~~They Will Not Fade~~

Chapter 3: L'Anse aux Meadows, Newfoundland

"Well then, how was yer visit?" the goblin asked once he saw Alvara coming up the pathway towards the door.

"…I must come back again, goblin. I hope you understand." She said, hoping she did not have to reveal anything to this man. He seemed a slightly unfortunate soul (as seen by the loss of his lower half) and she didn't want to harm him, but she could not let anyone get in her way and stop her.

He gave her a tired look. "I do not think that's best, miss. And anyways, if you knew him-Prince Nuada, seeing him in that state will only bring ya despair."

"I have to come back, no matter what effect it will have on me." She told him, stopping.

The goblin watched her, and finally decided it wouldn't do anyone else any harm if she came once more. If she wanted to hurt herself in the process, that was her doing. That's all he thought. He nodded. "Sure, you can come back. But I'll say again, for yer own well being, ma'am, that it will only cause you pain."

"…It really doesn't matter the effect this has on me…" she whispered and then she left.

She headed through the strange doorway outside, where it was still day time. Getting closer to the middle of the day. It had only taken her half an hour down there.

She raised her hand and shut her eyes, turning around slightly as her mind traveled into the past. All she saw behind her eyes was the goblin going back and forth, sometimes conversing with some other goblins that came by-but that was all. Until finally, it seems she had gone enough years back to see the group from before-the group who had tried to stop Nuada's plans, were coming out of the rock. This time, Alvara tried very hard to enter, so that she could see as well and hear as well as she possibly could (when she was less focused, her travels into the past were fuzzier).

"Careful, careful." The blue man said to the red man, who was carefully carrying the stone of Nuala out, until the blue one asked him to place her down. Alvara wondered why. The rest of them confront a human man who seemed to be going bald, handing over belts as they did (though, the red man came back for his gun).

The red man and the human woman walked farther off, talking about something. Alvara did not focus on them. She had her eyes on the blue man; Abraham, she guessed. In her mind, she seemed to come closer. She did feel her feet moving forward, her hand facing the exact spot where this had happened.

"Are you alright, Agent Sapien?" Alvara saw the strange, glass-head man come up to Abraham, talking in a weird way, but it sounded human enough, though he had an accent.

"…Yes, sir…" Abraham sighed, watching the stone of Nuala and holding her stone hand which was raised and stuck that way.

"…Vhat do you plan to do wiz her?" the strange man asked.

"I…" Abraham seemed to think for a moment, unsure. "I will take her with me. I don't care, I can't…leave her here…" his voice was so tender as he talked of the princess, Alvara was sure Nuala had stolen his heart. She only hoped he had not stolen hers.

She stood there for a little while longer, listening, until the red man, Abraham and the human woman decided where they would go. Once she registered where, she opened her eyes.

"Are you alright, miss?" the goblin asked, having had come out of the formation as she had been in the past.

"Yes. I shall return." She said and then she was walking fast to edge of the cliff. She was not scared at all. She began running, securing her weapon and then she jumped forward. The air rushed past her as she fell towards the rocky ground bellow.

She did a summersault in the air and landed, half leaning forward, on a pointed rock. She only slightly felt the impact through her feet, and then she pushed hard with her legs, jumping from rock to rock and heading out towards the water, where she had a boat waiting, two men there inside of it-two male elves, actually.

"Well, how did it go? Did you see him?" one of them asked. He was tall and almost skinny looking, but he had an unnoticeable build on him. He had white hair, pale skin and golden eyes also, with pointed ears. Though, his hair was back in a ponytail.

"Yes, Caolan, I saw him." Alvara told him as she jumped into the boat.

"And did it make you feel any better at all, Alvara?" another man asked. He had more of a build than Caolan did, but not much bigger and he looked like him. They were brothers. "Or worse, like I told you it would?"

Alvara did not answer him.

"Well, where are we going now?" he asked.

"To Canada, Berach." Alvara said to the man.

"For what?" Berach asked as Caolan's head raised.

