I believe it was nightfall, but its hard to say with how bright the lights were. Think Vegas, and then add several hundred more lights. I started off on the top level, wearing a white gown that looked almost Greek in style.  A fireball fell from the sky and landed about a football field away from me. It knocked down all four bridges, toppling everything down onto the bottom floor. People were screaming and running all over.  I was among a group of about twenty who were taken down in the debris and fell to the bottom floor. Somehow surviving the fall with a few minor injuries, I think I sprang my ankle.

Of the twenty that fell, three looked like military men, I’m assuming the police. They wore matching black suits with gold sashes moving from their right shoulder to their left hip. Inside their jackets, attached to the back of the sashes, were two guns and a sword. They were trying to gather the group up, and keep everyone calm. Just as one of the men began to issue orders, a plan to get us back to the top, two more fireballs landed above crashing down on our surroundings. We were told to run. One of the guards picked me up because he thought it was more effective then my wobbling with my ankle. We were weaving in and out of falling concrete and burning buildings.  After about 30 minutes of running we all gathered in what used to be a park. The tree’s were mostly dead and the bushes were over grown. From where we all huddled we could see one of the fireballs.

It began to crack and open, these little spider like creatures crawled out from the ball. Hundreds of them, no bigger than a baseball.  The guards didn’t even hesitate, each one pulled out a gun and began to fire. This of course, drew the attention of the creatures to us.  As they came after us, a beggar on the street got caught in the crossfire.  The creatures swarmed him and in a matter of seconds, nothing was left. No bones, no clothes, nothing.  As if we were not already afraid, the group  began to panic. People ran in every direction. At least two other men were devoured by the creatures.  Well, I’m no hero. Naturally I panicked with the crowd and began to make my escape.  I used a fallen branch as a sort of brace as I moved back into the city. I thought perhaps, that I could hole myself up in one of the buildings and wait for safety.

Of course, true to any nightmare, every door was locked. I couldn’t find a place to hide. All logical thoughts had left me at this point, and I was nothing better than a frightened animal. I managed to corner myself in an alley way with a group of thugs. They hadn’t seen the spider creatures yet, and had no real reason to panic. They were using the disaster above to their advantage. Since I was dressed as one of the upper class, I clearly would have some money, or other valuables that would interest them.  The men pushed me around and eventually knocked me to the ground. There were four total, three stood behind me laughing and one straddled my form, crouching over me as he held my dress in his fists, lifting me slightly off the ground. I distinctly remember the smell of his breath. It was horrible. Like rotten eggs. His teeth were crooked and one in the front was chipped.

He kept yelling at me to give him all my money, each time he asked he’d shake me. I felt like my brain was being rattled into mush. Everything began to blur together into a crazy ramble when there was a loud pop. Everything seemed to fall silent after that, and slow down. I could hear my heart beat, the buzzing of a fly in the trash can to the right of me. The sweat drops rolling down one of the thugs cheeks. And then, as though everything snapped back into place the mans head opened up and his brains splattered all over me. I was covered in his blood and screaming at the top of my lungs.  The guards had caught up to me.  The other men ran off. The guard pushed the dead man off of me and pulled me into his arms.

He kept telling me to call down. But how could I? I was covered in blood, there were giant fireballs falling from the sky, and spiders were eating people. Calming down was the last thing on my mind.  I did subdue a little after he slapped me. Standing back up he handed me the branch I was using as a brace.  Another fireball crashed down on us at that point. We were trapped in the alley, the concrete from a road above us was raining down on us. I woke up at this point. I’m not really sure what happened after that, and I hope I don’t find out.

I’m not even afraid of spiders.. wtf.

I used to write for you. Now I write about you. Even as I smile in our meeting, you’ve died at least 3 times in my mind. Spoken words are fleeting, here I document your destruction for all eternity. I had to wait a while for her heated whispers in my ear. Now I know what she’s been plotting.  I’ll eagerly take the plunge into madness with her as my guide.

Earth teach me stillness
as the grasses are stilled with light.
Earth teach me suffering
as old stones suffer with memory.
Earth teach me humility
as blossoms are humble with beginning.
Earth teach me caring
as the mother who secures her young.
Earth teach me courage
as the tree which stands alone.
Earth teach me limitation
as the ant which crawls on the ground.
Earth teach me freedom
as the eagle which soars in the sky.
Earth teach me resignation
as the leaves which die in the fall.
Earth teach me regeneration
as the seed which rises in the spring.
Earth teach me to forget myself
as melted snow forgets its life.
Earth teach me to remember kindness
as dry fields weep in the rain.

