Let Me Not - Part I: Cage of Souls

[Heart of Zaga]

Let Me Not - Part I: Cage of Souls

1981

Asside from everything that had happened to us the weeks before I was amazed to see Selene in that kind of vitality. The only time I'd had a glimpse of that joyful face, just like a kid on a candy store, was when she did indulge in sweets months before when the money streamed like deleur out of the fountain I stood in front of that night. It was a Party. A party only fit for the aristocracy of Alerar. The hostess had been splendid on her presentation, from the beautiful way the food had been placed, to the ornate silk-print invitations.

My mistress received no such thing. During those days I remember she used to bask on free-loading: leeching resources, pleasure, and comfort wherever she could take a bite off it. She refused to relinquish the luxurious lifestyle she had enjoyed so far. Bluntly, she was a brat, I have to love her either way; she and I are one.

Selene sent me a couple minutes prior to fetch her some of that liquid, alcoholic gold humans call deleur. Without knowing any better I discretely submerged a long glass into the bottom of the fountain. Immediately after a thousand instigating glances from people around fell upon me, for a second I felt like a criminal running around naked again. A servant, ironically of a higher end than me modestly grasped my arm, taking the glass from my hand and placing one fresh from his tray instead. Half embarrassed and half pissed I wobbled back to mylady who was sitting a couple dozen yards away in one of the tables in the higher end of the room; Selene had followed me with her eyes through the saloon, witnessing my scene. She forced the glass off my hand and gave me a 'thank you, love' in a tone no more softer than her grasp. After I'd sat down she leaned froward, elbows on table, and began her whispering reprimand.

"I can't believe you just did that."

"I apologize, I didn't know" I answered honestly

"How can you not realize you're not supposed to take from the fountain. Even a chimp would've given into peer preasure."

"What are you talking about?"

"Did you ever see anyone else put their glass in that fountain?" She snapped, "No, you didn't. Know why? Because only the hosts drink from the fountain, and that woman hasn't even done it yet. Maybe if you'd dressed a little bit more nicely you would've passed as a host. Look at your face, can you be more obvious?" she waved at me, turning her face away for a moment, "I wish I could leave you home."

"Well, I- you see. um" I retorted clumsily.

"Why did you even bother walking back here? Didn't you hear me tell you not to?"

"But you didn't say anything!"

"My stare should be good enough, I made a thousand faces, I thought you'd get a hint and walked away- hoped you might've been smart enough to simply walk out of the party all together." She paused for a second and took a deep breath after which her tone shifted from anger to that of disappointment, "And on top of everything you walk back here so everyone can see who you're with. I think Sprite-thgings were supposed to be wise"

"I never said wise meant tactful..."

Ashamed, but above everything, feeling miserable I felt it necessary to defend my blasphemous actions. "Well I think its all silly"

"-What is?" The question escaped her faintly as she clumped on a piece of Reclant Cake.

"Having a fountain of deleur no one can drink off! Do you realize how much that thing is worth?! If I worked from one year I would only be able to make enough gold to buy an two ounces of that thing. Besides, it isn't any better than the crane kind and that one is much less expensive-"

It took me a couple seconds, and Selene's intense stare, for me to measure what I'd just spouted without the decency of whispering. I heard a couple giggles from the two girls who where seated behind us; the stare of their companions burnt through my back. The whispering was the worst, it flew through the air like poison through water that took no time to greatly upset the mistress. Selene slowly pressed her hand against my lap and grasped it as hard as her nails could before breaking, straightened her body toward me and gave me a stare that got its message across.

'Don't open your mouth again or I'll make sure to stitch it shut when we get home'.

[Fatina]

Gently she placed her hand on Selene's shoulder. Painting the most honest of -fake- smiles she came to the young man's aid. "Don't be so hard on him, lass. It's the first time he's been in a place like this isn't it?" Zaga nodded slightly, "I should have given him a briefing on what to expect."

She tapped her companions shoulder and with this she sat to Selene's right. They were sharing one of the best tables in the venue, a large house that easily outshone the cottages surrounding it. Around it beautiful rose gardens bloomed and eventually disappeared into a wide grass field were the horses trained in the afternoon and let loose to enjoy the free land of the Alerar fields. The moon was two days short of being full, regardless, it shone bright with all the splendor of a cloudless summer-night sky. Although the scenery was beautiful, what could be seen through the tall window-doors was just another added decor to the room, thus equally ignored like all others.

Fatina took a glance of the lady beside her. Her long brown hair had been nicely combed into a structural style, exalted, by the dozens of carets of jewelry that'd been placed on her persona. She had borrowed one of the better gowns in her arsenal, a dark, wine-colored dress made out of some fine silk embroiled with shimmering rubies. Selene looked like something out of a nymph tale or someone you would expect to see them spread their stuff in Aphrodite's lore. Fatina was jealous, only slightly. If she weren't so sure her better-developed curvature gave her an edge over her younger companion, she would have stripped the dress right off the girl's back.

Fatina knew the girl. She knew her mother much better, and only met Selene before when she was a little toddler; to her advantage, Selene was too young then to remember, but Fatina sure did. For a while Selene had been the object of her hate; a plausible ransom token against the woman who almost destroyed her life. The now Matriarch of the Du'vedevich's had seen days far different from her current pompous lifestyle. She was a whore. But if any merit can be given to her; she only prowled after aristocrats. A high-class harlot if there can be such a thing. A whore is a whore is a whore, but for someone audacious enough to become the mistress of one of her many husbands, it might as well be a dead one.

In the Past Fatina has used marriage as a tool to futher her goals, once she'd taken what she needed it was easy to pawn another woman on her man, cry adultery and get an annulment, hopefully gaining some of the mans fortune with it. The man in question had been no different, but madame Du'Vedevich had gotten ahead of herself. It is not as if Fatina had loved the man; she'd never loved anything as far as her memory allowed her, much less a human. Her children, maybe, but that was a memory of the past she couldn't see quite clearly. What had bothered her then was that one of her men had been stolen, specially when she didnt lack anything as a woman, quite the contrary.

It didn't take long for her to notice her late husband's frequent excursions to the alleys. She ignored it until there was an outcome: Almost a year of turning a blind eye to the affair the prostitute gave birth, almost twenty years later, that same infant sat next to her that evening. Fatina had already plotted the three deaths; Selene would not have been an exception.

Soon after however, the woman married a young lord of the Du'Vedevich family. Back then that much had satisfied her, weather or not Selene was a real Du'vedevich or the bastard child or her old puppet's didn't matter to her. Before she sank deep into the corruption she'd once actually cared for social status, as long as the affair didn't tamper her personally Mistress Du'Vedevich could walk away physically unscathed.

She'd forgotten all about what'd happened in Salvar with all those revolting nobles, the complicated business of the aristocracy and the bureaucracy of the church. She'd moved onto bigger things, constructing a scheme that would built up to imaginable heights but eventually crumble in Raiaea under the pressure of the High Bard. This gained her many titles, "Enemy of the State of Raiaea," "High-class Crimilar," "That vile necromancer" all complimented her second name, The Crimson Lady, something she'd attained through her bloody murderous spree in her more mundane criminal career. Fatina couldn't have been more proud of her accomplishments, her only regret was getting caught.

Reminesing about the old days made her laugh a little. Her plots back then had been truly vengeful and immature. Her plan that night, however, was beyond anything her old self could have conceived.

"Its getting cold in here, lass. Wouldn't want you to catch a cold." Said Fatina as she placed her lean, dark fur collar on Selene's bare shoulders. She smiled back shyly in approval.

Selene had something that interested Fatina, and she was ready to tear flesh and bone to get it.

[Calamus]

“No –no” He forcefully struggled to clear his vision; however a stream of tears begun to haze his eyes once more. Mustering all the remaining strength and will in his body, he pressed the gaping wound with his palm to no avail; it escaped Aiden like a fountain regardless. He wiped his eyes quickly, only to have the terrible scene come into focus. Wherever he looked there was blood, and all the more mortifyingly he was covered in it.

Aiden peered around the room, admiring all the nice faces and well-dressed people. He and Caldren had been staying with the hostess for a couple of days. At the beginning he had suspected her hospitality. She had run into them one night while they where, indisposed, in the streets; They had never had a steady place to live so they kept constantly moving. Never having a complete understanding of nations' languages, rules and costumes it was hard to hold on to a single place for long. Staying with that woman was longest they'd ever slept on the same bed. Her name was Makresta Bkran, a medium-sized woman not much older than 45 that always spoke loudly and seemed to be in the greatest of moods.

