Culling by Trepidation

[Amber Eyes]

The first thing she became aware of was the nausea in the pit of her stomach. Soon after her head began to throb and she opened her eyes to a bright light. She turned her head slowly, taking in the small room surrounding her. Each movement sent a wave of needles through her body. Her breathing grew rapid as she tried to make sense of where she was.

The room was little more than a storage closet, with large bags of liquid hanging atop the hard metal bed she lay on. She followed the tubes from the bag to where they ended embedded into her left arm. Her arms and legs were secured tightly to the table, which must mean they expected her to be in enough pain to fight her caregivers. That must mean the worst was over. She closed her eyes, trying to remember how she got here.

There had been an explosion, actually two explosions, and then nothing. Before that though, the war! The city hall, it all came rushing back to her, Max Dirks and the Archer, Sei’s face as she set off her mystic bomb, knowing she would not make it. There were others, a teenage boy, a girl…her head began to ache as she tried to piece together what had happened. This must be a medical ward, somehow I survived all that. The mystic’s breathing began to calm and her eyes began to grow heavy.

She closed her eyes sleepily as a figure paused in the doorway. Just as her eyelids fell she recognized the face. That blonde hair, the yellow eyes, his pale skin and mismatched body parts, she had heard the whispers, the son of Cassandra Remi.

Draug stood motionless, staring at the unmoving girl. Fear boiled up in her gut as she remembered his attacks. The creature had zoned in on her from the first moment he saw her, he wanted something. He had used her own powers against her.

She yanked at the restraints on her arms, kicking her feet as hard as she could. If she could only free herself she might stand a chance. The strange man cocked his head to the side quizzically and took a step forward. Terror engulfed her; she would die here after just being saved. Why was she alone? Didn’t someone know that these people wanted her dead? A panicked scream left her lips, causing the son of Cassandra to pause for a moment. The girl fought against the ties with all her might, crying out for whoever had healed her. “Help! Please, I don’t want to die here!” Each plea grew louder and more desperate, her throat throbbing in protest. Tears streamed down her face as she hit her hard metal tomb with all her might. “Someone help me!”

[Requiem of Insanity]

“Nobody here will save you, Kyla,” a velvety voice purred from the shadows across the room. A silhouette of a woman formed the barest outline in the darkness, as if to tease one eye to think of the most appealing look they could desire. A honey sweet giggle filled the air as black hair fanned out in a wide half arc, and a seductive shade of ruby red lips twisted into a vile grin; full of menace and dark intentions. With grace that would make the dancers of Lindqualm hall in Rarieria jealous with envy a foot glided forwards, a red sigil appearing on the floor where a bare foot touched the ground elevating the body up so that the soft, silky smooth porcelain like skin never touched the disgusting floorboards.

"Here in the Cult of Blessed Torture, one must save them self, isn't that right, Draug?"

Draug’s eyes flashed to the creature approaching, before with a snap he bent low, the only barest trace of a smile on his lips as he whispered the word mother under his breath in a reverence much akin to a child who deeply felt connected to their parental guardian. A hand raised upwards, the skin pale and indulging, gently caressing the face of Draug as hazel red eyes beamed with pride to the Homonculi standing before her.

Kyla’s breathing grew more ragged as she witnessed the one she saw, the orchestrator of so many deaths and the composer of the Requiem of Insanity herself. Cassandra Remi gave the Mystic general of the Ixian Knights a flattering smile as she stepped forwards, her body draped in a black dress that clung to her body and let the imagination soar with desires as it gave each and every curve of her body justice. Cassandra stepped closer to the naked woman, resting herself in a seated position on the bed and crossing her legs one over the other as she gently ran a fingernail along Kyla’s curves stopping at her hip just above the ball joint.

