Left, right, left, right...

So the laborious but slow and determined pace of the well prepared traveler went as the bundle of cloth with legs slowly made it's way across the snowy landscape. Coming to a crest in the mountain range, The sun was visible rising over the horizon, as was the rest of Imythess. Most of it was still dark, under the influence of the moon, and the lights of the strange city of Balefire could be seen not far off. Forests and the rises of land obscured his view of Taras, the glorious city he had once called home for so long.

And so long had he been gone. Imythess was at peace, his final goal, and Naria Konahomaru saw it fit to travel to other lands and aid them in gaining peace among themselves as well. But what he found was strange. While his skill and strength, his wisdom and cunning, were all available to him, Nariwa the Celestial who had merged his soul with Kona was not. Kona was no longer a celestial in these lands, but a mere mortal.

The Gods had abandoned them, as Kona would eventually learn. They held themselves together by the thinest pieces of string, war was ever constant or ever brewing. They were beyond redemption without the aid of the divines.

Konahomaru could not bear to live in such a land, where his shining countenance only brought him shame and hate from others. They all suspected him to be a God, but when the found out otherwise, they quickly became sour towards him. It was sad indeed.

And so, crossing the great mountainous regions of the northeast, Konahomaru, rejoined with Nariwa, made his way to Taras to greet an old friend and mentor.

Though Veronna's divine abilities were gone, she was able to feel someone she knew getting closer and closer. Taras had been gone for a while now, and the fallen goddess had changed. At her hips were two new scimitars, these weapons made by the dwarves and Dark Elves together. They had cost her a deal of gold, for she had had them costume made to fit her needs. The hilts were twisted and dark, at the butt of each one was a small point, sharp enough to cause some damage. She also carried two long swords on her back, the two hilts not matching, unlike her scimitars.

She had been in the Deep City of the Dwarves to get her new weapons when she had first sensed his presence. She had purchased some warmer clothing and had started to climb the mountain trail. She dressed as light as possible, not wanting tons of layers of clothing to get in her way if she had to go in to combat. A heavy fur lined cloak hood was over her head, keeping her ears warm and the wind away from her face. Her face. She knew she looked different now, her face held something dark within it, her eyes were not the usual burning fire so many were use to seeing in the goddess of blades. But she was no longer a goddess, and she had to adept to her situation.

It had taken her a long time to come to grips with herself, but she finally did, with some help. She had taken up her dark elf heritage, spending some time with her kin, but never fully entering the Dark Lands. Her tattoos were mostly hidden behind clothing, except a couple near her eyes, the red patterns swirling away from her eyes. She had pierced her ears multiple times, different jewelry hung from her pointed ears. Her left eyebrow was pierced on the side twice, with small pieces of dinosaur bone which had been smoothed down and made in to jewelry by dark elf craftsman. Her right eyebrow was pierced once. She also had a small hoop (probably from some chain mail armor) through one side of her nose. She looked more like a dark elf then ever before, embracing what she is.

There was snow on the mountain, and it got colder the further up she went. She was able to walk on some of the snow, the stuff that was not as powdery. She continued for a few hours, and the sun had set, and one of the moons had risen. The first moon was silver, making the snow seem to glow. The second would be blue, but was not up yet. She walked up one last small hill and then before her lay an open area, nearly flat. And in the middle of here stood a figure, one bundled up in heavy clothing. She allowed herself to smile as she went forward, walking towards the figure. It had been a while since her Chosen had left, and she had wondered where he had gone off too for so long.

"What brings you to this side of the Gwilikiths, Konahomaru?" She called as she got closer, knowing exactly who it was. She could not explain how she knew he was coming, she was just able to tell, even with out her 'divine' abilities. "Searching for true enlightenment? Trying to find yourself in these dissolute mountains?" She stopped a few feet from him. "Or are you finally coming back to where you belong?" Her eyes never left him, as she looked him up and down. It was hard to tell how much he had changed, considering he was wrapped up in so much clothing. The smile was still on her lips, one of the first true smiles she had allowed in the past while.

The celestial felt nearly at home in this desolate place. Even through the rushing winds that cut one's soul to the core with their gripping cold, the legions of snowflakes that danced on the currents of air until they found rest on top of the piles of their brethren. Konahomaru had changed much since he had left, both mentally and physically. He had sprouted wings, and become a beauty to behold. His emerald skin glinted in the light, beckoning admirers to come closer. Yes, he had come to peace with himself and the world, but little did he know that it was to be broken.

