We know why we are here...

Aubresiah could hear and smell William before he even entered the compound. Her ears perked up, her fangs extended, she growled unsure of who he was. Right as his fist hit the door she looked at Toxic and Gabriel, "Don't worry I got it. Carry on." She rolled her eyes, waving her hand and answered leaning on the door jam. If Will didn't expect Mandelyn to look older now he would have thought it was her. "Mmmm, Yes?" She purred smiling. "Her hand was on the hilt of her sword. "Are you a Council Member? Or trusted friend?" Aubresiah now looked big breasted, more so with the corset she wore now. It was black, crimson, and tied all the way up. Her waist was tiny, the corset having nothing to constrict besides her breasts. Her cross pendant, of black diamonds and white dimonds with a silver pendant. Her heels were delicate, held together with ribbons, they were stilettos. Her black skirt was short barely covering her behind. He noticed a pile of white downy feathers on the floor, her wings now black. He saw Mandelyn transform into her demon form before, it was similar to this. He had to figure that is what happened to Aubresiah.

Little did William know that his friend was dead upstairs in an exam room, bloodied and beaten and the crates protected by magic were her powers and blood. Aubresiah had gone mad when she saw her "mother" of sorts dead and beaten. Tortured and bloodied. She once said Torment, Pain, Heartbreak, and Sadness were the only friends experiments could always rely on. She got all four in the end. As well as her best friend of the female gender, Kyuu holding her spirit. aubresiah watched him wondering who the hell he was. What he was doing here. And why her fun was interrupted.

Marcus just smiled at her surprise, happy that he hid it so well for the time they were stuck in the god awful place here, from the time he watched her, to the time he had kidnapped her. "Yes, Carson?" He held her tightly, close, and kissed the top of her head so gently, however it made her shiver and feel warm inside. The warmth radiated from her head throughout her whole body. His eyes were warm and loving as they held her gaze. "Alri..." he didn't even get to finish before her lips fell upon his. His lips and hers moved melodically in harmony with one another. His arms wrapped around her waist holding her there tightly. His lips melted into hers, holding her lips there. When she pulled away he was breathless. Smiling he dipped her down kissing him deeply and lovingly. He carried her to the bed laying her down and continued to kiss her. He heard William walk down the hall and ignored him. He didn't smell of threat or fear. So that was just fine with him to lay with Carson and kiss her.

Gabriel watched Aubresiah nervously watch her brother in arms, knowing she would probably attack him. For a moment she didn't and averting his attention from her is when he got hit. blood blossomed from his shoulder instead of his head. He yelped in surprise and moved to go attack her. Gabriel didn't notice Toxic coming at him, being flung off of his feet and into one of the cages. He put his hands up in front of his face to block Toxic from damaging him farther. The fire started to urn Gabriel and he howled in agony and pain. He started writhing underneath Toxic with the howls.

Tox opened his mouth unnaturally wide and bit down hard on Gabriel's neck, to open a wound. He swung his arms wildly at Gabriel's sides and chest. Each swing extending the fire growing around his body. The pain grew unbearable, but he ignored it all. This was for Mandelyn. Punch, Punch, Bite. Each move he made was to gain a strategic advantage over his opponent. Silently, in a dark corner of the cage there was a movement, barely visible. Neither of the combatants noticed this.

Aubresiah sighed summoning the thing in the cage to be beside her holding up a one-minute finger to William. Looking at it she had her sword drawn.

"...Perfect..." The word, the only word Carson could think of in that moment, escaped her swollen lips. A small gasp escaped those lips when she was dipped and then his mouth was on hers again. A shiver went through her, as she suddenly remembered that her thoughts were not just her own. In her mind, now that she was once again in his strong arms and being carried over to her canopy bed, different thoughts formed. Ones that she probably wouldn't be able to speak aloud without dissolving into giggles. The second her back hit the bed, she closed the curtains she had put around the bed when she had been having her more personal moments. Not the mention there were still curtains around the bars that once held her, closed as well. She lightly licked his bottom lip, ever so teasing, to see if he would follow when she pulled it back. She kept her lips parted, and somehow, her neck was barred and open to anything. Having been involved with the Night's People, she had learned better, but Marcus she loved and trusted. He was worth revealing that part of herself. He was worth revealing everything.

