The Dark Crystal (Anyone)

“Khaz…” I narrowed my eyes, not bothering at all to hide the concern I felt so thickly coursing through me. He said he was fine? He did not look fine. There was fear in the way he clutched the strange gauntlets in his hands, emptiness in his voice. I did not like this at all, frustrated again by how I lacked any ability at all to do even the most simple of things. I had not killed a single thing since my arrival, and having completely failed to be any good fighting, I had just the smallest hope that I could help Khaz.


Again, failure.


“It is alright, Khaz. I know this is difficult, but it will not be long. Hold on for just a little longer.” I was fairly impressed by the optimism I was actually able to force out, but it was not hard to understand. I was with Khaz. I smiled vaguely, leaning closer to Khaz and caressing the brown patch of skin on his jaw with my hand. There was at least one thing I could do right.


With great care, I released the energy at the tip of my fingers, which were still so terribly weak when they touched Khaz. The warm blue light came again, bright and translucent, and quickly seeped into Khaz. I felt my energy connect with his own, mildly surprised by how easily it flowed into him. The gentle blue soon made the bruise disappear, but I did not stop. I continued to pour the energy into Khaz until I felt his small wounds heal over, lining his limbs with the energy of my own body. He looked so tired…


And then, almost as loudly as if they had all given off a shout, I realized quite suddenly that it was silent behind me. My hand fell from Khaz, and I twisted back to find Rontu gazing at me. I could only stare back at the golden eyed man, waiting for him to speak.

OoC: I added some more so double check the end.

Why did she do this? Why did she have to make it so hard? Why did she have to touch him with such tender care? The way she said his name. Her gentle ways made his core tremble. It made him afraid that he would start crying again. Hadn't he been pathetic enough in this nightmare? In all truth he was just pathetic, incompetent, and broken. Always being taken care of by others. Despite all his efforts it always ended up that way. Protected by those he had been trying to protect. When he had Takai with him, he at least felt somewhat useful. Even if wasn't really him but Takai. At least he could be useful to Takai. He could lie for him. Smile for others. Even when it hurt sometimes to do so.

And Leonna healed him. He had been healed so much by magic users that he was quite accustomed to feeling the energy flow through him. Healing him like Leita would, comforting him like Malon always did when he’d bolt up in bed, gripping the sheets, and crying out in terror after the war was over. She’d hold him in bed and stroke through his sweat dampened hair with her fingers, cooing words to remind him of where he was and that everything was okay now. Malon always held him together while he went into pieces, so that he could find himself again when his memories were done torturing him.

Soon her hand fell away from him and she twisted around. He looked up too; to see the others walking back to them, a blaze of fire behind them were the smell of burning flesh came. The strange creature walked around the other two cautiously, and both Ren and Rontu watched it as well, but they were relaxed so it didn’t seem like they felt threatened by it.

The feathered panther watched them with yellow eyes, but after quickly assessing the same of them, it continued to walk forward, its eyes on Khaz. It went around Leonna, a few feet away, to the side of him. It bent a leg and bowed its head, an unmistakable bow. He stared at it with wide eyes and then down at the gauntlets. Thinking, perhaps, there must be some sort of mistake, he held them out to the jag.

“Um … I think … you dropped these?” He felt a little silly after saying this. He wasn’t even sure if it could understand him.

The jag raised itself up from the lowered position, and its yellow eyes pierced into him. An almost disappointed look as it stared. It was hard to tell, what with it being a feather dusted jaguar. There was such intelligence in its eyes though, that he was sure he was understood by the creature.

“I did not drop it, boy,” it replied with a deep and majestic voice, seeming to be male in gender. It wasn’t precisely rude in tone, just stern. “I gave them to you. You are the Calling. I will follow you to my destiny. For now you will be my charge until I find the great earth spirit.”

Khaz stared, eyes wide, a little shocked that it—or he—had actually spoken to him. Even more baffling was the words he spoke. Calling? Destiny? Earth spirit? Charge? His brain felt like a rung and scrunched up sponge. He didn’t have the energy to ask questions or even think harder on what the hell it was talking about. So he just laid back and looked down at the gauntlets again.

“Okay then …” was all he said to that.

The jag narrowed his eyes, a little more displeased it seemed. He had expected at least an introduction.

“My name is Lynn Odakata. I am male,” he included to make sure they wouldn’t be too confused. It seemed these creatures had difficulty telling the sex of others not of their own kind.

Khaz looked up, looking still tired and dazed. “Oh … right—sorry. I’m Ser—er, I mean—Khaz Serwen.” He was almost too worn out to remember that people in this land said their names in different orders.

“Put those on,” Lynn ordered. “They will help you.”

Rontu stepped up soon after, ignoring Lynn mostly. Ren was eyeing him with suspicion but said nothing against the jag. “Hand me the bag, Khaz. I want to change before we carry on.”

Khaz nodded and pulled the strap over his head and tossed it up to Rontu. He took it and walked around the pillar of ice to change, it being big enough to shield him from Leonna’s eyes. He didn’t really care if she saw him, but he mostly did it for her comfort. She seemed the shyer type.

Khaz started fumbling with his leather gauntlet straps, to undo them and put on the new ones. He wasn’t really sure how these news ones were supposed to help him more than his old ones, but he did what he was told. Too tired to care. And too tired to efficiently work the straps it seemed. His fingers worked numbly at them. Soon Leonna’s hands came into view and started helping him silently. The touch of her fingers on his made his heart tighten with painful excitement. He kept his eyes on the gauntlets. It was getting harder to keep his emotions from the surface. If he looked up at her, she might see the look he was trying to keep from his face … and he couldn’t have that. “Th-thank you …”

He needed to think of something else. He squeezed his mind for something …

“Hey, Rontu,” he called out.

His friend grunted from behind the ice pillar in confirmation.

“What did that woman do to me? You know ... the one you were fighting,” but he couldn’t find much brain power to say much else. He knew Rontu would understand.

“It was a lust spell. Females often use that to dominate their own males or their enemies,” came Rontu’s answer, somewhat distantly from his location.

Leonna was helping him pull on the new talon glove. As his hand slipped into it, he gave a slight shiver at the plush velvet interior. Not because it was disturbing, but because it was so pleasant, soft, and silky. He felt strange at the touch. They felt so familiar somehow.

“Why didn’t you get caught in it too, then?” he asked, a little distracted, but pushing away the feeling.

“Lust spells are less effective or completely useless for those who have been touched by true love.”

Ren looked up, squinting with confusion at the ice pillar. “Touched by true love?”

