Breathing Life into Darkness

He lay asleep in the chair dreaming as he looked around the dream. He laid on his back, his head resting on his wife's lap. He'd dreamt of her frequently and didn't forget her. She was the memories that drove him. She kept him on the path of honor and many other things. Resting his eyes and mind were part of the due process for the young Emperor. Ghislain's hand reached up and touched her cheek. "I miss you so much, Elizabeth. I did something reckless so I guess you came to scold me?" His eyes looked up and she touched his hand. That soft delicate touch of the kind you can't find in the world. She had a delicate nature as she leaned down to kiss him on his lips. Was this a real a meeting between the Husband and Wife? It was hard to say as he responded to her touch. He felt the waves of her hair cover him in warmth. Ghislain wouldn't lie every time he saw her. It felt like his heart skipped beats. Nothing in this world compared to dreams or even memories about her. He hoped he could join her wherever she went. If she was in hell he would join her without fail. He didn't care about the suffering or pain that came. Ghislain was loyal to Elizabeth and always had been. His wife's essence didn't exist in him like others. He wasn't the Emperor at the time. He felt like these dreams were her way of coming down to scold him. She didn't speak they shared quiet moments like this one. Beneath a Norway Maple Tree common to the region. This was Germany before the world changed so drastically. He remembered those images, the skies so blue you could sink into them. It was a beautiful world in every aspect one could imagine. She and he would share this tender moment that came so rarely for the Emperor. Ghislain wasn't sure why as maybe it was mercy or just his desire. It didn't really matter as this brought him happiness. She ran her delicate fingers through his blonde hair as he lay there. Ghislain's time here was at an end, he would see her another time hopefully.


His eyes opened slowly fluttering back to life. He'd fallen asleep for a day as his orbs focused on the body of Hulderic. It seemed most of the reishi had been restored thus far. The Babylon Mainframe was carrying its share of the load. But Ghislain had yet to really reveal his power as the Architect just yet. His power to do so wasn't something that came easy by any means. First thing was to recreate the destroyed Voldstandig of Hulderic Hylham. He remembered every detail, as his eyes shut. Studying it and taking in every single point of it as he brought both hands upwards. Slowly a spark formed in front of him as matter began to create the figure of the Voldstandig. It was a slow process but nowhere near as taxing as yesterdays. He still had a headache from that part. Remembering everything Hulderic had done and experienced. Pushing memories into the brain to make sure everything functioned. The power needed was being fueled to the body by the Citadel Mainframe. There were some clear drawbacks that came from Hulderic being formed.

Ghislain had worked himself to exhaustion to do the feat for the man. Creating Hulderic wasn't a simple feat that came without effort. He'd damaged himself and needed time to recover from it. But creating Hulderic's Voldstandig was a rather simple task. It was easier than making one from scratch. He exhaled as he used his gravity powers and levitated it to Hulderic's frame. His form stood up as he put the badge form of Hulderic's on Hulderic's clothing. Everything had been painstakingly recreated at the moment of death. Ghislain memorized every single detail and fabric of the man. Now came the last pieces of the puzzle for Hulderic Hylham. The first was to move his essence into the body. And after that, it would be messy in here. He needed to push every last bit of energy in him into the body. Bringing the Matter to life and creating the body of his former Emperor. He couldn't return the two lost things to the man. This wasn't life it was a job of serving to protect those who weren't ready.

Ghislain knew Hulderic and Yhwach understood. Right now the Quincy were shaken and needed protection at this place. This key moment in memory they needed a defender. Who better than the two Emperors with their combined experience. Ghislain could restore them to full power mostly due to his power as the Architect. He knew the exact amount they had when alive. He was able to calculate and judge how long they would need. Yhwach was the real hard one that he couldn't do right now. Hulderic was within his capabilities. Something he assumed Yhwach had figured out from a glance. Perhaps it came from the training the two did together. Ghislain's breathing slowed for a moment as he brought both hands in front of him. This was a process that was slow and would require a moment. He was retrieving the essence of Hulderic Hylham. It wasn't something like pulling a fish or power out. He was getting the Emperor's essence that slept in him awakened and brought forward.

