The night had fallen over Elevnia with stars shining in the sky above. Tariel had only arrived in the ball to see that the only the other people who she could see there were Naruon and his bride Lucia where talking to each other. “of what comfort could I give the human girl in your care for I kept my word after I made the choice to let her live when she turned 16 but you know that I have no love for her” Lucia sighed “not all the humans are like how they are back then. Decides information that your hold from Ignatia the princess of Fallean about the spies of our realm.”



A gentle cough from Tariel drew the attention to her, with smiles at her appearance. Naruon laughed slightly “even with beauty required for this night had not convinced you to paint your face with make up but you have your own ways I guess” closing her eyes for a moment. If he was not her king she would hit him “you yourself have little in that respect yourself my king but if I may say that you my queen...Lucia you look wonderful.”

Naruon was silent for a moment, he had always wondered wither or not that if she was not his bodyguard would it be her he was marrying instead of Lucia. Forgetting those thoughts when Lucia asked both he and Tariel “with your words you have not noticed that we are missing your adopted daughter Kalian” Tariel blinked realising that she had a point.

After a short pause, Naruon smiled at Lucia “rightness flows form your lips. Time shows that the foolish girl has locked herself in an up stair chamber, I have sent Ainion to get her” Tariel frowned. Ainion was once the diplomat to there allies but at the time present he was the master of knowledge and commanded the spies of the realm.



Outside the hall was Morzan. He looked through the glass of the window, no one had yet noticed his presence. It had been many a year since he had last seen the king of this realm for the last time he had spoke to Naruon resulted in him lying at the foot of the tower of eclipse after he had been cast from the top. The sound of a horse reached his ears, causing him to hide with in the leaves of a tree. Ignatia dismounted the horse and walked inside not seeing his red eyes watching her. He stepped forward from his hiding place for he had not let his gaze fall upon Kalian.



Soon after her appearing inside the hall of the fallen, Rilien appeared before and seemingly from nothingness. Before this night, she would have not been able to come apart from the word of Rilien who had regained his health and strength. He had told his brother that even though he maybe king but by blood he was still his brother and next in line to his throne. If he did not want to duel him in both magic and steel that he would allow Ignatia to come to the ball as his brother’s guest and he having no desire for a duel between, he agreed.

Rilien looked at her with unwavering eyes, Ignatia smiled “what do you think Rilien?” he did not answer. Transfixed by her beauty and the fact that she was the only kind face he had seen during the long years of imprisonment and torture. Despite all that had hoped that his own desire for love, before his imprisonment and during the early days of the war he had to be web to a wood elf mage but she was slain and he had not found anyone worthy of his love. Blinking he noticed that annoyance crept into his companion “you look, amazing” he told her.



A small giggle came from Ignatia to see that slight redness on his checks that was him blushing. During the time they had both spent in each others company they had grown close even at one night he had asked to accompany him on a walk through the palace grounds. She had accepted his offer only to have to flea from the approach of Naruon for he was never to know that the two where slowly falling in love with each other.

Slowly Ignatia whispered into Rilien’s ear “you should not care so what the thoughts of your people about us together and they should not gossip about us, now” she took hold of his hand and the other on his shoulder “dance with me, my prince” he smiled. Slowly they danced together to a tune that echoed around from an unseen source.



As the music echoed through the hall. Naruon had requested the help of the gods who lived within his realm, those of which were unable to attend the ball. Ainion stood upstairs before the door to the chamber which Kalian had locked herself in.

Ainion heard what appeared be the sounds of crying from behind it. Moving slightly closer to the door “kalian! Come forth from this chamber, as your king requires your presence downstairs” kalian spoke though it was muffled and filled with both anger and sorrow. She yelled at him through the door “the king may desire what he may but I shall not leave this room” his eyes narrowed. Women he thought, many a time he had wished that Lucia had human man as an adopted child for he had made a rule to try if possible not argue with women as after an argument with the mother of Naruon and Rilien had almost caused his head to be removed be removed from his shoulders.

He sighed before saying to her “then if that is your wish, my soon to be princess. Then I will leave you to your sorrow but know this much, you will have much to deal with when this over” he turned and left her. Not caring for a reason to why she was crying.



Standing from the tear covered stone floor as the sounds of Ainion’s footsteps faded into the distance. Tears had marred the make up on her face but she had not cared. Before the arrival of Tariel she had taken her dress out so she could be dressed in it to find that it was slashed and torn as if a hound had be unleashed on it. Finding a small note on it she had discovered that those who had tormented through her childhood had done this to cause much grief. The only thing that had been destroyed was the plain blue under dress that she would have worn underneath the main gown.

Kalian knew that staying inside this chamber was not a wise choice. Moving slowly towards the door, she expected them all to laugh at her for her appearance but at least it should keep Naruon happy. She reached for the copy key in the lock thinking about how much they would laugh at her.



Sensing that something was wrong with Kalian, Morzan waved his hand knowing that using his powers may make him easier to locate by the gods. Hiding his powers from the two gods that he heard where dwelling in this realm, though he knew that they had like himself escaped Arandur but he did not know wither or not they would approve of him being in this realm for many of the gods never liked him before and he had no trust towards him. Kalian turned the key, not noticing the magic that consumed her.



Emerging from her chambers, she walked down the stair case and noticed that everyone was looking at her with admiration. Her surprise came by a smile that was on the lips of Morzan who stood before. She walked up to him, confused by his appearance there for he was in hiding from the realm “you are here? But you are hiding from them all” Morzan sighed slightly.



