Rain gets around the next corner of the enclave to have a pain splitting headache hit him hard, he goes off the walking path to a cabin side and leaning up against it he rubs his temples to try and relive the pain,

“Are you alright Rain?” said a voice and looking up Rain saw one of the twin sisters of the priesthood carrying a pail of water and holding a look of concern for him, she put it down and came to his side with worrying comfort.

“I’m fine Sorena thank you, just a little headache that’s all” Rain said forcing a smile to her through the lip biting pain, and smiling back she backs up to retake her pail still fixated on him when she bumps into another Drow walking. Shaking her head and apologizing to the Drow she bumped into she regains her focus and grips her pail to keep going periodically looking back to she Rain’s condition. Rain then stands up and continues on fighting the splitting pain which on a constant pattern begins to whine and dissipate away.

Rain goes to the stables where he was meet and welcomed back by the horse master of their clan. He told him that Elanee was on the far end of the stables down by the creek and taking a horse Rain rode down to meet with her. He saw her sitting on her knees cleaning the horses’ hooves and talking to it, asking it if that felt pleasant and what kind of feed it would like today. Rain approaches her and turning around she went up to give him a hug after he dismounted.

“What are you doing here Rain?” she asked and Rain replied with an explanation of how he felt the same feeling on their personal life problems, she didn’t mean to feel joyful about such a remark but she said it sounded nice however selfish to hear such a statement. He told her was trying to fight the feelings, to bury them so that she wouldn’t see them and think less of his iron will, but she only smiled and told him that this made him more of a man than she knew him before. Having relief hit his soul on the matter now brought out, he helped her finish grooming the horse and then proceeded to tell her about his advancement on her condition she had. She closed his mouth with her finger saying that she didn’t want to hear any more about it right now for she knew that what Rain had to say wasn’t anything good. For the rest of the day Rain left it at that, just spending time with her laughing and playing around harmlessly was enough for them both. Rain did however hold a secret for his headaches continued to get worse and worse off, being stopped by concerned folk around the enclave every time he had a bad episode which he just shrugged off and told them it was nothing.

Dawn spent the remainder of the week aiding Lalandra in her regeneration which was finally finished at the end of the week. Artanis and Cloud under direction of Straud were both made full lieutenants in the clan and given army groups of their own. Alisianna continued caring for the child of Rain and Elanee while they were away on daily duties.

Colossus was told that his transference to a higher being would require precise timing and great sacrifice. He and Logan gathered over the next two weeks what was needed for the ritual while the Zealots prepared the incantations for the event.

A week and a half went by without any disruptions to everyday life, as well as the finalizing rebuild of the rubble structure from the battle. They had a period of celebration commencing the event as well as the full recovery of Lalandra which Dawn had finished up with. She couldn’t yet take human form as her magical energy was far too weak but relying on the forces of the Drow clan to defend her home. It allowed for a secure home that wasn’t as good as she hoped for as Lalandra’s spell blocks and location masking powers were far too strong to keep up in her currant state.

The party went on all through the night, and at the head table was the main group laughing and telling old and embarrassing stories about one another. During a refilling of his drink up at the ale table, Rain grew most uncomfortable; he felt dizziness and sick to his stomach as well as the headaches came rushing back this time knocking him off his feet. Crashing into the drink table spilling a bunch of them Rain landed hard on the floor going unconscious. Elanee witnessed the fall from a far and went rushing to his side, “Rain, Rain…Baby are you ok” she said to him trying to wake him up but not showing any sign of coming around Straud ordered him to be moved to the temple where Dawn preformed an intensive magical scan to determine what the cause was.

The next day Elanee spent every waking moment beside her love, talking to him about what was happening though his unconscious state was unresolved, she knew he couldn’t hear her. She made small talk to him at his side about the last week with him being a changed man. With all the time they spent together she tried to sow threads of hope to her own mind that he’ll pull through this tragic event.

