As the curtain opens, a voice echoes from the curtains in rich, melodic tones. "As you sit in to watch my production, I must warn you that it is rather lengthy. To achieve maximum enjoyment, please turn off all your aethers of communication save the most vital. I'm talking godrealm. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation in this matter. Don't worry, I'll wait while you do it."

The female begins humming a showtune of some sort, and you hear fingernails tapping against a wooden desk. "Alright. That should have been enough time. Ladies and ghouls, I present for your approval, Shadowvale."

Tendrils of grey mist begin spreading from the wings of the stage, slowly covering it and spilling over the edge. A severe military cadence comes from the orchestral pit, and an echo of armoured boots marching in time to the drums sounds faintly, though progressively becoming louder.

The stage begins turning and taking form, a warped, frozen, Tainted wasteland. Two figures emerge from the left, fleeing. One is human, running on foot in light armour. The other is a faeling, dressed in normal clothing, and flies alongside the human. They move at an incredible speed, their long strides pushing the stage to turn faster in order to keep up with them.

Suddenly, an outcropping of large boulders emerge from the right, and the stage stops once it is centred on them, the two figures leaping into the group. The marching intensifies in pace and sound, becoming deafening, as though the army were running on rhino-back.

After a few minutes, the sound fades, the assault against your eardrum slowly becoming non-existant. A closer examination of the boulders on stage reveals them not to be such, but rather a group of large ravenwoods chopped and petrified.

The human steps out from behind one of them, and the faeling drops from another, allowing you a closer look at the fugitives, for that is what they appear to be. They both seem to be young, possibly seventeen or eighteen.

The human is decently muscled, of average height and weight. His brown hair cropped short on his tanned head. Black eyes blink rapidly as he catches his breath, his chest rising and falling in short, uneven bursts. An enormous scabbard is slung over his back, and two small sheathes hang at each hip. His armour is made of a strange, almost crystalline metal that gleams in the near non-existant light, covering all of his vitals but allowing ease of movement.

The faeling is extremely petite, though tall for his race. His shaggy black hair has red highlights in it and falls around his head, nearly covering his left eye. Those eyes instantly catch your attention, the left a verdant green and the right a clear, luminescent blue. He is wearing an orange and black striped shirt with black trousers, a circlet resting in his hair.

"Do you think they noticed us?" The human is speaking, his voice smooth and even.

The faeling glances around, and then closes his eyes, his wings fluttering slightly as a faint glow surrounds his closed eyes. "They're gone...for now. We'll need to keep moving, though. Only a ten minute break, okay?" The human nods gratefully and flops onto his back, the stage tilting upward to allow you an aerial view.

The faeling laughs, his noticably higher voice ringing through the air, before dropping down next to the human, his wings snapping outwards to avoid being bent or broken before he lands. "Sovereign for your thoughts, Zach?"

Zach, the human, smiles and closes his eyes, his chest beginning to heave more gently. "That's the cheapest homicide ever, Alex." This draws a laugh from his companion. "What?" He opens his eyes and turns his head to glance at Alex. "Think I'm joking?"

Alex continues laughing, and shakes his head. "No, Zach. Am I not allowed to laugh anymore?" His small frame still shaking slightly, he finally subdues his mirth, wiping at the corners of his eyes almost cautiously. "You're no fun since we've had to start running, you know that?"

Zach rolls his eyes and drops his head back. "Sorry, I guess something about being on 'High Priestess' Jalisa's murder list is pretty sapping in the humour category. Especially when she sends the entire fucking army after you."

Alex looks affronted for a moment, but then sighs. "I guess when you put it that way, you're right. And even threat of death by slow, painful torture doesn't allow you to use that kind of language."

Zach scoffs, then says, "I still don't understand why you don't make a stand, Alex. You know you're more than strong enough to do so. All you have to do is embrace your--"

"OH, TIME TO GO!" Alex speaks louder than necessarily, his eyes hard and his voice cold. He quickly vaults upwards, hovering in the air. "Ten minutes is up." Zach glances at him strangely, but shrugs and stands, stretching his arms.

