As with most days, Aeolus found himself traveling with one of the many caravans that traveled the Bohar Plains.  It was easy coin, as most creatures int he area were barely a threat, and the bandits usually thought twice about messing with the caravans with guards.  It was probably more of a hassle to them, than anything, but that was why the protection was worth the coin for most merchants and traders.  

Today, though, was different than most.  There was a strange twilight in the air, as if night and day were fighting against each other.  Still, work was work and despite the fears, a few caravans had chosen to travel.  Still, Aeolus was on guard.  Day travel was easy, but now that the world was washed in twilight, there was the possibility of nocturnal creatures, brave bandits, or worse.

Aeolus scowled at the 'or worse' in his thoughts.  What a pain.  Though, secretly, his heart was racing.  Not of fear, but something close to exhilaration.  But he couldn't show that side to the client, which would be a problem.  Instead, on the outside he remained calm and composed, yet ready to react.  Then, all at once, the world went black.  Aeolus drew the wind blade from his waist, and immediately tried to find his bearings.  

"Damn," Aeolus cursed aloud.  This isn't good.  He released his blade with one hand, and snapped his fingers, creating a small orb of light that shot into the sky.  It wasn't strong enough to illuminate much, but enough for Aeolus to realize that his client was long gone.  He cursed once more.  But I have bigger problems.  What happened.  Am I still even in the Bohar Plains?  

"Hello?  Can anyone hear me!?" he called out.  "Is there anyone at all here!?"

He had been sent to the plains by Toya Rose to help the locals deal with a rather nasty wyrm that had come down from the Ancense Mountains. Sending him meant that she didn't want this wyrm to be hurt. Jace had packed up, alone, much to Remedy's dismay, and headed off via gate to the Corval Basin to get the job done as quickly and as efficiently as possible. All things would have gone smoothly if he hadn't just walked into a region where the Gods of Light and Darkness were going to be fighting for dominance. At the appearance of the twilight sky at midday, he had known his job was about to get a whole lot harder. Wyrms were especially active during the evening and night hours. He growled. This was not going to be easy any more. Wyrms were tricky. 

So he had set about tracking a now very active wyrm across the now twilight lands, and had been doing so for several hours when suddenly, the twilight skies went from twilight, to the dead of night in the middle of Glaciem when neither moon glowed in the sky. The bloodmage swore in draconian several times over. He wasn't going to be able to keep up with the Wyrm now at all. 

Suddenly, he felt something prickle at the back of his neck. His senses were on high alert now, but this was not a danger he was sensing, though the air was now filled with the sounds of nightmarish creatures. This was a power he had not felt in years. He turned on his heels and faced in the direction that he was sure the power aura was coming from. It was diminished, but there was no mistaking it. 

Jace's heart began pounding in his chest as he took off running as fast as he dared towards the power signature. It couldn't have been, could it? 

He heard the call, asking if someone was there, if anyone was there. It was the same voice. Jace crashed down the path and skidded to a halt just outside the halo of light his ball created. 

"Well I'll be damned…" Jace breathed. "Aeolus…" 

It was a weird sensation that filled Aeolus as Jace entered his view.  From somewhere deep inside of him, a surge of emotion and familiarity erupted, like he had found a long lost brother.  However, reality set in moments later, and Aeolus took a readied stance.  "I don't know how you know my name…"  He scanned Jace over, trying to figure out where the sense of familiarity had stemmed from.  Who…are you?  Still, it was doubtful that this individual was the cause of everything, and his presence was real enough.

"We can deal with this later," Aeolus stated.  "Since you know my name, it would only be fair to give yours."  He started to lower his stance, but there were more vicious cries from the dark that forced him to remain alert.  A part of his soul quivered, seeming to recognize the sounds that called out to the two.  As if responding to his soul, Aeolus could feel something moving just outside his range of vision.  Heavy steps echoed slowly around them, the sound a low, almost metallic growl, something that Aeolus consciously could not recognize, but his soul knew very well.

One of these creatures stepped into the frail light that Aeolus had produced; a near formless being nearly thrice the height of Jace and Aeolus, clad in misshapen fragments of steel and stone, fragments of a forgotten world, forming a near human like figure, though barely contained by the encasement.  The large creature lulled for a moment in view, as if determining what to do next.  Eyes formed where the head should have been, a cold, chaotic blue that pierced through Aeolus to his very core.  

it was a feeling he had never once in his life felt.  This was past fear.  This was gazing at something that had absolutely no regard for life.  This was a thing that parents warned their children about in order to coax them into being good.  This was a true nightmare, something that should never exist.  