Aiden sat down on an empty chair and as he stared at the large, glistening chandelier, waiting for Caldren, he remembered the night the arrived at the mannor and how amazed they were at the luxury. Rows and rows of butlers came that same night to wash them headed by an ancient geezer known by the name of Rhew. Rhew stood tall among the rest of the servitude, 6 feet tall and heavy. He was a master tailor of a sort and engineered a couple outfits for them, including the dark, sharp-cut ones they wore that day. They were almost identical.

Aiden had allowed himself to be entertained by the crowd until-

The metal fork he'd been holding then bent under the pressure of his hand as he saw the monstrous beast sitting a couple dozen yards from him. His eyes where open wide with expectation and his jaw had dropped sliglty. Even though she had draped her slender golden body behind meters of gas blue silk, prepped her golden locks, and covered herself in diamonds he could still see the same beast he saw the day he was rudely awakened.

'I just found something. You shouldn't see it yet, stay where you are, alright?' thought Aiden, sure Calder would listen.

'Well, why? What's the matter' Calder had made a detour for the bar before reaching the place Aiden had chosen, a nice table at the other side of the ballroom opposite to the windows. Both of them had been looking forth to this party as a way to relax from their reality, but the the sight of that thing they'd been running from all these years dispelled the illusion on the spot.

'Don't worry about it. Just stay in there and get ready to make a run for it.'

Calder set the two icy glasses down into the granite counter, receiving a concerned look by the bartender which he disregarded with a glance. 'That's comforting.'

He could feel Aiden laughing on the other end.

'Common, trust me on this, man. Just stay put till I tell you. I'll just talk to an old, old friend of ours. No peaking, eh.' Aiden dropped down the mental wall, shutting Calder out before he had a chance to object. If Calder knew what he was about to do, the whole evening would turn into a massacre.

Before making a move he took a couple minutes to eye the woman through. She hadn't aged too much since the last time he'd seen Fatina. Unlike her human contemporaries the fact that she was born an elf of pure pedigree considerably slowed the slow craving motion of the heavy wrinkles human women of her age suffered from. She didn't need to use magic to suppress her age and that just made her slightly more hated by her human counterparts. And more still, her race had a long history of dealing with the arcane ways of magic, which made her existence- just slightly- more threatening.

Caldren and Aiden had heard news of the woman after they escaped her grasp. She'd been imprisoned by the High Bard and stripped of her book, The Selanarium, said to have been created by Selana herself, to which she'd, stupidly engraved all her magic. It was a nice idea, her power was greatly amplified, and the book gave her the ability to inscribe any spell seen or felt into it for Fatina's use. However, if it were to be removed from her persona she would loose all but her most basic of magic. It happened. And even though Caldren and Aiden were being prosecuted as supposed collaborators to her dark rituals, they were rejoiced of hearing the news that she'd been sentenced to death.

The government had failed to carry out her execution and lied about her death.

She wasn't destroying the place. Proof she hadn't fled the Bard without a scratch, even if she'd escaped, she had failed to replenish her obscene ability with magic. Because of this he was confident of his decision, he would be able to defend himself if the need be.

Their eyes met. Aiden passive train of though shattered into an abrupt halt. Her eyes glistened like fiery runes with the same malicious arrogance of years before. This was The Crimson Lady, a cold calculative fiend that moved through the years silently tearing life and flesh as she went. His brow sunk into a frown and his posture became rigid. Fatina painted a beautiful grin across her face, one of those only given to old acquaintances and long-lost childhood friends. Aiden never lost sight of the fiend as he passed her table, That was the first time he'd ever been so close to her, and as soon as he gave her his back toward the garden , shivers shattered breaking cold through his pale body.

Fatina leaned toward the young lady acompaning her and whispered something in her ear, after which she stood, lifting her heavy gown and golden body, following Aiden into the dark night.

[Fatina]

Outside the air was cool, and the sky was pitch-black; the full moon and the shimmer of the stars began a slow decent into a wall of dark clouds. She had never seen Aiden dressed so nicely before, much less see him wield such a furious, unwavering stare. Her memories of him were of his dirty naked body rotting inside a cage in which he famished and flinched at her touch. From all of her experiments, he and Caldren had been her favorite pets. The ones that actually survived more than an hour after being brought to life.

When Xem'zûnd began to make his moves against the nation of Raiaea the teaching of the arts of Enarlin was suspended and completely elliminated from the Iestien University's curriculum. Regardless, she'd began experimenting the art on her own. It didn't take long until she grew corrupted to a degree in which her bast knowledge of Turlin had no effect in cleansing her.

After twenty years Fantia had already read and learned every single book and mastered every single class that Istien University had to offer. She had been the best of their warriors, and many times been offered a position as a regent that she'd chosen to ignore. After one of Alerar's battle against scarce coastal nations she'd gained a notorious reputation by committing war crimes and disregarding the lives of the prisoners under her command. At the beginning, the Bard had ignored these reports as rumors, not willing to submit one of their best mages to martial law. But when the nation was again at peace, reports of her infamy kept rolling in she was the victim of several investigations. It wasn't until the government took a change in administration that these investigations became more aggressive and the truth of her nature came to light.

"Of all places I didn't expect to see my old lab rat here. What have you been up to, darling?" Fatina rose her hand and with the natural way of a mother made an attempt to touch Aiden's face.

With a swift motion Aiden caugh her hand, forcefully throwing it aside. No matter how hard she tried to mask her touch with ternderness, to Aiden, her fingers where no softer than iron needles. He braced himself immediately and with a well-hidden struggle he made an exclamation, "What are you doing here," the words escaped him barely, "Fatina Reviinok?"

"Aiden, sweet, babay. I though I had lost you forever... Where have you been?" her tone was sweet and swelled by a high pitch that well complimented her appearance, a charming lady with all the novelties of feminity, "I looked for you everywhere, but in the end I assumed I'd lost you forever."

Fatina looked at him in the most loving manner. For a second it he wondered in regret was intertwined in her tone. He shook the sole thought off. To even conceive Fatina know the meaning of regret, was nothing far from naive. "You make me sick, monster."

Again the wind blew cold on them, winter steady approaching on the last days of the dreaded spirit of autumn. The outside of the garden was poorly illuminated by a couple ground torches, still, Aiden could perfectly see Fatina's eyes begin to glisten with water. "Why do you talk to me like that," her voice began to break, "I haven't seen you in so long! and yet- and yet you are so coarse when all I have done was search for you. How can you talk to me that way?" She placed her face between her hands and began to sob silently, her body shook with her lamentation and her nose began to sniffle.

"Don't fuck with me!" All the noises of the night silenced at Aiden's exclamation, his stare was still as serious and intense as the instant in which their eyes had met. Fatina could not fool someone who'd been so wronged by her, in his eyes there was no compassion, but the reflexion of a blood-thirsty fiend so low not even the creator would dare touch. But just as he saw right through her facade so did Fatina did through his. Behind his furious, unwavering stare Fatina could see the real Aiden. He was horrified to his core.

[Heart of Zaga]

Not too long into the evening dinner was served. A meal consisting of a fillet of some lean fish, steamed vegetables topped with a fruit sauce, a nicely baked loaf of bread, and an innumerable number of pastries of all sorts, shapes and colors. The portions were large, more than what the normal family in Salvar consumed in a day, yet, somehow, Selene had managed to clean up her plate and still have room for desert. She'd even stolen some before the meal.

Zaga was grateful they had been brought there. He and Selene had wandered through the southern cities of Salvar for months, searching for food wherever it could be found. Sleeping wherever one could sleep. Bathing wherever- whenever- one could bathe. He'd stolen from merchants, embraced her until she slept under bridges, and exposed themselves when it rained. The weather did not favor their half hard-earned, half-sloven lifestyle; the nights where cold and the people where not any warmer.

Being the daughter of a noble, Selene had seen better days. That her current state was so miserable was in great part due to Zaga's existence.

Many years filled with hatred passed before Selene was able to accept the demon inside of her. He's been doing a lot for her to redeem his blasphemous acts. After the house of Du'Vedevich deflected the government and allied itself with the church on the civil war, she was forced to flee. No soul within her resonated, she was an asset to the church, a curiosity wanted dead or alive. They scurried through the land of Salvar, well aware of an elite working hot on their trail, with no intelligence of the strange being that accompanied her they examined their behavior awaiting the moment to strike; each of their attempts failed one way or another. It was in Dulk'otar when this group overestimated their will to fight or flight that they lost their trial.

They met a woman on that city, who at the beginning they mistook as another enemy. But she identified herself as Fatina Keyes, a noblewoman who'd enjoyed trade privileges with the Du'Vedevich's master. She expressed great knowledge of Selene's crest so the young lass had no trouble believing her lies. She offered Selene and Zaga asylum in Alerar. They did not hesitates to escape.

