Hello!

A belated happy new years to everyone! I hope you all enjoyed the last chapter and I'm excited to be posting this one for you lovelies now! We're less than five chapters away from being three-fourths done Heirs of Darkness, and I'm looking forward to hearing what you all think!

I've been having a lot of fun exploring this very AU concept of the game, and I have to admit that both the story and the characterizations have run away with me in a big way since I picked this story up again from the hiatus^^

In the future, once I finish this story I probably won't do another huge project along this line, but I have some smaller stories in the works that are a bit closer to the darker versions of their characters that I'm looking forward to sharing.

Enjoy!

To Mend What's Broken

A warm desert wind blew in through the open window of the Tyobi Inn room they had rented for the night. It's multiple beds were partially enclosed off from the main space and in an effort to avoid the muggy afternoon heat most of Mel's companions had withdrawn behind closed curtains to nap through the hottest part of the day.

At the small table near the window Mel sat with her family book in front of her, reading through the tree at the beginning of the recorded Darkthrop line. As she glanced over the pages, she began to scan as much of the city as she could reach with her magic for any signs of Mordred's minions, suddenly picking up on something familiar that reminded her of something from long ago that she couldn't quite name.

Then she got closer and several curses slipped from her lips, stress and frustration welling up as she realized it was simply faint traces of where their enemies had been days before Mel's group had arrived.

"Do you sense them?" Gyendal's low voice sounded from behind her, and she half turned to see him entering the room with food in hand.

"No, just where they were before. There's something familiar about it, past even recognizing their trace from this stupid chase. It's deeper than that…" Mel trailed off with a frustrated sigh.

He nodded in understanding before reaching out to offer her a paper sack of food, Mel accepting with a muttered thanks before digging in.

"I've been going through the books that I did pack with me from home as well as checking any forgotten records of mythical creatures and Aian history to see if there's anything to assist us, and I believe I might have found a potential explanation for what these beings are, and why there's a particular familiarity in them." Gyendal said quietly, taking a seat at the table across from Mel.

She looked up sharply from her food, leaning forward slightly.

"You found something? Why didn't you tell us sooner?" She demanded, careful to keep her voice down.

"I haven't been sure, and I couldn't afford to give misinformation. But hearing this from you only strengthens my suspicions due to your history with the winged ones. I believe that who, or rather what, we are dealing with are beings long forgotten by Aia. They were known simply as Gynna. Souls that have been torn apart by magic incantations forged from blood and formed into separate beings, stripping them of their humanity and mortality." His tone was grave, fingers tapping with idle energy against the table.

"They're made from blood magic? But that has long been outlawed, since even before the fall and restoration of Thais. Even dark mages refuse to dabble in such arts, and their records have been lost to time." Mel pointed out.

"That is true, but there was a time when their kind roamed in droves. During Ahriman's rise to power he set to making armies only able to serve him, ones uninhibited by humanity or any self-preservation instinct that could lead to them betraying the cause for their own survival. He would sacrifice the weak to split souls, creating armies of Gynna so deeply fractured from their original soul that there could be nothing left to influence them. Their warped essence leaves a dark stain on everything it touches, including each other." Gyendal explained.

"I remember a lesson at school referencing demonic armies that even the undead feared." Mel recalled, Gyendal nodding. "They never explained what they were, just that all of their kind were sucked back into the Demon realm somehow when Rhen destroyed Ahriman with the Sword of Shadows."

"They were dragged out of our plane of existence because their hosts were either stationed in the Demon realm, or their hosts were forced into the Demon realm from Aia themselves. After the war, most of the records on their existence were destroyed. Only personal records by other mages in Aia survived, some of which were reproduced into volumes that mages collected in the years before the war."

Mel stared down at the table, thoughts racing as she processed his words.

"If they were all sealed away, how are those men here?"

"Mordred was a very powerful dark sorcerer before his death, he must have opened a rift between realms big enough to let through a host. Once the host is through a Gynna can go anywhere. My assumption is that he became a host himself before his death, there's no way he would have trust someone else with absolute control over near unstoppable forces such as a Gynna." He paused for a moment, considering something.

