Apollo and Tajy (A book lost in time)

Celo looked back to hear Terrowin beckoning for her and walked over, sitting next to him. Why did she feel awkward? She was fine with kissing him, fine with fighting with him but when it came to just sitting with him in the morning light it made her go rigid. She sat still nevertheless and looked at his chest. “Is it healing well?” She asking, wondering if Seren would need to check over the wounds to ensure he wasn’t getting infection.

Anerina frowned slightly, despite her happiness. She could sense the distrust he had for her still and yet how could he blame her? How could she ever face her father and mother again? These were questions that she knew would need answering but not at this moment in time. She would enjoy her time with Alberic for as long as she could before her life would be taken in punishment. She smiled sadly, thinking about it and decided not to tell him. They would eventually be close enough to home town and she didn’t want him worrying over it. Walking besides him as he went to wake Felren, Aneria put a smile back on her face and watched.

Felren on the other hand was not so happy for the wake up. He startled to wake, ready to punch Alberic in the face as reflex but stopped himself looking over the man curiously. “Yes yes, in good time my friend. There is no other threat out in these deserts besides the heat.” He sat up, patting the dragon in thanks for the semi-comfortable bed and slid down to survey the group. “Seems everyone made it out alive, but I need to ask a few things of the blonde man.” He was speaking of Kol. “Later though.” He commented seeing Raven and Kol having their own moment.

“We head out within the hour.” He announced loudly enough for all to hear as he began to load and check on the dragons. What a good business they made.

((So this was gonna be longer, but my internet died when I was almost done, so it's gonna be short, sorry >.< ))

Soon the group was ready to be off, and the pairs coupled off, each taking their own sand dragon like they had the day before. With the word from Felren, they were off. They traveled more slowly than they had the day before, all tired and a little nervous from the day before. Every movement in the desert seemed to be a possible threat, and they only stopped briefly for food and water every so often. Even so, they made quick work through the desert, and it appeared they would be in town by the evening.

They talked quietly among themselves, trying to keep the conversation going to keep the boredom and nervousness away. They were all relieved when, as darkness began to descend upon the desert hours later, a dark line appeared on the horizon. Within another half hour they could clearly see the city, and before long they were at the edge of town. It looked somewhat similar to Bay Moar, being a seaside town, if not slightly older-looking and less desert-like. The ocean glimmered on the other side of the town as the group found a place to rest.

Terrowin wasn't sure where Felren planned on taking the sand dragons, so as he hopped off of his with Celo, he grabbed his belongings while holding lightly to her hand. With a roguish grin, he even dared a light kiss on her lips, knowing that Kol would be watching. Ah, he would have to deal with the Avian sooner or later. He glanced over the city in the dim light of the setting sun, wondering where they were supposed to go now.

Raven too hopped off her dragon, snaking an arm through her rucksack as she did so. She kept a careful eye on Kol as he got off, making sure he didn't appear to be straining himself at all. Even though she had watched Seren heal him, she still almost expected him to wince in pain. It wasn't normal to go from being nearly dead to completely fine in a matter of hours. As she waited for him to get off, she traced a finger along her new scar, knowing that it would probably become a nervous habit...

Alberic helped Aneria down from their lizard, making sure she didn't stumble on the uneven surface of the sand. He still didn't know what he was going to do about her. Sighing, he got down as well, looking around at their surroundings. An interesting place. He would have to go exploring soon; he was itching to be alone for a while.

Lastly, Estel slid off of his ride, looking to Felren once he was on the ground. "I assume you have a plan," he said, nodding towards the city. "Please, lead the way."

Celo slid off the dragon with Terrowin, accepting the kiss with ease. Showing her affection through physical means seemed so much easier for the normally emotionless woman. She supposed it ran in the family with Kol’s history of jumping from women to women and never once saying that he loved them until Raven. She shrugged, not really caring for the most part and walked along side with Terrowin.

Kol slid from the dragon without a problem and caught the concerned look Raven gave him. On top of that he noticed that she was fingering the thin scar across her front once more. Taking her hand in his own he kissed the top of it gently. “Beautiful lady, that thin silvery line does not mar your incomparable beauty.” He smiled at her and placed a slow, loving kiss on her lips. “Cheer up, it’s alright.” He reassured her.

Aneria had time to think during their long and boring ride across the desert. The poor girl was miserable and missed the frigid weather of her homeland. But she was here with Alberic and had chosen her path, she only wished he could see that she meant it. Feeling a bit untrusted, she offered her thanks when he helped her down and kept her head down and to herself.

When Estel spoke to Felren he grinned. “Of course I have a plan, I’m Felren.” He stopped them for a moment. “For now you all can do what you want, I need to take care of some thing. Beware in his city though; there are some crafty demons. “ He issued his warning and then a smile softened his hard features. “Meet me back in front of the gates on the inside of the city in a couple of hours.” He took the reigns of the nearest dragon and then went to gather the rest.

Seren looked to Estel after Felren spoke and entwined her fingers with his. “Shall we?” She offered a smile to him and began walking into the city. It was a relatively big city, the building all stacked together and the cobble stone street echoed noises of all kinds off the walls. She noticed a man or two take note of her and felt a little uncomfortable under their gazes.

"Aye aye, captain," Terrowin said to Felren, making a mock salute before turning with Celo to the city. The others were still gathering their things, so he led her discretely away from the crowds, keeping an eye out for anyone (or thing, for that matter) that might cause them trouble. They walked for a while amidst closing booths and stalls, most packing up for the night as the people in town began to go home. The sun was slowly setting over the horizon, and lamps began to light up in the dim town, creating a romantic, soft atmosphere. They wandered farther into the city until they came upon what was obviously some sort of monument. It was a high, thick wall-like structure, decorated with paintings and murals of what appeared to be the town's history. There were paintings of battles, of past leaders and influential people that apparently had some part in Fallvale's history. The wall was lit up only by a few small torches on either side, and the couple walked closer, Terrowin noticing that the area was completely devoid of civilians. 'It must just be another part of the city for them,' he thought, but to him, it seemed like a masterpiece. He traced a hand along the sinuous tail of a fire-breathing dragon being slayed by the townspeople of some long-ago battle, curious to know more.

After a moment, he caught a flicker of light, and, looking to Celo, realized it was her blonde hair catching the faint light of a nearby torch. Beautiful. He reached a hand up and caressed the soft tresses of her hair, marveling at how it had managed to stay so perfect even in the heat and wind of the desert. A surge of longing that he recognized rose within him, and he gently turned so that Celo's back was against the wall, with himself facing her. Wondering how far he should go, he slowly pressed her wrists against the wall by her sides, then, hesitating only momentarily, kissed her gently. Once she responded, he knew he would probably go further, but he didn't want to scare her away, he couldn't risk that...

----

Raven smiled gently at Kol's words. "Thank you," she murmured, kissing him lightly upon a bruise that she assumed he had gotten from the battle. "You look wonderful yourself, especially considering the wounds you were dealt yesterday." She entwined her fingers with his as she nodded to Felren and followed after Celo and Terrowin into the city. They went in a different direction, among playing children and laughing parents. It all seemed so harmless and carefree, it was hard to believe that demons infiltrated the city. Raven even stopped and caught a ball that had been tossed in their direction, throwing it back with a grin on her face. Ah, the innocence of youth. She could remember when she and Alberic used to do the same in their small town, back when things had been simple and all that they cared about was having fun and getting into as much trouble as possible. She wondered if Kol had been brought up the same way.

Soon the children and parents retreated into their abodes, leaving Kol and Raven alone in the middle of a dust-covered street. They kept walking for a while, commenting on the day and anything they could think of. Eventually they made their way to a small cliff overlooking the sea, complete with a stone bench and star-strewn sky. Raven perched on one end of the bench, sighing happily and wondering what would be happening next on their journey.

----

Estel glared at any man that looked too openly at Seren. He didn't like this town already. It seemed seedy, and he kept close to Seren's side as they wandered about the streets. Eventually they found a nice, small tavern to rest in, and chatted with the locals as they quenched their thirst and ate. Apparently they had found the nicer part of the city, since most everyone in the place seemed clean and happy. He hoped none of the others had been caught farther in the dark part of the town...