~A Ute Prayer~
~author unknown~ ]]> http://rhianlyth.com/2010/03/08/prayer/feed/ http://rhianlyth.com/2010/02/01/to-whom-it-may-concern/ http://rhianlyth.com/2010/02/01/to-whom-it-may-concern/#comments Mon, 01 Feb 2010 17:37:33 +0000 Chorus http://rhianlyth.com/?p=160 Steam is so fucking pro.

<3

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Yeah, I’m here. Wut up? To the mysterious few who keep messaging me. I’m sorry I havent responded, ya’ll are just crazy. No plans yet, I’ll let you know..

All is well,

Well.. is all.. yeah Its all well! I’m sick today though -sniffle sniffle- Sick of Alex! Yeah I know you are reading this now. Don’t lie!  Probably your first time, won’t be the last. -wink-

Dear Lord, save me from my allergies. Amen.

As well as 9000000 other people. I’m super excited.

She was crouched in the bushes behind the tree, crimson leather moaned in her movements. It was nearly dawn and the suns golden glow had begun to peek over the hillside casting a crimson mist to layer the earth, it hid her nicely in the lush greenery outside the farm. She had run as much as she could that night, reluctant to stop despite her injuries. Crouched now she leaned her left shoulder into the tree as she finally dared to move her hands from her right side. All though her gloves were a dyed red she could see the thick blood all over it. The leather cowl was pulled down over her face hiding it. Despite the leather armor and the two wicked blades strapped over her shoulders her figure was extremely feminine. The painful moan that escaped mirrored that thought too. Normally she’d have heard him approaching her from a mile away. This morning she was too occupied pulling the broken blade out of her flesh. With a disgusted grunt she tossed the bloody metal to the ground at his feet and froze in her action.

The farmer stood there, pitchfork in hand eyeing her warily. Bronzed skin had seen the sun many times, rough lips were pressed into a thin line. Dirty blonde hair spiked atop his head proving that he had just rolled out of bed and slipped his boots on. Blue eyes were eyeing her curiously. A few feet back stood a little girl. She wore a blue cotton dress and her blonde hair was back in two braids. She just pointed at the woman. “See daddy, I told you. I told you she was coming.” He didn’t seem surprised to see her, In fact he looked resigned to the fact. “Do you understand our tongue elf?” She would have normally come up with a sarcastic remark, instead she tilted her head back so that her own green eyes could glare up at him. “How did you kno..” he cut her off with a smirk. “Know that you are an elf, or that you were hiding outside my farm house?” He just shook his head and turned handing his daughter the pitchfork as he bent lifting her arm to shoulder the elfs weight. “Doesn’t matter, come inside and let us tend your wound so you can leave me be.” The child just sighed turning to walk back towards the door. “You know that’s now how it goes, papa.” He just shook his head and followed her in. “ Please don’t fight this, it’ll just make your stay longer. Remove as much garb as you can so I can bandage your wound. You have nothing to hide here that I don’t already know. And I promise you I don’t want to know it anyways.”

She remained silent as she carefully began to remove her armor. Once all was said and done she still wore the leather pants, but her top was all but gone. A lighter crimson cotton covered her breasts like a sash barely hiding anything from view. Her hair fell down covering the tips of her breasts, it was as blue as the sky before the sun set. Hints of green streaked throughout. The little girl was staring at her, which left her feeling a bit uncomfortable. The farmer had gone into the kitchen for supplies. When he came back out he nearly dropped the glass bottle of alcohol and the bandages he was holding. The little girl just smiled. “Daddy is that was mom looked like?” The elf instantly glared at the child it took every muscle in her body to keep her from lunging at her. Half breeds were not allowed. They were an abomination to the world. Elfs should never mingle with humans. The farmer instantly placed the items on the table and poured the drink over her wound causing a startled cry of pain, and her attentions to leave the child. “ child go to your room.” The little girl looked ready to put up a fight, but at the look her father gave her she paled and ran to her room. He picked up a towel to begin cleaning the wound. “Don’t say anything elf, and don’t think anything stupid. You are injured and I am not.” The threat was so dominant in his tone she didn’t have to guess at what he was implying. Instead she tilted so he could better clean the wound leaning partially against the dining table.

