It had been days since the battle had ended and the forest had reprocessed the once peaceful realm, the royal families of the three kingdoms that came to the aid of the Shadow Lands when they were in need of it the most, with the Warriors Five and the what remained of the bandits. Along with the young children of those who had fallen. AJ and Punk had Saraya where as Brie and Daniel had their own son Nathaniel as well as young Anna, Andy also stood nearby with Konnor where as Alice stood with what remained of her family, Katarina close by. Each of them had returned to help those who were injured in the battle and to bury their friends. Although AJ was both surprised and rather confused to see Mandy once again walking around, confused about what had happened to her and why the realm had been over run by the forest, AJ was more confused as she was the one who had driven the dagger through the chin of the other woman, knowing it had killed her. Alice on the other hand had quickly realised the enchantment that cursed Mandy, Autumn and Jinder to stay with in the boarders of the now realm of the fallen was also the reason why the traitorous blond was walking around as if she had never been killed in the first place.

Each of them stood at the graves for the friends and all those who had fallen including Lana from Bright-Blade who had been killed by Mandy as she attempted to flee the shop she worked with Layla in, the large group stood before the graves of their friends watching in awe as the stones moved on their own creating the sturdy stone tombs for each of them who had fallen in battle, just as they watch in amazement as other rocks formed tomb stones for the fallen soldier with the names, date of birth and date of death on, Punk smiled slightly upon realising the remaining three Wyatt's had been laid to rest by their brother so they would once again be reunited in the next life. Andy stood with his friends and what remained on the bandits, holding Konnor in his arms, he like everyone there knew the once great realm would become the focal point of stories and legends told to children and the ruins would be a subject or exploration, they all knew the realm would never return to how it once was, to how they remembered it no matter how much they wished it would.

"Here lies Sami Zayn, a great friend and a flawless captain of the Shadow Soldiers. He stayed loyal to his royal family and friends until the very end, even when he was given his chance to survive he came back to make sure those he loved didn't suffer" spoke Andy, tears in his eyes as Prince Randy and his father stood either side of him, the young boy in his arms luckily too young to understand what was happening. "He gave his life in service to his Queen Paige, he followed her loyally until the end and sacrificed his life to save mine, to make sure I returned to my family. Goodbye Sami, may you find peace and be reunited with those you loved so much" finished the Prince of Helmsley, smiling sadly as he remembered Sami had pushed him out of the way to prevent him being killed by a Credence soldier whom had swung his sword his way, it was then he looked to the young prince in his arms and noticed AJ held on to something as if her life depended on it.

"We lay Roman to rest, knowing he did everything he could to protect Princess Nikki, even when she ran into the thickness of war and attempted to stop Autumn and Mandy after Paige's death. He fell before he could reach her, but did so as an honourable man and in her service. Now he will be forever entombed besides her and Prince Viktor, her protector for all time" spoke King Daniel thankful someone had been there to protect his sister in law, as well as be a friend to her when she needed on the most. Even when he was aware it could lead to his own death, Roman had stayed by her side determined she would be reunited with her daughter, although Nikki hadn't made it through the battle he was sure she would be watching over them as all who had fallen would be.

"I stand here to lay my sister to rest one final time, she said once she would never find her happy ending after all the broken promises, but the day our father told her she was going to marry her long time love in Viktor, she knew her happy ending had finally been found. I know wherever she is now she will be looking down and watching each of the people she loved dearly and she will be guiding Anna. I love you my beautiful twin sister and now I know the pain Viktor once felt when Konnor fell, we shall meet again some day my beloved sister" whispered Brie not being able to encourage herself to speak any louder, especially when she looked down to the little girl her husband held in his arms, so innocent yet she had lost so much from that one battle, her parents, members of her family and the only place she had ever called home. Brie had never thought she would know the pain Viktor had once felt when he lost Konnor, yet there she was feeling the same unbearable pain, she hated the feeling and hoped it would one day become more bearable, so she could remember her sister without ending in tears.

