covenant that we have forged today, as a Symbol of the Future, though timeless it may hope to be, can only be seated in the Future. Insula Coronae shall emerge from this Chaos under Order, but it shall take time, and during that time, those who depart from it will lose all recollection of the events that passed here. The relics and treasures, powers and predictions which were granted to them, will vanish and be imprisoned in the nether of Nevertime." The Aelyrian snapped his fingers, and in the palm of his hand appeared a simple elixir.

"For the Sake of Time, and the Preservation of its Continuity," promised the King, "I can offer only swift passage to the Present for you all. Drinking this fluid will ensure that you awaken on the morrow in the comfort of your homes, just a day or two after your original expedition to this once-cursed place. You will remember nothing, and proceed with your lives as if the Aethercrown and its Rite were a matter best left unresolved." Auron gestured to the far West where in the storms surrounding Insula Coronae, nothing could be seen, but Odyleon and Parreyon both instinctively knew were the familiar lights of Aelyria Prime and the Eastern Seaboard of the Continent.

"But when the Time comes," he assured the adventurers, "when the Torrent of Time has vanished from Insula Coronae, and pulled this island back into the Present, you shall slowly begin to remember and recall, the gifts you have earned here today restored, the precious Royal Medallions that you wear rematerialized, and the Crown of the Prince which now guides the fate of tomorrow seated firmly upon thine brow. But no sooner can this be, for the agents of discord must have surely known that disrupting the Rite of the Aethercrown would have caused a rupture in space and time, and to allow them to continue would cause an unravelling of the Mortal World and an End of All that We Know."

Pausing, Auron wondered how the adventurers would react to the realization that leaving Insula Coronae would mean, at least for now, foregoing the treasures and experiences, blessings and opportunities that they had seized through their adventures. Finally, the King sought to soften the blow by reinforcing his promise with a prediction. "Nature is known to echo the troubles of Man," he said, "and when this Isle of the Crown re-emerges from its torrent, the obscuring of your minds shall be lifted, as a Veil shall descend over the Forests. Let that event mark the beginning of your Reawakening, and the start of a new Rebirth. For it is then and there that we shall send our proudest ships to the Eternal City from which the Prince shall always rule and govern, to begin the honest work of establishing this Kingdom of Aelyria." And with that, Auron turned to see what others thought of his plan to save the timeline from corruption.

[Wessex de Evile IV]

The black-winged Ancient considered the monarchs's request and nodded slightly in acknowledgement of the task being laid upon him. In the last centuries, Wessex had spent more and more time in the guise of mortal-kind, observing and watching always. The peoples of today's Aelyria were of a markedly different mindset than those of the old Empire and Kingdom. They were citizens of city-states and provinces, rather than being bound together by commonality and unity that was enforced of old. The past fifteen eras in particular had showed a marked shift in attitudes, especially as the old dependence on the Aethergem had been stripped away.

Wessex heard the story pieced together by the adventurers, and it brought clarity to his recollection of the events leading up to the apparent razing of Aslangrad. His eyes widened slightly when Parreyon mentioned Constantine's transformation: these mortals were learning entirely too much, and too quickly. Hopefully the final illumination of understanding would not come to them before time; some things were dangerous simply when known.

Mention of the Aethergem again inevitably brought Wessex's eyes to gaze at the shattered shards of the Aethercrown. He had sent a missive imploring the Regent to not initiate the Rite of the Aethercrown, to do anything else, even unto crowning himself Emperor and sundering the Empire in doing so. That relic was not meant for mortals to toy with and now... it was destroyed. Even as he looked at the broken pieces of what had once been the symbol of Empire, a memory intruded.

~ * ~

It was a day much like any other in the Palace of the Crown. The task of concealing the full extent to which Constantine's faculties had been impaired kept Wessex constantly busy. There were petitions of the people to hear, the usual and casual manipulation of the Imperial Senate to see to, the networks of spies and soldiers interlocking through the Empire to hear reports from and see that they remained loyal. The birth of Fire and Constantine's twin children was supposed to have ushered in an era of joy, but if there was elation, it wasn't his. Constantine had grown weaker almost visibly and Fire... Wessex was almost convinced that the inner flames of her being were attempting to break free, to consume all things in a great conflagration of madness.

Thus the Viceroy was mulling over a pile of documents when a young page in Palace livery came bursting through the great doorway and into the study. "Your Excellency! Lord Physician Katrell requests that you come quickly, it's the Empress!"