"I have no doubt that those men are Gynna's, and she possesses a little of the same inhuman power which means she must be one as well, although relatively new and unfractured seeing as I could not sense the same shattered magic within her. There would be another kind of familiarity aside from those men, their stain on their companion that would trigger recognition, yet masked enough to make it difficult to place."

"How would Mordred become a host to beings already within the realm, and retain control even as a dead man?" Mel questioned, "That makes no sense."

"All a host needs to do is devour the remaining shards of the Gynna's soul, to meld into their own, which can be done again and again when hosts transfer the soul shards to another. They become something not quite human themselves, and gain complete control over the Gynna. He must have taken the soul from whoever hosted first, and having such an unholy bond along with how he died would have tethered his own soul to Aia, along with the Gynna." He said.

"If I remember correctly from my lessons, they heal at incredible speeds after injury, it's near impossible to kill one! How are we supposed to deal with this?!" Mel demanded, her grip on her fork so tight it bit into her skin.

"They're actually impossible to kill in combat." Gyendal corrected, "However, there is a few known ways to permanently destroy them. The first is to destroy their host, the moment the Gynna are without a living host they will be torn apart by the universe and cease to exist. You can also pull the soul shards from the host and destroy those, which destroys the Gynna. The final way is for someone capable of conducting incredible amounts of power to step into the fight, someone powerful enough that their magic destroys the soul of it's target rather than just the body."

Mel hissed out several curses, hunching over the table before straightening abruptly and slapping her hands down on the tabletop.

"The death orb. Each of the orbs go after the soul first, the body just follows suit. If we can get to the death orb I can activate it and use it to destroy the Gynna."

"Perhaps, but it has been said that the Death Orb was never completely finished. It may not yet have the power to wipe them out." He grimaced slightly as he explained it, absently steepling his fingers together on the table in front of him.

"Is there a chance you may be wrong about their kind?"

"Yes, albeit unlikely. They do not fit the profile of any other kind completely, yet this one they seem to fit to a tee. No other species possess mortal magic this shattered and twisted, that is something unique to Gynna. I crossed paths with a few during the time of Ahriman, they left anyone alone that did not fight their cause so I was lucky enough never to fight one, but I felt the magic they used, it permeated much of Aia like a dark miasma."

They lapsed into silence, Mel staring down at her family book unseeingly.

Each piece of her family history she uncovered around Mordred descended further into a mass of darkness, deeper and wider than the oceans she had crossed through these quests. It was like no matter what she found out, there was always something worse, more evil, left to find.

"I am going to have to embrace the darkness of my heritage to stop them."

Her quiet statement drew Gyendal's attention and she found herself looking to him in a vain hope he would say otherwise, deny what she already knew. He didn't say a word, just held her gaze steadily. There was no triumph in his expression, just understanding.

"Not alone."

He didn't say anything more, but his words reassured her in a strange way and she let out a long breath before turning back to her book. Not another thing was said between them, nothing more was needed as they fell into comfortable silence. Despite everything that had happened, both the spoken and unspoken between them, she knew that when she finally found herself face to face with the Gynna once more Gyendal would be facing them down alongside her. It was a comfort in the mess of everything else around them.

The fire crackled warmly in the centre of the camp, two figures sitting on the log on the side of the fire closest to where the rest of the group was sleeping. Edward poked idly at the fire with a long stick, flipping some of the flat wood chips over and scratching shapes out on the greyed surface.

"You know, I've been thinking and Yvette reminds me of Te'ijal." Mel commented offhandedly, Edward looking over at her with mild surprise.

"Of Te'ijal?" He echoed, muffling a laugh at the comparison.

Mel grinned at him, shrugging in response.

"Am I wrong though? Inhuman that finds human activities fascinating, a very odd sense of humor, finds amusement in unnerving people. It's keeping the group on their toes, and everyone is having a little bit more fun."