“That will be all Draug, you have served me well. Go and play with your sister, Katherine.” Draug leered behind for a second, looking to the Dark Mother and demi god of Blessed Torture with longing before he was up and away; the door slamming shut behind him. When Cassandra was alone she slapped a playful hand on Kyla’s thigh and stood, walking along the bed looking to the mortal’s way of healing.

“Welcome to my home,” Cassandra said to her guest with a toothy smile filled willed with none of the warmth one would expect to find in such a look. The Gisela Reaper placed her hand on the strap holding Kyla’s leg down and with as much effort as it would take to lift a book she snapped the leather in two pieces. Her other hand glided to the other foot, popping that strap. Kyla’s legs instantly covered her modesty. The demi god sauntered to Kyla’s arms and with a flick of her wrist the leather bonds were broken, and Kyla made a move to roll away. Yet with a yelp of pain her body refused to bend to her will, the pain in her muscles aching and the sudden call to use her injured body so suddenly creating a rebellion inside her own flesh.

“Struggling will only cause you more pain,” Cassandra stressed as she looked to her nails for dirt. Kyla let out a grunt of frustration, her discomfort clear to the one who knew so much about the human soul. With a few steps she strode forwards towards the wall of the room. There the dark mother opened a broken, dusty wooden armoire and pulled out two hangers. On one was a long sleeved shirt and black stockings with undergarments, on the other was a white dress with a violet flower stitched into the side.

“Do you remember this dress?” Cassandra asked sagely. Kyla looked to it, before with a hesitant gesture she nodded.

“Yes…I…I bought you that dress back when we lived in Sei’s Tombs,” Kyla narrowed her eyes. “I had saved you from a mob of people who wanted your blood.” Cassandra let out a riotous laugh at that.

“Oh how you regret not letting them kill me, don’t you?” Kyla said nothing as she reached for the clothing and put them on, her eyes never leaving Cassandra for even a moment. “Come now child,” Cassandra said in a motherly way. “There is no need for hostility around me. Did I not heal your wounds? Did I not have Draug save you from those pesky Phoenix warriors in your father’s silly war? I sent Draug with one singular purpose,” Cassandra said with sincerity as her eyes widened in a knowing fashion.

“To protect you!”

[Amber Eyes]

The mystic quickly pulled the gown over herself. It was snug here and there, obviously purchased for a smaller figure. As she pulled the dress down, trying to recover some sense of modesty she became light headed. She put her arm on the wall to regain her balance before quickly trying to cover up her weakness. The look on Cassandra Remi’s face made it evident she had not missed the moment, though she continued to speak. The soft material seemed comforting in the clinical space. As she looked down at herself she felt a tinge of sympathy for the woman before her.

Cassandra’s insistence on Draug’s mission brought her back to the moment. Kyla's eyes turned cold as heat rose on the back of her neck. “That…that monster wasn’t trying to help anybody! The whole battle he was after me, from the first moment he saw me!” She furrowed her brows, working hard to look Cassandra in the eyes.

A deep chuckle filled the space, the dark mother’s face lighting up at the accusation. “Now, now, Kyla. If my son had simply walked in and asked you to come with him what do you think would have happened?” She arched her eyebrows; lips pursed much like a parent trying to reprimand an unruly child.

The mystic dropped eye contact, focusing on the stone floor beneath her. “I..” She stammered, unable to fake a sense of control. “I suppose I would have been wary…but he attacked me, I’m sure of it.” She shook her head, trying to remember every move, had she missed some kind of signal from the man?

Another laugh escaped Cassandra’s lips as she watched the girl struggle. “And what would your dear father have done if he thought his precious little Kylana was becoming acquainted with Cassandra Remi’s son?”

Kyla took a step backward at the mention of Sei, she knew little of Cassandra’s time with the Ixian Knights, but there was little question of his thoughts on the former ally now.

