We All Miss The Old Days

The three of them were at a brawling pit.
"Impulse, Wrath, we need to talk."
The male, Impulse, turned to the thin and gaunt woman, though her figure was mostly hidden under a cloak and a hood.
"Hello, Death. If we have to talk, then we're lucky that this is occurring." He gestured towards the pit. It was an event where the three of them would be present together with no other Persona involved. Wrath continued observing the fighters silently.
"Frankly, you two need to control Arrt. He is getting out of hand. This is the fourth time I've caught him so far."
Impulse smiled. "He is our progeny after all. He wouldn't be my son if he weren't rash."
"Nor my seed if he did not anger easily." Wrath spoke.
Death sighed. "But he cannot be so unrestrained. Or at least, not in that area. Being so rash, he'd probably exterminate the entire population of the town. You have to do something."
"What? I would give him a man-to-man talk, except that being who and what I am, I know that he's not gonna respond well to it. Besides, my son and your daughter seem to be getting along quite well..."
"I know full well what they are doing." Death snapped. "Which is why I do not wish to antagonise him. It would not make for a good relationship."
Wrath laughed softly. "And you think that parents antagonising their children is better than the child's future mother-in-law. You're a funny one, Death."
"I can see that talking to you two will be as productive as talking to a block of bone. The bone would probably respond better."
Death left the pit and warped home. She pulled out a chair and sat down, sighing. She really couldn't stand those Emotional Personas. So much better to be emotionally balanced. These days, nobody took her seriously. Time was when she could just wave her scythe about in a vaguely menacing sort of way and people would be tripping over themselves to fulfill her wishes. Death was tired and weary. Bone-weary, if she was feeling out of sorts enough to make a joke. She left that sort of thing to Evolution, her handmaiden and another of the Natural Personas. And there she was.
"Mistress, you look awfully tired. Dead tired."
"I don't know how I tolerate your horrid puns, Evvy."
"You love my deadpan." Evolution pulled back Death's hood and busied herself with tidying Death's hair up.
"Evvy, you remember Arrt?"
"Impulse and Wrath's child? What about him? Don't tell me you caught him in the act."
"As a matter of fact, yes."
"Tsk tsk, Mistress, you really should take care of your hair. It's all over the place."
"That's what I have you for."
"That, and to admonish you. So you caught Arrt in bed with D-"
"No, I did not!" She said crossly.
"Don't convulse so much, Mistress, I thought you'd be in rigor mortis. Now I have to redo that entire section."
"Evvy. Please. Not now. Enough with the jokes." She rubbed her face.
"Yes, Mistress. So, you caught Arrt killing some of those people."
"Three boys from the village."
"And why'd he do it?"
"He told me they made Del cry."
"Aw, that's so sweet of him. I wish Creation would kill someone for me if that person made me sad." She said dreamily.
"Evvy, you're missing the point."
"Right, yes. He shouldn't have killed those mortals. Of course."
"And I can hardly tell him not to. He wouldn't listen and if I tried to force him not to, it'd just sour our relationship."
"I'm sure you don't want to ruin your future son-in-law's feelings towards you."
"I don't like him, Evvy."
"Del does. And that's really what matters. Del doesn't need to like Life and you don't need to like Arrt."
"It's not just that. Which mother would approve of a son-in-law who is quick to anger and just as rash?"
"It's a good thing that you're so open-minded and you believe in free will then."
Death snorted. "The danger of being too open-minded, Evvy, is that your brains might fall out."
"Then it's just as well that you're just skin and bones, yes? Wait, did you just make a sarcastic remark? You must be more tired than I thought. Go and take a rest, Mistress. Tend to your snakes." Evolution remarked as she finished redoing Death's hair.
Death's hobby was snake-charming, though she wasn't particularly good at it. The fact that being bitten didn't bother her in the least helped. She didn't mind being bad at it. It just calmed her down and relaxed her. Personas do not sleep.

"Mistress! Your husband's here. May I?"
Death stood up from her snakes and nodded. "Go ahead. Have a good time with Creation."
Creation was Life's butler, Evvy's counterpart and it was rather fitting that they would be in love, the same way Death and Life were.
"If you say I look well, I will take my scythe and stick it in you."
"I was going to say that I expected you to be worse, considering the plagues and all down in mortal land. But you look better than I believed, so that's fine." He kissed her lightly.
"I wanted to go and find you."
"What's up?"
"Del. She misses you."
Life frowned slightly. "This is a very inopportune time, I have to say. All the mages down there experimenting and especially the artificers who are creating life. I have to manage them."
"And I have to deal with the millions of plague victims of Kylmir yet I manage to find time to visit Del. Such wonderful scheduling you have, my dear." She said dryly.
Life blinked owlishly. "You're learning humour. That's certainly unexpected."
"No, I'm just not myself recently. I'm being worn out by all the mass deaths that's going on. As if the plague wasn't bad enough, recently mass suicide cults have been sprouting around. Our daughter wants to see you again. Besides, I need your help in handling Arrt."
"Arrt? Impulse's son? You mean he did something to De-"
"No! He's been killing people just because of some minor thing they did that made Del cry. The relationship of Personas and mortals has never been very well and what he's doing isn't exactly helping."
"I see."
"And keep an eye on both of them too, I may let them sleep together, but I will not condone any of the sexual acts."
"Not until Del's older." Life agreed. "I wish we could meet more often. In those days when we were together all the time. Hospitals and all." He said wistfully.
"While Evvy and Creation had just started dating. Ah, happy times."
They sat together on the balconey of Death's home, watching the eternal sunset that would never pass. The sun never moved here, stuck in a perpetual sunset. But they would have to leave to their respective duties far too soon.

The Family of Del

I turn the corner and bump into Mariko.
"Del!" Her doll-like face smiles happily. "Go to the hall, someone's waiting for you." Mariko continue skipping away.
Someone waiting for me? I run there quickly. And,
"Arrt!"
He's back! My big, strong Arrt! We hug and I breathe in the smell of him.
"Did you miss me while I was gone?" I love the sound of his deep voice, warm and enveloping. I respond by nuzzling closer against his chest. He rubs me there, just the way I like it and I inhale more of him as I moan a little. I have a fascination with smells and my Arrt's man-smell is gooood.
He freezes suddenly and I cringe slightly.
"You've been crying." He whispers softly into my ear.
"I.. I missed you." I lie. But he knows.
"Your veins surge even blacker when you lie." His hot breath on my face makes me shiver ever so slightly. "Who? Mariko?"
"No... Mariko's always nice to me. I play with her a lot." I reply nervously.
"Then who?" He holds me tight and stares into my eyes. Lightning dances in his eyes, so scary, so beautiful, my Arrt.
"Some.. some of the boys in the village." My voice is little more than a squeak. I know that I had just killed those boys with my words. "They only looked at me and Mariko and called us some names! Don't hurt them... Please..."
My words have no use, just as I knew they wouldn't. My Arrt's eyes blaze with unrestrained lightning and anger. I know that he would go through the village tonight and kill them.
My sweet Arrt pulls away from me and I take a few steps back. My dear Arrt is scary in this mood.
A clap of thunder sounds, rain falls, lightning flashes and my Arrt is gone. I walk away gloomily.

He comes back. Outside, a flash of lightning and my Arrt is back. He has three boys held tightly by the neck of their shirts. The same three who had called me bad, bad names. Lightning flickers and plays around my Arrt's brilliant white hair. The three boys are in their nightwear and one of them has a dull splotch spreading down his pants. One of them stammers, "Demon!", looking at my Arrt.
I can't help but giggle. My lovely Arrt is no demon, but that's the story we all use. We're all supposed to be demons, but they are just boys from the village who know nothing about us. I can just make out the slight hint of a smile on his face, but he forces it down.
"Are these the ones?" My Arrt asks softly. The boys stop their whimpering and crying and look at me.
"Tell it we didn't do anything!" One of them shouts out. They don't recognise me, I realise. Except one of them, the leader. The one who started jeering at me and Mariko when we went to the small village-town today. Mariko had responded in her usual way, smiling and blew a bright pink bubblegum till it burst. Everything about Mariko screams pink. Her hair is naturally pink, just like the bubblegum she so loves to chew. Her dresses are pink and white, her eye colour is even pink. I don't think I've ever seen her wear clothes of any other colour apart from pink and white. And she is pale. Mariko is very pale, until you feel that you can almost see through her skin. But then, that's what people say about me too. They say that my skin is even paler and that they can see my black veins running though me. And when I lie, you can see my veins surging even blacker. I don't lie well. Mariko lies much better than me. She always has that smile, then she'll blow her gum till it pops. Mariko likes pink, but I like black better. I always wear black.