Edward just shook his head in amusement, flipping one of the wood chips into the air for fun.

"I'm glad she ended up joining us, and you two seem to get along really well."

Mel nodded, reclining back against the log she was leaning up against.

"She's different from my other friendships. Even with going to school with humans I find I still have some inhuman patterns I follow from my time in Ged'ahere without even realizing, with her I don't have to be on my guard for that because she's the same." She admitted with a slight smirk, thinking of some of the outrageous things Yvette had said and done thusfar.

"June both loves her and is slightly scared of her. Yvette was telling a story about some hunting mishap and June actually turned a little green, apparently she doesn't find the idea of eating a mouse whole very appetizing, bird form or otherwise." He said with a snicker.

The two grinned slightly at each other before Edward turned away to check his pocket watch.

"Looks like your watch shift is done. Can you wake Stella on your way back to your pack? I can't wait to finish for the night in a couple hours and give my shift off to June for her and Stella's shift together." Edward said, yawning slightly.

"Sure. You know, it was so much easier when we had vampires who were willing to stay up all night to do watches due to not needing sleep." She commented.

"Agreed. At least we only have to take shifts in areas that rogue groups travel, the rest of the time we can rely on the wards."

"It-"

Mel never got the chance to finish her thought as from the far side of the camp a pained shout echoed through the air, both Mel and Edward bolting to their feet as a second one ripped through camp.

Stella, Yvette and June were all awake within a few moments, disoriented and grabbing for weapons as Mel ran across their small camp to where her and Gyendal's bedrolls were. In his bedroll Gyendal was thrashing around, sweat shining on his forehead as he shouted out once more in his sleep. Magic glowed around him, pulsing erratically and Mel dropped to her knees next to him on the bedroll as she reached out and grabbed hold of his shoulders.

The instant she made contact she could feel another magic mixing with his, a hostile one waging attacks upon his mind. Distress was clear on his features as he struggled against this invisible attack, and without pause for thought Mel found herself dropping the walls and barriers between their bond. She could sense the dreamspell that had ensnared his mind, dark and twisted in it's vice grip on Gyendal.

Her teeth were bared in silent snarl and she launched her own attack against the spell, she could feel the shock from whatever was attacking Gyendal as all of a sudden it had to defend on both sides. Mel was unrelenting as she fought the spell, throwing some of her strongest at it to destroy it's barriers one by one. Soon she could faintly feel Gyendal on the other side, the two of them fighting as one to defeat it. The hold had loosened enough that he could be awoken, and she gripped his shoulders tightly before starting to shake him, her actions giving them the edge needed to drive the spell away completely as with a panicked heave for air Gyendal shot upright and grabbed hold of her arms in a near painful vice grip.

"Mel!" June's frightened call echoed through the camp in time with startled gasps from the others, but Mel was unmoving.

Gyendal's green eyes darted around frantically, Mel sitting silently as his clouded gaze finally cleared. His eyes found hers, and she felt his shoulders slump in recognition.

"Lamb."

A shuddering breath escaped him and his head bowed, grip on her arms loosening and sliding along her arms to come to rest on her wrists as she lowered her hands from his shoulders. There was silence for a long moment as he gathered himself, Stella excusing herself softly as she fetched a cup from her bedside and moved over to the water bucket sitting near the camp edge. With the dreamspell gone, the bond fell fully back into place and an overwhelming feeling of rightness washed over her, a strain that had been on her body and magic that she had become too used to began to ease, part of the tension draining out of her. Pushing that aside, she focused on Gyendal, feeling his disorientation as he began to reconstruct his guards from outside attacks.

"What happened?! How was someone attacking you to that degree?" Mel questioned, Gyendal's fingers flexing slightly around her wrists.

"Mordred." He rasped, "Reminding me with what little is still left over from the summoning tie that we aren't free of him. He can't see us, he can't find our location through it. But he can torment me."

Instinctively Mel reached out past the camp with her magic to sense for the Gynna, her mind beginning to race with the possible ramifications of Mordred's actions.