He looked into her eyes, he could see her soul was alight with happiness. His powers where now strong enough to see the souls within people once more as using them would make him as powerful as he was once was. Morzan did not answer her until she leapt at him, he caught in his arms before she made fall on to the stone fall. Holding her tight against him, he could feel heart beat “I should not question you but thank you, thank you” he smiled. Kalian was so pleased to see him there.

Placing her feet back on the floor she looked at the figures of both Rilien and Ignatia dancing together. Seeing them to, Morzan blinked for he was unsure wither or not he should have come to this place.



Never being invited to ball in his existence was the fact that being the god of death made him unlikely to ever attend one. Deciding that he had made the wrong choice by coming here he turned to leave, he hand grabbed him and placed it around her waist pulling him closer to her. He glared slightly as she placed a hand in his own and one on his back. Leaning forward she whispered in his ear “I know that death is in you but you are not death and soulless according to all tales of you. You have a soul and there is love in your heart” he looked straight into her eyes seeing that she truly believed that. He slowly started to dance with her but making sure that he did not step on her.



Time passed until they were summoned to anti chamber where they were to dine together for each of them needed to something to consume. Morzan sat between Lucia and Kalian. Catching the sight of the red clad king of Elevnia he remembered that though unlikely he had conversed with him and may recognise him for the god he was. Lucia examined him closely with her gaze and noticed how happy Kalian seemed to be his company “tell me, are you of dark elf birth? For you are stranger in are midst but it appears that my daughter is taken with you so what name should I call you?”

Kalian blushed slightly at the playful tone in her voice. Morzan though willed himself into not showing any emotion for he was not sure how answer that truthly without telling them all who and what he was with a tongue which would soon be still if that were happen. After moment of intense thought he spoke to Lucia and now the entire group was looking at him “aha you should not ask such a question of dark elf birth I may shall not be but” Rilien leaned forward “you’re a vampire then, demon or some creature of undeath before us?” a slight laugh came from Morzan. If only Rilien recognized him for many a time he had prayed to Morzan for death or a relief from his pain instead though he could only but dull it and keep him alive through the years of torture he had endured. Morzan spoke to them “of dark elf birth I maybe but as whole I am unsure of but by name I am called Khan” Lucia smiled at him while Rilien watched him closely.



Food was not something that Morzan experienced often for he has little need for it as he could live without food and water for he was the god of death and the embodiment of death at one point in his existence. Ignatia hesitated between mouthfuls, she had asked Naruon when his spies returned to him that he would take her to Laraniel but they had not returned to him. Seeing the look on her face Tariel whispered to her “fear not, he keeps his word unless there is a reason for him not to. He sent the spies out to all the realms which he could to gather information, I know you are concerned for your father but he shall be fine” Ignatia did not answer her but continued to eat while her mind was lost in thought.



Rilien looked at Naruon and leaned slightly forward. Looking him straight in his eyes before he saying to in hushed whispered tones “may I ask you a question, brother?” he gave him a slight nod. Rilien continued slightly hushed “do you believe that the god of death has favour on us both?” Naruon did not answer for a moment. Memoires of the time when had spoken to Morzan and tried to murder him.

He spoke so quietly that only his brother could hear his words “only two others know of this so I hope you keep this to yourself the other two are Tariel and the crimson serpent who’s name dishonours us both along with those who are bead. Once and only once I was approached by him on the day before I almost perished. I had suffered the loss of both our father’s death and your disappearance, so I watched the black temple burn with shock of what most of us had gone through to become of what we are now. Alone I stood, on the tower of the eclipse but I knew that I had company. Looking to see Morzan standing there dressed in dark robes he spoke to me saying that the gods were tricked by Arandur, the war was a falsehood and then to my surprise he addressed me as king of the elves. He knelt before me swearing me his loyalty along with his powers in return to allow him to live within my realm and to drink small portion of my blood so he gain a form of origin to my own.”

Pushing aside his plate, he leaned forward with a look of concern on his face “brother, for him offer that would have possibility saved our people and with death on our side” Naruon sighed keeping his voice low as he had before “I had thought little at the time of that. I refused his offer saying to him that he would do better asking the mad king for his aid. Standing he glared at me saying that it was not a request he made lightly and he would take by force. So he lunged at me with fangs that had appeared inside his mouth, he was almost top of me I grabbed his robes ad throw him over me to fall from the tower to a hopeful demise. I remember his scream as he fell” Kalian had moved where she was sitting after getting her food. She wondered what the two were talking about but she noticed that Rilien had an eye on so called Khan.



After there meal all the returned to dancing. Kalian believed that not matter what had happened in the time to come that this night was the best she had in her life. She heard a small laugh of delight as she noticed that Morzan was smiling at her “this night I will cherish for the rest my existence” she did not answer him for she agreed with his statement completely. Naruon noticed that Ainion was leaving them.



Leaving Lucia, he bashed towards him asking him “why leave us, Ainion?” he looked only slightly at him “support your actions on the spies information with bravery for I was told that the crimson serpent already knows of it. I bid you farewell for I need to contact many of our spies and assassins in case there is some mention of treachery from that creature and his minions” as he walked out the doors, Naruon was still has mind rushed with thoughts of treachery from the crimson serpent and his minions but he needed to know what the spies knew so he may make that he could take actions that would protect his people. Leaving out the doors in the hope that he could speak to his spies before his absence was noticed.