"Are these the ones?" My Arrt asks again and I stop daydreaming. (Is it daydreaming if it's at night but I'm not asleep?) I nod.
"Yes."
He nods slowly in return and more lightning courses around and about him. Pretty bolts dance between his fingers and the boys shrink back. The one who wet his pants even starts shouting for his mummy. Silly boy. The House of Del has none of the dead, especially not those bandaged mannequins.
My Arrt draws a bright blue finger across the boy's face and it tears. The face rips and tears, a broad gash on his visage and he dies screaming. The other two boys get up and try to run, but lightning crawls across the floor and chains them to the ground, burning them. The smell of burnt flesh is in the room. My Arrt's white hair is flaring upwards now, the sheer amount of electricity in the room causing things to fly. My Arrt grabs the second boy and forces him to stare into his eyes. My Arrt's eyes are a pure blue-white now, no iris, no pupil, just blue and white. The boy's eyes spark a little and suddenly the spark grows, consumed by an inner lightning. There's nothing left in those burnt and scoured eye sockets. Those screams are really starting to get annoying. My Arrt feels the same way and crushes his throat, killing him. My Arrt then draws some of the lightning around the dead boy's face and skins it off, a cohesive flap of skin. My considerate Arrt smiles.
"Mariko will like this." Mariko, when she can, likes taking the faces of people and weating them. She's got a huge collection of those face masks, but she tells me she can't blow bubblegums as well when she wears her masks.
My Arrt suddenly looks past me and I turn. Mariko! She serenely chews her gum and walks to the last boy.
"Arrt? May I?" She asks so politely and nicely.
My compromising Arrt reluctantly backs away and calls back his lightning to him. Mariko lifts her hands up and crackling pink with a few threads of black surrounds them and she claps her hands on the sides of the boy's head. The energy discharges into him, wounds bleed open and his orifices start pouring with blood. Mariko quickly takes her hands away before they get dirty. The death of these three touch me. They aren't the first that have died thanks to me. Sweet, protective Arrt. I remember what Mariko tells me. Dolls are always prettier when they're broken...
As if thinking about her summons her, my mom appears. My mom is wearing that same boring old cloak and hood and is carrying that long, sharp scythe that she always brings wherever she goes. Her gaunt, skeletal face is stern and I think she's going to scold us. People tell me that my mother is Death and my dad is Black, the Colour Persona. But that was a long time back, before mom broke up with him and fell in love with Life. So Life's my dad, but Black's my real dad. Life is very nice to me, always getting me things I want and playing with me even though I'm not really his daughter. But I love mom and Life and my Family.
"Arrt, this isn't the first time." My mom's voice is as stern as her face shows her to be, but I can tell that she's exasperated.
"I'm sorry, auntie."
"That's what you said the previous times."
"They made Del cry!"
My mom's expression softens and she walks to me, picking me up.
"Are you alright now, Del?"
"Yes, mom. I'm okay."
She turns back to Arrt after tousling my hair a little.
"Let's try not to let this sort of thing happen again. As it is, mortals don't really like me."
Arrt smirks a little. Only a few mortals actually like Death. According to mom, nobody welcomes her with open arms.
"Mom?"
"Yes, sweetheart?"
"When's dad coming?" I have to call Life dad even though he's not really my dad. It's kinda funny, but I guess it doesn't really matter.
"I'm not sure either, dear. I'll tell you when I know. I have to go now, take care of yourself, sweetheart."
"Yes, mom. Bye."
"Bye." She turns back to Arrt. "And do try not to kill or torture anymore people. Especially torture. Pain is a sterner matron than I. Take care of them for me." Mom disappears. Arrt's parents are two of the Emotional Personas, Impulse and Wrath. He got his pretty lightning from his godfather, Light, one of the Elemental Personas. Each group of Personas have seven, so there are seven Colours, seven Elements, seven Emotions and seven of the Natural Personas. Sometimes I get mixed up, but Arrt's always here to explain. I hug Arrt and he hugs me. We head to our bedroom. Mom knows we sleep in the same bed, but she doesn't say anything about it. Mariko has a separate bed, though in the same room. All the others of my Family have all been long asleep.

Butterfly Flowers

"I would like to speak to the owner of this establishment."
"We're just a simple florist, m'lady, and I run it."
"Come on, do I have to prove that I know what goes on in here? Fine, I'd like to see one of your butterfly flowers. Now, can I or can I not see the owner of this establishment? I know his name, but it'd be best if it was not said."
"Of course, m'lady." The woman headed towards the inside of the flower shop and promptly returned with the man Raewyn was looking for.
"Wind! It's been a long time, girl."
"And you too, Snake."
Slanel could be described as a stereotypical businessman, with the suit, briefcase, tie, he was extremely out of place at the flower shop.
"Come on in, we'll go to my office, shall we?"
He led her in, through a corridor where she could hear the sounds of certain illicit activities occuring in the rooms along the corridor. She took a seat by him, lying back against the wall.
"I still can't believe you went into prostitution."
He smiled wickedly. "I suppose you understood the moment Mr. Necromancer told you I was running a flower shop."
"You enjoy that phrase too much."
"It's true. I run a business involving genital organs, and so do florists. It's just the organs of what, that truly matters."
"Of course."
"What are you doing here, though? I remember the day when you left. The Shifter was heartbroken."
"The Shifter doesn't even have a heart. I think."
"Oh, he does. And he wasn't the only one. Arguil was really disappointed. And so am I. You nearly brought Liryc to tears, remember?"
"She's fine now, right?"
"Not... really. She got even more depressed after you left and that's saying something. I never thought she could get even more depressed and suicidal. Your departure really hit her hard. Hit all of us hard. But Liryc got hurt the worst, girl."
"If there was some way to help her, I would. But it's too late for that. It's much too late. I left the guild fifteen months ago. I'm here for a different reason."
"Oh? And what might that be?"
Mirroring her previous encounter with Arguil, she pulled down her top garment.
"Nice colour. What did you do?"
"What I did is not the matter here. The matter here is that the salve I'm using to cure it is much too potent. I need a stalk of dreaming fern."
Slanel pursed his lips. He stood and strode about his office.
"You ask a lot, Wind. You leave us all negative fifteen months back, now you come back and you demand a stalk of dreaming fern."
"I can compensate you."
"The compensation isn't the most important thing. The most important thing is, never insult someone who might one day help you. You never seemed to grasp that. And now, it still seems like you haven't. Respect."
"On account of old time's sake, Slanel."
"Ah, don't you remember? I never do credit.""
"Slanel. Just... Look, if I don't get the dreaming fern, the salve will eventually burn my skin away and kill me. If I stop applyng it, the thing will cover my body and kill me."
"And that concerns me how?"
"Don't be so stubborn, will you! This is a matter of life and death."
"I refuse. I require greater incentives."
"I will come and visit the guild regularly."
"Not good enough."
"I'll pay you double the value of the dreaming fern."
"Triple."
"Fine." Raewyn grinned. "You always were a sucker for cold, filthy gold."
"Hey! I polish that gold everyday until it shines! Or at least," He amended, "I used to. Nowadays, I polish it when I can, the rest I leave to my servants to polish."
"You ain't afraid they'll steal it?"
"Why should I? They ain't kravlun." He said, using the term for the bottom-class, generally considered to be thieves and pickpockets. "But yes, there's a spell on my gold, bring it out of a certain range, bad things will happen."
"Mmm. I'm not too interested in what your household does."
"I can tell. I really think you should go and find Liryc. Try to get her to her previous state of depression."
"She's a dirge-singer, shouldn't the depression work in her favour?"
Slanel shrugged.
"As a dirge-singer, I guess it would help with the emotions and all that, but as a person? Not so much."
"I heard she's in Necropolis now?"
"Yes. She'll be back in Pero Diaz by next week earliest."
"Alright. I'll try to keep in touch with you guys. It's been a long time. The Shifter?"
"He's working as a bodyguard."
"How did he even get the contract? Don't tell me he finally got the hang of speaking?"
"Oh no, he hasn't and I don't expect him to anytime soon. I work as his agent too."
"And I assume you don't know where Necros is either."
"Our de facto leader tends to disappear quite regularly. This is no different."
"I'll be seeing you then, Snake."
"And you too, Wind." He kissed her on her forehead. "You may have been an irritance and a nuisance back in the day but I still missed you. Now take the fern and begone. You can pay later."
"I thought you said you didn't do credit?"
"Details, details, now go!"