"Viktor, he was a brave man, even when he was told by his father King Mark he wouldn't be king, he didn't care. All he wanted was to be there when his siblings needed him. When Konnor fell in the war three years prior, he was so afraid he would lose Paige too, he felt so much pain when he lost his twin, a pain he never really healed from, that pain only got worse when his father unexpectedly passed on leaving Paige and Seth as the rulers of their realm. He was a good friend and a fair prince to those who once lived here, although not biologically he was a proud father to Anna. Find peace my friend and your everlasting happiness with Nikki and your family" spoke Sheamus remembering when he had seen Viktor days after the battle when Paige was yet to wake up and Konnor had passed on, he knew things were getting better when he married Nikki and when Princess Anna was born. The King of Bright-Blade could only smile at some of the memories he had of the young prince.

"When Dean was told by Viktor, Paige had chosen him to be her protector, he was surprised yet so overjoyed about it because it would me he wasn't to be separated from Roman and Seth. The three were like brothers and he had gained a close friendship with Paige during the time he lived in these lands. He was a great friend to everyone who knew him and took his responsibilities as a father and queen's protector seriously, treating both as if they were the highest honour. I remember he said once he didn't think he would be more than a bandit who was force to flee from his home. Yet years later he came to call the Queen of the Shadows a friend and sister, he followed her until the end and now lays at her side on final time. Rest in peace Dean, we know when the sun and rain come together it will be you playing havoc once more" announced Galina not being able to bring herself to say a few words for her husband but could do it for one who was close to him, a small smile appeared on her lips to see who was buried to his right, Summer.

"If you told Seth a few years ago, he was going to get everything he dreamt about and more, he would have told you to look around, he was a bandit living off the land and travelling aimlessly through the forest. Yet that day I went back because I heard a girl shouting for help, he unknowingly got everything he wanted. He got Paige, he got his perfect partner who went on to become his wife and mother of his only child. Through marriage he went from an unknown bandit to Prince Seth and later King. He took all of his responsibilities seriously and learnt to love the peaceful realm because those who called him home loved and accepted him" spoke Punk looking at the little girls in his arms, he felt for her. She was a princess by birth and the rightful heir to the now forest realm they were standing it, yet all she was to inherit was the memories and magic of the past. "I promise you Seth, your little girl will be loved, she will know who you and Paige were and how much you love her, she will make you the proud father you were destined to be, goodbye my brother" finished Punk whispering towards the end at the thought of never seeing his two toned friend again but knowing he would never be alone especially when he lay besides his wife in eternal rest.

"Paige, she cared so much for the people who were around her, when I first met her she was a princess lost in the woods, at that time I was completely unaware she was the Sorceress who had protected us bandits during the night. When she married Seth, she was at her true happiest, although her heart had been broken when she lost her oldest brother. She carried on in his memory as all of us must do for each of our fallen friends" spoke AJ barely auditable to those the other side of the tombs, her voice barely a whisper as she fought to hold back her tears, she went to where the raven haired queen lay, in a beautiful black gown wearing her crown and white roses woven into her raven hair, AJ carefully place the onyx in which she held in Paige's hands, knowing those who knew her from her time before her reign as queen would know the meaning behind it. "When I see a black rose my sister, I will think of you. You will always be our ghost of a rose" added the small brunette woman before returning to her husbands side and taking her now adopted daughter into her arms, she knew Saraya didn't understand her parents were never coming back, just as she knew one day the year old girl would ask where her parents were and about the realm she had once called home.