Without missing a moment the dark mother filled the gap Kyla had created, bringing her hand up to touch the girl’s cheek with the tips of her fingers. “It was easy enough to fool the Hero of Radasanth by pretending to want you dead. He always did have a blind spot when it came to protecting his little girls. Sei Orlouge sees the world as black and white,” Cassandra paused, slowly trailing her fingers down the mystics face and neck and stopping just above the low neckline of the gown. She stepped closer, her lips mere inches from Kyla’s own. The closeness sent shivers up the mystic’s spine as she anticipated the woman’s next words. “I think we both know that it is filled with shades of gray.”

She held eye contact with the girl for several long moments before stepping back, her grin widening. “Now, you must be starving.” She walked from the room, giving Kyla little choice but to follow suit.

[Requiem of Insanity]

Cassandra walked with Kyla only a few steps behind her, a bemused smile on the demi god's face as she let one slender leg flow gracefully in front of the other. The sigils that prevented her feet from touching the ground hovered her above a plush ruby red rug, the color matching her glowing eyes and lips. The soft pidder-padder of Kyla's feet touching the carpet rustled in the back of her ears, mixing with the myriad of screams her devoted Cult was extracting from their prey; though Kyla could not hear this sweet lullaby to their demi goddess.

"You must be famished," The dark mother of the Cult said non-chalantly, as if they were two friends catching up. Kyla said nothing as she lifted a hand out gesturing her to step up to her. Kyla did, but kept her distance from the Gisela Reaper. "You fought all those battles, survived so many tribulations and adversity, and on an empty stomach of all things!"

"I'm not," Kyla's stomach at that moment made a loud rumbling noise. her voice grew tiny as she sheepishly looked away. "Hungry..." Cassandra laughed as her hand reached to hold the Mystic's. "Just tell me what you want with me!" Kyla's words grew heated as she lifted her arms around herself for comfort, turning away to look at a painting. Cassandra ran a hand through the woman's hair that draped down her side and sighed blissfully.

"Kylana," Cassandra said gently. "You need to learn to be a bit more trusting of me," Her finger's lifted one at a time, like a spider scuttling as they softly tapped along her shoulder. Her voice echoed in the hallway, but in a very calming manner as her breath leaned in on the woman's neck. "Everything I have been working towards has been for you."

"You keep saying that," Kyla interjected, shrugging her shoulders to be free of Cassandra's grasp. "Yet you haven't told me what the hell you mean," her words softly left her lips with venom, but as she looked to the dark mother the fire in her belly receded, replaced by a cold feeling of dread. Cassandra stepped forwards so they were nearly face to face again.

"I mean exactly that," the dark mother replied honestly. Cassandra let out a dramatic sigh as she smiled to the young Mystic. "I have been working hard towards your return. You have been through much, and I have watched your struggles closely. Many want you dead, Kylana, for your crimes against the Mystic community. Many wish you never existed, like your family..." she gave the woman a genuine pout of concern, a motherly look of one who saw their child in pain. "I mean, who really understands you, Kylana? I know those rumors they spread, the things they say... About how generous your love is," Kyla's face turned beat red, but Cassandra gave her an understanding nod, dismissing those claims as she moved on.

"You are loved. I do not doubt that at all, Kylana. Anita loves you as surely the same as Sei does, but you are loved as one loves a Black Sheep. Viewed with suspicion and trepidation."

Her hand lifted up to Kyla's face, and gently she stroked her hair. Each strand ran through her fingers as she smiled to her, warm and inviting. "Come, you are hungry." She turned and continued down the hallway towards the banisters of the stairwell leading down into the greater mansions halls. The two said nothing as Kyla was a few steps behind her, before Cassandra softly spoke again, her words caring and full of love.

"You feel it," Cassandra said. "The Darkness; it's palpable. And instead of learning how to come to terms with it," The dark mother turned and looked down at her ankle to the anklet that kept the swirling powers of light and shadow magic within the girl at bay. "They bind you like a chained dog and hide their insecurities behind a false veil feigning that it's the best for you."

