Marcus stirred from his slumber, his senses gradually awakening to the snarls of a slumbering beast reverberating through the stillness of the night. As he blinked away the remnants of unconsciousness, his gaze was drawn upward to the celestial spectacle above. The moon and stars shone with radiant brilliance, casting an enchanting glow over the landscape that stretched out before him.

However, the serene beauty of the night sky was quickly overshadowed by a pressing concern, the Black Shuck. The monstrous creature lay atop Marcus, its massive form sprawled across his legs, pinning him down and engulfing him in its suffocating heat. Waves of discomfort and heat radiated through his limbs, making him acutely aware of his constrained position. He attempted to shift and free himself from the beast's weight, but his efforts were met with a low, warning growl, each delicate movement eliciting a feral response.

As Marcus surveyed the surroundings, the familiar contours of the landscape hinted at their location. The silhouette of the Northern Mountains loomed in the distance, their majestic peaks reaching towards the night sky. The air carried a sense of wilderness, tinged with the earthy scent of the forest and the crispness of the night air. He discerned the haunting screech of an owl, a predator on the prowl, an eerie soundtrack to his current predicament. 

It became clear to Marcus that they were situated within the territory of the Companions, not far from the forbidding realm of the Scourge. The landscape exuded an untamed quality, an untrodden wilderness where both beauty and danger coexisted. Marcus's heart quickened with a mix of apprehension and curiosity as he contemplated what he should do if he did escape the beast. He may be immortal still, but there were conditions. 

Why the beast had let him live was troubling. It could only mean one thing; Shadowbringer wanted him. He twisted and squirmed fruitlessly one last time. Though surprisingly he stayed calm. He wasn't afraid of the Earth Builder. He had ended him once, he could end him again. What troubled him more was leaving Avosa behind to fend for herself.

"It's futile, human," Marcus heard the resounding thought echo in his mind. Startled, he turned to find the beast fixated on him, its gaze unwavering. To his surprise, it raised its limbs, allowing Marcus to sit up and retreat against the nearest tree. Marcus gingerly touched his legs, astonished that his skin remained unharmed, only displaying superficial burns.

The Black Shuck stood up on all fours and began slowly walking around Marcus and the tree. This close to Marcus, the Black Shuck could communicate more readily in the common tongue, at least telepathically. You know what's coming? You know who wants to see you?

"I do," answered Marcus.

Then we wait. It paused for a moment. Was he waiting for Marcus to respond? His mind turned to the battle. He remembered how easily the City Defender's had taken out the Soulless once they knew how to defeat them. He had felt a sense of hope before the Shuck took him, a sense that everything was going to be ok, that they would be able to defeat the Soulless, get the scrolls and see Avosa resurrected in time to defeat the Shadowbringer. He had thought the Light was shining on their faces.

Don't get your hopes up, you fool! The Shuck stopped in front of Marcus and barred its teeth. Do you really think that the first to rise would be the last? The strongest? The undead Earth Builder is still weak. They were merely my pawns, a distraction. Pity they all burned, but that won't happen again.

"You can read my thoughts?"

The Black Shuck stepped up closer to Marcus. It put its face right up to his, laughed a growl and opened his jaws in a mocking grin. It snapped its jaws with a loud crack which made Marcus jump back and slam his head against the trunk of the tree. Marcus tried to stand and move away but the hit had made him dizzy. The Shuck grabbed hold of his Marcus's ankle with his teeth before he got too far and began to pull him through the dirt.

Come, he's awake. The Shuck twisted his head around and bit at the side of his back. It looked like there was a pocket sliced right into his burning hide which bulged with it's contents.

Suddenly, the air in front of the beast became distorted. A large oval shape began to appear in midair. It danced like waves in a shaken tub. Marcus recognized what it was; a portal. He hadn't seen one since before the Shattering, while he was still Primordial. Now he knew how the Soulless had gotten to Bolster ahead of the Shadowbringer. The Black Shuck had gotten his paws on a Portal Stone. They must have made some sort of deal. What was the Black Shuck getting out of it?

The beast walked through it, pulling Marcus with him. Marcus felt like his skin was being pulled off his body. An enormous amount of pressure seized his skull. Just as it felt like his head was going to burst, they were through and standing at the mouth of The Scourge.

