Meeting on Warship 666

D'garar casually lounges in the chair and types a few commands into the rooms computer. It pours him a glass of Scotch, on the rocks. "I remember how to do that." He chuckles lightly, taking a sip. "I remember the 16th being destroyed. I remember repairing it, and several other Dimensions. Then uhm. Incredible pain. But I can't tell from what, a stabbing, I presume. After that, nothing. Then I remember slitting my own throat open. Which means, for all intents and purposes, that I am dead. Why did I kill myself, exactly? It doesn't seem like something I would do."

{Yay. He's back to being an arrogant asshole.}

[lol Kriea] -Zyria nods.- "Alright, then. The first part of your memory loss....well....before telling you....what do you remember about Tam?" [We'll just move down the line of ??s]

{Your character loves my arrogant asshole, Kriea}

He sighs, taking a sip of Scotch. "She was weak. From the ritual with the Alteriia. And then, Robless shot himself. The she was gone. That's all I got."

{Says who? My character like the other side of him, just like I do. I've never been one to like arrogance.}

-Worriedly, Zyria looks around at the others.- "Well...it's a little more than that now...Yes, Robless shot himself, and Tam DID disappear, but, she did because she saved Robless, but joining his mind. There, she realized that Robless has a parasite, a dark creature that made him do all his evil things, you may have heard stories of them. Well, the parasite....is in Tam now. And we're trying to save her from it. We went into her mind, we discovered that we need to find a cure on Mars. For now though, Tam has some control and is helping Emerik right now..." -Zyria sighs, after going over so much, reliving the dark things that have occurred to them all.-

<ofc> Well I guess my character can just lay on the floor. (sigh)

<Ic> Archelaus, during all this time, remains in the place of grey, his eyes open, seemingly conscious, but seeing only gray and nothingness, just like his heart and mind have become without his Neiede.

- Briefly, the 12th Fleet attempts to contact the Warship 666...

[Well, that's what you get for making it so only Tam can save you. XD Blame Emerik, he's the one that won't reply in the other thread.]

In the other room, Tam slowly blinks to consciousness. She looks around slowly, painfully, and sighs at length. She rises to her feet, only half-aware of where she is. She can feel that the Thel-ghan'che has not yet awoken but that it is trying with all of its strength to resurface, so she heads for the hallway, reaching out with her Tes-drah to see where everyone is. She opens the door to the meeting room where everyone has gathered, and her eyes sweep across each face, stopping only momentarily on those of D'garar and Kassandra. She says nothing, just stands there in the doorway.

-Zyria looks to the door as Tam enters, and, because she's still standing, makes it to Tam first. She seems excited that her friend is conscious, but also wary as she checks for her sword as she walks over to Tam.- "What happened? Is Emerik rid of....of...whatever he needed help with?" -She notes how weary Tam looks, and worries that the parasite may take advantage of that, so Zyria tries to distract Tam with the questions.-

She nods slowly, her face not betraying any emotions, and then she speaks, her voice sounding like the voice of someone who has seen far too much. "Where is Archelaus? I need to see him..." She seems distracted, still eyeing D'garar with a tired skepticism.

D'garar rises slowly, taking a final sip of his Scotch. He stretches, his body still strained from everything that has happened to it. He smiles at Aurora, and walks over to her. He wraps his arms around her. "...that is a good question..." He looks at Zyria, "Where is he?"

-Shaking her head, trying to focus, she says,- "Archelaus....he-he....I'm not sure. We figured he would wake up just like everyone else, but, we haven't seen him, so he must still be in the other room..." -Zyria walks out, to the room where Archelaus is still laying. He hasn't moved, but his eyes are open. Worriedly, Zyria looks to Tam. There's got to be something wrong, but the only one I can think that could help is Tam, really... She steps aside, showing Tam Archelaus.-

As D'garar had wrapped his arms around Tam, she looked at him strangely, not giving in to his gesture. Her look had never gone, and really there was only a dull confusion in her mind. What... what happened while I was out...?

