Shifting Memories

After being teleported into the ruins. Aureus and company found themselves in a room lit by Torches and one entrance on the Northern wall. The room's walls were filled with inscriptions, "It looks as though it was written in the old Lunarian language, "thank God I studied them from Father.", Said Donavon, as he intently studies the characters on the wall, but little did he know that a spell was between the inscriptions to make the ruins come alive. As he continues reading he translates the phrase, " To the north, paths await thee, each are correct, they leave each other, but all leads to one end.", Donavon is confused and continues to read. As Aureus looks around, he sees words written in red, here and there, but strangely he can make them out, but he isn't  as fluent as Donavon since he never paid attention in the Lunarian ancient texts class.

He begins to translate them aloud, " You...shall...not...fall..until...I...con..demn..you.", 'BOOM!!', a loud explosion echoed throughout the ruin walls, and a chilling  air followed as it howled throughout the ruins making its way to the room where everyone was present, making the torches flicker in the process and then the torches, burned back brightly. " What did you do Aureus?", Lux and Donavon fretted, "I just read the red words." Replied Aureus in a sheepish manner, " You meant bleeding.", Corrected Lux in a joking manner. After everything settled down, the Party of eight makes their way  out of the room, they are led into another room which has about three other entrances, the room was a bit visible due to the torches burning ever so calmly. "I guess these are the Paths mentioned in the Inscription." Donavon said, "There are more inscriptions, only person should be translating for us." prodded Lux in a stern manner, as everyone in the room directed their gazes upon Aureus."I'm s..s.sorry" Aureus muttered, which causes everyone to burst out in laughter, Donavon is on the ground rolling and Lux is gasping for breath from laughing too much, the other clergy men are clinging to the walls for Support and Aureus stands there embarrassed, "We are sorry little one, it's quite okay, everyone makes mistakes" replied Mark, who was one of the clergy men.Donavon then translate the inscriptions in the room and plans his next move.

"We shall split up into three groups to cover more ground, if you meet a dead end trace your steps back  here, now as the inscription said the paths all lead to one end, so Margret your with Tommy, Jason you go with Mark, and David sticks with me, Aureus and Lux.", Spoke Donavon. " Mr Eclipsesis sir are you sure we can trust those inscriptions.", asked Margret in a concerned tone. Donavon nods with Certainty. Everyone turns to their respective pathways and leaves.

Upon leaving the room the door behind them caves in, and sludge begins to seep into the room, "I'll  piggyback you the rest of the way Aureus" said Donavon as stoops down for Aureus to climb onto his back and a few seconds later they began running. The Sludge began flow in at first and now it was gushing in from the roof  various aquatic creatures were spotted  within the Viscous liquid, such as leeches, Carnivorous land fishes and a sludge dragon, the group began to pick up the pace, while David tried to stall them with a low level earth Encantation, he succeeded which bought a bit of time, but he was a bit exhausted, as they were running they were nearing a trap on the floor with coloured tiles here and there mixed in between the ashy brown floor tiles of the ruins, Donavon quickly said a low level water encantion, which doused the floor with a stream of water which came from a magicks circle  from the ceiling, a loud 'swoosh' was heard first followed by a 'Splash' then a loud 'SMASH!', as the floor tiles fell into a deep chasm and broke, the spell ended and  the group quickly making their way over the floating tiles that remained and safely made it to the other side.

A 'crack' was heard which indicated the wall made from the Magicks couldn't  hold up any longer  and the Sludge made it's way forward followed by the aquatic  creatures, the sludge flowed into the chasm, along with the other Critters but the Sludge dragon continued the pursuit, When Donavon and Company saw this they began running once more. Donavon and David glanced back, and before they knew it they tripped over a vine and fell, which activated  multiple trap doors, and they fell through, in that instant Donavon threw Aureus and Lux created a mini cloud which caught Aureus in the nick of time. The Sludge Dragon split into three and sent its counterparts after Donavon and David, while its main body chased  Aureus and Lux.

A few moments later it caught up to the duo and submerged  them into its slightly translucent body, Aureus couldn't  breathe and passed out while Lux was struggling for air. It felt as though her energy was being sapped, she gathered all her strenght and used the last of her energy to use a medium level encantion which draws all the air and oxygen to her body, the Sludge Dragon's  body began to destabilize. The bubbles formed were drawn to Lux body as if being concentrated into a one spot and in that instant she let go and it expanded with so much force that a shockwave was created which caused the sludge dragon to explode, spraying its sludge innards all on the walls, floors and roof. Lux then descended to the ground and started to fade and then 'poof' she turned into wind and dispersed into Aureus's  body.