You've forgotten about Alice, haven't you. Libys' voice echoed oddly in her mind.
"Hush."
You can't hide from her forever. Either you go and find her, or she comes and finds you.
Raewyn ignored him and slowly applied the salve. And the screams began once more.

Newspapers Are So Informative

Solciro whistled. "Hey guys, Delirious' been sent to the asylum."
"What? Why? He's always been somewhat mad, why send him there now?"
"Apparently he went crazy. Well, crazier. He started attacking people, it says here. And certain background information about him was revealed. Delirus was actually two people once. Siblings. Del and Irus. Who would have guessed. Some weird magical accident, they merged or something." He said, reading the newspaper.
"Wow. Where'd they get that information from?"
"His, uh, their other siblings. Iris and Iria."
"So, what's his real last name?"
"I don't know. It just says here The Family Of Del. I don't know, but it sounds quite sketchy to me. The Family Of Del. Maybe they were well-known somewhere else?"
Cocytus shrugged. "Anyway, I wonder who's gonna be the new Magics teacher."
They were sitting in a parlour sipping coffee and just lazing around, whiling away the time. The Terra parents had, as Solciro had predicted, expressed their sympathy and offered Grei a home. Grei had accepted and was still sleeping, not having slept in a proper bed ever before. It was a whole new world to her.
"So, Kestrel, what did you mean by those words yesterday?"
"Boredom strikes back. Shopping anyone?" Kestrel asked.
Cocytus stared at her. "Who are you and what have you done to my beloved Lady Kestrel?"
"I could do with a new hoodie." Lethe said.
They had been studiously avoiding the subject ever since Kestrel accidentally revealed it to the siblings. But they knew that they would have to tell them soon.
How long more before we tell them? It's starting to get annoying, hiding it from them. Styx sent.
Yeah. I think we might as well just tell them. I don't think I'd really want a boyfriend who doesn't accept me and my friends.
My friends and I. Phlegyas corrected. But, the grammar not withstanding, I agree with Lethe.
Then we might as well get it over and done with. Cocytus stated.
"Solciro, Lune, what you two heard yesterday was exactly that. As you already know, Lethe can absorb memories through touch and Styx is a telepath. But what you didn't know is that I can control blood and that Phlegyas here appears to be able to return from the dead without any outside intervention." Cocytus shrugged and deftly unbraided his veins. They dangled about his hands, far longer than his fingers. He lifted his hands up.
"See? Remember these? Watch." Blood started flowing from the veins and poured out into the air, forming a crimson globe. Cocytus became a shade paler, but continued concentrating.
"Blood control." He funneled the blood back into his veins and after he was done, started heaving heavily. He smiled weakly. "And it's tiring. Very very tiring."
It was a good thing that the parlour was empty save for them.
"But... How... I don't..." Solciro struggled futilely, trying to grasp what he had just been told. "Ah, you know what, never mind." He dropped the newspaper onto the table, slumped back onto his cushioned seat and closed his eyes, simply enjoying the cooled air and hot coffee.
"You're pretty accepting, aren't you?"
He opened an eye lazily. "You have to be accepting if you want to survive. You'll get nowhere with bigotry and calling other people freaks." Both his eyes then jolted awake as Lethe threw herself onto him.
"I am never going to get used to their extremely open displays of affection." Styx said, averting her face in mock embarrassment.
"I'm gonna have to get used to it, she's gonna be my sister-in-law!" Lunare exclaimed. "If they do this everyday..." She let the thought hang in the air.
"Besides, do your parents know about this?" Phlegyas gestured with a finger at the couple.
"Do you mean the fact that they're so intimate or the fact that they're together?"
"Um, both."
"Father and Mother only know that there's a relationship. They didn't inquire further. They think we know better. And I suppose we do."
The lovebirds finally broke their kiss and grinned somewhat breathlessly. Lethe sat on his lap, smiling in that Cheshire way that they had come to know recently.
"And I think I'm learning some manner of control over this. I can limit the experiences to just intellectual knowledge now, not actually reliving it all over again! But I guess it could be because I've touched him many times."
"Yeah, and in all the wrong places."
"I'm curious though." Cocytus cut in. "You and Lune don't act like nobles. Your speech, your actions, it seems more suited to the style of us regular commoners. The nobles I've seen apart from you two, they like to enunciate their words precisely, speaking in clipped sentences as if Common weren't their first language. And you two seem much more open."
Solciro shrugged. "We always resented the language, debate, court manners and politics lessons. We only put up a show of it in front of Father and Mother. Ah, you see, only we stuck-up nobles actually call our parents Father and Mother all the time, not Dad or Mum."
Lunare yawned. "Acherus, could we go and practise? Please? I'm really bored."
"We all are. I guess so then. Pickpocketing or lockpicking?"
The two made their way out, though Acheros opted to stay in the cool room. The weather recently had gone haywire, the weather mages unable to control the eco-dome they had erected over Pero Diaz. Pero Diaz, having the good luck to be located in the middle of a desert, had several high-ranking resident mages who created a dome over the entire city to control the weather. This meant that the weather was very monotonous, cool anytime around morning and evening, warm in the day. However, the dome had been fouling up recently and heatwaves that were more in tune with the desert had been passing through the city. No one knew why.
Lethe had taken up the newspaper. "Hey, slaughter of three kids in this little village."
"What's so amazing about people slaughtering three goats?"
"Sorry, I meant three boys."
Cocytus eyed her suspiciously. "Since when did you pick up street slang?"
She just rolled her eyes. "Since I touched her, remember?"
"Oh. Right. That."
"And anyway, what's interesting is that it says here something about a lightning demon is suspected. Family Of Del included in questioning."
"Let me see." He eyed the article. "So if this is the same Family Of Del, which is highly likely, then we know where Delirious came from."
"What, you wanna go check it out?"
He snorted.
"I'm not so bored. Besides," He slid a deck of playing cards out from his jeans pocket. "Cards anyone?"

Am I The Only One Who Predicted That?

