These Frozen Souls

"I'm too old for games, tiefling," why do so many people just call me tiefling? I have a name! Jeez. "I'm no healer, either."

With that mother hen completely ignored me from there on. Eyes drifting to birdy and Blu behind me. The latter who was currently getting up and digging her sword out of the snow. Cursing the whole time. Again, mostly cursing me. Like, what'd I do??

"So," oh is Astra talking again? "Mind telling me why you thought it was a good idea to go gallivanting out into the middle of nowhere with these...volatile friends of yours?"

Volatile? Volatile? Really? I was playing! Not even roughly either! Like, I mean I guess Rain was getting a lil heated there... but I was just playing! Mleh. I crossed my arms and shook my head, annoyed. And my arm still hurts. Great.

~~~~~

Mother hen refused to be left behind. Birdy was on board to add another to our rag tag group and honestly, I was too! Magicky magic spooky witch woman in the group? Sounds like fun! Maybe she'll get fish boy up and running again too! The more the crazier! Or, like, however that saying goes, I dunno!

It was decided she could follow along-but no magic. Well that's dull! I still wanna learn how to throw those funky blue blast thingies! Bah.

Since magic was out of the picture I didn't really bother messing with mother hen. No need to p*ss her off if it's just gonna make everybody mad! Plus, not like there would even be any cool magic stuff!

So I decided to do the next best thing. Which might-probably-definitely annoy everyone. Namely, annoy Blu.

Steal her sword. And hide it. In increasingly ridiculous places!

It was pretty easy to get her sword in the first place; Blu ain’t half as speedy as she acts! Helps that I’m hella sneaky when I wanna be! I slipped the blade from its place at her hip with a casual flick of my tail. Hooking the diamond shaped pommel effortlessly. Blu rushed to grab it-but I already had it. And no way am I going to let the game end before it even starts!

“Give that back you f*cking tiefling! That’s my sword d*mnit!” She hissed at me. Ooh is she actually gonna play along??

“Nah! Come and get me if ya wanna get it back!” I responded excitedly, lifting the short sword up to hold it in my mouth. Blu’s look of disgust was priceless!

“Get that sh*t out of your f*cking mouth!” Oop. Now she’s chasing me!

“Nahhhjgghhhgh!!” Running with a sword isn’t safe is it? Dunno!

Ima do it anyways! It only took a minute before Blu was panting heavily. She leaned against a tree and waved me off when I bounded up to her. Ha! Nobody can catch me! I still held her sword; Blu ain’t getting this thing back for a while!

Curiously, I nudged her with my tail. Blu just cursed under her breath and retreated back to the wagon. Mleh. Rude.

So of course I started hiding her sword! The first hidey spot? High up in a tree surrounding the clearing. She spotted it roughly an hour after I hid it. Blu glared at me. Somebody’s maaaaaad!

“Are you f*cking kidding me?! A tree! I am NOT going to climb that!” She shouted from the ground. I smirked from my perch high up in the tree.

Well. Gotta find a better hiding place then! I picked up the sword and scurried down the tree. Allowing myself to fall the last five feet or so. I tried to roll, but my arm really really hurts! So I just landed in a heap instead!

Blu stomped over. She doesn’t actually think she’s getting this sword back that easily, right? Ha! I collected myself and was off and running immediately.

The next hidey spot? The ground. Literally. Like, I just buried the thing under a big heckin pile of snow. Hmmmm might as well make a snowman while I’m at it! Grinning, I started rolling up the base of my snowman. Well, snowcat! Gonna toss some leggys on... some ears... a tail...

“My sword better not be f*cking rusting in a ditch somewhere you hellion!” I flicked my ear at Blu’s voice. So loud!

“Nope! Not there!” I said brightly, not looking away from my snowcat. Blu quieted. Her eyes drifted from between me, the snowcat, and the empty scabbard at her hip. I didn’t bother suppressing the giggles as she slowly put it together.

“You buried my sword in the snow, didn’t you? You buried my f*cking sword, in the godsd*mned, snow!” She hissed. Sounding quite p*ssed.

I gave her a smug grin, then grabbed the sword from its spot in the snow, and bolted.

“Get back here you f*cking demon!!” Her yells didn’t slow me in the slightest. Off to the next hidey spot! Oh! Oh! I could put the sword in the river! Like, in a spot where it won’t wash away of course! Or is it drift away? Dunno! Oh oh! I could put it in Astra’s saddlebags! That’d be hilarious! Or or! I put it in a hollow log! Then set the log on FIRE!! Mleh. Probably shouldn’t, it’d get found too quickly! Unless the log was a decent distance into the woods...

I ended up hiding it in every single one of those places. By the time I hid it in the log-aflame of course-Blu was more than likely considering if it was worth punching me. Ha! Better not try it hamster! I’ll kick your ass! No sweat!

“What the flying f*ck tiefling?! Is it f*cking impossible to just leave my d*mn sword alone and give it the f*ck back?!!” Blu screamed at me as we headed back to the camp. Actually, headed back is a bad word. More like she was dragging me by the collar of my shirt while I stubbornly held her sword tightly in my mouth; teeth clamped down on the leather wrapped grip.

She only got a very pleased smirk from me. Ha! Ya ain’t getting this sword back until I feel like giving it back hamster! When we finally, finally got back to camp Blu immediately brought us over to birdy. She started gesturing wildly between me, her sword, and the entirety of the clearing. Explaining the ‘f*cking exhausting antics’ of mine and how she wanted her sword back.

Birdy gave one look in my direction and I smirked. I dropped Blu’s sword, it hit the ground with a gentle thump. The snow was still bright even in the late evening darkness. Hamster saw me drop the sword, grabbed it, realized just how much damage I’d inflicted upon it, smacked me over the head, and began stomping away.

I tripped her using my tail. “F*cking tiefling!”

“Angry hamster.” I replied modestly with a slight head bob. Then I grinned wickedly. Clearly showing that I am in no way apologetic for the events of the day. She flipped me off and went back to walking away.

Birdy sighed, but I saw that lil smile! Ha!

~~~~~

I woke to the wonderful smell of cooking food. A lovely smell! Especially when it isn’t burning! Popping my head up from my lil ball of limbs, my eyes landed on Rain. Ah. The source of food. And not far from her, fish boy and mother hen.

The pair walked over and instantly Rain started getting riled up again. ”Great,” she huffed. ”Right when I was staring to hope that you two had finally-”

”Oh, f*ck you, too,” mother hen answered, shamelessly choosing a seat right next to Rain. That brought a grin to my face. Yup. I think I like spooky magic mother hen!

I shook my head and a piece of ripped cloth fell in my face. Huh? Oh... oh sh*t. There were obvious claw marks in my new cloak that’d I’d been using as a blanket. Along with more than a few gouges in the wood of the wagon around me. Some from claws, some clearly from my horns.

Mleh. Least I don’t remember the nightmare! Don’t need to-nope. Nope nope nope! I shook my head once more and left the wagon. I chose to sidle up next to birdy. Who was sitting across from Rain by the fire. Blu was sitting a couple feet off, desperately sharpening, or, something like that, her sword. Ha! I seriously doubt a lil sharpening is gonna fix all the nicks in it Blu!

Birdy lifted the trails of his cloak up, along with his arm while looking at me. Grinning, I happily ducked into his side. He gently lowered his arm. Now the both of us were buried under his very fluffy-and warm! Cloak.

“Good morning ya idiots!” Birdy chuckled lightly at my enthusiasm. “We gonna kick some monster ass today?? It’s been so dull lately!”

~~~~~~~~

As Eros sat down between Astra and Crow, Cassiopeia bounded out of the wagon and ducked beneath Crow’s cloak, curling up besides the lanky man with a wild grin.

“Good morning ya idiots!” she chimed enthusiastically, earning her a wince from Eros and a chuckle from Crow.

“We gonna kick some monster ass today?? It’s been so dull lately!” she continued, grinning wildly. Rain snorted derisively, removing the food from the fire.

”If you want a monster to fight, why don’t you look right there?” she scoffed, gesturing to Astra with the ladle she’d been using to stir the oatmeal. The mage’s eyes narrowed.

”Stop acting like a child,” Astra replied coldly.

”Oh, I’m sorry,” Rain drawled, turning her irate emerald glare over to the witch. She cocked her head, putting on a wide-eyed, innocent look. ”Did that offend you?”

Astra rolled her eyes. ”What, exactly, is your problem with me?” she asked, unimpressed.

”What isn’t a problem with you?” Rain sneered in return. She began to scoop out food into the group’s bowls, ignoring Astra’s scoff.

”Are you just determined to be a pain in my ass the entire time we’re going to be travelling together?” the mage asked.

”What do you think, witch?” she replied snidely, passing out bowls of oatmeal to each member of the group. Eros took his quietly, and began to pick at his food, a little dazedly. His mind was still very much occupied with everything that Astra had told him; he was far from focused on the conversation.

Rain, after passing the bowls out to the rest of the group, handed Astra the pot. It was nearly empty, save for a little bit of oatmeal at the bottom and crusted onto the sides. Astra wrinkled her nose, then turned her flat, unimpressed gaze up to meet Rain’s smug emerald stare.

”What, not good enough for you, witch?” Rain sneered. Astra merely scoffed.

”Childish,” she drawled, taking the pot from Rain. ”Absolutely childish.”

Eros, sensing her flash of anger, looked up from his meal. He nudged Astra, offering her his bowl. ”Not hungry,” he murmured by means of explanation. Astra frowned.

”It’s okay, Eros, I-”

”It’s fine, Astra,” he said softly, ”I’m just not-” he broke off, catching Rain’s glare. ”Just not feeling hungry right now.”

Astra’s frown deepened, but she took Eros’s bowl, thanking him quietly. Rain scoffed as Astra passed the pot back to her. The mage’s eyes narrowed.

”The f*ck is your problem now?” she snapped.

”The f*ck do you care?” Rain retorted, setting the pot down.

”The f*ck are we playing, Twenty Questions?” Astra scoffed. ”Just answer the f*cking question. What’s your issue?”

Rain opened her mouth to speak-and then merely scoffed, rolling her eyes and turning to her food. ”As if I’d tell a f*cking witch.”

~~~~~~

"If you want a monster to fight, why don't you look right there?" Rain huffed. Rude. Witches and monsters are entirely different things!

Like, not that a monster can't be a witch, or vice versa, but jeez! No need to be a b*tch about it. Plus, I mean, like I don't really wanna fight miss mother hen here? That one lil blast yesterday sent me flying! Don't particularly feel like getting both my arms f*cked up within the same 24 hours ya know? A naga I can't fight head on, no problem; spooky magicky witch? Eh, rather not!

"Stop acting like a child," mother hen said icily.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Rain replied, sounding very much so unapologetic. She then proceeded to tilt her head ever so slightly-kinda giving her that innocent puppy dog look. "Did that offend you?"

I smirked as mother hen scoffed. "What, exactly, is your problem with me?" Astra asked.

"What isn't a problem with you?" I cocked my head at that; did mother hen, like, do something to p*ss off Rain? Or is she mad just because, kinda like me lately??

"Are you just determined to be a pain in my ass the entire time we're going to be travelling together?" Mother hen asked harshly.

"What do you think, witch?" Rain was talking again but I wasn’t really listening. Like bickering is fun to listen to and all, but it’s gonna p*ss me off if it continues! Is it so d*mn hard for people to just say what they mean instead of dancing around it?! It’s not gonna kill ya to just flat out say what’s the problem. I took my bowl with a snatch, quickly curling back up and under birdy’s arm.

The oatmeal still wasn’t my favorite, but ey, food is food! After a few bites though, I set it down. Choosing to snuggle closer to birdy instead of eating. I dunno what that nightmare had been about, but I don’t wanna make myself sick or some sh*t by eating too much! Birdy glanced down at my half eaten bowl worriedly.

“Are you not hungry?” He asked quietly, bright blue eyes focused on me.

“Ehhhh not really,” I whispered back. My tail pushed the bowl farther away, then went to drifting back and forth behind me.

Birdy gave me one final look then simply nodded along. Probably the best way to go there. Not entirely sure that I wouldn’t scratch him again if he pesters me right now. Mleh.

Jeez it’s cold. I rubbed my hands together and pulled my tail closer. Birdy adjusted how he was sitting so that there was more cloak draped over me. A thankful grin crossed my face and he smiled. Good birdy. I could almost ignore Rain and Astra’s b*tching. Almost.

"The f*ck is your problem now?" Mother hen snapped.

"The f*ck do you care?" Rain shot back, just as annoyed as mother hen.

"The f*ck are we playing, Twenty Questions?" Astra huffed. "Just answer the f*cking question. What's your issue?"

Rain looked like she was going to reply. And she did, it just, like, took a second. "As if I'd tell a f*cking witch."

The snarl building in my throat slipped past my lips in a low, but audible hiss. I do NOT wanna listen to these two yap back and forth like dumb*ss poodles for however long it takes us to get where we’re going. Which is like, some old temple, or, something like that. Again, random bullsh*t about elves, blah blah sirens, blah blah bullsh*t.

Another growl, and this time I made sure I growled more than loud enough to be heard. I lifted my head up from where I rested against birdy’s side. Immediately the cold bit at my skin.

I shook my head, focusing my gaze on Rain and mother hen. It was easier to fixate on like, just one of em at a time, so I chose Rain.

I yawned before talking. “Ey Beautiful, not that I don’t love listening to the sound of your voice, but! Unless y’all actually wanna f*cking play Twenty Questions, please, sort out your differences now and shut the f*ck up.” My voice was mostly the same high pitched, confident tone it’s always been. It did crack a little, unfortunately. Dunno why though.

“You’re both giving me a godsd*mn headache with all ya hissing.” I added after seeing the look on both birdy and Blu’s faces. Mildly cringing and pure hatred respectfully.

My mouth opened in a wide yawn-again-and I couldn’t be bothered to pull the tip of my tongue back into my mouth. Probably looked like a f*cking idiot with the blep face I was making but f*ck it. I don’t really care. I’m cold, tired of their yapping, and bored as f*ck all at once. So what if I’m sticking my tongue out? Nobody gives a d*mn; I certainly don’t.

My eyes shifted between mother hen and rain for a short moment. Huh. Wonder if I can snatch Rain’s sword too? And hide it like Blu’s? That’d been entertaining!

~~~~

Astra opened her mouth to reply-but a snarl from Cassiopeia cut her off. Her gaze flickered over to the tiefling, who sat up, shaking her head. The tiefling’s gaze locked on Rain-and then she yawned languidly. Rain’s eyes narrowed slightly.

“Ey Beautiful, not that I don’t love listening to the sound of your voice, but! Unless y’all actually wanna f*cking play Twenty Questions, please, sort out your differences now and shut the f*ck up,” she said, her voice cracking slightly. “You’re both giving me a godsd*mn headache with all ya hissing.”

She yawned again, and Rain shot Astra a withering glare-which the mage ignored. Astra glanced at Eros, then at the rest of the group-and then sighed softly, smiling slightly.

”Twenty Questions sounds lovely, actually,” she chuckled. Rain scoffed. Astra glanced at her, casting the other woman a flat look. Rain rolled her eyes.

”That’s the sh*ttiest idea I’ve heard all day,” she snapped, glancing at the rest of the group before turning her attention back to Astra, narrowing her eyes. ”Twenty Questions with a witch? What are you trying to do-”

”Fine,” Astra snapped, interrupting Rain. ”Then let’s change the name of the game. One Question. When it’s your turn, you get to ask one question, and one question only. Whoever you choose has to answer it honestly.”

Rain scoffed. ”Fine. My turn. The f*ck do you want with us, witch?”

Astra snorted. ”What, as if it’s not obvious?”

Rain’s emerald eyes narrowed. Astra rolled her eyes in response.

”I don’t want sh*t from any of you. I’m just here to make sure that this little asshat doesn’t get himself hurt,” she replied, smacking the back of Eros’s head, causing him to flinch surprisedly.

”By extension, that means I’m stuck out here with you guys-and, if i’m being honest, I’d really prefer it if, more or less, we could get along,” she chuckled, glancing around at the others. ”I’m not a fan of fighting. I’ve...I’ve seen far too much of it in my lifetime.”

Rain scoffed. ”Give me a break. You’re what, twenty?”

Astra smirked deviously, returning her gaze to Rain. ”You already had your question, kid.”

Rain rolled her eyes, scowling. ”Fine.”

”My turn, then. We can go in a circle-or just popcorn around,” she said, smiling slightly. Rain scoffed yet again. Astra’s eyes narrowed, and she turned her sapphire gaze back to the human.

”What’s your problem with witches?” she stated cooly. Rain’s face twisted into a furious scowl.

”Different question,” she snapped. Astra scowled in return.

”I answered your question,” the siren stated cooly. ”It’s only fair if you answer mine.”

Rain glanced around at the group, and then huffed, crossing her arms. She returned her glare to Astra.

”I had a complete and utter lack of common f*cking sense, and actually got to know one,” she snarled. ”Biggest f*cking mistake of my life.”

Without another word, she stood, casting a glance at Blu, eyes narrowed angrily.

”I’m going to refill everyone’s canteens,” she muttered. ”Finish this stupid game without me.”

And with that, she stalked away, pausing only to retrieve the canteens from the wagon. Astra and Eros watched her, both sporting pensive frowns. As soon as she stomped off into the treeline, Astra turned back to the group, sighing and shaking her head.

”Who wants to go next?”

~~~~

"Twenty Questions sounds lovely, actually," Wait a f*cking minute, did mother hen just agree to play, a game?? I felt my whole body perk up; games are fun!

"That's the sh*ttiest idea I've heard all day," Rain snapped. Turning to glare at this entire group of idiots one by one, then focusing back on mother hen. "Twenty Questions with a witch? What are you trying to do-"

Rain hissed, building momentum with each word. I raised an eyebrow at that. Did I not make myself clear about the poodle yapping? Mleh. Probably shouldn’t get myself riled up, they’re gonna fight anyways. My tail curled tightly behind me. It’s too freakin cold. I shook my head, successfully biting the sh*t out of my tongue. “Ow!” I griped quietly.

"Fine," Astra said, cutting Rain off. "Then let's change the name of the game. One Question. When it's your turn, you get to ask one question, and one question only. Whoever you choose has to answer it honestly."

I perked up again. Oooh are we making up a new game?? Sounds fun! Kinda like Truth or Dare, but not. Like, the only option is Truth. But not quite?? Dunno but I wanna play!

"Fine. My turn. The f*ck do you want with us, witch?" Rain asked, officially starting the game.

At mother hen’s snort I smirked. The sound was so funny! "What, as if it's not obvious?"

"I don't want sh*t from any of you. I'm just here to make sure that this little asshat doesn't get himself hurt," mother hen smacked fish boy over the head, and I growled. That’s my fish d*mnit! Okay sure I’ve been an *sshat to him-everyone-lately... but still! No hitting unless ya me! I shifted, intent being to get up and bop mother hen over the head.

Birdy saw me getting up and ever so gently tapped my arm, shaking his head slightly. I scowled, though I did plop back down. He smiled thankfully. I punched him in the arm. Ha! Not so smiley now huh birdy! A wince flashed across his face yet it was gone in a second. Mleh. Least I got to hit something today!

"By extension, that means I'm stuck out here with you guys-and, if i'm being honest, I'd really prefer it if, more or less, we could get along," Astra laughed lightly while looking at all of us. "I'm not a fan of fighting. I've...I've seen far too much of it in my lifetime."

Rain scoffed, jeez she’s making that noise a lot! "Give me a break. You're what, twenty?"

"You already had your question, kid." mother hen replied, a devilish smirk on her face. I couldn’t help but take a second glance at Astra. She looks twenty though?? I tilted my head curiously. Bah! Some people just don’t wanna fight I guess? Whatever.

"Fine." Rain huffed, rolling her eyes.

"My turn, then. We can go in a circle-or just popcorn around," mother hen said. A gentle smile on her face as she spoke. I wanna just popcorn around! More fun that way! Never know who’s gonna be next!

"What's your problem with witches?" Mother hen asked Rain. Immediately Rain’s scowl deepened. Huh. Sensitive topic? Or is she just a p*ssed off tree?? Dunno!

"Different question," Rain snapped back.

"I answered your question," mother hen drawled with a downright icy tone. "It's only fair if you answer mine."

