Book Three : A universe divided

[Yuki Nightshade]

Time in the Shadow realm had seemed to stay still, twenty years had gone by and yet things havent changed not even in the kingdom. Yuki walked along the large halls of red and greyish black stained glass windows and onyx chadeliors, she was twenty three now and had a few changes showing her kitsune marks on her face and wore a jewled chain on her moon showing the appearance of a headpiece. Vertusk has yet to show himself to her but kneew he was very close thanks to the scripture he engraved on her. Yuki was in her little trance but awoke quicky feeling
something hit her, she looks down and sees a small ball and smiles,"Oh

Everest I know your close by, this is your ball." Looking around she didnt hear a sound, curious Yuki presses onto her throne and rests her head on her fist. Everything was quiet still the word "Mommy!" broke it, Everest now a bouncy five year old comes up the steps with her arms out wide, "Mommy Mommy Mommy! I missed you today but great grandma told me you were here mommy." Yuki gets up smiling and puts out her arms grabbing Everest in a huge hug and picking her up. As time went on Everest started to look more like Yuki with her hair and smile but her golden eyes showed Vertusk greatly. "Mommy when will I see daddy again?" Everest looks up and asked, Yuki didnt know what to say but most of the time she told her that he was out in another realm fighting for peace in that nation, but deep inside her she didnt know the truth and alway dreaded it whenever Everest asked the same question. Vertusk would return soon like he promised but it was taking longer then what she expected especially with him as a title in the realm as well.

Yuki looks down to Everest and puts a smile on,"Daddy will come back soon, hes still trying to bring peace to another realm so nothing bad happens." Everest giggles loudly and squirms out of her mother's grasp, "Yeah daddy is a hero to everyone I know he will be the best and destroy the bad people." she giggles again running off with her ball to play. Yuki sits back down and sighs, the last twenty years had been a long wait for her but knew with paitience Vertusk would return and the Nightshade family would be whole again. "Its been twenty years my love, we both are still waiting and know you'll return to us." Yuki looks the horizon tears streaming down her face.  

[Blasphymer]

Randell strides the blue walkways of Atlantis, his saber in its scabbard. The Rains were berating them. The magical shield did its best to hold the water and flooding out. Hutch walks with him. "Vertusk is gone, half of Atlantis destroyed. Damn it, what now?" The last time they saw Vertusk was fifteen years ago. Now they knew not where he was. Atlantis was rebuilding, after the attack, the Nothings came to help rebuilding and drive Sara from the realm. "Hutch, what are we doing now?" Hutch shrugs. "We have any clue where he is?" Shakes his head. "Well, what do you know?!"  

[Yuki Nightshade]

Yuki watched the horizon still her eyes begun to hurt from her crying, getting herself together she goes back to her throne. The atmosphere in the kingdom seemed humble and peaceful but to Yuki it was misery and lonliness, true she had Everest to find comfort but it wasnt enough to fill the emptiness in her heart from not just worry of where Vertusk was but if he was even alive. Everything had changed since Sara took control of most of the other realms but was Yuki was breatful that the shadow realm was out of Sara's grasp, more fighting and death wasnt needed now. "Perhaps I should see how Atlantis is doing, I knew it was in ruins awhile back but things might be back to normal by now." yuki thought of the idea and decided to go with it and searches for Everest. She finds her in her nursery playing with a doll, "Lets go sweetie, we need to be out of the kingdom for a moment." Everest nods happily and grabs hold of Yuki, once secure she opened a portal to Atlantis escorted by a shadow guard so if an attempt to harm the royals was to occur.  