From the other side of the bed there was a rustle as Stella carefully approached, holding out a glass of water to Gyendal.

"To soothe your throat from the shouting." The healer said gently, no bitterness or sense of vindication in her demeanor, something that would never cease to amaze Mel.

Gyendal let go of one of Mel's wrists, reaching up with a quiet thanks to accept the cup and take a drink.

"Does this happen often?" Stella questioned, tone sympathetic.

Gyendal shook his head.

"He's made many an attempt, but I have been able to block them. He has simply been able to break through this time because I've grown weary in this mortal form, I am still learning my limits and overextend myself at times." Gyendal said, Mel could sense the reluctance to admit that and the anger directed in at himself.

"I would understand if you said no, but if you are willing, I know some white magic enchantments that will place a guard over you to prevent his attacks. Mordred will have a much harder time breaking through Naylithin magic, especially through a mostly shredded dark magic link." Stella offered. "I use that magic to combat my own night terrors, and to protect from any outside attacks as we wander through rogue territory."

For a moment Gyendal seemed to be about to scoff at Stella's offer, but then with a defeated sigh he shrugged.

"If it can be placed over an amulet and not me then I shall consider your offer."

Stella nodded, her hand moving for a moment as if she was about to pat his leg before she seemed to change her mind and stand, hurrying back to Edward with a nervous smile.

The others retreated away, Edward and Stella taking up their place at the fire for the next watch while June and Yvette returned to their beds. Mel and Gyendal were silent for a long moment before Gyendal pulled his other hand away, Mel taking the silent cue and lifting herself across the gap between their bedrolls to transfer herself into her own. Carefully she slipped out of her boots and coat before sliding down between the blankets, exhaustion swamping her as she rested her head against the pillow and hand near where her knife rested on the grass next to her.

She was just starting to drift when the brush of something against her fingers made her eyes snap open, Mel's eyes falling on the second set of fingers that rested up against her own. She looked across to Gyendal, the other dark mage's eyes still closed. As she stared at the hand pressed up next to her own it dawned on her what he was doing.

He was grounding himself against another nightmare, a physical link to reality to pull him back from whatever was teasing around the edges of sleep. If he fell in, Mel would feel instantly should the dark dreams begin to return. For a moment Mel argued with herself internally, debating the situation before making a decision and raising her hand up off the ground away from him.

Her nails brushed lightly overtop his skin before her hand carefully settled on top of his, fingers slipping into the gaps between his. He startled slightly, eyes opening partially to look at where their hands joined. After a tense moment he relaxed, eyes closing as he gave no other reaction other than to pull the blanket tighter over the rest of him. His breathing began to deepen and even out, and Mel's eyes eventually drifted shut once more, her mind carrying her into dreamland.

As she fell into sleep, it never even registered with her that she had forgotten to reclose the bond between them.

Food sat on a picnic blanket only partially touched, an uncommon sight in Mel's camp. Usually not much could drag most of their group away from meals, a welcome relief from busy travel, but today a different event was far more interesting to several of the adventurers.

June and Yvette watched with interest while Edward just grinned around his lunch as further into their makeshift rest stop their two leaders stood in the middle of an animated argument, Mel's arms waving about as she gestured wildly.

"Maybe you missed the part about where I don't care about your opinion? Because let me assure you that hasn't changed!" Mel snapped in exasperation.

"Oh I assure you, that has been coming through crystal clear since the moment we started this quest. However you seem to be missing the point that it isn't just your life on the line here, it's both of ours and with all due respect to your 'oh so special friendships' I have bigger priorities than braiding flowers into each others hair, I'd like to be able to pick up the pace and not strain my mana limits by being forced to portal and defend four other people!" Gyendal spat.

"You were the one that told me that they're all in danger now that the Gynna have seen them Raven, do you really think I'm going to leave them behind now?!" She demanded.

