Talarine: Final War

Chapter 5

Xypherius stood at the Pathway thinking heavily upon his predicament. Talarine was for the moment stuck in the Hells and there was a rumor that spoke of some ancient ruins. A hand upon his armored leg had him looking towards his young son and he leaned down. "Yes, my son?" Deckard asked his question and Xypherius sighed. "You are still to young to go on a mission with me but I promise that when you are older I will take you to slay your first demon."

Xypherius took his son in his arms and held him close as he stood. His son was his world without Talarine, but when the she-wolf was present everything felt right. Like the puzzle pieces just fell into place, but without the large and powerful she-wolf something was always missing. His son nestled into his arms with tears in his eyes, "I know you miss her too." Deckard was especially attached to his mother. She was, in a sense, his first love and always would be. In return he was her firstborn son and she was extremely protective over him, if anything threatened his life she was quick to go after it. "I promise when I return, I will take you to mommy." He made that promise knowing that he would be unable to keep it. Soon he gave his son over to his twin, who appeared to take the boy, nodded his head and vanished.

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When Xypherius landed he stood at the gate to Pandemonium the rumored ruins were somewhere beyond Pandemonium and there was only one way to find them. Xypherius walked through the gate and looked around only to take to the sky and fly in the direction of the ruins. He stopped and looked towards the sky to see that somehow he could just tell which direction he needed to go in to find those ruins and flew the right way.

When he landed upon the ground the scenery had changed and he was utterly amazed at what surrounded him. As he looked around he saw not just wild growth of forest of trees and other unknown plantlife but towering walls with their own towers scattered upon certain points of the walls. The trees and other plantlife seemed to almost glow like the 'plants' scattered around the High Heavens. As he walked towards the giant gate that stood before him now he noted that there was something akin to a faint glow coming from it, and so as a consequence to his curiosity he reached out and touched it. As it opened he was once more reminded of the High Heavens and after the gates swung open he was greeted by the sight of ancient city. "No one will ever believe this." He spoke to himself as another voice spoke up, causing him to look towards the main walkway.

"Welcome Lord Xypherius."

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Xypherius stood now at the pintacle of this place where something floated with a dull glow in the middle of huge room. "So this place was once the home to the Spirit Clans?"

"Yes." The creature spoke with a nod. He had learned that the creature, the last of her kind, was called an Elemental Guide. She was born of Water and Earth elementals and in a way reminded him of a Nymph. "Long ago this was the place where all Spirit Clans came to watch the births of new members. Dragons, Wolves, Dogs, Cats, Pegasi and many more. This stone is the Sapphire Sphere or the Spirit Clan equvilant to the Crystal Arch."

"What would happen if I touched it?" Xypherius asked looking around the chamber at the carvings depicting the many creatures tha made up the Spirit Clans.

"You are the Sire of the first of Angel Hybrids and your mate is High Queen of the clans, thusly I could only guess that it would react the same way that the Gate did when you first entered this place. Or maybe it will begin to strengthen again with the power you wield." The Elemental spoke as she watched Xypherius approch the Sphere. In some small way the Sphere reminded him of the former Worldstone, but upon touching it he discovered that it was almost as powerful as the Crystal Arch. He tried to pull away only to find out that he could not move as his head was filled with images long past. The history of this place was beyond even that of the High Heavens and soon one memory in particular caught his attention and he watched it eagerly.