A few moments later Aureus woke up and Looked around, he had so many question on his mind as he sat and pondered on the ruin's floor. Tears began to well in his eyes and he began to cry a river of tears. He then remembered Donavon and Lux laughing and teasing him everytime he cried, his honey coloured face turned red with embarrasement.He got up  and brushed off the remaining sludge  on his clothing, he then drew a little magicks circle on the ground which caused  the wind to gather at his feet and it blew upwards drying him off in the process. And in that moment something awakened within him. He felt a  sensation on his skin which indicated that someone/something was ahead and he began running in that direction, after continually running he entered a room with two entrances, but due to the sensation in his skin he  entered the right doorway "What is this feeling?" , he thought to himself. "I have never felt it before.. but it's like, I can feel someone close by giving off..an upsetting feeling".

he was so caught up in his thoughts that he stepped on a pressure plate which activated a series of traps. Aureus became nervous but he remembered  that Lux had taught him an enhancer type enchantment when they were playing together, so he  said a prayer and it activated the Body enhancer enchantment which drastically increased his Stamina, strenght and speed. "My body feels light, it's as if I can fly like Luxie." Aureus thought to himself then chuckled, He began running once more, due to the enhantment and his heightened sense of perception and a little voice guiding him he was able to evade the spike traps which first came from the floor, then the walls and finally the roof, it was as if someone was guiding him but he didn't know who.

It was, after a few minutes he was nearing his limit and one  trap remained, he knew, but he couldn't  determine what it was.

Doors were up ahead also and as he got closer the more his skin tingled, he was very close. In that moment the last trap had activated, the doors  began to close slowly, the enhancement  was nearing its limit and his body was getting fatigued,  Aureus thought to himself, " what is this tingly feeling in my skin and I feel like my feet are gonna fall off, I wonder if Luxie and Pa are okay?", he cleared his mind and gave one final push, the enhancer  wared off and Aureus tripped, but luckily for him he slided just past the door in time. "I MADE IT!!", he cried aloud. a few seconds later a slender figure stood above Aureus, he had a rough expression on his face and looked about the same height as Donavon, his hair was covered with a head wrapping  and his clothes were tattered, "Who are y.." before Aureus could finish his sentence he was fast asleep.

An hour later Aureus, jumped out of his sleep and the bruises and scars on his body were all gone, just his clothes were covered in Dirt. He looked around and saw the mysterious  man he saw earlier before he went to sleep, "it seems you have awoken, I sense that your comrades are having a hard time, and what do we have here someone with a spirit."  the mysterious man said in an interested tone. "Where are Pa and the others take me to them now!", Aureus demanded. "It seems we have a rather feisty one here, no worries, you asked who I was earlier,  didn't  you" replied the the mysterious man, Aureus nodded, " Well I am an incarnate of this ruin and my name is Alexis, You woke me up when you said the spell earlier and I am also the guardian of the relic here." Alexis spoke in a proud manner. Aureus skims through his memories  and remembers the words he uttered earlier. "I sense the one that possesses the counterpart of the relic, but I dont want to believe my perception and we resonated so well, that you even began to gain one of my abilities.", Aureus gave a confused look which caused, Alexis to chuckle, "Oh little one, your confused, well the tingly feeling in your skin that's what I'm talking about, nevertheless let's get down to business, I propose a challenge if you win all five rounds I will give you the counterpart of the relic."

Aureus's  eyes lit up and he thought to himself " so that's what it was" and then smiled. " deal" Aureus replied. An evil grin appeared on Alexis face, he began chanting, the room began to shake and the air became chilly around Alexis, all the dust in the room began to rise, Alexis emitted a shockwave from his body which froze everything in the room, "Preparations are complete, I will send you to a time, where you will have to find what you need most, when you do that first challenge will be completed, I would have loved to trade blows with you, but you are far too weak, get stronger and come see once more.

Alexis clicked his fingers and Aureus woke up in Bed. " Wasn't  I with Alexi just now?" Wondered Aureus, the warm morning sun was peering through the windows, leaving its shadow on the floor, the room was so quiet that it felt surreal to Aureus."I feel as though something is missing, I usually have someone in my room to greet me in the morning who was it?, as Aureus is deep in thought Donavon walks in." good morning sleepyhead how did you rest?". Aureus is left in shock " Weren't  we all at that Place?" Aureus said in disbelief, Donavon shot a confused look, " I guess you haven't  woken up yet, little one." Replied Donavon, "Come breakfast is ready" said Donavon, "But we ate already." Aureus replied, "Are you sure you are okay little one, because I'm a bit concerned." Questioned Donavon, Aureus nods, afterwards Aureus gets dressed and goes to the Kitchen with Donavon, they had breakfast and did their daily routine of exercises followed by homeschooling and then sparring.