----

Alberic turned to look at Aneria. "I think I'm going to go on my own for a while. I need time to... Think about things. I think you can get along on your own for a while, right?" He assumed that, since Felren had mentioned demons, that Aneria had been here before. It seemed an odd place for the creatures to be lurking, and so he naively went off on his own, making a mistake along the way and turning into a dark, unlit street. He didn't notice until he had gone for a ways that it was completely deserted, and he blinked uncertainly, wondering if he should turn and go back. As he stood and pondered what to do, he was unaware of what was lurking and watching him in the shadows.

A few yards away, a half-dozen shadowy figures shifted about in the shadows, out of view of the Avian. The demons, all female, were of varying colors and sizes, and all were watching him with intense focus. "He looks perfffect," one growled, a small, light red demon with long, crimson horns and eyes the color of fresh blood. "We haven't had fun with an Avian in yearsss." Another one, with skin of such a deep green hue she almost appeared black, nodded in agreement, her black lips curling up in a viscious smirk. She was the tallest of the group, and appeared to be the leader, as all the other demons nodded after she. Her thick, curvaceous horns wrapped around the back of her head, almost hidden in the dark tresses of her inky hair. "He is unsuspecting. We must go now." Without further warning, she slinked out of her hiding place, strutting over to where Alberic was still standing, bewildered. When he saw her, for a moment he thought she was simply human, if not a little dark-skinned and scantily dressed. "Hey, can you help me?" he called warily. "I think I've lost my way."

"Of course I can help you, my dear," the demon grinned, revealing wickedly sharp teeth. When she got closer Alberic could see the horns, as well as the unnatural white hue of her eyes. She was far from beautiful, but he couldn't help as his eyes traced down from her face to the pair of generous breasts she had wrapped in a small piece of incredibly tight leather, down to her tiny waist and then curvaceous hips. With an instand, he knew what she was. Scared now, he scrambled to go back the way he had come, only to be met with the other five demons blocking his way. "Now now dear, where are you going? We only want to.... Help you." The lead demon laughed evilly, stalking closer to Alberic until her long, thin hand reached out and grasped his throat. Her long nails gripped his skin almost to the point of piercing it, and Alberic let out a strangled cry. "Hush, songbird," she chided, pressing a finger to his lips. He suddenly unfolded his wings, flapping powerfully in an attempt to get out of harm's way by flying out of the alley. "Stop!" the girl hissed, eyes flashing with anger. "We can't have you escaping that easily. Incapacitate him." She nodded to the demons, and three came up to Alberic, wrestling him to the ground until his chest and face were pressed against the stone, his wings outstretched as they pulled on the feathery appendages. Two held him down while the third, a dark brown demon with black tattoos decorating her entire body, knelt down with on knee on Alberic's back. Alberic had no idea what they intended to do, and he struggled in vain as she gripped his left wing in an incredibly strong grasp. With a hiss, she jerked suddenly, and a loud CRACK could be heard. Alberic screamed in agony as his wing was brutally broken, in too much pain to notice her reaching for the other wing. Another CRACK filled the air, and he screamed again, his wings now laying limply on the ground. His world was dark and agonizing, and he could do nothing as the rest of the demons came forward and began to strip him of his clothes. He was vaguely aware of the cool breeze running against his now bare torso, and a small, purplish demon perched on top of him, about to perform who knew what. What am I going to do? he cried internally. He had no idea if they were going to kill him or simply toy with him, but whatever it was, he didn't want their greasy dark skin and mouths on his body.

Celo enjoyed the fact that the streets were empty, that she could walk with Terrowin in a comfortable silence. She admired the artwork with passing interest as a lock of her silken golden hair fell in her face. She couldn’t deny she was slightly surprised when Terrowin slowly pushed her against the wall, hovered his lips over hers for just a moment and then kissed her softly. Celo didn’t pull away or move her wrists from their current held down position even though it felt like she would have she wished for it.

She let him know it was more then okay when she kissed him back a bit harder, while keeping her body soft and placid in his arms. She moved herself up against his body similar to a cat as she tilted her head slightly to deepen the kiss.

~*~*~*~

Kol walked with Raven and smiled warmly at the children in the street. They reminded him of his siblings at home and a soft pang of longing hit him. He had left kind of promptly and it had been a long time since he was home. He wasn’t too used to traveling away from his siblings, being pretty much a parent, but he knew that Raven had needed him and that made all the difference.

As they sat down on the bench Kol smiled to Raven, enjoying the new found silence and then sighed. They had come far, gathered many but he felt like it wasn’t going to be enough. “Do we have word yet on this Aneria yet? Any news on how she got out here and why?” He had no idea how long he was out for and if any news was sent down the ranks.

~*~*~*~

Seren sat down with Estel happy to be away from the staring eyes and relaxed in her chair. “Do you think the others are alright?” She asked softly. She didn’t like the feel of this town one bit but what choice did they really have. She looked at Estel though and felt safe, he would protect her, she was sure of it.

~*~*~*~

Aneria nodded, not really happy to be parting with Alberic but thought it might be for the best. She walked along the street without much trouble and kept her thoughts to herself as she browsed some of the closing shops. As the sun began to set she noticed a lack of people out and about so she decided to start making her way back to the gate to meet with Felren and the group. What she didn’t expect though was the odd noises coming from down an alleyway.

Deciding to check it out, Aneria walked down and squinted as she saw a mass of figured in the middle of it all. She was thankful as a bit of clouds moved out of the way so the last bits of sun could play on this group. Her eyes went wide with shock. Alberic was being straddeled by a demon woman, and was completely naked. She could only guess that the deed was already being done. She couldn’t see his face but it was only made worse by the angry trees welling up in her eyes. How could he? She thought that perhaps she wasn’t trusted by him…but this?

A demon raised her head and her tail slowly moved back and forth as she studied Aneria. “One of us…” She grinned, “Would you like to play as well?” She cocked her head at the hurt look on her face. “Oooh, this one is yours…so sorry he wanted to play.” And with that Aneria had heard enough. “Alberic! I though-“ What right did she have to assume he had any interest in her? She had betrayed them and she could do nothing about that. Breaking out into a heart-wrenching sob, Aneria bolted down the alleyway and back into the city.

Ter stiffened slightly in surprise when Celo returned the kiss with unusual fury, going so far as to press her lean form against his and tilt her head to the side to deepen the kiss. Taking it as a sign, he pulled away just enough to trace his lips down to her exposed neck, nuzzling and kissing the soft, bare flesh. His hands released their hold on her wrists, and he moved up to grip her waist, running his hands up and down the lean muscles along her stomach. He mentally thanked Felren for having the women wear the lightweight clothes, and traced his fingers up until they rested just below her chest along her ribcage. Her sweet scent seemed to fill the air around him as he moved his mouth back to her lips, pressing her against the wall as he continued the kiss. He didn't care if anyone was around to watch them; he was too caught up in the taste and feel of Celo to notice anyway. In the back of his mind he wondered just how far she expected him to go; she seemed to be more open to his touch than he had expected....

----

Estel wrapped a possessive arm around Seren, letting the other men in the pub know that she was his. It was not something he usually would have done, but he felt it was necessary, considering where they were. "I'm sure the others are fine," he replied, taking a sip at a glass of wine put before him. It was slightly bitter, but not terrible. "Kol is healed thanks to you, and I know that he would protect Raven with his life. Alberic can fend for himself, and that demon girl is quite powerful as well. Terrowin and Celo.... My guess would be they found some nice cozy corner to make out in." He chuckled. New young couples were so predictable. "We'll meet up with Felren soon enough. I don't think we should stay in this town long... I feel a darkness in the air that I haven't felt in a while. There are demons about, I'm certain of it." He took another sip, wondering if maybe the group should have stuck together after all.

