Zander stepped out of a portal, and it vanished behind him. In front of him was a guardstation north of the castle. It was a place where he has reserved for his own personal training.
He looked up at the peak of the north station, the way that the sun rested on top of it was breathtaking. And Zander loved it, it was like a glowing pinnacle.
He inhaled deeply deeply before he started to walk towards the station. He paused in front of the door, he looked right as if sensing something - someone. Then he smiled and said, "I know you are there."
Out of the corner, Damien walked out with an adorable frown. He leaned on the door.
"You do that every time, how did you even know that I was there?" Damien asked, because he has come to realize that sneaking up at Zander was impossible.
"I know a lot of things" Zander replied as he opened the door and they walked into the station. The place was incredibly bright, because of the numerous curtains that was agape. Apart from the upstair room that was Zander's training space, the other rooms was practically empty, it wasn't fully furnished. Although the station was spacious and vast.
As they walked across the wide hallway, Damien asked "Can I train with you today?"
Zander looked at him and said, "You ask me this every single time, and what do I always tell you?"
Damien pouted, "No" he answered.
"Precisely." Zander said. Damien sighed with defeat.
"Fine," he said "I'll see you soon then" and with that the sixth prince went up the flight of stairs. Zander knew exactly where he was going, and that was the highest chamber in the station - Damien was always fond of coming to the station, because he loves to spend time with Zander. And since his mother has practically banned him form the turret, he took the north station as his next option.
The great impaler didn't train for long, probably because he knew that he should keep Damien company. So with that in mind he headed up to the highest chamber. There, he saw Damien outside the window, peacefully seated on top of the roof. He has always warned him about staying on roof tops, but Damien being the Damien that he is won't listen.
"Are you done already?" Damien asked the Zander who joined him on the roof top.
"Umm hmm" he hummed. The sun was so bright and it shone euphorically on their faces.
"I love it here" Damien said.
"That makes the two of us" Zander stated.
"The brightest, it's...nice" the sixth prince said as he inhaled deeply.
Zander looked at him and smiled faintly - Damien has been through a lot, being the god of death wasn't a easy power to harness. There was darkness and dangers invovled, and Damien was too young to be facing those kind of challenges.
"They are bright places, even in dark times. You taught me that" Damien said looking at him, with a smile on his face. Zander returned the smile.
"This is my bright place" Damien informed with a smile on his face. Then he turned to the great impaler and asked, "Where is your bright place?"
"I don't think I have one" he answered.
"We can share" Damien suggested. Zander smiled at him. "Nay, this one is yours." he told him. Zander knew that he was too damned to have anything bright for him, the darkness and traumas that surrounds him can never dwell in the light.
After a moment of silence, the sixth prince said, "I refuse to believe what they say"
"What?" the great impaler asked.
"Ivo says that you are a killer" Damien said looking at him.
Zander kept his eyes straight, "He is not wrong, Damien" he said.
Damien shifted to his direction completely, "But you kill gods that deserve to die. Evil and vile gods" he stated.
Zander then turned to his direction.
"The evil sometimes deserve a chance to redemption, but I don't give them that. And I've killed the innocent too" He added, "So that makes me exactly what Ivo says I am."
Damien formed a frown as he turned away from the great impaler, he crossed his arms and said "I still don't care"
"You won't, because you are stubborn. I told you to stop climbing roof tops, but here we are" Zander told him. When he didn't reply him, the great impaler knew that Damien was pretending to be mad like he always does. So Zander leaned back against the closed window.
After a while, Damien glanced at him and said in a low voice. "I don't want you to leave again"
Zander looked at him, "I thought you were mad at me"
"I can never be mad at you" Damien pointed out.
Zander smiled at him and Damian returned the smile before he leaned also in the window.
"Perhaps me leaving is the best thing for everyone" Zander said quietly.
"Not for me" Damien said as he closed his eyes. He knew that sooner or later, Zander will be off to wage another war - and he was also aware the there was nothing that he could do about it.
************************
That day's dinner went ahead without the great impaler - some where pleased of his absence, while some wasn't.
Zander stood on the balcony, that was his favorite spot in his chamber. The night view was always appealing and calming to him. So many thoughts were running through his mind, but the one that bothered him the most was the issue with Carlisle and his realm. He sighed as he closed his eyes - he had to break some ground rules in order to get Ramsgate back, and he was willing to do it, despite the consequences.
He opened his eyes, and as he was about to leave the balcony, his eyes caught something - a certain scroll, he walked up to the desk where it was.
He almost forgot this - he thought as he picked it up. 'Ivo is such a shit head' - he thought, as he was about to fling the scroll off the balcony. But suddenly he stopped, he brought his hand closer, staring at it. Well...he should at least read what he has written, even though it may be rubbish.
So with that he opened the scroll, and began to read.
"Alkarite, hmm" he said with a disapproving smile. Ivo must be a fool to think that he would accept to sire alkarites, and... His eyes widened suddenly at the sight of a certain name - Aurora Ashtin.
Ivo has written that he will sire only one alkarite - a disabled mortal. He was going to sire Aurora Ashtin?
He smiled - thinking, he would have been damned if he had thrown his amazing piece of information away. Perhaps he should send Ivo flowers for this. Because he wouldn't even think twice about siring her.
The great impaler looked at the scroll again, his eyes staring fixedly at thename - perhaps he has found his bright place.