William nodded whenever the woman that had opened the door held up a one minute sign before he could get a single word uttered from his lips. He had seen only one prior to this woman in her demon form. He was here to find Mandelyn and deliver to her the news of Erecia's destruction at the hands of his enemies. He had fled not only because the only home he knew and loved was destroyed, but also because there were people trying to hunt him down, just because he was the Paladin of Erecia, the one meant to protect its people. Well... he failed at that because of the fact that it was destroyed. William had nowhere to go, and only one person that he felt comfortable turning to.

As a precautionary measure, he placed a hand on the pommel of his sword, not knowing if or when anything would go wrong. All he could do was watch, and it was something he had always hated to do, but it was not his fight, so he did the noble and chivalrous thing and waited patiently as the events unfolded. William's two sons were missing, unaccounted for... but his daughters... he knew were deceased. As far as he knew, his two sons could be dead as well. What would he have worth living for then if he lost the only two surviving members of his family other than himself?

Whenever William was confident enough, he took his hand off of the pommel of the sword at his side. He longed so much to experience the thrill of battle, and to unlock the abilities that had seemingly disappeared after the destruction of Erecia, the land he had been long bound to.

Summoning a cage for the moment of angel magic she put whatever it was in the cage. Barely glancing at it she didn't know what it was. Turning to William she leaned against the door jam again. "If your looking for the Council, all but two members are dead, one of which is well on his way to death. If your not lookin' for them, who are you looking for then?" Her voice was musical, but rough and knowledgeable all at once. She crossed her arms over her breasts, Mandelyn's Starshot necklace around her neck glistening and glimmering.

She thought of her Parents, her brother, killed and maimed for protecting her, she still got kidnaped and became an experiment... Micheal, who protected them and died so they could escape... Luka, of how he promised her so much, and was missing or dead now. How all of the kingdom's people even rejoiced in her arrival for he was taken with her and she him. For she was kind as was he surely they would have gotten married, had kind children and the kingdom would be perfect... but no. He disappeared and left her out to die.... Mandelyn now dead upstairs, harvested, drained, murdered...and for what? Money? Power? Aubs held in her pain and tears.

Her mentor was dead now, laying in an exam room cold and stiff now. Just the thought of what she saw Mandelyn like she closed her eyes tight and held her chest feeling her heart ache and pound in agony.She watched his hand go to his sword, hers going to hers. "That is not necessary unless you want some trouble." She nodded for him to remove his hand, when she did, for good measure and trust she also did.

William thought of how to word his next words wisely after he had removed his hand from the pommel of his sword. He was here to look for one person. Calmly and softly, he said one name, "Mandelyn." his eyes showed the longing that he had to see his best friend again. "I bear bad news having to do with a land that was once her home, one that I gave her charge of the forces of in my absence." he said calmly, his reason for being here seeming to go much deeper than that. "My apologies, I forgot to introduce myself. I am William Senton, the last Paladin of Erecia." he said as he averted his gaze for a moment as the memories of his first wife leaving, his family falling apart, and the destruction of his homeland flooded his mind with pain. He was doing all that he could to keep from blocking it out.

The necklace that the woman was wearing around her neck then caught his eye. "Please don't tell me that she's..." he stopped mid-statement to keep himself calm, for he knew that breaking here in a place he is not familiar with or certain of being welcome in would not be proper. Memories began flooding his mind again, these outweighing the painful ones. The only times he was truly happy were whenever he was near Mandelyn. He had witnessed his mother's murder by his father's blade. He had held a late friend in his arms as she breathed her last breath, and avenged her death by killing his father. Then, whenever he was preparing to face his brother's darkness for the final time, that was when Mandelyn came into his life.

William tried to keep himself from dwelling upon these memories, no matter how great they were, for most of them he deeply regretted, all of the wars being the majority of them.

Aubresiah watched him curiously, he could not even tell she was inside of his mind watching this all to see if his story was valid and if she should actually tell him the news of her death. If she told the wrong people, she could be dead in instants if every one knew that. She could tell he needed to see her not just to bring the news, but also that he needed to see her for his own purposes and emotional stability. Listening and watching in his head, she took her hand off her chest and sighed holding her head, gnawing her lip. Holding out her hand she shook it strongly. "Aubresiah Arcane. Toxic Plauge is over there. Charges of Mandelyn. She had to stop her duties there, not by choice sir, she was kidnapped...brought here...It is not her doing that your land fell...I apologize for the terrors, disappointment, home destruction and heartache." Placing her hand on his head he found it easier to block out. "Mandelyn taught me that." She smiled sadly. The Demon side of her started falling off in form of ash.