“Most of the time, in a very literal sense, such as making love with a person who truly and deeply loves you and you them,” replied Rontu’s deep tone.

There was suddenly a long and quiet pause between all three. Khaz sat staring real hard at the next talon glove Leonna was about to put on for him. Ren was quirking a brow a slight smirking starting to tug at his lips. Suddenly Khaz twisting around a little more lively than before to speak directly in Rontu’s direction.

“Wait a second! Does that mean you had sex with my sister?!”

There was a choke of surprise and the sound of Rontu slipping on the ice and falling. He had been putting on his pants at that moment and his bare ass fell right onto the cold ice. Damn was it cold. Rontu flinched at the icy touch, but was quickly more concerned with what Khaz had just demanded to know. Standing again, he responded.

“What kind of question is that for a brother to ask?” he snipped curtly right back. “How is that any of your business?”

“That sure sounds like a rather guilty way of avoiding my question!” retorted Khaz. “If you weren’t affected by the spell and it requires for you to have done—done that kind of thing, then who the hell else would it be?!”

There were a lot of deep grumbles, nearly like growls coming from behind Rontu’s pillar. Khaz could make out some nasty names from it and “can’t believe this” and “privacy” were caught among the mutters. Eventually he let out a sigh of resignation.

“To not give you any false ideas—fine. We haven’t. You happy?” growled Rontu shortly. “I said most of the time it requires physical intimacy. Sometimes all that is needed is to be in love.”

Khaz kept his eyes narrowed at Rontu in suspicion for a moment, but then deciding to believe him, he turned back around to face Leonna but still in thought. They had had a talk after Khaz finally decided to accept Rontu and Leita’s relationship. He had let him know from the start. Leita was still very delicate … toward those kinds of things. Rontu had understood immediately. He even surprised him with how much he had been able to guess of the situation. Most of it just from watching Khaz and Leita’s behavior. He figured they might have heard something about him being crazy and chopping up his uncle and all. Though most of those rumors had gone out of style, most everyone at the Fortress already knew about it. Rontu had said it was Blaze who said it though. Blaze who had known without a doubt that he had, indeed, murdered his uncle. He had been there, when the two guards were dragging him away from the apartment, covered in blood. It felt a little dream-like when he looked back on it, though he remembered clearly Blaze’s strain expression of anxiety and horror as Khaz laughed and cried at the same time.

“Eh heh—aheh heh—Free …!”

Young and not yet scarred mocha face twisted tightly on his bones, his golden bronze eyes wide, scarlet hair plastered to his skull with sweat, as if he had gone running there as soon as he had heard … And he knew, he had been trying to warn Rontu about it. Rontu himself confirmed it. The only reason Blaze had said anything was in trying to make Rontu understand, because he feared that something like the event at the lake would happen.

That had been almost two years ago, though.

Khaz sat there somewhat shocked as Leonna tightened the glove on his hand. He turned his head said to speak to Rontu once more. “But … it’s been two years and you’re telling me you haven’t touched her once?”

Rontu emerged from behind the ice pillar, dressed in his black and trench coat again, and he threw the bag a little harder than necessary at his friend. His gold eyes narrowed with contempt nearly a cold as the ice around them. Obviously, he was not happy about being forced to speak of his private matters around all of them.

“No,” he spat curtly.

Khaz stared wide eyed up at him, ignoring being hit roughly with the bag. Rontu face twisted in a harder glare as the seconds passed. “What?” he snapped.

“I … well, I’m just … impressed …” Khaz looked down, seeming boggled. “You have … a lot of discipline.”

Rontu rolled his eyes impatiently. He had had enough of this topic. “Well, I’m not surprised that you wouldn’t know anything about self-control.”

Khaz stared up at him with deep scrutiny. He finally stood up a little shakily at first, and turned so as to continue to face his friend. “So … how long has it been since that last you had—”

“I do believe that this is the end of this discussion,” Rontu snapped a little more heatedly than he normally would. He had had enough of this. “Getting out of here with our weapons is our priority now.”

Ren sneered. “Yeah, but it sure makes ya damn curious.”

Khaz looked to Ren; he was starting to seem a little better, given something else to think about. However, he still had a rather dazed look in his eye, and he wobbled a little when he stood. “Right? Remember before the battle at Kakariko? Blaze asked him about that and what did he say again …? ‘I don’t do relationships’? I mean, hell, if it’s been longer than two or three years he’s gotta have some pretty blue ba—”

Rontu grabbed Khaz by the collar of his shirt and lifted him so that their eyes were much closer to the same level, forcing Khaz onto his tip toes. He pulled back a fist, ready to strike.

“Do you want me to hit you again?” he snarled, yet quietly into Khaz’s face. “Secondly, there is a lady present. Watch your mouth.”

A deep growl came from below both Rontu and Khaz looked to find Lynn tense and snarling a warning at Rontu. Khaz looked to his friend and grinned sheepishly.

“Yeah, I’m a ‘Calling’ or whatever. So he likes me.”

Rontu glared right back at Lynn, and the two of them stared for a good long while. As if trying to decide whether or not to challenge each other right then. However, Rontu looked away and hesitantly and grudgingly, set Khaz back down to his feet. His eyes still tight with his displeasure.

OoC: Blah, humor. My brain feels like Khaz's so that didn't come out as well as I wanted it to. I added more so pay attention.

I watched the cat-like creature approach Khaz with fearful reverence, relieved that it meant to pledge itself into his service, not attack. The creature’s deep, wise voice and honorable bow made me feel that I ought to bow back, even though it had not addressed me. While it was impossible to tell whether the creature was spirit or beast, I was certain that its intent was honorable. The cat’s eyes were strange, so gold and intelligent, patient, and yet disappointed. Perhaps he had been expecting fate to guide him to a seemingly more powerful master? Despite what the others seemed to think of Khaz and his lack of prestige, I felt in him more honor and courage than I had ever before seen. Even wearied, alone, afraid, he still had the strength to fight, to push forward. He was kind, endearingly so, and could smile even when things were at their worst. How could such qualities be so blatantly overlooked?

Yes, I had seen what one might consider to be admirable. I had seen tall, powerful men with steely eyes and brawn of iron. I had seen magnificent royalty, minds of unmatched intelligence, and soldiers whose strength was mighty beyond imagination. Such things were what pleased humans, being wealth, beauty, and power. Simple kindness was a decayed little leaf next to such glorious ideals.

But simplicity was all I knew. Bravery, strength, such things were blatant in the human society that I had never truly been a part of. Tyrants had power, vagabonds had bravery, and monsters had immeasurable strength. These great entities lacked the most precious, the most rare, the most touching thing of all: human kindness. This was the only source of my jealousy, the one thing I coveted, and I could never have it.