It wasn't so easy to do either as he felt the Emperor's essence in a way set before him. He shoved it forward with one hand slamming it into the chest of Hulderic. Just as it went all the way in the body came life. Air exhaled from it as though life had come into being. The eyes cleared and came into focus as he caught Ghislain's frame. "Easy does it Ghi, you can't be falling apart yet. After all your not done right?" Ghislain caught his own breath and rubbed at his eyes using Hulderic to aid himself up. "Correct only one part remains to fuel your body with the needed resources." He said thinking on the energy output right now. Hulderic's body was fragile presently he'd not returned the power to the Emperor yet. He'd been pouring it in and the body had taken it well. Now came the hardest part perhaps before him. Using his power and crashing down upon Hulderic all his strength. Making sure every drop flowed back into the man and allowed him his power.

A defender for the future stood before him, nothing so simple as a dream or lost memory. Hulderic and Yhwach knew the mistakes they'd made. By letting their personal grudge and vendettas finally kill this species. Ghislain was set on fixing the broken past. The White Past between the three and hidden ambition was something hard to ignore. They met on a cold day in Germany first. Ghislain remembered that day clearly as he walked over sitting down. Directing Hulderic to stay connected to the Babylon's tether for now. Ghislain crossed his legs as he focused and concentrated. He needed to dig deep for this to be completed entirely. This was his duty as Emperor to use the resources he had for protection. Ghislain could, of course, awaken Yhwach as well. But something told him his power wasn't there yet or the former Emperor had a goal. Did he plan to try and take Ghislain's body? No that was unlikely due to the nature of their contract and how it functioned.

Yhwach's essence was there not his soul, it made it impossible to take control. Ghislain sat as the entire structure began to tremble. The Citadel began making repairs and studying the room as barriers and other things were put in place. Protecting the outside area as he sat channeling his power. Precise control, he needed to summon the exact amount forward. Hulderic's power was immense and half had been handled. He had been doing every single calculation one could imagine. Thinking and finding the answer to what Hulderic' current power was. It was an easy answer as the condensed orb in front of him tried to grow only to be made smaller. He was channeling enough force to destroy a portion of Antarctica in his hands. Keeping the condensed energy stabilized and in front of him was hard. This was energy that was for Hulderic especially. It was designed for that body and everything. Ghislain was the Architect something few could claim. He'd never seen Yhwach look surprised before.

It wasn't as though his power had a great deal of combat effectiveness. It was a power that came with its own set of rules. He could create many things he'd seen or came into contact with. He was able to memorize how they were crafted and make them. That was why his Bankai that was stolen worked differently from others. He'd made a method for the Bankai to sustain itself off of his own powers. Ghislain was that gifted when it came to these fields. It wasn't as though he was an equal to some greats. But he did earn his right to stand among them. He was a gifted inventor and designer in his own right. Though he never saw what he did as inventing really. This was merely his way of doing something. Anything for the people who needed it most. Ghislain was a capable hand at best in his mind. He kept precise watch over the energy occasionally compressing its size. Making sure when he fired this into Hulderic's body it didn't explode. Killing both of them with some foolish accident would have been dumb.

Hell of a thing to explain to his wife at that. He wanted to see her after a Heroic passing, not something stupid like that. So his focus remained razor sharp as he watched the locked room closely. The Mainframe kept the place together from imploding on itself. This was going well for the most part. His applying the defenses too it was wise. The amount of power present was amazing. The shame was he couldn't just take this power for himself. The drawback on his power the Architect was that. No matter what he created he couldn't use it for personal usage. That was one of the rules set on his power he realized early on. He tried to give himself a second Voldstandig and well that didn't work. He was, however, able to make his own different from any other one present at the time. Ghislain's creativity in that regard was immense. The only thing he could really complain about was how taxing it was. This part was all about being precise with his energy control and creation.

Manipulation was something Ghislain was extremely good at with his power as an A. This wasn't something he intended to do all the time, however. Making the second version of himself with his powers aside from releases would be interesting. Ghislain could have done that now that he thought about it. Someone able to use his powers with its own supply of reishi it generated. That was a fascinating idea for later on and fighting. Ghislain slowly moved his hand over and under the orb. He released it now gently to float into the chest of Hulderic. He watched as it traveled in slow motion almost. He couldn't fathom it moving any faster. His body tensed as he got ready for what came next. Annihilation or Salavation was the question as he watched it touch Hulderic's chest. The orb went inside before a massive explosion of spiritual pressure went out. The process had been a success he spoke now as he fell backwards. "Stay in the Citadel for a while and let the Mainframe examine you..Make sure your stablized to protect them." Ghislain had done the impossible and created Hulderic a body and returned him to his power. He felt exhausted as a bed formed under his body and he drifted into slumber.