Wessex looked up from the pile of parchment on his ebony-dark desk. Reports from Chanliya were speaking of unrest near Aslangrad, Kane Sabre was planning some madness and was appropriating even more Imperial funds and resources for some gigantic balloon contraption, and the volcanic chain of islands of his own Evile were awakening after millennia of dormancy. What else could possibly be so pressing that Cortland needed his immediate attention and couldn't handle it himself? "What is wrong with the Empress?" Wessex queried in his best this-had-better-be-good-or-you-will-become-an-example-to-the-next-ten-generations tone.

The page blanched. "The Empress! She's.. she's... she's i-in th-the chamber wi-with the Aethercrown!"

Wessex bolted upright immediately. This was ill news indeed. Before he knew it, the page was shoved aside and he was moving through the corridors of the palace with winged speed. The Empress could play at being ruler all she liked, but the Aethercrown was not hers to toy with! Cortland had been absolutely correct to inform him. Fire must be stopped!

Wessex made his way through the corridors as fast as he could. Direct teleportation was not permitted in the Palace, and it would take concentration Wessex didn't have at the moment anyway to affect it properly without sending out a signal beacon to every arcanist on the Isle. On later recollection Wessex wasn't even sure if his feet were touching the ground the entire way... it was all a great haze, all reason fled before the thought of Fire seizing the Aethercrown for herself.

Even as he burst into the throne room he knew that was he too late. A keening sound echoed through the hall and pierced his ears. On the far side of the great chamber, standing before a polished mirror, was Empress Fire Mystia, placing the powerful artifact above her brow. He was too late! As the crown settled above her copper tresses, a preternatural wail tore through every fiber of the Aelyrian Viceroy's being. Where fear had clouded his world before, now there was pain, pain so terrible it brought him to his knees.

In the haze of pain, Wessex then had a vision that would remain vivid for a long time to come.

The throne room was decked grandly, the Imperial colors brighter and truer than ever before. A great silence enveloped the whole of existence, and sitting on a grand throne upon the dais was Wessex himself. Crowned with the Aethercrown and robed not in crimson, but in purple, an iridescent light playing around his very being, and yet behind it stood a great overwhelming darkness, a heavy forboding. He was no longer even in the realm of 'just' being an Ancient Aelyrian, member of a powerful and mighty race. With the Aethercrown, he was unto the Gods themselves.

But all was silent. He could feel a great wind in the distance, but it made no sound. It was then that he realized that there was sound because there was no life... not a single flicker of life force remained. And Wessex knew then, it wasn't just on the Isle.

It was across the entire world.

This world was a world at its ultimate peace and tranquility, but only because it was utterly devoid of all life. Utterly drained of all other thought or feeling or existence. He knew then what he was being shown: that if he seized the crown for himself, this would be the world's future, a world devoid of everything. Peace and tranquility would reign for a thousand thousand years, and so would he.

But it would be empty. Forever. For Eternity.

Just as pain had brought Wessex into the vision trance, pain brought him out of it, but it was now subsiding. Wessex was on his knees, his right fist clenched and pressed into the floor. As he looked up, Fire had turned and was now looking at it.

"Ah, Wessex..." she rasped in a voice purring with pure ecstasy. "It is good of you to acknowledge the reign of your new Empress so readily. We think, because you are the first to usher in Our new era that We will grant you a boon... what say you to that? Is it not most generous of Us?"

In that moment, Wessex knew that if he confronted the Empress, even he would likely lose that battle. And so, only one path remained for him.

He had to get away from the Palace, and the Aethercrown. As far away and as fast as possible.

~ * ~

That was Then. Now, Wessex's mind now returned to the Present, towards the Future. He wrenched his gaze from the broken Aethercrown and to the assembled. The Aelyrian monarch was speaking to the adventurers still, now making his offer to Milo. And then the two, Human and Aelyrian, clasped hands and the King spoke the old formula, "So it has been spoken, so shall it be done."

In this place, those words had the force of a great power behind them, and with their speaking everything changed. Wessex's old Medallion, worn out of force of habit and will than out of any station that remained intact, began to glow again with an inner light extinguished for ages. And as each word was engraved on the medallion of each of the assembled, Wessex already had a notion what his would say.

It was his blessing, his curse, his power, his pride, and, ultimately, his prison.

AETERNIUM

Eternity.

For good, for ill, not for the Empire of the elder age but now for a New Kingdom, Milo was now Prince.

As the others spoke their minds and as the Aelyrian King outlined his plans to preserve the timeline, Wessex had but one thing to say in front of the assembled. He stepped forward and spoke, for the first time since he had arrived in this place, directly to the new Prince of Aelyria, his voice quiet and crystalline and yet able to be heard by all assembled.