I was neither human nor demon. My identity now would not even be prevalent to my own people, so deformed was I. The power, the very essence of myself was no longer my own. It was tainted, even as I lived, gone as the demon was. I felt that it was part of Omentus that now lived within myself, some intangible demon that had swallowed my flame. What was I now but a tainted mockery of nature, Monstrous to no end?

How could a monster ever know human love?

Pain cracked in my chest, laden with effort to hold back tears. This emotion I struggled so to bury simply refused to remain within, hammering at my soul as steel against the anvil. The heat of it was already in my face, rushing into my head as to dispel all thought. Again, I had to fight it back down, tightening the nails and bolts of my joints as my body tensed. Tension was always the result of something trying to rend itself asunder, and before I allowed myself to fall apart under such stress, I had to mask it, strengthen my will until it could snap within the safety of solitude. Such weight I dared only to bear upon myself.

I must help him…

Khaz, yes, the kind, trembling Khaz still needed me. Every portion of his body showed weariness of spirit, in the dullness of his eyes and the abject weakness of his limbs. My heart ached for him, wishing to release him from pain, yet knowing that I could provide little relief from his strain. Khaz had not spoken directly to me since I had come to him. How could I expect him to? How could he even recognize me, the way I was? Tainted, covered in the filth of blood and dirt, nothing to offer but empty words and promises… I could hardly stand it all myself!

And yet, as Khaz struggled to slip his arms into the soft confines of his new gauntlets, my heart was softened. Forgetting my pitiful state, I reached to help him, taking comfort in the softness, the warmth of his hands. Even as they shook, I could feel strength in them, powerful and masculine flesh that knew hardship and work. This I could feel, and yet his touch was so gentle, so knowing. There were marvels in these very hands, whose flesh told the story of not one life, but many. How many people had they known? Who were those whose history and hearts had been touched by them? What on this earth had changed because they had grasped something? Such stories I could only dream of.

“Hey, Rontu, what did that woman do to me? You know ... the one you were fighting.”

My attention snapped back to Khaz as he spoke, alerting me to the fact that I was still cradling his arm, having done little to actually help him. With a brief flush of chagrin, I quickly rectified the behavior, removing the old gauntlets and slipping the new ones onto his arm as his conversation with Rontu continued.

“It was a lust spell. Females often use that to dominate their own males or their enemies.” Rontu’s reply was somewhat distant, causing me to immediately realize that he had left us, though not far. Distantly, I could recollect some mention of changing clothes, and was suddenly quite glad for Rontu’s modesty.

“Why didn’t you get caught in it too, then?” Khaz asked again, his voice somewhat weak, but curious. I listened meekly alongside him, still fastening the gauntlets onto his arms. Magic had always been something that intrigued me, and though it was disturbing that both Rontu and Khaz had been subjected to it, the matter remained fascinating.

“Lust spells are less effective or completely useless for those who have been touched by true love.” The objective response of Rontu made me smile—“love” was such a lovely word for Rontu to use. Such a pure thing was truly beautiful, and after witnessing all that I had in this cave of death, I did not find it difficult to believe that the power of the Drow was useless against it.

“Touched by true love?” Ren suddenly broke in, his voice strong, despite the confusion there. Though true love was a somewhat vague concept, it was something I heard and merely took for granted. Hearing it questioned made me strangely curious as to how Rontu would define such a thing.

“Most of the time, in a very literal sense, such as making love with a person who truly and deeply loves you and you them.” Rontu’s voice remained serious and cool, though the sudden mention of…his notion made me blush. I was quite familiar with animal reproduction, but between humans… I cannot say that I have ever found curiosity enough to even think on the subject.

Both Khaz and Ren also seemed taken aback by this, but not in the same sense as me. Ren smiled wickedly after a moment, a look that caused my insides to twist uncomfortably, even though it was not directed at me. I turned to Khaz for explanation of this, only to find that the look on his face was equally strange. I saw a spark alight in his eyes, his expression turning to one of indignant anger. He turned to look behind him, his smooth voice suddenly harsh.

“Wait a second! Does that mean you had sex with my sister?!” I nearly gasped at the blatant words, feeling my face redden with far more vigor than before. Such a comment would have won me a good slap had I ever spoken with such language at home. I was surprised that Rontu did not leap on Khaz right then and there. Such an implication…why, to even think…to speak so openly, so rudely—

I heard a distinct crack as Rontu fell upon the ground, though I was far to embarrassed to even think to look. “What kind of question is that for a brother to ask? How is that any of your business?” Rontu’s tone had lost its objectivity, sharp as the Drow’s icy spikes that protruded from the walls about us.

An indecorous inquiry then broke out, upon which Rontu’s personal affairs were most rudely trodden upon. I became increasingly nervous, my face growing warmer with each remark. Had I been back home, nay, had I been anywhere else, unhindered by these awful walls of stone, I would have slunk away into the underbrush, too offended by the brazen rancor of the spoken subject to stay, and too afraid to speak against it. As it was, I could only stand confounded, my gaze going back and forth between the three men with hand cringing against my face. Never before had I heard such speech.

Quite suddenly (but not entirely undeserved), Rontu grasped Khaz’s collar, his fist quite ready to strike. “Do you want me to hit you again? Secondly, there is a lady present. Watch your mouth.”

Aside from the terrible ice of Rontu’s voice, his mention of me deepened my anxiety. He… he had called me a Lady. It was a proper term among humans, but hearing myself mentioned in such a way (and in the middle of quite an inappropriate argument) made me *smart. It had been so long since I had been treated as such, for my timid nature and humble life offered little human company and little pride.

I made a most embarrassing squeak, though quiet, as Rontu’s arm flexed dangerously. I was greatly worried for Khaz’s safety, for Rontu could very easily make a mess of him. Khaz may have deserved it, but… but…

"The pain of an offence stabs deeper than any blade, Madam.”

Allan’s deep voice sounded in my mind, the memory of his voice comforting me, though his words granted me further anxiety. Men truly did have their pride, and Khaz had pushed even Rontu too far. I was sympathetic towards the dark elf, and found even myself becoming angry. Khaz ought to have known better than to have trodden on such delicate ground. A person like Rontu… a person like him deserved better respect.

There was a growing warmth in my chest as I watched the confrontation between Rontu and Lynn, feeling indignant and yet afraid. My skin prickled as Rontu finally disengaged, leaving an unpleasant silence in the air.

Leonna Fallenstar, if you do what you are about to do you will regret it.