----

Alberic could hardly feel the small demon on top of him, and couldn't move as she slowly began gyrating back and forth. He knew what she was doing, but he couldn't feel anything; the agony was too great. His vision was red with pain, but he managed to blink and mutter a curse at the demon above him. She simply laughed, a shrill noise filled with ecstasy and smugness as she continued her actions. Alberic knew in the back of his mind what he was losing, and though he had never in his wildest dreams thought this was how his first experience would turn out, he couldn't do anything to stop it. Another demon suddenly looked above him, and he managed to wrench his head back to see what she was looking at. It was... Aneria. She was watching in open-mouthed horror, and he wanted to cry out to her, but when he opened his mouth, all that came out was a moan. One of the demons said something to her, and Aneria burst into tears. Alberic screamed internally, willing his broken body to move. He lifted a hand to reach out to her, but she had already vanished, her sobs echoing off the walls of the buildings around him. The dark green demon huffed, then turned back to Alberic. "You don't need her," she purred, pressing her cold, hard mouth against his in a disgusting open-mouthed kiss. He gasped in her putrid breath, then with a sudden burst of energy, lashed out at her with his fist. He heard a solid THUNK as the punch hit her ribcage, and she screamed in a mixture of pain and rage. "Don't make me break your arms too, boy!" she hissed, grabbing his arms and pinning him to the ground. "It's my turn," she growled, and the small demon got off of him, swooning slightly as she broke away from the touch. The tall demon moved in her place, forcefully grapling with Alberic as she beat him into submission. Alberic's vision became cloudy, and he soon blacked out.

----

As Kol sat, Raven leaned her head against his shoulder, blinking in the dying sunlight. At his question, she sighed deeply, thinking for a moment before answering. "I... I don't know what to think of her. She helped us with the pirates, and hasn't directly hurt any of us, not to mention my brother seems infaturated with her. But we really don't know anything about her. She's a demon, for crying out loud! How do we know she's not going to turn on us at any moment?" She spoke the last few words with unusual venom, and stopped, instantly feeling bad. She wasn't usually one to judge without knowing a person, but having her brother get so close to a stranger so quickly just didn't feel right. He had been there for her, and she for him, their entire lives, without the drama of crushes and lust throughout their childhoods. It seemed odd to see Alberic get so close to someone, but she had to admit that she couldn't do anything; she had Kol now, after all, and it wouldn't be right for her to try to interfere with Alberic's life, even if she was certain it would cause him heartache.

Before she knew it, the girl she had just been speaking of suddenly came into view. She was sobbing horrendously, and Raven wondered what on earth had happened to put her in such a state. "Aneria, what's wrong?" she asked, leaping up to intercept the demon before she did something drastic, like run off the cliff. "Did my brother do something?" If he did, she probably deserved it, she thought to herself. She glanced over at Kol, grimacing. Alberic better not have gotten himself into trouble. She should have known better than to let him run off on his own.

Celo wasn’t a person used to expressing herself in words but rather actions. She believed it easier and far more effective so if Terrowin wanted to kiss her in the middle of the street to show his affection, what is she to say against it? In face she rather liked it, tilting her head here and there to give him better access to her neck and then tilting back down when he kissed her lips. As her hands became free she wrapped them around his neck gently enough to keep him chained to her. She couldn’t deny the joy she felt of his tougher, masculine body against her own softer one as one of her own hands fell from his next to rest on his chest.

~*~*~*~

Seren smiled gently as she felt Estel’s arm wrap around her and she felt slightly safer to be honest. She wasn’t used to the glaring of men at her body having been like a mother then the men on Zak’s ship. She thought back to him and sent a silent prayer that the man was doing well and that they would be able to see him again soon. Seeing as how he was their ride back to the mainland she certainly hoped so. She was slightly comforted by Estel’s words as well, it was true they could take care of themselves even if something tugged at her mind that something indeed was very wrong. “Can we go now?” She asked anxiously.

~*~*~*~

Kol stood, concern clearly written on his face when her saw Aneria running past them and was glad that Raven stopped the hysterical woman. “Yes, is something wrong my lady?” He asked, putting a hand on her shoulder.

Aneria looked up to Raven and then Kol. “A….Alberic was…selling himself to…an entire group of demon women…” Her sobs became worse as she tried to recall to them what she saw, putting her hands on her face and letting her shoulders bob as the sobs wracked her body. “I though…” She let the thoughts hang in the air not wanting to think about how she was entirely wrong.

Kol looked confused. “Selling himself? That doesn’t sound right…Good lady, could you point us in the direction he was in so we might check for ourselves?” He took both of her shoulders and led her to a sitting potion on the bench himself and Raven were on. She pointed and told them a few directions and Kol took Raven’s hand leading her with the directions Aneria give them.

Terrowin was hardly paying attention to what his hands were doing, he was so deep into the kiss. As he slowly grazed his teeth on Celo's lower lip, his grip on her ribcage snuck up higher, until he could feel the soft, womanly flesh under her thin shirt. His touch was gentle, uncontrolling, but he still felt a surge of adreneline pump through him at the feeling. He rubbed her there for only a moment, then dropped his hands again to her waist, a wicked smile on his lips as he nibbled her lip, then finally pulled away, breathing a little hard. Her hair looked a little ruffled for once, and even though she appeared hardly more emotional than she always did, he could tell she wanted more from her grip against his chest. "Later," he murmured, pecking her once more on the nose. "I'm afraid someone might catch us here and arrest us for indecency." He grinned widely, rubbing her sides as he turned away from the wall, nodding back to the center of the city. He was surprised how dark it had gotten. "We better get back," he murmured, slowly heading towards where they were to meet up with Felren. "They may be wondering where we are by now." His thoughts were whirling over what he had just done, now that the adreneline had worn off. Had he gone too far? She had seemed to be begging him for more, and while he wasn't prepared to give her that just yet, he saw little harm in a little intimacy... He would have to make sure she was okay with it before doing it again.

----

Estel could feel the tenseness in Seren's shoulders, and he wished there was something more he could do to help her. "I'll never let anyone take you again," he murmured in her ear, shooting a deadly glare at a man nearby that was eying Seren's chest. He nodded in agreement. "I think leaving is a wonderful idea." He paid the bartender and, taking Seren's hand, led the way out of the place, sticking close beside her in case anyone got too close for comfort. Luckily they made it out with no trouble, and the couple slowly meandered back to the front gate, waiting for Felren to appear once more. Estel found a bench and sat down, motioning to Seren to sit beside him. It appeared they were the first ones back.

----

At first, Raven snorted in disbelief. Alberic? Selling himself? What an incredibly absurd thought. The demon was obviously insane, or maybe had saw someone that looked like Al doing something in an alley. But as she babbled on, she grew concerned. It was true that demons were known to inhabit the city, and if Alberic had gone out on his own... No, he couldn't have been stupid enough to get into something like that! She dashed after Kol after making sure Aneria would be alright by herself, her heart pounding in fear. She fought back a rising panic when she began to sense something odd in the back of her mind; she knew something wasn't right. She just prayed they weren't too late, whatever it was.

They soon reached the alley where Aneria had pointed them too, and indeed, Raven heard screeches, growls, and an assortment of other disgusting noises coming from the dark recesses of the street. She stopped, feeling nauseous, and shot a scared look to Kol. "What is going on?!" she stuttered, too afraid to look for herself. If what Aneria had seen was true, then she couldn't bare to look. "I can't go in there," she whispered, eyes wide with fear and anxiety. "What if they've...." She swallowed hard, unable to voice her thoughts aloud. And then she heard a recognizable outcry. It was Alberic. She fell to her knees, suddenly dizzy. What were they doing with him? She was too stunned to stand, or even move. To think, the man that had protected her all these years, stuck with evil creatures in this dark and dismal place.... She had to help! But how? She was paralyzed, and she didn't even know why.

Alberic was just around the corner, now nearly unconscious as the demons continued to take turns using his body. He cried out as one ran a clawed hand down his stomach, then licked at the blood that began to pool there. He was in hell, he thought. He had died and gone to hell, and these demons were his punishment. He was unaware of just how close his rescue was, and before he knew it, he had passed out from a mixture of pain, blood loss, and horror. At least now he was in peace, for the moment...

One of the demons growled, kicking at his body in frustration. "He was weak," she hissed. "Most squirm around much longer than he."
"Most don't have to get their limbs broken to behave," another reminded her, fresh blood still soaking her lips. "Shame we'll have to kill him now." She reached back and drew a blade from her corset, twirling the dagger expertly before licking it and preparing for the death strike. A deep purple liquid stained the knife; a poisoned dagger.

Celo was more then happy to continue on with Terrowin right there in the middle of the street. It was empty enough that she was sure no one would come and bother them, and yet she wasn’t that kind of person either. If they would be alone somewhere then that would make her slightly more comfortable. She looked at him slightly confused when he said later and kissed her nose, but understood more as he explained. She didn’t really like the thought of being arrested and having to explain to her brother that she was having sex with Terrowin in the middle of the street. She sighed slightly but went along with it. “I’m sure they aren’t worried about us.” And if only she knew they were worried but not over them.