"Your Highness, there will be a great many things to be done... when the Time is right. Until then, I shall remain here. And even though you will not recall this until later, I shall say it now..." Curiously enough, the black-winged Aelyrian glanced over at Liselle as he began speaking again. "Keep Liselle by your side always and I think your rule may be even ever greater than you expect it to be. She is a nexus point for all things, a Prime Mover, another hub of the Great Wheel around which all things turn."

The Aelyrian then smiled slighty. Apparently the King wasn't the only one who liked dropping surprises and providing mortals with a tangling of words, snaring them much as kittens in yarn.

"Of course, I would expect nothing less from my own granddaughter."

[Liselle Vampyler Sapientia]

She -did- feel as though Auron knew her…or about her, but how or why she could not say. Liselle as well wasn’t afraid of the Ancients before her. Somehow..once again without rhyme or reason…she knew that at least for the moment, she was comfortable with their presence.

As Auron approached her, she listened carefully to what he had to say. She couldn’t admit that again, most of what he explained was simply too vague for her to understand, she didn’t question it. Truly one that believed in destiny and fate, she knew that the answers would come in time.

Her sword…she admitted freely that she had no love of it. She had never bonded with it in the way that some swordsmen did with their blades but now…something was different. Liselle could -feel- the bond forming…and knew that things would be different from that point on.

Things were moving quickly…the words…the pendants…everything swirling around her. Milo’s decision…ever important and subsequently, his being crowned Prince.

She -had- to giggle about that. Liselle knew Milo…and knew that he was groaning on the inside. Formalities bothered him like nothing else…and now he had an extra title to add to the growing list. Prince Milo….it made her giggle…not because he didn’t deserve it. No…no other she knew deserved it more. Milo worked very hard and got very little credit.

However, she didn’t realize that her own surprise was coming…and from an unlikely source. The dark-winged Allerian whom had been standing off to the side. She felt a connection immediately…but had no idea that it was going to manifest in what it did.

His words to Milo…“keep her close“? She didn’t see where it was going until his last sentence.

Granddaughter?

No matter her reaction, she immediately knew it to be true. She searched her memory, trying to figure out how. She knew her mother…and she knew her father…she knew her father’s family.

It had to be her mother’s side.

Nodding her head in respect to the men who had now professed to be her grandfather, it was time for an official introduction.

“Liselle Vampyler-Sapientia…Governor of the Principality of Prime, Thane of the Imperial City of Alleria Prime…and you are? I suppose if you are my grandfather, I should know your name.”

She was ignoring the impending memory loss for the moment. There were more important things to attend to before she was forced to lose her memory.

Destiny was calling, after all. Was best not to hang up before finding out what it required of her.

[Wessex de Evile IV]

The black-winged Aelyrian's smile turned wryly as Liselle announced herself and only shook his head ruefully a moment. The very thing that had set him apart from his race -- his black wings -- no longer served as a unique reminder, a calling card, except to those of the most arcane and rather dusty understanding.

"To history I am best known as Wessex de Evile IV, Imperial Viceroy, Lord of the Northern Marches, Defender of the Northern Sea, Regnal Duke of Houses Arium et Evile-Nexus, Lord of all Arium... and other things, as well, obscured in the mists of antiquity and holding no bearing on the Present or the Future. Your destiny was first in the hands of mortalkind, and so I have only been there in the shadows... but it seems a greater fate now embraces you -- you and your companions -- and therefore I will step forward and proudly call you granddaughter."

The Viceroy had once had power to make the Empire itself tremble at his name, but the apparent ignorance of his own granddaughter and her companions was just another reminder of how ephemeral such fame and power were. And a testament to the legacy of mortalkind that he had stepped aside to make room for.

But now that the Aelyrians had returned to the scene, what might the world see then?

[Liselle Vampyler Sapientia]

OOC: Sorry about the thread hogging, but since I'm leaving for the airport in 3 hours, I thought it best to post and get all my questions in before I go. =-)

Wessex de Evile IV…..-that- name she knew. Perhaps not as intimately as some other figures in history but she knew the name. Not all mortals were ignorant of the history surrounding their lands.

Wait a second….

A few thoughts began racing through her mind…things that she would most likely find out about in the future but she needed to sate her curiosity though…being the ever-curious creature she was. Liselle knew about Mekare and her strange cross-heritage…so she couldn’t help but be concerned what it might mean for herself and her children.

“ I know that name. I’ve read about you in my political studies. It’s just arcana that I’m not that coherent in….but still, does this mean that I have Ancient Aelyrian blood? Am I mortal or…something in-between? And my children…I have three…triplets…what does this mean for them?”