"You go ahead, I'm going to wipe our trail." Zach nods at Alex, and begins running towards the right, exiting the stage. Alex turns and quickly chants under his breath, the small proof of their presence there disappearing.

He turns to leave, but then falters, his hands moving up to rest directly below his eyes. "I won't ever embrace it, Zach-y. Ever..." His voice is tinged with despair, and he sighs before quickly moving to exit to the right.

The lights go off for a minute, before returning to illuminate a different scene. An office can be seen, the walls severely white and the furniture matching. The only decoration is a large, ornately gilded mirror on the back wall, in front of which a woman in golden robes sits at a desk, reading over a report.
"Clarissa!" Her voice is harsh, but strangely beautiful. She glances around, as though just now noticing the room is empty. She taps a box on her desk, pushing a crystal button. A small crackle comes from a large hole covered by a mesh of iron, and she speaks again, saying, "Clarissa. Come in here."
"Anything else Yo' Holiness wants while I comin' in they?" The answering voice is weary and drawn out, with a rich timbre to it.

The woman looks at the report on her desk thoughtfully, then pushes the button again, "Bring me a piece of star essence."

Almost immediately, the door on the left wall flies open, and an overweight trill walks through, holding a glowing piece of multicoloured essence in her ebon hands. Her black hair is in a bun, with two needles shoved through it, and she wears an official-looking pantsuit. She places the essence on the edge of the desk, and moves to stand behind it, picking at her teeth with her overly large, red fingernails.

"Clarissa, what took so long?" The woman in the robes is speaking, her voice sounding displeased.

Clarissa rolls her eyes, confident the woman can't see her doing so. "I was workin' on Project Princeling, Yo' Majesty." She gives a sassy 'mmhhmm' before saying, "I got like...five," She says it strangely, pronouncing it 'FIE', "Other people on hode, but I can talk."

The woman in robes stands abruptly. "For the love of Estarara, woman. How many times have I told you to speak properly when around me? That was the final straw." She snaps her fingers, and Clarissa disappears in a puff of violet smoke, a young lucidian woman appearing in her place.

"Sharon, you are now replacing Clarissa as my secretary. Estarra only knows what that idiot princeling was thinking when he hired her." The lucidian nods eagerly, and the robed woman makes a shooing motion with her hand, saying, "You may attend to your duties."
The lucidian woman says," Yes, High Priestess," before quickly exiting, offering a quick bow.

The robed woman sits back down at the desk, leaning backwards before taking the essence into her hand, the piece of light instantly turning a rich shade of purple. She gives a throaty chuckle, and the lights go out, plunging everything into darkness.

Briefly, the lights appear, but only to reveal a horrifying image. Naked, Clarissa is strapped to a metal table, her skin pulled back to reveal pieces of muscle and bone. Several instruments of torture float around her, some mid-slice and others preparing to dive into her skin. Her hair is torn from her scalp in patches, the pieces torn braided together and stuffed into her mouth as a gag.

Most hideously, the nails, so obviously well taken care of, have been ripped from her hands, leaving only fleshy holes where they once were. Wondering where they went, your eyes travel up her body, and you suddenly wish you hadn't, for all ten are gouged into her eyes with pieces of skin bound between them to form stars.

The lights extinguish again, and almost immediately reform on the forms of Alex and Zach, the two standing outside of a large, shut gate. Suddenly, you recognise the area as the Northern Gates of Magnagora, and the figure barring their entrance as the Keeper of the Megalith himself, Ardrak.
"Please! You have to let us in!" Zach is pleading with the Keeper, his eyes wide.

Ardrak shakes his head firmly, crossing his arms over his chest. "To allow you into the Engine would be a grievous mistake. For if we allow you to enter, then we must allow -him- as well." He points at Alex, his cadaverous hand shaking with anger. "The Divine Pantheon of Magnagora would never allow it!"

He narrows his eyes, and speaks once more, "And to allow your entrance would also bring about the wrath of the forces of that blasted floating isle city, Valorea." He shudders, dark energies racing about his frame. "We need not have our walls besieged."

"Please! At least take Zach!" Alex's voice is frantic, and he moves to stand before Ardrak, who shudders and recoils in revulsion. The look on Alex's face is truly pathetic, and he closes his eyes before dropping to his knees, bowing his head at Ardrak. "Please, take him."