She remained thoughtfully quite, teeth biting on her lower lip to keep from making tiny cries of pain as he tightened bandages over the wound. “Just like her, afraid to let your emotions out. If it wasn’t anger I never knew what she was feeling.” She just listened to him. He was talking more for himself then to her, she knew that. “You are a Crimson guard ranger, right?” She blinked looking back over towards him.” He tilted his head stepping back to admire his work on her bandages. “Yes, I know what they are. I also know your name is Sinora.” She straightened up, wincing before she carefully made her way to a chair to sit down in it. Her gaze leveled on his own, calculating. “You aren’t safe here Sinora. Come nightfall they will be here looking for you. I will hide you. But only for a few days for you to fully mend.

I know how quickly you elves regenerate. That should be all you need. You have free roam of the house and the kitchen. Just don’t make me remind you to leave my child alone. I could have killed you outside.” He gathered up the mess he had made and left her sitting in the room alone. She reclined so she could lay her head back and look up at the ceiling. Humans were disgusting creatures. Her sisters were right in thinking they were only good for work mules. How in the nine hells did he know her name and what she was? She jumped as a blanket was put over her lap. The child was standing a few feet away. Bloody hell this was the second time they had managed to sneak up on her. “How do you do that, child? Walk up so I can not hear.” The little girl shifted her weight from one foot to the other before she pulled up a chair to sit in it beside her. “Momma taught daddy, and he taught me. Said it’d save our lives one day. It makes playing hide and seek very hard.” She giggled softly. Sinora reached forward to tuck a strand of hair behind the girls ear, tracing her fingertip over the ear. “If you are a half blood, why do you only resemble a human?” The little girl just stared at her blankly, she had no idea what she had just been asked.

“Nevermind..” Instead she started to stand once more wrapping the blanket loosely around her shoulders to cover her figure. She needed to clean the blood off her leather. That’s when she realized the leather wasn’t there anymore. The little girl slipped her hand into Sinora’s tugging. “daddy is cleaning your clothes, it’s ok. Come on I’ll show you where you can lay down.” When the child took her hand Sinora’s skin crawled. It was the dirtiest feeling she’d ever felt. Not only was a child holding her hand, but it was a halfblood. Like touching fire she instantly jerked her hand from the child’s. Who seemed oblivious. “My name is Karena” After the child had touched her hand she felt drained. Perhaps from running for so long last night with an injury.

Instead Sinora nodded her head, “Karena, I’m Sinora, but you already knew that didn’t you. Please show me where I can lay down. I’m feeling very tired.” The little girl smiled and nodded her head leading Sinora through the house to the back door. And into the barn. “Ok Sinora, this is our secret spot. You can’t tell anyone.” Sinora nodded. “ ok Karena.” Once they were in the barn the child carefully closed the door and opened a stall where a white mare stood. The horse snorted before bending her head to nip at Karena’s braid. The child giggled before leading the horse out of the stall. There was a bale of hay against the wall that the child carefully shouldered and slid to the right revealing stone stairs leading down. Torches were lit showing the way she beckoned for Sinora to follow before she made her way down the steps. She was only partially surprised to look back and see the horse walk herself back into her stall and close the door.

The hay slid closed after a moment leaving them locked in the hallway. Karena’s voice echoed from down the stars and around the corner. “Come on!” Sinora went down several feet of stairs before it made a sharp turn into a room. From what she guessed this room was directly below their house and about the same size. In the right corner a bed was seen. It was hand carved from oak. Elven. The entire room was. It was a bit unnerving for Sinora, the walls were covered in tapestries that mirrored the ancient times of Queen Elora. Her head tilted curiously. The mother was a Crimson guard. She could tell by the weapons on the wall, the clothes that had clearly been untouched for a few years. And the obvious appreciation of Elora. She was their dark queen, the one who had initiated the Crimson Guard and the human hunts.

Sinora glanced over at the child as she smiled. This was a confusing situation. “Karena how did you know I was coming?” The little girl smiled “I dreamed about you.” She moved to the bed pulling the sheets back for her before she rushed to the closet opening the doors to show off several night gowns and summer dresses. Sinora eyed her dubiously. “Papa says you’d be more comfortable sleeping in a night gown and not your armor. You aren’t gonna fight anyone here. Its ok. Do you want me to go get you something to eat?” Sinora smiled looking over at the clothes. She didn’t wear dresses.. shaking her head slowly she glanced towards the door. “No thank you dear, I think I need to get some rest. Thank you so much.” The thankyou sounded fake. It felt fake, she didn’t thank them.. they were human.