"Because, we need to go there." was all she said. They may be loyal to her, and like friends, but she knew they may object. They were like most of the other elves. They wouldn't be willing to have Nuada back just to save themselves. They'd rather him stay dead and them wither away. They knew he could be trouble.

And then they were heading for Canada, Berach and Caolan unsure of why and Alvara determined in her mission to find the Princess.

The Prince paced in the throne room located deeper in the nightlands. He was pondering what he could do now. He did not care for his friends wishes of waiting-he had a second chance to destroy the human race and save what is left of the world and he was going to do it-but how?

He would have to delve deeper in the nightlands-maybe even head back to the troll market-he needed information that he had not acquired. Maybe he could run across something. Something that could rid the world of humans, once and for all.

He changed into his warrior uniform, finding a few swords and then finding his spear. He grabbed a few other things, and then he went deeper into the nightlands, hoping to come across a library.

It was silent, in the small cottage in L'Anse aux Meadows. The cottage was made of strong wood, straw/hay here and there, and vegetation growing up onto the house in such a beautifully natural way. Inside, there was a main room, kitchen, bathroom, and two rooms. There was also another cottage located not much farther off from here, at which the main occupant of this home was visiting.

So, that occupant did not know of the stirring female elf that lay in one of his rooms. It was Princess Nuala, awaking from her slumber after being awakened. As she slowly sat up and gazed around, her head wondered widely. Where am I? What am I doing alive again? What is going on! She thought.

She slowly climbed down from the table where she had been laying. She searched the room, her heart racing as she worried why she had returned and what was going on. The room had many scrolls and candles and many other things. She wondered why she was in here.

Just then, she jumped, for she heard the sound of a door opening outside of the room she was in. Who could it be? Should she run or hide? Or would this person be harmless? Not being one to be careless or stupid, she looked around for something to protect herself with. There was a rock, which she grabbed quick and she backed farther into the room, in a dark corner. She knocked over some un-lit candles and gasped, hating herself for not seeing it.

"What….?" She could hear from the other room and she readied herself. She'd been heard.

Finally, the person opened the door and entered the room. At first, Nuala readied herself to intimidate the person-she was not one to want to harm anyone. But she would not let herself be free to harm, as well.

But her eyes went wide for a moment as the man (she could tell it as a man, of a sort) saw the table and whispered frantically, "Where…?"

She dropped the rock and he looked her way. A man with black shorts and blue and white skin, seeming to smooth. And with big eyes. "…Abraham…" she whispered.

Abraham's eyes went wide at the sound of her voice and he slowly walked forward and she did as well, until she was in the light that came from the open door. And then she rushed to his arms in a flurry of emotion, him catching her in his arms.

"How is this….?" Abraham asked, his voice shaky. He was so surprised and taken aback, he wasn't sure what to feel or what to do.

"…I do not know…" she said, unable to look away from him. "But…I do not think I have returned alone…"

~Alvara~

After a few days travel across the ocean, soon, they were to dock. They all put on tan cloaks, knowing they would attract unwanted attention if they walked around freely.

"Are you sure you know what you're doing?" Berach asked Alvara, wary still of her plans, since she would not reveal them.

"Yes, I am sure. Just trust me, please. But if you do not, you can head back to America and join what's left of our race and sit by doing nothing." She told him in a calm, but flat and emotionless voice.

He stayed quiet.

"No one likes going on a mission blindly, Alvara. You should not blame him." Caolan told her, though his voice was not harsh. He always seemed to be the one between the two of them, keeping their anger from getting too high against each other.

"I do not blame him, Caolan. I just can't take hearing whining from an elf that is supposed to be many years older than me!" she said the last part loud enough for him to hear. Then regretted it. She had just tried to make him seem the fool for acting childish and complaining, instead of listening to his leaders orders. But she had just done a childish act herself, at which Caolan laughed. She glared at him.

Finally, they docked on the shore, dropping anchor and heading up the shore, ignoring the few humans that seem to notice them.

After passing most of the human inhabitants, Alvara raised her hand out of her cloak and shut her eyes as the boys watched around her. She saw so much in her head. There was so much more activity around here than there was back in Antrim.