“This is not what I’m thinking, it can’t be the curse it just can’t” Elanee kept to herself about the visit from Sephinroth which grew stronger and stronger in her mind, then the call of more clan members falling under the same sickness as Rain came from all locations of the clan’s enclave. Ranging from soldiers to temple maids were now falling ill to the effect, but unlike Rain’s stable condition the others continue to deteriorate in the physical sense, having their skin starting to crack and bones weakening to the point of breaking while even just being moved.

The plague rolled through the enclave like wildfire and within a mere day one third of the clan was under the effects, the next day brought about more sickness and even capturing that of Cloud. The next day brought not only the last remaining Drow to the state including that of Dawn and Straud but the ones first with the sickness were now dying one by one, and with Dawn in the effects as well the hope dwindled from minor to none. Against her wishes Artanis not being drow and remaining unaffected took Alisianna out of the enclave through taking several wording and some force to bring it about, and with Stark’s help took her to the mere for protection. Artanis went too and Elanee said she would meet him there. She for a time didn’t move from Rain’s side but knew no help could come from sitting here and getting up she turned around to see a most horrid face.

“You! What have you done” yelling at Sephinroth who was in the doorway

“Nothing” The red Dragon said calmly but looking around she showed signs of half knowing this to come about

“That I can see for myself, you said you could stop this?” Elanee asks harshly “Then do it” Elanee lashed out again

“Not stop reverse, and that can only be done with your help, for if you wait until the end the last one to go will be Rain”

“What do I need to do?” Elanee says

“You know what you need to do, Elanee” Sephinroth says to her coming closer to Rain. Elanee stands up and moves in front of him.

“You stay away from him! You have done enough to him; to me, to all of us with your tricks, and I’m warning you Sephinroth if this is another trick…”

“It’s not I swear, you don’t think I hate Colossus I do, he killed one of my children and did it because I was on the verge of betraying him. I want his plans to fail too Elanee believe me” and seeing the first time sincerity in her eyes Elanee believed her, but hearing yet another clan member dying on her watch Elanee moved to Rain’s side.

“You need to do it Elanee and fast before more clan members die” Sephinroth pushes

“I know what has to be done, just leave me alone with him ok” Elanee snaps at her and backing off she leaves the young couple alone. Elanee grips Rain’s hand and tears run down her face. She pulls out a letter she made earlier on from her pocket and sets it on Rain’s chest with a rose freshly cut laid on top of it.

“Rain” she whispers to him “Rain it’s me again, look I know you can’t hear me and maybe that’s good for you wouldn’t agree with what I’m about to do. Understand that I had no choice Rain; I didn’t want to sit here while your family legacy goes up in smoke because I lacked the courage to do what was right. I love you so much Rain; now and forever…please forgive me” And growing close to his face Elanee closes her eyes and kisses Rain’s lips. She opens them to see no change in her body and hears cries outside the temple she runs to the doorway to see the sickness draining from their skins and smiling in the knowledge that she stopped it she turned to see Rain still unchanged.

She felt a thrust in the pit of her stomach and trying to reach her loves side again she falls between the doorway and him from the pain.

She falls to her side convulsing and screaming in pain, as a bloody black substance drips from her skull at the roots of her hair. Draining down through her hair it paints her hair to the color black leaving not a strand untouched. The ooze runs on to her face covering her eyes leaving symbols black in color and lightning bolt shaped through her eye sockets. Her eyebrows went black as well, and as the ooze past down to her breasts and a pentagram symbol was left on her chest between her breasts. Her clothing went to a black leather material and form fitted like a cat suit to her figure with tube top, gloves, knee high boots and a long layer silk skirt running down to her feet with multiple slits on every side of it. She wore black lacy underwear to cover her womanly part to any who tried to catch a glimpse. Her skin grew in muscular structure to accommodate her new strengthened body. And her eyes grew the pattern of the yin yang symbol to them in the colors of half red and half black with her pupils being the opposite color in either side.

Getting to her feet she looks at her hands and feels her hair closing her eyes as she runs her fingers through it erotically, opening her eyes she sees a familiar face.

