Family, Friends, and Fellow Exiles.

The former Empress, and former Mother of one, and wife to the soul torn Wingz. Umbra, formerly known as Sakuya, and Nuray, was outside, gathering flowers when Irral found her. The shadow dragon was filled with surprise and joy as he hid in the shadows of the wood that Umbra called home. He bound for her excitedly, feeling like a wrymling with the sight of one of his regal parents.
"Mother Nu-!" Irral's words where silenced and he found himself frozen.
Umbra stood facing him, having taken an offensive stance. The flowers where in a heap on the ground, and purple magic drifted from her hands, which it dissipated upon seeing her eldest son, and the expression of childish joy on his draconic face. "What are you doing here my son? How have you found me even? It's been years.." She frowned a little as she freed the dragon of her hold, and then walked up to Irral, embracing his neck. "You've grown so much.."
"I know.." He held her with a claw, and wrapped a wing around her. "You seem.. So very different my Empress Nuray.. What has happened that you've fled so far to the ends of Gaia?" He says loosening his grip, looking down to his step mother.
"I could ask the same of you, my child. I am not Empress anymore, nor do I call myself by That name. My son, I'm afraid I have some grim news for you. " The black winged angel held the adult dragon's chin gently, looking into his confused purple eyes, as if telling a child about something difficult, which, to her, she was doing just that. "The griffin, the Emperor, the Father you knew as Umbra, has passed away from old age.. I now carry his name to remember him, and for the fact that I am a shadow of myself with out his presence.."
"Wha.. what?"Irrals eyes filled with fear and sorrow, "How can this be?! He was a demi-god! He had power beyond mortals and dragons!" He reared his head up away from Umbra, looking down upon her.
"Shh.." She caressed the dragons chest and the base of his neck gently. "I know.. I know.. Leaving behind the Empire though cursed both him and myself.. We weren't always that powerful you know. It was Daraku who gave us that power, and we betrayed him. He stripped us of all the powers he gave us, and we where hunted, Irral. You're Father lived a long life for a griffin though, you should still be proud of him, even in his weakness, he was strong. That was a few years ago now. You know, you have a half sister, Irral."
Irral's head hung lower now, and he wiped away tears with a claw. "I know.. I met her by chance.. I didn't discover she was my sister for a couple years while she was in my services as a cleaning servant.." The dragon's tears subsided some. "Rose.. I hear she's some how become a goddess.."
"Wait, what?" The sorceress questioned in shock.
"She has some how become a goddess. Nisshoku, Goddess of the Eclipse." The dragon expanded on his statement.
Umbra's jaw dropped. The very thing she had tried to keep from Daraku, a flawed, but corrupting piece of Yin, has fallen into his evil claws. She fell to her knees, "No, no! This can't be! Wingz and I.. We taught her.. we taught her to be good, or neutral at the lest!!"
Irral raised a brow scale at his near hysterical mother as his face came down to hers. "You did, I know. Even in my services, it was very hard to get her to do anything remotely evil. She was very obedient though when it came to chores.. She now has the smoke of the old seeker, the one who found the Khan, inside of her, as well as the powers of Daraku from what I understand. They are a type of trinity almost.." The dragon thought for a moment, tilting his head to the side slightly. "I've done my share to anger each of them as well.. and so have fled to do what I do best, hiding in the shadow, waiting for a moment to strike."
The woman smiled just slightly, and took Irrals face in her two hands. "Irral, my son, my princely dragon, will you stay with me? It's not a regal living in the slightest, but you could build a hoard here. There's a cave not far from here if you haven't already found it, but it could be a place to hide and bide your time."

"You know the wild doesn't suit me, Mother.. Umbra.." The dragon frowned with the name, looking down, but back to the angel, with understanding and sad eyes,"However, maybe a few years won't hurt me.."
Umbra hugged his neck, his head resting on her shoulder,"Welcome home, Irral."

There was a moment of silence as the two hugged.

"But why did you leave the Empire, why did you leave Me?" Irral pulled away. He asked, sounding a bit hurt, remembering the question that had burned for years in his mind.
Umbra looked down, remembering a flash of her darkest hour. "Because, you can't follow someone who throws you to the wolves.. Who betrays your trust, who breaks you, who cares not for your well being.."
'But I do care.. It was to make you stronger in the darkness..' Umbra heard inside her head. It sounded a little like her daughter, but it was duel toned.. There was a males voice too, it sent chills up her spine, and her wings raised in fear.
Irral looked to his mother, "Are you alright? You've gone white.."
'You've always been so innocent, but smart. You've always known how to think like monster I always wanted you to be.. but you're heart never quite gave into my darkness.' Then the voice changed a little, the female voice more prominent,'I know what you did, Mother. Both you and Daddy, in order to hide me from the joys of evil, and Corruption.. You killed men and woman.. You sacrificed them to Daraku.. They where very delicious.. Even in your hiding you couldn't completely escape.. Even now you live only because I will it Mother. You and Father where cowards, trying to stop me from finding out my True place as Daraku's avatar.. as the Goddess of the Eclipse.'
Umbra's face was contorted in emotional pain and utter hopelessness, tears streaming down. "My daughter.." She sniffed. "Whatever can I do to sway you?!"

But there was no answer, for Nisshoku had gone, with her, Daraku.
Irral wrapped his tail and wings around her, now having an inkling of what was going on. "Does she wish to kill us?" He asked softly, coiled around her sobbing form.
"Of course not.. The evil Torture the miserable and helpless! We are cursed to live a thousand lifetimes.. and you and I will watch all we know die, be corrupted, and changed.. In the end you will die, and again, I'll be completely alone.."