Zach looks outraged while Ardrak looks thoughtful. "It would not be a catastrophe for him to join us. Very well. As long as you remain apart, and never return, we shall allow him entrance."

The look of ecstasy on Alex's face quickly disappears as Zach says, "Never. I'll never go without Alex." Ardrak simply shrugs, and disappears in a coruscating fountain of astral energy.

"Zach! You idiot!" Alex is on his feet, glaring at Zach and moving towards him threateningly.

"No, Alex. You wouldn't take haven without me, and I won't without you." Alex looks truly touched for a moment, but then stomps his foot, giving a strangled yell of frustration.

"You're impossible!" Alex stalks off, heading away from the Gate and up the Ackleberry Highway. Zach smiles half-heartedly, and shivers, glancing around himself.

"I'm sorry, Alex. I couldn't live without you. If I were to go somewhere else, the first thing you would do is run back to Valorea and get yourself killed." He gives a sad smile, and proceeds to run after Alex's quickly receding form.

The scene quickly changes to show Meleris, Keeper of the Pool of Stars. Zach's voice can be heard, though it is obvious he is not speaking at the time. Though Alex's lips move, his voice cannot be heard. "I won't leave Alex. I can't leave Alex. It would hurt too much, and I couldn't bear to live with myself. All because--"

His voice disappears as the scene quickly changes again, showing them being denied access to Glomdoring, Brennan Stormcrow spitting in Alex's face. Now, Alex's voice can be heard, though Zach's mouth is moving. "I've got to get Zach somewhere safe. He can't be there when I die. He just can't. All because--"

The scene disappears once more, reappearing to show Miakoda, Keeper of the Moonhart Mother Tree slapping Alex across the face as she yells in rage. Both of their voices sound simultaneously. "I love him."

The lights extinguish once more, then slowly the lights form, showing the robed woman in a grand library, books floating from one shelf to the other as they arrange themselves. She is rifling through a rather large tome, her face still hidden behing her hood. She trails a single, mocha-coloured finger across the page suddenly, reading aloud what she finds.

"Each of the Lunares are born with a larger than normal Divine Spark, which resides in their off-coloured eye. There are only two situations in which an Lunare could be found with both of their eyes matching. The first is if they embrace their Divine Spark. The second is if they reject it."

"However, certain qualifications must be met if a Lunare is to embrace the Spark. They must never have killed in cold blood, nor have experienced any romance other than a kiss. Finally, they must not be loved by another in a romantic nature."

The woman laughs quietly. She quickly takes a piece of parchment from the table, reading, "The Shadowvale boy seems to have a set of armour made of starmetal. As you know, the metal is impervious to all but the strongest of magicks, and no weapon other than that made of the same material. No other such armour exists, the metal only workable by the Lunare, and the location long lost. It seems the last of it was used by the Prince Lunare, Alex, in giving the Shadowvale Knight his armour, in a sword for the Shadowvale Knight, and in a small dagger for his own person."

She frowns, and turns to her lucidian assistant, who until now was standing un-noticed next to her. "You say the reports show that the fugitive was un-armed?" The hatred on the word fugitive is so strong that it could only be Alex. The lucidian woman nods, and opens her mouth to speak, but is silenced by the woman holding her hand up. "I have a plan."

The lights extinguish again, and come up once more on a different scene, a red reminiscent of the setting sun. Alex and Zach sit on top of an arch, surrounded by ruins. "So...it's been five weeks, Zach."

Zach nods and shifts uncomfortably, saying, "So?"

Alex sighs, "I need to go back. My Princedom is going to fail under Jalisa's hands. Knowing her, she's spent all of the gold from the coffers on herself, leaving the ivory towers to fall under disrepair."

Zach said, "So...what's wrong with that?"

"If the ivory towers fall, so does Valorea."

"But what does gold have to do with keeping the ivory towers up?"

"The gold goes to the power competitions as prizes, which bring in star essence. The star essence goes into the Lunare family crystal. The crystal keeps the towers working."