Karena took the hint and bobbed her head. “ Sleep well Sinora, I promise today will be uneventful for you.” She ducked her head as she rushed out of the room leaving Sinora alone to her thoughts. She decided they were right about sleeping in her leathers so she removed her boots and pants slowly laying them out on the table as well as her weapons as she glanced at the dresser again. She’d remain in her undergarments. The same wrap that was around her breast formed something similar to shorts around her waist. It kept cool against her flesh and the leathers from rubbing uncomfortably. She crawled into the bed relieved at how soft it felt. It took only a matter of minutes before exhaustion caught up with her and she was sleeping like a baby.

Sinora slept through the rest of the day and well into the night. She woke up to the faint sound of Karena screaming above her. Her mind was still asleep but her body reacted to it’s training and she found herself inside the house looking out the window to the front yard. Karena’s father was outside with his pitchfork again and a group of men were standing around him. Sinora was still in her undergarments, but her two blades rested snugly in her hands, tips currently pointed to the floor. Karena stood outside in front of the door holding her teddybear against her chest. As if she was out there with them she could hear the men’s argument. They were looking for her. She didn’t’ recognize them but they described her quite well. The farmer kept saying she hadn’t been here.

They didn’t seem to believe him. One of the humans drew out a sword and waved it angrily in the air pointing at the farmer. Threats were spewed back and forth before the group moved in on them. Sinora told herself not to do anything, willed herself not to act. She was injured, had no armor on, and it was just Humans. But something about Karena’s scream moved her. The child had run inside to get away from a man coming after her. As soon as he stepped into the house the hilt of her blade slammed into his nose knocking him back out of it. The action caused the others to look up from where they had been circling the farmer. Sinora stepped out slowly looking down at the man on the ground holding his nose.

The farmer was pushed aside as they came for her. One by one the lunged in her direction, and one by one she repelled them. With each movement the wound in her side stretched and opened. Even in the torch lighting the blood could be seen seeping through her bandage. She was being reckless fighting like this. But this group was nothing compared to the last. She killed each man that assaulted her until all that was left was on on the ground begging for his life. Sinora approached him ready to kill. He begged for mercy, but she ignored him. Raising her blade into the air she thrust it down into the man’s chest just as she heard the farmer scream no. It was too late, not that she would have stopped anyways. She leaned into the blade looking down at the man. She felt the blood from her wound tickling down her hip. After she was sure he was dead also she felt it hit her again, the wave of exhaustion was accompanied by nausea. She didn’t move from where she leaned into her blade looking down at the dead eyes of the human.

“I cant stay here.” Her words came out whispered, breathless. She knew if she moved she’d fall. Her entire right side had gone numb from the pain. The dull throbbing in her head became a distant memory as she groaned falling down over the human. The last thing she remembered that night was the farmer carefully picking her up. She woke up two days later back in the bed below the barn. The farmer was sitting on the bed beside her refreshing her bandages when she jerked up with a cry of pain. She found his voice to be unusually soothing as he coaxed her back into the bed. She was only partially aware of the fact that she was naked from the waist down. He was so very careful about not looking any lower then the wound too. “It was starting to get infected. You’ve spent the last two moonfalls in a dazed fever. You spoke quite a bit during Sinora.” He smiled watching her cheeks flush at the last sentence. She feared to imagine what was said.

He just motioned towards the table where fresh fruit and water sat. Standing up he gathered the bandages once more and set them on a table off to the side of the bed. “I’d say three more nights then you can travel. No one else has come looking for you. And I thank you for saving my daughter, even if it’s your fault they came.” She just looked over at him curiously. “They would have attacked whether I was here or not.” He just nodded knowingly. She sat up carefully pulling the sheet up to pool in her lap as she picked at the fruit eating eagerly. She was famished. “ Thank you..” he just smiled. “Nathan. My name is Nathan.” She didn’t really care, that’s why she hadn’t asked. Already in the back of her mind she had planned to kill them once she had healed enough. Not only was he human but his daughter was a halfblood who was obviously gifted. That was not a good thing.