"Here lies the royal family of the Shadow Lands, Prince Viktor the topaz prince and Princess Nikki the diamond princess, Queen Paige the onyx princess and her King Seth the tanzanite prince. Along with all three of their loyal friends and protectors, Sami Zayn the ruby prince, Dean Ambrose the emerald prince and Roman Reigns the iolite prince. May they be remembered for their bravery and kindness in war, our memories will be steal alongside their tombs and passed down from one generation to the next, may we hope they found each other in their place of peace and one day we may once again see them and join them in their peaceful existence as they watch each generation and the world. When we look at things they loved so much we will remember them and smile as we were blessed to know them" spoke Hunter, remembering the traditions of the land and naming each of them after the gem stones, he could remember Konnor's as well as Summer, Lacey and Jimmy's when they had been put to rest. Each of them slowly left the grounds of the old cemetery seeing the trio trapped there until such time they were forgiven walking around the ruins of the nearby city, they knew the only ones to forgive them were the children of the fallen, just as each of them wondered if it would ever happen.

~ Years Later ~

It had been years since the fall of the Shadow Lands and the funerals for those who had perished. Anna was now twenty-five years old, she was happily married with her own children, just as she had been raised by her aunt and uncle, growing up as the princess of Eprea like her mother had done before her. Each day she was told of her mother and step-father whenever she asked about them, although she knew Viktor had been her step father, she had never shown interest in knowing her true father, not even when he come to her in the hopes of taking her away so he could bound with her and raise her somewhere else. Alice had gone to Helmsley with her daughter Katarina, trying her best to hide who her daughter truly was, but when Katarina was fifteen one of the warriors five told her of her heritage and how she was by birth a princess, her mother had told her the truth after that including who her father and his side of the family were and why neither of them were around. The former princess Alice was never able to tell her daughter the place she had called home for the first years of her life had been destroyed and was nothing more than ruins within the forest.

Saraya was now twenty three years old, she had been told stories of the Shadow Lands and unknowingly to her, her favourite story growing up was actually about her parents, she had grown up on stories of the great kingdom of magic. Yet never understood them until she reached her teenage years and her magic began to show, when it did she realised the magic in the stories was real and the people mentioned in those very stories were also her family members. She had found an old picture of her mother with both her older brothers as well as another of her father with the people he called family, just as she learnt to master her magic and knew her magic came from her mother the Onyx Princess. She could remember a small poem written through the years by Queen Brie of Eprea, often she remembered the words, especially when she felt as if she was alone. The daughter of the last royal couple of the Shadow Lands. She had also kept her father's sword as well as a jewel both her parents were named after, a tanzanite and onyx necklace. Like both Katarina and Anna she had also married, although through her own she had become the very thing she was born to be. A queen.

The three girls had organised a trip to the part of the forest that was once the great kingdom all three of them had been born and lived in, as well as the realm where each of them had lost someone close to them. Anna had lost her parents, much like Saraya had, where as Katarina had lost her father and almost every member of the family on his side. When the three arrived there, they went through the old crumbling abandoned towns and villages until they reached Shadow City. There they seen the old rotting market stalls set up by owners as if they were going to come back to them, the streets had been broken apart by the tree roots and moss over running it, even the glass in the windows had been smashed. Yet the sight of the once great palace in partial ruin caught each of them off guard, even more so when the three responsible for so much pain and suffering appeared from the ruins of the castle, having barely aged over the twenty odd years they had been trapped there. Mandy recognised Katarina almost instantly, to which she went over to her and took hold of her hands.

"Katarina" spoke Mandy her voice rough and almost as broken as her spirits had become, after spending so long trapped their with the same people as company she had realised her mistakes yet couldn't do anything to repent them, just as she felt overwhelming guilt whenever she passed by the cemetery where all those who had died lay, she often spoke to Viktor the only man had truly loved, although she never seen his ghost nor ever heard his voice, it was almost like she had been cut off from the spirit world by the choices she had made so many years ago. Mandy was more surprised to see a small tiara upon all three girl's heads, signalling all three were still recognised as royalty despite the place they were royalty of being destroyed so many years before. Katarina could only nod to the almost question the blond woman had ask, knowing from the stories and her own memories on who the woman holding on to her hands were. She knew all three of them had agreed on with the remaining bandits would effect so much.