The pair fall into silence, Zach staring at the ground as Alex looks into the sky. "What about the Lunare Starlight?"

"My Starlight is diminishing." Alex points at his circlet, which has indeed grown less lustrous since you first noticed it in the Wastelands. "That means the Crystal is nearly out of power. Once the Starlight is gone, I'm the only thing that stands against the death of hundreds of thousands of people."

Zach frowns, and says, "Let me come with you."

Alex immediately yells, "NO!" Zach jumps, and after a moment, Alex softly repeats himself. "Just...no." Before Zach can answer, he stands, saying, "I'm going now. You stay here, Zach. I'm sure once I'm gone you can join some sort of city or commune."

He leans over and kisses Zach's forehead before leaping into the air, his wings beating furiously before propelling him out of sight, leaving Zach to cry out in despair and reach for him.

The light diminishes, and then shows Alex flying upwards, his wings beating furiously. He flies in place against a black background, tears streaming down his stalwart face. His right eye is slowly changing colour, turning more green each second.

The light extinguishes, and when it returns, you see Zach at the centre of the Necropolis, sitting on the floor with his head buried in his arms. However, suddenly purple bars of light surround him, and latch tightly to his body, ensnaring him and whisking him away in the time it takes for you to blink.

The lights black out, and when they return, you see Alex standing on the apex of a tower of ivory, his right eye nearly completely green. He stares coldly at the tower beneath it, and then glances over to it's twin in the distance.

"JALISA!" His voice reverberates loudly and powerfully. "MEET ME. NOW."

A cold breeze blows through the area, and Jalisa is suddenly standing directly across from Alex with her hands behind her back. "Now, now, princeling. No need to shout."

Alex raises his hand, and spiralling starlight rises around him, forming a large staff with two-foot long blades attached to each end. "Trust me, 'High Priestess', I do not plan to bless your ears with my voice any longer, nor any noise. The Bladed Staff of Twilight will purge you as it has purged countless others."

A slight snigger can be heard from Jalisa, and she says, "Now now. You wouldn't want to quench your Spark. No murder in cold blood." Alex looks momentarily surprised before his face hardens again.

"Why do I not doubt that you had done your research. Of course, your death is not in cold blood. It is for the Greater Will of Valorea. You have neglected the towers!"

Jalisa shakes her head, and says, "You have spent so much time in the sky you have forgotten what it is to walk on Lusternia. The towers will not fall after such a short time."

"You fool, Jalisa. You claim to be High Priestess of the Stars, yet you neglect even the slightest of common sense. The task of keeping a city filled with hundreds of thousands of people afloat takes millions of degrees of power. Only the vast reserves that my ancestors and I have invested into our Crystal keeps the city floating now."

"Mayhaps so, but my death will not bring about anything. And your transcendence will be incomplete due to your romantic interludes with the Knight Shadowvale." Once more, Alex's surprise flashes, and then his face settles on a smug grin.

"No romance has even been a part of my life, Jalisa." Alex twirls the staff above his head, his wings beginning to flap rapidly.

"But have you not wondered what keeps you from Divine power now? You fool, you are loved."

Alex falters momentarily in his twirling, but then the pace returns. "My transcendence is only moments away, false Queen. The only love to me is that of the people. My subjects love me."

Jalisa cackles, and then gestures, a hum enters the air, and Zach appears, floating above open space in his prison. "Alex!"

Jalisa lowers her hood, and laughs at Alex. Her purple hair glistens in the light from the moon, the fangs hanging over her lips glinting dangerously. Her mocha skin is beautiful and smooth, and her eyes are pure gold.

"The fool fell in love with you even as you fled with him to save his life." A snarl escapes Alex's lips, his eyes cold as he glares at Jalisa. "And I know you love him as well. So you have a choice, little prince. Take your own life. Jump from these towers without saving yourself, and your love will see the light of day. However, strike me down, and I shall send him plummeting."

"NO! Alex, don't do it!" Zach's screams continue with increased vigor, "My life is nothing compared to everyone else! Cut her down now!" But his cries seem to have no effect on Alex. His staff has stopped spinning, and the aura of power around him has diminished.