To them, the means of their transportation had been unclear; A sickly sleep fell upon them throughout their journey, and awakened in the room of an Inn to fresh new clothes. They where close to the manor, explained Fatina, but she wanted to meet someone who'd sent her an invitation to one of her balls; She felt obliged to take them with her.

To them, Fatina was the one meaningful blessing in their miserable lives.

It hadn't been to long that Fatina had walked outside when Selene realized she was alone. being in a place with so many unknown faces bothered her, she almost felt naked without Fatina at her side. "Did Mrs. Keyes say where she was going?" Said Selene as she placed her fork and napkin down.

"She told you just before she left. You didn't hear her?" Zaga said indifferently as he toyed with his food. None of it seemed appetizing, and unlike his mistress he wasn't famished.

"She did?- 'Course she did!" she corrected, "but... with all this music, you see, I couldn't hear anything. The music is too loud, and these people just keep yapping. Nobles can be quite odd. "

Zaga lifter his view and set it upon the Orchestra. It was composed by elder males, mostly playing wind and string instruments. "That excuse of a group over there barely make themselves be heard. They were either asked to keep it low, or they think of their music too bad to be played clearly. I don't blame them." He picked one of the many empty glasses sitting on the table and eyed its top, "Are you sure you're not chewing too loudly that you can't even hear yourself - you make weird noises when you eat. Besides, these people are no more loud than city crowds and you can hear me just fine. Not to mention I heard her perfectly."

He could swear a vein had popped in her forehead, her skin had lit up hot like fire almost instantly. But before she had a chance to erupt he answered her question. "She said she was going to take some air in the garden." She raised her hand indignantly but again Zaga cut her off, "I'll go get you some more of this piss water, I'll ask a waiter this time. You stay here and look pretty." With this and a sarcastic smile he flew out of his seat and disappeared into the crowd of unrecognizable faces.

[Calamus]

She had risen her eyes into his, still flooded with water - no longer sullen, but full with the naught and anticipation of a lynx upon its pray. Her pout was turned upside-down into a malevolent smile pulled straight from among Aiden's nightmares. "But I have missed you," said the woman, throwing her body in a menacing move into Aiden, wrapping her arms around his back. Fear petrified him before he had a chance to void her, and immediately, his stone composure thawed into a shivering mess.

Holding the male tightly against her she placed her mouth to his ear and whispered "haven't you?- Missed thee sound of my voice? The touch of my hands? The burn of my nails- the feeling of my hot blade cutting through your bones!" She clenched her hand on his back, driving her sharp nails into his skin, "well I've fucking have. I've never had a better toy."

The words flowed into him like a sickling plague- the warm nauseating feeling of a bleeding brain slowly failing, slipping, dragging painfully and slowly into death but never achieving it to recover in a process equally degrading, only to be cut into again, deprived of the yearned satisfaction of dying. A feeling he was not proud of knowing.

Sweat came running down his forehead cold, his pupils had dilated and his body could not stop shivering. He cursed himself a thousand times for confronting someone he could not control; the nightmares would come true now, the past revisited him, bringing horrible visions of the dreary, dark, filthy catacombs of the High Bard. She drew her teeth into his ear and pressed until it bled, giving him a taste of those twenty years but also intruding into his fear ten-fold. All he could do was babble incoherent curses out of the knot that was his voice.

"Where have you been all my life?" whispered Fatina gauntly.

"Mrs. Keyes?" A sweet voice emerged from among the night, cutting through the panic and exposing the real quiet of the night, "oh! pardon me, I didn't mean to disturb you."

The silhouette of a woman stood at the entrance, she'd hidden herself behind the glass of the door, and peeked out of it only waiting for a dismissal. Who was she talking to?

"What are you doing here, honey? You should be enjoying yourself," Fatina turned from to Selene, softening her face and tainting her voice with that same disgusting tone, but never releasing her grasp from Aiden, "practice your step, the music is nice and I bet they've served deserts already."

Aiden could not see the figure clearly, inside the lights where too bight and outside the night was too grim, however he could detect clearly the subtlety of her movements. She lowered her head slightly and made a hesitant attempt to move back, but began staring at something on the floor instead.

"I uh- um," the girl abandoned the safety of the door and slowly began approaching the couple. Aiden had lived with Fatina long enough to know when she boiled inside, and right now, she was growing tenser by the second, "well you see, Zaga wandered off a little while ago but he hasn't come back, he must be distracting himself with something else. You came back here and he is who-knows-where, so I've been sitting alone for a bit now, I don't know anyone here and- I feel a little awkward." the ended her sentence with a shy giggle and her advance just under the moonlight.

[Fatina]

Selene was a name that derived fro the old moon. It was a beautiful name with meaning no less nicer. It is redundant to say that under the moonlight, Selene was truly in her best element. Two innocent eyes stared at Fatina expectantly, she was yet to acknowledge Aiden's existence or to recognize what more attentive people would have mistaken as an intimate moment.

The woman was a marvel of nature, one of the most beautiful humans she'd ever seen; elves, well, she'd seen better. But what she had of beauty she lacked of wit. From all the people Fatina had exchanged words throughout her life, Selene was among the ones with the least touch, the least modesty, and the lest decency. She was full of dumb empty comments and pleasantries; she would talk in the most lovely-and vain way, as if trying to convey the passion of a moment into breath-taking words that at the end said nothing.

"Please don't think of me ungrateful. I am I really am not. This day has been like, a stroll through the icy gardens or Slavar. Oh! Not that I don't like this one out here. All this star-colored roses are just gorgeous." her face illuminated into a smile.

Goddamn bitch. There was nothing that irritated Fatina more than an insidious brat that though of herself high and spoke to others like a grandma to her offspring's swine.

"Sorry about that honey, there was just someone I was dying to see." Fatina pressed her head against Aiden's chest and smiled at Selene almost in a defying manner.

Selene's neck jolted backwards and shook slightly, "That was awfully rude! Look at me, rambling on about my silly problems, I didn't notice you two where- ah have I made a blunder? I am Selene Du'Vedevich, pleasure to meet you mister--"

Aiden did not answer, everything was happening too fast, the shock Fatina had given him hadn't passed yet so he stood there still mumbling, eyes wide open, shivering inside his cold damp coat. After a couple seconds Selene's face softened even more with satisfaction. She was almost sure it was her beauty and not fear that had this man babbling.

"He's just a little nervous. Call him Mr. A. He'll be coming back with us," Fatina's chin rose higher on Aiden's chest, "back home where he belongs."

"I'm glad! I wan't to know more about you Mrs. Keyes, any friend of yours will surely be a friend of mine," she gave Aiden an almost unperceivable nod, "hope you will be able to join us then, Mr. A. Pleased to make your acquaintance." After placing her hand on Fatina's shoulder she left for the entrance and disappeared again in the blue-blooded crowds.

Fatina was ready to resume her slow, ushering tourtune when a sharp cold pain rain through her stomach. It wasn't until she made an attempt to move that she noticed. Her core had been frozen into ice. She separated herself slightly from the man, who'd stopped to shiver, and had reached for her matrix. Even through her thick silk gloves she could feel the chill from her body, confused slightly she gasped as a sudden movement almost made her loose her balance. breathing was now hard to do, the air seemed colder than moments prior.

"Aiden?"

[Calamus]

As the slender, sensual figure vanished in the evening, Aiden's terror transformed into rancor, and eventually into a small piece of hard, cold courage. Aiden shoved her off, and having the same stability as someone impaled straight across, Fatina struggled not to fall from the strong push.

There was no doubt about it. An aura similar to the anti-firmament's sprites lingered about the young woman. Aiden was sure she was not a specter nor a living soul like he and Caldren. She was an empty shell, there was no soul within her, but why was she alive?

"What kind of sick game are you trying to pull now?" His stare again solidified into two intense orbs, now he was pissed.

"A new interest of mine. After I'm done with her, though, it will be just like old times. You've always been the only one..." From below the shadow of a wall Fatina's eyes flashed brightly. "Valash du' seh duvelereshtroz dumag solsheio argchi'" the forceful chant summoned to her flames which lit the air around her in consecutive flashes, extinguishing split seconds before they flared. The low pitched booms of the flares threw Aiden aback, for a second he thought his face would melt. In two seconds she'd managed to remove the ice spell.

Aiden's head shook slightly in disdain, his eyes began to water as he took several steps back. His fists never unclenched. "There is no chance in hell I'll go back with you. I don't give a fuck what you do to that woman, but I won't be moved by you!"

"Big words for a sub-human." Fatina continued with a condescending smile, "You've grown a lot, baby. Enough to make your own decisions, and this one is yours to choose..."

