Return of the one long gone

Evil and its darkness

Jimmy hadn't been to see Joel and Lizzie in a while. He knew it was because he couldn't face lying to them. Pretending he had finally gotten over Scott's disappearance. He found it hard to do so with his advisors, with all their eyes on him, watching and waiting for new laws or agreements.

However, he had missed them. He never got to properly congratulate them when they became a couple, so it felt only right to now do so. He had brought Lizzie a bouquet of flowers, and Joel a new horse head to add to his disturbing collection.  

- - - -

The couple were sat on the couch, watching a ridiculously bad rom-com  that shouldn't have been made. Although, most productions made in the Grimlands and Mythland were usually fairly bad. 

However, that didn't matter. Joel and Lizzie were happy in the company of each other. A ring glistened on Lizzie's finger. Gold with a diamond. It was simple, but it was enough. Enough to see that she was spending the rest of her life with a man who didn't need to buy her an eccentric engagement ring to win her over. Joel had stolen her the day they met, more so now they were fiancés.

They hadn't decided on much yet, a few venue ideas, Lizzie's bridesmaids, Joel's Bestman. They were nervous to make all the announcements, not just because it would make the entire experience more real, but also because it would take weeks of paper work and constant advisor meetings to be in a position where everyone was happy to let them finally be openly together.

- - - -

Jimmy was glad to see a light on in the mega palace. As much as he loved Joel, he didn't trust the man not to be asleep in the afternoon, the man's excuse always being something on the lines of, "I was working hard." when he knew full well he had probably just been shooting horses for half an hour before calling it a day on his duties.

Although it was probably a waste of energy to have them on during the day, but the man hardly had any windows in the first place.... Jimmy found Joel extremely confusing, like an enigma that could be easily solved; at the same time stay a maze of clues and dead ends.

The door was open when he got to it, Lizzie and Joel watching from inside, faces haunted as if they had just seen a ghost. They didn't even seem to register he was there for a moment, eyes glazed over with what seemed like unshed tears.

Joel was the first to see him, "Jimmy!" his mannerisms changed in an instant, so quick the mourning expression could have been all in the blondes head. Lizzie, too, smiled at him, pretending she hadn't been gazing at the horizon in an almost longing expression.

"Brother!"

"Hi Lizzie, Joel."

The led him inside silently, walking towards the kitchen where three drinks were laid out. "We were just about to message you." Lizzie explains, smiling at him, before looking to Joel. It was then he realized the ring on Lizzie's finger, the wider smiles, the nervous buzz that seemed to pass between them both. 

"No way.." Jimmy whispered, more to himself and the empty air between himself and the engaged couple. He would have to pay Scott when the man returned, their betting pool overflowing with small investments Scott had planned before he left. 

He was happy for them. His sister deserved everything. She had helped him grow into the person he was, even if he forgot, even if they hadn't seen each other for years before finally being reunited. He was ecstatic to have Joel as his brother-in-law, already classing him as such. 

"Yes way." Lizzie was beaming, hand held tightly by Joel - who had been quiet the entire time until then, "We also want to know if you will be my best man." It was the first time Jimmy had seen Joel fidget or look shy, as if he thought the blonde would reject the offer. 

"Of course I will." 

- - - -

They must have spent hours chatting after that, beginning to plan the wedding and invitations. Even Scott had one in the hopes he would return before their wedding in a few months. Jimmy was brought close to tears when he stamped it. Lizzie thought it was strange. She still couldn't decide if they had become friends or he was missing the alliance meetings where Scott would readily defend him as a mature ruler. Maybe both.

Her and Joel had decided it was best to keep Scott's visit a secret. It was something they believed would keep him sage from being found. Prevent more lives being lost in whatever ruthless chase he was playing in. He had never described his hunter to them; from the way he reacted to his nightmare, they could guess its cruelty.

- - - -

Jimmy left Joel's feeling lighter than he had in two years. It gave him an escape from the world around him that was slowly crumbling without Scott as its support. His fiancé had become everything to him, and seeing his sister happy with her forever man made his heartache more powerful. It punched and kicked and tackled him until he was nothing but a shallow body with nothing left but two default emotions, happiness and sadness.

- - - -

Rivendell was quiet as its lights shone, providing a path up to the church of Aeor.

Scott hadn't been in his kingdom since he left. It looked the same, but it didn't feel the same. It had this strange pull, foreign and powerful. It was dragging him towards the church, begging him to step inside. It was strangely warm. Usually he would have a second layer if he was praying because he hadn't bothered with heating as the sun did so naturally during the day.

The alter was still the same, wooden, displaying the Kingdom's banner. For a minute he contemplated sitting and letting nostalgia wash over him in waves. But he knew he was working with depleting time, an invisible clock slowly moving past the time of safety and into fates hands.

And fate was its own being. It made its own decisions without a thought to who or what it might affect.

"Aeor?" Scott had only seen the God in person once during his time has King and the immortals champion. But they had always come to his aid when he needed it, always gave guidance if he asked. They had built a trust and a silent agreement of loyalty. That was until Scott tore it into pieces and fled without a goodbye, leaving his wishes and hopes on the alter for Aeor to read if he ever cared. He wouldn't be surprised if they had decided he was unworthy and moved on to someone who wasn't going to leave anytime he couldn't think of a suitable way to fix something.

"Scott Major, King of Rivendell," They waited, "You seek my advice on him don't you? He never stops, never surrenders, always keeps hunting, never runs away from his issues, instead tackles them, taunts them, becomes more powerful and more intimidating than them until the issue is merely dust in a calming battlefield. Am I correct?" 

"Yes. Although I wish you wouldn't mock and sneer me with your cryptic language and implications. You don't think I feel guilty enough? I have a fiancé at home, friends I abandoned, a life I will never be able to go back to."

"Who says you can never return Guardian?"

"I do, he does. It is unsafe for me to return with a target on my back for the rest of my life. It would put everyone I care about at risk. My friends, my people, Jimmy."

"Why not simply face him."

"Because I am powerless to stop him. You said it,", "Implied." , "Ok, sorry, implied it yourself. I'm nothing against my brother."

Suddenly, the torches lining the hall blew out and an eerie cold seeped into the room. Shadows glowed purple and red, just like it had in his nightmares, as it had those nights Scott was sure he wouldn't make it to the next morning. 

In that moment, everything he had done to survive fell. His walls collapsed and his mind went blank. All he could do was let darkness consume the light and soul from him as he barely registered being taken.

"Found you, Brother."

~ ~ ~ ~

It took almost two months but here it is.

Shit is starting to go down

Tj x

(Not proof-read)