Ah, but the voice of reason was quite weak within me now. I had seen too much, felt too much to control the emotion rising within me. I would speak, and it would likely breed regret, though what further bitterness I could now bring upon myself could only be menial after all I had endured.

“Have you no shame!” I burst out, my hands, once nervous, now in tight fists. Though anger burned all the way through me, my eyes became moist, as if to cry. I was now speaking to each creature present, my indignance, my anxiety, my anger brimming over in one angry, trembling voice.

“Why, why do you quarrel with such rancid banter? Have you not seen enough selfishness? Look about you! Can you not see the destruction such thoughtless cruelty breeds? You know nothing of your fortune, your blessing in companionship, for you would treat it as a disease ridden dog, kicking eachother aside if you were nothing more than dirt!

I will not have this, you hear me? I will not! Compose yourselves, for heaven’s sake! Are you not men? Have you any honor? Then act as such!”



*to feel a sharp, stinging pain, as in a wound. (www.dictionary.com).

Khaz stared at Leonna wide-eyed as she shouted at them so angrily, tears brimming her eyes. Why was it that women seemed to need to cry when they were mad too? Malon did that sometimes. He hadn’t realized he had offended her so badly. He was used to joking in this kind of way with his friends. It helped him even to just have something else to think about, to talk about. Though, in all honesty, it did come at the expense of Rontu. That wasn’t right of him, but at the same time … Leonna couldn’t understand. It was his business was to whether his sister was being treated rightly. He had to make sure …

Her angry eyes staring at him made it hard to justify even to himself. He should know better by now. He should trust Rontu. He has trusted him so far with the most cherished person of his life. Not as if he had a choice. Leita loved this drow, and he had come to know and accept that there was nothing he could do about it. Despite how much he had wanted to put his foot down and scream no. He had tried that already. It just made him an incredibly controlling ass of a brother. Rontu had taunted him and Kira had scolded him. He was not her father, just the older brother.

“If you do everything for her, how the hell is she supposed to have any confidence?” Those had been Rontu’s words long ago. There were a lot of reasons for Leita’s lack of confidence but his over-protectiveness had never helped her recover. Even after he accepted Rontu, it took him a long time to admit that to himself. Despite his love and care, he had only been smothering her not nurturing her or helping her heal those wounds. It had hurt a lot to admit. Rontu had helped her more than he ever had.

And he knew, that as well as having never touched his sister inappropriately, Rontu had never pressured her about it either. He didn’t even need to ask Leita if he had (she would probably deny it either way). He had watched them carefully. Too carefully, obsessive over-protectively, nosely. Kira noticed and smacked him upside the head once. Nothing seemed to bother her more than nosey and controlling people, which was one of the many reasons why Kira had disliked him so much at first. “Stop sticking your nose where it doesn’t belong! Dear gods, man, leave those two be and let Leita figure out love on her own.”

He knew Leita. He would tell if she was feeling pressured sexually because more of her old habits would have started to resurface. Reading Leita was like reading an open book. It was all there for everyone to see. He still knew the material best. Rontu was true to his word. Leita was absolutely and positively flourishing with him. She smiled so happily with that man. It had really made it hard to hate Rontu. He supposed that was what made the anger and hate start to die and fade away. Could he really hate a man that could make her smile like that? That smile he had so desired to see after so many years.

Shame tingled his insides with hot sickening pressure. He had relapsed into bad old habits again. Leonna’s anger made him realize it. It was quite rude of him to tease Rontu so openly and ask that of him. Rontu seemed to covet his privacy above all things. He didn’t deserve to be robbed of it.

There was a long silence after Leonna finished. Khaz stared at her as he thought it over and then he looked down, lowering his eyes in shame. His eyes stared at his new gauntlets, but he didn’t really see them. He had tucked his old ones back in the bag.

“I … I’m sorry, Leonna … and Rontu.” He rubbed the back of his neck, not realizing that the glove had claws, but they did not seem to cut him as he did this. In fact, they had shrank back into the gauntlet to avoid just that.

Rontu stared at her as well, arching a confused brow. She was being quite dramatic about it. It didn’t really seem as if she was standing up for him, which was all the better. It would have been even more frustrating to be healed and defended by a girl he had sought to use for his own gains. He was glad at least that she brought the attention back to the things they needed to focus on. More important things like this damn hole in this mountain that they were stuck in.

Suddenly laughter rang out from Ren, so almost doubled over snorting. They all looked to him. Eventually he finished, still chuckling some he smirked at Leonna.

“You don’t know anything about how guys talk, do you? This ‘rancid banter’ is how most guys joke around, and we usually do it at the expense of our friends,” he said and then folded his arms, red eyes piercing perceptively at her and he continued to smirk. “You really don’t know anything about socializing, do you?”

I was completely caught off guard by Ren, the confidence of my anger curling into a tight ball in my stomach. They were all staring at me now (save for Khaz, who seemed to find sudden interest in his gauntlets), their eyes burning into my skin. My whole back became rigid, my mind turning into a heavy brick. I ought to speak, but my tongue froze as my heart pounded. Where were words when I needed them?

I had succeeded only in making Khaz uncomfortable, giving Ren an even larger smile, and Rontu... Gods! I could not even look at him for fear that his hard gaze would shatter the fragile glass which bottled the emotion raging within me. They could not understand... they could not know the source of my anxiety, the fears that haunted me. I needed to be strong!

“What advice need I on socializing from one who would condone such behavior? I can take only relief from the fact that such vulgar speech might be unfamiliar to me!” My arms folded tightly against my chest, physically pressing my anxiety deeper within. “'If you are quite done, then let us be on our way, unless you would like to await whatever the escaped priestess might send after us.”

Khaz pulled the bag's strap over his head to hang on his shoulder and across his chest again. He looked up at Leonna, wishing Ren would just knock it off already. She was right. They needed to move on. Ren made no farther comments, and Rontu followed with familiar words of moving on and Khaz continued to look at Leonna. As he stared, he looked more closely at her eyes. They glowed in the same beautiful way as before, though more of a greenish aquamarine, but there seemed to be darker parts of her irises now too. It was hard to see though, the only light coming from the roasting corpse. Why had they changed? Even her clothes were completely different now. Where had she gotten them? Where had she been all this time? He wished Takai would wake up already so that he could tell him what had happened.

There was tension in her as well, and not just from the behavior she seemed to disapprove of. It was something that felt familiar to him more than he could easily describe in words. It was in her eyes. She was holding a lot more in despite her display of anger. She was hurting ... Why ...? His heart squeezed painfully. He wanted to wrap his arms around her, or grab her hands and pull her to him. Not for his own comfort this time, but because he wanted to give her relief. She didn't even have to tell him anything. He understood not wanting to say. He took a step forward without thinking, his hand started to reach out, but he remembered Ren and Rontu around them, and Leonna wanted to keep moving anyway. Maybe it would only annoy her farther for him to do something like that. She hadn't appeared very happy with him at the more recent of moments.