Now, we shall see if it works.
"I trust Nova."
The truth will set us free.
"You're being unusually obtuse."
I... have my doubts.
She had received a transmission from Nova earlier on, dictating further instructions. The ointment was to be applied lightly and only once a day, lest it burnt her skin as the ointment contained various powerful herbs, both acidic and those that were bane to demons. Raewyn used a small fluffy piece of cotton wool to wipe the ointment onto the taint. It had spread so far that she grew worried that the ointment might run out ahead of time. The salve seemed to have no effect at first, save that it was cooling and felt comfortable on her mutated skin.
"That's disappointing."
Don't be so quick to... judge. He hissed.
"What's wrong with you?"
He didn't have to reply. The coolness faded and was replaced by a comfortable warmth. The warmth then grew in intensity. It started to get uncomfortable, a burning sensation, not dissimilar to being splashed by hot water. And the heat grew further. It felt as though she was being attacked by swarms of fireants and she yelped as the heat could no longer be described as heat, but rather as fire. She started screaming, so great was the pain and quickly sprinted to wash the medicine away. Libys' mental shrieks merged with her own to form painful harmonics that she was surprised her head didn't burst.
"Damn, damn, damn, damn the cursed medicine!" She swore after she managed to wash it away. "That was horrible."
You're... not the only one... who feels that way. Libys' mental voice seemed frighteningly weak.
"You okay?"
I feel... like I just survived an incredibly... concentrated dose of anti-demonic substances... Do you really think I am okay?
"Sarcasm. You're fine."
I.. told you I had... my doubts.
"Any way I could help you?"
Yes... Commit something evil...
"Very funny."
Gasping slightly, she examined herself. The taint was... The scales were duller and corroded, in some places she could see her skin. Her hands were scorched, an inflamed red and they had a throbbing pain to support the sight. The same signs were around the areas where her bare skin had touched the strong medicine.
"Damn." She closed her eyes. "That was painful."
However much... I detest the... weakness of the flesh... of inhabiting the flesh... I can't... argue with its... potency.
"I think Nova just lumped a whole bunch of herbs that hurt demons and then mixed them."
No... It was not a random mix... It was extremely effective, to be sure... We have to ask Nova if there was some way to dilute it, if you can't handle the pain...
"I can. It's a matter of how well you handle the pain. Your screams were just as bad as mine."
Pride. You don't have to pretend to be strong. We have... known each other for a long time already, though it is a short time to me.
"I'm not pretending." She huffed and lay down, already dialing Nova's shop. It was night and she would be there.
"Hello?"
"Nova, this is Raewyn."
"Ah yes, Raewyn, how was it?"
"Curse you, Nova, it was effective. Too effective. And very very painful. Could you dilute the damn thing?"
"Well, I engineered this level of potency because you wanted it to go away quickly, yes?"
"It's much too painful."
"I suppose I could administer a local anaesthetic when you apply the salve."
"Libys isn't affected by anaesthetics. He'd be screaming in pain and that is more than enough to make me want to scream."
"Complications." November sighed. "I suggest you go and find your other friend, the one from your old guild, what's his name, the one who's dealing with drugs?"
"Slanel? Wait, how do you know so much about them anyway?"
"I am an Upyr, no one denies me information. Besides, Arguil didn't mind. He said that the whole group of them were going somewhat more legit, so it was okay. He was the one who told me everything."
"Weird guy. He never did appreciate the value of keeping certain bits under wraps. What should I get from Slanel?"
"A certain plant. A dreaming fern."
"Why would I be getting plants from him?"
"Firstly, the dreaming fern, dear friend, is the plant from which dreamglaze is extracted. What happened to common knowledge of expensive narcotics? I would have thought that you would have tried dreamglaze before."
"That's not the point. I'm not a drug person. What's the second point?"
"To use his words, he runs a quaint little flower shop."
Raewyn didn't respond for a few seconds. Then she started laughing.
"He's pimping?" She asked incredulously.
"Yes."
"And he's hiding it behind the cover of a florist?"
"Yes. Funny guy."
"I can't believe he carried out on that stupid bet."
"What bet?"
"Never you mind. So I've just got to get this dreaming fern from him? How much?"
"I should think a single mature stalk would be enough. Dreaming ferns are the top-grade stuff, very hard to grow and just as hard to find. He may want some compensation."
"I have way more than enough to compensate him if need be. But I doubt so. But, what's drugs got to do with diluting the salve?"
"Who's the alchemist, you or me?"
"You."
"Exactly. I've got a customer incoming, bye." Again, Nova terminated the connection before Raewyn could reply.
That is starting to get extremely irritating.
"Yes. She evades. Still, we have to find Slanel now. This is like some annoying treasure hunt."

HC SVNT DRACONES

HC SVNT DRACONES.
The black letters stared up at him in stark defiance.
Hic sunt dracones, as it was read in the Latin.
Fearful words. Anathema to all sense of self-importance, to all sense of racial accomplishments.
Here be dragons.
Unexplored, uncharted, unknown regions. While new species, lifeforms, undiscovered. Medicines and pathogens alike, both virgin in their existence, untouched and unspoiled. For all he knew, an entire civilisation could be out there and then they would share the knowledge and wonders of Science and Technology for the advancement of life as they knew it.
He would be the first to explore this new land, the New World, and create colonies, spreading the influence of the great Empire. He was proud to be part of this effort to reach the rest of the Earth. His men were brave of heart and bold of flesh, his ships made of stout wood and the sails made from hardy cloths. He could not ask for a better fleet. His task was sanctioned by the Queen and blessed by God, he could not fail, nor could he go wrong.
And yet... The thought faltered, unwilling to resolve itself. He brushed aside the lingering doubts and stepped out from his cabin, taking the map with him. He had spent the past few days in the ship, getting its feel and learning the lay of the land. His mobile plot of land on the sea, he amended mentally with a smile. The wind was right and good, a sign that his mission truly was the will of God and he knew that today was the right time to set sail.
And yet... The doubt surfaced once more. Somehow... He looked at his map of the world again.
HC SVNT DRACONES.
The uncomfortable train of thought cleared. Perhaps...
Hic sunt dracones.
Perhaps there were some places man should never go nor know.
Here be dragons.

She Blurted!

The clerk sighed, his command of Draconic halting and basic.
"Grei. Permanently blinded. I am afraid that we cannot afford you as a guide anymore. However, we do have several positions that one of your situation could fil-"
"No."
The clerk blinked.
"No?"
"No. I resign. I shall leave with these tourists."
"I must say, that is extremely irregular." He turned to the group. "Are you all willing to take care of her?"
"Yes. No question about it."
"Since Grei has verbally tendered her resignation verbally, I see no reason to hold you folks back any longer. Next!" The clerk called out to the next in line, effectively dismissing them and preventing them from asking for any compensation or asking for any further action with regards to that mysterious assailant, the Twin as the doctor had named him.
They left, somewhat dejectedly as they had wanted to at least gain a measure of recompense for Grei.
"Why'd you want to resign?" Styx asked suddenly.
"There's nothing left here for me."
"What do you mean? That idiot said that they had a few positions that you coul-"
"I hate this place." She curled tighter around Phlegyas, causing him to wince a little. "I hate it from the bottom of my heart. I grew up here. My parents were also employees here. They died awhile after I was hatched. My whole childhood was spent being bullied. Come lunchtime, everyone would step on my wings, kick my tail, knock over my food, being treated like any other stereotypical orphan. I wanted to leave. But being born here, I was a debt. I had to work for them. So now that I'm blinded, I'm a liability and so I can finally leave." She gave the sound that they were starting to recognise as laughter, but the laughter was dripped in mockery and hate. "I wanted to leave so that I could see the world but I can only leave when I am blind."
Phlegyas could hardly respond, him being overwhelmed by her thoughts and emotions, but the rest just stood in awkward silence.
"Grei?" Styx asked tentatively. "You.. You don't have to be blind."
"What do you mean?" Grei snapped. "I'm blinded because a bullet went through my head. How do I not be blinded?"
"Let me show you. Don't resist." And Styx reached into her mind and joined what she saw into Grei's mental view. Grei gasped as pictures of herself clinging on to Phlegyas came to her.
"I... I.. What is this?"
"I'm a telepath, Grei. I can read minds. Don't worry, I did not ever read yours. I can also do a multitude of other things, but it's too lengthy to explain now. With both your and Phlegyas' consent, I think I could form a sort of visual bond between you two, so that you can see from his eyes."
"I... No. Don't."
"Why not?"
"I am blinded. I cannot rely on crutches to make my way. I will hone my other senses and I will do it until one day I can go alone."
"Damn," Lethe whispered. "You're strong. You're stronger than any of us, stronger than I will ever be. I wish I had your strength of will, Grei."
"I am not strong. I am a fool. A determined fool." Wet blotches stained her pristine bandages.
"It's okay, Grei, it's okay. We're all fools. We'll help you."
She sniffed and stopped trembling. She gave yet another short laugh.
"I still can cry."
"So now. We head back into Pero Diaz." Cocytus stated authoritatively.
"This trip was depressing. No offence intended, Grei." Lunare mumbled.
"None taken."
"Sol, how're you and Lune going to explain this to your parents? Plus, somebody's gotta help Grei." Lethe asked.
"I'm sure we can make it sound like the accident it really was. And my parents, they'd surely feel obliged to aid our dear draconic friend here."
"Thank you." Grei croaked, her voice overflowing with gratitude.
"No problem."
"Maybe we should go find that Aesiflay woman. From all that I've gathered about her, she seems pretty adventurous. She's bound to be doing something fun."
"Hello? Have you forgotten? She's ill."
"True. This holiday is just plain bad."
"We've still got a long time yet. We could just hang about, no need to go to some fancy-pants place." Phlegyas shrugged.
"I wonder how she's doing though. She seems like the sort of person whose life is always interesting."
Kestrel snorted. "Yeah, and our own lives are totally boring. Controlling blood is the norm, reading minds is child's play, absorbing memories by touch is so lame, reincarnation with no external help is outdated and having two brothers within a body is just stupid. Yes, our life is so plain and predictable, yes?"
Lunare and Solciro stared at her, though Grei would have done so too if she could have stared.
"Ah shit. I said the wrong things, didn't I."

