Since nobody appears to be posting, I'll post something... Just the "goodbye" between Jonathan and Nyxia. I'll leave the official departure from the Kingdom of Darkness to someone else.
Oh, and we're going to come back to the Kingdom of Darkness after we're done with the Fallen Elves. One excuse is that we have to get to the Kingdom of Darkness to go to the Dead Marshes. But the real reason is that I want the party to have a meeting with Incarnate, and possibly give Jonathan an uber upgrade.
PS: What does Xanriel look like now? Black wings, red eyes, fangs? Is he aligned with Darkness or Death?
Editing in progress.
Jonathan and Nyxia lay together in bed, their arms twined around each other. Nyxia nuzzled against Jonathan's deck, and her dark eyes were filled with longing and sadness. "You're leaving, John?"
"I'm sorry, Nyx, but I have to. I promised my friends that I'll help them in their campaign against the Fallen Elves." Jonathan looked into Nyxia's dark, mesmerizing eyes. Damn, how he hated saying goodbye to her. Every time he left her, even if it was just for a little while, he felt as though a part of his heart was torn from him. He'd gladly take Nyxia with him on his quest, but someone Jonathan trusted must stay and look after the affairs in their little rebel camp. "I'll be back, Nyx. I promise."
Nyxia tightened her arms around Jonathan's neck, and they pressed their lips together in a deep and fierce kiss. Their minds touched, and emotions of love, sadness and longing flowed from one consciousness to another. If only they could stay like this forever...
When they finally broke apart from their kiss, Nyxia took out two identical pendants, and placed one of them in Jonathan's palm. The pendants seemed to be Aetheric in design, slightly pulsing in a shade of turquoise. Though they were inanimate objects, there seemed to be an invisible telepathic connection between the two pendants.
"What are those?" Jonathan asked. He picked up his pendant and examined it.
Nyxia smiled. "In the months when you were away, I acquired those from a psionic from the Aetherlands. Those are marvelous, really. Try inserting your consciousness into the pendant." She inserted her mind into the pendant, the jewel on it turning a dark shade of lavender lined with streaks of black.
Skeptical, Jonathan linked his psyche with the pendant. The jewel on it turned crimson lined with black streaks. He gasped as he felt his consciousness connect with Nyxia's, through the subtle psionic link between the two pendants.
Nyxia smiled sweetly. "Now, John, you can feel my mind wherever you are, as long as we're both wearing those pendants."
Jonathan stared at the pendant in wonder. The link between the pendants was within the Aether itself, so it was not limited by distance or anything else; he could communicate with his lover even if they were at two opposite ends of the world. As long as the Aether itself existed, he could link to Nyxia as though they were right beside each other.
Unable to stand it, Jonathan pulled Nyxia tightly against himself as he kissed her. They melted into each other as their minds linked. No matter where they were, they could always feel each other's presence. They would never truly be apart again.
Terro, you mentioned that you wanted to make a storyline with Nymph's Tears? We could bring Nyxia along the next time we see her. By then Xanriel would have probably already created a Gray Nymph, and who knows what nymph Heimdall will create. With three nymphs in our party, it'd probably be a good idea to start exploring into nymph culture in more detail.
