Of Might and Magic: Mother's Heart Forest

Mother's Heart is the biggest forest in all of Haven, home to the goddess of earth and nature; Gaia.

Spoiler:

This forest holds every type of magical creature, and plant there is. It is also the home to all Royal Animals, safe in the protection of their mother and her children. It is also rumored that the spring of immortality rests in this mystical place, however those that have searched for it have never been heard from again...

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As the mist disappears from around Keena and her group, the cool refreshing air caresses their skin like a mother's touch, and indeed that is what it is. They are in the middle of the entire forest and before them out of the forest itself walks Gaia.

She smiles at Keena and opens her arms for her oldest daughter to walk into her embrace. Keena does so as the tears fall from her eyes, she is ashamed to be near her mother in such a tainted state.

"Come now daughter, I know what has happened. But I do not turn you away, you are created from my tears and a the blood of a wolf, but you have grown with humans. Human's make mistakes, it is their nature. I knew this day would come and have awaited it." Gaia looked down at her daughter a soft smile on her lips.

"The springs await you, we will return you to the state in which you are suppose to be. And then we will speak upon matters that will break upon this realm sooner then all the gods had hoped."

"Yes, mother." Keena turned to Siah. "You might as well come, I cannot leave here to find Zain until this is done."

Gaia smiled at Siah. "Come, my home is your home as they say."

"The goddess Gaia. A worthy deity and protector of the Corporeal Flora and Fauna. I must see if an oppertunity does not lie around the corner." Siah thought to himself.

He did not move from the place in which he materialized with Keena. He spoke to no one in particular, "When given a great gift, it is customary to cherish it. Not throw it away because it may take some getting used to." Siah looked about the forest letting his words sink in.

He sheathed his sword and took a step towards the two ladies.

Keena grabbed Siah's hand and smiled at him. "If Mother says you are welcome, then none shall say otherwise."

She then started to walk with Gaia and Silver Wind, keeping Siah right beside her. Hoping that this at least encouraged him some. Keena looked at her mother and smiled softly to herself, it felt good to be home. She had missed the magic that flowed through everything in this forest, from the ground to the air, nothing was left untouched.

Then a thought came to her and her brows furrowed. "Mother, if I bathe in the springs...won't I become pure Celestial?"

Gaia stopped as they had arrived at the springs.

Spoiler:

"Keena, you have allowed yourself to take in a part of the darkness. In order for you to remain the guardian of this realm you must be completely purified."

"But that means I can never be with anyone." Keena said.

"Moments before your thoughts were to return here to me and your home. To turn away from those in your previous life including Zain Zalon. The human you feel had used you and in the end betrayed you. What has changed?"

Keena looked down at the silver band carved to look like a vine wrapped around her finger inlaid with amethysts. Her heart was finally breaking through the anger. "It is I who has betrayed him." She whispered.

She turned to Siah and nodded her head once. "This was destined to happen because only a pure Celestial can properly guard Haven. Is that not right Mother?"

Gaia nodded, sorrow on her perfect features. "Yes Keena, that is right. You were created to follow the life among those who dwell in Haven, to fall in love with the King of Haven and in the end turn away into the arms of Darkness. All so you could become what you were born for...to become a true Celestial Gaurdian, no longer a Fey. It is your destiny to protect the realms from what is coming and yours alone."

"But why not just create me as a Celestial to begin with?"

"Because we needed the Guardian to be able to understand things in life as others do. Celestials are pure and do not know love, or hate and anger. They do not know friendship or the pain of a lose. They simply know to watch and protect and that is it. There is no emotional connection with those born as pure Celestials. But you know all of this and so you will be able to fight and protect better then any other."

Keena looked through the mossy archway into the springs and nodded. "Very well, I will do this for Haven."

Gaia turned to Siah and smiled. "You had best turn your back for now Siah. I know it is not your wish to see more of my Daughter then you have."

A smiled crossed Siah's face. He had seen so much, so much more than he would here. He had done so much too! If Gaia only knew, she would never had allowed him here in her grove.

He folded his arms and looked at Keena. "If you do this... you throw away all you've built and created in the name of love. You choose loneliness and heartache as Zalon lives on in a Realm you'd find difficult to endure. Could you be wiith him? In a Realm of imperfection?" Siah turned his back on Keena hs arms across his chest. "Think on this, think on what limitations your unlimited power will put on you. I know! I've been where you are."

Siah stood still as if carved from stone.

Keena sighed, "As Gaia said, I will be the only Celestial to have emotions. Born for the purpose of fighting whatever the gods fear and protecting all that live here. That includes Zain, I nearly died for him once remember Siah..."

Tears began to form in her eyes, "I would throw everything to make sure he is safe, him and all those I have called friend. Sometimes living in the shadows is the greatest sacrifice one can give."

She then turned to Gaia and nodded. She stepped down into the shallow part of the river leading into the springs after Gaia helped her disrobe. She nodded to Silver Wind and Gaia and then stepped off into the deep end and swam into the Spring of Immortality.