Liselle could face armies of soldiers and not have a single panicked thought…but her children were another matter. At that moment, it wasn’t a warrior they were facing…

….it was a worried mother.

[Wessex de Evile IV]

Wessex continued to smile beneficently. Perhaps these mortals didn't know entirely too much about the Aelyrian race, they knew only those parts that should be kept from being discussed too widely...

"It does. However, not to the degree that one like Mekare Taryn has." Wessex had known about that connection and had had no qualms in dealing with a half-Aelyrian like Mekare in order to keep his mortal line safe from harm. He would have to make arrangement with Auron to see to that, at the least.

"In all candor I cannot say what your blood will bring you or your children in the way of gifts. It manifests differently in each of you, is shaped by your experiences and tempered by your own disciplines. Some experience greater longevity, or increased sensitivity to others around them, or to the arcane world... as with so many other things, only Time can tell us what their blood will bear them."

"I know that does not bring much comfort, but know this: I have always been watching. It is as much a concern to me as it is to you, for there will be no other issue of my line in this world. Even I will someday need to lay down my charge... and perhaps your children, or their children, or even their children will be among the ones to take up my tasks."

The Viceroy's voice radiated calm as he spoke in that quiet, crystalline tone. What would be, would be. What must be... would come to be.

[Milo L'Evienne]

No sooner had he agreed to the proposition and clasped forearms with the Ancient King, events unfolded in a veritable whirlwind both literal and figurative, and when it died down he found himself standing amongst both fellow adventurers and Ancients with a medallion come back to life, Lex, it said and a crown atop his brow. By events unfolding and each of them affected he’d been both astonished and struck silent…an event those who knew him best would say hardly happened if ever and he was left both awestruck and humbled by the experience and ultimately, by the faith put in him both by the Ancient clasping his arm and his fellow travelers.

His was a heavy mantle to carry even in partnership with the Ancients and the thought of stumbling under its weight might’ve overwhelmed him completely if not for the support seemingly offered by his companions both silent and spoken. Outside of the mantle he’d willingly worn thus far with no regrets, this would certainly take some getting used to. It was the dorin who approached him with both the promise of his sword and a word of wisdom, and it was most certainly, echoed somewhat similarly thereafter by Auron himself and not at all unlike his own way of thinking. It was for those countless mortals after all and for them above all else, that he’d done what was asked of him.

And the vision of a future brought to mind, not unlike at all the one he’d envisioned countless times himself, one in which all in the Empire had a stake, but had not nearly the means to manage it till perhaps now, and not at all alone. And in the midst of it all, he smiled in response and offered a tilt of his head in genuine thanks. ”You are one who comes straight to the point and arrives there with wisdom. Both of which I greatly admire and will continue to value in the brightenings to come. I’m proud that you’ve been amongst all of us side by side here this brightening.” The last, a sentiment meant for all his companions.

And then the Ancient who he’d not recognized previously spoke and Milo turned to give him his full attention. He too spoke wisdom though it contained a bit of the curious, until of course he cleared he cleared away the mystery, at least in part, in a wholly unexpected way. With a glance at Liselle, again he smiled, curious but still the crooked one she was familiar with. They’d have to have a chat about this, later…it would come to prove when Auron next spoke, but until then he remarked, ”I have never been at all unaware of the lady’s worth and this she knows,” he said, then turned back to Wessex, ”but I’ll do well to remember it.”

And lastly, an offered course back to their homes in a way that would preserve the passage of time and for many a good reason, and though he found the prospect of how events would unfold and then fall back into place in time and with the occurrence of specific events remarkable, for himself he could only conclude that in this there was an equal and great wisdom that he was certainly in no position to deny. And so without hesitation, his was a ready agreement.

[Kaelon]

(Song: "The Oracle", from King's Quest VI. Courtesy Quest Studios.)

King Auron looked at Wessex and nodded in silent acknowledgment of his thoughts. It was clear to the Praelarctus that the mysteries of his race were beginning to unfold, and his own thoughts drifted towards the uncertain reality that amidst this new brightening, some mysteries are meant to be pulled out of the darkness and brought into the light. Even so, the white-winged monarch contemplated a silent prayer hoping that the discovery of certain truths, which had been second nature to the Aelyrians for centuries, would be greeted with tolerance. Or, better yet, not discovered at all. For Odyleon, who had sensed no deception from Auron up until this point, the Master Mystic could now perceive a strange reservedness emerging from the Aelyrian King, though he could not explain or understand why.