She follows Zyria into the other room, and her knees buckle at the sight of Archelaus. "Oh god... oh my god, Archelaus... It... you..." and then she breaks into tears. She gently touches his face, with a look like sorrowful guilt, but she has no idea what to do. No one had ever done such a thing, and so no one had ever needed to reestablish a link. She slowly pulls him into her arms despite his physical stature, and her shoulders shake with sobs of fear and self-hatred. "A... Archelaus... no..."

-Unable to handle just standing there as her friend breaks apart at the seams, she kneels next to Tam, placing a hand on her shaking shoulders.- "There has to be a way, for such a terrible deed, there has to be a way to undo it. I know you have no hope for anything, and I understand your lack of faith in anything, but that's what you can use. Take all the loss, the despair, and aim it towards fixing the bond. Sadness is strength, it's a raw emotion, and a powerful one. Sadness gives people that strength to fix things. Archelaus got past his Achilles heel, the bond between you both, to save you, Tam. Now you have to get past your sadness to save him."

Tam sighs heavily, trying to stop her tears and her sobs. She takes a breath, barely glancing at Zyria, and then buries her face in Archelaus' shoulder. His body does not respond at all. Then Tam begins to whisper, so quietly that no one can hear it except for herself and maybe Archelaus. "Please... I don't know how to save you, love. You have to... you have to help me... I want you back... You're stronger than I am. You managed to stay true to me, all those eight hundred years... but I wasn't that strong. I've never been that strong. I couldn't do what you could. But... Archelaus... that doesn't mean I love you any less. You stil mean... everything to me. More than everything. Please... please don't leave me. Come back... I need you..." The whole time she'd been speaking her form had gotten brighter, turning into a vibrant, radiant sunset color, different from any other hue her form had taken on before. The other noticable change was heat. She was radiating an immense amount of warmth, and it soaked into Archelaus' body, filling the grey with warm oranges and yellows and pinks, contrary almost to the cool greens, blues, and purples of the Alteriian powers. She let her energy wash over Archelaus in waves, unaware of what she was doing, and whispered one last phrase. "Selkraa hish ghen Lata Tes-drah qerei Rolxan temana-railad." A loose translation would have been "Everything I am into everything you are, let the light bring us back together."

Nothing... nothing.... nothing...
There was no light in Archelaus's world to cling to, and no darkness to battle.
Everything was devoid of... everything...
Like the dark matter of space, he existed, but he didn't.

His world was denial, a pain that wasn't truly pain, because it did not hurt.
Because it did not... anything at all. It was pain because it was nothing.
People think the color of death is black, or a blazing white,
But really... death of the heart, of the mind, is grey.

So he drifted...
As he fell through the dark-that-was-neither-light-nor-dark,
His thoughts twirled around in circles...

He could remember every moment with Aurora in exact detail, the only part the bond that remained... and this haunted him...
Actually, he thought of little else.

He remembered the Night of the Three Suns on their home-world, where he thought he first discovered his link with her, as the suns aligned in a once-in-a-lifetime eclipse.

He remembered every hour, every day, every thought shared, every moment of deep, total, continuous love with no exception,

The days when Aurora would crawl into his arms, and Archelaus would simply hold her, against the world, against evil, against terror and war... He knew it made her feel safe, to know that he was always there for her, always willing to give up anything and everything for her, always going to fight to the last breath for her.
He remembered the color of her eyes, when she took different forms, the most beautiful thing he had ever seen in his thousands of years of life,
Her form the most graceful, the most enchanting, the most randiant, expressive unique, curious, intelligent...
He loved her because she was his Neiede, but he loved her with a love that went beyond the bounds of any bond, beyond the bounds of his heart and his mind...
He loved her with a love that was love, and nothing but love.
He had protected her,
Fought for her, held her, comforted her, looked into her eyes, seeing everything that she was, her strengths and faults...
And still, there was nothing but love.

And he watched their moments together...

He tried to be thankful for the time her had with her, instead of angry for all the time he was going to miss.
Instead of being angry at himself,
For not being strong enough to save her, and keep her, like he should have been...
For not being perfect for her. Not for himself. For her.

