The wind is free, but the sand goes where it is blown. Unaware of the world around it. Whirling on the breath of the gods, at mercy the with storm that ingulfs it. What is one grain of sand on the desert? One grain amongst the storm?

A man walks through the sand, somber, even though he has found his donkey, Farah, and the king's ransom of gold she carried on her back. Nothing, not even gold, women or very thick carpets can now fill the empty hole in the prince's heart. When he saw that damn crazy woman, sacrifice her life to trap an angry and evil god, his heart shed into pieces. Hell, he didn't even know he had a heart til now. Damn Elika. Damn Ahriman! DAMN ORMAZD!!! Damn them all! Especially Ormazd! "Where were you?! Huh? Why couldn't you have come out of hiding?! You call yourself a god to let everything you did die?! To let her die?!" His voice cracked at the word 'her,' as collapses to his knees. Why didn't he just bring her back? Sure, it meant releasing Ahriman, but she would still be alive. No, Elika would not have wanted that.

Farah nuzzles the Prince's cheek. "I know. Keep moving." Hours later he reaches the first town. He thinks he'll settle here for a few monthes before moving on. He moves to the market area and sets up shop to sell. Keep moving. For her sake. Live so her death was not in vain.

He stayed in the town for a week, collecting his currency from the cold he sold. It was time for him to travel on. His restlessness increased since that fateful day. The Prince couldn't stay in one spot for too long. So he continues his travels. To the sea. He wanted to visit the ocean. See it again. See it for her. Once he reached the ocean, he saw it in all it's beauty, but the ocean could never compare to her.

"What's the ocean like?"

The Prince let's go of Ferra's rope and walks to the ocean shore. He takes his shoes off and steps into the water, letting the waves wash against his skin. He closes his eyes, breathing in the salty air. The cool breeze plays with the tail of his coat and scarf. A lump in his throat forms, his tears forming on his lashes, as his thoughts reflect a promise. A promise to take her to the sea.

He reopens his eyes, wiping the moisture from them. "Damn sand." He lies to himself. Those same eyes glance at the ruins to his right, not too far away. He had sold all his gold. Maybe this place has more.

"Your a thief!"

"I reclaim abaondoned property."

"You rob from the dead."

An empty chuckle escapes his lips as he puts his shoes back on and heads to the ruins, Ferrah in tow. He looks around, having the donkey settle just outside. He walks around to what looks like a place of worship or ritual. Strange but familiar symbols decorate the walls. Suddenly, the ground caes in underneath him, making him slide down several stories underground. He losses his footing at first, but with a few acrobatic moves, he gains control and lands on his feet, just before diving to the side, a large bolder landing where he once stood. "Damn. That is it with rocks plumeting to my head?" He stands straight and looks around with the little light he has from above.

A familiar scent came from behind fallen pillars that were now little more then rubble. Footsteps other then his own. From behind it scampered who looked to be Elika. Pausing in her walk to look directly toward the Prince. Saying nothing, she looked back to where she was headed and ran deep into the ruin. As if she didn't care about the Prince, as if she couldn't be bothered to even say hello. Her clothes were nearly the same. her eyes and hair matched, even her body structure. The way she moved, ran, and as she flipped over a gaping edge and landed on the other side, it was all the same. Surely it had to be Elika. But if that was so, why would she be avoiding him? Not even sparing a word to him, even after all they had been through.

"Princess Elika!!!" A guard, one of the many shouted as a few charged into the open ruin. Some spared glances to the man, a few ran after her but then paused in their movements as well. All seven turning to face the Prince with narrowed eyes. Readying their weapons. The one who had spoken previously approached him, hatred in his eyes. "You're the one who got in our way!" He and the men moved quickly into attack, all focused on killing the prince so that they could then seize Elika without interference this time. Right as weapons were about to clash, a thick and fowl taste filled the air. Clutching at everyone's lungs. Making it hard for anyone, including the guards, to breathe.

It was that same darkness of Ahriman. It struck out from the floor surrounding the guards and the Prince. Feathery tufts of it filled the air, choking whoever breathed it. And yet, the woman who appeared to be Elika did not give as much as a backward glance to the suffering. She appeared glad that her escape routine was working as she kicked herself off of a wall and onto a shaking ledge, and bound off again.

Several of the guards sank to their knees, coughing and gasping for air while very few tried to keep at their attack. Trying to thrust their weapons through his flesh. Attempting at murder even as they slowly were choking and losing every last breath they had. Slowly being contaminated. Was Ahriman released, and the expansion reached as far as this already?

He pauses for a moment, his heart skipping a beat as he saw that unfamiliar face. Can it...no it can't be. "Elika? Elika!" He moves to run after her, but is toppeed by those same guards. "Aw come on guys." He unsheaths his sword. "Really.....you guys need to stop juping to conclusions. Don't you even know that your precious king is now a corrupted and down in jail with his master, Ahriman? Geez." He stands to guard their attacks, but when the corrupted air seep around him, the prince pulls up his scarf over his nose and mouth, filtering out most of the corruption.

How can this be? Did Elika's resurrection cause Ahriman to possibly escape? Or was she ressurected because he might have escaped? He didn't waste anytime, he had to follow Elika. "Sorry," he muffles through the scarf and he sheths his sword and turns to follow the girl.

Once his is out of the reach of the corrupted air, the Prince pulled the scarf down and continued to follow who he thought was Elika. "Elika! Wait up!" He wallruns then kicks his feet to jump to a ledge on the otherside. "Elika!"

Hearing the man she saw before chase after her sent a tremble through her body. Agitated, her eyes narrowed each time he called her Elika. Was that even really her name? 'Do I even have a name?' her thoughts asked, rushing forward. Jumping from another ledge and hanging from a higher ledge. Slowly she brought herself up, listening as the man continued to pursue her. Still using that name for her. 'Who am I though?' Another thought of hers asked, and moving a bit slower through the ruins the look alike tried to remember.