"You're free to leave the boarders of this kingdom Mandy, but not all those who survived have granted you forgiveness as I am yet to do. Anna and Saraya on the other hand do grant it in memory of their parents" spoke the oldest princess of the Shadow Lands, reaching in to her bag and pulling out a rolled up piece of parchment giving it to the blond. She watched as Mandy turned towards the brunette and raven haired girls Katarina had travelled there with, recognition in her eyes it dawned on her they were the two other princesses of the realm, although she could see at least one of them held a higher status than the rest. Just as she was thankful the two girls had granted her forgiveness despite everything she had done and all she had a helping hand in taking away from them. "The others ask you keep away from them, as they only wish to live out their lives in peace rather than have a reminder of what they lost" added the older one of the three girls, watching as Mandy took the rolled up parchment, she was at least free the leave the realm which had become her prison over the years. To the surprise of all three girls Mandy wrapped her arms tightly around them almost as if she was happy to see they had survived and in a sense come home.

"Thank you for allowing me to leave this fallen kingdom. I'm sorry the three of you had to grow up not knowing one or both your parents, just as I am sorry for the part I played. Konnor would be proud of the woman you have become Katarina as Viktor would be of Anna, just as both Seth and Paige would be proud of who their baby girl grew to be" spoke Mandy before running from the old ruined city, not stopping to look back to the two she had be imprisoned with and argued with near enough every day for years. She knew this was her second chance to make things right with those she had hurt, just as she knew there was a possibility those who remained of the bandits wouldn't be pleased to see her or even speak to her after all the pain and hurt she had caused them so many years before hand. She only looked back to memorise the features of the three girls should she come across them again in the future.

"Well are you going to grant us our freedom?" asked Jinder with a demanding tone and anger in his voice, he like Autumn had heard the whispers of a true born heir taking the throne of Credence when he came of age, with the help of the former Prince Andy, turned Credence from a cruel and unjust place to one of freedom and peacefulness almost identical to how the Shadow Lands were once ruled. The true born heir had also married although the name of the woman hadn't been spoken by any of those who travelled through the ruined kingdom in the forest. Prince Andy had however gone on to rule Credence while the true heir grew up, as well as invited what remained of the bandits to live there, AJ and Punk had accepted, there they had raised the daughter of their best friends where she was free to practice magic without anyone sentencing her to a fate worse than death. Although it had confused Autumn and himself of who this true born heir was as both had assumed neither Lacey or Summer had children before their death's much like Autumn didn't with either of her marriages.

"It is not our place to grant you the freedom you desire, even if it was we wouldn't do it. Why would we grant you something you desire so much, when you never once cared for another around you. When you were cruel and sadistic rulers who wanted nothing more than to cause pain and suffering to those around you. You Autumn executed your own younger sisters and brother in law. Neither of you have done anything to deserve freedom, Mandy accepted what she had done was wrong against people who trusted her, eventually those she hurt will forgive her" spoke Anna revealing they weren't the ones who could give the pair what they desired although she knew who that man was, just as she knew rather well he was likely to deny them their chance at freedom if only to save the four remaining kingdoms the suffering and cruelty that would be released when they were.

"The only living one who can grant you your freedom, is your nephew King Konnor. The son of Dean Ambrose and Summer. We asked him along with us, yet he refused in favour of ruling his kingdom in peace, he also said his family members are dead. Prince Andy took him and raised him, making sure he would be prepared for when he took the throne. He made sure to teach him the ways and traditions of the Shadow Lands, making sure what once lived in this fallen kingdom didn't die with the people who fell" spoke Saraya revealing who the king and true born heir was, just as she revealed Summer had indeed bore a child before her death. She could see their surprise to learn of the truth and almost secret just as she knew they would be just as horrified to learn she was the current ruling queen of Credence, where cruelty and the ways both Autumn and Jinder had ruled were a thing of the past and part of the dark history of the now peaceful kingdom. "Credence will never return to its cruel ways, your reign is apart of its forgotten history now" added Saraya not even bothering to mention she was the queen, or even caring to hear their words before walking away to the cemetery near by.