So he stopped himself and looked down at his gloves again. He examined the talon gloves in greater attention now. They were strange, being open at the palms. He didn't really know for what purpose. It had a strange slot-like attachment in it, for reasons he couldn't really imagine ... As he considered it, a strange soft presence touched his mind and as he focused on the slot, suddenly something shot out from it. It came out in the form of a blade, curving in the shape of a scythe. It was not made of metal, but sharp crackling black energy. Khaz jumped, but wasn't too surprised. It seemed to almost make sense ... He focused on the other glove, the part that had the strange almost liquid material on his left wrist. It moved, flowing out and expanding into a circular shape, like a shield.

OoC: Just for fun, until Drammie posts.

I stared at Khaz's hands as strange magic protruded from them, a vivid shock going up my spine. The dark magic that once repulsed me now urged me closer, making me take an involuntary step towards Khaz. There was something strange about those gauntlets that I had not previously realized, but I could not quite place what it was. I was immediately reminded of Lynn, of his dark energy, and assumed that all of this must have meant that there was some connection of magic between Khaz and him. The “calling” he had spoken of... had he meant Khaz's dark aura? That would explain his alligence and Khaz's ability to harness the power of the gauntlets.

How had I forgotten? That moment where he had slipped away to retrieve the noble drow's clothes... the feeling I had that there was more than Khaz had explained. Was he only feigning ignorance now as he spoke to Lynn? It would make sense, and yet... yet I did not think that of Khaz. Why would he withold such a secret?

“Khaz, what is this?” I took another step, my anger completely gone. Instead, I felt meek, repentant, worried. What if Khaz hurt himself?

Khaz was completely captivated by the talon gloves now. He almost didn't hear Leonna speaking to him. At least she didn't sound angry anymore. He looked up at her and then back down at the gloves. She sounded worried, though he wasn't entirely sure why at first. He stared at the gloves, scythe of black energy still crackling softly in the air and the liquid metal shield he had produced. Oh, right. He didn't really do magic. And he was clumsy and incompetent. Leonna probably thought he might hurt himself on accident. However, he knew, he didn't know how, but he knew he couldn't hurt himself with these.

"It's okay," he said. "It won't hurt me. Look." He moved the scythe and pressed it against the exposed flesh of his forearm. He didn't feel any pain, just the strange energy of the blade that moved constantly against his skin as if it were thousands of tiny bugs brushing against him. He lifted the blade away and his flesh was unaffected to.

His dark eyes went the shield, focusing on it. It morphed again, taking the shape of a sphere now. Rontu and Ren had stopped as well, watching Khaz play with his new gauntlets. Lynn watched with his deep yellow eyes, placid and unsurprised.

A tiny wine formed in my throat as I watched Khaz stab himself, my eyes going wide. It did not even give me relief to see that he was not harmed, for I had never trusted dark energy, even though it was precisely that which flowed through me now. Though entirely soothing, warm even, the energy exuded by Khaz as he worked the gauntlets frightened me. Lynn seemed like an honorable creature, but how could it be wise to so quickly trust him? That powerful dark aura that drew me... what if it became harmful to Khaz? Magic was a thing so complex that it could never be taken lightly, and after all that had transgressed, how could I trust any creatures that sprung up in this hard, dark world?

I nervously bit my bottom lip as I watched Khaz, tentatively poised on my toes should something wrong. As Khaz had said, however, the magic did appear harmless to him, so I allowed my mind to wander from him to our next destination. Khaz had already led us to the crystal chamber, and while I was sure that he could continue to guide us to our weapons and eventual escape, I wondered...

My hands silently went to the map within my bag, easily finding the thick vellum which rested within. The paper was by no means frightening, but I found my hands trembling as I unfolded it. There was powerful magic fused into the simple object, another reminder of the invasive energy that flowed through me. Even if I burned the map and threw away every last one of the demon man's gifts, this spell, this corruption within would still remain, and for that, there was only one remedy, whose morbid nature vehemently forced my thoughts away in another direction.

I carefully unfolded the map, flinching when a strange buzz of energy tingled from my fingers to the tips of my wings. I felt them flutter uncomfortably on my back, swirling the cold air about me. The soft blue glow of them lit the map up faintly, but my strange sight could make out each detail perfectly.

The problem was that there were too many. Omentus' map had been drawn out in tiny lines of ink, which looked like a delicate spider web. I could see the mountain drawn out before me, its many tunnels and rooms drawn out in perfect detail. There was even Elvish lettering written on the page, labels for the most important of rooms. I could make neither head nor tail of it.

"Er... Rontu, could you help me with this?" I turned my gaze to the golden eyed Drow, smiling sheepishly. My recent behavior, combined with the fact that I could not read the map, made me feel rather foolish. Still, upon catching his gaze, I motioned to the map in my hands, hoping it would be of some use.

Rontu glanced a Khaz for just a moment. The Hylian did a small twitch with his head, of a miniature head shake. Rontu's careful gaze had noticed. The white demon's eyes were white, completely, even before being slashed through. He had to assume that must be why Takai was down right now. He had never really known why Khaz was so deeply terrified of Nottuu. The white dragon was a thing to be feared, but Khaz's fear went much deeper than the others' did.

Rontu stepped toward her as his answer, closer to her side so that he could look at it. His brows furrowed with thought as he looked. He had read maps very often back in his Scarlet days. Memorized them. So that he could reach his target perfectly, improvise if need be without pulling out a map while on the run. So the skill was built into him, almost a second nature. He looked at the map, and when he touched one side of it with Leonna, he felt the familiar tingle of magic. Ah, so this was a magical map. He was rather familiar with those as well. With more focus the ink lines moved, more lines came into focus for a smaller scale. His eyes traced over the Elvish with ease. After studying it for a moment, he looked over at Leonna, placid and yet almost suspicious. Ren stepped closer, curious of the vellum.

"Leonna, where did you get this?"

I should not have been afraid, and yet I was. Rontu’s question brought fresh panic upon me, which seethed in my chest and filled my mind with frightful thoughts. For a moment, I was entirely caught up in them as I tried to form an articulate answer.

I could not lie. I simply could not. These men had already showed that they could read me, that they could see the things within myself that I desired to keep hidden. This, however, was merely cream upon milk. The simple fact was that I could not lie. It had nothing to do with morals, or some sense of justice, but pure lack of skill.