"We have grown, grown enough not to fear you! The decision is mine to make, but I'll be the one giving the options from now on; I'll never go back, and I sure as hell won't die, never to you!" Aiden rose his hand before his face, pointing to the sky he touched his forehead with his nail, arching his finger downward he blew into the opening. A tail of blue fire shot toward the object of his hate, illuminating his surrounding Aiden placed all his strength into the attack.

Fatina's eye flashed, her smile melting into a frown. A confident one however. In a quick motion she extended her arm before her, turning her palm as she closed it the blue flame grew wide and dim before hitting her fist. From under the flashes Fatina reappeared, untouched.

Unsheathing the blade hidden underneath her dress she threw her herself at the man, warping her free arm around his neck in a strong choke-hold. "Big words, baby, big words".

[Heart of Zaga]

Selene rejoined the party with a sly smile, pressing a feathered fan over her forehead in an attempt to conceal it. She could still only half believe what had happened. Selene had genuenly stumbled upon the couple without prior knowledge of the man existence. Now she was riddeled wiuth questions. Who was he? what where they both doing? had he found her beautiful? That must have been the reason he seemed so speechless. In the past people has refered to her looks as stunning, but that reaction seemed a bit much. Still she wanted it to be true; The man was nothing short of stunning himself. Seeing as Lady Keyes was still nowhere to be seen, she relented and allowed her smile to be seen, but still a little embarrassed of the blush she bit her thumb and turned toward the decorated wall, pretending to admire its vintage floral decor.

I don't blame him either; I'm closer to his age anyway.

"Whoah!" a familiarly annoying voice exclaimed behind her, "you know, drunken middle-age pug rats are not very good judges of beauty; Alcohol tends to beautify even the ugliest of nuns. "

"Bah! Shut it, bastard." She tunned to see her companions eyes peering straight into her; she had always hated that about him, how she could see straight through her, how privacy was a relative term, and how she could never think without a reproach. As long as she wasn't doing anything it should not be un-lady-like. So what the hell.

"I'm just saying what's on everyones mind. I mean, the man is not an elf, unlike her, is that even... like- yeah. How do- h- how do you... like do they have the-"

"You don't have to finish saying it you've already painted beautiful diagrams in your head- All incorrect by the way. And yes it does go in- Now who else is thinking that might I ask?"

Selene stared blankly at him for a few seconds before she understood the recapped question. "Oh, you know everyone here- they must know them already, they're a couple, right?"

"As far as I am concerned, Lady Keyes is not married..."

"Engaged?"

"Nay."

"Caught?"

"No."

"Courted?"

Zaga shook his head

"Testing-" Selene gasped "On the rebound!" she glared, "Whore."

"He might be a concubine. I hear males are more marketable in elven societies, I believe its more acceptable-"

"Yeah whatever. Whore."

"Yes, he."

"No, her. Well both."

"Either way. Remember we are their guests, we don't want to offend them. Specially Lady Keyes, she took us
out of a very precarious position. You cannot allow yourself to think less of her, now that she has taken us in it is only fair for us to be equally hospitable. And- erase those man-stealing sentiments of your's gonna get us turned over to the Church."

Selene stared at him a little bit longer, "I really hate you."

[Calamus]

Caldren still sat on the small velvet stool hovering over a drink he had not tasted. He has been thinking all this time. About everything that had happened to them, how he came to life and the way Aiden had been created. He closed his eyes and stared into the bast empty void that was his mind. It was dark and lonely, and by realizing this he felt so alone, terrifyingly, just one.

Hulloooo

There was still no answer. He sat there surrounded my an innumerable amount of people, all faceless, all meaningless and uneventful. Yet he felt consumed by the void of his mind. For a second this nostalgic feeling reminded him how it was, the anti-firmament, where he would never be lonely, but always terribly alone.

For Aiden's sake, It was only on these occasion when he find himself blocked away from their conjoined mind that he was allowed to think of the old days. Fleshy irritated eyelids opened slowly, eyes set, stargazing into a constellation of shimmers, ripples in the, dense, warm carmine alcohol before him.The horrible days when their world was nothing else than blood, flesh, and steel; their universe, a dark, damp room; their god, and infernal mistress; their life, sorrowed, grieved, pained, pained, pained.

Are you back yet? Still no answer.

Caldren was already getting anxious. There was nothing more terrifying for him than loosing sight of Aiden; he had been with him for so long, loosing him would be like missing an arm or a leg. They had become each others' clutches inside this brave new world they had entered. If he were to loose Aiden, he would not know what to do with himself.

The sound of cracking glass interrupted his grief-full trance. He had been clenching to the fragile glass without realizing it.

"Uh-oh." carefully he removed both hands from the glass, placing each one side to each side, forcing his palms down and stretching his fingers.

This sudden burst to reality made him review what he'd been thinking. Why was he getting so worried over? It was Aiden! Probably one of the things Caldren doted most about their bond was how bare his companions feelings were presented to him. There was nothing he could hide from him, there was nothing he would hide from him. That's why he could not comprehend why he had chosen to hide from him, unless he would be doing something that would embarrass him. All he could do now was trust him. Whatever it was.

He giggled has he lifted his glass to his mouth, whispering to himself, "hurry up, you crazy motherfucker."

He choked.

Caldren set the wine down with enough force that it shattered below his fist. What? The deep red wine felt warm behind his lips. What a horrible taste he thought, all at once, as the drink stopped halfway down his throat still trying to realize what was happening.

He moved his body slightly foward, though found himself paralyzed by a sharp pain in his lower abdomen that before had felt cold and now was swiftly descending into a raging pain of the likes he'd never felt before.

"No...'' He whispered to himself over and over, just as he received a bartender's cold, callous, stare from afar.

His hand twitched. He was bleeding. the long stem of the glass had perforated through the side of his palm as it fell, and shards where pungently encrusted all over. He looked to the table. Red splatters everywhere, and it slid through the white stone top like an ocean. It was a deep pool, it traveled and it poured down into the carpet, it flowed,it stained his clothes, the side of his body, the source of his pain. His head fell, and a string of crimson escaped his lips. He noticed it before his eyes rolled back as-well as his hand, which he'd not been aware, was now pressing against his side, and that red crimson that poured out of him, and slithered, traveled through his white garments like a cloud until all he saw was red, red, red.

"No- no- no- Aiden, please."

And for one fleeting moment he reminisced of the happiness meeting Aiden had brought him, even in that world so terrifyingly dark, he was no longer lonely, and together, in their universe, and through their god, how they lived, lived, lived.

[Fatina]

Having a feline sense of hygiene, she used her tongue to lick off the blood, she had forgotten how good it tasted fresh. Slowly she rejoined the light, she walked with the same swing of a snake; her countenance seemed no less threatening, no less dangerously seductive. And a newly acquired air of satisfaction made her seem all the more less contained, all the more incredibly alluring. her blonde locks had loosened, and her intense eyes had melted into wells that reflected nothing but a craving ecstasy.

She had dealt with him for the time being; A blow like that would've been mortal to anyone in other circumstances. But she knew better than anyone how annoyingly resilient Aiden could be. She believed that at its worst she had incapacitated him permanently, at its best, killed him. Either way she couldn't care less, she had found a new test subject; Aiden and Caldren had never been perfect ones.

Which reminded her. If they are still linked the way they were I'll have two dead boys instead of one.

She scanned the room in search of her second born. It was true, both of them seemed like mirror images of one another. The way she and Caldren had departed however... Only a nostalgic feeling of animosity welled inside of her whenever the name Caldren came to mind. Which made her all the more curious to know what pain did for his expression. The happiness it brought her though, was of an entirely different caliber. Suffer well, baby. He couldn't be too far, she though, seeing as her blow would have cut through them both, it wouldn't take long until the rat rolled out of its corner.

"Olly, Olly, Oxen free!"

[Heart of Zaga]

"Ms. Keyes plays hide-and-seek in social gatherings now?" Selene had been looking for her entourage for a while now. After sitting back down she guarded the door eagerly, throwing quick glances now and then, half hoping no-one else would stumble upon the love-pair. Meeting Ms.Keyes supposed lover so suddenly and accidentally had gotten her almost too exited. She was seeing a side of their new acquaintance she'd never expected from the cool-headed woman. And that just made her feel even a little closer to the admirable lady. "You're playing with Mr.A, how lively of you two."

The elf laughed. "Nay, dear, I'm done with him for the night. I'm afraid you won't get a chance to see him again before-"

"Before..."