Halfbloods were hated on both sides because they had a chance of being born a great evil. A creature that was so old, so powerful that no one has ever destroyed. The mages of old had only lucked out in coming across a way to contain him to a bloodline. He could not be killed but those that bore him.. Before he could fully get his power could be killed. So the safest way to keep him contained was to kill them as they were born. She couldn’t risk something like that on the world. Sinora ate quietly watching Nathan. She could tell he wanted to tell her something but he said nothing. He just nodded his head and walked out of her room. She heard the door shut up the stairs. Shaking her head slowly she slipped out of the bed to look around. For two days she was bed ridden.. but she smelled clean and.. the embarrassment sunk deep into her core when she realized he had been tending to her. Her bathing, her.. bowels.. Oh dear.. She was so thankful he had left the room her cheeks were surely as read as the apple on the tray.

She ate every last piece of fruit realizing she was far more hungry then she first thought. She found her sash and wrapped it back around her figure so she wore some form of clothing. After walking the length of her room several times she crawled back into the bed not wanting to risk her injury. Just as she laid down she heard the door knock upstairs. Her eyes closed as she called out for Karena to come in. The child eagerly bounced down the stairs with a clay vase full of wild flowers the child had no doubt picked on her way over. She set them down on the table beaming proud of herself. “I picked them for you!” Sinora bit back the response of scolding her for unnecessarily killing the flowers. Instead she forced a smile. “Thank you.” The child crawled into the bed to sit on the edge as she folded her arms. “How old are you dear?” The little girl smiled. “Seven!” Karena nodded her head. “wow, you are getting old.” The little girl just giggled. “Sinora.. I had a dream about you last night again.” The child’s face grew a little pale as she looked up. “What happened to your baby?”

Sinora’s expression darkened as she looked away from the child to try and get her mind off the question. She was all too grateful for Nathan when he came down the stairs at that moment. Purposely clearing his throat as he glanced at his daughter. “I told you not to bother her. Go upstairs and get ready for supper. Now.” Sinora had tried to forget her child. Her darling little girl.. Her throat became extremely dry, her hand was trembling as she reached for her water. Nathan caught her hand folding it over with his own. His gaze softened as he looked down at her. “She told me her dream. She only asks because she wonders if it was a dream of your past, or your future. With elves its hard for her to tell. You do not age like we do. Please do not be upset by it.” Sinora just pulled her hand away from him and downed the water. Be upset? How could she not be upset. She had spent so long trying to forget that horrible night.

The night the humans stole her child and killed her. She was on a bridge in the mountains, below was rushing waters and rocks. They were at least 50 feet above it. The group of hunters held her child over the bridge and then just dropped it. Sinora closed her eyes as the memory flooded back into her mind. Like a scar reopening with a fresh wound she sobbed. Nathan glared over his shoulder where his daughter stood hiding on the stairs. She quickly ran up to her room without him even having to say. His arms wrapped around Sinora as he sat on the bed. Pressing his head against his shoulder as he just held her and let her cry. She fought so hard not to, but something about the embrace, the situation, her tears fell freely for the first time since it had happened. Those men got away that night. The group of soldiers had to hold her back in fear of her jumping off the bridge after her child. That was the night she broke and made the hunt her sole purpose in life.

“Don’t search for them Sinora, My child has seen it. Your death lies in their chambers.” Sinora set the empty cup on the table as she leaned back to look up at him. He reached up to press his hand on her forhead, sighing. “You are still feverish. What did they stab you with, are you sure it wasn’t poisoned? I think you need a real healer..” She glanced down at her wound before shaking her head at him. “No, I will not stop hunting them. And I do not need a healer. I’ve had worse done to me.” He nodded his head before he looked back at her. Their eyes met and lingered. “Sinora.” Her breathing stilled as the memory flashed before her eyes. It was him.. Dear gods it was her sister. Sinora’s jaw clenched as she stood up. The movements were too fast, she twisted just enough to send a searing pain through her body. Gasping out she nearly toppled over him. He caught her elbows as she tried to push away. “I need to leave. I can’t be here. This can not be.” His grip tightened to keep her from escaping. “ Please Sinora.” His voice was almost pleading. She had thought there was something eerily familiar about him and his daughter. A look in their eyes, their smell… something. “She left us for a human.” The disgust in her voice was obvious as she jerked from his grip and toppled back onto the bed sitting.

