It's the 24th Poseidon 1900 ABM and it's been about five or six days since the fall of Faryal, the Guardians had already traveled to the respective cities with the lords of the Azzard and we will be joining a few of them a bit later on. For now, I'm sure you're wondering about what happened to Rosarlea, well I'm going to tell you. After she managed to find a way out of the city, she took of for the forest of lost souls and she has been running around there ever since, lost, scared and confused with no control over the wolf, while she was running in the forest it would of seemed she was running from something and she was.
She isn't the only wolf in the forest, the wolf that's chasing her has dark brown fur, eyes were a grey colour and it's larger than what Rosarlea is. The wolf chasing her never seemed hostile towards her, it was keeping its distance but trying to keep up at the same time which wasn't a problem for the wolf in question, I don't think it wants to scare her, in fact I think it came to help her as it's trying to reach out to her with its mind by a telepathic link which all wolves share. "Rosarlea. Stop," said the mysterious voice inside Rosarlea's head.
As Rosarlea continued to run the voice spoke again, "I can help you sister," she stopped for but a moment, as did the other wolf, she looked back, looked him in the eye and then darted of running again in which the other wolf took chase again. It's going to be very difficult for him to get through to her because as of this moment she's but a casual observer, it's like being in a dream and one can't control one's dreams without self awareness, for now it's like she's sleep walking and the wolf is in control.
As they continued running eventually the wolf inside Rosarlea gave up and stayed at a distance from the other. The other wolf went to approach her, as it were getting closer, she cocked her head and began to growl, that's when the other wolf lunged through the air and landed on Rosarlea's back causing them both to go into a spin and start rolling. All the while they're scratching and biting each other, the other wolf is just trying to restrain her but the wolf within Rosarlea as no interest in giving her self awareness.
When they finally stopped rolling the dark brown wolf had her pinned to the ground, she tried everything to break free from the other wolf but it was obviously too strong for her, "wake up Rosarlea, hear my voice," said the mysterious voice inside her head, as he looked deep within her eyes she eventually stopped struggling, Rosarlea looked confused and with no idea where she is or how she got here. "I hear you," whispered Rosarlea telepathically while the dark brown wolf stepped off her and allowed her to stand up, she finished, "what happened. How can I be speaking to you," Rosarlea as got no idea that she's a wolf only that they are strangely speaking to one another with their minds.
That's when the dark brown wolf walked up to her then walked past her and stopped as Rosarlea looked round to him and so he looked back to her and asked her to come with him. Rosarlea turned around and walked over to the other wolf, the other wolf looked at her then down upon his front paws. Rosarlea also looked down wondering what the other wolf was looking at and that's when she saw herself in the reflection of the stream for the first time since her memories were taken away. As she stood there staring at her unrecognisable face her appearance began to change and she was no longer looking at the wolf with the fiery fur' instead she's looking upon her own face once more.
She turned to the wolf and spoke using her own familiar voice, "where is Niklaus, where is my husband," she whispered, as the dark brown wolf turned to face her it's appearance began to change, until there was no longer a wolf stood before her, but a man, stood six foot four, dark brown hair, grey eyes, a short beard and moustache, he has four arms like a Plutopian and a scar going through his left eye over his nose and down his right cheek. "He is fine, they all are," the mysterious man said, they were both stood there fully naked from their transformation when the man waved his hand once and they both mysteriously became fully clothed.
Rosarlea has her Guardian robes on and the man, he's wearing a pair of dark blue quite baggy but not so much' pants, he has a grey long sleeved top which is tucked into his pants and the top also as a cloak and a hood attached to it. He has a no sleeved brown leather jacket over his top but not over the hood and cloak, the jacket as four large holes big enough to fit his arms in and the jacket also rested on his shoulders. The jacket also as three straps which were fastened and he has a pair of black boots on.
He has a belt fastened around his waist which as two sheaths attached to either sides of his waist with two short swords in each and also resting upon his back were a pair of chain blades permanently attached to his wrists on his shoulder arms, "who are you," she asked, as he looked at her he began to smile and went to tell her who he is, "I've been known by many names, John, J.D.K, Azzur, Damascus, the once and future king," he explained, as Rosarlea pierced into his deep grey eyes as though she knew who he was she continued to listen as she gulped.
