Ascension - (Alarian Warriors)

Chapter 54 - A Way Forward

Damon fluttered his eyes open as he was picked up and hurled over the alarians shoulder. Suddenly growing alarmed by his surroundings, he flailed causing Zero to drop him on his backside. He impacted the edge of a step, rolling onto his side he groaned as pain shot through him. 

"How am I still alive?" His eyes met Aveyon's, and she could see the anguish reflected in them. He hunched over coughing and expelling a large mass of thick black blood.

Aveyon gently sat Vincent down and knelt to pat Damon on the back, her attempt at soothing him, trying her best to help him get the rest of the rancid substance out of his system.

He looked up at her in disbelief. "You would help me, even now? I... I betrayed you."

"You never, I will always help Damon, you had no control over your actions, we worked hard to free you-"

"Not that! I turned you over to him, I betrayed you when we first went to Terramore." He blurted out.

She frowned; soon realizing he must be believing the memories she had planted in order to fool Ashera, though it had failed at the time. "You never did such a thing, it was a rouse to fool Ashera, though sadly it did not work." She pondered the cause of his confusion. "Do you not remember him attacking you?"

Damon blinked a few times, trying to understand. "No... I don't recall anything passed handing you over to him." He finally said before slumping against the floor and no longer trying to keep his head up.

She lingered on the outskirts of his mind as he heaved a heavy sigh, the weight of the world seemed to crush down on him as he recalled all the lives he had taken.

Vincent shook his head in disgust. "Must that asshole mess with everything he touches!"

"What is to become of me now?" Damon solemnly asked, ignoring the outburst.

"That is your choice alone, none of us can make it for you." Aveyon offered. "What is it that you want?"

He looked dismayed, as though he had no purpose in life any longer. "I... I don't know."

"Until you have made that choice, if you so desire, you can stay here." She incurred.

"Is that wise?" The three fates pushed past the small gathering and into view. "He cannot leave whenever he chooses, it will have to be timed correctly with another fissure since they are limited and restricted to our powers." It was Atro who spoke.

"I have nowhere else to go..." Damon trailed off for a moment. "He can't get back here, can he?" He finally asked referring to Ashera.

"Only these three beings can open the fissures to and from Alarious now, we've completely closed it off," Aveyon explained.

"We can make the point of entry and exit solely the Sanctuary or Elendor," Kirra suggested. "Making it harder still for him to try to sneak through an open fissure."

"Then I will stay." His head tilted to the side looking at the unconscious goddess as she was lightly pulled up the stairs by the elf and lynx. "Perhaps I can be of some assistance, my father's curse... I may be able to lift it."

"And if not, you can keep Aveyon company, for which I would be grateful." Vincent clasped Damon's forearm and helped him up into a sitting position. They both appeared unsteady on their feet, exhausted and drained.

Damon and all the others gathered around were staring at Vincent, confused about the last statement.

Aveyon sighed heavily. "That was part of the information I needed to provide you all with. I will give you all a choice, if you wish to join me on this new quest then I will put you through a similar ascension to my own, giving you each a part of Alarious, a part of me. You will grow stronger, strong enough to protect the earth and to hopefully survive the coming battles and purify the chaos."