“For a halfblood child and a human..” He huffed glancing down his nose at her. “ You didn’t seem to mind too much.” Sinora’s cheeks flushed a deep shade of crimson. “Besides, stop kidding yourself I’m not full human either and you know it.” She rolled her eyes as she moved to rest her back against the bed. “Two halfbloods. Just as horrible, if not worse. She should have killed you and your child should have never happened. You know the rules, she knew the rules. That’s..” her sentence cut off as she swallowed glancing down. He just nodded his head. “That’s why you killed her. I know.” He didn’t sound bitter in the least bit.

He just pat her hand lightly as he stood up. “She’s your niece. Try not to glare at her so much. One of these days you elves are going to have to come out of your little world you’ve created and embrace the rest of us. Or die alone.” She lifted her chin to glare at him. “Then I’ll die alone. The humans have forgotten, but we haven’t. The elves don’t forget our past. Such darkness. It needs to be protected at all costs.” He just sighed shaking his head as he turned away from her. “Sinora, you were not always so cold.” He walked out of the room motioning to the pitcher of water so she could pour herself more. She could tell she had upset him. Somewhere deep inside she felt a pang of regret but shrugged it off as her injury. Sinora closed her eyes as she snuggled back into the bed. Her mind drifted back to years ago. To her sister. They were twins, almost completely identical except for the birthmark on the back of her left thigh.

It was shaped like a tree. A weeping willow to be exact, it was bizarre and had puzzled the mystics for months before they shrugged it off. Her sister always had the bigger heart. She was a mystic by nature the arcane magics came naturally to her, where as Sinora was one with the blade. If it was metal chances are she could kill you with it. Combined the two went on many adventures together. Some more fun then others. One of their last trips led them into the human lands. Where Alora fell in love with a human. A half breed they had been sent to kill. All though full blooded humans also looked down upon the half breeds and even wanted them dead they frowned upon it publically happening. The two girls had to gain his trust andlure him away. The girls spent a month in that town, becoming his friend, getting to know him. It was then that they used what the gods had blessed them with. Pretending to get drunk with him at the local tavern the girls had him follow them back into the trees. To ‘have fun’.

They got carried away, perhaps they had more to drink then they had realized. Or perhaps, they were just enjoying themselves. Any man dreamed of having twins, that night he had his chance. Afterwards while he slept. Sinora had planned to kill him. Her sister talked her out of it. Saying she wanted to try a spell she had recently learned. Sinora didn’t remember much after that, the events seemed foggy, but she thought she recalled the man being engulfed in a smothering darkness. She learned months later that her sister had deceived her. She had charmed her into believing they had killed the human. When her sister left the elven home to seek him out Sinora had never felt so betrayed in her life. A week later she was assigned the task of killing them. She never found the human, but her sister had met her halfway, knowingly.

It was a hard time for Sinora, but she had been raised to put her job, her duty , before anything else. Shortly after that Sinora met the elf she’d later become married to. Bear his child and then watch both of them be killed by the human’s she now dedicated her life to hunting down. Sinora opened her eyes to the weight of the child on the bed. The little girl tilted her head as she crawled forward to sit ontop of Sinora, digging her elbow into her wound. Sinora couldn’t move., breathe, or even cry out in pain. She just stared wide eyed at the child’s dark eyes. They were completely dark, and as empty as the pits of hell. The voice that left the child’s lips was a low guttural growl. “Sinora, elf. Soon this child’s body will be mine. I will feast on the blood of her father, and bathe in yours. I’ve come to warn you. I have gained enough power that you can not harm me. You can not even think of harming me. Or…” her elbow dug into Sinora’s side causing her to nearly black out in pain. “You’ll feel that.” The child kissed Sinora’s forehead before crawling off and running back up the stairs.

Sinora passed out. She woke the next day to the urgent tuggings of the child. Sinora’s lips parted to take in a deep gasping breath of air as she jerked away from the girl. Her eyes were normal, she stared at her questioningly before she began to lift her shit up to show Sinora her stomach. Black lines had begun to form from her navel. Almost giving it the appearance of a black sun, Sinora closed her eyes as she tried to figure out what to do. Her hand went instinctively to the night stand where she had one of her daggers sitting. At the thought the pain began inside of her. She cried out releasing the hilt leaving the blade on the counter. Karena just stood there, lower lip sticking out in a pout as she tried not to cry. “Can’t you save me?” Sinora snarled at the very idea of saving her as she stood up and began to pull her clothes on. Her bandages were a bloody mess from the night before but she didn’t care. The wound had healed enough for her to move around freely and it probably should have been stitched now that the infection was gone.

