Ascending Light

Final

After resting for most of the day, everyone was eager to leave and return to their lives away from this dismal place. The fae that were newly freed wanted to leave this chapter behind them and begin anew. It was decided that they wouldn't wait for dawn but would leave before dusk. They had three light fairies flying with them and several crystal light-orbs, so there would be an ample amount of light.

The royals from various parts of Faelyna began to split everyone up to take them home. Before they left it was decided that the castle should be returned to the land and the area cleansed of the negative energy. Everyone hovered to look at it for a few moments and then Crysen's father flew over to it and touched it. It crumbled and tumbled into ruble and then to dust just as his father willed. The castle that had harbored so much misery and pain was gone with its master. A sense of peace overcame Crysen as he watched the castle fall while holding Skye's hand. Maybe they couldn't go back to the way things were and perhaps their lives wouldn't be easy, but they would make a life together that was worth all the pain and suffering they had endured.

Another fae flew over, one of Skye's brothers, the earth fae, and held out his hands over the ground. Mounds of grass and flowers of all kinds grew in the place of the castle. Then, with a smile, Emery produced columns from the ground of ivory with veins of silver and gold. Then he made a round pedestal and from the ground next to the pedestal rose a woman with a baby. She walked over to the pedestal as her features were being defined and she sat on her legs with the child, turning her face into the light that filtered down through the trees.

Crysen's mother beamed as if she were the proudest woman who had ever lived for birthing the child she held. This was something his father had never shown him, this side of his mother. There had been several versions of her in their garden and at one time there had been six of them, but Crysen had never seen this one before. Emery looked over at Crysen and smiled. "Come see her, Crysen."

Crysen nodded and fluttered over to the statue, touching the face of his mother lightly and then gazing down at the baby that was him. She was the very definition of serenity and grace, something Crysen had always aspired to be. "I love you," he said to the statue softly so that no one else would hear. Skye fluttered over but didn't touch her. The storm fae took in her appearance and the baby that was Crysen, with an awed appreciation.

The Light Blossoms that had saved the prisoners and brought down the castle seemed to enjoy wrapping themselves around the pillars and the statue. As they watched, the vines bloomed into the most gorgeous array of Light Blossoms ever seen at one time. There was a strand of white and gold, one of pink and gold, another of blue and gold, and of purple and gold. And then there was a new variety made of silver and gold which wrapped around the statue and bloomed the biggest and brightest of all.

The newly created garden was a thing of wonder and all manner of creatures gathered around inside of it. It stretched out all the way to where the barriers had recently stood around the castle. The space was now a monument and a garden where new life and energy could come and play. It was a place of peace where once stood a place of misery. There was beauty and wonder wherever you looked.

They left with peaceful thoughts and made their way through the forest slowly. Emery and Crysen had decided to go with them to the edge of the forest before turning around and going back to the Ancient Forest. They hadn't settled the argument about where Skye was going. They wanted to rest for the night and try the discussion again in the morning with fresh minds. Perhaps it would actually be a discussion and not turn into a nasty argument.

Shimmer had found Crysen and was excitedly telling him of the battles he participated in. After Skye had come to take the children, Shimmer had chosen to help the rest of the prisoners escape. He was the reason there had been no one left whenever he, Julien, and Skye had gone back. Crysen enjoyed the few hours that they had together before they had to part. Shimmer was returning home to take over the throne and he would visit Crysen at the next change of the seasons.