I watched as Rain surveyed the group, crossing her arms in the process. My tail looped around my arm as I eyed her. What’s she gonna say? Did a witch kill someone important to her something?? Oh oh! Was someone important to her a witch?? Oh oh-I shook my head violently. Nah. I shouldn’t guess around at something that seems to p*ss her off this much. It’s rude. Her furious gaze fell on mother hen as she answered the question.

"I had a complete and utter lack of common f*cking sense, and actually got to know one," Rain snarled. "Biggest f*cking mistake of my life."

Well. Alrighty then. Wait wait does this mean she’ll get mad at me if I keep pestering mother hen about showing me how to throw those blue blasty things? Aw man! That’d be awesome though! I could knock someone out easy peasy with one em! But I don’t wanna make Rain mad... d*mnit there goes that plan.

"I'm going to refill everyone's canteens," Rain said suddenly. Ah sh*t did I miss something? I maaaay have not been paying attention! "Finish this stupid game without me."

Without so much as a nasty look, Rain collected the canteens and stomped off. My eyes drifted from her retreating form to the thoughtful looks on fish boy and mother hen’s faces. They know something I don’t? Dunno!

"Who wants to go next?" Astra asked quickly. Keeping the focus on her.

Of course, I immediately raised my hand excitedly. And proceeded to sorta half jump, half stumble forward and put myself off balance. Accidentally falling face first into the snow. I shot back to my feet, well, knees, a taaaad spastically. Hacking up a mouthful of snow.

Birdy patted my back while brushing snow off my head. “You alright there Cassiopeia?” He said lightly with an amused smile on his face.

I shook my head and gave him a broad grin. “Yup! All good here! Anywho-my question!” I spun around to look at Blu. Her lip curled in distaste. Ha! “Blu, are ya gonna tell us who this mysterious witch is-“

“Go to hell tiefling. I’m not saying sh*t.” She growled, interrupting me as per usual.

I made a pouty face at that. No need to be rude Blu! My tail lashed behind me. I glanced around. Noting the direction I’d seen Rain stomp off in. Hm. Mleh. Might as well! I bounced to my feet, brushing off what snow remained. Blu glared at me hatefully. A smirk danced on my face. Looks like easy hatred runs in the family!

“Ima go for a lil run, y’all have fun!” I crowed loudly, then trotted off. In the opposite direction I’d seen Rain go.

Not that I don’t wanna bother her, ya know what. Actually. I kinda do. I changed direction halfway across camp. If I can’t pester mother hen about teaching me how to toss blue blasty things around, then ima pester Rain!

Blu tried to trip me as I doubled back. It was no problem to dodge her foot. Hell, it was easy! For fun, I stuck my tongue out at her and she flipped me off.

I cackled and happily bounded past the tree line. Following the clear tracks Rain had left. While climbing trees! Just makes it so much more fun! After climbing two trees though, it was proven that yes, having an injured arm IS a problem. It also proved, that yes, my tail is very important in avoiding crashing to the ground!

I currently hang upside down in some random pine tree. Held up only by my tail, which was wrapped tightly around a branch. Which. Unfortunately. Broke.

“F*ck!” I hissed as I hit the ground. Man that hurt! I shook my head. Whatever though! I got a tree to annoy! Well, more like, plot shenanigans with??

“Rain! Where’d ya go Beautiful? Ya wanna play a game? It’s a fun I promise! Well-not for some people-anywho!” I called out while looking around.

Yeah those are her tracks, and I can, like, smell her nearby, okay so I’ve gotta be close! Right? Mleh. Of course I am. I went back to following the tracks. Jeez where did she go??

“Raaaaaain! Ya wanna play a prank on spooky magic mother hen with me???” I called out again. A wee bit louder this time. Like, we’ve gotta be far enough away that me shouting won’t be heard back at camp? Right? Or like, at least not particularly out of character and like, not bring any reason to worry?? Mleh.

~~~~

Cassiopeia’s hand shot up into the air instantly; she surged forwards but ended up tumbling face first into the snow. She tumbled back to her knees, coughing up snow. Crow patted her back, brushing snow from her head

”You alright there Cassiopeia?” he asked her, slightly amused. Cassiopeia shook her head, grinning.

”Yup! All good here! Anywho-my question!” she chirped, whirling around to face the remaining Heron sister. “Blu, are ya gonna tell us who this mysterious witch is-“

“Go to hell tiefling. I’m not saying sh*t.”

Astra’s frown deepened slightly. Cassiopeia pouted, then glanced around. She bounced to her feet, swatting snow from her clothes. She smirked at Blu. “Ima go for a lil run, y’all have fun!”

She bounded away, in the opposite direction of Rain-then stopped, whirled around, and trotted back out into the woods, swiftly dodging the foot that Blu swung out in an attempt to trip her. She stuck out her tongue, then cackled as the other woman stuck up a very particular finger. A slight, tired but amused smile crept across Eros’s face.

As soon as Cassiopeia left the campsite, Astra let out a slight sigh, shaking her head. ”Well then,” she chuckled. ”We ought to finish the game, at least. Wouldn’t be much fun if only two questions got asked.”

She glanced at Eros, flashing him a slight smile-and he hesitated, glancing at Blu and Crow, trying to think of a question.

After a short moment, he let out a slight sigh.

”Can you tell me a little more about where we’re going? Or like, what we’re trying to do out here? I-” he broke off, glancing at Astra, a flicker of worry crossing his face. The siren mage frowned slightly.

He had a feeling that this was something he ought to talk about with Astra in private. From what he’d seen, from what she’d said, he knew that she had firsthand knowledge of what had happened so long ago.

Still, he needed to know more about what Crow knew, about what the other man was trying to do. As it had so long ago when he’d first joined up with the group, a creeping fear for his own safety began to claw through his chest.

He didn’t know Crow very well, and sure as hell didn’t trust him-not when his life was involved, not with what he'd become.

There was a good reason why he hadn’t confessed to Crow or Rain what he’d become. The other man had professed a desire to right ancient wrongs against the sirens-but simply having a moral compass didn’t translate into tolerance of people of such an inhuman nature as him.

Rain was exact proof of that-as was Blu, who had pursued him through the woods with furious intent upon discovering what, exactly, he was. She had been nothing but wary and hostile towards him since the body-swapping fiasco all those weeks ago, since she’d found out what he was through Cassiopeia’s reckless use of his magic.

He was just lucky that she hadn’t killed him, that she hadn’t told the others.

Crow had mentioned Gelu’s sirens when he’d asked Eros to join them on his quest-and the fact that it involved his own history was really all that he knew about what Crow was trying to find.

Cassiopeia’s gleeful mention of genocide so long ago still lingered uneasily in his mind-as did his vision of the demon that he’d seen later that day.

Crow’s quest, in some way, had something to do with the genocide of the sirens, and, by extension, the demon that he had seen, the monster that Astra had alluded to being the one to commit said genocide.

He needed to know more.

”You said there was a war,” Eros began hesitantly, turning his attention back to Crow. ”When I gave you the journal-you started talking about a group of mages-I don’t remember the name-but they did something to Gelu. To the sirens of Gelu Maris. Something that wiped them out. Something that has to do with why we’re out here.”

He paused, his gaze nervously flickering over to Astra for just a brief second. Her face was guarded, yet a little wary, but she nodded in a slight way that encouraged him to go on. He returned his gaze to Crow.

”I need to know what happened. I need to know why, exactly, we’re out here, and what it is that we’re looking for.”

He needed to know, for his own safety. He needed to know, because if it had anything to do with the fall of Gelu Maris and the demon he had seen in his vision of the past, he needed to be even more careful than he’d been up to this point.

He didn’t trust any of them not to turn on him, whether it be for one reason or another.

~~~~~

Rain stormed away from the campsite, clutching the straps of the canteens tightly in her fist.

She didn’t understand it.

She didn’t understand why any of them were okay with the fact that there was a witch in their midst.

Witches, monsters, elementals, demons-they were the worst of what walked the earth, imbued with far much more magic than any being should ever possess.

When she’d been younger, she’d been enchanted by magic. She’d wanted to be a mage her entire life, and had sought out Adva for tutelage.

Adva was ancient, sustained by the magic of a scarlet crystal she called the Core of Fire-and she was powerful, more so than any of the charlatans in Rain’s hometown who had claimed to be witches. Her name was known all across the land-and so she’d dragged Blu along with her to try and find the witch.

The moment she’d met the mage, she’d been enchanted. To this day, she didn’t know if it was just her own foolish heart that had caused her to fall head over heels for the witch or if Adva had been manipulating her mind from the get-go.

She couldn’t be sure-the witch had used her, had toyed with her as if she was some sort of living puppet. She was a master of deception, of meddling with the minds and emotions of others.

Adva had tried to teach her-but within a few days, it had become apparent that Rain lacked the innate magical ability that was needed. Adva had explained it to her gently, her voice as soft and steady as always.

”Magic, pure magic, is derived from the elements. Every witch has a little bit of elemental power within them, bestowed unto their souls by the great spirits. Training and practice feed this magic, and bid it to grow-but only in those who have it innately.”

Rain had been heartbroken-but somehow, she’d convinced Adva to let her stay as the witch’s assistant, so that she could study magic and learn all she could about it even if she couldn’t practice it herself.

She’d lived with Adva for four years-until the witch’s puppetry had become apparent to her, until the crystal bolstering Adva’s power had weakened, until Blu had stabbed Adva, freeing Rain from her clutches.

Adva had betrayed Rain in the worst of ways.

Adva had taught her love and joy and beauty-and then Adva had tainted each and every one of those things.

Adva had made her a murderer, by taking over her mind and body with her magic. She’d made Rain a monster-but she’d done it in such a way that Rain had been blind to see it until it was far, far too late to do anything about it.

Adva had made Rain feel alive-only to break her heart and leave her directionless for over two years.

It had only been just over a year ago, when she and Blu had first met Crow and Cassiopeia and started travelling with them, that she’d really started to pull herself back together.

Adva had ruined her life.

Witches were dangerous, drunk on power to the point where it corrupted them.

Witches couldn’t be trusted.

She didn’t understand why Blu, why any of her companions were okay with Astra’s presence.

It was baffling and infuriating.

“Raaaaaain! Ya wanna play a prank on spooky magic mother hen with me???” Cassiopeia’s voice called-and Rain froze in her tracks, gritting her teeth. She paused for a moment, considering her next course of action-then sighed defeatedly, backtracking towards the sound of Cassiopeia’s voice.

It would be nice to give the witch a little hell, whether that made her childish or not.

”What are you planning?” Rain asked softly, defeatedly, pausing in front of the tiefling.

~~~~~

As always, little bird made her exit without much explanation and plenty of energy. The tattered sleeves of her cloak fluttered as she disappeared into the woods. I'll get her a new cloak once we find another town. Till then, I'll see if I can stitch up those sleeves for her.

A moment later, Astra spoke. "Well then," her light tone was appreciated. "We ought to finish the game, at least. Wouldn't be much fun if only two questions got asked." Astra said gently. Her face tilted towards Eros with a soft smile.

I heard Blu grumble something distasteful under her breath. Glancing over I could see she was still attempting to smooth out the hoard of nicks on her short sword. Hm. I'll get her a new sword in addition to a new cloak for little bird. I felt myself nod slightly. It wasn't much, but hopefully it would pacify Blu, if only slightly.

"Can you tell me a little more about where we're going? Or like, what we're trying to do out here? I-" Eros said, quickly cutting himself off to look to Astra.

I had no qualms with answering his question; they’d all come this far, it was simply wrong not to fully explain why I want to be here in the first place. Of course, little bird already knew quite a bit. The rest of them? Not so much, and I regret that.

I’d told them of the Mage Circle, which were a horrid group of elves who did horrible things to the city of Gelu. What I haven’t told them is that what they did, what they did that tarnished their names and their reputations to such a degree... such a degree I’m ashamed to say that their leader, Arcas Moonclaw, is my direct ancestor. It was such a long time ago I cannot count the greats, but he is my great grandfather.

I subconsciously ran a thumb over the back of my hand. The war had been raging between the elves and sirens for years. No matter the miles the elves claimed, the sea belonged to the sirens. The water was their home and the elves couldn’t stand it. It didn’t help that the elves believed that the sirens had sung their princess to an early grave. I don’t if that tale is true, but it sent the wheels into motion all the same. My great grandfather endorsed the summoning of a demon in retaliation. A demon who’s name was erased from record, but it’s wrath simply could not be hidden. Even to this day Gelu suffers from Arcas’s and The Mage Circle’s poor decision.

It, the demon, was summoned to obliterate the elves’ long-standing nemesis. The sirens of Gelu Maris. It did so with a bloodlust The Mage Circle couldn’t have imagined. Once the sirens were gone, the demon didn’t stop. It unleashed its fury upon the elves as well; as it was a demon and knew no difference between friend and foe. All are inferior to such a beast.

Its rage continued long after the summoning was meant to keep it present. It had appeared that the demon they’d summoned was far more powerful than they’d thought. The elves that were left retreated deep into the Glowing Mountains, which were named so for the crystals that grew in inexplicable hoards at the peaks. My face fought a scowl.

The Mage Circle and my great grandfather abandoned Gelu. They abandoned its people, what few sirens remained-if any, to the wrath of a demon they couldn’t control. I haven’t been able to find any writings on what happened to the demon, nor where it went. The journal Eros had found had given me a firsthand knowledge of what escalated into the summoning of the demon, not what happened once its fury was quenched. That doesn’t matter though. I found a map to the tower The Mage Circle summoned the demon within. And that’s enough.

I’m going to right those ancient wrongs. I don’t know how, not yet, but I’m going to the Mage Circle’s tower and I’ll find a way to undo the damage the demon and my great grandfather caused. My eyes lifted from my hands to meet Eros’s gaze, I took a moment to look around. Eyes stopping in the direction little bird and Rain went. A smile crossed my face. And, apparently, I’m not going alone.

"You said there was a war," Eros started, hesitant. "When I gave you the journal-you started talking about a group of mages-I don't remember the name-but they did something to Gelu. To the sirens of Gelu Maris. Something that wiped them out. Something that has to do with why we're out here."

Eros nervously glanced at Astra once more. As if asking permission. Or, possibly, encouragement. Either way, it was good to see her presence was something he could lean on. What he was saying now was more than the last few weeks combined. I hadn’t missed his mention of Gelu Maris, either. That was one of the things I haven’t told them about yet. I’m not going to interrogate him about it though, whether he knows more than he lets on is his business.

"I need to know what happened. I need to know why, exactly, we're out here, and what it is that we're looking for." Eros ended his sentence strongly.

I rolled my shoulders and patted at the air in his direction. A pleasant smile on my face.

”No need to persuade me Eros, you all certainly have more than the right to hear the answer to your question. As you all know, we’re out here because I want to restore Gelu to what it once was.” I lowered my hands and let out a heavy sigh. “I wasn’t alive to see it, but once upon a time Gelu was a bustling elven city. It was bright and brilliant much like its neighbors to the sea, the sirens of Gelu Maris. Unfortunately, as people do, the elves and sirens began to fight. Their fight became an all out war.

Each side was losing, badly. Among the elves a group was created. They called themselves the Mage Circle. They’re the group you are asking about, Eros? Either way, they foolishly decided that the only way to win the war was to summon something stronger than themselves, stronger than the sirens.

A demon.” I winced as the word left my lips. It hurt to say, to admit. And I haven’t even told them that it was my great grandfather who thought of such a crime yet.

“So. Guess the tiefling was f*cking right after all; demons are real. And wait, wait, lemme guess, you’re on a this valiant quest because, oh I don’t know, you’ve got a cousin who was on the d*mn elves side? Ha! That’d be a neat trick!” Blu crowed from the tree stump she sat on. Her words were clearly sarcastic and disbelieving.

I sighed, rubbing the back of my neck.

“It was my great grandfather actually, Arcas Moonclaw. He was the leader of the Mage Circle, and the one who decided to summon the demon in the first place. I’m a half elf.” I added the last bit more so as an explanation of how I could have an elf ancestor in the first place than anything else.

“Oh. Uh, continue on then? Sh*tty luck, grandparent-wise, you got there.” Blu said after a second of silence, shrugging it off.

For some reason, that comforted me. If Blu isn’t going to be upset, I doubt anyone else will be? I gave her a thankful smile. Returning to answering Eros’s question.

“As for-as for what we’re doing out here, a few years ago, days before meeting little bird-Cassiopeia, actually, I found a map depicting the tower where the Mage Circle summoned the demon. There was a map as well. My plan is to find this tower, and somehow, find what magic they used to summon the demon, and reverse what it did to Gelu.” I said firmly, this is what I’m going to do.

“I can’t bring back the sirens, I can’t take back the war my ancestors started, but I can make life better for the people who live in Gelu now; They don’t deserve to suffer for mistakes made centuries ago. Is there anything you’d like me to elaborate on? I’m happy to do so.”

~~~~~~~

"What are you planning?" Rain showed up a lil ways to my left. Well, I was close!

Immediately I bounced up to her, holding my injured arm close to my side. Climbing trees had not! Made it feel any better! Hold up. Does she like, actually wanna f*ck around and, like, play games?? Just for funzies?? I like this Rain! Oh wait-had she asked if I had a plan??

I don’t got a plan! Ooh wait! Fire! Matches, no wait, matches equal fire? Mleh, close enough! Order doesn’t really matter! It’s fire all the same! I shook my head. Hm. A plan. I leaned into Rain’s side, back against her shoulder while I tapped my lip. That like, shows you’re thinking? Right?

My tail lashed behind me, occasionally bumping Rain’s legs. Oops! Mleh, whatever! Alrighty focus. Focus. A smirk fell across my lips. I got an idea! Mother hen, like, has got those blue blasty things. But they’re not fire. Dunno if she can control a fire? Be a shame to pass up an opportunity though!

Grinning, I tilted my head back to look up at Rain. Cocking my head ever so slightly to the right so my horns wouldn’t wack her in the face. Dunno if she’d appreciate that! I sure wouldn’t! Then again, nobody else has horns here? So that couldn’t even happen??