[Blasphymer]

Randell keeps pacing the walkways, Hutch trying to keep up. "Damn it, after so long, there still is no way in hell we can keep up the Alliance." Hutch agrees. Randell sighs. "Damn it, damn it damn it." A while back, everyone from every Realm that was alive and doing well joined a small alliance. This alliance, referred to as The Alliance, kept itself alive. Atlantis had been rebuilt, with the help of the Nothings. Oblivion was safe haven, since for some reason only Oblivion and a few others were still in one piece. Earth was gone, Heaven was still there, God was somehow super ultra powerful. There were not that many left other than that. When he hears horns, he looks around. "We have an arrival it seems." He hurries to the platform that served the giant portal. The giant portal was what delivered people to Atlantis, a safe guard. When Yuki Khilack comes out, Randell nods to her. "Hutch, I want you to escort her to Vertusk's spire. I want to talk to her." Randell gets into the spire and waits, overlooking the Rains from the tallest spire. It survived the attack, barely. The reconstruction could still be seen. Dragons patrolled the skies, ever faithful to their fellow inhabitants. Even the Merpeople came up to help. It was how Atlantis was floating still  

[Yuki Nightshade]

Atlantis in Yuki's view had recovered quickly, everything was looking brighter then what she saw those many years ago. She looks to her guard who was looking stern and fearful and waved her hand to him to stop and ordered him to go back. He protested to her majesty but with one look from her he gave in and left the two. Everest hid under Yuki's cape but she bent down and looked at her,"Its alright theres nothing here thats going to hurt you." Yuki gets her out and takes her hand walking calmly. For once she was feeling a little better being away from her realm, it reminded her too much of the past but Atlantis wasnt helping either, it was the first place she met Vertusk and where she married. "Brings back many memories, happy ones but yet I feel the pain still."  

[Blasphymer]

Hutch approaches. His eyes kind. "Mrs. Khilack, I am sorry for your husband's disappearance. Its hard on all of us, but even more so for you." He nods. "Mr. Langley would like to speak to you. Please, follow me." The three walk to the middle of the city. Randell looks to her as she reaches the top.

"Your visit is a surprise." He looks back out, watching the horizon. Then he sweeps his eyes around Atlantis. "This place is starting to look more like a fortress. Damn Sara, I was here when it fell. Me and my parents..." It was a painful memory. "The reason I want to speak with you is simple. How many refugees do you have?" He turns to her again. His eyes filled with pain. "And I would like to offer an invitation. The Alliance is looking for more realms to join. With so few still alive, we doubt it will be enough, but we can hopefully find the strength to recover what we have lost." He was speaking for his leader, something he did often, which lead to trouble.  

[Yuki Nightshade]

The conference turned from finding peace for a moment to becoming a strict conference, it was true that Yuki was feeling the same feeling everyone else here was, Everest starts tugging on yuki's glove,"Mommy? why is the man saying daddy's gone? he fighting the bad guys like you said..mommy?!" Yuki didnt answer and Everest kept calling her for and answer. "Daddy's not coming back? why? I want to see my daddy!" Everest ran out crying, Yuki tried to get her but sat down putting a hand to her forehead,"I'm just going to let her go cry out some of her frustration, she has never seen her father since she was an infant and all I did was tell stories to calm her." Yuki looked stressed and looked back to Randell,"Anyways....all refugees that had been counted for had either returned to their realms or had become citizens of Lokhaos, you can tell since they wont have a moon on their foreheads." she looks towards outside for a moment and could hear Everest crying in her hidden spot, it made Yuki upset whenever she was crying or upset. "And as for your invitation...." she pauses for a moment and thinks it over, she hated what Sara has done to the worlds around her and what angered her the most was she killed a dear friend,"I shall accept your invitation, many have lost so much and its time that we should unite to gain whatever strength possible, you can guarentee that the shadow realm, and the Nightshade kingdom will do anything to help." Yuki knew not what to think but she knew what something had to be done and felt like how she was suppose to be as a true ruler. However she was weakened too easily, the misery and pain she felt was causing her to be valnurable but what else she could do but to bottle up most of her sad emotions for another time.  