"You couldn't live with yourself if he were to die, little prince. But if he were to die, no one would love you, and your transcendence would be complete. Then you would have to live forever with the knowledge that you could have saved him, but didn't."

Her mouth curls upwards viciously, and she raises both her hands to Alex, her fingers intertwined in a complicated gesture similar to a star. "I give my word as High Priestess that Zach will live a comfortable life, free from all harm. He will be treated as though he were my brother."

Indecision flashes across Alex's face, and he turns to the edge of the tower, staring at the ground below with sorrow etched on every corner of his face. "Deal." His voice is soft, and he turns to Jalisa. "Release him now, and I give you my word as the Prince of Valorea that I will do as you have asked."

Jalisa smirks with victory, and snaps her fingers. The cage of purple light slowly moves from it's position to the airspace above the tower, and then releases Zach, allowing him to stand on his feet.

Immediately he runs to Alex, and embraces him, sobbing quietly into his shoulder, apologising profusely over and over. "It's all my fault, Alex. It's all my--"
Alex immediately silences him by moving his finger over Zach's lips, staring into his eyes. "The fault is mine, Zach." The only answer Zach can give is clear, and as Alex removes his finger, Zach slowly presses his lips to Alex's, holding them together for a few seconds before Alex pushes him back.

"Good-bye, Zach."

"If you do this, I'll hate you forever." Alex sighs softly, and pushes Zach away.

"I hope you live long enough to make good on that threat, Zach."

He steps backwards, and the heels of his feet hang over the edge of the tower. With a last, sad smile, he falls backwards, plummeting instantly out of sight.

Half of the stage darkens, and Alex can be seen in freefall, though in slow motion. His hair viciously whips around his face, and his wings flutter uselessly behind him.

Zach's face hardens, and his eyes close. His thoughts can be heard, and he crosses his hands over his chest, bowing his head.
"I love him, but I cannot. My love for him is so strong, that I renounce my love for him." He shudders, and the circlet of Starlight around Alex's head instantly flashes with renewed power.

But the ground meets Alex's head, and the stage blackens as a sickening 'CRUNCH!' can be heard. Alex's broken form can be seen, his neck at an inhumanly possible angle, and blood pooling around his body.

"Alex!" Zach's voice can be heard, sounding through the air almost unendingly.

The night grows darker.

The circlet of starlight grows dim.

The sounds of the city dampen.

The world slows.

A heartbeat sounds, slowing.

Pound. Pause. Pound.

Pound.

Pound.

The heartbeat stops.

Tears stream down Zach's face, and his mouth is still open in a wail of torment.

Joy is etched in every corner of Jalisa's face as she punches the air in victory.

And Alex's eyes flutter open, both glowing a brilliant green. His body disappears, and the extra room on the stage vanishes.

Alex appears before Jalisa, glowing with Divine power. "Jalisa. You shall pay for your sins towards Me and Mine." The Staff of Starlight appears in His right hand, and another in His left hand, the blades on both of them made of pure star light. With unnerving accuracy, He slices off her head even as He digs the other into her heart.

Her face is frozen with shock as it rolls to rest at His feet, and her body explodes into golden dust, flowing directly to His body.

Zach cries with delight, and runs to embrace Him, but he cannot grab ahold of Him. "A-A-Alex?" Zach's voice wavers as he glances up at Him. Alex shakes His head at Zach, and floats away. "My purpose here was to destroy she which plagued My city. I cannot go on, dear one. I grant you My Princedom, and will that you rule Valorea as I would."

Tears flow once more down Zach's face with a renewed vigour as he stares at Him. "But...but..."

Alex smiles softly, the gleam in His eyes betraying His true emotions. "I will always love you, Zachary Bladeheart Shadowvale. But My time in this universe is gone. And even if I were to stay, the imbalance would upset the very core of this world, and Estarra would wipe Valorea from existance, causing My sacrifice to be for nothing."

His body slowly begins dissolving into silvery light, until only His head remains. He smiles sadly at Zach, and then His body dispersed completely, the light together to form a large crown, which floats to Zach's head.

"Be well, My prince."

The lights extinguish for a final time, leaving a very troubled prince above a city long forgotten. Such is the nature of love.