I snapped my wrist and bopped her on the nose. “Whatcha say to a wee lil fire? She’s a spooky spooky witchy witch right? Shouldn’t she be able to avoid getting burned? And hey, what’s a lil arson between friends!”

~~~~~~~

”No need to persuade me Eros, you all certainly have more than the right to hear the answer to your question,” Crow stated, smiling pleasantly. As you all know, we’re out here because I want to restore Gelu to what it once was.”

Crow let out a heavy sigh, lowering his hands. “I wasn’t alive to see it, but once upon a time Gelu was a bustling elven city. It was bright and brilliant much like its neighbors to the sea, the sirens of Gelu Maris.

Eros glanced at Astra, who was frowning slightly, arms crossed. Crow continued, oblivious to the elder siren’s growing unrest.

”Unfortunately, as people do, the elves and sirens began to fight. Their fight became an all out war. Each side was losing, badly. Among the elves a group was created. They called themselves the Mage Circle. They’re the group you are asking about, Eros? Either way, they foolishly decided that the only way to win the war was to summon something stronger than themselves, stronger than the sirens.

A demon.”

Eros’s gaze snapped over to Astra, a pang of realization hitting him like a punch to the gut.

”Every time a siren dies, the Core records their last memories,” she’d said, ”It’s more than likely that you saw a demon.”

Everything suddenly made sense, stark, gut-wrenching sense.

Angor, Cassiopeia’s remark about genocide, Astra’s hesitance to elaborate on the demon-all of the little pieces that he’d known were somehow horribly connected had come together in an instant.

The genocide of the sirens had been orchestrated entirely by the Mage Circle.

The demon he’d seen, the carnage he’d witnessed, the empty, abandoned city under the sea-all of these things were results of the prejudice of a few elves.

“So. Guess the tiefling was f*cking right after all; demons are real,” Blu drawled sarcastically. And wait, wait, lemme guess, you’re on a this valiant quest because, oh I don’t know, you’ve got a cousin who was on the d*mn elves side? Ha! That’d be a neat trick!”

“It was my great grandfather actually, Arcas Moonclaw. He was the leader of the Mage Circle, and the one who decided to summon the demon in the first place. I’m a half elf.”

A flicker of shock twisted through Eros-and a prickle of wariness crept through Astra’s end of the bond.

“Oh. Uh, continue on then? Sh*tty luck, grandparent-wise, you got there,” Blu stated bluntly. Crow flashed her a soft smile, then returned his attention to Eros, who had been watching him nervously.

“As for-as for what we’re doing out here, a few years ago, days before meeting little bird-Cassiopeia, actually, I found a map depicting the tower where the Mage Circle summoned the demon. There was a map as well. My plan is to find this tower, and somehow, find what magic they used to summon the demon, and reverse what it did to Gelu.”

His tone was even, sure, as if there was absolutely no doubt in his mind as to what, exactly, he was going to do.

“I can’t bring back the sirens, I can’t take back the war my ancestors started, but I can make life better for the people who live in Gelu now; They don’t deserve to suffer for mistakes made centuries ago. Is there anything you’d like me to elaborate on? I’m happy to do so.”

Eros opened his mouth to speak-and then hesitated, rubbing at the base of his neck anxiously. The abhorrent list he’d torn out of the journal so long ago had crept to the forefront of his mind.

Crow was related to one of the elves who’d participated in those barbaric acts of mutilation, who’d rained death upon the sirens of Gelu Maris. He was claiming that he’d come out so far to try and alleviate the horrid impacts of his ancestor’s deeds-but something just screamed ”danger” to Eros.

Crow was even more tangled up in Gelu’s bloody history than he was.

The other man seemed so adamant, so sure, so insistent that he was doing the right thing-but all that did was serve the building sense of fear in Eros’s chest. Crow seemed so vehemently opposed to the crimes of his ancestors, and Eros wanted to believe him-but he was scared.

He didn’t trust Crow. He couldn’t trust Crow, not when he himself was holding something back that had nearly gotten him killed by the other members of the group when they’d each discovered it. He had no idea how Crow would react, especially now that he knew that he was a descendant of the very people who’d quite literally incited the deaths of hundreds of sirens, hundreds of beings just like him.

Crow had stated, from the first moment that the subject had been broached, that he wanted nothing more than to do good, to do whatever he could to right even some of the wrongs that the Mage Circle had committed.

Eros wanted to believe him.

But the fear was still there.

He was a siren, and Crow’s ancestors had eradicated the siren society. He’d never been attached to his own history-he’d never had one to speak of. He was an orphan, an urchin, a pirate, a drifter at heart.

Now, however, he’d suddenly gained such a powerful sense of connection, a powerful sense of history and place that he’d never before realized could be so important to him.

Gelu’s history was his history, now-just as much as it was Crow’s history.

He didn’t know what that meant-only that if Crow was being honest, and truly wanted to make things better, that it was more important than ever that Eros tag along-both for his own safety and because of his need to better understand everything that had suddenly become so important to him.

”That magic isn’t anything you want to trifle with, Crow,” Astra murmured quietly, interrupting Eros’s train of thought. She glanced at Eros, then back at Crow. ”Believe me when I say that nothing good is going to come of meddling with such demonic power. The wrath that your ancestors rained down upon Gelu Maris was something beyond their control.

“You have a good heart, kid,” Astra said weakly. ”It’s honorable of you to even think of trying to make up for your ancestor’s crimes.”

”But believe me,” she continued gravely, ”You don’t want to go messing with this magic. I wouldn’t, if I were you. Greater mages than I have tried. Greater mages than I have lost their lives in the process.”

”If we weren’t already so far out here in the middle of nowhere, I’d advise you to turn around this instant,” Astra stated quietly. Eros glanced at her, swallowing nervously. Astra’s gaze flickered over to him, then back to Crow.

”But, seeing as that’s not the case...just...be careful. Demonic magic, especially magic of that caliber, isn’t something anyone can control,” she murmured, her tone dead serious.

~~~~~~~

Cassiopeia bounced up to her, cradling her bandaged arm. She paused for a moment, then shook her head. The tiefling leant against Rain’s shoulder, tapping her lip pensively. Her tail thrashed back and forth as she thought, smacking Rain’s legs occasionally.

Then, she grinned, tilting her head to peer up at Rain

With a flick of her wrist, she poked the human’s nose. ”Whatcha say to a wee lil fire? She’s a spooky spooky witchy witch right? Shouldn’t she be able to avoid getting burned? And hey, what’s a lil arson between friends!”

Rain hesitated.

She really, really, really did not want to encourage Cassiopeia’s violent, arsonist tendencies-and she had a feeling that Blu was going to chew her out if she did-but the thought of dealing out some cathartic penance to a wielder of magic was too tempting to set aside.

”Alright,” she agreed, grinning slightly. ”Just...let’s try to keep the fire contained? Maybe? Just like, so Blu doesn’t, y’know, flip her lid? Please?”

She paused for a second, then continued. ”I don’t want Crow and Blu to get hurt. That’s...that’s really it. I don’t care what you do to the witch. People like her deserve all the hurt we can deal.”

~~~~~~

(Posts 260-268)

"That magic isn't anything you want to trifle with, Crow," Astra spoke softly. She glanced at Eros for a short moment. Returning her gaze to me, she started again. "Believe me when I say that nothing good is going to come of meddling with such demonic power. The wrath that your ancestors rained down upon Gelu Maris was something beyond their control."

Her words were weighted with the very thing I've known for years; the demon my great grandfather summoned was out of control. To this day people fear it and its powers. As much as I'd like to take her advice, it is good advice after all, the wrath of that demon was unbelievable. I cannot sit by and do nothing while the people of Gelu suffer.

So I listened to her words with the willingness to hear her opinion, but with the knowledge that it won't sway my decision.

"You have a good heart, kid," Astra said, sounding almost weak. "It's honorable of you to even think of trying to make up for your ancestor's crimes."

"But believe me," she continued on, tone darkening. "You don't want to go messing with this magic. I wouldn't, if I were you. Greater mages than I have tried. Greater mages than I have lost their lives in the process."

"If we weren't already so far out here in the middle of nowhere, I'd advise you to turn around this instant," Eros looked toward Astra as she spoke, worry clear on his face.

"But, seeing as that's not the case...just...be careful. Demonic magic, especially magic of that caliber, isn't something anyone can control," Astra said firmly.

I nodded along silently; this seemed to be a sensitive topic to her, or at least, something she felt strongly about. Between "believe me" being repeated multiple times and her overall serious tone? I won't ask, and I won't disrespect her by brushing asides her concerns either.

"I understand that digging up old magic is dangerous, that precautions must be taken, and that this is not exactly, the safest course of action. You can believe me when I say that I'll do my very best to be as careful as possible. Not for myself, but for anyone and everyone with me." I said firmly.

~~~~~

Rain hesitated before responding. A small pout fell across my face. She's not gonna say no is she? She's the one who agreed to a game-no, no don't get mad. Just a lil fun, no reason to get upset! Even if, if she says no, I can still dumb stuff in the river! Yeah that'd be fun! All the sh*t going floaty float float downstream till somebody gets it!

I contemplated the idea in my head for a bit, until Rain actually said something of course. Then I completely switched gears!

"Alright," hold up, hold up. Was she f*cking grinning?? "Just...let's try to keep the fire contained? Maybe? Just like, so Blu doesn't, y'know, flip her lid? Please?" Oh this is gonna be fuuuuuun!

Rain was literally, actually saying these words?! We can really start a fire?? Tree approved chaos? What is this, y'know what, I don't wanna know! It's wrecking havoc and that's all I need to know! I bounced on my heels a wee bit. My tail was practically wagging itself off in excitement.

"I don't want Crow and Blu to get hurt. That's...that's really it. I don't care what you do to the witch. People like her deserve all the hurt we can deal." Now I was the one grinning.

I took a step away from her, then spun around and grabbed her hand. The snow was completely trampled and gone beneath me from all my bouncing. I don't give a sh*t though! It's all gonna be gone by the time we're done! I have an A okay for a fire!

"Beautiful please, I am the queen of fire! I flip everyone's lid. Now come on! I think I still got a stick or two of dynamite left!! This is gonna be Awesome!!" I shrieked excitedly.

With that I let go of her hand to playfully punch her shoulder twice, once with each hand. The wild grin on my face shifted into more of a smirk. Yup. I've got approval and Ima wreck hell! I darted back into the direction of camp a second later. Racking my brain, trying to remember, how many, exactly, explosives I've got left.

I slipped on an icy tree root in my hurry. Whatever! I gotta mouthful of snow now, and maybe, probably, definitely a bruise to be on my hip. But! I got a fire to start, that doesn't stop whether I fell on my side or not!

Scrambling back to my feet, I went right on back to running. Occasionally looking back to see if Rain was there. After getting wacked in the face by one too many low hanging tree branches though, I figured she could keep up without me checking. I leapt over a fallen tree with a loud whoop. Jeez this is so much fun!

I shot into camp a couple minutes later. Of course, I made sure to go straight to the wagon and avoid whatever feelsy talky talk the rest of em were probably having. Dunno though! Not my problem either; I ain't in the mood for all that bonding sh*t. I cocked my head as I pulled myself into the wagon. Am I ever in the mood for that? Hmmmmm. NOPE.

I chuckled to myself and began rummaging through my pack. As I found the lil pocket where I put any fiery stuff I happen to currently have, I heard someone tap the side of the wagon behind me. My head popped up, turning to glance behind me. Ah, f*ck. Blu.

"Want to explain what the f*ck you're doing?" She hissed, brow furrowed.

"....No?"

"Not an acceptable answer you lil sh*t. We've been traveling together for six or so months now; I know your 'I'm about to blow something up' look by now." Blu continued, tone growing increasingly frustrated as she spoke.

So I, of course, did the most logical thing and stuck my tongue out at her. "Yeah, and?? I got Rain's approval! D*mn I shoulda gotten her to like, sign a paper or something-" I didn't have the chance to finish due to Blu's very, erm, what's the word... exasperated? No. Not that. Like, that, but loud. And disappointed at the same time?? Is there a word for that?

"You-she what?! Where the flying f*ck is she? Since apparently you BOTH need to be spoken to." Blu barked. I noticed her hand gripping the pommel of her very battered sword, curtsey of me! Blu did not like my sudden bout of laughter.

A wicked grin slipped across Cassiopeia’s face, and she began to bounce excitedly, a wild glint in her eyes. The tiefling stepped away from Rain, only to whirl around and grab her by the hand, still bouncing.

"Beautiful please, I am the queen of fire! Cassiopeia crowed.” I flip everyone's lid. Now come on! I think I still got a stick or two of dynamite left!! This is gonna be Awesome!!”

Rain hesitated, a little shocked by the tiefling’s ruthless enthusiasm-but before she could speak, Cassiopeia punched her shoulder excitedly before darting away, tail wagging behind her excitedly. Rain hesitated again, glancing at the still-empty canteens and then back at Cassiopeia, who’d tumbled to the ground in her excited rush to wreak havoc.

For a split second, she wondered if she was making some sort of mistake, indulging in the tiefling’s violent habits-but a wave of determination shoved her worries asides.

Astra deserved it.

No witch was innocent, not with the kind of power they held, not with their abilities to wreak such havoc upon others lives.

She raced after Cassiopeia, following her back to the campsite-but the tiefling far outpaced her. By the time she stumbled into the small, roadside clearing, Cassiopeia was already rummaging through the wagon-and Blu was storming up to the tiefling, a furious look on her face.

Shit.

Rain entered the clearing hesitantly, pausing near the firepit, where she, Astra, and Eros watched the furious conversation unfold between Cassiopeia and Blu.

"You-she what?! Where the flying f*ck is she? Since apparently you BOTH need to be spoken to," Blu cried, eliciting a pel of raucous laughter from Cassiopeia. With a wince, Rain strode up to her sister.

Blu was mad. She was furious, and Rain realized in that moment that she really ought to have expected her sister to be mad.

But she’d understand. She’d understand completely, if Rain just explained what their intentions had been.

It wasn’t like they’d be able to do anything, now, because the witch was watching them. They couldn’t get the jump on her, couldn’t hurt her if she knew what was coming. She was a witch, too senselessly powerful for anyone’s good-if Rain were to try anything against her while she knew it was coming, things wouldn’t end well.

She knew that from experience.

”We weren’t going to hurt anyone, Blu,” Rain offered quietly. She tilted her chin up slightly, almost a little defiantly. ”Not anyone who didn't deserve it, anyways.”

While I was a tad busy- I was laughing so hard I couldn’t breathe- wait what’s so funny? The thought only made me laugh harder. Dunno what I’m laughing at- wait no! I do know! Blu’s pouty, angry lil hamster face!

Her furious, hissy tone, too? Damn that kills me! She actually thinks she gonna what, f*cking scold me?? Nobody scolds me! I am un-scold-able! My tail slammed the wagon as I pressed a hand to my chest. Trying to somehow pull air into my lungs. A bit difficult. I barely noticed Rain’s appearance at first; that girl is hard to see past the funny tears!

After rubbing my eyes though, I did see her. Fighting to swallow down my laughter, I quickly decided to just let her do her thing. I’m just gonna lay here for a minute. Catch my breath. Wait till Blu ain’t looking. Maybe snag that dynamite...

”We weren’t going to hurt anyone, Blu,” Rain murmured.

My head popped up at the sound of Rains mousey little voice. Tilting my head to see better, I noticed she was lifting her head. What’s she doing? I dunno what world she’s living in, I was going to hurt someone! Well, anyone really! Not enough to piss em off, unless they’re Blu. Hamster is suuuper easy to annoy!

Rain continued, ”not anyone who didn't deserve it, anyways.” I leaned up onto my elbows. Curiously, I nudged her with my tail.

“Huh? Is that a dark streak I spy??” I cooed, smirking broadly; do I have a partner in crime?! That’d be awesome!

Blu suddenly rammed her fist into the wagon. Missing my now flicking tail by an inch. I scoffed at her little display, jumped to my feet, well knees, and fell onto my belly. Legs kicking at the air behind my as my tail waved back and forth. I rested my chin on the back of my hands, which were pressed flat against the bottom of the wagon.

“AwWwwwW! Did I anger the resident no fun—“ Blu cut me off with a light bop over my horns. At that I chuckled. Though my hands curled into fists and dug into the wood beneath.

“Shut the f*ck up demon spawn. And you, Rain!” Blu directed her focus to her sister, one hand on her hip and the other gesturing wildly. “What the bloody hell do you mean by ‘not anyone who didn't deserve it!’ No one deserves it! No one f*cking deserves to have this hellion dogging their heels! And you shouldn’t be encouraging her!!

“Both of you need to pull it together.” I rolled onto my back, now with my head over the back of the wagon. A nasty block of annoyance was building in my chest. Does Blu actually think ima take well to scolding??

“Oh gods be damned! I don’t give a shit Blu! Everyone deserves everything alright?! Except birdy. Birdy is too good. Okay so everyone deserves everything minus birdy; I’ll take his share.” I said with a smile. And, judging by Blu’s very concerned slash disgusted slash mad look, I probably shouldn’t have said that aloud... or maybe it was the grin? Oh well! Too bad so sad!

Blu sighed, heavy and shakily while pinching the bridge of her nose. For a moment she stayed like that. Then, she lowered her hand and looked towards me.

“Tiefling, you’ve been easily aggravated lately, I get that. People are annoying as hell. However, that doesn’t f*cking mean you can involve us in your little games, which are always dangerous. More often than not, someone gets burned or hit. Get your shit under control. Quit it with the f*cking fire. Even if Rain says its okay, it NOT.”

Yeah that speech is wasted on me! Was not listening in the slightest! Though I did count how many freckles there are on my arms! Twenty three is the grand total! Blu made a disappointed face at my indifference towards her shitty speech and turned to her sister.

“And you? What the f*ck?! You think some people deserve to get hurt now? I don’t know what this son of a bitch over here said to you, but she’s WRONG. Sure not everyone is nice and dandy, you know I know what I’m talking about. But that doesn’t equate that anyone ‘deserves’ to get hurt. Now get that thinking out of your f*cking head and BOTH OF YOU!” I side eyed hamster at the mention of ‘both of you.’ What’s she want now?

Blu huffed and waved an arm at the rest em idiots. Who were watching on mostly quietly. Ah. Hamster glared at both me and the tree next to me. “Rain, incompetent arsonist, GO APOLOGIZE. Tiefling, for your bad temper, which you will put an effort into managing. Rain, for being an ass to Astra and Eros, which you will also put an effort into stopping. I’m not asking twice.”

I sat up on my knees. Am I being... mothered?? By hamster?? Ah hell nah. My eyes drifted to look up at Rain. Then back to an expectant Blu, whose arms were crossed over her chest firmly. Ha! Ain’t no pose gonna move my ‘incompetent arsonist’ ass!

Cassiopeia, who had been laughing raucously, popped up from inside the wagon curiously at the sound of Rain’s, cocking her head. She nudged the human woman with her tail, smirking.

“Huh? Is that a dark streak I spy??” Cassiopeia cooed-and then, immediately, Blu punched the side of the wagon, causing Rain to flinch slightly, startled. Cassiopeia scoffed, flopping onto her belly, her feet and tail swaying behind her. She placed her chin on her hands, and cooed, “AwWwwwW! Did I anger the resident no fun—“

Blu cut the tiefling off, smacking her horns, gathering nothing more than an amused chuckle from the other woman.

“Shut the f*ck up demon spawn. And you, Rain!” Blu cried, whirling on her sister. Rain crossed her arms as Blu began to lecture her, glaring down at her sister like a defiant child.

This wasn’t the first time Blu had lectured her-and it wouldn’t be the last.

Funnily enough, however, this time, Rain couldn’t bring herself to care about what her sister was saying in the slightest.

There was a witch in question, here. Everything else-normal rules of morality, specifically-had gone completely out of the window the moment Astra had insisted she tag along with the group.

“Both of you need to pull it together.”

Rain scoffed slightly.

“Oh gods be damned! I don’t give a shit Blu! Everyone deserves everything alright?! Except birdy. Birdy is too good. Okay so everyone deserves everything minus birdy; I’ll take his share.” Cassiopeia crowed, grinning broadly. Blu let out heavy, shaky sigh, pinching the bridge of her nose. Rain watched her for a moment, as she spoke with Cassiopeia gravely. The teifling ignored her; Blu turned her attention back to Rain.

“And you? What the f*ck?! You think some people deserve to get hurt now? I don’t know what this son of a bitch over here said to you, but she’s WRONG. Sure not everyone is nice and dandy, you know I know what I’m talking about. But that doesn’t equate that anyone ‘deserves’ to get hurt. Now get that thinking out of your f*cking head and BOTH OF YOU!”

She let out a huff, waving her arm at where the rest of the group were seated, watching quietly. Rain made eye contact with Astra, whose eyes were narrowed slightly.

“Rain, incompetent arsonist, GO APOLOGIZE. Tiefling, for your bad temper, which you will put an effort into managing. Rain, for being an ass to Astra and Eros, which you will also put an effort into stopping. I’m not asking twice.”

Rain turned her gaze back to her sister, scowling.

”Then don’t,” Rain snapped, turning on her heel and stalking back to the firepit. She snatched her food and the pot, flashed Astra a sneer, and then clambered into the back of the wagon, choosing to sit right next to Cassioepeia.

~~~

Before long, the rest of the group joined the duo in the wagon, and they were on their way yet again.

By mid afternoon, Eros found himself struggling to keep his eyes open. He usually didn’t sleep much-he’d always been a light sleeper, a trait that he’d gained from constantly having to be vigilant on Unda’s unfriendly streets. Later in life, however, he’d just found it increasingly difficult to fall asleep.

Sometimes, he was kept awake by his own musings, but most of the time, he just simply felt far too awake, yet absolutely bone-tired at the same time.

He shouldn’t have been so tired, just from waking up in the middle of the night-but still, he just felt drained by everything that he’d learned, by everything that had transpired over the course of the previous night and early morning.

He ended up slipping off to sleep before the sun even started to set.

~~~~~

His dreams began as they always did, with the sea spread before him.

It was night, and he was standing on the deck of th Osprey, staring out at the churning, storm-tossed sea. The ship tossed and turned beneath him, cast about by the tumultuous storm around him—and yet, even still, he remained steady on his feet, staring out at the surging gray waves around him, searching for something he had no name for.

Something felt wrong—and, in the space of an instant, a bolt of raw, incomprehensible power shot through his chest like the resonating thrum of thunder, knocking the breath from his lungs and his knees out from under him, causing him to collapse down onto his hands and knees, his face tilted up to the being before him, though his eyes saw nothing but blinding light.