I can still remember the first time I ever tried to lie, for it is one of the few memories I still carry of Mama. When I was still young, perhaps somewhere around the age of three or four, I made a villainous attempt to steal one of Mama’s freshly baked pies.

“Now listen, Leonna,” Mama had warned as she caught my greedy gaze on the delight which sat upon the counter, “this is for the festival. I need to visit Erin to get some cream, and when I get back, that pie better still be here. Do you promise to take care of it for me?”

“Yes, Mama.” My eyes had remained on the pie even after she left, and as soon as she was gone, I had already climbed onto the countertop. I paused for a moment there, listening after my mother, whose dusty footsteps soon faded into the distance.

Now, I would like it known that I did not in fact guzzle down the pie in one gluttonous swallow. I was slowly tempted until my very morals came into question. I remember staring down at the blissful strawberry pie with the greatest of respect, sighing as its warm, fruity scent tickled my nose. My eyes took in every sweet detail, counting even the bumps upon the golden outer crust. As my mouth watered, my young mind had a heated debate about whether or not it was right to deny myself of such a blessing, and what terrible storm might come upon me if my mother found out.

That was perhaps one of the shortest arguments I have ever had.

Down that pie went, gooey, hot, and perfectly wonderful. To a normal human, the heat might have made the eating more unpleasant, as it was fresh from the oven and the filling still bubbling, but to me? It was bliss. The berry filling was as fresh as spring, its marmalade flavor sweeter than honey. To this day, I still cannot think of a more delicious pie.

In a flash, the criminal act was done. I licked my little fingers with devilish delight, a good portion of the pie stuck on my face and clothes. Being so young, I never even considered the notion of cleaning up, or that my mother would notice and think me the criminal, for it had felt so good.

That goodness did not last long, however. Within minutes, Mama was back, and Goddesses strike me dead if I have ever seen a more ferocious face then the one she wore at that moment. Her eyes buldged as she saw the evidence of my crime, her face growing red as she saw the empty pie tin with crumbs all about the counter.

“LEONNA FALLENSTAR!” I peeked my head from around the table, sudden guilt turning the pie in my stomach into a terrible, terrible disease. When Mama screamed my name like that, it might as well have been ghosts calling me from the other side. I was dead.

“LEONNA FALLENSTAR, COME HERE THIS INSTANT!”

“Yes, Mama?” I had been clinging for my life to the table’s leg, as if it could save me from being dragged away into a horrible place.

“What did I tell you, Leonna?”

“I don’t know.”

“I think you do.”

“Un uh.”

Mama marched right up to me, grabbed me up into the air, and took me right to the scene of the crime. “Do you remember the pie right there?”

“Yes.”

“And did you eat it?”

“N-n-no.”

Mama’s hand brushed against my face, picking up a guilty glob of strawberry filling. “Then how did this get here?” Her hand waved accusingly in front of me, and I covered my stained mouth with my stained hand, trying to hide it.

“I don’t know.”

Mama’s eyes rolled up into her head in pure exasperation. “Then where did it go?”

“The cow ate it.”

Since that time, I am sorry to say that my skill in deceit has improved little. There are plenty of things to blame this on, perhaps my lack of human company, or the rare need to hide information from curious ears, but needless to say, it could use improvement. Even this, however, was not the major source of my anxiety.

My eyes were fixed on the hand next to mine, which lightly gripped the map I held. I had watched in wonder as the ink spread and thinned, moving as if commanded to by Rontu. The wonder had intensified as Rontu spoke to me, but once I looked up to meet his gaze, I found myself terribly surprised.

Had Rontu always been that tall? His gold eyes peered down at me calmly, and yet there was a distinct sharpness to them, as it had been when he questioned my ability to fly. I did not realize until now how much I had missed of him, being trapped in shadow as I was. Now, I could see the distinct gray scar on his face, the perfect white of his hair, the black tone of his skin, even the subtle crookedness of his nose. His full height, the extremity of his musculature, the severity of his eyes— I was hit rather hard with the sudden vividness of it.

How had I missed all of this? The darkness had truly occluded my sight, but the sudden light did not rid me of fear, it brought me more. Rontu was every inch a strong, dangerous soldier, and I had failed to truly understand this until now. It was clear to me, both physically and mentally, why Rontu was the unspoken leader of the group. The very air about him was one of steel.

And then I remembered that he had asked me a question. Even as I turned my eyes from Rontu to search for an answer, Ren stepped towards me, his red eyes suddenly threatening. I do not say threatening because he was looking at me with such an expression, but that I felt threatened by the movement. Why? Because if Rontu was steel, Ren was fire.

Ren looked considerably younger than both his counterparts, but what he lacked in age he had in intensity. His blood red eyes were somehow brighter than before, reminding me of a flame. His exposed arms showed a great deal of strength, and his height… he was even taller than me! All of this made me feel rather weak, as I was surrounded by people whose physical strength surpassed mine in every way. How on earth was I to survive if they mistrusted me to the point of…

Gods! I could not even think of it. My chest was already compressing under the weight of their proximity, of their vivid gaze. What could I possibly say to appease them? How could I expect them to believe me even if I told the truth? My mind groped for an answer, hoped for some lucky solution, and upon gazing at the morbidly dead corpses below, I finally found it.

I kept my gaze firmly on the map now, trying to keep myself from shaking. With a great deal of effort to bolster my voice, I finally spoke. “F…from the Drow, of course. Where else would you expect?”

OoC: Hee hee, that was an adorable memory. "The cow ate it." Little Leonna is so cute.

BiC: All three men had the exact same thought: She's lying.

It did not help Leonna to pause so long before answering or that she stuttered the response or that her face looked so clearly afraid and guilty. Rontu continued to stare at her and slowly arched one brow. Ren stifled a snort of laughter. But Khaz's gaze seemed more troubled and worried as he stared at her. Why would she lie about the map? Why were her wings so different from before? He thought they were equally beautiful, but that was besides the point. Added to the pain he felt in her before, it caused him great unease.

When would Takai wake up? It so frustrating to be incompetent and ignorant by himself.

Rontu studied her face after the obvious lie. He didn't know why she would lie about such a thing. Perhaps it had to do with her disappearance for most of the battle in the chamber ... but was it really so hard to say that she left to snoop around? His eyes went to her strange new armor. The back was designed specifically for her wings ... It didn't look like anything a drow would have either. It looked as if it was made of living wood. Not common for drow, maybe for the wood elves. But who was he to force the truth out of her when he used her so?