Shaking her head she swallowed tightly. Looking up at him she gnawed her lip again. "Me and Tox...We didn't get here in time...We made Lily stay behind to protect Alexandria...But..When we got here...She was already gone....Still warm...I killed...." She started to choke up. "I tortured and murdered Auron...his wife...I tried...to tried to bring her back but that body can no longer hold her.... Kyuu holds her now, until we deal with Gabriel and unlock storage for her bodies. They drained her, and harvested her..."

Looking at Toxic she could see he could handle this "Call if you need me brother." She nodded to him blowing him a kiss and told William to follow her. She started up the stairs to the exam and experimentation rooms.

William followed Aubresiah up the stairs. "I know that it was not her doing that Erecia was destroyed. It was mine for failing to defend it. It was bombed. There was nothing that I could do." he said before he heard everything that had happened. One tear fell, the first tear that he had ever shed for a friend, then another. He was surprised to have found out that Mandelyn had been killed. He did not know whether to be sad or to be incredibly mad. It was then that the swords that were originally on him disappeared, and the sword that Mandelyn had made for him, Ithris, replaced them upon his back. Other than memories, it was the only thing that he had that Mandelyn gave him. The sword that had been made for him whenever he married his first wife had been absorbed by Atahsaia's sword. He shook his head to rid himself of the memories of that battle. He followed Aubresiah up the stairs and to what he perceived as an experimentation room.

He was fighting back the tears, and he was fighting back the immense rage that was fighting to overtake him. If one did not prevail soon, he would go into a melancholy and emotionless state, one that only the closest of his friends could bring him out of.

Aubresiah nodded and unlocked the door, recognizing Mandelyn's craftsmanship of his sword she smiled softly tossing him hers to look at. "Blood Bane. It was hers remember?" Aubresiah sighed and held the doors closed. "This isn't a pretty sight, but I want you to see this. You have to..." Swinging open the doors he saw the blood everywhere, the overturned tables. Aurons burnt body, his limbs, fingers, toes, nails, hair, blood all over the floor. His eyes were on the floor as well. Mandelyn was still strapped to the table, stabbed, drained of blood and power. She looked anorexic from what theyd done to her. Aurons wifes body was in much the same state as Aurons. Mandelyn looked happy in death despite what theyd done and what she left behind. She was tortured for years, harvested for years. aubresiah started to clean off her body and clean her up, putting a sheet over her body aside her face. Ripping open the locked cabinet she placed her swords next to her, as well as her necklaces, and her daggers. She started to clean up the exam room moving all body parts into a closet of steel and set them on fire shutting that door behind her. Aubresiah nodded to William. "I couldnt let my brother see her that way..."

William did not know what to think when he saw the sight that was his best friend's body. Involuntarily, he dropped to his knees at the sight of it, hands, legs, entire body trembling as multiple emotions began clashing within him. Anger and vengeance, surprisingly, were not put into the mix. Tears hit the floor like raindrops did before it started to downpour. He was hurt to have found out about Mandelyn, for she was the closest friend that he ever had. It was much worse than that for some reason... perhaps it could have been because of emotions that he failed to let surface, perhaps it was because he failed to tell her how he felt about her. He did not know; all he knew was that he was hurt.

Aubresiah clasped his shoulder much like how Mandelyn did when Krystine left. She nodded Mandelyn's nod, a taught nod. Squeezing she let him go. "We could always bring her back you know that right?" Looking at his confusion she shook her head "She didnt tell you that did she?" Sighing she walked over to a blood machine grabed a cup and drank a bit "Sorry...I was parched..."

William shook his head. "She... didn't tell me." he said as he started to regain control of his body once again. "But if it wasn't for her, the pain of Krystine leaving would have destroyed me completely." he said as he stood up slowly and carefully. "At least I know there's a way for her to be brought back now..." he said with a slight smile. It was a relief to find that much out. Aubresiah clasping her shoulder like Mandelyn did seemed to help, but it just was not the same. The reason William never told Mandelyn how he felt was because he was afraid of hurting her and destroying the friendship that had built up over time.