Panic shot through his veins, bringing hot, stinging tears to bite at the corners of his eyes—and then, like the stark, blinding clarity of a strike of lightning, a voice colder than the depths of the unforgiving sea itself seized him by the lungs, yanking him into the unfettered power[/i[ of some more unyielding force of nature, even as searing whiteness pierced through his eyes.

“I’ve missed you, little one.”

Eros’s breath hitched in his chest, a choked, terrified sob clawing at his throat—but, before he could utter so much as a single word, a cold, ice-like hand settled into place against his cheek, and something <I>surged</i> through his veins with suden, overwhelming force, like frozen stars dashed across his skin and scattered sparks within his bones, like crashing thunder and the fury of a hurricane, like a ringing in his ears and water crashing through his lungs, like all that was <I>wild</i> within all the world and incomprehensible <I></b>power.</i></b>

“We were alone, little one,” the voice breathed. ”We were so alone, precious one, but no longer.”

A choked, anguished sob forced its way up the siren’s throat.

“I can’t—I can’t breathe”

The voice hushed him softly, brushing a lock of his scattered, soaking hair from his cheek. “You’ve never needed to breathe, darling. You only need to open your eyes—”

The world lurched beneath him, like a ship about to capsize—and, suddenly, he was falling, tumbling, crashing into the catastrophic storm below, choking on the ice-like water of the ocean’s furthest depths—and, with a startled, terrified cry, he awoke.

~~~

As he scrambled out of the wagon, still sluggish from sleep and reeling from his dream, a slight tug on his magic caused his attention to shoot over to Astra—and, after waving her off and doing his best to shut out his panic and confusion, so that he didn’t send any of it to her across their bond, he trudged off into the woods and towards the river, the frigid winter air nipping at his cheeks, a strange contrast to the dream-like heaviness of his eyelids.

”Open your eyes, little one.”

Eros drew in a deep, steadying breath, and turned his face up to the gray winter sky above him, his eyes open as wide as he could make them, searching the cloudy, impassive morning sky above him for any sort of sign.

Something flickered in his chest, in his magic, and visions of thunder seemed to flood his mind—and, in that instant, a bolt of panic struck through his chest, snapping him back to the reality of the eerily silent forest around him, and the half-frozen riverbank hardly a meter away.

His gaze lingered on the water for a long, uneasy moment—and then, with a tense huff, he turned away and trudged back to the campsite, trying to force his dream of the voice—of the spirit—from his mind.

~~~~~

Soon enough, the group set off down the trail once more.

The next two days passed uneventfully, save for more fighting between Rain and the increasingly frustrated Astra. Noticing Eros’s pensive, frustrated, exhaustion, she left him to his own devices, for the most part, only checking in with him nonverbally through their bond. Occasionally, she would slip into his thoughts, curiously or accidentally-but a flicker of anger from him was all it took for her to back off.

It was the morning of the third day when things changed.

It was just before noon, and the winter sun was glaring down blindingly against the snow, offering no warmth against the biting chill of the wind.

Eros hardly noticed, at first, how the trees started to grow increasingly sparser-until a cry of wonder from Rain startled him out of his thoughts. His gaze whipped around, darting to the horizon-and there it stood-a magnificent temple, just within sight.

“Then don’t,” Rain’s sharp response made me cackle. Loudly. Loudly and proudly.

Yes! About time somebody joined me! For a minute there, back in Gelu, I’d thought that somebody was fish boy. But nope! He’s a lil too flighty. Rain acting up? Now that shit I can get on board with! My tail brushed against the sides of the wagon as I subconsciously wagged it. Blu’s look of bewilderment at her sister’s behavior brought a smirk to my face. Ha! She’s my tree now hamster! I finally got a chaos buddy!

My excitement only grew as Rain went out of her way to sneer at Astra. Even more so when she returned to the wagon and sat next to me. Jeez I’m going to, like, rip my face or something with how much I’m smiling right now!

~~~~~~

It wasn’t long before it was time to get a moving again. My tail kept wagging, much to Blu’s annoyance. She scoffed audibly as she and the rest of em idiots climbed into the wagon. I blew a kiss in her direction, which clearly pissed her off. At least, if her flipping me off is anything to judge by!

The wagon ride on a whole was quite uneventful otherwise though. Nice as it was that Rain chose to sit next to me, after a while I moved to lean against birdy instead; He’s got rock candy! And of course, being the good birdy he is, he gave me some. Wonder if fish boy can hear me crunching on it? Or is he like, actually asleep? It’s barely late afternoon?? Dunno!

The next few hours passed in moderate quiet. Birdy was showing me some funky looking map of Gelu in an old book he’d bought. He was pointing out random spots and describing the history there or, something like that? Not sure! Was cool to hear how much he knew though! It did get a little repetitive so I flipped the page on him. The book now showed an entirely different country, Dolus. Huh. This a book of maps or some shit?

“Why’s a map of Dolus and Gelu in the same book, birdy? No reason for that headf*ckery,” I said, confused. Birdy nudged my hand to the side so he could flip the book around. With a smile he read out the title.

“Maps and Histories of the World by Alev the Gold.” A sigh fell from my lips at his cheery grin. Still smiling, he turned the book back around. Turning past the map of Dolus to flip through the entire book. So. Many. Maps.

We sat quietly together for a while longer. Occasionally I’d see some weird looking or brightly colored map and ask birdy to explain what the hell it was trying to show. Each time he’d happily comply. For some countries, particularly the ones further west, he had to consult the dictionary thingy at the end of the book. Ha! Even birdy doesn’t know everything! Still nice to get an explanation though.

As it got dark though, sleep definitely seemed like a good idea. It was too dang cold to be awake. Plus, like, it was getting too dark to see the book very well. Birdy noticed and put the book back into his new pack. I yawned and stretched a little before snuggling into his side. He lifted the side of his cloak as I curled into a ball beside him.

Man it’s a pain trying to get comfy! Especially with so many people in the wagon! Mleh, doesn’t really matter though. Birdy makes a nice pillow. I ended up resting my head on his knee with my own knees pulled close to my chest. Tail draped over the side of my face not already resting against birdy’s leg. I was faintly aware of him carefully resting his arm over my shoulder and humming some stupid song as I fell asleep.

~~~~~

Some idiot screeching woke me up. The sound was terrified and sent adrenaline spiking through me. Is there more purple woof woofs?! Creepy guys in the woods?! Some other thing I can’t think of at the moment?!

A frantic glance around the camp assured me that no. No I am not gonna get to kick something’s ass today. It’s just fish boy. Jeez buddy ya gotta a nightmare? Don’t shout it and wake people up. Suffer it silently like the rest of us, damn. Ugh, who am I kidding? I scream too. My interest in the interaction between fish boy and spooky spooky mother hen quickly faded. No threat, no fun. I’m going back to sleep!

Birdy didn’t complain about me using him as a pillow till mid afternoon. He never does. Maybe when we get to that stupid temple place I’ll find a cool book for him? That’s a good thank you gift, right? What am I thinking, of course it is!

~~~~~

The next two days passed. In all honesty I didn’t even realize that the time had passed until I heard Blu complaining about it; My head was pounding. Like someone was beating me over the head with a very heavy object and wouldn’t stop. Ugh. When was the last time I had a drink? That’s why it hurts so much, right? Right? F*ck I dunno.

When Rain gasped I snapped back at her. “Rain, beautiful, would you mind not. F*cking. Screeching?! My head hurts, please be quiet!!”

Don’t yell at her. Don’t yell at any of them. Don’t freaking do it. I repeated over and over in my head. At least, don’t be an ass about it? Ugh I hate headaches!

I didn’t notice birdy was tapping my shoulder at first. My head hurts, I don’t care about whatever he wants right now! I wanna go somewhere quiet! Quiet and alone and calm!

“Cassiopeia, we found it. We found the Temple!” Birdy whisper shouted. A grimace fell over my face, but I turned around to look at what he was so excited about anyways. Maybe it’ll make the headache go away? Or at least gimme something else to focus on—

“Holy mother of f*ck. What the- what the, what the hell is that??” My voice sounded high pitched as always.

The sight before me was not at all, in any possible way, what I was expecting to see. Then again, not like skeleton dogs are all that common? So like, how could I even expect to see that??

Birdy was smiling broadly and definitely did not see the weird, now shadowy skeleton dog. He laughed brightly and hugged my shoulders. Yup. He does not see the skeleton dog. Definitely not. Birdy let go of me a second later to spread his arms wide, sunlight catching on his icy eyes. Which only noticed because the skeleton dog was actively biting at his neck. Does he not feel that? I guess not?? Mleh.

What a violent little critter.

“We found it! We all found it- the Temple!!” It’s really hard to listen to birdy when there’s a funky lil skeleton pupper now staring at me.

It stared blankly at me, apparently it was just as confused as I was. Every now and then it would like, dissipate? Or something like that. Then it would reform a couple seconds later. I looked around. Both birdy and Blu were in awe of the grand, octangular, vine coated, white stone building thing in front of us. Is it the fact it’s got funky blue firey things on the, now that I’m looking, flat roof, make it more interesting than this creepy skeleton dog?? Or is it just how damn big it is?? From here, I’d guess it’s maybe six stories? I could be horribly off tho, this skeleton dog is still staring and that’s kinda stealing my attention.

It’s blinding white eyes were a little weird, too. And y’know, the fact it had four! Four freaking eyes! Man wonder what it’s parents thought of that! It kept staring.

I shook my head violently. The skeleton dog was still there. Alright now I’m weirded out. I jumped out of the wagon without any warning. Eyes trained on the skeleton dog as it followed me. It’s blue spiked shoulder- no, spine?? Was just about at the middle of my rib cage. What dog is that tall??

Well, I guess those purple woof woofs had been pretty tall too... maybe this is just big dog country?? I dunno! Wish it would stop staring at me though.

“Dead. You should be DEAD.” It suddenly snarled, it’s voice a grating echo throughout my skull. It dropped its head down, prowling towards me almost. Yup. Yeah I definitely don’t like this pupper! Nope nope nope!

I shook my head and it dissipated again. I spun on my heel, tail kicking up snow as I spun. Wherever it’d come from, it was gone now. Mleh. Skeleton dog all gone I guess! Now facing the group, I smirked broadly.

“Ey Rain~ Betcha I can beat you to the funky temple thing! Wanna race??”

—————

How dare she. How. Dare. SHE?! For the first time in centuries, centuries! I’ve been seen by a mortal, and she has the arrogance to think herself permitted to IGNORE ME?!! My skeletal form writhed with fury. How dare she!!

These last few weeks, I’ve felt it. Felt the magic binding me not weaken per se, but rather permit my strength to grow. Every step closer to that wretched Temple. Every step strengthens me. But yet I still cannot be FREE!! Still! Still I am trapped!

Still I am caged! Was it not torture enough to be bound to this vile, disgusting, mortal prison?! I must watch on as my strength builds. Knowing, knowing that if I were FREE all of this gods forsaken world would tremble before my WRATH!!

I am the primordial DEMON of WRATH and PAIN!! I am not some pithy magic; I am the worst of the hells!!

My form ran to the tiefling’s side. Jaws snapping at her skin. How dare she IGNORE me?! I know, I know she saw me. No one can look upon a demon of my caliber and expect to hide it. But to simply pass it aside, as if I were a mere magic? A mere god?! Even the spirits FEAR me!! The other primordial demons RESPECT me!!

And still. It seems I must truly be free from this disgusting, useless, worthless, pathetic excuse of a soul to understand the hell she’s brought down upon herself. To understand my wrath! To understand that she toyed with power beyond comprehension! And that there are consequences for committing such a crime.

A thunderous growl shook my form. This place gives me power. Power enough to be seen. This disgrace of a daughter will be broken. By any means necessary. By any tricks I must employ. By any fears I can play upon...

She. Will. Set. Me. FREE.

—————

“—be free from this disgusting, useless, worthless, pathetic excuse of a soul to understand the hell she’s...” a grating voice drawled from behind me.

Every hair on my body stood on end. I could feel my fists clenching and breath hitching. I don’t like that, those words... I d-don’t, I don’t! There’s, there’s absolutely no way... no way... No. no, no, no! Get a hold of yourself!! I squeezed my eyes shut and shook my head.

Birdy’s here. She’s not. He’s not. They’re not. They can’t be.

I breathed in deeply, then turned around swiftly. My eyes flew across the empty, snow covered field between me and the Temple. No ones there. My heart continued its frantic pace anyways. Ah shit. Those idiots are right behind me, how do I- oh wait! I got it!

I made a breathless scree noise, then plopped backwards into the snow. I proceeded to make a snow angel, as if that had been my intention the whole time.

“Holy mother of f*ck. What the- what the, what the hell is that??” Cassiopeia cried, startled.

Eros tore his gaze away from the magnificent building before him, confused by her reaction. She looked a little bewildered-but then Crow was hugging her, laughing brightly, and Eros returned his gaze to the massive building.

He’d never seen a building of such sheer scale before. It was taller than most buildings he’d ever seen, and massive in width as well. It was covered in vines, and, despite its obviously ancient appearance, was strangely pristine. Sconces on the roof held blue fire, burning so brightly that they were visible even from afar.

“We found it! We all found it- the Temple!!” Crow cried-and Eros couldn’t help the slight smile that crept across his lips at the sound of the other man’s infectious cheer.

A prickle of worry from Astra had Eros glancing over his shoulder, peering worriedly at the other siren, who was perched atop her gelding, riding just a small ways behind the wagon. She flashed him a worried smile.

”We’ll talk later,” she insisted. Eros tugged on their bond affirmingly, and then turned his attention back to the temple.

“Ey Rain~ Betcha I can beat you to the funky temple thing! Wanna race??” Cassiopeia asked excitedly. Rain grinned, and was about to leap out of the wagon when Cassiopeia suddenly shook her head, whirling around. She paused for a moment, looking oddly shaken-and then let out an excited screech and collapsed backwards into the snow.

Rain laughed, settling back into the wagon.

~~~~

It wasn’t long before they’d scattered throughout the temple, all intent on exploring the grandiose, ancient building.

Eros had set off alone, initially, wandering through the endless hallways and up and down the countless flights of stairs-and eventually, he ran into Astra, who was seated on the floor of a small library, leaning against the wall, reading through an ancient, faded journal.

At the sound of his footsteps, she glanced up, and flashed him a weak smile. He smiled in return, and sat down next to her, crossing his legs.

”Found this journal just sitting out on a table,” Astra snorted, shutting the book in her hands. She set it aside with a scoff. ”Idiot elves had no idea what they were messing with.”

Eros frowned, fiddling with his necklace.

”I know that Angor killed the...our pod,” he murmured, ”And I know that the Mage Circle summoned Angor. But other than that, I don’t…” he trailed off, not really knowing what else to say.

Astra sighed softly, letting her head fall back against the wall. She shut her eyes, looking almost pained.

“What did the spirit show you?” Astra murmured quietly. Eros swallowed.

”It showed me you and Venus,” he admitted. ”There was a battle. You were running. You...you were distraught. You and Venus were the only two left, and you were talking-and then there was this...this demon, one that was bigger than anything I’ve ever seen before.

“And that’s all that I really saw,” he concluded, aware of his own lie.

He’d learned that he knew the demon, that he’d met the demon.

But he wasn’t going to tell Astra that, not when she was so sure that the demon had been sealed away.

”I can’t really tell you much more than that,” Astra murmured, her voice weak and strained. ”Angor was summoned. Venus died sealing him away. She saved me...she saved the world from the stupidity and horrific intolerance of those elves. And…that’s really it, honestly.”

Eros drew in a deep, shaky breath, but remained silent. They sat there for a long moment, until Eros hesitantly spoke.

”Why didn’t she kill him?” Eros asked, his voice wavering slightly. Astra scoffed.

”She couldn’t have, even if she’d tried. No siren can sing another creature to death-that was something that not even Lyra or Venus could ever do. It’s impossible.”

Eros fell silent, dread welling up in his chest.

They sat there in silence for another few minutes, before Eros spoke, his voice shaky and thin.

”I...it’s not impossible, Astra,” he murmured. Unease rippled across their bond, and Eros drew in a deep breath.

”I killed a wolf,” Eros stated bluntly. ”It was attacking me, and I didn’t think, so I just...I told it to ‘drop dead.’”

“What?” Astra asked, sitting up, fear evident in her voice. Eros swallowed, averting his gaze. The fear emanating from the siren besides him quickly shifted into worry.

”Eros, if this-” she broke off, inhaling deeply. ”Eros, if this is true…”

”Its true,” he murmured quietly, still not meeting her gaze. Astra drew in a breath, nodding-and then lifted her bag into her lap and began to rummage around. Hesitantly, Eros glanced back at her, just as she pulled out the Core.

She offered it to him, her mournful sapphire gaze locking with his. He grimaced, drawing away slightly-and Astra drew in a shuddering breath.

”You need to take this,” she insisted, offering it to him insistently. Eros shook his head vehemently.

”No.”

”Eros-

”I’m not taking it,” he stated firmly. ”I want nothing to do with that...that pompous jerk-off.”

Astra opened her mouth to speak-then closed it, scowling. She let out a deep, frustrated sigh, and returned the Core to her bag.

”You’re going to need it,” Astra murmured quietly, ”With powers like yours...this could save your life, Eros.”

Eros swallowed, shaking his head. ”I don’t want anything to do with it,” he repeated. Seeing Astra’s frown, he continued, ”I’ll be careful, Astra. I’ve barely sung this far; I’m sure I can avoid doing it now that I know that i could literally die doing it.”

Astra sighed, shaking her head. She pulled herself to her feet, frowning deeply, then turned back to face Eros.

”Singing is something no siren can avoid, Eros,” she said quietly, ”Our voices are a part of who we are, lethal as they may be.”

Eros drew in a deep breath, nodding slightly. Astra sighed once more, then extended a hand down to him.