Fatina seemed to struggle for a second before finding the adequate reply."before his voyage to Fallien. He's leaving tonight, I won't see much of him any more, it makes me quite the sad little bird" her face betrayed her however, now matter how hard she tried to conceal it, she seemed ecstatically happy. " Either way, I'm looking for someone else right now..."

Selene's eyes flashed, getting a little flustered she couldn't help but exclaim, "Miss!"

The elf seemed to pause for a second to consider the noise.

"You're quite the filthy-minded girl!" Fatina giggled, "do not misunderstand. Now that you've seen me with someone you think of me as a whore? Are all humans really that bigoted?" This last line adopted a stern tone, which made Selene withdraw her curiosity in shame. This time she wouldn't even bother apologizing. "He is sort of a relative of mine, he's sort of a relative of the Mr., just an old acquaintance I hadn't seen for a very long while, he owes me something you see..." she seemed to gaze thoroughly through the ballroom, "But oh well, I don't see him, he might be gone with Mr.A already."

"That's a shame. I would have loved meeting all of your acquaintances; this nation is full of so many interesting characters." This time Selene was almost serious. Never had she been so unamused in a party, ball-thing before. For someone who had been so interred in the social circles of Salvar, shifting from being a well-known mixer to an unrecognizable ward, this sort of event was no more entertaining than bird-watching, expect there where ridiculous ruffles instead of feathers, crooked noses instead of beaks, and annoying music instead of chirping.

"Oh, you won't meet anyone I know here. I just brought us here in an attempt to kill two birds with one stone... I've been meaning to introduce myself to the hostess, I myself am new around here, you see, I also was delivering a mesage. But it was really a delightful coincidence finding the boys here. Smiling down on Selene she continued, "thankfully for you, we're already on our way out. I can't have you here feeling so uncomfortable any longer!"

"Oh, please I don't mind" Bullshit

"No worries, to be honest, I'm getting pretty damn sick of this." She stopped a moment to gaze at Selene again, had she just blundered? "So get your shit together! We're getting the hell out of here."

Before Selene had a chance react Fatina disappeared into the crowds of people. Just as she did Selene could have sworn the lights flickered, and a chill slithered wet down her spine.

Zaga, get your ass over here, we're leaving. That whore disappeared in the crowd and I couldn't follow. She moved through them like water!""

[Fatina]

For once Fatina had spoken honestly about her feelings. She was growing increasingly annoyed with the little magic game. Like a chess match, she'd eater her enemy's bishops, although she wasn't sure exactly what the hostess intentions were with her discarded material. She'd become so annoyed by the complexities of the mirage that she'd stopped minding her duplicity. Stop beating around the bush, bitch.

Fatina stood in the middle of the ballroom surrounded by dozens of faceless couples, awareness made them seem all the more monotonous. creating a circle with her index finger and her thumb she whispered something into her hand in some ancient elven language. Anyone able to look at her through all those people would have notice the surreal way light bent around the circle. It was almost as if it was eating the light itself. Once the incantation was over she held the opening before her eyes and moved it across.

Eureka!

She was there, learning against the white stone column of the main door. A human woman of no more than forty was looking straight at her, a smirk on her face, and an undeserved air of accomplishment around her. She dressed in black, almost as if in mourn, long locks of dark hair streamed down her head, nicely tucking between her neck and her shoulder. A laced veil covered her head, however, and although she could not see her eyes, the tension on her mouth spoke pretentiously of her.

For what seemed almost an eternity Fatina walked slowly but nothing less than confidently toward the mystery woman. She'd finally found her target. She moved cautiously unwavering from her destination, however it soon became apparent the distance between she and the lax woman only became larger. underneath her the tiles seemed to stretch into space, her surroundings seemed to melt.

"I am quite past silly games." Fatina snapped her fingers. Suddenly she was in talking range, standing just before the dark lady, whose smile turned into a sour frown; her posture unchanged. "A silly witch, and a human one at that." Fatina continued," You should know you're at a disadvatage a land of elves, even if it is of these dirtskins".

"It is always nice to have the sisters pay me a visit now and then," A strong mature voice appeared from the dark silence, "Allow me, for educational purposes; but how exactly?"

A slight snort escaped Fatina, almost offended by the ignorance of the woman, "Author's don't have too much difficulty in seeing flaws in theories they themselves have developed, especially when so poorly executed by street magicians. I have to say, quite the disappointment."

There was a long drawn-out silence,"Welcome to my this most modest dwelling," the woman clenched her teeth at the though of the very mention of the name, "Crimson Sovereign."

"To not know the name of my own host," she responded in a sarcastic tone, "don't you see something fundamentally wrong with that? It should be a strong indication to heath me, witch. Unlike you I have do idea who you are, and quite frankly I couldn't give a damn." She felt a defiant stare burning from underneath the veil, in the past she'd made a sport of hunting witches; Fatina knew best how temperamental they could be, it was all too fun, "Sadly I didn't come here to share cooking recipies and gossip. I'm delivering a warning."

The woman's tone became coarse and stern."What warning?"

"Unfortunately for you, I've taken a liking to the region. There are vastly open fields, and the moonlight always hits here from a nice angle. From today on this area will be my hunting ground. If you don't agree... well," Fatina clenched the top of her dress, and with one powerful motion, stripped the cloth. From underneath her cleavage she retrieved a relic of better days. A blue finger dangled from a long chain, a beautifully ornate ring adorned it, the clear metal immediately contrasting against the rotting flesh. "I will certainly welcome yours into my collection." Shocked by what she's just witnessed the woman straightened her body, under her breath the inaudible words 'Shivulva' could be heard. "You knew her?" Fatina cracked in laughter.

The woman ignored the question. "I don't really know what plans you have in Neith-Alerar, but it has been mine for decades and I have no intention of leaving." she scoffed as she looked away into the floor with a re acquired smile, "And, you know, this is the first time I've been spoken this way by another witch; You forget that I don't respond to anyone but Aztlan himself."


"Do not compare me to you kind, alley rat."

Fatina's sudden loss of composure seemed to assure the woman, "Hah! but you are definitely not the stuff of legends! The rumors must be true. You've lost the coveted Selenarium haven't you? The Crimson Lady in tales would never have bothered negotiating with this silly witch."

"You misunderstand," Fatina coiled her hand. Immediately a small fireball exploded by the woman's chest, illuminating room and setting her silk garments on fire. The woman seemed unimpressed, however she worked to conceal her hastily-building worry. The woman spoke a few lines in an archaic Slavic, effortlessly extinguish the flame. Still, a small ember line continued to eat away at her clothing. "I am not negotiating." Her voice echoed throughout the structure. Finally baffling the witch, she took a few steps back, pressing against the mossy, splintery surface of the decaying door.

Fatina reached for the floor, holding a fist of dirt as she straighted herself again. "To think you own the Neith..." She took a couple steps towards the woman, menacingly pressing against her thigh with her knee she grasped the witch's hand and emptied her fist on her's. "You tell Aztlan he needn't reward you; I give you this small souvenir as a token of your amazing decades of service to Alerar" Fatina pressed her face against her cheek and whispered, "now be a sweetheart and get the hell out of my lands."

[Heart of Zaga]

With much effort Selene struggled to push the bystanders aside, she followed in the direction Ms.Keyes had gone although she couldn't see where she was going through the masses. For a moment she could have sworn she'd heard her voice. But the music and the people where so loud she could not make sense of it. She had already grown weary of the commotion, there was nothing she wanted more at the moment than being finally alone in a room, peace and quiet.

Although with Zaga it was never, alone, peacful or quiet.

"Are you coming to the front now? She must be waiting for us already."

"...yeah, I'm trying, although I have to say there are way too many people." replied Zaga, slowly making his way from the bar.

She was almost sickened by how much she'd warmed up to Zaga. For a very long time she had nothing but loathed him from the deepest corners of her soul. Selene was a very passionate person, both in matters of the heart and hate; she had hated so many people for so many different reasons, but she would never wish something like what Zaga had done to her on anyone else.


As Selene slowly followed the flow of people she had a chance to admire the room once more. Its shiny stone floors had a nice pale pearl color, a white sculptural decoration of flowers seemed to be the cherry on the icing for whomever had designed the house; it was featured in the columns, and traveled at the top of the walls to be centralized at the apex of the vaulted celling almost as if crowning it.

However something seemed to be missing, the room felt a lot more spacious, but how? She was getting smothered by ball-dancers!

Just as this thought crossed her head she felt a pair of hands catch her by the shoulders . She didn't have a chance to see who it was before she was propelled through the crowds, almost as if being used as a meat shield. Surprisingly, though, this time they seemed a lot easier to push. Selene worried she might be gaining some weight, or muscle. It wasn't until she stopped that she realized she was standing just in front of the door.

