A quest of unknowns.

The soft connection was rather overwhelming to him. He had had connections before, but never something like this. Sure, he could feel the entire forest with his own powers, but nothing like this. He never knew the wind spoke. And he didn't have animal speech, but he knew that many back home could talk with the animals. And with the tree talking without using her for a voice, this was all so overwhelming. Even the very dirt, which he caught small snippets of, had a voice. Why had he never been taught this?

Oh that was right. His father was a destroyer of nature, and his mother was a demon. They knew nothing of such simple pleasures. The world had a voice, and it was beautiful.

He frowned, wrapping his arms around her. He had been so careless and naive. How could he not realize that everything had a voice? Everything had some sort of feeling. Even his own powers had a voice. They helped him when he needed them most.

"I've taken too much for granted," he said, sighing slightly, "and here I am paying the price for it. What is wrong with me? To be so ignorant. I hate this about myself. I'm a scholar. I should be happy to learn about things I don't..."

He looked away, "I've hurt so many things in my life. I am so ashamed."

Blinking a few times, she watched him. Did she just do the wrong thing? Did she hurt him? Did she upset him? Sitting up, she watched him turn away. Looking around a moment, she pushed herself up to lean against her tree. Sitting there, she pulled her knees up to her chest and just let him be. She didn't want to make it worse.

Snuggling against the tree, she tried to keep herself warm. Looking up to the birds, she shook her head, wanting them to stop. As they flew away to leave them be, she looked over at his back. Reaching over, she brushed his shoulder softly. "I am sorry." She said softly before reaching over to grab a peach to eat. She was a little hungry still, and thought it would be the best way to let him be.

Finishing up on the peach, she buried the peach pit a little further away, then stood and looked herself over. She wanted to go get washed up. Moving past him, she smiled down softly before heading off to the pond. She loved this pond. The water from the river poured into it, and it slowly drained down into the under ground cavern, over the waterfall and out the cliff. It was her favorite spot to clean up.

He didn't say anything. It wasn't her fault, it was his own. How stupid had he been. When she said she was sorry all he could do was shake his head slowly. He couldn't talk to her at the moment. Going over all of his past, watching what he had done to so much that was deemed innocent. How could he be happy from that? But he was grateful to her for showing him what she had. He needed this.

Feeling her go towards the pond, he slowly stood up, watching her walk away. He turned to the tree and sighed, placing his hand upon it. Like his father, his powers could easily learn how to connect and wield in a special way like none other. It had taken but a moment, but he was now connected to the forest like she was.

"I am sorry for causing you so much pain. I wish I could help, but I know you wish to heal yourself. I promise I will banish that darkness. Please, keep Byblis here. I don't want her to get hurt." He took a deep breath. "And if I die in the process, do not let her worry about me. I shall return. I can't truly die." He patted the tree, blocking the connection he had with it before it could respond.

Fully healing his body, vanishing the scars upon it, he had his clothes appear around him. Pushing his exoskeleton up to just below the surface, he looked one last time towards Byblis, using his second sight to see her bath.

"Thank you. I shall never forget what you've done for me. Ever."

He turned and vanished from her tree, appearing instantly back in the demon's temple. "Hello. I'm here to kill you."

A dark chuckle, from within his own mind, and around him, began to resonate within and around his body. The demon knew why he was here. Already the power was rising. It had waited for this moment to devour something as strong as Skyler.

"Byblis will be next," spoke the dark voice.

Sky closed his eyes, "Bring it on."

Diving down into the water, she decided to go visit her grotto for a while. Being under the waterfall was always so relaxing. The massage, the sounds, the pain and pressure. It was wonderful. She swam around a while, enjoyed the waterfall, and washed up, making sure her hair was clean and brushed through. Laying down on the cold rock ledge, she enjoyed the sounds of the running water for a while longer, before she decided to go check on Sky. Drying off as much as she could, and redressing, she came back to her tree only to find him gone. She really must have done wrong this time. Leaning against her tree, it took her some time to realize her tree was keeping a secret from her.

It would be a while before she figured out what it was her tree was hiding from her. This evil, these ruins, they were starting to upset her, and get on her nerves. What could she do about it? An idea flashed in her head and she smirked up at her tree. "Good idea!" She said, as she ran around, gathering up all the fruits and seeds of random plants that she could find. After she had gathered up quite a few, she ran back to the ruins. "I am going to need your help." She ran as fast as she could to get to the ruins. Once there, she went about planting all the seeds she had gathered up. Almost as soon as they were planted, the plants began to grow. With a smirk, she watched as everything began to over grow the ruins, sheilding the forest from it's evil. "Nature has it's own way of taking care of things." She watched the opening of the ruins cover over, and she saddened a bit. "Good luck, Sky." She said softly as she turned to head back to her tree. The forest would fight now, and she would rest. Her and her tree needed the sleep.

Feeling Byblis get closer, he opened his eyes. What was she doing? He didn't want her here. Not that he didn't mind her company. But he didn't want her to know what was about to happen to him.

"I can't beat you straight up, for you have corrupted this land so much." He smirked, walking towards the alter. "I know your powers. It took me awhile, but I know you well enough that I shouldn't have been destracted. You are no demon. But you have helped me out well enough."

Raising his powers to the max level, his violet aura appeared around his body like a powerful flame. As the ruins began to shake, he felt the power of nature outside overtaking the ruined grounds around the ruins. He couldn't help but smile.

"Who do you think I am, boy!" screamed the dark voice.

"Lex," he spoke softly. "Only, it is just your soul, left behind, from another unforgiveable act." He took a deep breath as the darkness pressed around him.

"So you know my name. How will that help you defeat me?" spoke the corrupted soul of Lex.

Sky smirked, raising his powers to the highest of levels. "Because...I am your son."

And before the soul could respond, Skyler's powers flooded out from his body, shotting in all directions. "FATHER!"

And as the forest began to hide the ruins, the last spot of uncovered rock split open, a massive violet flame struck skyward, the ground underneith trembling under the massive amount of power. For a few moments the power flood out, destroying the darkness and the corrupt soul of his father. But just as suddenly as it had happened, it stopped. All power vanished, along with the life force of Skyler. His last moments on Earth...a saving grace for his friend Byblis.