”Come on,” she said, smiling weakly, ”I found something that I think you’ll like.”

~~~~~

She led him to the back of the library, where a small chunk of obsidian stood on a pedestal. It was carved delicately, into the shape of an eye; as Eros approached it, the strangest sense of unease filled him.

Astra paused right before it, and strode over to the side of the pedestal, smiling slightly.

”This crystal is an ancient creation,” she said, speaking softly. ”I’ve seen it depicted in tomes of all sorts, yet none of them really know where it came from. It’s said to be as old as the world itself.”

Eros tilted his head slightly, peering at the crystal warily.

”What is it?” he asked hesitantly. Astra grinned.

”It’s known as the Crystal of Omens,” she replied, ”If you touch it, it will show you a glimpse of your potential future.”

Eros’s gaze snapped up from the crystal to meet the other siren’s sapphire gaze. ”What?!

Astra laughed softly. Eros’s gaze whipped down to the crystal; before he knew what he was doing, he’d taken a step closer to the pedestal.

He wanted to know, now that he could.

He needed to know, now that he could.

”Go ahead,” Astra chuckled. He glanced up at her, a little disbelieving-and then, hesitantly, he stepped forwards and picked up the crystal.

It was strangely warm to the touch, almost...comforting. His eyes flickered shut, and his breath slipped out of him gently. A strange wave of vertigo slipped through him, and he swayed slightly.

Suddenly, his eyes snapped open, and he was curled up in a pile of blankets, being held by strong, warm arms in a way that made him feel indescribably safe. Someone was humming quietly, running a hand through his hair, and Eros couldn’t help but let out a little, contented sigh, snuggling into the warm chest of the person wrapped around him.

His eyes flickered shut once more-and when he opened them again, he was back in the library, holding the strange obsidian crystal, a dopey smile on his face.

He met Astra’s gaze-and she smiled warmly in return. His face flushed slightly, and he set the crystal back down on the pedestal.

”I...“ he began, only to trail off, his face flushing an even darker red.

”It’s gonna be happy,” Eros murmured, a wobbly smile creeping across his face. Astra grinned, a strange twinge of relief creeping through her end of the bond.

”I’m so glad,” she replied, smiling broadly.

The snow coated ground was a tad chilly, but that wasn't what made me get up. Nope. It was that skeleton dog. It continued to watch me even as the wagon rolled along. Thankfully the cold snow helped soothe my headache, too. Sure yeah I guess I also sorta got up cause damnit! Birdy better be the first person through those doors or I'm stabbing someone. All this questy stuff started because his elf ancestors blah blah blah, right old wrongs blah blah blah. Mleh. It's his ancestors' temple and he goes in first!

I trotted up to the doors right as the rest of em idiots arrived. Blu had tied the mares to an old, and convenient, hitching post. Kinda off to the side too. Whatever.

Birdy laughed along with me as I dragged him to the door. Guess we're both super excited! Birdy 'cause it's like, end or maybe beginning? Of his lil journey. Me, because it's f*cking awesome that's why! Cool, disturbingly pristine building? Seemingly untouched by the years?? Gotta be some funky magic there! Preferably not more skeleton dogs though. One's plenty thank ya!

We both stood at the entrance for a moment. My whole body was jumping with excitement. Birdy was a tad more subdued but I know that fool is thrilled! He let out a light chuckle and nudged my shoulder with his own. I looked up at him, head cocked. Are we going in or not??

"Something tells me it's been a hot minute since this door has been opened."

"Yeah, and? Come on let's go already!" Birdy smiled at my exuberance, then pointed to the vines growing all over. As well as the sheer size of the door. Oh! And the fact it's made of stone. All without saying a word.

"I seriously doubt I'm opening that by myself, but something else tells me it won't be a problem for you," he said lightheartedly.

Oh! Oh I get it now! I gave his shoulder a playful punch while smirking. This is what do best! Moving, or knocking down, shit that nobody should be able to! Well, this and just generally being f*cking fabulous!

"My pleasure birdy! You're going in first though! He nodded and took a cautious step back.

Still smirking I gave him a thumbs up. Then I trotted the rest of the way to the door. Looking it over I've got to wonder, who da f*ck needs a door as high as the ceiling?? Like, the sun carvings are pretty intricate though! Somebody, probably some long dead elf, put time into carving it. I didn't bother looking for a doorknob or anything, I just ran my hand across the double door till I felt a little give near the center. Pretty easy from there. Rammed my shoulder into it once or twice- with some effort, okay a lot, the thing is heavy! And poof! Door open!

Ack, think I swallowed some dust or some shit. Ack! While I stood back up and coughed into my arm, I heard birdy clap a few times. A joyful grin grew on my face. Good birdy!

"Get your ass inside birdy, I didn't open the thing so ya could stand around! There might be a cool artifact in there or whatever!" I said, waving my hand for him to go inside. He shook his head, but he was smiling as he walked inside. Walking is a bad word. Maybe like, that eager lil speed walk pet birds do to get to their food or favorite person faster?? Nah, too long.

Blu followed him, then Rain, then fish boy, then spooky spooky mother hen, and finally me. Well, actually I guess creepy staring skeleton dog was last but ima not count that. Immediately fish boy and mother hen strode off on their own in different directions.

I stayed with birdy for a few short minutes but there was just so much!! I couldn't keep doubling back to make sure I hadn't lost him. Mostly because I kindaaaa got lost myself. Whoops! The place was super cool either way!

The interior was stone, just like the outside. Some rooms had pillows thrown about. A couple had chairs. A loooooot had mini libraries. What's with these old elves and books?? Dunno! I could probably ask birdy later, if I wanted.

At the moment I was poking around some dark storage room, but like, for books. If that makes sense. The skeleton dog had dogged my heel throughout my exploration until I'd gotten to this creepy room. While where everywhere else I couldn't take a step without running into it, here it'd trotted straight to the dead center of the room and stayed there. Pacing. The room did feel off somehow. It didn't smell like anything other than old paper, but it still felt off. The actual room wasn't weird, it matched the style of the rest of the place, but as before, it still didn't feel right.

I glanced over at the skeleton dog. Does it get weird feels, too? Is that why it's all pouty in the center? Eh, dunno!

Oh! Oh! An idea suddenly shot through my head. My tail shot straight up into the air at the same time. There's GOT to be a really really cool book around here, right?? It got the spooky vibes but looks friendly, yup it's gotta have something! Birdy's got the book by, what's his name...? Alex? Alec?? No wait I remember now, Alev! I started picking through the collection of books. Careful not to accidentally break any. Ignoring the skeleton dog's stare.

If he was reading that map book so happily earlier, Alev has got to be an author he likes, right? Right? Yeah definitely! The skeleton dog was pacing circles in the center of the room. It wasn't making any noises, just pacing morosely. I glanced between it and the book in my hand. Mleh. The author wasn't who I was looking for.

I put the book back and continued searching. Man how do people find anything in here?? There's no rhyme or reason to how it's stacked! Ugh. The off feeling, the skeleton dog, the stupid setup here is not going to deter me. I want a stinking book for birdy and damnit I'm getting him a book!

After looking through forty books though, yes forty I know because I was counting, I decided to see what in the ever loving f*ck the skeleton dog was pacing for.

I bounced over to its side and curiously tapped its blue, spikey, crystal spine thing to get its attention. Instantly it whipped around and clamped its jaws around my wrist. Oddly enough, I couldn't feel a thing. I took my hand back and glared down at it.

"Well now. That wasn't very nice of you," I told it, disappointment in my tone. Did nobody ever teach this dog manners? First it's biting birdy and now me?? "Erm, do you like, want something or am I talking to myself here?" I added after a moment.

It snarled at me in response. I scoffed and crossed my arms. Yeah this ain't worth it. Ima go back to looking for birdy's book. The skeleton dog did not like being ignored. It jumped up in front of me as I began turning around.

I patted it on the head, which felt like touching air, and walked around it. Huh. It's not so freaky now. When I first saw it it was a wee bit alarming but now? Eh, not so much. Just a spikey, blue and black, four eyed, bull horned pupper who wants attention. Not much to it.

Returning to my book search I tried a different approach. Instead of going one by one, I skimmed the book spines while leaving them on the shelf. Bonus, a lot less dust in my face.

"You are... looking for a book, yes? A special book, for your... friend?" I covered my ears and hissed. Why the f*ck does this skeleton dog, A. talk? B. have such a creepy ass, gravely voice?? At least the headache is gone now, the voice isn't as harsh.

Uncovering my ears I turned around to look at it. The skeleton dog was sitting in the center of the room, cocking its head. A sigh escaped my lips. Oh- wait! The skeleton dog can help me find a book for birdy! It's got four eyes, twice as many as me! We can find a book much faster together! It's just a harmless pupper after all, not like it can hurt me.

"Yeah! My best friend really loves history stuff and I figured this would be the place to find a book on that! Have you seen a book by Alev by any chance?"

"Do you mean... Alev the Gold? Yes, I've seen a few of his... chronicles. I'm also looking for... a book—" I trotted over to the skeleton dog and plopped down in front of it. I bopped it on the nose, well, more like the bridge of its nose cause like, it's a skeleton and doesn't have a nose.

"Cool! You show me where the Alev thingamajigs are and I'll help ya find your book too! But pwez stop trying to bite people though- it's clearly not working!"

"Agreed. The Alev Chronicles are... downstairs.

"But we're already on the first floor?? I had to go down a flight of stairs to get here?? Now I was the one cocking my head, tail weaving back and forth behind me.

Downstairs?? Da f*ck does this skeleton dog know that I don't?? I thought it followed me this entire time? Mleh. Not improbable that it scurried off at some point to explore! That's exactly what I did after all and nobody saw me disappear. At least, I don't think?

The skeleton dog chuckled in a gentle way. Not mocking or anything, rather like it found something amusing and it was about to tell me why- like birdy! A nice laugh! Nice pupper!

"There is a hidden library of... sorts. Important literature is stored there for... safekeeping. The Alev Chronicles depict the rise of the... mortal races. From an immortal's perspective, that is something that would interest your friend... yes?"

"F*ck if I know-we're gonna find out!!" I shouted determinedly, jumping to my feet with a whoop.

The skeleton dog shook its head politely, much like birdy. Again, what a nice pupper! I patted it on the head again as it rose to its feet. It paced another circle, sitting a feet feet from the center of the room. Only then did I notice the metal ring affixed to a circular stone ring where it'd been pacing a moment before. Oh!

I pointed excitedly to the thing I'd just noticed and leant down to pull on it. "Is this how we get downstairs?! To the Chronicles of whatever?? Is your book down here too??"

"Yes, that is the... entrance. My book is down there... as well. I do not know where however, nor can I touch... it."

I pulled on the ring until it gave. Lifting the trapdoor up and open so I could enter. If this is where those dang books are then this is where we're going! Something caught my eye, immediately. It wasn't dark. Beneath the trap door wasn't dark. Instead, the walls were lit up by glowing crystals. Shiny, blood red crystals. Like it was a hallway cutting straight into the earth instead of being built up. Cool!

"Woah!! These are awesome; can I take one?? Oh wait, you can't touch your book?? Oh oh! Is it 'cause your all, like, made of air or something?? That'd be cool! Doesn't matter anyways, I'll get ya book for you! I did say I was going to help you find it after all!"

"I don't see why... not. And that would be... lovely. Thank... you."

"Your welcome! Now let's go get some books!" I waved for the skeleton dog to follow and we descended the spiral stairway.

Much to the skeleton dog’s amusement, I spent a good fifteen minutes collecting crystals. The cave walls were kinda sharp in places; my fingers were getting a little bloody before I stopped. The crystals are just so pretty though! It’s not like I could just leave em there!

In the end, we found both books. Mine was found first and while I was under the impression that chronicles implied a big ol series, it actually referred to one big ass book that weighed, hm, I'd say three pounds? Eh, three to seven range. Everything below twenty is pretty much the exact same to me. And even above twenty it's still difficult to guess how much until it hits the sixty mark.

Anywho! It took about an hour to find skeleton dog's book. It wasn't very big but hot damn it was ornate! Rich, black hued leather with rose gold colored metal that lined the edges in harsh, jagged designs. Like f*ck, even the outside of the paper itself- the part you can see even when the book is closed- was stained black. Curious, I'd opened it when skeleton dog wasn't looking and boom. Devil Script. Written in golden ink. Who even writes with that anymore??

Like, I guess I do buuut, like, I'd only learned it because it looked weird and to piss off my mom by chanting it randomly at diplomatic parties- nope. Nope Nope Nope. Don't go down that memory lane!

We left the glowy crystal cave book hiding place shortly after. Of course I'd stuffed my pockets with glowing crystals beforehand. I tried to give skeleton dog its book but it said it would like me to hold onto it for a bit. So I did. Like what's it gonna hurt me by carrying around a book for a bit? I'm fairly certain I'm the only one here who can freaking read it so why not?

The skeleton dog disappeared a few minutes after we climbed back up to very entrance of the Temple. With no idea where the f*ck it went, I figured it might as well be time to find everyone else.

I tucked both books firmly under my arm and went a searching. Unfortunately, it was more than a little difficult to pinpoint scents in this place. Too much dust flying up and blocking my nose. Plus, from what I was seeing, everyone had wandered quite a bit. Crossing paths with others, doubling back, yada yada.

”Ugh this is gonna take forever!” I griped while weaving my way through a crowed hallway. The sides were packed with books and chairs piled high with, yup, even more books! I shook my head.

Finally after what seemed an endless hallway, there was a door. I shoved it open as hard as I could- and promptly crashed into the floor. Apparently the dang thing had already been opened and I overestimated how much force I needed to get inside. Bleh.

Now inside the new room I looked around. Thankfully, I’d held onto my book and the skeleton dog’s pretty tightly so I didn’t need to go a searching through this haystack! It was a quite study slash library that surrounded me. As well as... fish boy’s scent?? And spooky mother hen’s too?? Cool!

Brushing myself off I darted back to my feet. Trotting through the library till I heard voices. Fish boy’s and spooky mother hen’s scents were really strong now, too. Please please please be around here somewhere! I got spooky books to share!

As their voices got louder and more coherent I was lead to some sort of back room. Curious, I peeked my head through a half open door. Just in time to catch a snippet of conversation!

”I...” Eros said, face flushed, but I was more interested in the eye thingy he’d just set down. On a pedestal too!

”It’s gonna be happy,” he added, whispering quietly to himself.

I rested a palm flat on the door, not quite sure if I should enter yet. They having a moment? Like, even if they are, I’m still coming in so like...?

”I’m so glad,” Astra answered, a smile painting her face. Yup time to make my entrance. Before they say some sappy shit I don’t wanna hear!

I slammed the door open. Grinning broadly as the sound reverberated. Then I strode proudly into the room, stopping at fish boy’s side. Laughing, I roughed up his hair with my free right hand.

”Well ain’t this a mighty fun day ey bitches?! Look! I found a book for birdy! And a cool funky looking one, too! Oh! And what’s the eye thingy?? Can I touch it?? Oh oh! I got some glowy crystals too! Y’all want one? I’ve got like, ten! I made my fingers bleed prying it out of that wall but it was definitely worth it!” I said in one speedy breath, pulling out a glowing crystal to show them while I was talking.

Really wanna know what that eye thing is; its carved to resemble an eye but it’s stone?? Suns I can understand, but eyes?? Creepy. I love it.

Astra paused, as if about to say something more-but in that instant, the door behind them slammed open, startling Eros and Astra alike.

Eros’s gaze shot over to the doorway, just as Cassiopeia bounded into the room, carrying two books. One was somewhat slim, and bound with gold-and the other was larger than any book he’d ever seen before.

He was so distracted by the books that he didn’t realize that Cassiopeia had trotted up to him until her raucous laughter and a hand in his hair caused him to recoil, stumbling away from her. He scowled at her, fixing his hair, as she began to speak.

”Well ain’t this a mighty fun day ey bitches?! Look! I found a book for birdy! And a cool funky looking one, too!” she crowed. Eros’s gaze flickered back to the strange books; a prickle of annoyance flitted through Astra’s end of the bond.

“Oh! And what’s the eye thingy?? Can I touch it?? Cassiopeia continued excitedly, not even pausing to breathe. ”Oh oh! I got some glowy crystals too! Y’all want one? I’ve got like, ten! I made my fingers bleed prying it out of that wall but it was definitely worth it!”

She pulled out a small, blood red crystal-and Astra raised an eyebrow curiously. Hesitantly, she plucked the crystal from the tiefling’s hand. Frowning, she turned the crystal over in her hand, inspecting it. The siren turned her gaze back up to the tiefling, considering for just a moment whether or not to ask the energetic tiefling where she’d found the unusual gem-but then she sighed, shaking her head.

Astra stepped to the side, turning to gesture to the eye-shaped crystal on the pedestal. Eros stepped asides as well, eying Cassiopeia warily. Even in the short time he’d known her for, he’d learned that when the tiefling was at her most bouncy, she was also usually at her most destructive. She was a loose cannon at best, and given how she’d attacked him just the other day for something as trivial as wanting to tag along with Crow-and insulting her, of course, but after how much of an ass she’d been over the duration of their journey, she’d honestly deserved it at that point-he didn’t want her to start another petty, nonsensical fight with him.

“This is the Crystal of Omens,” Astra stated matter-of-factly, ”It’s an ancient demonic relic. If you touch it, it’ll show you a glimpse of your future.”

Eros’s face flushed slightly. Astra met his gaze, raising an eyebrow curiously; he shook his head, chuckling. The older siren rolled her eyes, then returned her attention to Cassiopeia.

”You can touch it, if you want-just be warned, it’s not known for being kind in what it shows people.”

It was like watching scaredy puppies back away from the strict alpha dog. Both spooky mother hen and fish boy had glanced at me, then backed up a tad. Spooky mother hen had taken a gem though! That was nice! I don't got enough to pocket space for all these things; pretty sure that I dropped a few already!

Anywho! After a moment spooky mother hen pointed out the eye crystal thing. Stealing my attention. I wanna know what it is after all! Is it magic?? That'd be cool!

"This is the Crystal of Omens," mother hen said with a 'I know more than you and I'm gonna rub it in your face' tone, "It's an ancient demonic relic. If you touch it, it'll show you a glimpse of your future."

Sounds epic anyways! And I was right- it IS magic!! Awesome! A grin spread over my face as my tail flicked excitedly behind me. I took a second to readjust how I was holding the books so I could pick up the crystal.

"I don't actually give a shit about my future. But it's f*cking magicy! I gotta try it," I chirped while reaching for the dark sphere.

Turns out, it really freaking difficult to hold two books and a big ol circle ball at the same time. So I of course set the crystal down right as a odd warmth began emitting from it to hand spooky mother hen my books. And by hand I mean I playfully balanced the small skeleton dog one on her head. I just set the heavier book for birdy on the pedestal while picking up the creepy stone again.

As I lifted it up to eye level that creeping warmth appeared again. Not like, a friendly warmth. More like, ey this been sitting in the hot summer sun all damn day and if ya don't stop touching it you're gonna burn your f*cking hand. Aggressively warm. If that makes sense?? Who am I kidding- of course it does!

I opened my mouth to laugh- only to find the breath swept out of me. My eyes flickered shut against my will and my knees practically buckled beneath me. I was faintly aware of my tail hitting the ground hard, as if I didn't have control over it anymore.

What shitty, f*cking, magic.

My eyes opened a second later. So much was going on that at first I couldn't focus. Blood filled my nostrils, but I couldn't tell if it was the scent or if I had a bloody nose. My vision was blurry and my eyes refused to turn as fast as I wanted them to. What the f*ck is going on?! The ground shook beneath me as brilliant red chains exploded from the stone floors. My body crumpled immediately just as a blinding pain ripped through my chest.

What is going on?!! My body wasn't working- it wasn't working- I slammed into the broken floors. Unable to catch my myself. Unable to move- wait what?!

Why can't I move?! Why can't I f*cking MOVE?!

My breath came out in small, frantic puffs. As if the pain in my chest was screaming at me to choke. What is going on?!!

What is-

"FREE." A familiar, gravely voice stated. But louder. So. Much. Louder!

It was slow and painful, but I managed to lift myself up on my elbows enough to look up. Up. Up. And then some more... to see... I don't even know what. But it certainly saw me. It's empty eye sockets narrowed in on me and my broken body, pure glee in its voice as it spoke once more.

"Ah... what a FOOL you are little jay bird. WHAT A USEFUL. TRUSTING. TOY."

A spike of terror shot through me as the skeleton dog cackled- w-what's going on...? The scene faded to nothing as blood began to bubble past my lips.

The very second I realized I was out of whatever the F*CK that was I f*cking chucked that motherf*cking ball into the wall. My claws grated against the crystal as it flew past my fingers to bury itself into the wall. A spiderweb of cracks erupted from the impact, surrounding the also cracked crystal with its broken beauty.

I dunno why I'm breathing so gods damned heavy or why I suddenly really really want to tear someone to f*cking SHREDS- but I do. I sooo f*cking wanna tear something apart and watch the blood fly- I wanna- I wanna- RAGH!!

My hands wouldn't stop twitching and my tail was definitely something to stay away from right now, slashing through the air with an ardent energy as it was. An ugly snarl slipped out between my heavy panting. My eyes kept a steady fixation on that f*cking crystal. It is NOT coming near me again. Absolutely f*cking NOT. I will kill these people next to me if it keeps that damn ball away from me. I'll f*cking do it!

straining against my instincts to hunch over and growl, I lifted my head high and straightened my back. Do not. Do not. Do. F*cking. Not. Freak out. It's just- it's just a teeny little ball.

My left hand was twitching and reaching for someone who wasn't here. The other? Pressed against my cheek and digging my claws into my skin. Not- not hard enough to- to draw blood, yet. But just anything! Anything to get me away from the f*cking crystal!!

What- what bloody right does it h-have to show me ThAt?!! My breath was starting to hitch. F*ck. F*ck f*ck f*ck. I yanked my hopeful hand back, hooking it under my belt to just-to just make it stop! I have- I have to get, get away!! That f*cking ball!! I forcefully dragged my right hand away from my face. It was getting very hard to breathe now. F*ck! I was trembling as I snatched my books back, tucking them under my stupid stupid hand that just wouldn't stop! I had to hook it back under my belt again because I just couldn't stop reaching for birdy. Damnit!!

I forced myself to smirk. Just, just f*cking smirk. Laugh damnit. Laugh it off!! Laugh it off and leave- I can leave- I can leave, right?!

Yeah. Yeah I can. F*ck. Get it, get it f*cking together damnit. The shaking wouldn't stop-shit- but I can, I can play it off. Yeah, yeah I can...? Oh! Oh f*ck okay just, just play it off. Not like anyone here gives a shit- no. Nope nope nope. Shit. F*ck.

I threw my head up instead of shaking it. Releasing a heavy, rumbling growl I brushed my hands off each other. As if I were swatting asides some unpleasant bloodstains after beating the shit out of someone. A breathy, slightly hysterical bubble of laughter accompanied the action. Laughter is good, right? Mleh. Not as if, not as if I DON'T want to break someone in half right now... f*ck where's birdy?!

Still chuckling I glanced at both spooky mother hen and fish boy in turn- from underneath my now loose hair. Huh. Well damn. Gonna need to braid that again later. Damnit.

"Ha! Call me childish- but that was quite cathartic if I do say so myself kiddos! What a thrill! Actually, lemme just," I trilled, ignoring the unnatural choppiness in my voice. My hands kept shaking until I ripped the stone pedestal from the floor and threw into another part of the way. It soared right over spoopy mother hen's head thanks to my one handed throw. The pedestal absolutely f*cking shattered upon impact.

Wonderful. The feral smirk on face honestly felt so out of place but damnit! They don't get to know! Nobody does! I have to get the f*ck out of here! Wait- why am I still here?! Both of my hands flew to the sides of my head. Why am I still here?!

The book for birdy slipped out from under my arm, almost hitting the floor. If I hadn't caught it with my tail of course. I stood there for a moment longer. In a delicate dance between crushing birdy's book and making sure I did not.

F*ck. That stupid ball! I need- I need- I need to leave! To just! Just get away! I forced another smirk to my face, but was unable to keep myself from curling my lips back into a snarl. Fixating on spooky mother hen, I tilted my head to the side with a fake grin.

"Now this has been lovely dear, but I'd say it's a lacking in the entertainment department; see y'all later! Oh! I'd suggest neither of y'all... mentioning the little thing of me breaking that prissy lil crystal! I'll happily kill ya both before hearing Blu boo yammer on about property damage!" The grin on my face grew into a real one.

Yeah, yeah it's all right. I told myself as I trotted forwards to playfully poke spooky mother hen on the nose, tail waving behind me. It's fine. Totally. Completely- no! No I need to get out here!! I shook my head and stepped back, marching to the door. The second I was out I slammed that f*cker behind me without another word.

Once outside, and suddenly very aware I was alone, I don't even know what the f*ck happened. One minute, one minute I was panting heavily, darting down the halls. Trying, trying so f*cking hard to just, just f*cking focus! Single out birdy's scent and somehow f*cking find him! Unfortunately, I never did. This gods damned labyrinth!!

A fork in the hall came up and I chose the left one at random. When had I started running?! I turned too fast and I lost my balance. My shoulder rammed really hard into the wall. The sound of cracking stone barely registered in my ears; why the f*ck is my heartbeat so damn loud?! F*ck, not like it matters, damnit! I shoved myself off the wall to keep moving, only to find I had no idea where I was.

Where the f*ck am I?!! I spun around, fervently swinging my head back forth. The walls all looked the same- the books all looked the same- the whole bloody place looked the same!! My heartbeat was definitely not supposed to be this loud, how can nobody else hear it?!

Oh wait! I know why!

"Because nobody's f*cking HERE!!" I screamed into the empty halls I'd gotten myself trapped in.

There weren't even anyone's scents to follow!! It wasn't just that nobody was here, nobody had ever been here to begin with!! I slowly backed against the wall- then jumped forward, spooked, when my shoulder blades brushed against the cool stone.

Growling angrily while spinning back around, I let out a reasonably loud roar and rammed my head into the wall. The wall gave into the impact without the slightest hint of holding. I kept my head there. Panting and staring blankly into the grey white stone.

"I am... here."

"W-what?"

"I am... here," the skeleton dog said gently, at least, as gently as it could with that creepy ass gravely voice of its. It prowled into my limited field of vision. Staring at me with that eyeless skull of its. "You seem... unraveled? I could have told you the... consequences of the crystal."

"Shut the f*ck up! I don't wanna hear it damnit!" I snarled back, pulling my head out of the hole I'd made in the wall to swipe at the skeleton dog and its bloody, f*cking, creepy I don't even know- existence!

It didn't move in the slightest. All it did was watch me, carefully, quietly, patiently. After I'd taken a few more swipes at it and paused to breathe did it move. It took a few steps closer to me and laid down at my feet. Not saying a single bloody word. Just, just resting at my feet, completely calm. What the f-f*ck?! I was just- I was just attacking it?! Why is it, why is so damn calm?? My heart was still hammering in my chest. But the sound wasn't screaming in my ears anymore.

I swallowed a few times, trying to get control over my breathing again. The skeleton dog stayed relaxed at my feet. Occasionally stretching its boney form to get, I dunno, comfortable?? I don't know why the f*ck it's being so gods damned chill right now. I was literally just f*cking yelling at it!

We stayed in an awkward mix of content skeleton dog and a very baffled me for a good eight minutes. Eventually I decided f*ck it. If it's going to just take a nap then I might as well, too! Maybe I can figure out how the hell to get out of here after a nap or some stupid shit.

I lowered myself to the ground, sitting on my knees, back leaning against the wall. I brought my left hand to my forehead, sighing. The skeleton dog lifted its head to look at me. Smirking lightly I glanced at it, reaching forward to pat it on the head even though I couldn't feel it.

"I apologize if the crystal... alarmed you. I did not know it was still... working."

"Well it was, until I broke that son of bitch," I laughed, punching the air in front of me with both fists. The skeleton dog eyed me while resting its head on my leg. Wait a minute- how did it know about the crystal in the first place?? I frowned for a moment, before coming to the conclusion that it didn't matter.

Skeleton dog is probably some old Temple demon. Not a strong one though. More like an echo of the magic that used to reside here. Probably why it wanted the book too. It clearly can't interact with physical stuff; poor critter just wants to read a favorite book. The frown disappeared from my face, replaced by a smile.

"You wanna read that book of yours? I can open it for ya if you'd like." The skeleton dog looked up at me, to the black book tucked under my arm, then back to me again. Shaking its head gently.

"I appreciate the offer, but, no thank... you. It's just an old... fairytale. And anyways, I'm sure your friends are looking for you by... now. I'd hate to be the cause of... worry."

"Well I guess you've got a point there, I'll definitely read it to ya later though! Maybe once we group up again? If it's a fairytale I could read it, like, a story time kinda thing! I can read Devil Script after all," I said cheerfully while getting to my feet. It does have a point though! It's been at least a half hour since I ran off- I still gotta give birdy his book!

The skeleton dog nodded and stood up with me.

"I'd like... that. Thank... you." I leaned down to pat the skeleton dog's horned head. With that, we explored the halls. Every now and then seeing spots where I'd left cracks or chipped places in the walls during my... very stupid run. The skeleton dog looked between me and the breaks each time. Sometimes blocking my view of them as best it could.

After another half hour we finally, finally, made our way to a large gathering hall slash dining hall slash library thing. Where, thankfully, I found birdy. I ran straight into him, laughing as the wind was knocked out of him. He chuckled too and brushed some hair out of my face when I lifted my head up.

He was quite shocked when I showed him the big ass book I got for him. Glancing wildly between me and the book, a look of pure bewilderment on his face.

"How did, how did you find this?! This was supposed to have been lost centuries ago!"

"Well birdy, for starters I'm f*cking awesome, and also there was a super cool library cave with glowing crystals and I figured hey, might as well pick the biggest bloody book I can find in here! Judging by that dopey grin on ya face, I'd say that was a very good choice!" I said, resting a hand on my hip while waving the other around in the air, smirking proudly.

Birdy smiled brightly and pulled me into a tight hug. I happily wrapped my arms around him in return, lifting him a few inches off the ground. He laughed and gently tapped my shoulder a few times, silently asking to be put down. I pouted, but grudgingly set him down. A giddy grin still fought to show on my face.

I punched him in the shoulder playfully anyways.

"I don't actually give a shit about my future. But it's f*cking magicy! I gotta try it," Cassiopeia crowed, gaining a slight scoff from Astra.

The tiefling grabbed the crystal, shifting her hold on the books in her arms; however, after a moment of awkwardly shuffling her grip on everything, she set the crystal and the larger book down on the pedestal—and set the thinner book on Astra’s head.

The mage scoffed again, and plucked the book from her head. She peered down at it for a moment, flipping through the pages and frowning confusedly—the language wasn’t one that she recognized, much less one she could read.

Eros watched Cassiopeia warily as she lifted the crystal up to her eyes. She stared at it intently for a long moment—then opened her mouth as if to speak, only to suddenly freeze, her eyes flickering shut and her tail falling limply to the ground.

Astra glanced up at the thump of the tiefling’s tail against the stone, shutting the unnerving book. The two sirens watched her for a long moment, occasionally looking away to glance at each other warily.

Then, without warning, Cassiopeia’s eyes shot open, and she hurled the crystal at the wall. Eros let out a yelp, flinching as the crystal hit the wall, becoming stuck in the stone. He whirled around, his gaze shooting between the shattered wall, the broken crystal, and the furious looking tiefling.

He couldn’t quite read the emotion in her wide black eyes, but between her heavy breathing, her lashing tail, and the way her body was twitching, he knew it was nothing good.

A snarl escaped her lips, and he followed her gaze to the crystal. His eyes narrowed, and he glanced back at her, unease creeping through him.

Still breathing heavily, shakily, Cassiopeia threw her head up, straightening her back. Her left hand was twitching oddly; her right was clawing at her cheek. She yanked her left hand away, moving it to her belt before tearing her right away from her face; both motions seemed full of strain, as if it was physically difficult for her to move her limbs.

As she darted forwards, snatching her books from the pedestal and a bewildered, startled Astra, a frown crept across Eros’s face.

Something was wrong, very, very wrong, wrong enough to distress Cassiopeia to a degree he’d never seen from her before. She was volatile, mercurial, but this was the first time he’d ever seen her distressed.

He didn't like her, not in the slightest, but he couldn’t help but feel a prickle of apprehension as she threw her head up, smirking. Cassiopeia let out a low growl, brushing her hands off against each other, as if there was some sort of dirt or dust on them.

A slight, manic laugh bubbled out of her, causing Eros’s frown to deepen. She glanced between the two sirens, then began to speak, her voice grating and oddly choppy.

"Ha! Call me childish- but that was quite cathartic if I do say so myself kiddos! What a thrill! Actually, lemme just,” she broke off, darting forwards, snatching up the stone pedestal effortlessly, and hurling it over Astra’s head with one hand. The mage let out a yelp, startled—then flinched at the sound of shattering stone.

Eros glanced over at Cassiopeia, mildly horrified by the feral grin on her face.

She stood there for a moment, slipping the larger book from her arm to her tail; her smirk crept into a vicious snarl.

Her gaze slid over to Astra, who was staring at the tiefling with wide, startled ultramarine eyes. Cassiopeia tilted her head to the side, grinning.

"Now this has been lovely dear, but I'd say it's a lacking in the entertainment department; see y'all later! Oh! I'd suggest neither of y'all... mentioning the little thing of me breaking that prissy lil crystal! I'll happily kill ya both before hearing Blu boo yammer on about property damage!"

She bounced forwards, poking Astra’s nose—and then marched to the door, slamming it behind her with startling force.

Astra stared at the door for a long moment, before letting out a deep breath and turning her gaze to Eros, who looked positively horrified.

”Well,” Astra murmured quietly, ”I’d say that we ought to stay away from her for a while.”

Eros nodded hesitantly, swallowing. He glanced back at the shattered crystal, a strange sense of disappointment clawing through his chest.

Suddenly, there was a hand on his wrist, and he flinched away from it, whirling back around to face Astra. She flashed him a slight, apologetic smile, drawing her hand away to beckon to him instead.

”Come on,” she chuckled. ”Let’s go somewhere a little less...broken.”