And somehow, he could feel her presence... but it was just as empty.

Her presence was always his cure, always his joy, always his happiness, always his comfort.
And now she was here, but not.

He did not understand.

But then... little... little by little, fires of warmth lighted the gray around him,
And suddenly he was not floating in the gray,
But stood on the solid ground,
As the nothingness melted away from around him, and he could feel her again, his Neiede... hurt... so hurt, scarred by him...
Archelaus had caused her pain...

But even so, the colors flooded through him, reds, pinks, yellows and oranges, in an epic battle with... nothingness.
The colors advanced toward him, until he felt her again. Felt her presence... felt her warmth...

A weight crashed down on him, as if an ocean had been released on his head... As if he suddenly had to hold up the sky with the power of this moment...
She wanted him back.

Archelaus paused for a moment in pure shock, as if his world had snap frozen.

She... still loved him. She loved him, she understood him, she was still there.
She came for him, although he had left her.
And she still needed his help, whatever little he could give her.

Archelaus struggled to lift himself up, against the tides of the grey, combinging his will with Aurora's into joining together again.
If it had been anyone, anything, anytime else but this, he would have crept into the darkness.

But for his Neiede, he would rise. He would fight once more, he would love once more.

-Archelaus opens his eyes, seeing the light around him and his Neiede... the giant Alteriia lifts his arms and holds Aurora, in a giant embrace,
Crying once more the huge black tears of the Alteriia-

He was...
Glad to be alive.
Alive again in a love that cannot be destroyed.

In a rush of color, Tam could feel as the connection was mended. She felt Archelaus' arms around her and let herself be surrounded by him, by her Neiede, by the only one she could ever truly love, just like old times. Just like before the Purge, and the Infestation, and all thing bad that had ever befallen them. She let him hold her, and let all of her fears and worries be smothered away by his embrace. She felt the usual rush of power, but it was not something she couldn't control; no, it was something that she held inside herself, deep in her chest. And she let herself simply... be. For that was all that it took to be happy, all that she needed. To be, and to be with her Neiede.

"Don't you ever leave me like that again." Tears of her own fall and though the words were said in a joking tone she meant every one. "Don't ever leave..." And she let herself enjoy the bliss of it all for a few more seconds, but then she forced herself, with much difficulty, to break away. She knew what she had to do, but she dreaded it with everything she was.

"I... I have to go. I have to go far away from here, so I can't... so the Thel-ghan'che can't hurt any of you. I won't let it happen. So..." her voice breaks, "I have to leave." Her eyes gaze into Archelaus', and her mind touches his so he can feel all of her emotion. I don't want to go... but I must, love. Please... everything will be okay in the end, I promise.

Archelaus simply held her, back from the nothingness worse than death, holding her glittering form. Watching the oranges and yellows emanating from her form mix with his blues and greens of his Rolxan.
It was a moment of... contentment. Fulfillment. Unity, unmarred by worries or fears.
Just Aurora. Time ceased for the second time that night, as Archelaus buried his heart into hers, unwilling to pretend, and unable to contain exploding heart and soul. They were bonded again...
Softly, Archelaus could hear Aurora mumbling something... but he knew what she was saying.
He thought for a moment, holding on to her,
And began humming "Kos Petriananke" (Or, "The Song of the Stars") to her. He knew that she would recognize the song, that meant something similar to:

"Faithfully, ever faithfully, though the heavens may try to separate us,
I will come for you.
Not even in death can we be parted again, my beloved,
For not even death can stop my love for you,
It can only delay it for a little while.
Hear the sound of my voice, the beat of my heart,
And know in your soul my words are true,
As as you are truth to me,
Hear my words of love and faithfulness my beloved,
The stars are jealous, the sky is alight with fire,
But not even the hottest flames of Mar'Nosk
(Or, "The Fiery one", which is the name of the first an dbrightest sun that circled the Alteriia's ancient home-world.)
Can part us.
Know that you will never be alone."

Archelaus closed his eyes, knowing what she would say next, and dreading the words all the same. Though he was prepared, they still cut deep rivulets into his heart. He shuddered at the sound.

