Blackout
Shadowhold one week after Lexianna liberated the Brightblades. 
Karnariel and his fifteen thousand troops are camped to the south of the keep. Shadow's ten thousand strong force is withdrawn into the castle and at standby in the barracks. The other ten thousand have been deployed on patrol and peacekeeping duties as a ploy to fill the countryside with reinforcements that can be easily called. There are also another ten thousand Mystic Knights camped to the north. Sir Baruss had taken command of his fathers forces and shipped them to South Point.

With all these forces mustered in one place the tension is palpable. Each of the groups stare at each other across a field that they expect to soon be fighting on. 

Shadow, Raia, Smough, Sir Baruss, and Karnariel have decided to attend a meeting to discuss their futures. When Lexianna returned with the Brightblades Karnariel was ecstatic. Then came the news of the newly risen Lord. With much coaxing from Lexianna he was invited to attend the talks. The few days of tension before Smough arrived with a windswept Flame was almost to a breaking point.

Smough enters the large room where a large meeting table has been cleared. He takes note of the bloodstained stone in his assessment of his surrounding. He's the first. He sets himself at the table and has a servant fetch him some coffee.

Raia had been given a room for her and Sia's use. But Raia who still doesn't sleep well indoors made nightly excursions into the contryside late at night. Sometimes with Sia. Sometimes without. She has ever increasing worries about the meeting. The day of she kisses Sia and asks her to rejoin her companions before heading to the meeting.

When Raia enters the meeting room she sees Smough. Managing to remain civil she sets herself across from him.
"How was the trip?" Raia asks.
"It was wonderful. Kind of you to ask. I'd reciprocate but I know you don't really travel." Smough replies.
"One of the perks of befriending a cosmic being." Raia hums. The door swings open and the rhythmic clunk of armor rings out as Sir Baruss enters. Both Raia and Smough narrow their eyes. Baruss takes note of their apprehension at his armor. In an instant the armor melts away and is replaced by a simple doublet.
"Is that more to your liking?" Baruss asks. The two of them give each other an uneasy glance.
"You're not human." Raia says. She pictures Sia as she says it.
"I am not. Correct. But this is the form that father imagined me as. So I don't see a reason to change. I understand that my creation may pose a moral dilemma. But that is no fault of mine. I cannot change the circumstances of my birth. All I can say, is that, I am here to help."
"But who will you help? Us? Them?" Smough says sitting forward and point his cup at Baruss.
"Pardon my saying but you are all [i]Them[/i] to me. I will help you both as much as I am able."
"But what if our intentions are opposed? What then?" Raia continues to grill Baruss. 
Baruss, without missing a beat, smiles. "Then I will establish peace." The way Baruss says it makes it seem almost like a threat.

Shadow enters from a door at the back of the room. 
"Peace is an admirable goal. But it is not always possible. Sometimes one or more parties are unhappy with the proposed peace. What then?"
"You humans love to ask that. What then. It gives you a sense of power. Your curiosity pointed like a weapon. To dismantle what you believe I am. But I know myself. I know the contradictions my logic brings. To you I am an outsider. Not to be trusted to understand you. Or to propose solutions to your problems." Baruss takes a cup and sips it. Smugly. His tone. His body language. Everything he's doing and saying all aimed at eliciting favorable reactions. "But I'd argue that I am more suited to reaching a fair and just solution than any of you. Not in spite of my third party observances. But because of them."

A singular pair of clapping hands rings out. Everyone's attention turns to Karnariel.
"Quite a speech. But you didn't answer his question." Karnariel says at Baruss.
"I will fight. For whoever I believe will be most beneficial to the well being of the most people."
"So we are in agreement. I should have a Command Sphere." Smough says fixing his gaze on Karnariel.
"The hell you should." Raia interjects. 
"My men brave the raging seas to ferry your cargo with the utmost security. They deserve the same protection your men have." Smough argues back. Karnariel makes a sound of disgust.
"You have something to say, young Kar?" Shadow asks.
"You all bicker over this like my people haven't been hunted like animals." Karnariel spits.
"Don't act like it was ever about anything but revenge for you." Raia barks.
"We fought hopeless battles to try and improve the lives of those you neglected." Karnariel slams his fist down on the table shaking everything on it. "The rampant corruption and sanctioned extortion in your lands Shadow. The hundreds of thousands of innocent lives in Baruss's creation. The literal underground slave trade in west point."
"What did you say?!" Raia is fuming.
"But none of you would notice. You never bother to look at anything beyond your own ambitions. Or frivolities. You're all too [i]important[/i] to see how the people suffer. The only one here who has the slightest amount of my respect is Pirate King Smough." Karnariel finishes. The room is quiet. Servants have stopped in their tracks and no one says a thing. Finally shadow speaks.
"Raia, do you remember what I said that day? When we stormed the castle?" Shadow looks down into his wine.
"Them today. Us tomorrow. What of it?" Raia asks still defensive.
"We've reached that tomorrow."

The five of the them sit and sip their drinks. Not long after Lexianna arrives with the rest of the group in tow. And the Meeting begins.

Blackout 482,004,911
The Lady of the Forest turns in horror giving Zaak the opening he needs to strike. With a swift lunge he runs her through with his sword. She lets out a pained gasp as Zaak extracts the Umbra from her existence. As she collapses to the ground she weakly pleads.
"No, they'll burn me at the stake. Please. Without the Dark Gift the children will..." The Lady passes out. The children who were healthy only a moment ago are all stricken by their illnesses. Zaak holds in his hand a small black quivering flame. It seems to speak directly to your innermost self by way of images. Each new image defining itself in the instant you observe it. The Umbral Wish flickers and goes out taking the Blackout with it.
"Lilianna, see to the children. I'll help the girl." Zaak says as he kneels and sees to The Lady's injury.