Season: Autumn
Time Period: Modern
Time Of Day: Sun Set
Weather: It is crisp air outside but the humidity of several days rain is still lingering here and there. There is a slow steady wind that moves the leaves in the trees.
Setting: The central city of Haven is an old village that was abandoned centuries before but it has maintained its brilliance due to the magical enchantments that were placed on it when it was created. The tavern as always remains. You know this village.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The sun hung low that day, resting against the far horizon; streams of fiery light cut over the rolling hills, blanketing the ground in sun kissed flames. The air smelt of pine and maple as the winds rustled the leaves gently which hung in the trees. Falling leaves caught up in the breeze and danced; little fairies of flora performing a ballet until they would bow rested on the waters surface on the lake.

How long had it been since she had laid eyes on such surreal scenes? Too long. Home called to them all eventually, a gentle song strung in their hearts; sweet memories and bitter battles would tug at their minds. Even the taste of the air would turn their heads and drawn them back; time and time again.

Here they were birthed, here they lived; here they perished. The smiles came to mind and laughter flooded the senses. Transcendence was nothing new to those who wandered into the Haven and every goodbye brought another hello to fill the void. Today another cycle began and lips wore a bright smile as eyes twinkled to see home once again.



"She's here," a gentle voice whispered to herself as she ran to the window of the Inferno and looked out towards the cliffs in the north. She could feel the presence of one who she had missed for so long and the feeling of excitement could not be contained. Giddiness filled the the female form; a tiny skip to step as door flung open.

Gathering the folds of her gown, she lifted the layers to her knees and ran out into the night that how claimed the town. Hair billowing in the wind behind her; lips curled into a gleeful smile. She stopped at the edge of town and lifted her hand, waving it towards the cliffs. That was where her guest would be, where she would appear; where she always had before.

And there, high apon the worn plateau of the overlook the enigma stood. The wind wept about her, playing with her hair and tickling at her senses. It had been long since such sullen eyes had dared to look down at the village below.

"Home."

A single word, nothing more was needed.

The late evening air still held nuances of the previous days awakening but it like everything else was slowly giving way to slumber. All save the rolling mists which crept in each night; stretching out from the lake as it teased the surfaces of everything it touched.

Gaze met shimmering splendor and joyous wave of hand; which was ardently returned with a quick wave. Call brought her to peak and now eyes understood why. Had it truly been this long, such change but as dawn turns to night each day is spun quickly a new; so quickly.

Move with fog, ride tendrils down below; be carried on waves of times not forgotten to the road which led home. Step lightly and move quickly. Time seemed to freeze as she moved and then there she was, before an old friend. The one who had called her home.

"Mother."

A soft smile played on the lips of the one Radiance called mother, it had been sometime since anyone had called her that but she understood the meaning. They were not related in any sense of the word other than having a deep love for the place they now stood.

Mother was a term many used in the realm since she was its caretaker and creator in a sense, and while most called her by her name from time to time mother would slip into a greeting or conversation. She was not offended by it, it was a term of endearment and respect but she did like to tease those that used it.

"Now don't start that," she said playfully. "You are far older than I am."

She winked slightly as she motioned towards the tavern and began to walk back towards the building with its doors still flung wide open. Glancing out of the corner of her she, she perked a brow.

"Still bound? Or can I hug you?" she asked her old friend.

Such words from the mother, a mocking scowl came across the lips of Radiance; looking towards the woman, hand pressed to chest and huff passing from lungs below. A shake of the head and a wag of the finger.

"Now show some respect for your elder."

A humph of playfulness in the voice before the being nodded and went with her old friend. Then a question and a true huff did pass.

"Bound still, forever more it seems. Was such a sweet curse at one point and then."

Words they did trail off as memory passed mind. Entering the old tavern eyes fell to the bar and a grimace came to features.

"He was gone."

A whisper, nothing more. Floating over to her place, feet tucked beneath; hovering and knowing nothing tangible was within her range of touch. A change of subject was needed.

"What should I call you now if not Mother?"

Her friends words seemed to hang heavy on her heart, she did not need to ask what she meant; she knew. She too knew pain that came when the one you loved was gone. There was mourning for the dead but this was different and yet the same; a different type of mourning brought about when love was denied instead of embraced.

She could only give Radiance a knowing glance as she stepped over to her and took a seat next to her. She wanted to hug the woman but knew she couldn't. Her arms would go right through her; she had learned that the hard way long ago and had ended up with her nearly punching herself in the face with her own fist.

"I do not know," she said quietly at the question. What was she supposed to call herself now? That part of her had died with the loss. To call herself that now felt like she was channeling the dead. Then came the fall, that name as well was not fitting for how she felt.

"I just don't know anymore," she grumbled as she looked at Radiance and shrugged.

Such sorrow did seem to envolop the mother and it did cause an ache within Radiance. So many years she had sat and watched quietly; floating in the tavern and in realms beyond.

The mother was always touched by a fire that burned brighter than the sun; be it love or anger, it mattered not. She was a beacon to them; they the moths and she the flame. It did pain so to see such fire dwindle to this hollow state.

"Tell me, are you not the same as you were before? You have ever evolved, need not shuffle away what you were and rebirth. Embrace the new but remain you. Do not let time snuff out who you were."

Radiance had wanted to drift off into nothingness; to cocoon and break free, a butterfly renewed. But she was she and the mother, in any form, was still the mother.