~*~*~*~

Seren sighed happily as they left the bar, she felt so exposed under all the eyes in the room and it just didn’t sit well with her. She wondered how lose women were able to do it, and even enjoy the hungry eyes of all these men. Shaking her head of her thoughts, Seren sat down with Estel. “It seems so.” She leaned her head on his shoulder and sighed once more, but with a content tone to it. “Isn’t odd that we ended up traveling with one another again?” She smiled her voice soft and nostalgic of their time in the past. Both of them were so carefree and now it seemed as if a heavy burden was on their shoulders, not only them but all the others in the group as well.

~*~*~*~

Aneria followed behind, not really wanting to see Alberic in the arms of all those women again but if they needed to find him then so be it. It wasn’t as if she had to talk to him ever again, right? She waited in the alleyway behind Kol and Raven and the scene that was going on now was completely different looking than what she had seen before. They were hurting him!

Kol gave a disgusted look to the demoness’ in the alley. Women joining in large groups to rape whomever they deemed worthy and then killing them, no matter the race was just wrong. He was about to go in and help Alberic when Raven suddenly went down besides him. He knelt down and wrapped an arm around her shoulder, concern clearly written on his face. “Raven, please, get a hold of yourself.” He tried to speak gently, but with the sight of the dagger, he knew Ableric didn’t have much time.

Aneria was the one to act though, running into the group and leaping on the demon woman with the dagger. She wrestled around with her for a long moment, feeling a sharp pain in her thigh but ignoring it until she was able to free herself from the woman. “You will hurt him no longer!” She screamed, and with a bright blue flash, every demon in the area, with the expection of herself was covered in a thick layer of ice. She stood for a long moment, huffing and puffing at the use of such an amout of power and then dragged herself to Alberic’s side. She touched his chest and then his neck. He was still breathing…thank god… “He is alive.” She said to Raven, seeing the horrifed look on her face. “Beaten up quiet a bit, but alive.” For the first time since she had been with the group her voice was even, without emotion and calcuted sounding. She had no energy left to be her peppy self and with everything that went on she hoped they would understand. She stood from his side and waited for Kol to come over and hoist the man onto his shoulders and leave the alleyway. “Seren can help him.” Kol assured Raven and stated his way to the main gate.

Aneria walked behind with a slight limp, she supposed the dagger the woman was holding somehow nicked her but it didn’t seem life threatening to she pushed on until she was sure Alberic was safe.

Alberic was still unconscious, but in his deadened mind he heard, in the distance, it seemed, a shrill cry, and a sudden burst of power shimmering in the air. The attack brought him slowly to the waking world, though he wished it hadn't. He was still in agony, all over, from his broken wings to his throbbing pelvis to the long, deep scratches on his naked stomach. He first noticed through his hazy vision that the demons were, somehow, completely frozen, incased in ice. He blinked and groaned in confusion, then turned to the only living thing in sight - another demon. For a moment he flinched, thinking one had managed to stay unfrozen, but then realized it was Aneria. She had come back? Why? And she was obviously the one that had frozen the other demonesses.... But he had seen her run off! He tried to speak, but he only managed another soft moan before pain wracked his body again.

At this point, Raven managed to stand up, slightly embarrassed and guilt-ridden for having collapsed, and dashed to her brother's side. "We'll get you out of here," she mumbled tearfully, brushing hair away from his blood-covered face as Kol lifted him up. Alberic let out a painful yelp as he did so, and his wings hung limply against Kol's back, the broken bones not allowing Alberic to fold them back up. His vision blackened in and out as Kol carried him back to the front gate, his sister hurrying worriedly by Kol's side. She found a ratty blanket hanging from a window and snatched it up, covering Alberic's lower region for decency. No need to wonder why a man was walking around carrying another man, let alone a nude one. She glanced over to Aneria, and felt a sudden jolt of thankfulness and affection for the young demon. She touched her shoulder gently. "Thank you," she murmured genuinely. She then noticed that the girl was limping. "Are you alright?" She thought she had glimpsed a dagger in one of the women's hands, but looking down and seeing the scratch, she assumed it wasn't life threatening. "We'll get you help," she promised.

The four reached the front gates at nearly the same time as Terrowin and Celo, and Terrowin rushed to their side. "Wot 'appened?" he asked, open mouthed. The avian looked like he had been through hell. Where on earth had the man gone to have gotten into such trouble? It took the rogue only one moment looking over his wounds to know what had caused it. Demons. Females, if he guessed correctly. He had had more than his share of demon attacks, and he could only hope that none of his wounds were cursed. A light throb on his own leg reminded him of his own wound. He frowned at the blanket laying half-hazardly over the wounded man's legs, and wondered why.... Maybe he didn't want to know, although he had his suspicions. What a terrible attack.

Estel also gaped at the group, glancing at Seren before standing and making his way over to them. "Set him down over there," he said, motioning to a patch of sparse grass nearby. When he was on the ground, Estel looked once again to Seren. "His wings are broken, and possibly one of his hips, as well as many minor scratches, along with these nasty ones." He motioned to the four long, straight scars along his stomach. "Can you heal them?" But don't do more than you can handle, he pleaded silently.

"We found him being... Attacked by some women. Demon women," Raven explained tearfully. She kept stroking her brother's hair, begging him to keep his eyes open. He blinked blearily at her, suddenly feeling warm and numb all over. He felt his consciousness start to slip again, and this time, he wasn't sure if he would wake up. He struggled to remain awake, locking his eyes on Raven's, and then Aneria's, as he fought the overwhelming sensation to sleep.

Aneria waved off Raven’s concern about the small laceration on her leg. It really didn’t hurt that bad and the bleeding had already stopped. “Thank you though.” She mumbled as they reached the front gate.

Seren gasped audibly as she saw the group coming up. “How do you all keep hurting yourselves?” She hissed, bending down to look at Alberic while listening to Raven. Demon women did this to him, huh? She didn’t really care about whom unless it affected his over all health. She poked a wound gently to inspect the cuts and sighed. “The cuts are clean so it will be easy to heal and the wings aren’t shattered so that is also good news.” She smiled up to Raven. “It will take two sessions for me, but I can heal him.” She settled herself in next to Alberic and began her work.

Kol helped Raven up and away from Alberic for a little while to calm her down. He handed her some water and sat next to her. “You will worry yourself to death just sitting over him like that.” He tried to explain to her with the faintest of smiles on his handsome face. He looked up as Felren came on the scene and was talking to Estel about what had happened. He saw the man sigh and make his way into a comfort seat on a bench. He would go up to the gate master and speak to him about their group and letting them in once Alberic would stand once more.

Aneria stood near Alberic as Seren healed the cuts along his body and the broken bones on his main body as well. Apparently she would do the wings at a later time. This meant he couldn’t move around too much. She had to pace back and forth near him as she started to feel rather warm and flustered. Her breathing came in short gasps as a sudden dizziness came over her. Seren looked up from her work, pleased that she was done. “I hope you feel a bit better now.” She said softly and looked to Aneria. “Are you alright?”

“Fine.” She replied curtly as she stopped moving and stood in place. She put a hand on her head to steady herself. “Just a bit tired I think…” She looked down to Alberic, she seemed deathly pale. “I’m so glad yo-“ Before she could even get the sentence out her legs buckled underneath her. “Its really hot…” she mumbled, before falling into the sand, her body was actually shaking and cold to the touch. “Aneria! Estle please come here!”

Alberic stifled a grunt as the scars were healed, and nearly fainted from exhaustion as the bones in his body were realigned. He waited to feel his wings snap back into place as well, but when the throbbing pain in his back continued, he looked up at Seren. She looked exhausted, and he realized that she was too tired to continue. At least he was able to bare the pain now. His torso was still sore, and the throbbing in his loins was sure to stick around for a while, but he was awake and aware now. He closed his eyes and shuddered, reliving the past half-hour with a sick feeling in his stomach. He had been raped, he thought. He had always imagined doing it the first time with someone he loved dearly, but he had never found anyone he felt that strongly about. And that had all been taken away in the blink of an eye. It wasn't fair. He managed a mumbled thank you to Seren, then turned away and curled up in a miserable heap. He was ashamed, furious, and depressed, not to mention disgusted at the thought of those dirty women using him like a tool.