Fatina was standing, almost as if hovering above a very pompous-looking lady, unaware just yet that she now presided over two more people. It had been the second time Selene had been unfortunate enough to see Fatina behave with that kind of intensity. Jumping to conclussion and referencing what she had seen just moments prior, to Selene the reason seemed obvious:

Sweet Lycos, she's like women too.

Assuming the worst from her escort she tried to pretend she hadn't noticed yet. Quickly she turned around, facing the reason for her unfortunate discovery. "Just you watch where you shove me into, Zaga!" He was still holding on to her. This time he grasped her tighter and wrapping one of his arms around her he pressed her against his chest.

"What the hell's your problem? Has everyone gone fucking insane today! This is the most indecency I can withdsand for a night!"

Sel, be quiet. Zaga's voice once again appeared in her mind, although this time there was something slightly different. Struck by the seriousness of his words, she stopped a second to consider the origin of his tone. Fear?

"Hey... let go of-" She suddently felt Zaga's grasp harden. That small gesture acted like a match on a dry field. Out of the blue her heart sank in. there hadn't been many ocations where she had been able to feel Zaga's feeling before, only when the sprite lost his mental balance, only when the sprite had been lustfully intoxicated, or stupifyingly affraid. It all added onto her anxiety.

What the hell is going on? Selene though as she felt yet another cold shiver, this time fanning out through her damp back. It was then she noticed a cold sweat. Having her back to the unknown had her feel all the more bulnerable; Zaga was holding onto her in such a manner she could not see.

A hundred questions raced through her head. Who is it, how many, how far are they, how will we escape? Her face was pressed to tightly against his chest that not only could she hear his raising heart beat, she would feel it through his skin. She waited expectantly for a couple minutes almost if frozen. slowly, and discretely she rose her gaze in an attempt to catch a glimpse of her defender's face. As expected, he seemed anxiously alert, his eyes constantly moving throughout the room, in a way it would appear as if he where seeing it crumble. Jumping to conclusions again, in her head she was aleady resigning to the fight, that time she was sure the Sway would have them this time.

Zaga, more immediately occupied with whatever seemed to be worried him, took a couple moments to realize the freat he had imposed on his mistress. Don't worry, it is nothing of the sort...

"What is it then?" She whispered, her breath remained still.

It would be best if we leave as soon as possible.

"I understand."

[Calamus]

Caldren awoke. Before his eyes opened he felt as if the entire world were spinning. He couldn't see much, the night was dark, however the moon was unmissable. A full white disc the size of which he'd never seen before. He felt his knees touching a moist soil, sinking slightly as he twitched into consciousness. He felt what he thought where dozens of spiders traveling his body. It wasn't until he moved his shoulder that he realized it was grass; they were lying on a tall meadow, moreover, they where naked.

He knew Aiden had done something. Exactly what? he though.

Caldren gasped for air; The warp had been so violently it had literally sucked the air right out of his lungs. Judging by the angle of the moonlight they where not too far from the manor, not far at all. He felt as if his mind were swinging, suddenly the melancholic feeling of cerebral bleeding extended warmly through his head. Something was terribly wrong.

His body surrendered, for s second losing his balance; his ears wouldn’t stop ringing. It took him a little bit to realize Aiden was lodged in between his knees. He was so familiar with his body he was certain it was him. Placing a hand on Aiden’s chest he sat up, noticing his bare chest and sharp pain on his own stomach. Still not very clear of what had happened he allowed a hesitant laugh escape his lips. “Aiden, what was that?”

Caldren could hear him softly breathing underneath him, he guessed sitting on him was only making it the more difficult, still he felt so drained he wouldn't even fathom the idea of moving.

"For a second, I made..." Aiden paused for a minute " us one." His voice seemed weak, just like that of someone about to fall on a long slumber. Caldren could only notice the outline of his face, however it was enough to make him realise Aiden's eyes where gradually closing. Something in Caldren snapped. He suddenly remember what had happened just moments prior. The terrible vision of blood, wine and gore. A bottomless feeling of separation, and a pain that was not only his, but both of theirs to bear.

"Hey, Aiden" Caldren placed both his palms on Aiden's shoulders, he still struggled to see his face. All he saw where the shimmers of the leaves against the moonlight. An ominous cold breeze that moved through the field made them move in a rocking fashion. There was no response. "Aiden!" This time he shook him violently only to hear a wet sound and feel something something moist running down his leg. Shocked he instinctively released his grasp, and just as he did he felt the wet sensation on his palm as well. It took two quick blinks to make the moon-bathed colors more apparent, there where smears of red all around him.

Remembering the pain on his stomach he soon realized, Aiden had been stabbed.

“No –no” He forcefully struggled to clear his vision; however a stream of tears begun to haze his eyes once more. Mustering all the remaining strength and will in his body, he pressed the gaping wound with his palm to no avail; it escaped Aiden like a fountain regardless. He wiped his eyes quickly, only to have the terrible scene come into focus. Wherever he looked there was blood, and all the more mortifyingly he was covered in it.

A wide gash in Aiden's side revealed where the muscle had been brutally rent, a string of a dark red constantly traveled into the earth, the moonlight flashed on it as it moved; below them, a blood-twined mud had already formed. The humidity he had felt earlier...

"No!" Caldren's face constricted, his eyelids narrowed and his pale cheeks turned red. "I won't let you die!" he almost said this in vain, realizing really how long he must have been this way already, in the back of he mind he knew, although he didn't admit it, that Aiden was going to die.

He placed both hands on either side of lover's cold neck and lowered his head to his chest. He couldn't stop sobbing, "Oh no, Aiden!"

[Calamus]

He kissed him, tasting the a twine of blood in his mouth. In a desperate attempt to absorb every least bit of his essence he embraced him as tight as he could. His body was already lukewarm, he knew he would later despise remembering Aiden this way, at the moment however, nothing could satisfy the crave for the warm on Aiden's body. It diminished by the second. He sat up once more, this time removing himself from Aiden; he seemed to struggle in retaining consciousness, his eyes began loosing their focus.

Aiden was looking toward Caldren; he could tell Aiden's vision was blurring. "I am so sorry." Aiden smiled slightly, "I had a score to settle... I guess I shoul have known when to run... I'd always been good at that before."

Peering into his thoughts, Candren drew quickly from Aiden's memory. In them he saw a face he'd wished never to see again. Evil had materialized in the physical word and guised itself under a beautiful facade. "No score is worth our life, you bastard!" The hairs on his neck rose as he relieved the minutes of agony, anticipation and utter fear his parter had just faced. And where had he had been all that time? There was no going back, he would blame himself for not being there, for not protecting him, for not noticing that evil had followed them all the way to their doorstep. All the vigil he had done for their sake, all the worries and precautions they had undergone had all been in vain, and even though he knew he had done all he could have, he regretted not being able to do at least a little bit more.

Sensing that Aiden would slip under any minute Caldren moved away from that darkness in his memory and drew from what really mattered. All sorts of memories came in flooding Caldrens mind, coutless nights they had spent before the hearth, or sleeping under a tree, observing the night sky and seeing the many wonders of the physical world. He found memories he himself couldnt even remember of small little events Aiden held precious to him till the very last minute.

Till' the very last minute...

No! He stopped his own thoughts She won't take you away from me again! "I won't let her! We haven't come all this way to end like this! it is not over yet!"

Quickly he stopped to try and find a useful medicinal spell. Throughout their travels, they had a lot of time observing nature, and learning how to manipulate the elements. Along the road they had discovered a way to heal small cuts with the energy of plant cells. The spell would never have been powerful enough to heal that large gash. Regardless he was determined to make it work, no matter the means or the cost, he was willing to renounce to anything through equivalent exchange for Aiden's life, even his own; he would rather die knowing his love lives, than live without half himself.

But no matter now hard he tried he couldn't; his mind was a mess, the spell had been lost in between the urgency to save Aiden and the sense of loss he was already feeling. "Fuck!" Caldren clenched a fist and hit the earth. For the loving Caldren the feeling was something he'd never fully understood until then. Hate. A fiery rage grew within him, barreling through his body to such degree he felt his throat constrict. As soon as this is over he though I'll have that monster's head on a fucking stake!

The wind picked up again. With regret Caldren stopped to see Aiden. From above he seemed so peaceful. He was still, his lips paler than ever, his cheeks had lost their color and his hair seemed especially dark. The leaves of grass fluttered about, under the moonlight they shone silver; A school of slim fish congregated to eat away at his beloved, like scavengers, almost if attracted by the blood underneath.