Drip... crack. Drip... crack. Someone was breaking the seal. Eyes opening, seeing little more then darkness around her, the sound of falling droplets echoed throughout the space. Shortly after, several cracks. As if the liquid was breaking down what held their imprisonment like rust. Her eyes closed again, being pulled back into that dark state of mind. Who was she, where was she... Thoughts like that did not even come to mind, her entire body felt so fogged. What was happening? .... Drip, drip, drip, "WHY?!" It had been only a short while till she heard that shaken, heart broken sound. Who was it? More droplets, and several loud cracks. Someone was crying. Their tears were destroying the seal.

The next thing she remembered, was light. No longer when she opened her eyes was the girl locked in that rest, the darkness. She did not hear the crying, or that voice again. But instead, she saw many horrifying things. Creatures of darkness, corrupted beings, and the land around her falling to pieces before the darkness. Nothing else...

Swaying slightly in her step, she who looked like Elika wobbled near a ledge and heard another yell coming from that man. Something about it sounded familiar, like that voice she heard in the darkness. But she did not wish to go back there. Anything but that she preferred. Staying away from him sounded to be the best of choices. Catching herself, she pounced onto a spear thrust into the wall, hands tightly rung around it and swung herself to lower ground. Moving quickly, and moving behind a pillar. Not caring if the man saw her take shelter. When he moved close enough, Elika wanted to move out and attack. She wished to kick him down and pin him there. Something deep inside of her kept her against that wall, as if waiting for the Prince to come even closer.

Opening her mouth to say something, she found that no words could escape her lips. They were caught, because looking at the Prince's face, his body, something struck her memory. But nothing came, only recognition.

"Elika!" The Prince continues to chace her. Dammit. Doesn't she recognise him? Is she mad at him? Mad at him for leaving after she sacrificed herslef. What was he to do? Undo what they did together? He growls at himself. He could have done something. He was a man of action. But if Elika is alive....

He catches up with her, reaching out to grab her arms. He peers into her eyes. "Wait.....who are you?" Yes, she looked, moved, even sounded like Elika. But something told him it wasn't her....something was off. He let's her go. "You're not Elika." He fowns. It was like his heart had ripped out again. "Sorry. I thought you were someone else....." he starts to walk on.

The woman swallowed as he had caught up to her. Reached out toward her. But upon looking into her eyes he did not see his Elika. She watched as he apologized, only nodding slightly. He was using that voice again. It was filled with sorrow, disappointment. He held that same sadness that she had felt as the seal was broken, was he the one who set them all free? Elika's look alike was unsure of whether to be upset or thank him, stalk him or provide him comfort. As he walked away, she pushed herself from the wall and moved after him. "I'm not?" She asked, as if she did not know her name herself, which was in fact true. "But that's what everyone keeps calling me, and I was just about ready to call you one of them since you kept calling me that." Stepping in front of him, getting in the way, she looked up at him. She couldn't be sure as to why she felt as if she knew him. "Who is this Elika then, and who am I?"

Hearing a pained gasp of one of the guards, Elika's look alike glanced back. Climbing over the ledges, still wishing to get them both, were the guards with their weapons drawn. "How did they get you into this?!" Both of her hands took a hold of the Prince's and she unconsciously made a move she did not understand. Taking a leap over the edge, pulling the stranger with her, it looked that the distance was too great for either to make it across. A bright light shimmered from her, Elika's exact power, and she thrust him over onto the ledge and followed after. As she held onto the edge her expression was filled with startle and confusion, not particularly caring at the moment that she was hanging from a cliff.

He stops to turn around, looking at her. "No. Your not." His eyes are full of sorrow and grief. "Look, I gotta go." He turns back around only to stop again. "She.....she was a princess....and a priestess to Ormazd." She may not have been ordained as a priestess, but with those powers of hers, Elika was in his eyes. "As for who you are? I don't know. All I know is you are a woman who, looks, acts and sounds like Elika, which is why those guards are after you, eventhough they don't need to be...."

He turns to face the rasping sound of the guards breath and unsheathe his sword, but doesn't get the chance as he is pulled by this Elika like women and is thrown to the next cliff. He climbs up the edge and lokks at her, his eyes wide. "Her powers. You have her powers. But your not her. Are you...are you Aurah?" He backs away some, still looking at her in suprise. This women threw him, much like Elika did. How can this be? Elika was the last of her people....well besides those guards. How is this women pocessing her powers.....

Slowly gripping a bit tighter onto the edge, the woman dug her feet into the side to climb up, and slowly pulled herself up and over the edge. Sitting on her knees, dazed and confused as she listened to the Prince's words. Placing a hand over her forehead, she stood and looked at the Prince with the same look of doubt the real Elika gave him. "I don't think I am Aurah... I'd know if I was and I'm sure that I'm not..." She looked at the bright glow coming from her hand with wide eyes, and as it began to fade she moved past him. "I keep feeling something when you say Elika, but I don't think I'm her either."

Looking into the short distance, she saw a space of fertile ground. Looking back, the darkness was filling the ruins. "Why are you even here?" She asked, "You come in, see me, then suddenly you must go?" Moving toward it, though she did not know why, Elika was drawn toward it and the same glow returned to flicker around her. "What is this?" She asked, looking over herself. Glancing back at the Prince, she raised an eyebrow. "You seem to know. Tell me." Before she could reach the middle of the circle, a creation of the corrupted fell before her. Swallowing, she staggered back unsure of what to do. Familiar thoughts poured into her mind as the glow grew stronger. "Go!" She shouted back to the man, as Elika had told him before in their hazardous situations. Wishing for his escape and safety.