He sulked like this for a while, until the sound of urgent voices caught his attention. He turned over to see Aneria collapsed on the ground, with Seren over her, calling desperately to Estel. His eyes widened in fear and shock, and he half-crawled, half-stumbled over to where the demon was laying, her breathing raspy and her skin unnaturally pale. "What happened!?" he demanded, his voice hoarse and cracked from screaming earlier. "She was fine just a few minutes ago!" He vaguely remembered one of the demons holding a knife, but she didn't seem to have any deep wounds....

Raven had walked away from the scene when Kol led her away, but when the commotion started up again, she rushed back. "Aneria got attacked by one of the demonesses, and she stabbed at her with a nasty-looking blade," she said urgently, motioning to the scar on her leg. "I... I don't know much about demons, though. Could it be cursed or something?"

"It's deadly nightvenom," Terrowin suddenly spat, having watched the whole scene. "Some demonesses dip their blades in the stuff, and it's deadly if not treated right away. Oi... Oi think the antidote can be made from some sort o' plant, but fer the life o' me, Oi can't remember what..." He bit his lip and paced, knowing that with each passing second, Aneria's blood was pumping the poison closer to her heart. "Seren, ye got tae know somethin' about it, right? It's a toxin made o' deadly nightshade and adder venom. Th... The best thing we c'n do fer her now is tae wrap a cloth tightly around the top o' her leg tae keep the venom from spreading so fast." Without another word, he ripped off the vest he was wearing and tore off a strip, and firmly wrapped it around her upper thigh. "Oi'd say she 'as less than a half-hour," he murmured quietly. "May'aps someone in the city carries the antidote. It can't be the first time an attack like this has happened."

Estel had rushed over at Seren's call, but saw that he could do little more than watch and listen. When he heard about the antidote, he turned to Kol and Felren. "Felren, you know this town better than the rest of us. Is there an apothecary nearby? We need to hurry." They were short on time, and he could only hope that they could find someone that carried the antidote before it was too late.

Alberic was panicking now. Aneria was poisoned? No, that couldn't happen. She couldn't die saving him. He crawled closer to her feverish body, hushing her cries even as tears began to form in his own eyes and drip down his cheeks. "You're going to be alright," he told her, stroking her hair and cheeks worriedly. "I'm here, you're going to be fine." How cruel it would be that he might live to see Aneria die.

Kol found himself going from comforting Raven to being back around the main group of friends in a blink of an eye. Aneria was down with everyone circled around her. When Estel addressed him he could only give a helpless shrug. “I am not accustomed to these parts, Fallvale was the only place on the island that I’ve been.” He said with a bit of sadness that he could do nothing to help. He tried to recall anything he knew about nightvenom but nothing came to mind. Educated he was, but he wished he paid a bit more attention to his teaching on plants.

Seren’s mind raced to try and think of what the antidote would have been for nightvenom. It had been so long since she had someone with the case of it but it wasn’t unusual for some of the crewmembers to have been attacked while they were stationed here. “Ponerous.” She said quickly, the plant coming back into her mind. “It’s a plant with four leaves and black tips!”

Felren chimed in this time. “Yes, I know of a place, it's in the towns main square…” Felren looked down to Aneria, he would never trust the ice demon, ever…and in honesty he could watch her die without guilt but the rest of this group honestly seemed to be attached to her and she had yet to disprove her loyalties. “If one of you avians fly into town and back it wouldn’t take you more than ten minutes.”

“We can’t move her….” Seren added in to further Felren’s point. “If we do it will spread the poison in her blood faster.” She knew that when poison was running in the blood that last thing you would want to do would make the heart pump faster.

“I’ll go.” Kol offered, and there really was no time to argue, he spoke to Felren to get some directions and was quickly into the sky making his way into the inner sanctums of the city.

Aneria found it hard to draw breath into her lungs, she felt like her body was on fire and she could only vaguely hear voices around her. She saw Alberic all of a sudden and saw tears dripping down his cheeks. Weakly Aneria lifted her hand and brought it to his face to wipe the tears from it. “Smile…” She tried to continue her sentence but found talking made it harder to breath and caused her to take even faster breath. She didn’t want to see him so distressed, he had been through so much already and she felt bad that she had abandoned him before. “Forgive…” She took a bit more effort to speak this time, wanting to get it out, “Me.” Her hand dropped from his face as her head lolled back in pain. She moaned, clenching her fists as her body was wracked with pain.

"I... I forgive you," Alberic choked, his own breathing coming in ragged gasps now. His heart tightened in pain as Aneria's breaths began to come in shallow gulps, and her body contorted in pain. He gripped her hand, trying to do anything to keep her still, to keep her pulse low. "Kol just went to get the antidote. He'll be back soon, with plenty of time to spare. You're going to be fine. I promise." He continued to stroke her arm, even as her body continued to shiver and shake. He cursed at himself, wishing that his wings were healed and that hewas the one going to get the antidote, but as he tried to flex his wings, and was met with a wave of pain, he knew that was impossible. He could only hope that Kol would fly as fast as he would in desperation. While he waited, ignoring his own pain for now, he continued to console Aneria quietly, while everyone except Seren wandered off a ways to give them some room, although Estel hovered near. "Will she live?" he asked Seren quietly, his face creased with sorrow. He hated to see anyone in pain, even a demon, especially since Alberic seemed to be so attached to her. He wished there was something more he could do, but he wasn't an avian, and Kol would be able to get the antidote much sooner than he. Maybe he could help administer the potion when he returned...

Terrowin shook his head, turning away from the scene. "Poor gel," he murmured, sticking close to Celo. "Sure, she's a demon an' all, an' Oi don't know how much she can be trusted, but deadly nightvenom is terrible, nasty stuff. It slowly constricts the windpipe, making breathing difficult, and eventually impossible, not to mention it causes the body to spasm uncontrollably and make the skin burn to be touched..." He suddenly spat, venom filling his voice. "I won't stand to see those demons get away with this." Before anyone could stop him, he turned and, after grabbing an unusual scabbard from his pack, ran to where he had seen the group coming from, expecting to find the demons still lurking in their lair. He was surprised to see them all half-frozen on the spot, their entire lower bodies nearly free from the constricting ice. Apparently Aneria had had enough energy to stop them, but not enough to kill. Terrowin would change that. He was made to kill the unnatural beings. With a grim look on his face, he reached back for his weapon of choice, a long, thin, slightly curved sword made for only one thing. The blade was a strange green hue, and it flickered unnaturally in the light, almost as if it wasn't completely of this world. The sword had been a gift from his father before he had died, and Terrowin hardly ever used it, unless he was in a rage, like now. The demonesses hissed at him menacingly, breaking through the ice and attacking him at once. Terrowin worked without even thinking. Within a few minutes and several easy, loping swordstrikes later, all of the women lay at his feet, either decapitated or sporting wounds pierced straight through the heart. "You will harm no more," he hissed, and spat upon their bodies. He had no idea why he had reacted so strongly, but he felt better knowing that no one else would be hurt by the vile creatures. He turned and made his way back to the group, a tight look on his face as he cleaned the sword and put it away. Estel glanced at him curiously, but said nothing.

Raven watched as Kol flew off, wishing him speed and luck. She wondered if she should go after him, but thought that she would probably only get in the way. She sat on the bench, looking out over the city and praying that, even if Aneria did die, her brother would be alright. She hated hearing his terrible sniffles and desperate words as he watched the demon die. She couldn't imagine the pain he was going through, but she didn't know how to help... So she simply sat there, feeling miserable.

Aneria rode through another bout of pain that shook her to her core and as numbness between pains set in she took a moment to breath. She felt like her blood was on fire and her muscles were locking up. She saw the look on Alberic’s face and it made her already laboring heart clench. “Alberic…” She was more then happy to hear that he had forgiven her, but was it because she may be dead? Her dirty blonde hair stuck to her face as sweat beaded her forehead. Her body convulsed as pain washed back over her, letting out a strangled yell.

Seren closed her eyes to try to drown out Aneira’s heart wrenching screams. She then looked up to Estel and stood, moving ever so slightly away from the couple. “I don’t know…I’m hoping because she is a demon she will last longer than a human…but…” She let her words hang in the air, leaning against Estel’s stronger frame for support. Her heart went out to the couple, but there was nothing Seren could do for the woman. She could mend bones, heal wounds, but not clear the blood of impurities.