The man took a sword from his sheath and proceeded to point to the engraving below the hilt, "my real name, the name inscribed on my twin blades, is. Damascus John Kay-Thesulac. You've heard of me as the chosen one of old," although the writing didn't say that as it's his name in an ancient writing which is spelt like this, 'Cajius Damasci Vizulac'. Damascus took a deep breath, he doesn't require to breath to survive but he can if he wants to, Damascus finished, "I know that you and the Guardians have been looking for me, truth be told. I've always been with you, I've always been with everyone."
Rosarlea paid close attention to the way he spoke and noticed he doesn't speak like everyone else because he abbreviates his words, "you speak funny," she mentioned, he told her it's something he picked up from Terra although she has no idea what Terra is, she finished, "hiding in plain sight, just like Ki'lak said," as Damascus smiled at her he placed his hand on her shoulder. "Exactly my sister." Damascus muttered as she smiled back in return, "why now after all this time do you choose yourself to be revealed and why me, what is so special about me," she asked.
Damascus turned to face her and began to explain why he revealed his self, "I'm your alpha, all wolves are bound to me and the chosen female of old, even though it was Alcmene that created the wolf lines just as it was Eldest who created the vampiric lines, we are neither one nor the other," Damascus explained while Rosarlea pondered how he can be neither one nor the other, "we are both the first of the hybrid bloodlines, we were already one in mind and spirit before the curse. I was hypire and she was purewolf, the curse of the blood moon truly made us one, made us ly'piric."
Rosarlea is shocked by the possibilities that not only were there vampiric and lycanthropes each with there own subclasses. As you already know vampiric's subclasses are half'pyr, vampire and hypire as for lycanthrope there's unchangling, this type of lycanthrope once the change as been made they were unable to ever change back to their human forms. "Your soul called out to me which is why I came to you," he told her. An halfwolf's a human that has been bitten by another lycanthrope and had the curse passed on to them and finely a purewolf is one who is born with the curse such as the line of Kay the curse is always passed down to the first born female all the way back from Alcmene the first wolf.
Rosarlea comes under halfwolf as she was bitten back in Earthrealm, the culprit a friend as a matter of fact, Trogen it was. He as more control over the wolf within as he has been cursed his entire life because he was born one, which is why the wolf didn't force its way out of him like it did Rosarlea. "Why have you never made yourself known before," she asked, Damascus stood for but a moment contemplating his answer and began to speak, "I haven't made myself known for the past one thousand and nine hundred years for everyone, for me it's been a hell of a lot longer," Damascus explained.
He confused Rosarlea with his words so he began to speak again, "you see, people that were alive during the first great war are still alive today, who could identify me in my truest form and that can't be aloud," as he turned around and had his back to her he began to try to explain in a way that she could understand. "A wise man, Archangel Girian once said to me' many years from now but also in my youth, 'the planets past is your future,' obviously it's my past now, but at the time it wasn't," but as he spoke he only confused her even more.
So, he continued to try to explain again hoping for better luck, "you see, at the time. I was but a young man, I was only about twenty five at the time, I know your confused I can read your thoughts, it confuses me too," Rosarlea became uncomfortable at the idea Damascus can read her thoughts. He finished saying, "at this present moment, my younger self is running around out there as a small boy and he can never find out about me until he's lived what I have lived," Rosarlea became even more confused over how the same person can exist twice at the same time.
Damascus gave of a massive sigh and nodded his head in a no motion as Rosarlea said this, "I do not understand, how can two versions of you exist at the same time." A good question Damascus thought but he would have thought it to be self explanatory. "As it says in the prophecy, the ability to absorb their power will grow, one of the very first abilities I absorbed was time travel, which I could not control, it took us back many thousands upon thousands of years maybe more," he explained, Rosarlea now understood why it's necessary for him to hide his true identity.
Out of fear of his younger self finding out and creating some sort of time paradox, which is why it must be kept secret, "I understand now, know your secret is safe with me brother," Rosarlea smiled as Damascus nodded his head at her in a sign of respect whilst a creature jumped out of the brush towards them, upon sight of it they both ducked and hit the deck as it cleared over them and landed in front of them. The creature just stood there staring at them, it's the chimaera that the Guardians fought earlier which I'm sure is hoping Damascus and Rosarlea are easier prey then when it fought the Guardians beforehand.