They walked through the pantry doors, a set of double swinging wooden portals that clacked against the wall. The kitchen was void of people much like most of the mansion, but it was lavishly stocked as if it served hundreds of people a day. There were several counter tops, four main islands for prep work, and even one large butchers slab in the middle of the room covered with knives of varying sizes and metals. unlike everything else in the manor, the butcher's station was stained crimson and not as pristine clean as everything else. It looked like several had tried to clean it, but the surface was forever altered a crimson and autumn brown coloring.

Cassandra stepped before the food closet, tapping her finger as she smiled looking for something for the Mystic to eat. "I care for you, despite what you may think, Kylana. I listened to your torment, your anguish, your pain. Like a good mother, I know when one of my children is hurting and crying. And oh did you cry Kylana!" Cassandra gave her a passing glance as she brought out a roll of bread and some vegetables.

The demi-god lifted a small kitchen knife from a drawer near the island where she placed the food, cutting it all into tiny bite size pieces. "So, like a good mother, I sought out to take away the source of your pain. You fell in love, and gave your heart to a man, only to have someone step in and steal it." Cassandra let the juices of the tomato splash the bread, staining it.

There was a moment of confusion on Kyla's face as she heard these words, before slowly her mind began to part away and lead to a solitary conclusion.

"At first, I tried to make it so Adolph Gretzle fell in love with her, driving a wedge between the woman who stole your love away," Cassandra mused as she looked to a carrot and inspected it, tossing it aside and cutting another one in its stead. "That didn't work. The zealot of Sei had no stomach for seeing things through to the end."

"No..." Kyla whispered leaning on the butchers block.

"So I did the next best thing I could think of. I tried to rekindle his passion for you. I purposely began to taunt the woman, place the seeds of doubt in her mind that the man she loved would leave her; abandon her if you will. He ran right into your arms and your hearts became one again."

"Stop it!" Kyla shouted. Cassandra began to slice the bread into tiny crumbs, her movements furious as if she was frustrated with something.

"That did not end well for you though. Her hooks were deep in his flesh, and drove you the brink of insanity. For her, the one who hurt you so deeply, there was but one solution left," Kyla's hand lifted to her mouth as she shook her head. "For you, my child, there was only one way to remove her hold over the man you deserved."

"Please...stop..." she cried pitifully.

"I killed Stephanie Odara and made sure she wouldn't be able to get in the way of you and Jensen Ambrose ever again..." Cassandra muttered darkly, her blade cleaving into the tomatoes and squashing it so it exploded outwards. "I did it all for you, Kylana."

[Amber Eyes]

Kyla’s hands trembled as Cassandra’s voice reverberated through her head. Part of her wanted to scream that the woman was lying, but an even stronger part of her clung to the words, desperate for some way to make everything make sense. Her former life, before she gave up her memories, was like a page covered in dots. Each time someone gave her a fact she quickly added the dot to the page, but no matter how much she learned she never could line the dots up right. As the woman spoke, Kyla saw the specks being connected, Cassandra Remi was the lines.

Could she truly be the reason for Stephanie’s death? If she were, did she care? There was no emotion evoked from the though of the auburn haired beauty, merely facts that had worked their way into her mind. Diary entries, paintings, love letters that were never delivered, all of them raced through the girl’s mind. Everything she knew of Stephanie Ambrose. They had been companions of sorts; Stephanie had taken care of her during her pregnancy and trusted Kyla with the care of her own daughter once Azza joined the Ambrose family. The two were never close and it did not surprise Kyla in the least, she wasn’t the type to become buddies with someone who had something she wanted. For a time the mystic had hated Stephanie, it was obvious in the artwork she had created before she fled Ixian Castle, she had been jealous of her. Not just of Jensen, he was but a pawn in the bigger game to the mystic. It was the ease at which life seemed to flow before her. It was her quick wits and her prowess both on and off the battlefield that irritated the general. She was the embodiment of a powerful woman, she didn’t blush when the men made jokes, and she didn’t flutter her eyelashes in an attempt to look young and naïve. She simply blended in with the guys, only set apart by her blue eyes and flowing hair. With seemingly no effort she had taken the one thing Kyla had worked for in her life, Jensen Ambrose. It infuriated the girl, drove her near madness that she had been outshined by a simple soldier. Had she longed for Stephanie’s demise? Had she prayed the Thaynes intervene? Was the only higher being who listened to her cries standing before her now?