“No. You can not be saved. You need to be killed.” She ignored the pain as she stumbled to the stairs, one hand wrapped around her side to hold where the wound was. What in the nine hells had she gotten herself in to? She’d have to send another back to this farm to finish the job. The thought caused her knees to buckle. She had just left the barn’s doors when she topped onto all fours on the ground. Sinora was painfully aware of the people standing outside, but a little too late to react. Steel toed boot slammed into her ribcage knocking her back a few feet and onto her back. A low moan left her lips as she stared up at the sky. Dark clouds hung threatening rain, she could hear the distant echo of thunder. “Damn you all.” She felt dizzy, her mind was swirling in so many different directions. She vaguely remembered her sister talking to her about her studies. About a ‘cure’ for the darkness. But it was so vague she didn’t recall the specifics, nor could she figure out why she was even trying to come up with a reason to save the child. Sinora cried out as the man stepped on her left hand, twisting the boot against her fingers in the dirt.

“I thought you were some might fighter? Took 12 of us down here for one elf girl who hasn’t even stood up?” Damnit she didn’t have time for these men. She didn’t recognize them, they weren’t the ones from before. Their leathers smelled of ale and dirty women. They were mercs.. why were there mercs after her? “Times are changing elf, we’ve decided we don’t tolerate your kind no more. Infact, instead of wiping out our brothers, we’re gonna wipe out yours!” What in the hell was he talking about. Out of the corner of her eye she saw karena try to run out of the barn. One of the men grasped her waist lifting the child effortlessly into the air. “Where is the farmer?” The man offered her a toothy grin, it was disgusting. “He’s all tied up right now, fraid he cant help you.” The men laughed at the inside joke. Karena cried out for her father as the man lifted at her dress.

The pigs.. despite the very constant pain throbbing in her side, and now her left hand Sinora moved. Pulling a dagger from her hip she slammed it through the man’s boot and into the ground pinning his foot there. While he screamed in pain she jerked her hand from beneath the other foot sitting up to nurse it while she surveyed the group. She had enough time to see three of them to her right before she felt a fist connect with her face. She kicked their legs out knocking them to the ground as she rolled over to stand. One caught her legs jerking her back to fall on her stomach. They caved in on her pinning her face into the dirt. The skies screamed its aggression ripping a hole in the clouds to let the rain pour down on them. “Roll her over. I wanna see her face.” It was the man whose foot she had stabbed. It took four of them to keep her pinned as they rolled her over. He bent running his hands over her body pulling out various hidden weapons. He took special care to feel between her legs and over her breasts. Grinning at her as he did so looking for a reaction. The anger in her eyes must have encouraged him enough because he laughed at her winking.

“Whatcha think boys? Should we kill her like that last fella or have some fun first? I bet she screams.” They laughed, when she jerked the man punched her hard, she felt the clicking in her jaw as a bone cracked. When she woke up her arms were numb, she was wet, cold, and in a lot of pain. She realized she was naked but she could tell they hadn’t touched her yet. What they had done was pin her to the ground like some mystic doll. The reason she couldn’t feel anything is because they had stabbed her through her shoulders to pin her down, and then twice more through her thighs. They had missed the bones but the cuts were clean. She knew if she jerked to much they could be fatal. She had to of been out for a while, the rain had stopped but the ground was still soaked. They sky still threatened of more. She heard one of the men whistle to alert the others. “She’s up” It was the same man, she presumed to be their leader. His head tilted as she squatted beside her head to grasp her jaw it wasn’t broken but the bone was defiantly fractured. The pain sent white lights through her vision, blurring everything as she sucked in a deep breath of air.

“Yeah, I bet it hurts. You are awfully quiet; I hope you don’t spoil our fun by remaining silent. We don’t care much for corpses. Won’t stop us tho.” She was trying to take in deep calming breaths, to asses the situation and find a way out of it. All thoughts were broken off by the sound of Karena screaming out. She was brought over so that Sinora could see her. “We though you might like to watch first. Sulven here likes em young. Maybe it’ll get you excited.” She watched as the man grinned looking over at Sinora’s figure pinned on the ground. It didn’t matter that the child had a demon inside of her. She was still a child. Killing one cleanly, and doing this were two total different things. Sinora jerked against the blades keeping her pinned. Crying out at the shock before she stilled. She could hear them laughing, but their laughter quickly stopped. There was an explosion of power that left her deaf. She could hear their screams in the distance but she only saw the child. She was floating in the air, a dark purple haze covered her. Something warm and wet splattered over her figure, at first she thought it was rain. She realized it was the men’s blood. She had seen many deaths in her life, but not like this.