"We need to get to the ground floor," said Rontu, looking away from Leonna now and folding up the map and handing it back to her.

"Since me and Leonna can fly, how about we make this quicker and take both you and Khaz down with us," suggested Ren.

Khaz looked to Lynn. "What about ...?"

"I will get there faster than all of you, child," supplied the feathered panther.

OoC: Oh, yes, I've had moments like that. Of course, it was never really my fault.

BiC:

“Yes, right.” I quickly stuffed the map back into my bag, glad that the focus was now on moving forward. Having all three of them look at me like that came nigh unto the sensation of suffocating. I was somewhat distracted by Ren's laugh, wondering if he was making fun of my incompetency, or the humor of the situation. I expected it was the former, as I could find absolutely nothing funny about being stuck as I was.

Let him laugh; it comforted me. These men might be dark and foreboding, but they were still human.

I approached Khaz this time, keeping my gaze lowered and my hands clasped. Approaching him was incredibly difficult now that no one was profusely bleeding or fighting off vicious white demons. “Would you like me to take you?”

Even if it was not significant, I still had my reasons for asking Khaz rather than Rontu. He looked considerably lighter, and after seeing Rontu in full for the first time, I was entirely bemused as to how I had managed to fly him up to the platform. I had been so panicked at that time, reason had been anywhere but in my head, and... my insides were such a wreck at that point that I was hardly surprised to think that I may have lost my mind. The sooner we left the mountain, the better.

Khaz looked at her as she approached him, looking down timidly. He couldn't help but smile. She was so cute. Closer now, he could see her eyes in more detail though she was staring at her hands. There was definitely more green and ... black. That definitely hadn't been there before. It fluctuated against the teal edge of the iris the the bright blue that led to the green that surrounded her pupils ... He wanted her to look up at him, so that he could look into them more clearly ... They were beautiful ...

"Yeah, sure ... Rontu's bigger than me, so Ren can handle him," he paused for a moment and then added, "Your wings are beautiful."

There was more he wanted to say about that. He wanted to ask about her eyes and her wings and why they had changed like this. Maybe it was just normal for faeries, but there hadn't been so much pain in her before this change. He didn't ask. Not in front of Ren and Rontu. He didn't want to put her on the spot light about something that felt very personal to her. He didn't know when he'd have a chance to ask or if she even wanted to tell him about it. They hardly knew each other.

That was three times, now— it had been three times that he had associated me with beauty and the third time I was confused by it. I could not comprehend how this was, how I could repeatedly change and still have him feel the same way about me. Khaz saw me as I was, a tainted, lying wretch, and yet his voice remained kind, even warm.

Surprise urged my eyes upward, right into Khaz’s face. Unlike Rontu and Ren, it was not a shocking experience, as my previous light had already shown much of what I saw. His perfect white skin still looked soft in the darkness, the muss of his dark black hair no less smooth and lustrous. The most eye catching thing, however, was his eyes. The dark blue of them was entrancing and warm, yet strange. I continually felt that there was some deep meaning there, feelings and truths that lurked beneath the surface, but all of them were impossible to read. Had it not been for the subtle hints of his face, the worried dip of his brows, the serious line of his lips, I would never have seen the concern there.

For the smallest moment, my hand strayed toward him, remembering the sweetness of his breath and the safety of his arms. I was tempted to forget myself again, to throw all my pain on Khaz and have him kiss it all away. I wanted to cry everything to him, to tell him how hard it was to be a demon, how afraid I was of my own body, how frightened I was that I might find myself alone in the darkness again. His embrace had protected me from these things, and his kind words had blocked out every single despairing thought, every fear I had.

But that was impossible wishing. Whatever passion had manifested itself back in the maze was empty. Khaz had merely needed comfort, and I had given it freely. To burden him now with my own trite fears would be to negate everything I had endured. I wanted to be strong for him and the others, to remain useful as I had promised. That I could not do if I fell to sobbing in his arms. All I could offer Khaz was a small smile at his compliment, and I allowed the words to soothe over my anxious heart. “Alright, then. Please hold still.”

Again, my mind dug into my chest, pulling at my energy. My wings grew brighter as my strength flooded into them, and in another moment, I was already hovering over the ground. I would need all the strength I could muster to carry Khaz, particularly since there was not enough room to gain momentum before picking him up. At least we were headed down instead of up.

I came behind Khaz as I had Rontu and picked him up underneath the arms, pulling him up a foot or so into the air before I dared to put both of us off of the ledge. Then, with labored breath and wings, I glided down to the ground floor, setting him carefully back on the ground. I dropped down right beside him, taking a moment to recover from the exertion.

My attention, however, did not rest long on myself. As I stared at the ground, I was fascinated by the fluctuating pattern of light my wings made against the ice. The greenish blue glow flowed over the ground like water, and for a most surreal moment, I almost felt like I was standing in the ocean. The bright, web-like streams of light shining in that bright lagoon were so similar to what I saw now, and I found myself completely caught up in it. Who would have thought that the cruel magic of the drow could ever become so wondrous?

Eventually, my eyes strayed further from the ice, out of the halo of blue light, and there was where I began seeing the true gruesome nature of the floor which I stood upon. Littering the ground were corpses in every state of decay, most with their skin eaten away as if by flame, and many with wounds whose blood stained the floor. I stifled a scream as the extremity of the room fully hit me, my eyes finding every broken skull, every deformed limb, and every cry of horror that remained carved into dead faces. There must have been hundreds of bodies, hundreds of stolen lives. How… how had Khaz survived all of this?

Almost immediately, my eyes went to him, and I realized with embarrassment that both of my arms were tightly clinging to one of his own. He was the only source of warmth in the whole room, and I was truly grateful for his solid presence. Without his gentle strength, I felt that I might very well faint.

OoC: I dreamed last night that I was Rontu in some dark cave assassinating people ... Maybe I've been RPing too much?

BiC: She looked up at him, surprise and confusion deep within her eyes for a moment as she stared. It was the same each time he had called her beautiful. She had finally looked up so that he could look at her eyes more directly. If anything they were more captivating than before, with more colors that fluctuated together so interestingly. But then he saw it, just for a moment, pain in her eyes. It went in so deep, but then it was gone and she smiled at him. The urge to hold her was strong again, but she said, “Alright, then. Please hold still.”

Her wings glowed brightly then and she hovered above the ground, looking all the more a faerie with her wings out, fluttering through the air and glowing. No, she didn’t know how much he meant his words. She was so beautiful. He knew why she kept them hidden before and could not walk around with them out constantly. There were dark and ill intended people in the world. She couldn’t wonder about so obviously before their eyes, in all the glory of her nature. It was such a pity. He liked her best this way. He couldn’t stop staring at her. She was breath-taking.