The chimaera eyed Rosarlea very carefully like it recognised her from their previous encounter, Rosarlea noticed the dead goat hanging from it's back and then noticed the snake had been severed from it's tail which then helped her recognise it from the first time she encountered it. Damascus put his hand out forward and a moment later Rosarlea's short sword followed by her bow and a quiver full of arrows occupied them, which he passed to her.
Damascus drew both his short swords and held them in his upper hands, he held one above his head pointing towards the chimaera and the other sword he held outstretched towards it. Rosarlea placed her bow and quiver upon her back and tied the short sword around her waist and took the sword out of the sheath. Damascus dived into the air spun around and shot back down like a human dart with his swords pointed above his head and he landed upon the chimaera's back just above where the tail begins, which punctured a hole from which blood started pouring out from the wound as Damascus pushed off it with all his might and landed behind it ready for another attack.
The chimaera gave of a wild cry, darted towards Rosarlea knocking her over and moved towards her, it started to climb over her until she was looking it in the eye, as the lion part of it went to eat her face a blade wrapped around it's neck it was Damascus's chain blade and as he pulled back the chain the chimaera flipped over onto it's back, Damascus's chain blade returned to him which he placed back onto his back.
The chimaera stood back up, turned to face Damascus who has his swords outstretched waiting for it to make it's move, it did. It darted towards him in a blinding fury, enraged it ignored Damascus's and knocked him over causing him to drop his swords, the chimaera's stood above him with nothing for Damascus to defend himself with except his arms, Damascus struggled to hold back the chimaera while it's massive jaws opened wide ready to bite off his head.
He was holding it back with all of his arms, Damascus is strong, to strong for the chimaera and once he got a perfect grip around the lion's head all he heard was a snap as he broke it's neck, it fell dead upon him which he just pushed off with no force at all. He stood back up, collected his swords and walked over to the chimaera and whispered a few words into it's ear. "Forgive me brother, for you have died so that I may live, be at peace and go about the next path in your journey," he whispered, curious Rosarlea stood up walked over to him and asked what he had just said.
Just as she asked he then proceeded to explain, "it knows not what it does, animals are new born souls created in the soul forge, only having access to the lowest of chakras, the root chakra, which is the survival chakra, the animal kills because it has no choice, we are evolved enough at a soul level not to kill we have a choice, the animal deserves your respect as all life is precious," Rosarlea agreed with every word he said, even though before she would have never given it any thought. "I sense Slaads, at the city of Faryal," Damascus quickly spoke grabbing Rosarlea by the hand and teleporting to the edge of the forest.
At the edge of the forest they only just see the city on the edge of the horizon, but Damascus being all powerful could zoom in with his eyes and also see in the dark. As he zoomed in he could see the Kananarku swarming all over the city and as he looked to the front gate he could see pikes pointing up to the sky following the wall all the way around the city. Upon the pikes the nothing, had impaled thousands of people that lived in the city and near the gate is the impaled body of Isaurus.
As he looked further back from the gate he could see the wizard accompanied by the helmed man and two other Slaad lords they were all carrying a torch each. As they approached the city walls the nothing, noticed them and one broke off from the others and shot down to attack in a blinding fury. That's when the wizard raised up his right hand which forced the nothing, to stop, "it has been too long, he is not best pleased with you Tranver," the Kananarku snarled.
Rosarlea began wondering what was going on so she asked him, Damascus just placed his hand on her shoulder and in that moment, she could see what he could see, but only temporary, "you have failed him many times before, you best not fail him this time, he gave you the mark, he can take it away. Then me and my brothers shall feast on your flesh, oh once great wizard," as it glared into Tranver's eyes, although the feeling they make you feel of it being the end and giving up doesn't seem to affect the wizard at all, maybe it's to do with this mark.
Curious, Rosarlea began to question Damascus, "how is he controlling them, why do they not attack him," Damascus is eyeing one of the other Slaad lords when Rosarlea spoke and he noticed he's a giant of a man with a massive axe resting on his back and his head and hands the size of boulders. "It's the mark, on his right palm is a pyramid with an eye above it, it's his mark, the mark of the One'being," whispered Damascus as they both continued to focus on the conversation.
A few moments later the wizard opened his mouth to speak, "it has been awhile I have not seen you since the chest was sealed, since my soul was sealed inside a tomb since the first great war," he paused then finished, "Damocles," Damascus fell to his knees gasping for breath as Rosarlea went to grab him and pick him up, all the while they're still listening to the conversation. "Yes, that was my name once, a long time ago during the enactment of the blood moon curse, you should not know it," Damascus took a deep breath.