Marcus felt ill at ease. He looked toward the cliff face that most likely held the Earth Builder's lair. He was right. He noticed an entrance carved into the face of the cliff. A cave. A woman stood in its centre, marking their approach. Was that Lucinde? He knew then that it was, but how much she had changed wasn't yet apparent.

The closer he was dragged to the cave entrance, the less he saw in her eyes. Oh Lucinde! He felt empathy towards his oldest friend. Immortality must have taken its toll on her. Promises of reunions with lost loved ones was most likely what triggered her to help El'Athan. Though now that she had been Usurped, there really was no hope he'd ever speak to the real Lucinde again. The Shuck flung him at her feet.

"There he is. The harbinger of justice? Or of pain?" Was that a smile on Lucinde's face as she addressed him? "Marcus, Marcus, Marcus. You've been busy." She stood and stared him down with her hands on her hips. Her long hair was french braided in three sections and then intertwined together across her shoulder, down to her waist. Her lips were blood red. Her eyes empty. Her matching crimson dress was loose and showed more skin than he had seen on her in generations. She wore a pair of black riding boots up to her knees.

"I could say the same about you, Lucin..." THWACK. Lucinde stomped Marcus square in the jaw with her boot before he could name her.

"I no longer go by that useless name. I will always be the Air Weaver, just as you will always be the Rain Maker." And she stomped him again for what she believed to be good measure.

"Not always, not forever." Marcus responded under his breath.

"We shall see."

That was it. That was their big plan; to keep themselves alive so no other initiate could be resurrected. So in the meantime, the Great Dark could build his army of Soulless and no Primordial's could be made to stop it.

Lucinde turned and entered the cave. The Shuck grabbed hold of Marcus again and followed behind her. It took only moments to reach the place where El'Athan was at rest. He was seated in a throne made of rock and minerals, most likely crafted by his Primordial magic. He was waiting for them all to come to him.

"So we shall," El'Athan continued, "but first, old friend, tell me what you know of the Air Weaver's initiate."

"Her initiate?" Marcus looked to Lucinde, was this a test? She must know. Though he continued, "How would I know where her initiate is, it's her own responsibility."

"Liar!" Lucinde shouted. "You know as well as I that you can't help yourself but to stay informed!"

"Marcus," El'Athan interjected, "come now. I was hoping you would co-operate. You don't want to make the remainder of your long life a living hell, now do you? Where is her initiate?"

That, Marcus did not know. It's true that as a child, she knew where the girl had been born, but Lucinde had always made detailed reports of her interactions. How long had it been since they discusssed her? It could not have been that long ago. But only Lucinde herself would have become aware of her own initiate had perished and if a new one was reborn. And then, only a Primordial could locate one. So why did they need him to find her? 

Marcus realized that the undead Earth Builder must no longer have all the powers a true Primordial was raised with. His empty soul must have absorbed them.

Perhaps when Lucinde was Usurped she'd lost her ability to track down her initiate, but should should have at least had an idea of where they were.

"If anyone should know where her own initiate is, it would be her. If you think I'll help you put anyone in harms way, you're gravely mistaken." That earned him a smack across the face by Lucinde.

They vowed to make certain he would not hold back any information. They claimed to have an eternity to make him suffer. They laughed at him like he was the fool. Marcus stayed silent, ignorant, yet internally complacent. He blocked his mind from them and hopefully the Black Shuck as well. For though it was true, Lucinde had not mentioned her initiate in years, he still believed he may know who it was they sought.

He believed, at all cost, they could not get to her. To Elise. He knew then and there that she was the key. Not only could Elise be a Primoridal, the Air Weaver, but her Fae blood meant she was their Spirit Anchor, she alone could bind them and unite them in their cause. That sure explains the visit from the elf. Yes! Why had he not put the pieces together before now? And what bloody sorcery did Elise invoke to stay undetected in the very city Lucinde had lived? 

Marcus immediately closed off his mind of all thoughts of her, her name, her image, anything. He looked at the Black Shuck, he did not seem to be aware of his revelation. He began to feel the Light shine on his face once again. He vowed that he would do whatever it took to see Avosa succeed him, no matter what the cost.

Then everything went black.