She soon gave up, impatient. She had already had to take a day to get here-she didn't want to spend too much time looking for the princess, because she was very on edge about the prince. She was pretty sure he would not heed her warning of staying put.

She walked away from the brothers then, heading to a human who had been watching them. She kept her hood up and covering her face as she said, "You, I need a few answers."

"Al-alright…" it was a woman, and she had an Irish accent (she must have some Irish blood flowing through her). She seemed slightly afraid, only because she was not sure what this person looked like.

"Has there been any…strange happenings around here? Any strange things going on, or strange people or things around?" Alvara asked quickly.

"I…uh…"

"Answer me, please."

"Y-yes, there has been. But, uh….I'm not sure I should-" Alvara gave the woman a look that seem to scare her into continuing answering her, instead of saying she shouldn't. "There's been a few fights around. Strange, ugly creatures always coming out. Oh, it scares me so!" she said, touching her chest. "And there's always these three, sometimes just two. But always a red man/beast, with a strange, stone hand. He's a demon, I know it! A demon!"

"Alright, alright!" Alvara hushed her as she seemed to start to hyperventilate. "Who else?"

"Sometimes, there's a blue fish man. And sometimes a flame-woman. She controls the flames to her will, I do not lie to you!"

"I believe you. Now, do you know where I could find them?"

"Find them?" the woman looked like she thought Alvara was crazy. "Why on god's great earth would you want to find those…those monsters!"

"That is my business, human, just tell me where."

The woman was scared once more, but nodded. She pointed at a forest full of thin trees. "Through there, on the other side of the island…. A day's journey, maybe less. You'll find them…"

Alvara nodded. "Thank you." and then she left, towards the trees, Berach and Caolan following soon after. Until she turned on them.

"Berach, you stay here." She ordered then.

"Why!"

"Because, someone must stay behind with the ship. I will not leave it unattended."

He glared, but after looking at his brother, he sighed and nodded. "Yes, ma'am…" and then he headed back to the ship.

Alvara and Caolan continued forward, through the forest. It was mostly silent, other than the sound of the critters running through the trees and across the ground, and the sound of their footsteps (though only they could hear them, for their steps were light and quick).

They even thought they spotted a few fairies as they walked, so they knew that some area nearby here was inhabited by many different fae creatures. And that is why so many creatures were spotted so much, to scare that woman.

Alvara and Caolan kept a ready hand on the hilt of their swords, knowing they may not be welcome to some, depending on their judgment of the world and its state.

"Can you not tell me what's going on, Miss?" Caolan eventually asked after minutes had passed without a word.

She did not answer, though he thought he heard a quick noise like a sigh.

"Look, I'm not trying to annoy you like my brother-I'm just curious. And it would also be nice to know." He continued.

"I'm visiting someone else." She lied.

He sighed, knowing her tone very well and knowing she lied. "Look-I'm trying hard not to annoy you like Berach, but I see no other way to get an answer-why in this world are we in Canada and who are we looking for and why?" he stopped then. They were annoyed enough before they stopped at Antrim, not knowing why she would want to visit a dead friend. But this was bordering on his nerves.

She turned on him then, almost glaring, though she could understand, even if she wished they'd stop asking and wondering. "Stay here, to make sure no one is following. Come after me if anything goes wrong. Or head back to the boat with Berach and leave, if you must." She hoped he'd pick the later, if anything happened.

He was surprised by that, but did stop where he stood. "But, Miss-"

"I need to go on alone…please, Caolan." She said in the softest tone she could manage.

He made a face, like he was going to shake his head. "Miss, we're with you to help and protect you, that's all. There's no need to do this."

"That is not it, Caolan. I just worry about followers, and I would appreciate it if you would listen and do as I say."

He sighed and mumbled, "Only because her late father…"

She flinched at that. She blocked the thoughts from her head that threatened to come to her at those words. "I shall return." She spat and hurried ahead.