Gaia turned to Siah, "You may turn now Siah. And as to what you have seen and done, I am quite aware. But you have helped shape her for her destiny in the end."

A deep growl reverbrated from Siah's throat.
He bowed his head and sections of his armour became so heated they turned white. Siah turned very slowly and looked directly at Gaia he moved towards the pool.

"Gaia? You're Gaia?" He asked looking at the woman Keena thought of as her mother. "Is not this pool and the spirit running through it Gaia? Aren't all things Gaia?" Siah now stood on the water's edge. Black lightning was shooting small sparks from the joints in his armour accompanied by flames.

Gaia raised a brow. "I am all things. But all gods and goddesses take a human form for simple minds to wrap around. This form makes it easiest for me to converse with my followers and my children. So lower your temper Demon."

Meanwhile...


Keena emerged just before the falls where a flat stone was centered. She rose up onto the stone and sat with her legs crossed and her hands resting on either knee. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes.

The water around her began to glow a silver-blue as a mist rose from it and swirled around her, much in the manner the blood had in Siah's castle. She could feel the tingling upon her skin as the mist touched and caressed her skin. She opened her eyes and the tears fell to mix with the water drops still upon her flesh.

She was giving it all up so she could protect those she loved. Zain's face came to mind and her heart nearly broke. Twice she had betrayed him, and now she would never have the chance to tell him she was sorry. Even when she took Siah to him, she would not be able to stay long enough to speak with him.

As the mist grew brighter as it mixed with her aura destroying the darkness she whispered one last thing...

"I love you Zain."

The mist then overwhelmed her and she lost consciousness as the magic took over her body and soul. Nothing of the Fey blood or the tainted darkness would remain in her being once the mist left her. It would leave her as pure as fresh fallen snow, and as broken as a shattered gem.

Siah shook his head hearing the pitiful words spoken by Keena. He was raw evil now and smiled to Gaia. "This might hurt, but its a necessary evil."

Without another word he plunged into the water it hissed as his scorching armour created steam. He reached an arm out to Keena and levitated her off of the rock and into the pool. Siah used all his energy... by releasing it into the pool, in which he stood and Keena was now floating.

Siah pulled at one of his gauntlets, blood started trickling.

Gaia began to scream with the pain that the evil spilling into the waters caused. It was a direct blow to her and she began to weaken. She looked at Keena helpless in the middle of the transformation and tried to reach a hand out to her. "K-keena..."

She could no longer stay in human form and so began to dissolve into the earth. Weakening by the second and unable to help Keena.

"Aaaargh! No!" Siah's gauntlet was almost off, but he couldn't fail now. He looke anxiously at Gaia. "The earth Mother is so hurt! " Siah thought that immense evil had entered the pool and Keena was now safe from the transformation. He rose out of the pool and hastily levitated Gaia's form into it. He reached down and filled her with power and energy, he had only a little left but he gave it all to her.

Moments before he fell again into the pool he threw himself onto the lakeside. He landed with a thump and ripped the gauntlet from his hand.

Siah's blood flowed into the soil...

Gaia felt the energy serge into her, and it was then that she realized what Siah was trying to do. She took the energy, purifying it as it filled her. She had been mistaken, Siah had not been trying to destroy Keena, he was trying to find the means to his immortality else were instead of destroying Zalon.

She cleared the waters of the evil and set Keena back upon the rock. She was fine and still in the process of the inner change. She brushed a piece of the silver hair aside from Keena's face and then turned to Siah.

"Next time I suggest you ask." She said as she looked back down at Keena. "You could have very well turned her from Celestial the a powerful Demonic force, far more evil then anything you have known."

Gaia rose from the waters and went to Siah. She touched his breast plate with one hand and his armor tore from him all at once. The pain was still great and blood would still flow, but at least it was all done for the moment.

"Now we wait for her to awaken, then you will have what you tried to gain."

The pain was excruciating and Siah felt his blood pooling freely as his armour lay strewn about the grove. He screamed in agony and lifted himself from the ground staggering back and forth, his eyes blinded by red fluid.

"Eeeeeaaaaargh!" The voice of legions erupted from Siah throat again. All the energies of his broken form multiplied exponentially. Siah rose into the air, tears flowing freely.

He looked at Keena and saw that he had not prevented the transformation after all. "Gaia is indeed a powerful deity." It was then that Siah felt it... he had been injured by holy magick.

Keena finally started to come to. Her long black lashes fluttered before slowly rising, they were the purest purple anyone could think to describe.

Where am I? She wondered, and then she started to remember. I heard someone scream, they are in such pain. She slowly rose, her hair now falling nearly to her feet, shinning with all the glory of the stars in heaven. Her skin was pale as snow formed into the flawless form, the only thing marring it the scars from the battle she saved Zain.

Unashamed of her bare state she began to walk across the spring, walking on the water as if it were the softest moss. She saw Siah floating in the air and bleeding, she saw his armor every where as she gave a quick glance, but her eyes fell back on Siah.