Aubresiah sighed "It is a shame she didn't tell you William. You wouldn't be as hurt..." She looked up at him covering her mouth "Don't get me wrong, I mean..I miss her...It hurt like hell...I murdered people right after who did that to her. But knowing she can come back makes a difference." Aubresiah nodded thoughtfully "She always knew Krystine was not a faithful woman, always knew you'd get hurt. She was just there to pick up the pieces." Aubresiah nodded "I understand why you didn't tell her." aubresiah sighed "Sorry for intruding....Not my place to be in your head."

"All I have known ever since Krystine left was pain, other than when I was around Mandelyn. She was the only one I was ever truly happy around. I did not want to risk ruining anything... that's why I didn't tell her. I couldn't afford to lose another person close to me. Other than my two sons, she is all I have left." William said, honesty and truth being present in his voice, showing that he is not saying this for attention. Knowing that she could be brought back lifted the pain off of his shoulders and kept him from going into a melancholy state because hope and encouragement were both present. "You're not the first who has been in my head. Be careful though." He said jokingly.

Aubresiah nodded solemnly and knowingly. "I understand...." Aubs cocked her head to the side "Isn't one or both of your sons married to Mandelyn's daughters? Lily is married to one of them for sure I know that....Which is the other one?" She laughed and giggled a wonderful beautiful sound. "Mandelyn has been in your head eh? Why whats so bad in there?" She smiled at the dead Mandelyn "Ill fix this...I promise.."

"Only one son is married to one of her daughters. But... both of them have disappeared. I can sense that they are both close, but I do not know where they are. I had two daughters, but they're both deceased now. And to answer your final question, I have gotten lost in my mind before whenever I was trying to unlock more about myself... which I have found out can only be revealed when I am around those I am closest to." William said as he smiled slightly. "Among the rubble of Erecia, I managed to recover two things that I made for Mandelyn, but never had the chance to give her."

"Which one to which of her daughters..?" She bit her lip "Sorry to hear that..I have a tracker if you have something of your sons...even your smell....Desix could probably find him with your smell. Remember Nisa? Desix...Is my Nisa. " Aubresiah smiled and whistled loudly. Desix came in skidding to a halt in front of his master. his hackles raised at William, then he spoke "And who are you?" His eyes seemed to raise. Aubresiah giggled "Easy boy..." She patted his head, his hackles lowered. "What would those things be William?" Aubresiah raised her eyes at William

"Vek is married to Lily," William said, "and all I have that has his scent on it is the box that he used to keep the engagement ring that he made for Lily in before he proposed to her." he said as the box appeared in his hand. He seemed slightly hesitant to tell what he had made for Mandelyn. "I made a sword designed to fit only the grip of her hands out of the last of the most powerful crystals of Erecia, and I made a necklace that will only fit perfectly on her out of the last of Erecia's most precious metal and stone."

Aubs gently took the box from him placing it open palmed infront of Desix, kneeling down to him for the hell hound to smell. Desix started to sniff and walked out "He'll come get us when he finds your son." Aubs nodded and smiled giggling at his embarrassment and blushing. Then stopped. "Really? The last of it? Why would you do that?" Her eyes were wide in shock and awe as he told her this

"I did not want the resources to go to waste, and it was something that I had planned on doing all along. It was also intended to symbolize something." William said as he smiled. He wondered if she would understand what the symbolism was, and what it stood for. He looked down for a moment before continuing to speak, "Even unto the ends of the earth, in my mind and heart you'll still be everything..." he said under his breath, almost as if he was talking to Mandelyn. That was what it was supposed to symbolize, the utmost extent of his feelings for Mandelyn.

"It's more than just the resources." She smiled widely at him folding her arms over her chest. "I know someone in love...even with someone who id not here, when i see it." Her mind flashed to Luka and she looked down covering up her tears. She cleared her throat and looked at her hand. She had found her engagement ring, even though Luka hadn't asked she had read his mind once and only once to see if it was truly, really her. It was. She took the ring off slipping it away before William could see. Smiling at his words she noddes "We'll get her back William." Aubresiah started pounding on the walls curiously listening inside of them until she smiled widely. Pushing on a part of the supposed concrete a door swung open. She pulled Blood Bane off the table and started into the corridor.

William followed Aubresiah once she started down the corridor, all discouragement leaving at once. He knew that his sons would soon be reunited with their father, and that Mandelyn would eventually be brought back. Aubresiah had understood what he meant. It was true that he was in love with Mandelyn, even if she was not currently there. Power meant nothing to him, and egocentricity was nonexistent, for he cared about others before himself.