She perked a brow at Radiances words, a look of thought coming over her features. Drumming her fingers against the old bartop she glanced around and thought back to when the tavern was full and over flowing with the sounds of laughter and love, vengeance and anger. It all came together in her mind and a smile tugged at the corner of her mouth.

This place had been created by her aunt and her mother, the entire realm had. Those two women came together to create the haven. One thought to be pure evil, one thought to be pure perfection. Neither were exactly that but the complimented each other so well. They were balance.

Then she took over and became mother, holding all of each of them within herself and so much more. She had felt pain before and survived. She had loved before and it too had changed her. Neither had stripped her of her identity, only made it that much stronger. Why could this time not be the same?

"You're right," she chuckled as she looked back to her old friend.

"I am who I am, nothing more and nothing less. I am who I was created to be," she said as she continued to laugh as the clarity and epiphany hit her. It was a wonderful feeling. She felt... Happy.

"Call me what you have always called me, when the time is right. One day I will return to that name. For now, just call me Happy. As silly as it sounds, it is very fitting," she said as a smirk graced her lips.

Hands folded together and rested gently in the lap of the floating Radiance; satin folds of gown curtaining around to brush against worn floor planks. There she watched the sudden shift in mood of the mother; smile coming to ruby lips to hear sweet chuckle.

"Happy it will then be."

A strange choice of name, peculiar. Question or argue it she would not though. Everything the woman before her did had thought and meaning behind it; this must to.

"I wonder."

Words were spoken aloud but were to herself. A simple turn of head and a wistful gaze brought Radiance through the form of the bar. Sinking down, eyes darted to and fro. Perhaps they were here, left over from so long ago.

"There you are."

Reaching out, she touched. Tactile sensation spread to the tips of fingers; wrapping around a single apple, hovering like she. Pulling back and rising she held it like one would touch a new born.

"Omega."

Tilting her head to the side Happy watched inquisitivly at what Radiance was up to. The woman was completely intangible, she had always been as long as she had known her. It made her wonder just what she could be looking for behind the bar.

Placing her hands against the cracked surface, she leaned over as her hair spilled out over her shoulder to try to get a better look. When she saw that Radiance had an apple in her fingers she perked a brow, then she heard the name Omega and she understood fully what was going on.

Slipping back into her seat she continued to watch Radiance as she held the apple. She had forgotten they were back there but even if she had there would have been nothing she could have done to move them.

Omega had been like Radiance last she saw him and those apples were his. One of the few things he created that either he or any of the other intangibles in the realm could taste, much less touch.

"How long has it been?" she asked as she leaned against the bar.

"Eons."

Thought and memory came to mind; remembrance of that first meeting. An apple came to her, from him. Able to touch, able to taste. The smallest of bites taken between pale dusty lips.

The sound of the skin breaking, the crisp taste that enveloped the senses; cool and refreshing. Gentlest of sighs escaped in reaction to memory alone, nothing more than whispers of nightingales.

The light of Tania within her soul sparkled when she tasted that first apple. Then came his touch, oh sweet Omega, his touch. Shiver ran from spine to tips of fingers. Caught up they were to find another with the same curse and freedom in each other they clung to. Such sweet oblivion it was.

"Have you heard from him?"

Eyes of deep sorrow swept towards the one that wished to be known as Happy for the time, a glimmer of hope radiated within them; awaiting for answer.

Happy sat there and the color left her features when she heard the word eons; she remembered the day that Radiance had made a bargain with Tania. She was behind the bar and witnessed it all. To hear that Radiance had not seen Omega in so long made her feel pity for her old friend.

At the question she swallowed hard, she had not seen Omega in sometime. Several years as she thought back now. Sighing she looked over to Radiance, she wanted to say she had seen him recently and that he would be stopping by soon but that just wasn't the truth.

Happy had been methodically contacting the Immortals as well as the rest. More were coming, some where already here but Omega was no where in sight.

"I'm sorry but it's been years since I spoke with him, have you tried seeking him in Embrace?" she asked softly.

Happy had but she had gotten no word back but perhaps if Radiance tried contacting him in the subrealm he would respond. They were much closer than she was with him. It was the only hope she could give right then.

On bated breath the sorrowful one waited for response, thin fingers twitching against one another. Eons had come and gone since such eyes had fell on the keeper of her being; seeming eons ticked by awaiting an answer.

Wind was let out of the sails and chin lowered as chest sank. No such luck. A nod was all she could muster in response to the inquiry as shoulders hung low. More eons, more time before head lifted ans forced smile was plastered on ruby lips. Such a feeble attempt to cordialality; the effort nearly seemed wasted.

"And you, what of your own?"

A secondary feeble attempt but one must keep conversation moving forward when it threatens to stale; and it had been far too long since she had been able to speak to the mother.

"Which on?" Happy said in a playful manner, trying to lighten the dreary ambiance that surrounded her and her old friend. She waved the haphazard comment away before long and straightened herself in her seat before she gave a more serious answer.

"I have not seen him in sometime but I suspect he is around," she said thoughtfully. So much had happened since she had last seen Radiance. A child had been born and grown, she herself had set out in search of her father many times to no avail.

Taking a deep breath, Happy began to fill the enigma in on what all had transpired over the years. It was a long and daunting tale to say the least; one filled with much joy as well a such heartache. It would be well into the early hours of the next morning before she would be able to complete the tale. She hope Radiance was in as little need of sleep as she remembered.