"Okay Aureus for today we will spar once more, I expect to see you use the new Magicks I thought you and also that enhancer enchantment as well." Said Donavon as he winked. Aureus froze and thought to himself  "Wait  Pa wasn't  the one that thought me that enchantment, then who?". "Okay Aureus I'm ready.", Donavon says a prayer and his body glowed, Aureus stops his pondering and goes on the defensive. Donavon draws a magic circle and encases his fists with water, he then rushes over to Aureus and gives him a few light jabs to the gut, but Aureus managed to dodge most of them and he took one head on, which causes Aureus to back off for a bit, " Are you hurt" Donavon asks " No Pa." Aureus replies.".

Donavon nods and goes back on the offensive, Aureus smiles for a bit then get serious, Aureus then draws a few low level wind and water magicks circles in the air and  combines them which forms Ice, Aureus then aims and shoots them, Donavon smirks, he clasps his hands, expanding the water that revolves around his palms to make a shield, which blocks the Icicles and in that instant he also said a did a low level fire Encantation  and applied it to the water barrier to form  steam, which in turn covered the whole back yard. Aureus becomes weary of this action and begins the prayer for the enhancer enchantment, with Aureus's Heightened  perception, he senses Donavon's presence within the steam and does a medium level wind magicks, 'swoosh', the wind begins to gather around Aureus's Arm, he then waved his arm in a circular motion, and this cleared the steam from around him, Aureus is now satisfied and surprised with the new discovery, Donavon realizes and smiled to himself, " seems he is enjoying himself." Donavon thought as soon as Donavon was about to launch his next attack, 'DING'  the sound of a bell which indicated  the end of the sparring session rang.

Donavon smiled and applauded Aureus, he then walked over and rubbed Aureus's  head and congratulated him. As Aureus was about to tap his shoulder, a thought struck him, he finally remembered what he was missing most, it was Lux, in that moment everything Froze and Aureus  picked up Alexis's presence with his perception, Aureus then turns to see the familiar slender figure approaching him, "congrats that was a brilliant use of magicks and it seemed you figured it out." , Alexis clicked his fingers once more and they were back in the ruins.

"Your quite skilled, little one" Alexis said, now be on your way, Alexis then began chanting and he casted a hypnosis spell upon Aureus, before he could say anything, "Congrats, but I'm not that lenient." Said Alexis in stern tone, he clicked his fingers and the ruins floor began to move, he shifted Aureus from the room to a different room, Aureus is now shifted to a huge room with platforms, swamp water and Aquatic creatures. In that same moment they began to climb onto the Platform getting closer and closer to Aureus, Luckily David fell from the ceiling but when he landed, he died, Aureus is now scared and he begins to cry profusely and when he looks around for an escape he see the next part of the relic hanging on the third platform from where he was. Aureus quickly tries to makes his to get it, but Alexis saw and made a trapdoor appear under Aureus, which lead close to the exit and then he spoke to Aureus using Telepathy, "I can't  have you dying on me yet little one, or else it wouldn't  be any fun" and then he laughed. Aureus now covered in sweat and tears, he tries his best to see if he could locate Donavon and the others but no luck.

He then makes his way to the next room hoping that the exit is close by, Aureus becomes fraustrated and begins to bawl his lungs out, after a few minutes of crying a few Silhouttes are seen making their way through the halls of the ruins and enters the room, it was Donavon and the other Clergy men, Aureus Rushes over to Donavon, crying  his eyes out, while Donavon hugs him tightly.  " Its okay little one I'm here now, I prayed to the heavens for your safety and now that I see you, my heart is relieved. By the way where is Lux?" Donavon said, Aureus shakes his head to indicate that he doesn't  know where she went.

After telling Donavon all that happened to him, Aureus went to sleep, Donavon and Company waited to see whether David would arrive but they got Tired and navigated their way throughout the ruins until they found the exit and made their way home.

Alexis decided to dispel the hypnosis  enchantment and he moved the Ruins to another location and reverted the Ruins to how it was before. The next Day Aureus wakes up and he processed all of the previous  day's activities, his pondering was then disturbed when Donavon, called him in the front yard and when he got there to his surprise there was a Cloud approaching, it then descended  to where they were standing and when it landed on the ground it dispersed  and concentrated into a ball, Aureus picked it up and at the same time he began to glow, the Concentrated wind in his little palms began to take the shape of a Cat and 'POOF' Lux appeared, " LUXIE, I MISSED YOU!!", Aureus Shouted, he then kissed her on the forehead, "I have missed you too Cry baby" Lux replied as she rubbed herself against Aureus's cheek, she let out a soft purr  as if relieved. Donavon watches on and smiles, as they all went inside to have breakfast. After having breakfast Donavon asked "We haven't been able to find David I wonder where he is. And did You ever find the Relic?". Aureus froze in his tracks and thought to himself "What am I supposed to tell Pa, I can't let him know that Mr.Daviid died or he might blame me.". Aureus began to sweat as he is now scared. Will he. Be able to tell Donavon and Lux or will he fold from the fear of losing someone right infront his face?