It's obvious to Rosarlea that he knows this Damocles so she proceeded to question him, "you seem to know this Damocles," Damascus stood back up onto his feet and peered his eyes towards Damocles with almost tearful eyes he began to explain, "yes, a long time ago, he was the son of Eldest and Alcmene, he was a twin and his sister is named Maarika," he explained still focusing on the conversation although the Slaads were quiet.
Damascus told her that Damocles was an incantation of him and Maarika was an incarnation of the chosen female of old who is named Marcella and he also stated that Damocles and Maarika are the first reincarnations just as him and Marcella are the sixth. Rosarlea cocked her head, as if his life isn't complicated enough' she thought. The curse of the blood moon's sole purpose was to seal this portal also Maarika never passed through the portal and she's still out there somewhere and he also added that she isn't even in this dimension any more.
Damascus told Rosarlea that that's enough talk on Damocles and continued to listen to the Slaads. "Many times? I failed once the first great war since that ended I have been trapped tell now, Scabies Thesulac will not stop me this time I intend to remove him from the situation permanently," Tranver laughed. The darkness of Damocles isn't amused and began to speak, "yes he has long noticed how soft you have been when it came to Scabies, you lie, you have not been trapped since the first great war, in fact not half a decade ago you was assigned to kill an infant child," Tranver couldn't say anything for a few moments he just looked at to his staff wondering why people think he's been around recently.
He then looked to the floor bitting his lip to suppress his anger. "So I saw, I probed the one they call Rickalas's mind and found memories of myself that I did not share," Tranver said, "I led him to believe that I did so I could learn more, I did not," Tranver said, Damocles puzzled at this turn of events but could not see of no reason for him to lie, "Curious, this will be looked into," Damocles either warned or promised but reassured that it would be.
Although the darkness of Damocles is a Kananarku like the rest Tranver wouldn't underestimate him as he wouldn't be easily subdued like his fellow brothers and sisters, "your ancient brotherhood as became stuff of legend, whether your fault or not the One'being is beginning to question your loyalty, kill Scabies before I kill you," the darkness of Damocles snarled. He also as the blessings of the One'being on his side which is also why he leads the Kananarku and although most of them can be seen as mindless the darkness of Damocles as a persona all of his own.
Just as he finished speaking, he flew off to join his brothers in the sky and rally them for the assault on the Azzard, "what now," asked the helmed man. The wizard turned to face him and looked him deep within the eyes and spoke, "you will carry out your Guardian orders and go to the wizard's towers and complete the task I set you before," he also warned him about not failing this time like he failed in his confrontation with Johnkal. As for the nothing, they will be storming the Azzard, "the Slaads undercover in the cities will bring the lords an offer they can not refuse, as for me I will be joining the Spiretons in taking control of the capital," Tranver finished.
Rosarlea fell back on herself and landed on the floor, hand on her heart and gasping for breath at what she heard, "no it ca not be, we have a traitor, who can it be I trust them all with my life, we have to warn them," she sobbed. A tear fell down from her left eye before she burst into tears as Damascus went over to hug her, "I'm sorry Rosarlea but we can't interfere, this is how it's supposed to be, we can't change the timeline no matter how much I want too, you need to understand," whispered Damascus.
Rosarlea's tears began to slow down she hated not being able to say anything she wished she didn't know, for a moment she feels what it's like to live the life of Damascus knowing how time plays out but unable to do anything, "it really is the end is it not. You know who the traitor is do you not," Rosarlea spoke as Damascus looked her in the eye with a most saddened expression a tear fell down his left eye, although he did not cry as he got control of his emotions. He told her that he did and that all must be left to reveal itself in time, "it may seem like the end but it's not, we will win it may take us three decades but I promise you, we will win," whispered Damascus, when he finished speaking they both stood back up.
Rosarlea could no longer see what Damascus sees and as Damascus looked towards the Slaads they were gone, although the Kananarku were staying put for now, "I will take you to the city Niklaus is heading for, you must reveal nothing of our meeting here," he urged. He took hold of her hand, smiled and in the next moment they both vanished, Damascus dropped Rosarlea of in Mallace never to see Damascus again for many many years as he went of to do his own business in the war.
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