The ground was red with blood, it was everywhere, no signs of the men other then tattered bits of cloth here and there. The demon floated over towards Sinora’ hovering over her as he looked down at her through the child’s eyes. “You are crazy. I saw you pull at these blades, to save her. Despite the same mind wanting to kill her. You don’t know what you want.” The demon-child moved her hands in the air making a motion to pull the blades from her figure tossing them to the side before she pointed at Sinora, lightning leapt from her fingertips. The pain was unimaginable, Sinora’s figure lifted of the ground arching faintly. The child just stared down at her. “You will protect this child’s body Sinora. Keep it safe, pure, untouched by humanity. You will be my guardian until I am whole.” Sinora clenched her teeth hoping the pain from her jaw would help her jerk out of the hold. “Never..” The child’s laughter was echoed by a guttural growl. “I didn’t ask. I can be kind Sinora’ I remember those who help.” She felt the wounds in her body heal. All though the flesh remained sore she had mended completely. The child dropped her to the ground lowering as well. “ It won’t be much longer..” Karena’s eyes shifted back to normal as she sobbed falling into Sinora’s lap who cradled her. “Damnit child.”

Sinora ached in ways she couldn’t explain, pushing the child from her lap she stood up slowly. Her legs felt like mush she was certain she was going to fall, after a moment of just standing there to catch her balance she motioned for the child to follow her before she made her way towards the front of the house. To find her father. He was bound to the tree in their front yard. The same try he had found her crouched against nights before. He looked beat up but not nearly as bad as she felt. Kneeling down she untied his arms and then his feet. He rubbed at his wrists for a moment before glancing over towards Sinora and his daughter. His face was as pale as the moon. “You are both naked…” Sinora glanced down blushing faintly before she glanced over towards his child, nodding. “Nothing happened to her, I promise.” He grasped his child pulling him and carrying her as he moved inside the house. “I am assuming all the blood on the two of you is not your own. You seem whole.” Sinora swallowed glancing at the child who only glared back at her. “No, it is not ours. I have disposed of the bodies.” He nodded his head before he wrapped a blanket around his child sitting on the chair to cradle her.

“You don’t see it on her, do you?” Sinora turned away from him so that her back was to him as she looked for something to wrap about her nude figure. The child was naked, she could see the ebon markings on her flesh but the father didn’t seem to react to them at all. “See what on her?” Sinora shook her head as though clearing her thoughts. “Nothing, play of shadows in the house.” He eyed her curiously but didn’t push the subject. Sinora glanced over at them again. “I have to leave.” That is not what the demon had commanded. Just uttering those four words sent a pain through her body that crumpled her to the ground. Sinora was breathless, everything was dizzy but she decided in that split second that her world flipped upside down that she couldn’t do this and she said as much. “ I cant do this, your child is the demon.” Her breathing came in quick painful gasps. The farmer just glared over at her as he cradled Karena against him. “She is not, do not say such things. I’ve seen no signs.” Because, Sinora writhing in pain on the floor wasn’t a good enough sign.

Karena pushed herself off her father’s lap to come to Sinora’s side removing the blanket she had she wrapped it around the elf. Kneeling down to whisper in her ear. “That’s not going to change anything. I’ll just harm him too.” She smiled before the child stood up and ran to her bedroom acting upset. He watched his child go to her room before he moved to help Sinora stand up again. He didn’t release his hold on her once she was standing. Instead he backed her to the wall and watched her. “Sinora, if you are correct. You better use every elven ability you have to save her. Or the demon will seem like a summer storm compared to what I will do.” Sinora reacted almost without though. Her fist connected with his jaw knocking him to the ground. “Don’t threaten me halfbreed.” He rubbed at his jaw as he glanced at her. She looked so angry standing there naked beneath the blanket which was barely wrapped around her at that point. He could see the tears in her eyes. That pain was nothing compared to the fear that gripped his heart. His own daughter.. He pretended he didn’t believe her, but he did. He had known for quite a while that his child was changing. He had only hoped it was just something that came with age.

He began to sob, she just stood there and watched him. Her insides were on fire her mind was lost, she didn’t know what to do. Instead she left him crying on the floor as she walked back out into the rain to find her weapons and armor before she made her way down the stairs to the room they had set up for her.