Old Friends? Again?

"Nova? Hello? Can you hear me?" Raewyn spoke into her phone.
A crackling sound greeted her, followed by intermittent bursts of speech, unintelligible.
"Nova, could you repeat that?"
The static lessened.
"Hello? Raewyn? Can you hear me clearer?"
"Yes, yes I can."
"Okay. Good. I am currently unable to pass it to you, but the point is that I have already made a medicine for you."
"And you can't pass it to me because?"
"I can't tell you. Not now anyway. I left it with someone trustworthy. Go to my store. I've got a relative helping me with the store. She'll direct you to the person I passed the medicine to."
"A relative? Who?"
"A distant relative." Nova said testily. "I don't really like her. By the way, to prepare you for her appearance, she looks like a kid. Forewarned is forearmed."
"Like Alice..." The words came unbidden to her lips.
"Who?"
"No, never mind. So to your store, from there I'll go to whoever it is that you passed my life-saving drug to."
"Yes. I can't talk anymore, gotta go."
"Wait, you're in a club, aren't you?"
"How'd you know?" Her surprise was evident in her voice.
"Well, it's daylight and only clubs keep it to the level of darkness you like, even though I know aritificial light won't hurt you. Plus, the crazy music blasting in the background."
"Yeah, yeah, whatever, gonna have fun now, bye!" Nova closed the connection before Raewyn could say anything else.
What an odd bloodsucker.
"She was always very cheerful. I bet she met her death with joy."
If I had a second form of existence to look forward to, I'm sure I'd meet my own with joy too.
"Uh huh." She replied absent-mindedly as she made her way through the empty street. She reached the shop quickly and stepped into its dark boundaries.
"Hello." The voice of a small child rang. "What may I do for you?"
Raewyn looked down to see a girl, short blue hair, red eyes, a whitish-pink dress and fangs, looking up at her.
"Um, hello. I'm Nova's friend? You're supposed to direct me to someone?"
"Ah. Darling November's acquaintance. Yes. What is your name?"
"Raewyn. Raewyn Aesiflay."
"I see." The girl, though she was probably much older than Nova, walked to the counter and searched about. "Ah, there it is. November asked me to pass to you this note."
"Thank you."
The note was short and simple, stating an address, a name and several words. The words were "I hope you still remember him.". The name was a single word, no last name, just Arguil.
Oh, that guy. I thought you left the whole bunch of them back a long time ago.
"Not that long ago apparently."
"I beg your pardon?"
Raewyn jolted. She hadn't realised that the girl was still looking at her.
"Nothing. Might I know your name?"
"Names are not important. However, you can call me Red."
"In that case, thank you, Red."
"You're welcome."
With the formalities dispensed, she left and headed for the next address. It was quite close and she reached the block quickly. It was decrepit and had an aura of decay. But knowing the man she sought, it was likely on purpose, though only a single apartment belonged to him in the block. The lift was jerky as she rode it up several floors and the machine seemed as if it would fall apart at any moment.
Better take the stairs when you get out.
"Agreed."
I don't like this, Raewyn. Aida said, completely uncharacteristic of her.
"It'll be fine." She ringed the doorbell and waited. The door opened slowly and a hooded and cloaked figure of similar height stood out. The figure held in the right hand a staff, the end of which was the skull of a goat or some other cattle. The figure seemed to be carrying a small bundle on its back.
"Hello, Arguil. Remember me?"
Arguil pulled back the hood, showing a haggard face with a small skull tattooed onto his right cheek. His eyes were black as charcoal and the whites were streaked with red, the result of sleep deprivation.
"Wind? Is that you?"
"Yes, you foolish necromancer. Let me in."
"If not for November's message, I wouldn't have expected you."
"Nor I you, friend. How's the guild been doing?"
"Same old. Slanel's drugs are still selling well, the Shifter's still getting paid for protection, Liryc's off to Necropolis to do some song for undead weddings, Necros, well, I don't really know what he's doing."
"As always, eh? He ever was the mysterious one."
"Yes. And then you left." His disappointment was clear in his posture and tone and evidently persisted for several years.
"Yes. And then I left."
"You had so much potential, Raewyn."
"What as? I suppose I have the guild to thank for the basic knowledge of the criminal side of things, but there was not much else."
"Now you're just another bounty hunter."
"Who is rapidly carving a reputation for being the most efficient and the best, don't forget."
"Of course. However, your visit here today is not just to reminisce about old times, but to collect something." Arguil took out a vial and handed it to her. The vial contained a milky, thick liquid that flowed smoothly. "If I may ask, what's that for?"
In response, Raewyn pulled down the top of her leather garments. There was no embarrassment in the action, they as a guild had all seen each other in various states of nudity before.
"Dark." He cursed. "What's that?"
"A growth. It's somehow caused as a by-product between me and Libys merging."
"Damn. I assume that this then is your medicine."
"Yes indeed. Nova had to make it herself."
A wailing sound originating from behind Arguil came, high-pitched and young.
He reached behind him and then pulled the bundle he was carrying to his front. The bundle was actually a baby. A baby girl. A dead baby girl, to all appearances. A crying, dead baby girl whose tiny arms were wrapped together across its chest and several large needles stuck out of its sides at odd angles. It's grey pallor and unmistakable signs of some horrid infestation in between its discoloured teeth showed its true nature as one of the living dead. Arguil cooed to it and hushed it in a manner that was common to all parents, full of love and caring, extremely weird to see in this odd situation.
"Hush now, my sweet, go to sleep, this is a friend of mine. I'll wake you up when need be, dearest."
The thing stopped its crying and, as if dully obeying orders, closed its glassy eyes.
"Huh. Your kid?"
"My grave child."
"Oh so you got your license then."
"Of course. I am an established necromancer and no proper necromancer is without a grave child. They increase our powers to heights which we could only imagine without these lovely creations."
"I see. Have fun with your kid. I guess I'll make a move now then."
"Good luck then. I do hope you'll get better."
"Thanks, Skully."
"You're welcome, Wind. No problem. Do drop by the guild when you're free, will you?" He gave her a kiss, a kiss she gladly returned. The guild had been like the elder brother she never had and her heart ached slightly as she thought of what she had left behind so very long ago.
"Oh yes, before I forget, Nova said to tell you that it's to be applied, so don't drink it, okay?"
"Got it, boss." She smiled. "Thanks again."
"Like I said, do try to meet up with the rest of us."
"I'll try." She pulled her shirt back up and left, unwillingly and reluctant, remembering her own words, took the stairs this time. It wasn't that much better. The dirt and dead pests reminded her of her time in the slums and she felt slightly claustrophobic.

