~A deep tremor vibrates across all Time, Space and Thought as certain Events that had been set into motion reach their conclusion. The Maelstrom has blowm its path, and the very nature of selct parts of Existence have been altered.
For those who travel the Unseen Ways, new options have revealed themselves....or perhaps they are old paths that have been found again. Nevertheless, the Way to Shadowed Paradise can be traveled, for those who dare.
Stranger still, in the shadowy places across all Existence...the darkness of a mountain valley...against the sunless north wall of a great castle...a lonely cave...forgotten cellars...a narrow but busy alleyway... small shrines made of an inky stone have appeared overnight. The backs of these shrines all have a shadowy image of a figure on a dark throne...its eyes aglow in cobalt fire. The being on the throne had countless names, depending on whom one asks in that particular corner of Reality. And even though it was not the Being Himself, one got the distinct impression that whatever was said or done before His image was being observed....
~~~~~~~~

Deep in the twilight of Etheria stood a stout, ugly stone house. He stood in front of that house now, which He had brought for with a thought to house a Lady. He noted the garden, which was not His doing. It was very beautiful, yet the flowers and plants still conveyed a deep sadness despite the love and effort given to their existence.
So He stood and became a bit less Shadow and seemed to become a bit more human, as He was wont to do at times. And He waited for Lady Elisabeth to to awaken...

~~~~~~~~

The ArchAngel stands upon the ramparts of the Crystal Tower of Etheria, her arms folded across her chest, the glittering katana hanging on her hip. She looks out over Her lands and notes the passing of him and nods knowingly.

All return to Her ............. in time.

~ Elisa opened her eyes gently, sensing a familar presence close by. It had been awhile....

As she made herself presentable, her thoughts began to touch on why she was still here. Stubborness. Elisa would be the first to admit it and Jaeden would wholeheatedly agree...along with every other Knight in the Order. She had been called a wildcard more than once. Not that it mattered to her...her fire is what made her feel alive. Not one had every questioned her loyalty however...which was always a good thing. Her current predicament was a result of a fight that she had endured with Him....Zchadazer. The ugliness of the fight still burned in her mind. She, as always, dug her feet in and stood her ground, believing that she knew what she was doing...finding in the end that she always mixed up a few things along the way..

Walking out into the grey that was Etheria, She looked around for Him..waiting...curious as to what His visit was for...and how much more she could mess up....

~He watched her exit the house He had made her...and He sensed the gist of the thoughts in her head and was pleased.
He hadnt wanted to leave her here. But she had chosen to stay...even though she hadnt understood how long that choice would be to her.
So from the shadow of a tree He was standing close to He stepped towards her. Seeming to be a shadow Himself, until He had come close enough for her to see His human features in the hood of His cloak.
He smiles gently and held out His hand to her

"Are you ready, M'Lady?" ~

~

~ Elisa watched Him emerge from the shadows and hold out His hand. She wished to no longer fight with Him..they had done that for too long. A more subdued women appeared before Him...taking His hand and nodding ~

Yes m'Lord......

~He smiles warmly and stepped close to her...and wrapped His cloak about them both. She found the sensation eerie and disturbing, as if she were being engulfed in a Void of Nonexistence.
How long that lasted, she knew not. When her senses returned as He removed the cloak, they were both standing before a stone megalith. And through the arch of the megalith she could see the garden of the Sanctuary. They were standing before the portal that Lady Jaeden had left for her long ago.
"Let us go home now" ,he said.
Still holding her hand He stepped forward with her through the arch.....~

~ Elisa looked around one last time at Etheria...so scared she was when she was first brought to this world. She learned to survive and thrive there, even as her emotions reeled between despair and anger. She knew going home meant having to deal with her emotions all over again....back to her life as she left it. This scared her more than anything...she was leaving something of herself behind in Etheria but knew not what it was. It was not a good feeling...something had changed...her eyes filled with tears as Zchadazer lead her through the portal ~