~Nuada~

As he walked through many, many rows of many, many books and scrolls and charts and illustrations, Nuada gazed around, thinking of where he would find what he needed (he'd been in here for a few days now, searching). Obviously, it would be in a history book of some kind. If there was anything powerful enough for the job he had, it would have to be something old and hidden.

He passed through the elven history first, scanning through many books, before moving on to the other magical beasts that roam this world. He passed through goblins, trolls, fairy-folk.

Finally, he stopped. It was an isle dedicated mainly to dark arts and dark crafts. He hesitated. He felt something in him and wondered what it was. It was like…something pulling him. And then he realized he was regaining his link with his beloved sister. For a moment, he planned to run out of this place and hurry to her. But, he knew he could not leave-not just yet…and he was unsure of how she would react to his presence.

He glared at nothing, letting out an angry, yet sad sigh before looking back at the many books and artworks. He took one book at a time, scanning through them. He found nothing at first. Most of these things were long since destroyed or had withered away by now. Items of control or pain or power. He needed to find something just as powerful, if not more powerful than the golden army. And he continued looking for hours, almost.

But finally, he came across a name of a group he had heard of before. The Shadow Legion. I wide span of thousands and thousands of lost, spiteful or completely evil souls still wondering the world of either their own will, or some strange curse. Most of their own will. They, like the army, felt no pain or sadness or guilt-nothing. Nothing but blood-lust and joy from causing any and all pain.

He thought over it for a moment. Of course, there was always that part in his mind (that he was sure some part of his sisters' mind in his) that told him it would be barbaric and monstrous to release creatures like this on other living beings, even if those being be humans. But then memories flowed to him and the thought of humans.

So many wars, so many battles-so many friends and comrades-in-arms lost in human's greedy battles against him and his people.

Nuada then ripped the pages containing the information on the Shadow Legion from the book, stuffing it away and he turned to leave, but-

"Ugh…" the Prince fell forward, catching himself at the last minute as he had fallen forward. His legs had become weak and they would not support him. He felt dizzy and tired all of a sudden. He tried to push himself back up with his arms, but they were too weak.

"What…is going on?" he asked no one. He was so frustrated. He felt tired, yet he knew he must get up. He was fighting against the wiriness as well as he could, but it was of no use. Within only a minute of trying to fight it, he lay unconscious on the ground, too weak to keep himself awake.

~Nuala~

"Ugh…"

"Nuala!" Abraham exclaimed in surprised and worry, immediately coming to her side. She had been gazing out at the ocean, so beautiful in the slowly coming sunset. "Are you alright, Princess?"

She laid in his arms for a moment, for he had caught her quickly. He was only a few feet in the water as she had been watching the water and him. She took a deep breath and sat up. "I…think so. It's just an after effect, from being…how I was, for so long. My body must get used to it." She told him and then reached to touch his face and rub in between his eyes, on his forehead. "No need to worry yourself, dear Abraham."

And the smile he received assured him she was not lying. "Well, we should get you inside for now, Princess." He slowly stood, helping her do the same as he did so.

"What…do you think the others reactions shall be, when they learn of this?" she asked as they walked. She had been wondering ever since Abraham told her that he and Red were staying close, working together every now and then….with different things and troubles. She wondered if they'd be worried or scared.

"Well, I'm not totally sure, Princess." Abraham began, thinking about it himself now. Lately, he was too overjoyed to have her back to care much for anything else, though the thought's came to him at some times. "Maybe they might be happy to see you, at first. And then they'll realize what it means and become worried, of course."

She dropped her head, feeling slight guilt for something out of her control.

"But, we'll figure this out. There's no need for you to worry. Alright?" he turned her to face him as they were about to enter the doorway. He gave her a smile. She seemed slightly downcast, before seeing his smile and she couldn't help but return it.

But, when they turned to the room, Abraham was ready to take back what he said about not worrying. For he did not know why there was a hooded figure in his living room, only a few feet away. He did not think to raise his hand to sense a presence before, no one over comes here. So this must not be a normal someone. He raised his hand and gasped.

"What?" Nuala asked, looking at him, a bit worried as she watching the hooded figure.