"If we hide them in Naylith or Harukana and they do not leave they'll be safe so long as they stay together." Gyendal dismissed, falling verbally silent as the argument transitioned into the bond to include images for emphasis. "Think of the time we would gain on the Gynna if we could use our portals more often, we'd get to that Death Orb and leave no trail for them to follow as we go on the offensive. We can even pick the others back up for the final battle if you're so determined. Are you really willing to risk success just to keep them here for the legwork?"

He gestured pointedly to the others as he spoke through the bond, and Mel let an angry huff, crossing her arms tightly.

"And if they recognize we've split up from the group and go on the hunt for an easier target? No matter where we hide them there's no guarantee that they won't be found. Without us they lack the power to make a full escape or even hold their own against the Gynna magic." She transitioned back to verbal as she pushed his images back into the bond in rejection of his point. "And without them we lack a healer, someone with magic that can get around other mage shields, we lose our inside knowledge about Eldrion laws and customs, and extra eyes to catch and ambush or guard us in a fight. We are weaker apart, and if we're caught weaker then a time-saver will mean nothing."

From her spot on the blanket June stared in confusion before looking to Stella.

"Are they going crazy from this trip? They weren't even talking for a few minutes, just waving their hands around."

Stella laughed softly at June's furrowed brow, shaking her head as Mel and Gyendal both fell silent again for a few moments before Gyendal let out a shout.

"FINE! When you get us all killed and condemn all of Aia remember that I offered a solution, but you refused to take it." He turned abruptly on his heel, storming off into the woods.

"FINE!" Mel shouted after him as she stalked over to the blanket, snatching her plate off and retreating to a rock outcropping close to the opposite treeline to sulk.

June watched Mel with wide eyes, Edward muffling his laughter at the outburst.

"They were talking, just not verbally. I believe that the link between them has been opened enough to discuss matters, which they are not always able to do peacefully." Stella explained, unable to hide her slight amusement.

After a moment of watching June simply shrugged, turning back to her food.

"They're weird."

"Oh you have no idea." Edward grinned.

The four returned to their meal and soon the entire group was up and off travelling once more, working to get as much ground covered before night fully fell over Eldrion. As they watched the last hints of dusk fall away behind tall mountains, the group finally stopped for the night, setting up camp further off the trail.

"We'll be in Peliad by tomorrow right? You've been saying for the past week that Mordred's minions haven't been on our tail, now we can finally open the cave with Yvette." Edward pointed out, Mel nodding in agreement.

"We also need to be in Peliad and be ready in time for the event later this week. The mages under the thief lord are hosting a Noir Gala, Gyendal and I need to attend and see what information we can find." She added before turning to Stella. "There's a second event in the same neighborhood that's not by strict ticket invite for general mages in Peliad, you should go and take Edward to see if they have any information."

"Edward and I can be ready by tomorrow for that, and June can come with us to make us blend in more. Yvette, will you come?" Stella asked, Yvette pondering for a moment before nodding and going back to setting up her bedroll.

As the others discussed and planned for their own event, Mel got started on their fire. They had been rotating on duties for who did what during camp set up, and had the art down to a fine science at this point. In no time the camp was finished and a fire was crackling cheerily at the centre, Yvette and Edward working together on a dinner stew that smelled delicious.

While the others got their food and chatted she pulled out her journal, sketching absently along the margins and filling in the events of the day. She was abruptly interrupted by a booted foot lightly poking her lightly on the leg, and her head snapped up with a dark glare.

"What do you want." She snapped to Gyendal, who gave no answer other than to extend one of the two bowls of stew he had in hand towards her.

For a moment she regarded the food, weighing her options before tucking her journal away and accepting the bowl with a slight nod. He was offering a truce in his typical stubborn manner, and despite the mildly childish side that wanted to make things difficult simply for the sake of it, she decided to make the move of offering her own acceptance of his gesture. Silently she moved her things over, making room for Gyendal who took the now open seat next to her.

"I haven't been amongst the company of dark mages in a very long time. I wonder if there will be any family names I recognize, or if they've all faded away." He mused idly, Mel glancing over at him as she ate.