Maybe I am all that she says.

She thought of all the horrors of her past life. Hundreds of lives were etched into her memory, each mystic suddenly left undefended when she stripped their powers, each woman who would never be a mother because of her foolishness; even the lives lost defending her in the mystic war. She had more blood on her hands than most of Cassandra’s followers. What made her different than any member of the cult?

It was true that Kyla always seemed to make the wrong choices; she always ended up making things worse the more she tried to fix them. This was not the first time she had questioned if she truly was evil inside. The darkness…that was the word Cassandra used. Is a person born with darkness inside of them, or is it the choices you make that determine what you are? Was it possible that she had spent her whole life attempting to be a hero when she was born to be the villain? She closed her eyes, listening to the sound of Cassandra chopping away.

Something else the goddess said struck a chord, something so simple. “Kylana.” The word didn’t sound right coming from the lips of a murderer. In the mystic world adding ana to the end of a name translated quite simply to “My little one”.

“Hm?” It wasn’t until Cassandra responded that Kyla was aware she had spoken out loud. She opened her eyes to the dark mother staring at her, paused with her knife held above a squash.

“You called me Kylana…” She drifted off, turning her back to Cassandra and staring instead at a block of knives. Sei Orlouge filled her mind, followed by her father Niche, Gran, Steppenwolf, every person who had ever loved her, every person who had ever called her Kylana. With a swift motion Kyla grabbed a large knife from the block, pushing Cassandra backwards into a counter, the knife held tight against her throat. She forced herself against the goddess, her eyes inches from the dark mother’s. “I think you have me confused with the weak little girl I used to be.”

[Requiem of Insanity]

“Oh my,” Cassandra mused loudly, her lips pursing into a snide smile. “Look at you now, Kylana,” Cassandra tisked her tongue and shook her head, letting the soft flesh of her neck scrape and tease the knife. “Attacking without thinking; charging blindly forwards.” The two stood like that for a few moments while Kyla’s breath became laboured from the stress.

“Is this how you grew, Kylana?” Cassandra whispered. “You say you are not the weak little girl you once were,” Cassandra lifted a solitary finger upwards and tapped the knife edge, running it so a thin line discoloured her pale flesh, and a tiny trail ran the length of the blade. “You may not be physically as weak as you once were, but I am sad to inform you, child, that you are still no grown up.” Kyla’s face tilted a bit to the left, like a confused dog.

How utterly familiar of her to act like that mongrel Jensen Ambrose, the Dark Mother thought with a whimsical smile.

“You have no concept of how to control your emotions,” Cassandra said, her tone getting sterner, like a scolding parent beginning the long list of reasons why the child had recently disappointed them. “You still blindly stalk forwards, stumbling into the darkness and clinging to the first thing you see. You obliterated your memories just to escape who you once were, and for all that, Kylana, you have chosen to revert back to who you fought and tried so hard to forget!”

Cassandra’s hand snapped upwards, grabbing Kyla’s wrist and shoving it downwards, twisting the limb awkwardly creating a gasp of pain from the girl. Cassandra’s other hand lifted to the girl’s throat and gripped it tightly, her eyes narrowing in anger. “How dare you draw a weapon upon me,” she snarled. “You want to see how far your false bravado will get you? Fine,” Cassandra huffed. With a shove she released Kyla forcefully, the woman’s body teetering backwards as Cassandra opened her arms wide in challenge, her voice filled with venom.