~~~~~

They made their way through the temple quietly—save for the occasional comment from Astra as she noticed some relic or another as they walked.

After about half an hour, they ran into Rain, who greeted them with nothing more than a scoff before stomping off down the hall. They ended up following her for a little while, as the maze-like hallways had no other outlet—until they all arrived in a large dining hall, where Crow and Cassiopeia were lingering, chattering excitedly.

A pang of wariness hit Eros at the sight of the tiefling, but he remained silent as they approached the duo.

“Well, looks like we’re just about all together again,” Astra chuckled, striding up to Crow. Rain scoffed.

Little bird grudgingly set me down and aimed a soft punch to my shoulder as well. I laughed along with her playfulness. Seeing her so enthusiastic always brought a smile to my face; there was a time when she wasn't so cheery. Bouncing on her heels she dragged me over to one of the oblong tables filling the center of the room.

"Careful there Cassiopeia, I rather like having an arm!"

"Look! Look! I found a bunch of glowy crystals too! You want one??" She crowed excitedly, dumping close to ten glowing red gems on the table.

Each gem was beautiful yes, in all different shapes while sharing some sort of unnatural glow, but what caught my attention wasn't the glow at all. Rather, it was the splattering of darker red coating all of them. Frowning, I reached for one while little bird leapt onto the table to arrange the remaining gems in some strange, unknown shape.

"Cassiopeia," her head popped up at the sound of her name, "is there blood on these crystals?"

Turning my eyes from the crystal as I set it down to look at little bird, she grinned sheepishly. She lifted herself up to sit on her knees, tail waving behind her. Now that she was closer, the dried blood on her hands was easy to see. Russet tears in her peach pink skin.

"Well... to be fair, they were really wedged into that dang wall!" Little bird said, throwing her arms in a wide arc.

I sighed and reached into one of the pockets of my cloak. She cocked her head, then shrugged and returned to arranging the crystals. It took a minute, but I found the small roll of bandages I kept on me, just in case. I didn't have my canteen on me unfortunately, though I doubt little bird will mind.

I gently tapped the table by her left hand, the one closest to me. She lifted it without even looking at me. Continuing to play with the crystals. Teasingly, I nudged one of the crystals slightly prior to taking her hand. She made an indignant squawk at that, bringing a fresh smile to my face.

Little bird didn't say anything as I brushed off what I could of the blood. Both of us quietly engaged in our own activities. I sat on the bench next to the book little bird had gotten me. Hearing footsteps I looked up to see Blu enter, Rain, Astra, and Eros not far behind.

I know some of our group have their differences. Some of us have tempers, some of us are inclined towards crime, some of us simply don't care for certain members- yet I also know these are my favorite people. We might fight occasionally, but that's bound to happen in any group of people that spend as much time together as we do.

But at the same time, we're inclined to kindness; my focus shifted towards Astra. The newest member of our group had gone out of her way to encourage and support Eros more so than any one of us. Blu and her sister may not always see eye to eye, however Blu hadn't hesitated to offer support back at the Blue Fox Inn when Rain had drank too much and gotten upset.

We're inclined towards courage; my attention drifted to Eros. The man had joined this ragtag group on a whim and though the goings been rough, he hasn't given up. Willing to take it to the end. Little bird isn't afraid to say what she thinks, even if others often don't agree.

We're inclined to defend; I thought as my eyes turned to Rain. It can be difficult defending a person or stance others don't approve of, it requires a certain level of grit. And she certainly has it. I'd like to think I've done the same, but I've still got work to do.

Yes, these are my favorite people. Flaws and all.

They've all come this far despite their differences. We've made it work. Anyone can. As I finished bandaging up little bird's knuckles on both hands she jumped to her feet, standing on the table to holler at the folks entering. A bright, wild grin on her face, fangs flashing. After a second of excitedly greeting them she plopped back down.

"Well, looks like we're just about all together again," Astra said with a light mannered chuckle.

"Seems that way. I'd really like to thank you all for coming this far—"