Kol flew as fast as his inky black wings would carry him. He moved with all haste and if you were looking in the sky as he flew over you would barely be able to see him against the dark backdrop of the night sky and the blanket of stars. He kept in his mind the directions Felren gave him and soon came upon a shop with a frail old man closing up for the night. He swiftly landed, his blonde locks standing out against his dark wings. “Good sir, please, I seek your aid. You have a certain plant, Ponerous, I believe.” Kol grabbed at the coin purse on his hip and withdrew a hefty some of coins. “You will be rewarded.” He said. He was simply wasting time talking to him, but what could he do?

The old man had seen many things in his day, living in Bay Moar his entire life he had seen everything from avians to demons, to humans and elves. He himself was a half elf and was more than proud to have claimed the title, but his youthful appearance wilted away almost two hundred years ago. He had lived a long, long life for a half elf. “Yes yes, lots of cases of it lately…” He mumbled a few things, looking at the coins Kol held and disappeared into his shop for a few moments. Those few moments felt like hours to Kol and he shifted nervously when the man appeared with an odd looking plant. “Rip a small part and push it into the wound. Then crush a small amount, and add with cool water. Drink the mix, and repeat four times through out the night.” Kol nodded, handing the man the coins in exchange for the plant and thanks him over and over. Before he took to the skies he heard the man mumble a good luck and he was back on his way to the gate.

Felren shifted from his seat, Kol had been gone for a good amount of time now, and he was unsure that even if he got the plant that it would do the demon any good. He wasn’t sure if he felt bad about this or not, but he did not like to see his friends in pain and Alberic seemed full of it.

Seren was glad to see the blond avian coming in the distance with great speed. “Kol!” She said, stepping a bit forward to meet the man. He was panting slightly but easily handed over the herbs, giving the directions to Seren. She had remembered them easily and bent down next to the couple. “I need you to hold her down. It will hurt her.” She said, trying to sound as soothing as possible as she ripped some of the plant off. She waited for him to hold her down and then roughly pressed the plant into the small wound in her leg. It had turned an odd purple, the veins around it dark and bulging.

Aneria screamed, a loud painful scream the echoed off the walls of the gate. It sounded as if someone had stabbed her, and to her it felt like it. She arched her back as high as it could go under Alberic’s weight and tears streamed down her face. “We will give this a moment before she has to drink the mix.” Seren said and backed off slightly to do the mixing.

Alberic didn't know what to do but to keep consoling the poor girl as wave after wave of pain wracked her body. He felt totally helpless as the poison took its toll. 'Kol, where are you!?' he thought desperately. He knew it had only been a short period of time, but as Aneria grew weaker, he became more concerned. What if he couldn't find the cure? What if he didn't make it back in time? As the worries rushed through his brain, he felt a sudden impulse within him. If Aneria didn't survive.... Then he never would have the chance to know how things worked out between them. He struggled with himself for a while, contemplating over what he should do. Finally, his mind gave in, and he leaned forward, gently pressing the demon's shaking shoulders against the ground and kissing her, lightly, like a feather's touch, in case it hurt her. He only held it for a moment, but a flash of emotions ran through his already overwhelmed mind, and he sat up, lifted his head to the sky, and sobbed.

Estel looked away from the scene, shaking his head sadly. "I can only hope that she'll make it," he murmured, wrapping a strong arm around Seren's shoulders. "If she doesn't, I don't know how Alberic will be affected.... We may have to have him drop out of this quest, if he becomes too distraught and depressed." He hated to say it, but it was true. If they were to be successful, everyone would have to keep their heads on straight. A lovesick and heartbroken man would only slow them down...

Raven paced back and forth under the moonlight. She wanted to be comforted as well, but with Kol gone, she could only walk back and forth and hope, checking Alberic ever so often to make sure he was alright. Well, he was far from alright, but... Raven sighed. She hated seeing her brother in such pain. She could only imagine that she would act the same if she was in that position with Kol. To feel so hopeless.... She shuddered, wrapping her arms around herself and finally coming to a stop about a dozen yards from where the action was. After what seemed like hours but was probably no more than twenty minutes, Kol reappeared, and she rushed over to him. She knew he was on a mission, though, and stood back as he helped prepare the ponerous for the demon. She bit her lip, feeling rather useless.

Terrowin stepped up to Seren. "Please miss, Oi happen tae have a lifetime o' experience with demons and their nasty ways... If it's alright, Oi would like tae prepare the tonic." As soon as he had heard the name, he had remembered how to produce the antidote. A very little known fact was that a touch of human blood actually livened the drink. It was sort of hard to think about swallowing human blood, but he knew that she would have a much better chance of surviving if he added the ingredient, to help her own blood be cleansed. He winced as Aneria screamed in pain as the piece of plant was injected into her wound, and tried to ignore her pain as he created the antidote. Once he had correctly mixed the water and ponerous together, he casually used his knife to slice a small incision in the crook of his hand, and let a half-dozen drops fall into the liquid. Stirring it a few more times, he ladled a spoonful of the concoction and knelt over Aneria's head. Once again, Alberic held her down as Terrowin slowly dripped the juice down her mouth. "Swallow, gel," he encouraged. "It may burn a bit, but tha's a good sign." He sat back once the spoonful was empty, prepared to sit in silent vigil and repeat the procedure four times throughout the night. But he was interrupted by Alberic. "Let me do it," he whispered. He couldn't stand around doing nothing any longer. Terrowin saw the look in his eyes and nodded, giving him brief instructions before heading over to where Celo was. His face was tired and drawn, and he suddenly felt weary from the day, not to mention the recent demon slaying.

Alberic murmured to Aneria constantly, staying by her side the entire night and doing as he was supposed to as she fought the battle going on inside her.

Kol’s shoulder hunched visibly when he returned to Raven’s side. He was of no more use to the small group trying to heal the demon and he wanted to be with Raven now. He dragged her into his arms gently and pressed her form to his own in a tight hug. He was only thankful Raven had not been so foolish as to attack the demons in the alleyway and get herself into the same mess. It would probably be that Raven would have died by now, not being a demon or otherwise. Avians more than looked like humans they had the same internal organs and only their hollow bones and wings kept them apart. “We can only wait now.” He gave her the update as he inhaled her soft scent, releasing her from his grip. His face was grim but a faint smile graced the corner of his lips. “Do not look so sad, my lady, a smile does suit you better.” He rubbed the pad of his thumb along her cheek as he spoke softly.

Seren was a woman used to dealing with death, having been a healer herself she was used to being brought people on their deathbeds and often finding out it was too late for them. She was used to facing reality and what Estel said was true. They would not be able to bring Alberic with them if he were a distraught mess. He would end up getting himself and perhaps others kill in the process, no he was right and it would be done if it had to be. “Let us give them room?” She suggested softly, moving away from the couple to give them some space. She wouldn’t go far incase she was needed, but enough to give Alberic and Aneria some breathing room. She easily handed over the medicine to Terrowin and walked a few paces away with Estel.

Aneria wasn’t exactly sure what was going on but she felt pain. That was crystal clear. It muddled all her other senses and she was barely able to swallow the terrible tasting liquid forced down her throat. She knew Alberic was close by though and that was enough to give her a fighting spirit. She didn’t want to leave him, did not want to end their journey like this.

“We shall see.” Felren mumbled, moving enough away from the group to make him more comfortable. His thoughts that if the demon died he would be content were not something he assured were common among the group so he kept them to himself.

Celo placed a hand gently on Terrowin’s shoulder. He looked tired and covered in blood and more then likely would need a good nights rest. She was slightly relieved that he did not take up the guard for Aneria through the night and moved the two of them to a more exclusive spot to settle in for the night.

~*~*~*~

As the morning sun rose in the sky, a comfortable cool breeze blew in the wind. A set of honey golden eyes opening slowly to meet the bright light. What she woke to though was someone sitting next to her. Her body felt weak and stiff, also covered in the dried sweat she was producing the night before but the pain was gone. Aneria looked up at Alberic, he was dozing lightly in the sitting position and she wanted nothing more then to wrap her arms around him.

