Chapter 65 - Restored

Sian sat quietly in the clearing, her eyes a strange mix of emerald and the crystal blue light that permeated the immediate forest. Her memories from the dreamscape still fresh in her mind, the look on Winter’s face when the whisper among the columns spoke. She had looked so peaceful as she said she wanted to be whole.

She nestled herself back against a tree and watched Winter laying in Antrandis’s arms. Remembering the vision of the copper eyes in the blight from the afternoon. Sian shivered slightly, despite the mild warmth that was still trapped among the trees from the daylight hours. She had barely settled herself comfortably when the gentle crystal blue light in the clearing had shifted, darkening, pulsing slowly before fading. She frowned, glancing about.

“Antrandis, Winter?” Sian said as she quickly moved to their side.

She touched his face, concern mounting to a sliver of fear. She could not reach him within herself. That conscious thread was absent. She could feel the familiar ebb and flow of his power, like the swell of the sea washing up the sand and over her feet, pulling her deeper as she felt for it inside. Sian quickly shifted around to the same position as before, embracing him from behind, trying to reach the dreamscape to find nothing; without his consciousness there was nothing to connect to. It was if she had found herself suddenly on an empty beach with just the sound of the waves against the shore.

“Antrandis?” she whispered.

Her eyes strayed to Winter as she started to breathe in short bursts. Quickly shifting she knelt over her, she checked her breathing to find her quivering, her breath laboured. Sian blinked, feeling a series of sharp, shooting pains lance through her head. Suddenly grasping at her temples, the pain grew, accompanied by a dull throbbing roar. She dropped to her knees, struggling to stay upright. The roaring intensified, growing sharper. Sian grunted, swallowing hard, resisting the urge to clench her teeth. A low growl escaping her.

After a short moment of agony, there was calm. Sian glanced around in confusion, the silence was like velvet. Smooth and comfortable. She closed her eyes, smiling in relief as his presence returned. She turned, her eyes on him, immediately recognising that something was different, what once was suppressed was no longer. It was familiar somehow, she had felt it before. Sian crawled to Antrandis and Winter’s side. Waiting and watching them carefully, feeling his consciousness coming to the forefront.

“Antrandis, my love?” she asked quietly both verbally and telepathically.

She watched a smile grow on his face as he came to. He opened his eyes, briefly meeting hers before looking down at Winter’s intently.

“What happened? I could not feel you.” Sian asked.

He glanced at her quickly, “I entered the cell that confined Winter.”

Sian looked at him, “Cell? I heard her voice, the other in the dreamscape, she was imprisoned?”

Antrandis nodded, “Her other half. Can you feel her, like a sheathed weapon in your mind?”

Sian nodded, closing her eyes as she thought, “Yes, it is like something had been sleeping, a presence. Now, it is everywhere.” she closed her eyes, “It was Winter this whole time? But she doesn’t feel like a person, it feels like…” she pondered, her eyes wide and on his.

Antrandis nodded, “She is not a soul, she is a sentient artifact that has evolved. Crafted to become an extension, companion and enforcer of the only one she has become a part of. She was made as a gift to a god.”

Sian looked at him, “But, she was the Host’s.”

He shook his head, “He never actually claimed her. He used parts of her, he imprisoned the rest.”

Antrandis met Sian’s concerned expression, “She is ours. Complete and whole once more.”

They both watched as Winter stirred, her eyelids flickering before opening slowly to little more than a crack. Her dark steel now highlighted with copper. She looked up, immediately locking gaze with Antrandis, a smile growing on her lips. She closed her eyes, relaxing and savouring the moment. A confident and indulgent smile on her lips as she breathed deeply of the night air.

Sian stared at her, Winter had changed. She could feel her presence, neither invasive or aggressive, as if she had always been. A calm grew in her as she watched Winter, a gentle swell of consciousness that acted as a balm.

“Thank you, Sian of Darkfall. You gave me the key; your support, words and passion gave me the power to break momentarily though the walls of my cell, if only to draw our love’s attention to the truth.” Winter said, opening her eyes properly, looking directly into Sian’s, the steel with copper depths drawing her in.

Sian smiled, “That was your true form?” she asked.

Winter looked at her, nodding slightly, “Yes, and now I am whole. Complete in my self, purpose and power.”

She shifted her sight to Antrandis, “Thank you, Master.”

Antrandis met Sian’s eyes and she nodded slightly, agreeing with his thought. Winter looked up at them, their silent exchange concealed from her. She frowned slightly, surprised at her momentary inability to hear.

Winter frowned, “Master, you do not wish for me to hear your thoughts?” she asked, looking up at Antrandis.

“We were discussing a matter of importance. Both Sian and I agree. You are ours, but that truth does not reflect your importance to the both of us, or our importance to you. You showed me the truth in your desire to be at our side, you overcame your fear and freed yourself.”

He smiled, stroking her cheek, “You told me once you were claimed, you could say my name.” Antrandis stated.

Winter nodded, “Yes. “

“Then that is all I want to hear. To call me Master is disrespectful of our importance to each other.” he said.

Winter stared at him, “I could not possibly, it would be…”

Sian spoke, “Winter, I agree, it is a decision we both made together.”

Antrandis looked into Winter’s eyes as she lay, her head still cradled in his hands.

“Your name no longer suits your importance.” he said quietly.

Her eyes widened in sudden understanding as she felt their thoughts, she rolled out of his grasp and knelt before them, her wings partially extended as they knelt before each other.

Winter’s eyes met his quickly, “Antrandis, are you?” she looked to Sian, “I can feel your intent, I couldn’t possibly, I am not a…being. I was made, I do not even have a,” she stopped short, looking from one to the other, “I do not even have a soul, how can you offer me such a possibility?”

“A soul? Do you not share ours?” asked Antrandis, watching her as she realised the truth in his words, her breath catching.

“Do you desire it to be so? Tell us of your wish.” he asked, Sian nodding in agreement.

Winter closed her eyes, shaking slightly, silent tears rolling down her cheeks, “Yes.”

“Tell us your name. You can hear it now you are complete.” Sian whispered to her.

Winter sighed softly, a sudden glow building in the forest around them, of burnished copper and rich ambers. She shuddered as she started to speak, her eyes opening and looking from Sian to Antrandis, “My name is Winter Kahn’Draneth Darkfall. Consort of Antrandis and Sian.”

Shadow of the Eclipse: Chapter Timeline

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