Consumed by his own rage Cladren became irrational and began attacking the vegetation. "Stay away from him! Stay away! Don't you dare take him away," he tore away at the leaves, pulling fistfuls of grass from the roots, "he is mine! he is mine!" He failed to realize the more the more he struggled the more did the blood spread to his surroundings. Once he'd thought the fish had disappeared the a violent gust of wind hit him. It was then he realized, the school transformed into a mass bloody blades violently cutting away at Aiden's body.

In his madness he threw himself at Aiden, wrapping his arms around him in a defensive manner. His eyes clenched and he held him tighter. There was chaos all around him, he didn't understand anything, he knew nothing, and the nothing mattered save him. And he was leaving.

"I refuse!" Caldren exclaimed, "I refuse to accept it! Be it a hundred years of loneliness I won't ever be without you!" In a feat of strength he himself didn't quite understand he opened all the chamber or his mind and soul, melting into Aiden's faint essence, "Take me with you!"

He opened his eyes abruptly to notice his skin glowing, however the wind was so strong he couldn't observe for much longer; suddenly he felt he suffocated, if he himself died it wouldn't matter. He traveled deep into Aiden's realms almost as if trying to find a way out on the other side. He went so deep he soon lost himself. Suddenly he knew everything both knew, he knew felt everything both felt. He was everything and at the same time nothing. He was Aiden and Aiden was he. Almost as if Caldren had awakened something within him, Aiden opened his eyes slightly.



"...Polvo eres y en polvo te convertirás..."

The pair disappeared in a flash of light that sent a sonic boom throughout the field. Behind a patch of disturbed grass remained. The blood no longer flowed, and slowly it disappeared becoming one with the earth. There was silence.



Exeunt...
1983

[Fatina]

Fatina held the rusted door handle. She'd closed the door behind the couple, ushering them to her car where they had been waiting for a while. Selene's sudden illness had come to her advantage; it has shortened the unintentional introduction of the hostess to a few words of apology and a nod. She wasn't really sure how much longer she could hold her act of kindness; duplicity was a perfected act of hers, however, sweet mannerisms and pompous etiquette was corrosive to her patience.

She had stopped a second to look at the woman for one last time before leaving. The motions of the encounter didn’t seem out of norm, behind her mask of confidence the woman was clearly terrified, however there was something slightly off about the situation and Fatina couldn't quite place her finger on it. For a second she wondered if everything was a clear as she perceived it.

“Stop it.” The woman finally spoke, Fatina wondered if her stare had finally weathered her down. On the contrary however, her tone had suddenly become even and stern “That girl is no good,” she continued, “whatever you’re planning with her can’t be wise in any regard.”

A smug smile cut across Fatina’s face; she couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “And I suppose you have the slightest idea of what I am using her for.”

“The sisters have always kept up with your advances, Sovereign. They thought it useful to know as much of the Crimson Lady as possible in case…”

Fatina laughed again “In case I decided to parade my way to Vadrienel Hold? If not for the Brand that would be a hollow crater by now, and Astlan, nothing but a petty tale.”

“Just weeks after the Crimson lady Vanished without a trace, rumors of a beast dubbed The Soul Eater reached the circle, it is not hard to place two and two together. ” she raised her head finally, and after a long pause, “ Is farming souls what you do exclusively now?”

“What’s it to you if it is?” her answer came quick, growing increasingly irritated she was beginning to loose her temper.

“I found two of your test subjects, two specters that weren’t disposed of by the Brand when they finally found your hideout. In truth I was hoping to learn more about your research, there is no-one working on the shadows that is not amused by what you’ve accomplished.” In a surpricing reaction Fatina was not expecting the woman began closing in on her once more. “I can’t say I understand everything about your work, but from what I do I have to advise you.” She paused for another long moment, “Forces I doubt even you understand are in question. Do not open the lid of something that you, neither the Brand, nor the circle want in their hands.”

Fatina had never heard anything more pretentious come out of anyone’s mouth. To think a witch would dare lecture an ex-Tel Aglarim General was unheard of, borderline offensive. She wouldn't make this an exception; she had no patience for disrespect. In a swift motion Fatina unsheathed her knife, a long ruby-colored crystalline blade she kept firmly attached to her thigh by a red leather strap.

Wait. A strong gust packed a punch on both figures, Fatina's hair was released into a tangled mess. Her eyes shifted. For a second she lost her cool-headed composure; something inside of her had snapped. No, it wasn't that. Rather something in the outside. Withdrawing her attention from the woman she directed her quickly-shifting eyes onto the earth, she fell into a short pensive trance as she tried to understand what she'd just felt. One of the shards connected to her soul had vanished, no, two of them. The lab rats died finally, she though, but then reconsidered. They would have faded like the other eight, not shattered. A slight gasp announced her realization, finally.

“Oh? There they go again.”

Fatina straightened her body, returning her gaze to the witch once more. Already too close, the woman was staring into the night sky, eyes closed and serene, almost as if she knew too well what afflicted her. This unexpected show of folly confused her. To think she might have misjudged the woman even slightly beyond frightened her, it enraged her severely. "What the fuck did you just say?"

"Could it be you don't even realize it? Those two specter's of yours. They blinked out of my field of presence earlier. It seems like they merged for a couple minutes. Although this time..." she titled her head slightly toward Fatina, a surreal almost unotisable smile cut through her fce, "It seems like it has already begun. They've left you for good."

"Fuck!" Fatina finally exploded. She tightened her grasp on the blade, turning it on its side she dealt an unexpected blow on the womans skull with the handle, immediately sending her to the ground. She hoped the strike had stupefied the woman mute; she made no sound as she fell. It didn't take long for her to move, she knew the woman understood that if she took any longer more brutality would pursue.

She struggled to get back on her knees, with one hand that caught her veil, the witch pressed against the wound,n an attempt to ease the pain. The veil failed. All around her right area ear was bleeding. In her rage all Fatina could notice was the beautiful contrast between the blood and her pale fingers, like a bull, it invigorated her all the more.

"Please..."

It wasn't clear to Fatina where her rage stemmed from, whether that people where finally catching up to her research, or that the twins had somehow managed to desert her, taking fragments of her soul with them, all she felt was bloodlust. Then it happened. From underneath the shadow and by smears of red a pair of deep blue eyes, enhanced by the silver shine of the moonlight set on her. She lost herself. With a violent shout she picked up the woman by the arm once more. The witch struggled slightly, however, the violent blow had taken too much from her to escape. Fatina took the moment to finally appreciate her face. She laughed maniacally as she saw the shaky tear-covered eyes dilate.

"Please..."

She finished the motion, finally bashing her head against the heavy rotting door. She repeated the action. Again. Again. Again. Again. Fatinahad already lost count by the time she threw the woman away from the door, unable to keep her balance the woman slammed into a collapsed beam before falling back into the dirt.

Fatina realized how silly she had been for doubting her instincts.

The woman laid there still, her dress covered in dust and her face in bloody bruises. Her eyes seemed to be the only thing that had retained its purity, however her eyelids were quickly becoming too heavy to bear.

"Please..."

Fatina retracted her knee into her stomach and mustering all the incontrollable rage and energy left within her, with a powerful stop she sunk her heel deep into the woman's chest.

"...forgive me."

The blue vanished.

[Heart of Zaga]

"Ahhhh... They must be reaching the final dance now; the music just keeps getting louder and louder. We're missing the best part!"

The couple had been sitting inside the cart for a while now. It was a simple vehicle, a round wooden structure with enough room for two people on each side, and pulled by a single horse. The seats where plain, uncushioned, and both windows had nothing to shield the inside from curious by-passers.

"I'm sorry..." Responded Zaga, "I just had a gut feeling, it wasn't very safe in there."

"A gut feeling! Getting me all worked-up and worried over a gut feeling. Why do I even listen to you any more."Selene left out a sigh of disappointment as she placed her naked elbow on the window sill. Resting her face on her wrist she scribbled something on the condensation. From where she was sitting she could see the chauffeur, a mysterious stubby-looking man whose nose somehow seemed to stick out further than his shoes waited silently on the drivers seat, seemingly unbaffled by the wind. "It sure is windy out there..."

"Besides didn't you notice something odd with the place anyway?" Zaga continued, determined to make his case.

"Odd like what?" Selene responded without bothering to take her face off her wrist, her words becoming slurred.

"The place was very-well lit... I didn't see nearly enough lamps to get that kind of illumination. And that chandelier-"

"What chandelier?" Selene questioned almost immediately, she couldn't remember exactly what it had been but she remembered noticing something earlier. Although her disappointment had already promoted her to dismiss anything her companion said, for spite's sake.

"The one in the center of the room. Halfway through the party half of its lights turned off, and then I could've sworn it moved. "

Selene laughed out loud, "My god, how many bottles of deleur did you drink while you where away, honey?"