Raven knew there was nothing more they could do but wait and hope, and allowed herself to be led away with Kol, giving Alberic one last worried and loving glance before curling up with the Avian and quickly falling asleep. She hadn’t realized how exhausted she was until she was out.

Estel nodded and followed Seren, wishing there was something that he could do to help, but knowing that there was nothing. Seren had done all that she could, and they now had to simply trust that Terrowin knew what he was doing, and that Alberic’s loyalty and drive would help keep the demon alive. Once they found a small sheltered area, it wasn’t long before the two were asleep as well, weary from the day.

Terrowin followed Celo away from the action, already half-asleep in his dazed state. He vaguely wondered if perhaps he had lost blood as well, as he felt very dizzy and was relieved to sit down and rest. When the dizziness passed and he was certain that he was not gravely injured in any way, he let himself drift off into oblivion, wondering what the group would wake up to in the morning.

Alberic ministered the four extra doses throughout the night, tired beyond exhaustion, but unwilling to let himself fall asleep until the antidote had been fully given to the girl. Once he had dripped the last portion down her throat a few hours before daybreak, he slumped tiredly where he sat, his eyelids flickering in exhaustion. She hadn’t died yet, and he felt secure enough that she would at least survive a little longer that he allowed himself to close his eyes and catch a few hours of sleep.

It felt like only a few minutes.

When the sun rose over the horizon, he blinked awake, moaning at the aches and pains in his body, as well as the harsh, throbbing pain along his back that reminded him that he, too, was still gravely wounded. For a moment his mind was blank, forgetting what he had spent all night awake for, and then he gasped, sitting up far too quickly and regretting it a moment later as pain lanced though his spine. Gritting his teeth against the agony, he turned his gaze towards Aneria, his heart leaping in joy and relief to see her staring back at him with lively golden eyes. “You lived,” he murmured, tracing a hand along her cheek and feeling like he could still lose her at any moment. “How do you feel?” He wasn’t sure what to do about the wound; it still looked purple and swollen, but not nearly as nasty as the night before, with the ponerous still staunching the wound. He glanced around, finally catching sight of Seren. “Seren!” he called to her, unsure if she was awake yet or not. “Please, come here! I…. I don’t know what to do, but she’s alive!” Relieved tears filled his eyes and dripped down his cheeks as he gazed down at the small, delicate form before him, covered in sweat and gore as she was, only happy that she was alive. It seemed this harsh segment of their journey was at an end, except for the broken wings upon his back that he had nearly forgotten about in his happiness.

Terrowin woke up soon after, blinking blearily as the bright sunlight glared in his tired eyes. He groggily tried to recall the foggy memories of the night before, finally remembering what had happened and how he had ended up as bloody and beaten as he had. He sat up and glanced over to where Alberic and the demoness were, expecting the worst but noticing with delight that she was moving. Knowing that dead bodies (at least normal ones) didn’t have the ability to move of their own accord, he assumed that she was alive and fighting, perhaps already cured of the venom that was running through her veins. He didn’t know how a demonic poison would affect another demon, but apparently she was strong enough to have survived. He quietly approached the two, smiling gently. “Looks like yer goin’ tae be alright,” he murmured from a respectful distance, waiting for Seren to appear before treating the wound himself.

Estel heard the call for the healer and gently rubbed Seren’s arm, murmuring at her to wake up. “I can’t tell if the news is grave or welcome, but they need you,” he murmured, taking a moment to completely wake up before standing and glancing over at the source of the commotion. Alberic didn’t look distraught, so apparently the demoness was still alive, at least for now.

Lastly, Raven too woke up, wrapped firmly in Kol’s embrace. She yawned and kept close to him for a moment, afraid to wake completely for fear of the worst. She heard no cries of sadness or agony, though, so she dared a peek from Kol’s arms and saw the group begin to wake up and approach the area they had left her brother and the demon. “Kol, we should go see if everything’s all right,” she murmured, afraid to go alone.

Aneria smiled gently at Alberic, weakly rasing a hand to his face in an attempt to calm him. “I am alright…Thank you…”She whispered, keeping her hand against the side of his face. He looked in pain though and she could only assume the healing for him wasn’t complete.

Seren woke to someone calling her name and then a gentle rubbing along her arm. She opened her blue eyes to meet Estel and nodded, trying to comprehend what he was saying in her half awoken state. Soon enough she got her wits about her and stood, quickly making her way over to Aneria and Alberic’s side. She sat on her knees and smiled, “I am glad, it seems the poision has been nullified. I can heal your leg now.” Seren went to get up when suddenly Aneria grabbed her arm.

“Heal him first. I am fine now.” Aneria demanded, with a soft growl to her voice that would lead to no debate. Seren could only smile apologetically for not thinking to remember Alberic’s broken wings and nodded. “As you wish.” She knew Alberic might complain so she looked to Terrowin. “Terrowin would you be able to clean out her leg with cool water and ensure there is no more poison on her skin around the wound. Wouldn’t want to do this all over again.” She tried to say with a bit of humor to her voice as the warm sun played on her fair features. She turned to face Alberic’s back. “This will feel odd, when the bones come back together but my healing powers should keep you from feeling most of the pain.” She reassured.

With infinite amount of care, Seren placed her hands on the base of each of his wings and closed her eyes, letting her warm magic flow into his wings. She felt the usual pull and strain on her body but she would never get over the feeling of skin, muscle, and even bone moving under her fingers to conform back to where they were supposed to be. She waited until she was completely sure that he was healed before moving back. She was panting from the pull of magic, a few beads of sweat dotting her forehead as she took a moment to breath.

Kol drew Raven in closer to him, inhaling her soft scent with a smile on his face. Opening his emerald green eyes, Kol looked to the group that gathered around Aneria. He watched as Seren began her healing. “Give them a moment. We don’t want to crowd. Once Seren is finish healing your brother I think would be a good time to check in on what is happening.” He pulled her out of his arms ever so slightly so she was facing him and he smiled. “Besides I want these waking moments with you, I’m selfish.” He said it as if it were statement and leaned down to place his lips against her own. She had been a nervous wreck the last couple of days and he wanted to simple kiss her worries away.

Felren watched the entire scene from afar and scowled slightly. The demon should have been left to die, but if she really were the princess as she had been accused of then Felren though that her chances of death were higher than a poisoned blade. The king of ice demons was not forgiving, and family ties meant nothing to him.

Alberic closed his eyes as Aneria pressed her hand against his cheek, relief flooding throughout his body. She was alive, and she would be alright. He almost forgot his own pains in his happiness of her surviving until Seren appeared. She looked over the demoness carefully, and, as he had hoped, seemed to think she would be fine. Before he could protest about seeing to her leg first, however, she was already inspecting his wings, which had begun to throb again, and he suppressed a moan. He closed his eyes in preparation for what he was sure would be agonizing pain as the bones and muscles realigned themselves, but thankfully, all he felt was a few jolts, snaps, and a slight sting of pain as the wings were mended. Once she was finished, he flexed them carefully, then fully extended them, amazed that she could so easily heal such a terrible wound. He turned to her, and noticed how pale and weak she looked; it must have taken a lot out of her. "Thank you, Seren," he said quietly, gently touching her shoulder. She had gone above and beyond what he thought was possible to help Aneria and himself. "If there is any way I can repay you, don't hesitate to ask. I am in your debt."

After a few more words, he turned back to Aneria, realizing that Terrowin was now treating her. The rogue gently inspected the wound, washing away the dry blood and grime around it with warm water. It was already starting to get less swollen, and he gently plucked the piece of ponerous from the wound, glad to see that the blood that began leaking out was clean and pure. There was no sign of any of the poison left. He washed it once more, then wrapped a bandage around her thigh to stop the bleeding. He or Seren would check it throughout the day to make sure it didn't get infected. "Yer one tough lass," he grinned, patting her knee lightly. "Oi honestly thought ye were a goner, but ye proved me wrong. Oi'm glad ye made it." He really didn't feel any attachment to the demon, but he knew that if she had died, it would have upset the mission, and besides, he simply didn't like seeing people die, no matter who they were.

Raven allowed herself to be lost as Kol kissed her, the pain and confusion of the last few days melting away at his touch. Alberic was okay, now healed thanks to Seren, and the demon, Aneria, that he was so attached to was fine as well. Everything would be okay. She finally pulled away, feeling better than she had in what felt like a very long time. "I love you," she murmured, forcing every ounce of her heart into the words. She had never felt so attracted and bonded to anyone in her life, and she couldn't imagine ever loving anyone the same. She wanted to escape from reality with him and simply live together forever in peace, but she knew that, as long as they were on this journey, it would be impossible. She could only hope that they would both survive long enough to live for the years to come together.