Upon entering the cemetery where their family members were laid to rest one final time, each of the girls looked to each other and remembered their close friendship and family relationship, by rights they were first cousins just as they had grown up with the information for the most part at least. All three girls knew from the magic the fallen kingdom had running through it the ghosts of those who had gone before them would appear. Plus there was something Saraya had hoped to tell both Dean and Summer, when they reached the grave stones they were granted the sight of the ghosts of those who were laid to rest there, from Roman to the former king and queen in Michelle and Mark. Each of girls could only look to each other and smile, it was clear to both Saraya and Anna that Katarina didn't know how to react to what she was seeing although she knew how it was possible.

"Uncle Dean, Aunt Summer" spoke Saraya looking to both of them with a small smile on her lips, sensing her parents had come to stand either side of her, Mandy was right they were proud of her. "Your son Konnor is doing well as the Credence King, he grew up in Credence with Andy, he raised him once he got him from Eprea. Like you Uncle Dean he has a wicked sense of humour with Summer's kind heart, Credence has evolved into a free and peaceful kingdom since he and Andy have worked together to change it" added the Queen of Credence, she knew at least Summer would recognise the crown she wore, as it was the one Summer herself had once worn as a child when she was growing up in Credence, just as she knew only Summer and maybe her parents would also know it symbolised being Queen.

"Roman" gently spoke Anna looking over to the Samoan man who appeared to be so sad, she knew she could give him a little cheer up by informing him what happened to his beloved wife he had ended up leaving behind. "Galina is still alive, she settled with AJ and Punk in Credence, there she remarried and named her first born son after you. She still carries a picture of you wherever she goes and has taken it upon herself to tell the children of the kingdom the story of the bandits and the princess as well as other stories of this once beautiful realm and the people whom gave their lives for it" continued Anna revealing Galina had once again found her happiness and went onto have the family she had once been so excited to have, as well as revealing she had never forgotten her first love or the people she had lost so many years prior.

"Neither of you have been forgotten, you are more like legends now like the Dark Sorceress is a myth. The prince and princess of the gem stones still live on through memories and stories though. The great Sapphire Queen and her Undertaker King is one beloved by children in all kingdoms as if the love of the Moonstone Prince" spoke Katarina looking over to where her father stood when she said Moonstone Prince, she knew he would be proud she had carried on and become a strong woman and mother, just as she knew how he had died so long. Just as she was aware he would always be remembered just like all of them buried there would be, much like the rest he would be with her no matter where she went because she held them in her heart.

"You guys have some names to be remembered by even Lacey and Jimmy" spoke Anna a small smile creeping on her lips as she began to remember them, even how her aunt and uncle had made sure children around Eprea knew them if only to make sure the people who they referred to lived forever. "The Sapphire Queen and Undertaker King are Michelle and Mark, Ruby Prince is Sami, Roman became known as the Iolite Prince, Uncle Konnor has always been the Moonstone Prince, just like mom and dad became the Diamond Princess and Topaz Prince. Dean became the Emerald Prince with Summer being the Amethyst Princess. The ghosts of Raven Hill are Lacey and Jimmy where as Uncle Seth and Aunt Paige have two each depending on the story. They are either the Tanzanite Prince and Onyx Princess or the Bandit King and the Raven Queen" added Anna as she remember their names from the stories, she always remembered wanting to go to Raven Hill to see the ghosts there or hear more about the bandit king and his raven queen. She could only smile bigger upon realising they had been immortalised as prince and princesses apart from Michelle and Mark who were the king and queen.