"What the bloody mother of F*CK are you doing?!" Blu shouted, talking over my voice with her disbelieving howl, gesturing angrily to my right.

~~~~~~

"The short one is quite... loud," skeleton dog noted from its spot on the table.

I nodded agreeably. Hamster is always loud! Like damn is gonna kill her to use an inside voice?? I'm not even, like, bloodstained! I'm just writing jeez! The skeleton dog ignored her along with me. Turning towards the inscription I'd scrawled into the petrified wood of the table. Man! I haven't written in Devil Script in years and it shows!

My s's are too slanted and don't flow into the symbolistic pattern Devil Script is written in. Mleh. I'll fix it! The skeleton dog wrote my name in the air with a claw. I happy grin shined on my face. What a good woof woof! It doesn't even have fingers and it's trying to help best it can!

I quickly rewrote my name and looked to the skeleton dog. Tail wagging behind me.

"Like this??" I chirped, flexing the fingers on both my hands. I gave birdy a quick thank you grin, accompanied by a loud purr. He looked a little confused but nodded anyways.

Skeleton dog was saying something but I wasn't listening. Why did birdy look confused- oh! Oh! Oh I know! He- they all, can't see skeleton dog! So they probably can't hear it either! Oh- oh shit. I probably look craaaaazy. Whoops! A light cackle fell past my lips.

Rolling my eyes I flipped my hair out of my face with a smirk. Birdy also rolled his eyes at that. A smile on his face. I shook my head and waved at hamster, who was downright huffy by now. Stomping her foot and crossing her arms like an upset toddler!

"Aw! Is Blu boo maaaaaad??"

"Yeah, I f*cking am! You literally just defiled private property! ANCIENT private property!!" I tuned out to the rest of her yammering. Choosing to filter in what skeleton dog was saying instead. Cause like, it's a lot more friendly than huffy hamster! Not screaming in my ear 24/7.

"—magical fairytale... book," it said, looking at me with that blank face of its.

"What?" I asked, and it chuckled kindly before repeating itself. What a good pupper! Not my fault it's hard to hear over hamster's shouting!

"The book you collected is a magical fairytale... book. ...literally. It cannot be read by anyone other than a special tiefling... line," it stated softly. Almost like it was, sad? Sad that nobody can read its favorite book?? I opened my mouth to speak but then closed it.

I mean... I'm a tiefling. I dunno about this special line bullshit but like, this Temple is hella old. Any clear bloodlines from the time it was built have got to have been spread around by now, right? Yeah, definitely! A smirk danced on my face and I patted the skeleton dog on the head while scooping up the book. Its eyeless skull followed my actions with a blank stare.

"I'll betcha I can read this!"

"I'm afraid that is highly... unlikely. It was such a long time... ago."

"Ey! Are you even f*cking listening Ms. Arsonist?!" Blu's shouting burst into my bubble for a moment. Long enough to stick my tongue out at her at least! Then I refocused on the more important task at hand: showing this helpful lil Temple demon that I can read a f*cking book! And it's gonna like it! No other opinions will be taken!

The skeleton eyed me as I lifted the black book onto my knees. I spent a second getting comfortable, crossing my legs and draping my tail across my legs. Tossing a haughty smirk at the skeleton dog of course! I was faintly aware of birdy- who had gotten up to calm down angsty hamster. Ha! Not my problem anymore!

I flipped open the book, having taken a minute to read the title aloud to skeleton dog. And of course I said in Devil Script! What kind of heathen would disrespect the demonic culture of Devil Script by f*cking translating it ALOUD?? Like even if you're teaching yourself the language ya better f*cking keep that common tongue bullshit out of your mouth; if you can't learn it without a crutch don't bother learning it! It's an art! I repeated the title anyways, in Devil Script, just to make sure I had skeleton dog's attention.

"The Dawn of Wrath," I hacked out. The skeleton dog's head practically snapped off from just how violently it whipped its head to look directly at me!

Damn it's hard to get those scratchy snarls right! But I think I got it! Man I'm awesome! Ha! Suck it bitches- I can speak three languages! Though my elvish is still too rough, gotta work on that later! But for now, Devil Script!

I was about three paragraphs in when I took a moment to breathe. Looking away from the pages and a very happy skeleton dog to see birdy staring at me. I cocked my head curiously. What? I asked by the raise of my eyebrows but he just simply couldn't make his mouth make words. Huh. Oh well!

"Please... more. I haven't heard this tale in... centuries," skeleton dog murmured, a pleading tone in its gravely voice. I laughed and patted it on the head, beginning the fourth paragraph.

I'm not surprised it likes this story so much! From what I've read so far it's a tale about a powerful demon. Not sure what else but we'll find out!

"Seems that way. I'd really like to thank you all for coming this far—" Crow began, only to be cut off by a shout from Blu.

"What the bloody mother of F*CK are you doing?!"

Eros’s gaze snapped over to Cassiopeia, who nodded absently, turning her attention down to something on the table before her. She paused for a moment, grinned, and then scratched something into the table.

"Like this??" Cassiopeia asked excitedly, flashing Crow a quick grin. Eros watched her, confused, as she cackled, rolling her eyes and tossing her hair. He exchanged a glance with Astra, who was equally concerned and perplexed by the tiefling’s antics.

"Aw! Is Blu boo maaaaaad??"

"Yeah, I f*cking am! You literally just defiled private property! ANCIENT private property!!" Blu snarled, but Cassiopeia turned away, glancing into the distance.

"What?" she asked. There was a moment of relative silence, as Blu continued to yell and the others watched Cassiopeia concernedly. The tiefling opened her mouth, as if to reply to someone, but then fell silent.

Seconds later, a smirk crept across her face, and she scooped up one of her books, reaching out at the same time as if trying to touch something that wasn’t there. Unease crept through Eros, matched only by the same unease radiating back at him from Astra’s end of the bond.

"I'll betcha I can read this!" Cassiopeia crowed—and a sudden pang of fear shot through Astra’s end of the bond, causing Eros to glance at her worriedly.

"Ey! Are you even f*cking listening Ms. Arsonist?!"

Cassiopeia stuck her tongue out at Blu, then curled up, crossing her legs and draping her tail across them. She flashed a smirk out into the empty space besides her, opening the book.

And then, the most horrible syllables that Eros had ever heard burst forth from Cassiopeia.

They were scratchy, hacking, violent in their very nature—and the very instant that they left Cassiopeia’s lips, it was as if Eros’s blood had run cold.

She repeated the words, and Eros felt rooted to the spot.

Everything within him felt on edge, as if he was on the precipice of the most dangerous thing he could have ever witnessed. As Cassiopeia continued on, the world seemed to narrow around the poisonous, dangerous words slipping from her lips.

He was vaguely aware of the trembling in his hands, of the horror swelling through him and Astra alike, of the strange prickling under his skin—but all he could truly focus on was how blatantly wrong the words swirling through the air were.

It was as if he was being confronted by the very opposite of all that he was, the very opposite of the power that he himself was entwined with.

It was like venom, piercing into his skin; it was cold and ruthless, wrenching through him dizzyingly even as Cassiopeia paused briefly.

As she continued on, something seemed to shift in the air, in a nauseating, unsettling way. Cassiopeia’s words began to build, to become more intense, more unnerving--until they became nothing more than the strangest of ringing in his ears, piercing and grating and—

He didn’t realize that he’d collapsed to the ground until his knees hit the stone below and his hands were tangled in his hair and his gills were flaring open and a bitter, excruciating cold was scything through his chest.

His breathing was beginning to shallow, not with panic but with some strange emotion that was equally wrong.

Dimly, he was aware of Astra crumpling to the ground besides him, but Cassiopeia’s words continued on, filling the air with a dizzyingly wrong sense of cold and wrath and pain and death.

Something was wrong, gut-wrenchingly, horribly wrong.

Man, I've missed this creepy language! It's really just so much fun to speak in; it's so, I dunno, based in a primal way?? I mean, like in elvish everything flows super smoothly. You've got to go from one word to the next with extra care to keep that flow going. With common on the other hand, it's just bland. Doesn't have a power behind it. Just, just mleh. No fun!

Devil Script though?? It's strong, it's grating, animalistic and it's honestly so easy to freak people out with! I guess them idiots aren't used to such an ancient language?? Dunno! The skeleton dog was enjoying it nearly as much as I am though!

As I continued the fairytale, having to occasionally repeat a sentence here and there, it's not like I speak in Devil Script everyday! Not that that wouldn't be f*cking awesome! Anywho! Skeleton dog was practically shaking next to me. The rattling of its bones against each other sounded so weird! I'm not sure what I expected it to sound like, but the high pitched screech of metal on metal wasn't high on the list! Doesn't matter though, what was dragging my attention now was how I couldn't stop.

I couldn't stop reading. The tale was getting darker and darker. Going into detail on the rise of a powerful demon. Eh, powerful is a bad word... maybe domineering or tyrannical is better? Yeah, definitely! Either way, my eyes were glued to the page as the story of this demon flew from my mouth.

As the story dipped into what the tale was calling the Summoning, the skeleton dog finally managed to bark out a few syllables. Matching me by also speaking in Devil Script. Huh. That's... kinda creepy, I thought I was the only one who could speak—oh! Wait! This is its book! It couldn't read it if it didn't know Devil Script too! Okay so less creepy now!

"Those elves were... fools, truer fools than they ever gave themselves credit for." Its focus shifted to me. Was it jerking oddly? Or is that just me?? Then its eyeless skull looked down at the page, claw pointing to the number at the bottom of the page: 67. A wee bit rude there, calling some elves fools, they were just trying to stop the sea creatures! "Pardon my... interruption, please, continue."

I tried to smile back and answer in some way, but all that came out was more Devil Script. A few more attempts to say something other than the next word on the pages, which I was unable to look away from, I figured, f*ck it. If for some reason I gotta finish this dang book before I can even look up then guess what! Ima speed read this f*cker!

And that's exactly what I did.

Note to self: speed reading books with words written in gold leaf and Devil Script as the language is maybe possibly yeah definitely not the best idea!

The faster I read, the more, agitated? Skeleton dog got. Plus, once I started reading at one speed, I couldn't read any slower! Not cool! I don't remember how to hack out some of the these words! I need more than ten seconds to read out a whole damn page!

Now I was the one getting aggravated! Who the f*ck decided this was a good idea to like, put in the book?? It's hard enough growling and hacking and choking out Devil Script without having to keep up this stupid pace! And this f*cking story! How f*cking dare they make me annoyed to read something I'd normally get a kick out of??! It's about godsdamned genocide! A scary ass demon straight up pummels all these idiots who summoned it for bad shit!

Like damn! It's a good f*cking story but I'm having to read it so fast I can't enjoy it! The skeleton dog was whining beside me, cocking it's head at me like it was worried?? F*ck I dunno! I can't even move my head so I can only guess by my peripheral vision! F*ck!! And I think I heard somebody fall down too! What if there's more wolves and I'm stuck here— no, wait. It couldn't be more wolves, I'd hear howling n shit. My tail thrashed behind me violently. Shit even if it isn't wolves I'd really appreciate not having to finish this damn book! At least not at this pace!

"Two more pages... two more..." The skeleton dog murmured. Yet its voice most certainly did not sound like a murmur! Loudness wise at least, it had the tumbling words part down. It was really f*cking loud though! If I've got to read this book at lightning speed at least be courteous and don't freaking scream in my ear!

A nasty shiver ran through my body as I started the last and final page. It was only one paragraph. The skeleton dog settled at my side, frozen to the spot. Luckily this'll be over and done soon; Birdy better f*cking love that book I got him! This is a huge pain in the ass!

I began the last bit of the book. More than a little annoyed and unnerved by how now I couldn't even move my tail or hands. Frozen, just like skeleton dog.

"It will never be a true cell however. As time goes on, the magic surrounding it will falter, just as its caster did. When the magic falters, Wrath will do what it does best, as it has always done.

Destroy any who anger it, and as the source of all fury, hatred, and pain in this world... that is quite a many."

As the final words left my lips I couldn’t help but gasp for air. That was a lot to read! In a spooky cool language but still! The damn pace was annoying! I went to go let go of the book and maybe wiggle my tail a little. Oddly, neither action happened. Frowning I tried again. Again, and again. What the bloody hell?! Why am I f*cking frozen?! I snarled in frustration, like, at least I can still make faces. Ha! Stupid whatever creepy frozen shit! I can still hiss!

The skeleton dog was really shaking next to me. Nah, shaking is a bad word... breaking? Yeah! That’s better! All its bones were cracking and shifting around, making it shake. Kinda creepy and not fair! I wanna get up and stretch! How come I’m frozen and its not?! Plus that glowy fog coming out of its mouth was a wee bit extra. Like ya really gotta flaunt that you can move and I can’t?? Not cool!

It’s skull cracked, loudly. Its jaw seemed to crawl almost. Like it was... getting bigger?? Weird. Oh, oh!

”Ey! Mind helping me up? I’m kinda stuck here—“ I started with a cheery tone, no reason to be snippy. If skeleton dog can move maybe it can tell me why I can’t! Buuuuut instead I got cut off. Again. Why do people keep doing that??

”Good. Stay there and rot, as it would please me GREATLY.” Skeleton dog snapped, jaws slamming shut in my face. Okay somebody’s in a bad mood! My bad if the story didn’t end how ya wanted, damn!

The fact I couldn’t move was kinda creeping me out. A lot. Really did not like it. At all. Very uncomfy! I tried moving my tail again or even twitching my fingers but nope! Nothing! Great. Just f*cking great, now my chest hurts! I thought finished that panic run already?!? Damnit I wanna move! And where the hell is everyone else?? Am I the only one whose vision is blurred now too?! Ragh!

The skeleton dog was definitely getting bigger now. It’s skull was closer to the size of the mares’ heads now instead of a friendly ol woof woof size.

”Uhhh erm, kinda rude there. Can you please tell me how to move—“

”Oh but if you move... how will you be rendered immobile and HELPLESS? After all... I’ve waited quite some time and YOU WERE THE ONE WHO SET ME FREE.” Damnit stop cutting me off! Where’s skeleton dog’s manners from a few minutes ago?! And da f*ck it talking about?? I literally just want to move! I don’t care about whatever its rambling about! The cracking in the floor was hard to see past my blurry vision—dunno why it’s blurry either, is everything supposed to be kinda swirly but I just didn’t notice before? That’s a thing that can happen right?? Right?! F*ck I wanna move!! My chest was going up and down pretty quickly now. Shit.

Skeleton dog paced to the end of the table to snap at something or maybe someone? Not sure, too blurry to see! Can definitely see that red though!! Waaaay too bright to not see! Is the floor glowing through those cracks?? Spinning on its heel, skeleton bolted back to my side. Its chest was higher up than the top of my horns now, I think. I can’t f*cking move so I can’t turn my head and check!

Without warning, skeleton dog clamped its jaws around my right shoulder. Its teeth ripped through my clothes but my actual skin? Notta. Nothing, which seemed to piss it off, if it’s enraged snarl and head toss were anything to judge by!

”I guess I can... wait. I’ve waited for so long to KILL YOU. A few more minutes are bearable—“ y’know what, if skeleton dog is gonna cut me off, I’ll cut it off too!

”Very cool, nice rant you’re starting there, but please good sir, TELL ME HOW TO F*CKING MOVE!!”

Skeleton dog did not like me yelling at it.

It whirled back on me and slashed its claws across my face and that time I felt it. F*cking shit!! Now my chest AND my face hurt!! Skeleton dog needs its manners back! It didn’t give me the chance to respond, and y’know, the left side of my cheek was torn open in two different places! Big factor there!! Stings like a bitch!

”YOU ARE AN INSOLENT FOOL TO DARE SPEAK BACK TO ME!! I AM THE DEMON OF WRATH AND PAIN!!”

As skeleton dog was shouting thick red chains erupted from the ground. But like, so much bigger than any chain I’ve ever seen! Wait, where are they coming from?! It was so dang hard to focus enough to see, and filter out the raving skeleton dog, but it seemed to be from right below me?? Like it busted the table and chains are swirling around me and the skeleton dog and yup, yup now I’m falling down cause the table broke beneath me. And I still can’t move!!

Skeleton dog also didn’t like me ignoring it. It stomped up to my crumpled body and straight up stabbed me through the chest with its spiked tail. F*cking hell!! I’m trying not to choke on my own blood here why ya gotta stab me too?! It HURTS!!

My body recoiled away from the attack and immediately I attempted to get up. If I can recoil maybe I can get up-wait wait wait where the F*CK is birdy?!? Skeleton dog is definitely NOT friendly right now and really really big, like, it’s breaking the ceiling big and where the f*ck is he?! I didn’t mean to mess with an old Temple demon and ruin his ancestors’ fancy library! I promise! I swear I didn’t mean to!

Trembling and pressing one hand onto my bleeding chest I managed to quiver my way to my knees and hand. Okay okay maybe if I can just focus and ignore skeleton dog’s shouting and all the chains—man they’re bright and wiggly—find birdy! The skeleton dog’s eyeless skull stared at me, finally silent. Watching as I tried to see through the blur and red. Chains or blood is lil difficult to tell at this point! I brought my hand to face, still keeping one over my chest, to see if wiping my eyes would help but all I did was snag the ripped flesh across my cheek. A pained whimper escaped my lips. Don’t scream. Don’t f*cking scream.

"FREE." It growled, voice ringing in my ears. Could be the bits of ceiling falling to the floor though.

Grudgingly, I raised my head to glare at it. It hurt. So very much. And it took forever to focus past the swirling chains to see the, still growing! Skeleton dog. F*ck it at this point it’s a damn demon! I felt my eyes tearing up, only furthering how blurry everything was. Damnit! Crying isn’t gonna be any more helpful than screaming! It hurts though...

"Ah... what a FOOL you are little jay bird. WHAT A USEFUL. TRUSTING. TOY.

At that I jolted. Wait. A f*cking. Second. Now a pit of not only pain, annoyance, and generally just kinda ticked off-ness, but fear, cinched in my chest. I blinked a few times to see a little better. Why, why the... why does it know that name...? I could feel my lip quivering and my ears flattening against my head. Damnit focus! Nope nope nope! No! Focus on the giant ass demon and not what it’s saying!!

In my peripheral vision I saw something, maybe a few somethings moving around but I couldn’t tell if it was chains, people, or more ceiling crashing down.

The words kept coming, rolling over him like a relentless, crashing wave, searing into his soul. With each syllable that Cassiopeia uttered, something dark and vicious clawed further into his very being, tainting every fiber of his magic with maleficent intention.

He lost track of the instants as the tone of the words shifted, as something cold and malicious crept into every utterance—but he couldn’t tell what it was, couldn’t tell if it was just an undertone, or another voice entirely polluting his mind, his body, his soul causing him to crumple completely with the sheer force of the malevolent words burgeoning forth from Cassiopeia’s lips.

Something was wrong, cataclysmically, overpoweringly wrong.

He could feel Astra’s swelling horror as acutely as his own—but her emotions were tinged with a panic of a different kind, a panic that he recognized, a panic that spoke of a reality about to end and devastation to be wreaked.

He couldn’t understand the words, couldn’t perceive anything other than their devastating wrongness—but he knew the very moment that they stopped, the moment that an agonizing wave of sickness finally evaporated from his chest, causing him to let out a sob, gasping for air.

Still, before he could so much as react, an enormous CRACK split the air.

Dizzily, he tried to prop himself up, barely aware of Cassiopeia’s chipper words—but then, without warning, a grating voice like a ship tossed upon the rocks, like ice tearing through his lungs, like pain and fury and panic and despair and death scythed through the air.

”Good. Stay there and rot, as it would please me GREATLY.”

His breath caught in his throat, blindsided entirely by the wretchedness of the voice around him.

It was the very antithesis of his being, a sound diametrically opposed to all that he was, to the very power that sang through him with life and light and all that wsa holy in the world.

It was an ungodly sound, something that he knew, intrinsically, had surged forth from the depths of hell, something that he knew, intrinsically, sought out nothing but vengance and death for all that walked the earth.

He’d always been a religious man; he’d always believed in the higher powers of the world, even before they had proven themselves to him and cemented themselves as a part of his life—and now, there was no doubt in his mind that the voice raking through the air around him like the talons of a ravenous beast belonged to a creature of a nature more devastating than he ever could have imagined.

”Angor.”

Astra’s voice cut straight through his soul, spoke through their bond with a ringing sense of knowledge that sent dread straight to his core.

”Uhhh erm, kinda rude there. Can you please tell me how to move—“

”Oh but if you move... how will you be rendered immobile and HELPLESS? After all... I’ve waited quite some time and YOU WERE THE ONE WHO SET ME FREE.”

A shudder crashed through him; nausea flooded him like a tidal wave.

Angor.

He knew that name.

He knew that name, not just from everything that Astra had told him, but from stories, stories he’d heard as a child so long ago, stories he’d heard on the Osprey, stories that he’d clung to when he’d had nothing else to hold.

Angor.

Primordial demon of wrath and pain, he was one of the eight most powerful beings to have ever so much as glanced at the earth. He was the patron of violence and agony, of winter and ice, of everything cruel and cold to have ever graced the world.

This was the being that had eradicated the sirens of ancient days—and this was the being that stood before him now.

His vision was beginning to clear; he forced himself to his hands and knees—but as soon as he did, a flash of blinding red light filled his vision, causing him to recoil sharply.

”I guess I can... wait. I’ve waited for so long to KILL YOU. A few more minutes are bearable—“

”Very cool, nice rant you’re starting there, but please good sir, TELL ME HOW TO F*CKING MOVE!!”

What was she doing?

What was she doing??

This was a monster of unparalleled fury, a demon unlike any other. It was a creature that only should have ever walked the depths of hell—but it was here, before them all, and—

”YOU ARE AN INSOLENT FOOL TO DARE SPEAK BACK TO ME!! I AM THE DEMON OF WRATH AND PAIN!!”

Eros forced himself to his feet. The ground was unsteady beneath him—but he couldn’t tell if that was a result of his own unsteadiness or Angor’s presence.

His groggy gaze roved the chamber around him, taking in the crashing chunks of rubble and the chains bursting forth from the stone floor—before it finally swept over to Cassiopeia and the enormous creature before her.