“Well it’s about damn time I was freed from that lustless filled tramp, and as for you” says the woman in Elanee’s body she raises her hand to Sephinroth having the dragon's hands grasp upon her throat as the woman in black psychically closes her windpipe.

“Wait…please Larissa… (Gasping for air)…I’m…I’m not the one you want… (Gasping again)…a man, a mage…powerful…Colossus, he threatens your ruling empire not me. I freed you my dear please, allow me to live and serve at your side” and thinking for a second she then lowers her hand and Sephinroth hits the ground coughing for air

“You can live…for now” Larissa states to her as she comes close to her side and manually grips her dress tearing a bit “But lie to me about this Sephinroth and I’ll have your fingers around my boots and your eyes as a necklace, now where do I find this Colossus”

“You need to travel to the neither realm for his tower dwells with in the land of the dead” Sephinroth explains

“Very well until we meet again Sephinroth when I shall hold you to your vow as my dog in tow” and in a flash of bright blue light Larissa disappears

“And now that you’re gone, I shall disappear from your radar my dear and all is now well for me to act on my own desires” and warps into flame before any clan member sees her there.

One by one the clan members come around all with headaches and no knowledge of what has transpired. Cloud and Straud come to the temple as soon as they were able, looking for familiar friends. Dawn arrived shortly after them for she had been placed in her cabin, they all wait and watch as Rain finally rejoins the living and is in massive pain at his head. Looking around Cloud started to worry when his bride was nowhere to be seen, he and Dawn who also was worried about Artanis went in search of them but instead found a druid that had been a scout for the enclave. He emerged to tell Cloud what had transpired and where Alisianna and Artanis had been securely placed. Cloud asked if they could be brought back to the enclave and as quickly as the druid nodded he rushed to carry out Cloud’s wish. Soon after Stark arrived with the two outsiders in his presence and Cloud rushed to hug his wife. Dawn greeted Artanis the same who gave her a kiss as well and the two explained that they were going to find help for the clan, as well as Alisianna regretfully told Cloud that she feared for the safety of the babies inside her for they were part Drow as well, but due to not being full Drow the effects only applied to pure bloods and they were exempted. Artanis asked if Elanee was still here but as a scout group was sent through the encampment to look for her they came back with news that she was nowhere in sight.

“Well where did she go?” asked Cloud “Surly if she went for help she would have let us know somehow”

“And indeed she did Cloud” said the voice of Straud joining the group riding up on horseback but dismounting they saw a grieving look to his face that couldn’t be ignored.

“What is it Straud, what’s wrong” questioned Alisianna and walking up to all of them he handed Cloud the letter that was addressed to Cloud’s brother.

My loving Rain,

By now you have regained consciousness and I am probably not there, if this is true I am truly sorry for the burden on you I must place. For I have changed to the one we have all come to know as Larissa Blackstaff. When the clan started to get infected and was dying it didn’t come to a shock to my eyes for I was told by Sephinroth herself that this would come to pass, it was all an evil plot done by Colossus during the trade for the stone that brought about this curse. Sephinroth tried to stop it but her only way to ensure your safety was for me to kiss your lips for a trigger of a reversal was entombed by Sephinroth in the curses scroll. She tried to nullify the scrolls power first but it was too great and needed a great event to occur just for the reversal to happen, the event was me Rain. The choice was not a hard one for seeing you and the clan suffer over the hastened passing days was like a spear to my own heart, but even being hesitant at first on what I needed to do I knew it was right. It is how you had told me…the needs of the many out ways the wants of the few. And in me taking this great act I asked not even for your forgiveness but one thing in return Rain, remember the walk we took down to the riverbed and the talk that followed you made a promise to me Rain; and with all my shattered pieces of my heart I wish you to follow it through. I trust that you will honor your word and save me as I have saved you my love. Know that I don’t blame you on what you must do and only bless you on the strength to do it. Know that my love and soul will always be with you and that I love you with all of my heart, you and no other…until the day when we meet again my love, cherish me, honor and remember me.

Truly yours forever and always

Elanee.