"Leave here beautiful princesses of this realm" spoke Mark looking at each of the three girls knowing they were no doubt confused on why he was asking them to leave. "Our land must be left to the forest, Saraya your mother was the most powerful of our bloodline, there will never be another with such power again, thrust there will be none who can bring our home back. It is destined to fade in the myths and legends as we are. Your magic will always be with you, passed down from generation to generation as it always has been, but let the Shadow Lands became the land of the fallen, let it fade from existence. It was war and greed that destroyed this kingdom and so many beloved people, neither of you should suffer the same fate nor should the rest of the world. Let the kingdom fall into stories and myths that way no one else can be hurt by the two imprisoned here" explained Mark revealing why he was asking them to leave and allow the once great realm to fade into myths and legend while the buildings crumbled and the wood rotted away all of it waiting to be rediscovered again. The former king waited for each of the girls to nod before showing them his proud smile, whilst knowing they would never truly understand especially since all three were royalty of the now kingdom of the fallen as they had always been.

As the three girls left the palace, they each grinned at what they had discovered, the myths of the ghosts there were true and brought back by the magic which ran through the kingdom, as were the cursed ones who were forbidden from leaving the lands they had helped to destroy, never to find freedom or peace again. They all knew they would one day see Mandy again, just as they knew she would struggle with the new world, it had been twenty years since she had last seen the world, so much had changed and evolved since them, so much was different.

"What is magic? Is it my power runs so deep there is no limit? Then tell me why I feel so alone? My love is thicker than water, by my strength feels so shallow. Magic is responsibility. Its devotion, love and loyalty given to all my number ones. I got a bird to take care of that's more precious that a dove, and a twin with half my heart and a family I'll love. Another family I'm connected to goes beyond blood. We fight, train and hit and do it all for fun. They aren't like most families, they are my life blood. Their ravishing and Gothic and can glow like the sun. We've become royalty of people's hearts, the best there was, the best there is and the best there ever will be. Its our faithfulness that has given us all the right parts. Love and all we do will help us stand and rise above fears of fitting in or think one day our loved ones will say goodbye. So I'm high in the sky let me hear all your fears. Just promise me one thing, give me all of your sad tears. Because tonight around this fire and under these stars, a new person you will be and all I ask is you'll always forgive me" spoke Saraya as she remember the words to the poem Queen Brie had written so long ago, in memory of those who had been lost including her own twin sister. Each of the girls smiled as they left the lands they were born in, feeling a sense peace and knowing if they ever felt along again all they had to do was think of the ones they loved and the gem stone royalty.

The Shadow Lands were never rebuilt after the war. The three former princesses instead made sure the legacy and legends of the once great kingdom lived on, telling the stories of each of the people who had been buried there. Over time Seth and Paige became remembered as the Bandit King and Raven Queen rather than the Tanzanite Prince and Onyx Princess. Autumn and Jinder were never freed from their prison in the fallen kingdom, instead they lived for hundreds of years, destined to age slowly every decade until they finally passed on, even then peace evaded them as they were reincarnated to learn from their past mistakes and try at life once more, destined to relive life over and over again until they learnt to change their ways at which point they would be freed from their never ending torment and be allowed to finally find the peace they had been denied.

Helmsley, Bright-Blade, Eprea and Credence all found peace with each other. That peace lasted until those from across the seas finally arrived and invaded their lands. Credence and Eprea both fell to the conquering kings, Helmsley joining them not long after where as Bright-Blade was the last to fall. With King Stephan falling at the hands of a brutal conquering king, his final words being the names of those who he was to join including his parents and great warriors of the past. He knew all to well he was to join them and thrust welcomed death as if it was an old friend he had been expecting for years, rather than something to be feared. Eventually all five kingdoms and the people who lived in each of them faded in to legends of time, those legends soon became myths and thrust were eventually forgotten as he world moved on along with the existence of magic.

Yet although the five kingdoms and the magic of the Shadow Lands became lost with time, some things they once believed in live on. Their belief in love being the power everyone processes, peace and the power of choice. As does the debt all living things must pay. Death. The other thing that still remains was the very thing that ultimately destroyed the peaceful kingdoms, the one thing that never seems to fade, even when so many wish it would have died with the five kingdoms. War.

~ End ~

A/N – Thank you for reading and for all support I have received on this. Much appreciated. Again thank you. Paige S-J Black.