Eros’s blood went cold.

This was it.

This was the creature that he had seen in Gelu Maris. This was the creature that had haunted his thoughts. This was the creature that he had met—and now he knew how.

Somehow, the demon was connected to Cassiopeia.

Somehow, Cassiopeia had summoned it back from the depths of the world, from wherever Venus had locked it away so long ago.

Somehow, Angor stood before him—and the demon’s piercing white eyes seemed to bore into him for just a fraction of a second as its gaze flitted around the chamber.

Still, it was more than enough to stop Eros’s heart dead in his chest.

Without hesitation, it charged Cassiopeia, jabbing the barb at the end of its tail into Cassiopeia’s chest. She scrambled away and to her feet, and began to crawl away—but Eros’s attention wasn’t on her.

No, his gaze was locked on the growing demon before him, his focus completely stolen away by the gargantuan monster radiating a sense of utter fury unlike anything he’d ever known.

Its eyes were a stark, blinding white; everything else around him seemed dark in comparison—or, rather, everything else around him seemed to have disappeared.

For a brief, horrible instant, all there was in the world was him and the demon’s four scintillant eyes, which roved around the room with unmatched ferocity.

"FREE." it snarled, and Eros was rooted to the spot.

"Ah... what a FOOL you are little jay bird. WHAT A USEFUL. TRUSTING. TOY.”

He didn’t know what it was saying, who it was talking to—only that, with every word it uttered, something within him seemed to crumble.

Whether that was his resolve, his restraint, or his very soul, he didn’t know.

This was one of the most powerful beings in existence. This was a creature that had slaughtered hundreds, if not thousands, of sirens, of people just as poorly equipped to stare death in the eye as he was. This was a monster built of death, of darkness, of pain and sin and all that was wretched within the world.

Angor’s very presence shook him to the core.

The longer he stared at the enormous demon, the more he seemed to fall apart.

There was no way he was getting out of this situation alive. He knew exactly what Angor had done to the sirens of Gelu Maris, and he knew well enough that he, too was destined for the same fate.

He could feel Astra’s defeat, her dread, her guilt—and, in that instant, something changed deep within him.

He wasn’t making it out of here alive—so he might as well die trying to do something right.

A spike of fear drove home through Astra, ricocheting into his very soul.

”Don’t,” she pleaded, tugging on her end of their bond—but it was too late.

The first notes of his song slipped free from him with a hestiance that he knew was a result of the last scraps of his self-preservation exerting themselves upon him.

Still, he forced himself to sing on, winding a nervous melody that he didn’t know, one that he knew was as futile as anything he could do in this situation.

Angor’s blinding white eyes locked with his own—and he steeled himself, raising his voice in a desperate aria, pleading with the spirits and every god lurking in the sacrosanct crannies of the earth to aid him, to save him, to strike down the demon before him.

Something began to weaken in his core, thinned out by the desperation of his song, his magic, his soul—and he knew, with every fiber of his being that something vital to him was beginning to fade.

Still, he sang on, fueled by sheer terror and desperation, his melody becoming all the more fervent, all the more powerful as he poured every ounce of his being into his final song.

Someone grabbed his wrist, and yanked on him desperately—but, without breaking his melody, he whirled around to shove Astra away—

A roar resounded from behind him, and he had barely enough time to whirl around before an enormous blast of power crashed through his left side, rending him apart in a flash of excruciating cold.

An excruciated scream tore forth from his lips—and then, there was nothing left of his very being but the scent of salt in the air and a gentle wisp of seaspray curling through the air.

I twisted away from the growing mass that was whatever skeleton dog once was. Someone was talking now, at least someone’s f*cking alive and I’m not all by myself here and this rude ass dog! Skeleton dog began prowling closer. Man everything’s so dizzy right now, are it’s paws actually that big?!

My body was starting to shake pretty darn aggressively. Great now I’ve gone from frozen to a damn maraca! Is it so damn hard to just be in a neat little middle ground?!

“What a sad disgrace,” oh would skeleton dog just shut its mouth already?! I don’t wanna hear it!

Oddly enough, it did shut up. Which, kinda freaked me out. What is it looking at? I can’t flipping see past all these wiggly chains! Do they absolutely need to glow so bright?? Ugh! Skeleton dog released a furious snarl and charged something outside my sight. I pressed my hands to my ears. So damn loud!!

I think someone just screamed. Wait. Wait where’s Birdy? Did he just scream?! Did that skeleton dog attack him?! He’s not doing anything wrong! None of us did anything wrong!! My chest felt like it was on fire now. And forget trying to keep my cheek from falling apart, I gotta find Birdy!

A massive blast of frigid air swept through the room as the ceiling continued to crack. Okay skeleton dog is Not friendly anymore! I need to find Birdy! I tried to stand but nope! Nopeity nope nope my stupid ass chest just started bleeding even more. Shit! Ya know what, screw it the damn thing can bleed all day long for all I care. Stumbling, I managed to get back to my feet and make my way to the remains of the table. About five feet. Aghhh this is f*cking useless!

I dropped back to my knees. The skeleton dog was making a big racket somewhere behind me. It’s tail whipped past my face, I barely had the chance to duck. I looked in horror to see that, well we’re all dead the thing’s very tip piece of its tail is twice the size of the wagon which needs two draft horses to pull. Yup we’re dead. If it’s tail tip is that big how big is the rest of it?! Man my chest hurts!

Okay okay I don’t actually, like, wanna die right now—or ever really, shit, and I really don’t want Birdy or Rain or Fish boy or Spooky spooky mother hen or Blu to die, okay so there’s gotta be something right? Right?! It’s just one big, very scary, very angry skeleton dog. It’s so blurry it’s hard to think! Wait can your brain even be blurry?? Dunno that’s what it feels like though. I pressed my shaky hands to the cool, broken tile of the floor. Okay focus, focus, think. Think of something!

A huge piece of wall went flying and another person screamed. Really loud. Could you not?? I’m trying to think in this blurry blurry brain here! I shook my head. Focus. Okay where did skeleton dog come from?? It’s an old Temple demon right? But it only got nasty when I read the—the book!! The book!

My tail shot straight into the air, high enough to get slammed by skeleton dog’s paw. I went tumbling over my head. Gripping the end of my tail tightly and close to my chest. Fighting not to scream as tears winked past my eyes. That broke. Ohhhh it’s broken. The last two feet were at nearly a ninety degree angle, not gently curling like it’s supposed to. More tears fell down my face. Why. Why is this skeleton dog being such. A. Menace?!

I read the book! I told it the story! I wasn’t mean to it! Hell I haven’t so much as teased it with a playful name!! Why is it hurting me?! I wasn’t—

“You’re confused, aren’t you,” I didn’t even look up at it. I kept my head firmly hidden between my knees, clutching my tail as I laid on the floor. I’m not going to talk to a creature being mean for no damn reason!!

Apparently, that pissed it off.

It snapped its jaws in front of my face. One tooth hooking itself on my horn and using that to lift me into the air. I released my tail with a cry to grab at my horn. It hurts! Don’t hold me like that!! You’re pulling on my skull!!

“You little toy. You act as if you’re unaccustomed to being used. Did you actually think a creature of bone and crystal, a beast only you could see, who happened to know exactly what you wanted and where it was, was your FRIEND?” I laid my ears flat against my head and kept trying to free myself. I’m not listening to it. I am not listening to it!

With a grating chuckle, it tossed its head. Yanking my skull painfully sideways, then throwing me to the floor. My entire body made this terrifying cracking sound. No. No no no I can still, I can move—

It grabbed me again, lifting me even higher into the air. Or is it still getting bigger?! No, no it can’t possibly get much bigger. No no it can’t. It can’t. It has to stop. Has to stop. Has to—

“Oh my goodness, you DID! You actually thought me, the DEMON OF WRATH AND PAIN, your FRIEND! Oh what a child you are! Haven’t you figured it out by now?! NO ONE IS YOUR FRIEND,” it was laughing. Laughing as it hung me eighty feet in the air. Laughing as the scent of sea spray wafted through the air. The only thing stronger than the smell of blood clogging my senses.

It dropped me again. Another bone shattering crack. How am I still alive? My body was hardly responding to me anymore. How am I still— no. I’m alive. I’m alive, don’t question how—

It pulled me up yet again. Like it was toying with me. Like it enjoyed it. A shaky laugh escaped my mouth. Is this what they all feel like each time I kill someone? I kinda like being on the mean side more, I think. Skeleton dog wasn’t saying anything now, just watching me hang helplessly.

“You don’t have the faintest idea why I’m FREE, why I’m HERE, do you,” It asked, sounding almost sympathetic. I tried to shake my head, then squeaked in pain as I remembered I was stuck and bruised. “I, AM ANGOR. I, AM THE PRIMORDIAL DEMON OF PAIN AND WRATH. You? A disgraceful RAT. By nothing more than CHANCE and LUCK that you’ve survived this long. You cannot expect to simply IGNORE and FORGET, WHAT YOU DID, AND WHY IM HERE. I WAS TRAPPED. I WAS CAGED. I WAS GOING TO BE FREE.

“But you, no you just COULDN’T have that—“

“Please, stop.”

“OH?! OH?! YOU THINK BEGGING WILL GET YOU ANYWHERE?! TELL ME, WHEN HAS THAT EVER WORKED OUT FOR YOU?! NEVER!”

I covered my ears against its shouting. Please. Please stop. Let me be the bad guy again. I don’t like being here—please, please, let me be the bad guy! I’m alive, I’m alive, but please, please let me be the bad guy! I dunno where everyone else is, are they still here? They’re here, right? Right??

Skeleton dog growled and slammed me into the floor. How many, how many times is that now? I can’t even feel my tail anymore—is that bad? Is Birdy okay?? Is everyone okay?? Where’s that sea smell coming from?? Where’s spooky mother hen with her blasty magic?? Can she blast away skeleton dog?? Please?

Please? Please I don’t wanna hear it anymore, I wanna go, I wanna go home... I’ll go home! Please make it shut up and I’ll go home!! I choked on a mouthful of blood, trying to sit up to clear my throat. Trying to blink away the disgusting amount of tears blurring my eyes, skeleton dog pushed me harder into the floor, claws crunching the stone around me into gravel. How am still alive, no, no no don’t question—

“These pithy little SEA RATS THOUGHT THEY COULD TRAP ME. Granted, they DID, but I WILL NEVER REMAIN CONTAINED, EVEN. THROUGH. YOU. IF THERE WAS EVER A CREATURE DEMENTED, NO, BROKEN ENOUGH TO EVEN ATTEMPT TO MIMIC WHAT YOU DID, I DARESAY I’D HAVE A COMPETITOR. BUT WE DON’T HAVE THAT, DO WE? NO, WHAT WE HAVE IS A BROKEN LITTLE TOY STILL GOING ROUND AND ROUND FAILING, OVER AND OVER TO FACE THE CONSEQUENCES OF WHAT. IT. DID!

“WHAT WE HAVE IS A SCARED LITTLE TOY TOO BROKEN SO MUCH AS TO EVEN THINK OF ITS CRIMES! TO EVEN FEEL REGRET OVER A TRAGEDY! TOO BROKEN AS TO EVEN IMAGINE WHY A SPEAR THROUGH ITS CHEST DID NOT KILL IT, TOO BROKEN TO HEAR THE FLAMES ROARING AND ITS FAMILY SCREAMING!

“WHAT WE HAVE IS A CREATURE FAILING TO COMPREHEND THE FORCES IT TOYED WITH LIKE A DOG! FAILING, EVEN NOW, NOW THAT IT ITSELF IS FREE, TO COMPREHEND!!” I was crying, I couldn’t stop f*cking crying.

Just let me go home!! I’ll go home! I’ll go back!!

“Well little toy, it seems you’re just going to have to SUFFER FOR IT. SINCE YOU CANNOT COMPREHEND, YOU WILL EXPERIENCE. YOU, ARE BROKEN. YOU, CANNOT BEFRIEND. YOU, WILL NEVER, CAGE ME, AGAIN. AND YOU WILL PERISH FOR IT.”

Wait, wait cage? I, I caged skeleton dog?? It curled its gargantuan claws tighter around my body. A body I couldn’t even feel anymore. I gurgled the second mouthful of blood filling my mouth. If, if I caged it... could I, cage it again?

“I FIND IT DISGUSTING THAT THAT SEA RAT DEEMED IT THAT I MUST SHARE MY STRENGTH WITH MY CAGE. MY CAGE ALWAYS TAKES A SMIDGIN OF MY POWER, JUST ENOUGH TO BE ABOVE THE AVERAGE MORTAL. YOU? YOU TOOK MY SHEER STRENGTH. NOTHING MORE. YOU’D HAVE BEEN LONG DEAD IF NOT FOR IT. NO MATTER THOUGH, YOU’LL STILL DIE IN THE END. YOU, LITTLE TOY, WILL SIMPLY HAVE TO SETTLE FOR THE PROCESS OF BEING CRUSHED ALIVE FIRST.”

“Fu-F*ck you. If you’re going to, if you’re going to kill me, why don’t you let me read that damn book, book one more time, coward,” I managed to gurgle semi coherently. The book. The creepy booky book. It started having its fit after I read it, if I’m going to die, if I’m going to go home after this, I am at the very least gonna see what’s gonna happen if I read that thing, one more, one more time.

Skeleton dog, once again, did not like that. But this time, it chuckled darkly rather than toss me around. Okay, okay so that’s a plus. Don’t know how much more I can before I snap in half.

Keeping its hold tight on me, it leaned over to pick up something delicately in its jaws. A moment later, it dropped the book on my ruined chest. A raspy gasp flew out of my lungs at the impact.

“FOUL AS YOU ARE, AS THE PATRON OF WRATH, I CANNOT IGNORE THAT LINGERING SPARK YOU HAVE FOR THE WORLD OUTDOING YOU. GO AHEAD. READ IT. LETS SEE IF THE BROKEN TOY CAN MAKE ONE LAST POORLY DRAWN CIRCLE,” it stared down at me, white flares sparking in its eye sockets.

Its grasp lessened just enough to shove me into a seated position. Multiple things cracked and snapped in my chest. There was definitely a growing indent in my abdomen that should not be there. Bits of scraped skin bubbled blood on my arms as I failed to lift them. Shit. I’ve got to, got to read the book. Making a grating scoff sound, skeleton dog stomped the ground with its paw. The entire building shook from the small action alone. Luckily, the book jumped and flipped open to a random page near the beginning.

Immediately I opened my mouth to start reading it. It was so hard, so very hard to hack out the correct sounds past the gurgling blood and straight up collapsing lungs. And once I did, I really, really wished I’d just shut the f*ck up myself and gone home without needing this one last jab.

The golden letters bled off the page and sunk into my skin, taking on a black color, looking almost like living tattoos. Until they slowed to a stop, and burned themselves in. Every part of my body was on fire. The tail I couldn’t feel till a second before? Burning like poison. Arms I couldn’t move torn apart by flames. Wounds that’d gone numb lit alight with new blistering fervor. The skeleton dog laughed all the same. Pulling away its supporting claw. Laughing as I hit the ground screaming, trying to put out a fire no one could see.

My whole body in a spasm. Twisting and tightening and shivering, desperate to escape this fire in the words. Words that are embedded everywhere in my skin, words that don’t even look like words anymore, but that could be the shaking, my head won’t stay still, there’s blood I can’t breathe—

“NEVER TRUST LITTLE TOY; WE’RE ALL OUT TO KILL YOU.”

He was watching the sea.

Gentle waves broke and frothed against the soft white sand, slipping over his toes as he slowly sank deeper into the sand with every lapping wave. A soft breeze tousled his hair, sending gentle puffs of seaspray dancing across his cheeks.

He shut his eyes, taking a deep, soothing breath—only to let his eyes flicker open once more to trail across the shore. Palm trees and ironwoods dotted the edge of the beach, at the border of a series of small dunes covered in flowers—beach morning glories, if his memory served him right.

His gaze roamed further across the beach, to where the soft dunes faded into a craggy cliffside. There were a group of children playing in the tidepools. A few of the older children were lounging on the rocks; others were poking around in the pools. Some of the younger children were chasing each other—and though he didn’t quite recognize them, it was a familiar sight.

As they had in his childhood, the beaches of Unda brought him an odd sense of calm.

The sun was soft against his skin, beckoning, and he turned his face up to the sky, shutting his eyes to bask in its slight warmth.

Something felt wrong, uneasy, from within his very bones; something within him was jarringly calm, overwhelmingly empty—and as a soft wave danced over his feet, a strange, quiet emotion rolled through his chest in turn.

It was as if something had frayed apart deep within him— something that was wholly, entirely sacred—and all that remained of the beauty it had once been was a strange sense of finality and fate.

It was cold.

He’d never wanted to die.

Life had always been precious to him, too precious to waste, whether that was by wilting away in Unda’s streets or slaving away at a menial job in Gelu. It had been the one thing that he’d adored, the one thing that he’d clung to throughout the years—and yet, it was the one thing that had always seemed to escape him.

There had been other things of importance in his life, other things that had been too precious to him to ignore—but those things had become too complicated, too frustrating, too strange and intelligible to cling to in the same way, and so he’d scattered them to the wind.

In the end, life had always been the one thing he could control, the one thing he could vy for without it hurting him in return—and yet, he’d let it go, not once, but twice.

Eros Acheron Oleander was by no means a selfless man—and he knew it. He’d left others to die on more than one occasion, too preoccupied with his own life to care about anyone else’s well-being. He’d ruined marriages, he’d murdered bystanders (witnesses, really, but what was the difference?), he’d, generally, lived a life full of chaos, a life full of adventure—and he’d loved it.

The one time he’d stopped to care about someone else, it had come back to destroy him.

He’d loved, but barely—and there was nothing he could do about that, now.

It had never been something that he’d needed, after all; still, a faint flicker of sadness crept through his chest at the realization that the few people who would remember him would speak his name in spite.

He didn’t expect to be remembered.

He didn’t expect to be loved.

He didn't expect to die—but now, that was what his world had come to.

He was at the edge, now, and he knew it—and for once, in his life, he felt empty.

There was nothing left in his world.

His life had come to an end—and, strangely enough, he was alright with that. He’d lived, for nearly twenty-four years, and, by the gods, he’d lived[/i.

It was over, now.

He let out a soft sigh, digging his toes into the sand. Hopefully, there was something waiting for him—another life, an escape, of sorts, some new sort of existence, where something awaited him with open arms, where he could be someone entirely different, where he could find peace, at last.

He wasn’t ready to go.

Tears bit as his eyes, and he swore softly, squeezing his eyes shut more tightly and shaking out his hands. He wasn’t ready to go—but he knew, in all that remained of his soul, that it was his time to move on.

Maybe that was a good thing. Maybe the next time around, he’d be someone better. Maybe the next time around, he’d learn to let the more dangerous things into his life—and maybe that would be better for him.

He didn’t know, and he knew he never would.

He scrubbed at his eyes weakly, miserably—and then, a soft, ethereal voice cut through the air.

“Eros.”

The siren froze, fear shooting through his chest at the sound of his name—and, in an instant, he whirled around, opening his eyes and stumbling back into the waves. Suddenly frantic, he glanced around the beach furtively—but an airy laugh behind him had him whirling around once more—and, suddenly, the spirit of the sea was before him.

They took the form of light—a soft, vaguely humanoid nebula of white light, pulsing ever-so-softly, like the easy ebb-and-flow of waves along the shore of a starlit beach—and as they gently reached over to cup his cheek, Eros’s chest suddenly became tight with the strangest combination of awe and grief.

The spirit laughed softly, raspily, like the rush of wind between ironwood trees—and hot, anguished tears suddenly stung at Eros’s eyes.

”Why do you cry, little one?”

The spirit’s voice was soft, worried, and a choked, sobbing laugh forced its way out from Eros’s throat.

“I’m dead, spirit,” he choked, his voice desperate and hysterical and resigned all at once. “I’m gone. Twenty-something years on this earth, and now it’s over.”

The spirit cooed sadly, their light flickering in a strangely mournful way.

”Nothing is over, my dearest one.” the spirit insisted, brushing a lock of hair from his face. ”Your world is only just beginning.”

Eros swallowed hard, fighting back tears. “He killed me.”

The spirit hummed softly, gently swiping some sand from his cheek. ”You are only beginning, precious little,” the spirit murmured, standing and pulling away from him. ”Just as with all creatures who walk both earth and sea, you are undergoing a metamorphosis.”

Eros drew in a pained, shaky breath, curling in on himself feebly. “What do you mean?”

The spirit seemed to turn away from him, their form flickering with a strange sort of shadow. ”All things that live within this world shall perish in time, little one,” they stated wistfully. ”My brethren were too filled with hubris to understand this, and so they destroyed themselves. I am by no means above them—and, very soon, my end shall finally be upon me, as well.”

”As for you, little one…”

The spirit turned back to face him, a sort of grave thunder in their presence. ”The time has come for you to choose.”

Eros swallowed hard, but the spirit continued on before he could even begin to speak.

”You have died more than your share of deaths, precious one, particularly for something so infinitesimally small—and if you are willing to embrace this power, once and for all, it shall never touch you again, I vow it.”

“What—”

”The one thing in this world that can never be destroyed is magic, little one, deep, wild, primordial magic—and it was of this magic that you were sculpted.”

The spirit swept in close to him, tilting his chin up before swooping around him to stand behind him and guide his gaze up to the blinding array of stars within the sky above. Eros’s breath caught for just an instant, until the spirit whirled him around once more, staring deep into his wide, frightened eyes, though they had none of their own.

”All things that live shall die, Eros, but you have never been mortal. All that you are is magic, pure and powerful and unending—and, if you embrace this final death of yours, you shall become all that you have always been meant to be.”

The edges of his world began to bleed black like ink, as if some sort of overwhelming darkness was threatening to eat away at all that existed—and, panicked, Eros glanced around, trying to figure out what was happening—but, as his gaze locked on the glowing, pulsing light of the spirit’s form, the fuzzy, indistinct features of the beach around him buzzed into total pitch-darkness at last, leaving only the increasingly faint glow of his patron at the dead center of his universe.

“I created you for a reason, little one,” the dying spirit professed, [i’]”so, if you so desire, give in to your power and be born anew. The choice is yours alone.”

Eros opened his mouth to speak, fighting between the urge to bolt after the spirit or curl in on himself in his terror—but, like the flame of a used-up, candle, the spirit’s light sputtered out, leaving him alone in the wild, empty world.

For a moment, he merely stood there, terrified and confused, his breath caught in his chest like the last instant of life before the waves came crashing in, staring out into the darkness, searching for any sign of light—and then, slowly yet steadily, something began to hum within him, and a strange, opalescent light began to ebb from his core, twisting and reeling not like the sea, but like something wild, something real, something as powerful as a storm at midnight and all of the light and life he had always craved—and then, in the space of an instant, he pitched himself into the utter wildness of his being, embracing the untamed storm of his being as he crashed headfirst into the depths of his power, until, like a strike of lightning, his corsucating world became nothing but a blinding flash of light.