[Blasphymer]

Randell looks to Hutch, outside the door. "idiot. I am sorry Mrs. Khilack. Yes, it would be nice to see you help us. I am damn sure Alexavior will like it. Next time I meet him, I will see if he has heard from Vertusk. He has not yet, but I am ever hopeful. If you ever need a vacation, Atlantis is always here, we have some great campsites out on the mainland. A bit rainy, but it always sets a good mood." Randell tries to lighten the mood. He ends up turning back to the window overlooking the city. "Oh! I wanted to know, how is Earth lately? I have not been to any other continents nor realms, so I don't have much of a clue. A few friends have been there, they say its ruined, but rebuilding. I would love to know what you know." His hometown must have been ruined, it hurt.  

[Yuki Nightshade]

Yuki's face turned from stressed to a worried look, she did go back to earth only once but only to the city she resided in during hiding, Tokyo. When she went off to go and refresh her memories it backfired, once there Tokyo hadnt changed but heading into other places in the world everything was war-ridden. Snapping out of it she looks to him,"Well I have only lived on Earth for three years in one place and it hasnt changed....however..." she starts to clench her fist in anger,"Everywhere else has been changed." This shouldnt had bothered her since her home is the shadow realm but even for that short time she was hurt at the destruction she witnessed. Tiny footsteps were heared from Yuki and she turns to see Everest come back from hiding and sits on her lap,"I am tired of the chaos that has come to most of the realms and Earth, this is not what I wanted to see myself and better yet my daughter, there will be a stand to end this." Yuki was determined but yet she was starting to break inside, true she wanted to help in anyway but her emotions were getting in the way of things. Vertusk......I cant go on like this...until I know the truth. she started to feel bad about telling him what had come of earth but she knew in his eyes that he needed and answer, not excuses. The room was quiet for a moment till Everest started up, "Mommy can I see Daddy soon?", Yuki stays quiet as she pulled on her glove again, "Not this again." she was starting to stress out from everything.  

[Blasphymer]

A gold flash appears, and Vertusk is standing next to Randell. "Ah, I see Atlantis has been taken care of in my absence, thank you Randell, but I will be leaving again soon. Alexavior does have a new assignment for you though." He turns to see his wife, and a hurt yet relieved look swipes his face. His throat catches. "Your, here. I was not expecting this...." His staff leaves his hand, and Randell catches it reflexively. "Your, alive and well, thank the Gods." He slowly approaches his family. "I was so worried. So very worried. I am sorry, I, I was hoping not to see you here..." His eyes fall to the ground. It would hurt leaving her again. Then a smile parts his lips. "Everest, your so big!" He squats as she comes to him, apprehensively, knowing it was her father, but not having seen him for so long. His white cloak shrouds her. and him as he stands back up to look at Yuki. Randell widens his eyes as he hurries from the room.  

[Yuki Nightshade]

At that point Yuki couldn't feel much standing right there was Vertusk as she had wished, she goes to him and wraps her arms on him in a huge embrace,"Vertusk!....its been so long and I worried that you were kil-" Yuki couldnt finish her sentence and started to cry. Her dream to see her husband again was full of happiness where she was feeling dread and sadness. "Its been such a long time and yet I had to tell Everest lies about your whereabouts, i felt so guilty having to do that to our child." it was painful and yet happy to see him again and Everest was happy herself to finally meet the father she had only heared of in stories but at that moment she knew who he was. Yuki smiles tearfully,"I'm so glad she could reconize you, and yet I'm surprised you have reconized me since its been five years in the shadow realm even though its actually been twenty." She was surprised to know he reconized her and her changes but she too was able to reconize him for being gone so long.  

[Blasphymer]

Vertusk stands there, content with being near his family. "God, this is going to hurt.... But you may already know that I do have to leave again. Until Sara is gone, I must continue to be away from you. It hurts, and I know its dreadful on you. I, did not want to see you again, not like this." He shakes his head, a tear in his eye. He puts down his daughter, and goes to the door. He turns back to them. "I love you two, be safe. I will see you again when I can." He grabs his staff, and Randell looks down, feeling the dread, the anguish. He puts a sad hand on Vertusk's shoulder. "Good bye, old friend." He takes one last look at them, waves, puts on a weak smile, and is gone in a flash just as he had been when he got there." Randell smiles sadly, and leaves the mother and daughter. They would need time alone.