“Come, little one, show me how far you have truly fallen. I give you two simple options; Fight me, and follow through with your stubborn convictions, or give yourself to me wholly. I will forgive your brashness, and give you all that you desire, woman. But do not think this show of mercy is a lack of follow through.”

[Amber Eyes]

The words hit home, taking an edge off all the emotion just long enough to consider them. There would always be darkness inside of her, erasing memories didn’t change who she was inside. This was not new information to the mystic; she’d realized months ago that she was destined to walk in her own footsteps again and again.
She tested her arm, tensing the muscles and then allowing them to relax a few times. It never felt right when she wasn’t wearing Sophia’s Mane and the girl wondered for a moment whose hands the glove had fallen into. Her eyes never left the taunting dark green eyes of the murderess before her. Her thoughts were jumbled, but one thing was clear. The rage inside her would not subside without the death of one Cassandra Remi.

She had once felt something for the murderess. There were good times before everything got so complicated. Deep inside the mystic lay the young girl who had yearned to help Cassandra fit into the Ixian world. Perhaps on some level the dark mother was only doing the same for her, finding a place that Kyla could truly belong. Sei was always talking about the goodness inside the girl, while Cassandra always seemed to see the evil. Why did no one want to allow her to embrace both sides of herself?

Her voice started off soft, perhaps a hint of sadness. "There was a time when I would have called you friend, would have gladly followed you into battle." The mystic paused, her eyes hardening. "That was before I saw either of us clearly. I hold no false belief that I am a hero."

Cassandra seemed to smile, though Kyla was unsure if it was because she believed Kyla would join her or because she knew that she would not. "We are both monsters 'Cass'." Her voice turned to a hiss as the old nickname left her lips. "But I am nothing like you, and I will never belong to you."

The young woman propelled herself forward with no battle plan and no weapon. She knew Cassandra was the stronger of the two, but chances were she wasn't leaving here alive anyway. Might as well go down fighting. Cassandra’s lips turned up further, she was enjoying herself. This only made Kyla’s blood burn hotter as she pinned the woman against a wall.

Then Cassandra Remi laughed. There seemed to be no menace in it, it was just the way one would laugh at a child who said something silly. The laugh of someone who has all the answers and is enjoying watching someone else attempt to work them out. It caught the mystic off guard and her momentary hesitation is all it took for Cassandra to make her move.

[Requiem of Insanity]

"You truly do act like him," Cassandra mused darkly as her eyes narrowed upon Kyla's broken form. "You think within your heart of hearts that you have nothing left to lose. That this is a ploy that will finally end your suffering. Dear child," Cassandra moved with the speed of the lightening, her back turning and tossing Kyla onto the kitchen isle counter. The Mystic rolled with a wheeze of pain to get to the other side, placing as much distance between the two as physically possible. Cassandra moved after her slowly with a predators confidence. Her steps poised, elegant and full of assurance. Her fingertips nestled along the bottom of the island work station and her face broke into an honest smile.

"My dear, dear child," Cassandra whispered painfully. Her heart broke for a single moment, face contorting to eternal sadness. She felt pity for the Mystic mother, and looked like a mother who knew she had to punish their child. "I do not think you understand something about the Cult. Something even your father hasn't learned, and Jensen Ambrose will continue to learn,"

In a split second the atmosphere changed. Cassandra's eyes were like two fiery volcanoes, her lips snarling in rage. She lifted the island counter with ease, tossing it to the side like a rag doll as it clattered against the wall, broken and shattered into thousands of wooden pieces. Her voice spoke with the weight of a heavy truth that was undeniable. The words she spoke were filled with a righteousness and vigor that startled Kyla and shivered her spine.

"There is always something left to lose."

With her words spoken the Demi-God moved and was upon Kyla her fist balled up and aiming for the Mystic's stomach. Her free hand opened, curling her fingers to snatch at the woman's hair, preparing to beat her for a few moments, then toss her into the main dining hall.