"Not yet," Archelaus pleaded, "Not yet. We still have time, before it awakens. I thought I would destroy it. I thought I could save you from having to fight it again..." His voice falters. "But I couldn't. I couldn't destroy it, not by myself, after I had released everything. Given up you, to save you." Tears start their myriad journey down his face again, as his Jade eyes swirl with life and emotion. "This time though, I will not leave you. If I have to hold you down to the ground, very well, but I am not leaving you alone. Together we will fight this.... monstrosity. I have had enough. Enough of being alone, in the cold, the dark, without you. You who shines the lights into my heart and soul. I don't know if I could bear to be without you again. I don't. I can't... "A pause from Archelaus, as he tries to continue onward..."
"I won't do it. I am not leaving you in the dark, as I had been. Trust in me, and together, we can fight it off until we reach the pretador on Mars."
Archelaus sighs briefly.
"At least, not yet..."
A solitary tears splashes to the floor, which is now coated with thing layer of the Archelaus's tears, rubbery yet liquid... As if the black puddles symbolized all the hardship and pain melting away from Archelaus, slowly seeping out of him and onto the cold metal floor... Drip. Drip. Drip.
"Not yet..."

Robless stood by the side, watching Archelaus and Tam. Such undivided love, no human race would ever understand. He was a ghost, completely quiet up until now.

"It's too early to make that decision. We'll destroy the beast within you before you can do any harm to us. I still owe you my life, Tam. I'll give it to save you and everyone else, if that's what it takes. We still haven't reached Mars yet. It's our best chance."

(We need to discuss the details of the Mars dealio later. Keep the story moving since the characters are back in line, you know?)

D'garar walks into the room, Kassandra by his side. "The ship is prepared to leave, I have run all my diagnostics and the only problem was with one of my IDE's. The fifth one. Once we leave, I'll be there running tests to get it back in working condition. I believe it was that one that failed in the 14th, causing it to be eradicated completely." He smiles outwardly, seeing Aurora and Archelaus together, as they should be. Inside however, he was destroyed. He knew that his time with Aurora was truly over now, but it was no time for tears.

Kassandra gripped his shoulder, sensing something wrong, but said nothing. He looked at her, and turned to leave, speaking once more before he left, "Give the two of them some privacy. They deserve a moment. Aurora, if you need a craft to get to where ever you're going, let me know. I'll prepare it with utmost haste." With that he left, Kassandra lingering for a moment before following him.

(Hey, everyone, I'm going to create a post in the 12th Dimension RP section for a meeting about our plans for Mars. It will be in character, but it'll be nice to get it sorted out first, with logistics and all. Anything continuing from this thread will still be posted here, except for the Mars meeting. Good night, guys.)

Tam reaches a hand up to lightly touch Archelaus' face, his oily tears wetting her fingertips. "Don't worry, my love. Don't cry. Nothing can separate us, that much should be clear by now. Be strong, love. You have always been stronger than me. You can do this." I don't want to stay and force you to hold me down. I don't want to put you through that. "Come on, I have to tell the others." She takes his hand in her own and leads him towards the other room.

Archelaus knew what her answer would be, he knew it deep down in his heart, just as he knew his hearts would beat another beat, his lungs would breathe another breath... It was an extension of who he was to understand her.
"Very well, my Neetka..." (There is no direct translation for these Alteriian words. It is a nickname, used to express affection in a special way that is difficult to understand in the narrow confines of the English Language. It is related to, but not confined to the special connection between Neiede.)

Archelaus imagined potentially having to hurt the light of his life... A cold shiver crawled down his main vertebrae, (The Alteriia have three sets) like fresh mountain water, still melting, flows down a steep stream. Unpleasant, cold... brackish... he could not imagine himself ever doing anything to hurt her.
He was the sense of her choice, but his heart did not want to believe it.
"I might hesitate," he thought, 'and that might mean death for an unfortunate bystander, or a friend."

The place that Aurora's hand touched Archelaus glowed a soft white, as Archelaus followed her.