"We are glad that you are here among us," came the voice of Auron to Wessex, though his lips did not move. The Ancients recognized their familiar telepathy which preserved the sanctity of their conversations. "for our people will have many questions about the inhabitants of the land that you have called home for far too long." Before Wessex could even respond, Auron had already turned his attention to Milo, leaving the Viceroy of Eternity to converse with the adventurers. Yet even an Aelyrian as controlled as King Auron could not resist doing a double-take in shock when Wessex dropped the bombshell of Liselle's elder heritage. Many secrets were still being brought out of the shadows.

King Auron nodded with gratitude and sincere appreciation when Prince Milo expressed his thanks. Speaking calmly and cleanly, the Ruler of the Aelyrians bowed his head. "It pains me that my path for you will cause you to live in blissful ignorance for some months to come," he said, addressing Milo but clearly intending the message for all of the adventurers. "But it is for the best. There has been much damage caused to the flow of Time, and we must do all that we can to restore it to proper working order." Snapping his fingers, the elixir vial in his hand levitated and was placed down upon a rock gently before the adventurers. With a flicker of light, a small halo of illumination hovered over the vial and soon, it duplicated, triplicated, and copied itself over and over until there was one vial for every adventurer present. Except for Wessex.

Turning back to Viceroy Wessex de Evile IV, King Auron sent another message. "I hope that you are prepared to address the Conclave," sensed the monarch. "for they will have many questions about what has transpired here today, and I can think of no one more suitably equipped to be by Our side as we rebuild this tattered Isle in preparation for their Return." Auron sighed briefly, convincing the adventurers that he still lamented sending them back, but Wessex knew that his preoccupations were of a more delicate nature: the Conclave, the ancient governing council of the Ancient Aelyrians, did not like surprises. And Wessex now had reason to believe that this entire event -- the coronation of a new Prince, the sealing of a brand new Covenant, the founding of the Second Kingdom -- that these events were unplanned and bold moves by Auron. But then, as mysterious and enigmatic as this Foreign King had been before the adventurers, it must have not been surprising to all of the adventurers when he turned and walked back towards his Chariot, leaving them before the vials of the elixirs, as he would turn back and smile with a single sensation of powerful feeling and overwhelming empassioned emotion that all, mage or otherwise, could sense:

Hope.

The Winds of Time Characters who drink the Elixir will fall asleep, and re-awaken in the present Time Stamp back in their homes, remembering nothing of what transpired here, possessing none of the items or powers earned in this adventure, and having no inclination to travel to the Isle of the Crown or pursue the matter of the Rite of the Aethercrown. If the matter is brought up by other characters, the adventurers will dismiss the notion as silly or ridiculous, and proceed with their everyday lives. On the First Day of Winter in Year XV, a great slumber will fall over the adventurers who, when they fall asleep in the evening, will experience a restless and unfulfilling sleep, reliving through nightmares and dreams, temporal torments, and visions, the events of what happened here. When they re-awaken the following day, after the Veil falls over Silrosia, they will find their enchanted possesions empowered, their Royal Medallions by their bedside, and any new items conveniently nearby, remembering everything that had transpired. The Timeline restored, they will then be able to proceed. Many mysteries and unanswered questions remain, but the future remains bright, changable, and full of hope.

[Parreyon Syndicus]

So a new convenant was formed between mortal men and the ancient aelyrians. A new crown placed on Milo's head accompanied by a new title. But all of this made things harder not easier to see. The people had followed the Articles of Imperium as law which discussed Emperors and Empresses. Prince of Aelyria, Lord Protector of The Empire ... what did that mean? Were the current ways going to be redefined by the ancient aelyrians once again like they had done with Audrey just before the Empress passed her authority to her niece, Arabella? What the Articles of Imperium need to be rewritten? Would this change the concept of thanes and governors and consuls for all new positions?

And what did this medallion really mean? Were they Viceroys of one type or another? Parreyon's had the word Unitas upon it. Was he some how linked to the unity of this covenant? Truth be, everything that took place left many more unanswered questions than it did making him feel happy about the covenant. Parreyon was loyal to his friends and had no problem following Milo into a new future. He just wished he knew what that truly meant. gaining the support of the people was going to be much harder if the political structure was collapsed and replaced with a new one even if the one they were using now had holes and the people were already unsatisfied.

Many questions which would be asked at a later time. A time when their memory would come back to them. He had a shield given to him by Kaimelea, the sunblade released a ball of fire, a medallion given to him calling him Viceroy in a timeline long gone but now with the word Unitas upon it, and he was to have a forsight a