[Amber Eyes]

The fist hit her hard, knocking the wind from her already aching body. She should have been plotting how to escape the grasp Cassandra now had on her hair, or how to land enough blows to get the upper hand. Instead only one thought filled the mystic's mind. I should have taken the food. She grabbed the arm the held her hair, attempting to offer her head some relief, but this left her body unprotected. Cassandra landed blow after blow, each taking just a bit more of Kyla's will. She was not in top form, only just recovered and still weak. Even in a fair match Cassandra would have proven a difficult foe.

The mystic tried to fight, back, her own fists slamming into the sides of the dark mother. The pair were locked together by Cassandra's hold, until she simply tossed the mystic aside with little effort. Kyla fell hard, her back meeting stone and letting out a loud crack that seemed to echo through the place. With all her effort Kyla placed her hands behind her and scooted on hands and the heels of her feet backwards, attempting to put as much space as possible between herself and the murderous grin of Cassandra Remi. She could feel blood from the back of her head flowing warmly down her spine, and knew that she had only minutes before most of her strength would be lost. Cassandra followed, walking slowly, a knowing look in her eyes. When Kyla's head hit something solid she knew her time was up. She pushed hard against the wall at her back and made it to her feet, noticing the small trail of bright blue blood she'd left along the hallway. Kyla whispered to herself, activating her mystic protection. Cassandra stopped, a mere foot between them. Her smile left her face for just a moment before she spoke.

"Oh Kylana, do you really think I haven't learned my way around that one by now?" Her voice was sweet, "You don't seem to have much faith in me at all." The woman reached out and touched Kyla gently on the shoulder. Such touches were not seen as a threat by the shield, and Kyla tensed, knowing she was out of luck. Cassandra continued, malice finally reaching her tone. "I am honestly offended that you think so little of me." As she spoke she grabbed Kyla by the side of the neck, shoving her hard into a doorway. Kyla's head hit the archway, and everything blurred as she fell to the front, catching herself barely with her hands. She lay there for a moment, attempting to catch her breath and staring at her blood dripping to the immaculate floor. Her breathes were shallow and uneven and she held in tears. She focused on the drops of blue until she saw a boot inches from her face as Cassandra stepped over her and into the room.

The mystic willed herself to swipe at the woman's legs, to knock her over, to do anything really. Her body did not respond, too tired to fight anymore. Cassandra slowly lowered herself to one knee, caressing Kyla's cheek and covering her fingers with blood. "Oh my poor, poor, baby. Whatever shall we do with you Kylana? Never quite strong enough, are we?"

The taunt filled the mystic with fire once again, and she turned her face hard to cast aside both the sympathy and Cassandra's hand. She used all her might to push herself to her knees, lifting her face. As her vision became clear she could just make out a figure across the room. Her heart stopped and Kyla stood in one movement. Cassandra gripped the girls arms, holding her back as she tried to run across the room. Her own cries filled the space. "Give him back you freak!" She tried to pull free but to no avail. She had no strength left, not even enough to go to him. She collapsed once more and Cassandra pulled her close, holding her as she wept.

The dark mother spoke once more, sympathy in her voice. "Now Kyla, don't you think we can work something out?"

Kyla's tear and blood-stained face rose once more, looking into the hazel eyes of the murderess. She nodded, fighting back hysterics before turning to face the figure once more. There, across the room, stood Draug holding Kyla's entire world. Akiv Orlogue stared at the face of the monster, giggling.

[Requiem of Insanity]

And there it was…the despair and anguish. The crushing of a soul that had been crushed before. This second breaking of the psyche was the sweetest of sensations, for it also meant that the shattered mind could be rebuilt and repaired in any image. Cassandra had doen that too many of her Cult followers, an art only she had mastered through the process of becoming a goddess. If she wanted to, she could turn Kyla into a powerful Cult member. She could loose the Mystic Time Bomb on her own people, ticking away the last of Sei Orlouge’s race. The Demi-Goddess also mused with the idea of turning her into another “angel” of the faith, just like she had done to her own sweet Katherine; a battle lusting avatar of pure spite and rage.