It would not last, and he would make the sacrifice in order to restore what was lost to so many people. For he was ignorant of it even as he stood their, at the edge of Imythess' border, and would have remained blissfully so for a time were it not for a dear and long time friend. They shared a bond that few acquired in the history of time, so close was their friendship indeed, that they felt one another before they could see. And so it was the case here, while it was not visible to anyone, Konahomaru smiled wide and his face became aglow with happiness as he felt Veronna nearby. There was always the question, "What was she also doing in this place?", but it had not occurred to him.

His aura ignited, reflecting off the landscape and filling the area with a small warmth. A womanly figure rose in the distance and approached him. She walked as a warrior, strong and prideful, but also wounded. Something was wrong. She was not physically damaged, no, but in her walk she carried a deep wound indeed. It was then that Konahomaru felt in himself what she had been bearing for who knew how long? It was as though something that was a great part of her had been ripped out and torn asunder.

She spoke, "What brings you to this side of the Gwilikiths, Konahomaru?"Searching for true enlightenment? Trying to find yourself in these dissolute mountains? while drawing closer. By the time she was finished, they were but two feet apart and gazing into each other's eyes intently. She smiled at him, and looked him up and down, trying to appraise the health of her friend.

Konahomaru appreciated her joy, but still, the pain was there, it was strong. Tears formed at the edges of his eyes, and he knew not why. They froze nearly the instant they formed. Shuffling around a little in his garments, Kona drew what seemed to be a scarf from the arrangment and tugged it firmly. The rest of the clothing fell away, revealing his body in full. Brilliant wings stretched out, cramped in their captivity, the feathers colored a bright platinum to gold at the edges. He wore fur shirt and pants, both white. Were it not for his aura he could have blended into the landscape and disappeared altogether.

Long, white hair flowed through the wind around him. He had changed much, become a celestial in the full, more than he was when he was born in the heavenly realm. "I had nearly forgotten my purpose the moment I laid eyes on a dear friend." he replied, and reached to touch her face. Carefully his fingers traced along her jaw, as he admired her dark skin. "Your happy to see me, as I am overjoyed to see you. But you need not hide your pain by stifling the words you long to speak, the words that will give it life."

Without warning, he embraced her fully and pulled her into his chest. Her sorrow filled him, and he took it from her, if only for a moment, that her burden could be lifted and she could enjoy the sight of him. "Someone dear to us is no longer living in this realm. Who is it?"

Veronna watched as Kona removed his outer layers of clothing, and what stood before her now was a celestial, a man who had met his goal of finally being completely pure. It was something she would never achieve, nor something she longed for. With the light there was always darkness, somewhere hidden deep down. But it was the same for the darkness, she would know, and Kona was one of the few lights she had in the darkness.

Her chosen had physically changed also, he now had wings, which were quite impressive, the gold and platinum feathers bright against the snow. She did not flinch as he reached out and touched her face, his fingers warm compared to her face. He spoke, and she felt emotions swirling inside of her, it made her slightly uneasy how he was able to read her, to know something was wrong. She had been doing fine, hiding her feelings, or so she thought, but some wounds could never be hidden. And for Kona, her's probably looked like a gaping hole in her chest, where someone had been there for so long, and was now gone.

Were there any words to be said? Anything that could actually tell him what had happened? She did not have to worry about it as Kona wrapped his arms around her and embraced her. She felt her troubles disappear for a couple seconds, the burden of which she bore was lighter, but it was not to last. It could never last.

She had put her arms around him, hugging back, so very happy to see him. Why was it, during the darkest times of peoples lives, friends were there? How did they always seem to know? Veronna only had a few friends, and those who were close to her, people who would stand with her no matter what.

The question came. The one she knew would come eventually. She closed her eyes, trying to force the tears back. She could not take it, She pulled away from Kona and turned from him, as tears forced themselves out and rolled down her cheeks, but freezing part way down. "Taras is gone." She said, her voice forced through her throat as it was trying to close up. "I-I wasn't there...Not until..." She bit her bottom lip, trying to find the words. "Ocar...He saved Vaoulrah...but there were so many of the devils from the abyss...Too many..." She turned back towards Kona. "There was nothing I could do!" She said her voice loud in the quiet of the mountains. "Nothing..." She broke. She thought she had cried all she could a while ago, but she was wrong. She fell to her knees, covering her face with her hands, tears flowing like a river from her eyes.