Management? Sounds Like Bureaucracy

The trip wasn't going the way they had planned, Cocytus thought. This was probably a mistake, organising the whole thing. He got stabbed, a friend got blinded. Permanently, it seemed. And another person had come along to take care of them, he supposed. At least, now he and his dearest Kestrel would have some time alone.
Dream on, Master Greywing. We're never completely alone. Not anymore. Kestrel thought along their connection and he jumped. He hadn't realised that he was thinking 'out loud' to all of the others and he instantly turned red.
Kestrel chuckled and finally came out of the bathroom, looking even more beautiful to him, with her wet hair and fresh bearing. She leaned against the wall and jerked a thumb towards the bathroom.
"Your turn, Master Greywing. Maybe a good bath will finally wipe off that sad face of yours."
"Right, whatever you say, Lady Kestrel, just don't get your hopes up."
Even though the day's events were stressful, to say the least, the hot water managed to soothe his body, as it always did. It unknotted his tense muscles, though it was a shame that he had to cover his shoulder from the water. He felt refreshed and re-energised. As he dressed and headed into bed beside the love of his life, he couldn't help but wonder what Lethe was doing. He knew that he himself and Kestrel would do nothing, both sharing similar views about waiting until after marriage, but he also knew that recently Lethe was starting to be an extremely lusty person and as Solciro had put it so aptly, "insatiable" and couldn't just stick to simple kisses.
Poor Solciro. He thought to all of them, making sure Lethe especially heard him.
Up yours, Iceman. I'm the poor one, not him. She shot back quickly.
Lethe was losing herself in the sheer intimacy between herself and Solciro, who had, it seemed, finally thrown away all semblance of self-control. He didn't mind when she touched him and instead responded with greater passion. However, he still kept his clothes on and Lethe knew that he would not give in to her. She, on the other hand, had no such restrictions and guided his hands, even his mouth, about the contours of her body, enjoying the sensual movements his fingers and lips made as they felt their way and completely giving in to the pleasure that she was feeling from him. The memories came into her as soon as it came to past and it felt as though she was having the physical pleasure of two people. She shuddered in anticipation of what she might feel when the two of them finally coupled.
Styx was being a voyeur, passively tapping their minds and concentrating her weak clairvoyance towards them in an effort to create the scene in her mind, while sending off the images to whoever was amused or interested. Cocytus and Kestrel firmly declined, as did Acherus and Phlegyas, but Acheros gladly watched. He enjoyed disturbing his brother by forcing portions of their quasi-lovemaking into his mind, leaving him no choice but to partake of the 'visual feast' as he called it. Lethe was simply too caught up in the whole act to take notice of the emotions travelling back and forth among the group. She moaned, even as Solciro stuck his fingers into her and set her nerves on fire. Euphoria flooded her and filled her long after she came, Solciro continuing his vigorous movements, ignoring her perfunctionary and superficial pleas to stop. Otherwise, it wouldn't be seemly. Lunare slept, not knowing what went on in the night, as did Grei, who had crept over to lie with her, though she had woken Lunare up in the process of navigating her way across and Lunare went over to carry her up. Grei seemed so vulnerable now. Somewhat helpless, though she did her best not to seem that way. She tried to do things on her own but they would just help her anyway, save for that which she could manage.
"Grei, wake us up if you need anything, we'll help you." Lunare looked at Styx. As far as she was concerned, Styx was meditating. "I will, at any rate. I'm sure Styx will as soon as she finishes whatever she's doing." She laid Grei down on her bed and tucked herself in, lightly hugging her.

"Good sleep last night?" Raewyn asked.
"The beds were springy." Lethe grinned.
"I suppose so." She felt much too ill to take notice of their words.
"You don't look good, Raewyn. Very pale." Kestrel noted.
"Yes. I know I'm sick. I've got someone still figuring out the medicine for me though. Which is the basis of what I want to tell you. I have to leave Darksun as soon as possible. I fear that my friend may have trouble contacting me in here."
"Oh. Are you sure?"
"Yes."
"Then godspeed, Raewyn. May your friend have come up with something."
"I sure hope so. Here, have my number, I guess we'll keep in touch. Nice meeting you guys."
"And you too Raewyn. Good luck."
Raewyn, having brought a bare minimum of clothing and baggage, left quickly, coughing as she went.
"Well, she sure was weird. It's only what, her second day here?"
"Yeah. You know, somehow whatever happened yesterday dampened my mood a lot."
"Somehow? It dampened all of our moods. Ugh. I don't really feel like wandering around the whole place and having fun."
"It's hard to have fun now." Phlegyas agreed. "How now, Grei?"
She was curled around him as usual and she slid slightly about him at the mention of her name.
Phlegyas responded, "She doesn't really want to use her voice, but she says that she's not exactly fit to be our guide anymore, so we've got to go find Management? Then they'll decide."
"Oh Archon, so, now Grei, you've lost your job too...I'm so sorry..."
Grei shifted uncomfortably, rubbing against Phlegyas' neck.
"She really doesn't think any of us are to blame. The phrase she's thinking of is 'victim of circumstance'."
"I'm still guilty nonetheless." Styx said.
Grei made a small sound.
"What did she do?" Cocytus asked blankly.
"She sighed." Phlegyas grinned. "She finds you as exasperating as I. At any rate we still have to go find Management. Incidents like these have to be reported."

Injuries, Injuries, Injuries

The interior was a bright and harsh white, sterile and functional. The doctor carefully laid Grei on a table, the others standing by the side.
"Now then, you are Grei, yes? Just keep still and relax." He examined her eyes. "A bullet went through both of your eyes from the side." She shuddered slightly but otherwise kept quiet. He moved from her eyes to the rest of her body. After awhile, he went to talk to the group.
"Doctor, what's the situation? Can you restore her eyesight?"
"The only thing that saved her life was the fact that pseudodragons have their brains further back along the head, unlike us humanoids. The bullet went right through her eyes and all that can be done is to plug the wound. I'm afraid her eyes are permanently destroyed. The parts that we cannot grow back are destroyed. There is virtually nothing left of her eyes. Apart from that, she has no other injuries."
"Are you sure that there's nothing that can be done for her eyes?" Cocytus asked.
"Unless you want to graft a set of eyes for her, her original eyes are gone. And to the best of my knowledge, no artificial eyes that can be adapted for pseudodragons have been created. Now then, young man, your shoulder looks more immediate. Your friend's eyes are destroyed but she will not die. Consider her lucky." The doctor sat Cocytus onto a chair and went through the same full-body diagnosis.
"Hmm, I recognise those wounds. They are made from a katara, yes?"
"How did you know?"
"Those brigands have been growing bolder and bolder day by day. They used to be one of those small street gangs in the areas that people hardly ever frequent here in Darksun. The one who stabbed you with a katara, he had two, right? And it was very masterwork, obsidian blades?"
"Yes. That's the one."
"He's a monster, he is. I don't know what he is, but around these parts, he's known as the Twin." The doctor said, as he removed the crude bandages that they had put on his wound. "He's notorious for being in multiple places at a time, but if you ask me, he's the Twin because there are two of them. That's the most I've ever heard of at the same time. Good dressing you kids did, the bleeding was stopped effectively. Now, let's see what I can do for you."
The doctor cleaned, stitched up the wound and reapplied a bandaged over the shoulder, this one neater and tighter.
"Hold it up for me, will you?"
The doctor reached for several hooks to secure the bandage and saw Cocytus' hand holding up the end of the bandage. Specifically, he saw Cocytus' wrist.
"Archon. What is that?" The doctor quickly secured the bandage and took his hand.
"It's nothing, doctor."
"Is that.. that looks like your veins. Is it?"
"No, sir, just a little cosmetic accessory I wear." Cocytus pulled his hand away.
The doctor looked somewhat embarrassed.
"Ah, yes, of course, pardon me for my rudeness. Back to your injuries. You've got bruises on your shins and the hinds of your legs. Nothing too serious, but I'll prescribe some oinments for you. Use icepacks to lessen the swelling, simple stuff like that."
"Got it, doctor."
"Does anyone else have any injuries to declare?"
"Does emotional stress count?"
"Go see a psychiatrist for that. Any other physical injuries?"
"Nope."
"Then you kids go out to the waiting room. I've gotta clear up your friend's eyes."
They hesitated and then nodded.