But Kyla wouldn’t fit in any of those roles. No, what she needed was a more delicate task to be accomplished. Her divinity was nearing the final Trimester of her birth into Godhood, and soon she would need agents in the field. People she could trust to ensure that nobody would interrupt her transformation from mortal being to divine deity.

“You love your son,” Cassandra spoke, her words innocent and full of sincerity. “You would do anything for him,” Cassandra paced forwards, her feet moving with a seductive grace as she led Kyla towards her child. Kyla let herself be pulled, finding strength to start heading towards her child. When she was a few handful of steps away Cassandra pulled her to her again. Draug turned his body, hiding the baby from view. Kyla screeched and cried, her tears pouring as the Dark Mother kept her grip vice like.

“You will need to do something for me then,” Cassandra said, her tone raising just above Kyla’s insufferable whining. “You must promise me this, Kyla, a blind promise,” Cassandra spoke harshly. “Look to your son! Look at him!”

Cassandra turned Kyla forcibly, shoving her into place as she gripped her chin, forcing her to watch Akiv being placed in the play pen, his body scooting towards the toys. Draug moved so his body was directly behind the child and opened his mouth, distending his jaw like a snakes. He lowered himself, preparing to devour the child whole.

“NO!” Kyla shrieked. “NO STOP IT, THAT’S MY BABY!” Kyla fought to be free but Cassandra held her in place, her fingers digging into the Mystic’s skin. “PLEASE STOP IT!” Cassandra gripped her face again, forcing her to look into her own deadly, vile eyes.

“You must do what I ask, without hesitation! You must do this or else,” She left her tone vague, turning Kyla to stare at her son as Draug showed each of his razor like teeth to the Mystic mother. Kyla let out another anguish filled cry of despair, and Cassandra pulled her to her own embrace, whispering in her ear loud enough to make it over her sobbing.

“You must promise me this, Kylana,” Cassandra said, her grin full of selfish desires. “If you want to save your son, then you must simply replace him…”

Kyla let out a few sobs before she looked up to Cassandra’s face, eyes puffy and filled to the brim with tears. Her face was confused, as if she didn’t understand what was just asked of her. Cassandra merely ran her fingers through her hair in a loving way, speaking clearly.

“To save Akiv, you must in turn bring me Azza Ambrose. If you do not do this, you will never see your son again.”

[Amber Eyes]

The dim glow of candles sunk through the night sky. Each lit window shone a tiny bit of the warmth of her home into the cool night. Kyla stared blankly at the castle. Her body was numb and her heart was broken. Akiv's fate lay in her hands. She would do anything for him.

But could she do this?

The Mystic could still feel the crevices from Cassandra's fingertips on her arm. The warm breath still lingered in her ears. The words played again and again in her mind. Azza's name echoed again and again in the darkness.

A life for a life. Akiv was everything to her, but Azza was someone's baby too. Kyla wiped a wayward tear from her eye and forced herself forward. The castle door echoed through the empty front hall as it closed behind her. The familiar paintings seemed to stare at her accusingly. They judged her silently for sins not yet committed.

Two stairwells loomed before her. One would take her to Sei's planning room, where she could plead for movement of the Knights. He would of course act instantly. Troops would hit Remi's doorstep before dawn. But what if Akiv didn't survive to be rescued?''

The other stairs led to her own chambers, as well as those of the Ambrose family. Azza trusted her. Azza would never think to question a 'special mission' through the night. Akiv would come home safely. Jensen would lose everything, but he had lifetimes to try again. Akiv was the last of his kind. There would be no more children for Kyla.

The woman took a deep breath and stepped onto the stairs.