Leonna flew around behind him and slipped her arms under his and pulled him up into the air for a moment before taking him off the ledge with her. It was somewhat similar to a spell he had experienced with Leita before. Her floating spell that allowed them to fall, or rather, glide safely to the ground. His feet tapped down onto the ice and Leonna touched down next to him soon after. He heard her panting for a moment, and he looked to her. It was shocking to see that she could, in fact, lift him. Even more surprising to think she had flown Rontu up there.

However, now that they had flown away from the roasting corpse that had been his source of light, the only thing that illuminated them now was Leonna’s wings. More darkness had surrounded them even more. Not even just normal darkness. The powerful spell the demon spider had casting made it feel as if the darkness flowed and moved around them. She had cast a second spell that made light fluctuate randomly through out the chamber, which he could see off in the distance.

Fear gripped him tightly in his chest. The darkness was a lot scarier without Takai with him.

Leonna suddenly gripped his arm and he heard a muffled whimper escape her. He jumped a little, but his hand went to her shoulder immediately. “What is it?”

At that moment, Rontu and Ren flew down next to them. The half dragon set his friend down and once he had set himself down too, his wings folded himself, something like a cloak, and his hand extended out in which a small flame like a tiny torch burst into life in his palm, licking against his fingers that curved around them.

Lynn’s yellow eyes glinted in the darkness near by. He sat there, was if he had been patiently waiting all that time. Khaz had been too focused on Leonna to see how he had gotten there.

“Hey, Ren … since when have you been able to do … fire magic?” asked Khaz as he stared at the illuminating fire his friend produced.

Ren smirked. “You know, you never explained how you were doing all those things before—knowing where all the traps were, where all the guards came up, or how you got those clothes on your own. Also, it seems like you’re not taking the lead like you were before … So how about this: when you tell me how you did all that, I’ll tell you how I’m doing this.”

Khaz scowled at the dragon boy. He hated how perceptive Ren could be sometimes.

“Come on, let’s move,” said Rontu and he started to move in the direction of the opening that lead out of the crystal chamber, on the other side of the room from where they had first entered it. Lynn moved with Rontu and added,

“This darkness is not natural. Do not wander into the darkest points of it. Many of them hold portals that could suck you into the Shadow World. And Spirit knows when you’d find an exit out again.”

And they were off again, into the deepest reaches on this underground chasm.

OoC: Umm... either that, or I've had too much caffine.

BiC:

“Khaz, close your eyes. I will guide you.” I gently whispered this in his ear, still too afraid to let go of him. I did not speak the words as an order— there was too much fear in my voice for any such thing—but it was fairly important that the carnage about us be concealed from his sight. The awful deaths we had seen before were trite compared to what lay about us, and I could only imagine what horrified response it might provoke from Khaz.

I waited for him to comply, and it was only after I was completely sure of his blindness that I took closely after Rontu and Ren. The Half Dragon’s flame served as a wonderful distraction from the horrors all around, though the sight of it made me bitter. It seemed only moments ago when such a flame had been mine, when that comforting heat would be emanating from my hands, but it was gone. With the absence of my flame, there was only a dark abyss that pulsed through me, perfectly calm, very much alive, and yet altogether dead. What was I without the demon?

My thoughts paused as I carefully made my way past another corpse, my arms tensing harder around Khaz when my sight fell upon it. The blue glow of my wings made its twisted face seem eerily alive as deep red blood dripped from its mouth, bleeding in harmony with the massive slash through its abdomen. I grimaced at the half present flesh of its body, which revealed a number of gushing, rancid organs whose rancor carried into the air. Shuddering, I continued to guide Khaz across the room with his animal companion near his other side. I trusted that the creature would know if we came too close to one of the portals he had warned of, though in my mind, we might as well have been walking through the Shadow World for all the difference it made. I could see impenetrable points of shadow dotting the room, but I had never trusted my vague understanding of magic, which made the wise creature's presence all the more valuable.

It took too long to finally make it out of the chamber and into the tunnels. As soon as no light could touch the terrible scene behind us, I whispered again to Khaz that he could open his eyes. I was glad that he had trusted me enough to listen, for darkness behind closed eyelids is often more frightening than black before open eyes. I also made the determined decision to keep my wings out, for they were the only light I could now offer to Khaz. The surrounding chill made this somewhat painful, as my wings were even more sensitive to temperature than any other part of my body, but it was the only comfort I could offer.

The situation, however, was not all that bad. I still kept my arms wrapped around Khaz’s left arm, the greatest source of strength in all of my fear. Holding him also gave me the guilty pleasure of his body warmth and scent, that deep smell of the ocean, which was wonderfully distracting. I even had a good reason for holding him as I did, for who else would provide him with sure footing in such bad light?

Khaz trusted Leonna, suddenly remembering that they stood on the remains of their previous battle. So he closed his eyes and let her guide him. They moved along for sometime before he was allowed to open his eyes again. Every now and then, Leonna would squeeze his arm and press close to him. He couldn’t say he minded at all, though it was a little ominous of whatever she was seeing that he couldn’t. He liked being in contact with her, touching her, giving her some small comfort like he had wanted to before. Though, it wasn’t as satisfying. It wasn’t really enough to make him content.

It reminded him a little of Takai guiding him through the pitch darkness. Not being able to see at all, but giving all his trust into his other self. It comforted him in an odd way. It was more comfortable than when he had his eyes open.

When she finally told him he could open his eyes, they had reached more tunnels. She also still held onto his arm, which was a nice perk. He felt a prickle of guilt as he realized this. Oh gods, he was really starting to like her too much …

They continued on, Ren and Rontu leading the way through the tunnels. It seemed his drow friend did not need to consult the map again. He kept turning and taking forks with ease. Never asking Leonna for the map again. Had he memorized the way that quickly? I swear, hanging around all these skilled people is going to give me a complex.

They walked on and on, in silence. He couldn’t tell how much time had passed. An hour? Maybe two? It was getting a bit tiresome, especially with that constant edge that the darkness seemed to put everyone on. Alert and weary. And he was so tired already. Rontu seemed to notice this without ever looking behind him, for he would stop every now and then to give them a rest. Ren would go ahead to scout the way and kill anything that they may cross. Sometimes he would find things. Khaz was never really sure what they were. They looked strange, but it was hard to tell much more from their roasted corpses. Ren seemed to be having fun with his new found flames.

They eventually reached a heavy-looking pair of double doors, made of stone and wood, which Ren pushed open with ease.

“This is it,” said Rontu.