Aeolus took a step forward, a half smile formed across his face.  What…what the hell…?  He let out a half crazed chuckle.  "What even are you…"  His heart was racing.  "I've never felt so alive…"

Jace raised his hand and claw in the mean-no-harm stance. Everything about this Aeolus was similar, the stance, the way he held his sword, his appearance. However, he had learned that sometimes the people who came from other worlds didn't always have those memories. It was both a blessing and a curse, and with how Jace remembered Aeolus, it was a relief and heart-rending that his own cousin did not recognize him on sight. 

"I… I guess it makes sense that you wouldn't remember me… this world is a very different one than the one you knew me from, cousin," Jace said as he stepped into the light a bit more so that Aeolus could see him better. "I'm Jace—" he trailed off as he heard the metallic growl. The all too familiar growl, the clank of heavy metal and machinery driven to life by the sheer desire to destroy. He turned his back on Aeolus to watch the thing come to the edge of the small circle of light, his eyes narrowing as his heart pounded in his chest. 

The Void Walker towered over the pair of them and Jace let out a shuddering breath. However, Aeolus' words made a devious smile crack across his face, and he turned and regarded the silver-haired one with a look that was borderline maniacal. "You remember the thrill of battle cousin? Against impossible odds, if only for a moment to feel truly alive? This is our worst nightmare come back to haunt us," he grinned. "Let's see if you can remember how to kill them…"

Aeols looked to the one who introduced himself as Jace.  Again, he felt a strange familiarity with the man overcame him.  Nightmare or not, Aeolus felt he could trust him.  At least for now.  Cousin, though?  He frowned at the thought.  As far as he was aware, he had no living family.  He had been alone for as long as he could remember.  Or…have I been?  Once more, a small part of his soul twinged with a weird feeling.  It would have to be something to address at a later point in time.  

As the Void Walker clambered towards him, his heart raced faster and faster, and his eyes grew wide with fear and anticipation.  Aeolus took another step forward, and vanished.  A trail of silver seemed to flow by the Void Walker, and over ten sparks crashed against the metallic armor in various places.  Aeolus reappeared behind it at a run, spinning himself around to move in for a second strike, his blade in hand.  What!?  Barely a scratch?  He growled, four wings erupting from his back in a brilliant display, arching out as his lunged once again, his body becoming nothing more than a silver blur.

This time though, only two invisible strikes came before the Void Walker, with impossible speed, reached out into the open air, and grabbed what seemed to be nothing.  Yet, as it gripped tighter, Aeolus' body appeared, and he cried out in pain as the breath left his body.  How!?  This can't be possible!?  He was done.  He had more than doubled the speed on his initial attack, and yet the Void walker effortlessly caught him.

"I-f…." Aeolus called out, "You're….going to…help…."   

It had always been fascinating to watch Aeolus move and fight. Even though this was not the Aeolus he had grown up knowing, his movements were still the same. But it was clear after his first flurry of attacks that he had either forgotten, or had no memory or knowledge of how to fight Void Walkers. But Aeolus was too fast in his attempt at a second attack that Jace was unable to warn him before the Void Walker had snatched him and was crushing him. 

The grip slackened on Aeolus as the words left his mouth as the Void Walker threw back its head and howled in agony as the white blue energy that filled the metal suit flickered and went out, the entire suit crashing and clanking to the ground. Jace stood behind the Void Walker, a fractured black stone in his hand. 

"Attacking a suit of armor does no good," he panted, his claw sizzling from the energy that had given the Walker life, and black goo dripped from the scales. "They have these cores or phylacteries. You have to destroy these in order to kill them," he said as he dropped the broken fragments and walked over to Aeolus. He offered him a hand up, and shook the goo and smoke off his claw. "Fortunately for us, that one was just a Walker, and there was only one…" 

Aeolus, while trying to catch his breath, took Jace's offering of help.  As he was pulled up, and finally caught his breath, Aeolus looked around.  "Okay…Void Walker or no, we're still trapped in this…place."  He finally had the chance to look Jace over.  If the man was indeed his cousin, there would be signs.  Surely enough, there were traits that each of them held that were familiar.  Is this a part of the situation as well? he wondered.  If the Gods were involved, then it wouldn't be a far reach from reality if so.

"Jace," Aeolus said.  The name made his soul quiver, as if remember a long lost friend.  "I'm not entirely sure what's happening, but for the time being, I'm more than willing to accept help…if you're willing to accept mine.  But, after all of this is over, I expect we have much to discuss."  

In the dark, there were more metallic growls, echoes of more Void Walkers.  "You said earlier that we were fortunate that it was just a Walker…"  He looked into the darkness.  "I would greatly appreciate a warning of what being unfortunate would entail…"  If there were worse things than the Void Walkers out there, and their numbers were great, then there would definitely be a problem.  Now that he knew how to kill them, he could probably take a few down at a time…but the way that Jace had spoken, as if having fought a losing battle, that merely made Aeolus worry that there may be an army of them looming in the dark…