"At least we don't have to fear your cover being broken by resembling old portraits from your time as a human, you've aged a lot since then." Mel commented, Gyendal making a sound of amused agreement.

The two fell silent as Edward and Yvette took a seat nearby, the group forming a circle as June proposed that they all played a word game. As the night began to wear on the sound of laughter echoed up through the trees, Mel grinning and relaxing as she took seconds of the meal.

The perfect end to a chaotic day.

Fingers fumbled over fabric, as with a growl of irritation that echoed around the small Inn room Mel wrestled with the laces on her dress. They were designed so that the wearer should be able to do up at least part of the back over the underlayer of the dress, but all Mel was succeeding in doing was knotting her own fingers! She hated that she had let June and Stella talk her into the dress, claiming that the richly coloured dark garment was essential to passing as a high society mage and setting others at ease enough to offer information.

As she struggled with the blasted dress a knock on her door sounded, Mel not even bothering to look up as she called for them to come in. She knew Stella would be finished getting ready first, and she thanked her lucky stars that there would still be time to finish getting Mel ready without too much rush

"Stella can you help me with this, I can't get these blasted laces!"

The floor creaked as someone stepped into the room before stopping.

"I'm afraid that Stella is still otherwise occupied preparing herself and June at the moment lamb. I can however assist you with the ties in her place to save time."

The unexpected male voice made Mel jump, a few instinctive curses escaping her as she glanced up distractedly to where Gyendal stood in the doorway. However she found herself doing a double-take at the sight before her, caught off guard by yet another transformation.

A black and red double-breasted coat had taken the place of his usual cloak, the finishing piece of the fitted and polished look perfectly suited to that of a high ranking nobleman. Decorations indicating status and level of strength as a mage caught the light on the lapel of the coat, Mel's eyes darting over the ensemble as she took everything in.

"Mel, the dress ties?"

His prompt pulled her back to reality and she gave an awkward cough

"Fine, just hurry up." She muttered.

Gyendal didn't respond, but in a few long strides he had reached her and hands settled lightly on her shoulders as he turned her to face the mirror and took the laces from her grasp. She felt the dress tighten slightly as he carefully did it up.

"I haven't seen you wear a dress in years, not since Te'ijal stopped forcing you into them."

She shrugged slightly, finding herself at an unexpected loss for what to say. The usually natural silence between them felt strangely tense and heavy, her nerves on high alert although Mel couldn't begin to guess for what.

"They are not exactly the most practical style for travel." She finally said.

For a moment he did not respond, instead he turned to grasp the mage robes that were draped over the back of a nearby chair and stepped back up to her. Mel slipped her arms silently into the sleeves, turning her attention back to the mirror only to find Gyendal watching her with a steady gaze.

As she slipped her other arm into the coat his movements slowed, fingers brushing lightly over her arms as he brought it up to rest properly on her shoulders. She met his stare head-on, noting absently how vibrantly green his eyes were, a stark contrast to the once scarlet red gaze she had grown used to. The bond was unusually guarded, Mel finding herself unable to fully read Gyendal as they stood in loaded silence.

Despite the lack of clarity within the bond, Mel found herself able to glean an unfamiliar emotion amongst the usual mix she couldn't quite place, something wholly unfamiliar, yet that resonated with her.

His hands settled on her shoulders before drifting down her outer arms to smooth the fabric of the sleeves, leaving the strangest chill in their wake.

"Practical or otherwise, you look stunning."

Her eyes went wide at the unexpected compliment, his low tone not breaking the tension in the room. Her mouth opened to deliver some sarcastic retort, but she found herself blanking and her mouth slammed shut as slight pink tinged her skin. For a moment they simply stood there watching each other, then Mel saw something dawn in his eyes, some sort of realization, and abruptly he stepped back from her.

"I'm checking on the others." His tone was slightly rough as he turned on his heel and strode out of the room, vanishing around the doorway corner without another word.

Mel didn't move for several long minutes, staring after him at a loss.

What in all of Aia had just happened?!