The doctor came out of the room some time later with Grei perched on his shoulder. She had a white bandage over her head, obscuring her injury and seemed very unstable on the doctor's shoulder.
"Grei... Are you okay?"
"Better.." She croaked roughly. "I feel like I'm going to fall."
"Pseudodragons depend quite a lot on their sense of sight to stabilise themselves." The doctor explained. "Your friend's gonna need a lot of help from you guys."
"I'm so sorry, Grei, please forgive me." Styx said, exuding guilt with every word.
"Never mind that, Styx. I was your guide, I should have known we'd get mugged. I shouldn't have suggested it in the first place. I brought this on myself."
Before Styx could argue the point, Kestrel asked, "Was? Aren't you still our guide?"
Grei made an odd, repetitive sound. It dawned on them that she was chuckling.
"The blind leading those with sight? It'd be like a fool leading the wise. Though the wise wouldn't be all that wise if they wanted a fool to lead them."
Kestrel stared at her blankly, not comprehending her Draconic. "Acherus, what did she say?"
"She says we're fools for asking a blind person to lead us."
The doctor slowly lifted her off his shoulder and handed her over carefully. He moved away to tend to another patient.
"Right. Let's go pay and get the medicine." Raewyn said, prodding them to action.
Grei curled around Phlegyas as before, seeming to treat his warm body as a refuge.

They booked four rooms, two for each couple, Phlegyas and Acheron in one, the last for Lunare, Styx and Grei. Their rooms were right beside Raewyn's, who was determined to ensure that they were perfectly fine.
Who knew you had such potential to be a mother. Libys chuckled.
"Shut up." She mumbled in reply, too caught up in the examination of her own body. The taint had grown even further, completely encompassing the upper region of her right torso, spreading down her right arm, and her neck was almost totally covered. The growth on her back was faster and had already started to touch her left shoulder as well as covering at least half of her spine.
Raewyn. Calm down. Nova will contact us soon and you know it. She's bound to come up with something to stop this thing.
"It's already spread so far! What if it can only halt the growth? It's already covered up so much of my body, unless she can completely remove it, I'll forever be marked!" She was distressed, and rightly so.
Just keep calm. In the end, it'll all be okay. In her mind's eye, Raewyn could see Libys shaking his head ruefully. He was an optimist to the core, a major failing in a demon.
We'll just get back as soon as possible.
"But.."
You don't want to leave these kids.
"I never said that!"
No, but everything about you indicated that. I'm your skin, Raewyn, I should know very well what your intentions are. Generally anyway.
"I don't know.. I feel.."
You've grown attached to them. Funny.
She sighed. "I guess I just don't want to let them get hurt anymore. I've already caused Grei to lose her sight, I don't intend to make things worse for them."
I don't believe this. Raewyn Aesiflay is developing a conscience. Just great. What happened to the good old self-serving you? You may not want to make things worse for them, but what about yourself? If you don't return back and get Nova to hurry up, you're gonna die. As it stands, you're already sicker than a brothel full of prostitutes.
Despite her current circumstances, Raewyn could not help but smile at Libys' corrupt simile.

Ein.

I.

We were looking at the skies, counting the infinite passing clouds, the only things keeping our heads up; maybe that’s why they said we had our heads in the clouds, like every other dreamer. The clouds are part of our world. They never die, they never leave. They are permanent, infallible, unconditional, and eternal- like how true friendship was supposed to be, a real dream.

One day we will leave each other, perhaps we already have. You left me in the world of lost friendship to fend for myself and my world of clouds. Like the skies, we were always unpredictable; we wear different masks everyday, just simply for the moment. The slight difference made a true break; we are not infinite like the clouds of yesterday, today and tomorrow, we never were, never will be. Maybe by chance, we will float by each other but recognition is no longer a part of my dictionary.

II.

It was a chemical reaction, an idea for the sensibilities, the instant collision of two stars, once believed to be happening once in an eternity. Like the pendulum effect, we are connected, linked, and inseparable. The threads of time pull us towards each other, locking us in an eternal bond. Have you heard, my dear, the people who love you never really leave?

The threads of time spread far and wide, linking yesterday with today and today with tomorrow, connecting you and me with the soft beats in our hearts, synchronized, memorized, decoded. What happens when you leave permanently, maybe the world will end on my behalf, and maybe the sun will never rise again? The thought of “maybe” alone is heart wrenching, it’s like staring at a sea of stars, fervently trying to count them all, holding a hidden know that you will never be done, infinite. Infinite stars, infinite possibilities. It’s like shivering in awe of the unknown, the fear, the anxiety, and yet, the conviction that even if everything turns to stardust, we can never be apart.

This is the first of a random series of poems that lost their verses. :/

Dark And Empty

Raewyn sat in the lounge of the luxurious Castan Hotel and lifted another glass to her lips.
You came all the way to the Darksun Carnival to drink.
"Yes.." Raewyn murmured unsteadily.
You could have drunk at home.
"I don't have any Kylmiri icewine at home." She took another draught.
Rarer by the plague eh? Since we're here, why don't you go and have some fun? Wasn't that your plan?
"Nothing like alcohol..." Raewyn's eyes were glazed and unfocused.
Don't tell me I have to metabolise it for you again.
"No.. Don't.. I'll sleep it off.."
You're turning into an alcoholic.
"I feel less sick when I drink..."
Libys forced Raewyn up, controlling her body and steering her back into her room.