"None! Actually barely one zip, after the tantrum you threw over the fountain I didn't dare to have any more. You on the other hand..." Through the corner of his eye he saw Selene lower her fist. He felt her passionate stare burning through.

"Yeah. Well. At least I have the slightest common sense to realize half the crazy shit I saw is not real."

"I'm not talking about pink elephants here. I'm talking unfitting pieces. Plus, that man..."

"What man. now? Lets hear this talk about this man!" After laughing some more Selene lowered her gaze, almost as if trying to hide her doubts behind her disregard.

"There was a man in the bar. He seemed to be sleeping so I assumed he'd drunk a little too much and passed out. However as I got close I realized he was bleeding."

"Bullshit, why didn't you call anyone to help you then?"

"I did, although I don't think anyone seemed to notice me. I turned around for a couple minutes, tried to get the attention of a few and even shouted a couple times. Although by the time I turned around he was gone. The whole scene was so surreal. Right after it happened all I could think of was finding you and taking you out of there as soon as possible."

"You didn't need to shove me through the crowd, you know. But for once I'm thankful no one took you seriously;" She straightened her body and raising her gaze in a fashion that avoided Zaga completely, she pretended to fix her bangs, "I would've died twice over if they saw me with the schizo seeing wounded people everywhere. I keep telling you. You have to watch how much you drink on this type of gatherings."

Zaga took Selene's hand, startling her, he leaner forward, "You're telling me the entire time we where there you didn't feel anything was off?"

"Not really..." She studdered, "Although I have to say, it's kind of unusual to see so many humans having a ball in elven land."

"humans?-"

A light suddenly flashed inside the car so strong Selene flinched. The main door had opened. For one small moment she caught a last glimpse of the luxurious celebration inside. Regardless of what she'd said before, that evening had been the best in a long trial of long cold ones. That it was over wasn't too much of a disappointment. She was brought back, way back; She'd found home, finally she would be able to rest, finally she would be safe from any harm; there nobody would find her. No moment in the entire evening had been so nostalgic. She could never express it in words, how thankful she was for her new life to come. It was the salvation of a dream, all she wanted was to loose herself in it.

A dark siholuette blocked her view against the light.

Quickly Selene reversed her grasp and pulled Zaga toward her, "She's coming, make some room for her." Closing the door behind her Selene's new guardian appeared. Under the moonlight, to Selene, Fatina seemed more striking than ever. There was her savior, with the same poise as always, lacking imperfection of any kind, so trace of stains or creases on her dress, no wrinkle on her face, no hair out of place.

In an inexplicable show of agility the chauffeur had lowered himself to the ground and was now escorting his mistress to the car, stopping for a second to check the luggage strapped to the back of it, he hastily opened the door for her. It was then Selene was able to notice him properly, a quick intense gaze had grabbed her attention, the man seemed more old and serious than she'd anticipated.

Tucking the end of her dress on one of her arms Fatina entered the small vehicle, placing herself right in front of the couple. To Selene's disappointed she seemed slightly distant, something seemed to be in her mind. "Dear, How are you feeling?"

"I'm feeling a lot better, thank you! I was just a little overwhelmed that is all, the outside air was all I needed."

Smiling, Fatina rose her arm and tapped Selene's forehead with her finger "I'm glad you're feeling better. I hope I didn't make you wait for too long."

What she took as a small sign of familiarity warmed Selene for a second. "Nonsense! We've been having a nice chat that's all. You shouldn't have minded us! I hope you didn't cut your introduction short."

"...forgive me" The woman paused for a second. Almost as if she'd regained her grace, or her mind brought back from whatever place it was hidden Zaga noticed Fatina's alluring air of confidence return. "It really had to; I can't keep you around here for much longer," She gave Zaga a fast glance seemingly to include him in the conversation, "Besides, aren't you exited to see your new home?"

"You have no idea!" Selene replied energetically, she hadn't been so honest in her life.

"Well, before any of that, and in that spirit I propose a toast!" Almost immediately the chauffeur, who had since then disappeared, opened one of the doors, a dark velvet case in hand and three cups in the other. Just when Fatina had distributed the glasses, a dark red bottle of deleur emerged. "This bottle is my personal brew, I was saving it for a special occasion." The dark bottle opened with a pop, soon enough all of them had been serviced. As she oxygenated Selene couldn't help but notice the unusual brightness of the color.

"To a new begining." Fatina continued.

"To a new begining!" Selene responded, pouring down the drink.

"To a new begining..." Zaga followed hesitatingly. Receiving the metallic smell of the wine, Zaga stopped a second to notice Fatina before drinking it. Her gaze slowly met his, and as she did a sinister smile cut across her face. Any trace of joy was swept right under him. Closing her eyes she drank, against his better judgement she did so as well; something was not right, and his instincts told him so, he wondered then if danger was closer than he though. Much, much closer.

...Who are you, Fatina Keyes.

[Fatina]

Dropping the empty glass on the floor Fatina tapped the wall behind her, with the metaled knuckle. The horse shrieked and after a long creak the wheels started moving. As the car started turning on the road, Fatina rested her head on the glass, finding little comfort between the shoulder-plate and the wood. In the distance she could see it disappearing in the horizon, the scorched remains of the ruined manor, nothing but a mass of dilapidated wood and stone. As they moved a metal plaque encased on a large monolith passes them.

"In Memory To The Losses Of The Andulun Fire - Danerth, 12, 590"

Before her Selene still smiled, she looked at her with the most sincere of sentiments.

Ideed, Fatina thought to herself, To a new begining...






Part II (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?t=21822)

[Taskmienster]

Let Me Not – Part 1: Cage of Souls :: Due to the fact that this has been sitting here for quite some time, and has not been judged yet, I am going to jump in here and help you out. Zerith’s doing the best he can, but has quite a bit to work on so I’m just working on this one for him. I noticed that very few comments were posted, so I’m going to be putting up commentary where I see it needed most in order to help out in response. If you have questions, concerns, or comments feel free to PM or IM me and I’ll help with what I can!

On a general side note about the thread itself :: The continual misuse of simple grammatical elements is what really hurt this thread. Forgetting periods, commas, misusing a word, missing a word altogether, spelling mistakes, and tense agreement mistakes… as well as the first post being in a half present-half past tense first person PoV that was stand alone… made it all really muddled and hard to read. The characters presented were realistic, but with the rather confusing means of the way the story was told mixed with the very strange way the flow kept up with it made it almost too hard to follow at times. I’d suggest going with a little more clarity and simplistic brevity at times in place of the distinct yet muddled style. Finally, be sure to be careful with not giving enough information about the characters themselves.

Story 17/30

Character 18/30

:: Heart of Zaga ::
“I think Sprite-thgings were supposed to be wise" :: I’m not sure if you meant “thought” instead of “think” and “Sprite-things” instead of “thgings"… but either was you forgot a period. You forgot a lot of them though at the end of a piece of dialogue.

Writing Style 10/30

:: Heart of Zaga :: Your style of writing, that being a first person PoV, is not badly done. However, at times, you tend to slip between the past and present tense of a word and in turn make it confusing as to which tense form your narrative is in.

The very first word of the story is spelt wrong. Asside should be “aside”.

“happened to us the weeks before I was amazed to see Selene in that kind of vitality.” :: should have a comma after between “before I”.

“The only time I'd had a glimpse of that joyful face, just like a kid on a candy store,” :: “in a candy store” not on it. Also, that sentence is quite a run on when not punctuated correctly with comma’s.

“A servant, ironically of a higher end than me modestly grasped my arm, taking the glass from my hand and placing one fresh from his tray instead..” :: Was it ironic that the person was a servant? Or ironic that he was of “higher end”? Make sure you clarify what the adverb is attached to.

“If I worked from one year I would only be able to make enough gold to buy an two ounces of that thing.” :: A couple of errors in here… “from” instead of for, “an” shouldn’t be in there.

:: Fatina ::
“Painting the most honest of -fake- smiles she came to the young man's aid.” :: Until this point, I wasn’t aware that Zaga was a boy. Also, there should be a comma between “smiles she”.

:: Calamus ::

“Never having a complete understanding of nations' languages, rules and costumes” :: costumes? Lol. Think you meant customs.

Wild Card 7/10

Overall, the thread wasn’t bad. However, the very apparent and easy mistakes mingled with the overall clarity being muddled by them made it incredibly difficult to read at times. However, the story itself and the characters were well done.

Score 52

Rewards

Fatina :: 400 exp | 75 gold

Calamus :: 375 exp | 75 gold

Heart of Zaga :: 375 exp | 75 gold