But before he said anything, the hooded figure dropped down, bowing and from inside the cloak, Alvara said, "Princess…Nuala." Her voice felt weak and she cursed herself for not holding her composure. She cleared her throat. "It is a high honor and joy to see you once again." She stood then.

"Who are you?" Nuala asked, curious. She knew by now this person must be elf kind, but what would they be doing here?

She lowered the hood and knew she would not realize her right away. The prince hadn't. And she was unable to speak, for the sight of her old and dear, sweet friend had her at a loss for words. She even felt tears coming, but she held them back.

Nuala walked forward and Alvara could tell by the look on her face, she seemed familiar to Nuala. "May I see your hand?" she asked then.

She was hesitant, for when she touch people, her unusual gift would delve into their past. Though, when she was not focused on it, it became blurry. She held up her hand then, intent on making sure she did not focus on seeing her friends past.

Once Nuala took her hand, Alvara was fighting to focus on anything and everything. It was not torture to see her friends past, but she did not want to invade on her…yet she felt a pang of fear….she wondered if they would have memories of when they had been gone (and if so, what would they be?) or if it just skipped from the time before death to now. She did not want to test it.

Just then, Nuala gasped. Alvara watched her friends face as their hands were still intertwined. They were above their heads slightly. Nuala gripped tighter. "Alvara…?" she saw a tear fall from Nuala's eye.

She nodded. "Yes, my old friend…"

"What….are you doing here…?" she asked, still so surprised and in between sadness and joy. Sadness at the fact it has been so long since she had really seen her friend, and joy at seeing her once more.

"It is something I shall tell you later…" she shot a quick and slightly annoyed glance at Abraham before looking back and Nuala. "But…are you alright…?" memories came to both of them as she said, "It's been so long since I really came back to visit. I was…too busy…searching…"

Nuala realized what she meant and wanted to ask of her brother, but before she did so, she caught her old friend in a hug, for she had not in so long. Alvara hugged her back, smiling.

"Alvara, you must tell me…" Nuala began after they drew back from their hug. Alvara knew where she was going. "Do you know why I am back? I do not understand how this has happened…"

"And how did you know how to get here?" Abraham interjected. Alvara glared at him.

"Certain powers of which you shall not know of, fish-boy." Alvara did not like this man. He threatened her races future and…her friends' future.

He was surprised by the harshness.

"Please, Alvara." Nuala said in a disapproving tone. "Do not insult him, please…"

Alvara glared at him for a moment, sighed and then nodded to Nuala.

"Now, shall you please tell me if you know anything about this?" she asked.

Alvara was quiet, watching her. "I shall tell you, but I would prefer it be me and you, M'lady. Excuse me, but I am not used to 'his' kind." She lied. Well, not totally. She'd never met anyone like this Abraham, but that didn't make her want to run for the hills out of discomfort, either.

"But-" Abraham tried to object, but Nuala talked to him, assuring him it would be alright-that this woman would never hurt her intentionally. So, he went walking around just outside.

"The truth, friend, please." She said, now growing suspicious. She began feeling slightly weak again, also, so she sat down, as to not overexert herself at the moment.

Alvara took in a breath, and nodded.

~Nuada~

"Uuunggh…." Nuada sighed as he roll onto his side, then he slowly sat up. Did I fall asleep? Why? Why do I feel so weak? He thought to himself. Ugh, this is not happening! This shall not happen!

He did not want to feel weakness, there for, he stood and began trying to walk, but his legs were feeling weak again and he fell sideways against the bookshelf. Damn it! …If this continues, I will not be able to travel. This cannot be happening! He tried once more, but once again fell.

He knew he had no choice now. He must wait for Alvara to return, and persuade her to follow his plans. He hated the thought of being so weak, but he needed help.

He sat against the books, angry and annoyed. But he took the papers out then and began looking over them repeated, memorizing where this certain gathering place of the Shadow Legion would be located and he thought of how he would control them. He may be weak, but he had his plan.

Soon, he may just succeed in his plans to rid the world of humans.