Feeling better yet?
"Yes. Better. Thanks. I'm... sorry, Libys."
That's a first. You've never apologised to me before.
"Yes, well, no need to further crush my dignity."
So now you're going to go out and relax.
"That's the plan." Raewyn agreed.
Of course. Where then, do you- Raewyn. Don't bring it along.
"It makes me feel better. I feel less ill." She ignored him and put a flask into one of the pockets of her cloak.
You're not helping yourself.
"If I feel better, I can operate better."
You'll get drunk.
"It's a carnival."
So?
"Just shut up."
She headed out and turned away from the main street into a small alley. She heard a small commotion just past the turn ahead.
"Odd. The main part of the city's further than that."
Carnival. It's a carnival.
"It's a city. A carnival in name."
As she turned around, she saw the source of the disturbance. It seemed like a classic robbery scene. There were three people with their lower face covered, two holding guns and one holding a katara in one hand with another sheathed on his belt. The katara was a blade that was held in a position which favoured punching, street slang giving it the famous name of 'punch dagger'. It was widely recognised by its distinctive 'H'-shaped handle, three feet long on average. These looked as if they were of a high worksmanship, with its plain, yet exquisite obsidian handle and a blade of what looked like amethyst streaked through with lines of ruby and sapphire. Expensive. And likely deadly. They were facing a group of teenagers, probably around their eighteens or so. There were eight of them, four of each gender and a pseudodragon perched on one of their heads, the tallest guy there. The robbers were smart and were standing a short distance away from them, just out of their range save for the one with the kataras. As she watched, one of the females placed a small bag on the ground. She made to kick it to the robbers and at that moment when all eyes were on her, one of the teenagers quickly stepped forward and tried to punch the robber. The katara-wielder sidestepped and, without hesitation, stabbed his shoulder. He managed to parry and the blow went wide, but before he could do anything else, the robber kicked the teen's shin and rapidly followed up with another blow to the back of his leg. He fell to the floor and Raewyn heard a cry from one of the females. Evidently a girlfriend. Raewyn heard the person say, in a metallic voice, "Anyone else?". He was using a device to change his voice then.
Raewyn, stop, don't! It's not your fight!
Raewyn unsheathed Aida as she sprinted forward, not using her chain-morningstar for the first time. The two gunners saw nothing as she masked her presence from them. The one with the blades, however, has narrowed his eyes and sniffed. He turned and stabbed towards her just as she dodged to the side. To everyone else, it had seemed that he had overreacted and attacked thin air. Another of the teens, a dimunitive female, crouched down and concentrated. The two gunners quickly turned their guns on her while the third sniffed the air once more, seeming to able to sense Raewyn. He drew his second katara and looked directly at Raewyn.
He can see through your glamour!
Raewyn quickly took stock of the situation. The two gunners weren't shooting at the smaller girl yet, but they might at any moment. Raewyn ignored the man as he charged at her and she quickly ran towards the other two gunners.
"Hey boss, where ya' going?" was all the man managed just before the smaller girl leaped at him, teeth bared in an extremely primitive, savage and utterly unsettling way. But it wasn't the smaller girl, was it? She was still crouching there. But then this barbaric lookalike, who was she? The girl, no, her cruel mirror image, bit through the first gunner's throat. The second gunner was shot at her but his shots went straight through. He quickly aimed at the still crouching girl and fired. The bullet connected not with the short girl but rather, with the tallest guy, the one who still had the pseudodragon clinging on to him tightly. He fell, blood spurting out from the wound in his chest.
Raewyn saw all this and turned around. She was vaguely aware of the other teens yelling and running to aid the guy. A second shot sounded. A shriek of pain. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the feral version of the girl pounce upon the last gunner. Directly in front of her, the last robber raised an eyebrow and stabbed with lightning speed. Raewyn's response was just as fast and she raised Aida to block.
Ah, a battle, finally!
Raewyn did not share her enthusiasm as much and quickly attacked. He matched her blow for blow and his eyes flashed. She quickly jumped backwards, something the man didn't expect and she quickly intoned several syllables. Several iridiscent bolts flew from her free hand towards the man and he stumbled backwards as they flew through his face, blinding him temporarily. Her glamour dissipating with the spell, Raewyn pressed her advantage and attacked. He laughed and somehow managed to block her strike and followed up with a counterattack.
How did he see you? He couldn't see anything!
His smell! He relies on his sense of smell!
Raewyn let loose another spell, this one punching several bloody holes in his chest. He stumbled backwards and pulled down his mask, spitting out bloody saliva. He snarled, seemingly no less feral than the girl and turned and ran. Raewyn picked up a gun and started firing at his retreating figure but she missed every shot and threw the gun down in disgust. She walked over to the teens, who were tending to their friend.
"Are you kids okay?"
"Phlegyas isn't. He was shot in the heart, Archon curse it!"
"He's dead." The girl's voice was hollow.
"Are... you sure, Styx?"
"Yes." She slumped down beside the aforementioned Phlegyas and started crying. The rest of her friends looked equally shattered. Suddenly, Styx stopped crying and reached over to the dead kid, Phlegyas.
"Phlegyas? Phlegyas? You're alive!"
He stirred and reached for his heart.
"Ugh... My chest is itching."
Tears rolling down her cheek, Styx hugged him fiercely.
"Woah, Styxie, not so tight, can't breathe." He seemed somewhat confused.
The others stared, as did Raewyn.
"Hells, Phlegyas, you took a bullet to your heart! You died!"
"I feel better now." One of the teens, a Cain, tore open his shirt.
"Hey, Acherus, why'd you rip my shirt!" Phlegyas' voice was indignant and Raewyn could only stare.
His chest was bare. There was no sign at all of the fatal wound he had just received.
"Are you sure I got shot? It don't look like that to me."
Raewyn looked at each of them in turn. "How the hells did he manage to heal instantly from a fatal wound?"
Their attention was back on her.
"I... don't know ma'am, but we are grateful for your help. If not for your intervention, we could not have escaped relatively unscathed. Compared to them." Styx gestured towards the dead gunners.
"And you." Raewyn continued as if Styx had not spoken. "There were two of you. But the other you was savage. Feral. Barbaric. Primitive. What in the Archon's name did you two do?"
"Nothing."
Come on, Rae, do you really expect them to reveal their secrets about themselves to a complete stranger?
"Alright. Never mind. You kids watch yourself, okay? Wait, what happened to the pseudodragon?"
"Grei!" They looked about and saw the frightened guide lay on a pipe at the side. The Cain went closer first.
"Grei? Are you okay?"
The pipe was stained with an odd fluid. As Acherus touched the liquid, a horrible realisation dawned upon him.
"Grei! Grei!"
He quickly channeled small amounts of energy at her, unsure as to where her wounds were located. The guide moved her head slightly.
"Grei! Are you okay?" Acherus lifted his hand up and touched her face.
Impressions flooded him, darkness, pain, despair, fear.
"It's okay now, Grei. It's okay now. They're gone now."
She spoke suddenly, rapidly, so fast that he had trouble understanding her.
"Slow down, I can't understand you. Speak slowly, Grei. Relax."
Her tone was desperate and urgent. "What time is it? Is it night time already? How long have I been unconscious?"
"No, Grei, it wasn't very long, just maybe, fifteen minutes at most."
She started frantically clawing everything within her reach, scrabbling about.
"Woah, Grei, what're you doing?"
"I can't see! I can't see anything! It's all dark! Save me, I can't see! I'm blind! I can't see! Dark and empty! It's all cold and dark and I can't see anything! They shot my eyes! I can't see, I can't see!" She shrieked pitifully in rapid-fire Draconian.
Kestrel put her hands to her mouth. Acherus quickly examined her eyes and slowly shook his head.
"Nothing I can do. We need to get her to a doctor. Now." His voice shook slightly and he took several deep breaths.
"Take this. Use it for any bills. I should have been faster. I could have prevented all this." Raewyn held her hands to her face in guilt.
"It wasn't your fault either ma'am."
"Hells yes, it was. Your friend was the one who killed the two gunmen. I couldn't even kill that third guy. I could have been faster, I could have-" She coughed violently.
"With all due respect ma'am, you did what you could. And you don't look too good either." Cocytus said.
"Don't call me ma'am, I'm not that much older than you guys. And how's that shoulder holding up? It looked like one hell of a stab. I'm Raewyn."
They introduced themselves.
"No wonder you two looked so familiar. The two scions of the Terra family. I'm a noble myself."
"Really?"
"House Aesiflay. Glad to be of assistance."
"You're the Aesiflay? Raewyn Aesiflay? Sole inheritor of the entire Aesiflay fortune? The one who disappeared from public view?"
"Yes."
"You... You apprenticed under Karasondrias, right?"
"Hey, how do you know that? The press never said no nothing."
"Parents. Kara teaches us History."
"I think we'll chat later. We have to get Grei to the doctor." She had slowly kept quiet, withdrawing into herself, not responding to their words. But they could see her shaking. With fear, with anger, they did not know. As they put her onto Phlegyas' shoulder, they could hear her mumbling, "Dark, all dark. Blind forever. I'm blind. It's so cold. Dark and empty. Eyes gone. I can't see anything."
"Archon, my heart really goes out to her. She's blind all because I... just because I wanted to take a damned shortcut. Grei... I'm so sorry." Styx said, head buried in her hands.
"Styx, nobody could have known we would have gotten mugged. It isn't your fault."
"You jumped in front of me to protect me."
"And that bullet hit me."
"He fired again. It hit Grei instead. It's all my fault. Now she's blind."
"It's not your fault, Styx, relax."
"She's fucking blind! How the hells do I relax! She's blind all because of me!" Styx shouted.
"Don't be so arrogant as to claim all the blame. I could have moved faster. I could have. But I didn't. It's over now. I can't do anything about it except move on." Raewyn said quietly. "Calmed down? Good. Now, which hotel do you guys stay at?"
Phlegyas spoke up, "Grei wanted to bring us to the Castan Hotel. We don't know how to get there."
"That's where I've got a room. I'll take all of you guys later after the doctors treat her."