She lifted a hand and he floated to her as she remained on top of the waters that still glowed. She smiled warmly at Siah as she placed a hand on his cheek, soothing the pain there as he floated right before her. "Oh Siah." She said in a whisper.

Siah trembled. He felt fear for the first time in many, long eons... he felt fear. The pain was subsiding, but death was a breath away. He felt his heart slowing and tried as he may no amount of energy or dark magick could save him from holy wounds.

Siah bared his teeth at Keena and clenched his fists, too weak to do much more. He felt his power waning and his breathing became laboured. "I will not go like this. I will take this whole forest with me!" Siah lied convincingly and he held Keena's gaze, fury corrupting his mind.

Keena shook her head. "No Siah." She pushed her energy into him and healed him completely. She set him down on the bank and smiled.

"You in a strange way, have become my mentor. You have shown me a different side to the world that will help me greatly. I wish for you only to be happy as I tried to explain before we left your realm. You are in my realm now and I give you this gift."

She raised both her hands to her waist on either side and the mist left the lake and circled Siah's body. It purified him only to a degree, attaching to the human soul his mother had gifted him with at birth.

"You shall become immortal Siah. My gift to you." Keena said as the mist closed about him.

"Stop, you cannot, you must not!" Siah focussed his mind and held back as much as he could. He had no magick within him so he couldn't resist... he looked at Keena helplessly.

Ths mist was calming and he could feel its tendrils reaching into him and fortifying his body. He looked at Keena with pure acceptance on his face. He meant her no harm and would sincerely regret what was about to come.

Keena let the mist swirl over her as she stepped onto the shore. When it cleared she was dressed in white and silver-bronze metal. The top showed off her a good amount of her breasts, as well as her stomach. The bottom included a silver-bronze belt with a white sheer fabric falling over the leather covering her womanhood. Her swords were belted into place and her bow and quiver where right back over her shoulder. Half of her extremely long hair was pulled up into a pony tail on the top of her head.

She looked at Siah as the mist cleared, her hand on her sword hilt just in case.

The demon's skin was blood red and a few scales interrupted its otherwise pristine surface. His clotheless form was suspended in the air. Siah closed his eyes and arched his neck back. His face was to sky as he breathed in a deep and luxurious breath.

Siah slowly began to descend. His muscles rippled beneath his flesh as his legs took the weight of his body on the ground.
The demon stood still, powerfully built, he was awesome sight to behold. His shoulder length hair was a bright red, lighter than his skin and seemed to almost be on fire. Siah opened his eyes which were pitch black and there could be seen no pupil or iris.

Siah stood and looked at Keena, his breastplate rattled on the ground a few feet away. Siah took a step towards the Celestial. He, unarmed, was smiling. His razor sharp teeth glinting a stark white.

Keena raised a brow but removed her hand from her sword, Siah had been her mentor and in a strange way become her friend so she stood unguarded and watched him approach. She said nothing and put a hand up to stop Gaia as she tried to come to Keena's side.

"Nay mother." Was all she said.

Siah stopped at the water's edge, he knelt and looked at his reflection. He was curious, "This is quizzical visage indeed." Very tentatively Siah placed a hand in the pool, the water felt cool as it enveloped him. It felt strange, very other-worldy to him.

He looked at Keena and smiled. At the same time an intense frown due to concentration was on his brow. "This is what water feels like...?" He moved his other hand over the grass and tones of the shoreline. "Ground, soil and grass... so strange..."

Siah stood up and the breastplate lying on the ground jumped a few feet towards him followed by one of his greaves.

Keena waved a hand and threw the armor aside. "Come Siah, it is time to get you dressed in something other then that prison." She turned and started walking but stopped and looked over her shoulder waiting for Siah to join her.

Siah rose. He looked at the armour lying on the floor. "This is a part of me, its been my skin all my life. I need it." He stood his ground.

Siah raised his arms and held them out, parallel to the ground. He closed his eyes, the armour shuddered on the ground then... nothing happened.
"I need you to kill me, Keena." Siah looked at her.

Keena turned and looked at him. Her face was blank of emotion as she cocked her head to the side curiously. "Why do you wish me to kill you?" She asked.

The breastplate and greaves rose off of the ground and rested on Siah's body.

The other pieces of armour soon levitated in the air and moved towards him. "I cannot dwell here in Haven and my true place is not in Aether... or the Void, really." Siah reached out his right hand and his sword moved towards him. "I need to leave, to find where I belong. If truly belong here... I will return, but I must find what it is I am and what it is I think I am."

Siah sighed, "I was to die first as the Kriss od Ages took my life when you plunged it into my heart. Then I was to rise again, an immortal human. Now I am an immortal half-demon, the unforgiven son of evil. I do not belong in either Realm. I must find my place in the timeline of history." The final few pieces of Siah's armour clicked into place.

"And because of this you wish me to kill you? So that you can find your true place in life?" She asked. Her voice was still blank.