Alberic helped Aneria to a standing position, and the two of them hobbled over to the rest of the group until everyone was gathered together. Every one was battered and bruised in their own way (Terrowin had woken up to many new scars that he didn't remember getting), but they were all in one piece, nevertheless. Felren seemed a little grumpy, Estel thought, but he knew that there was no love lost between he and the demoness. He wondered if he had hoped that she would die. He thought grimly that it was a cruel thing to hope, but he said nothing. He was simply glad that no one was too wounded to continue. "What next?" he asked Felren. "Were you able to do whatever it was that needed to be done in Fallvale?" Because of all the drama the night before, they hadn't been able to discuss what it was that Felren had actually done. He stood close enough to Seren to allow her to lean slightly against him; he was so proud of her for what she had done. He felt his heart grow fonder of her every moment, and he wasn't sure what to do about it.

Even as the others gathered and began speaking, Alberic's gut suddenly twisted, and he felt sick. He had only now remembered what had happened the night before, and the thought of what those whores had done to him made him feel dirty and disgusting. His innocence, so rapidly taken from him against his will... Where was the fairness in that? He almost let go of Aneria at the thought of being raped by the demonesses, but reminded himself that she was nothing, nothing like them. She was sweet and kind.... No, she would not hurt him, not like they had. His face set in a grim line, he tried to catch onto the conversation.

"Of course. Think nothing of it." Seren said with a soft smile. She was given the gift to heal and would happily, without hesitation, use it to help her friends. It would break her heart to see Aneria die and in the same light for Alberic. She had a large heart always willing to give to another.

Aneria was happy to see Alberic could move his wings again and smiled at Terrowin. "Thank you." she said softly, her voice a tad gruff from disuse. She was tired, no more than tired from her body fighting off the poison all night and having to consume the liquid that kept getting poured down her throat but she was alive and no longer in pain.

Kol smiled, framing Raven's face with his hand. "And I you." He kissed the top of her forehead and stood, helping her up to do the same. They moved over to Felren, also joining the group. Felren had a frown on his face as Estel spoke though. "I was unable to gather anyone here. This town is far too much into self interest to help for a rebellion and rumors have spread Kol." He turned a look on the blonde man. Kol gave him a curious glance, rumors about himself?

"The woman you killed when the pirates attacked, she was a lover of the false wizard king. Before she died you saw that light she sent out right? It was a message back to the king, no doubt informing him. You need to be careful there is no doubt people looking for you." Felren said. Kol took the information with nothing more than a shrug, they were already after them anyway, no doubt so what was a little more fuel to the fire?

Felren sighed helplessly, thinking the younger men more foolish these days. "Zak has taken port and we are to leave within the hour." Felren gathered his things, and made way towards the city and through it to Zak's boat.

Zak was waiting on the dock and gave them all a way and a big grin as he saw them all approaching. "I see you all survived Fellvale and Bay Moar, congrats." He chuckled, welcoming them on board. "Lets set out then." And with the the ship had been pushed put making its way to Orlea. "It is going to be a long ride, so please get comfortable." Zak advised, it would probably take them two days to get to their destination.

Estel grunted after Felren was done speaking, disappointed but not surprised that he hadn't been able to get any help. The people in this town seemed seedy and untrusting, perhaps because of the constant fear they lived in due to the high demon population. Ah well. It would be no better to have them without their full support than to not have them at all. Sighing, he lay a gentle hand on Seren's shoulder, then went to gather their things, the rest of the group doing the same with similar grim spirits.

Terrowin's mouth was set in a thin, harsh line as he gathered their things. True, he hadn't been an original member of the group traveling to destroy the wizard king, but he felt every ounce as eager and determined to defeat him as anyone else. But yet, how were they supposed to do it without an army? Taking on the king alone seemed nigh on impossible, let alone the hundreds or thousands of men that supported him. Things were beginning to look bleak, and as he entwined his fingers with Celo's and made his way towards Zak's boat, all his thoughts were dark and pessimistic.

Raven felt a jolt of fear run through her at the thought of Kol being in danger. Well of course, they were all in danger, but now it appeared that he was even more so than the rest of them. She glanced at him with worried eyes, but he seemed hardly moved, and she followed along beside him as they gathered up their belongings. "Kol," she murmured, knowing he would think she was overreacting,"We'll have to keep an even greater look-out now, won't we? The king knows you, probably knows what you look like and who you are. Our safety so far has been in keeping ourselves anonymous, but now that he is aware of what we're doing..." She swallowed in fear, but not for herself. Her greatest fear was losing the ones she loved, and Kol was at the top of that list, right next to Alberic. She couldn't bare the thought of losing either of them.

Alberic had a hard time concentrating on what was being said, too preoccupied with Aneria beside him, alive and recovering from the attack. He followed the others blindly to gather their things and head off towards the ship, hardly ever taking his eyes off of Aneria, making sure she didn't stumble or fall, or look like she was about to faint. For once, his almost motherly behavior was being put to good use.

Once they reached Zak's ship they all dropped their belongings wherever there was room, and spread about the ship in pairs. Raven felt a smile tug at her lips and she walked up to the captain, greeting him warmly. "It's nice to see you again, Zak," she said politely, nodding. "I trust that all has gone well with you and your crew?"

Estel watched Seren aboard the ship, wondering if she had missed being their mother hen for the past few days. The men all looked relieved to see her, some almost treating her as if she really was their mother. It was sweet, and he felt a pang of longing for children of his own, knowing that, at his age, it wasn't very likely to happen. Maybe... Maybe, once their journey was over, he could stay on this ship with Seren, to treat and help the men when they needed it. The young bucks could use a little shaping up, he thought with a playful smirk. "Nice to taste the sea again, eh?" he asked Seren, leaning against the rail and looking out over the ocean spread before them. "Every day we get closer to the battle that is sure to come, and I can only hope that I, that we, will be strong enough to face him when we have to..." He trailed off, surprised that he mentioned his uncertainties out loud. She didn't need another man to worry about, and he made a note to himself to keep his thoughts to himself.

Alberic found a quiet corner for he and Aneria to rest in, hoping that she wasn't afraid of water or prone to seasickness. The last thing they needed was for her to have a panic attack. He kept her pressed close to himself, tracing a hand through her pale hair. He had never felt so connected to someone before, and he couldn't understand what had come over him....

Terrowin and Celo had the same idea as the other couple, and found a nice cozy spot to cuddle in as they braced themselves against the cold, brisk wind. Terrowin almost thought about finding a room to themselves, but he was fairly certain he knew where that would lead, and he didn't think they were ready for that. Not yet. The last thing they needed was for Celo to get pregnant... She was a brave, fierce warrior, and would definitely play a huge role in the battles to come.

“All has been well.” Zac said with a smile gracing his ever youthful features. He had been at sea waiting for the group to meet him in the harbor in Bay Moar. He knew he had some time and a long journey awaiting them once they were reunited so he spent his time preparing for that with his loyal crew. “I hope your own adventure went well?” He noted that a new person had joined the ranks and he gave a nod to her and Alberi’c direction. “I see at least some development went on. Well enjoy yourself and get comfortable it’s a two week sail to the Goren River and then another couple of days to get to our destination.” The time constraint did not bother to ‘pirate’ one bit. He had taken longer runs before and would not doubt he would do it again in his life time.

Kol however did not like these terms. If they had been flying it would take them no more than a day to reach land where they could take time to recover and begin their flight to Orlea. He scoffed; at least this might give them a chance to get the enemies eyes off of them and in particular Kol. Zac frowned slightly. “Do not be so upset my winged friend. You have others that can not take to the air that you would not want to leave behind, right?” He smiled and patted Kol roughly on the shoulder. Kol only nodded to his responded to his sour mood and moved away to the railing. Two weeks without contact would be hard.

Felren came up behind Kol and smiled. “Fear not, I have a winged friend of my own that has been keeping contact with the Elvin king for some time now. We will not be lost at sea with no communication.” As if Felren had read Kol’s mind he relaxed visibly.

Zac looked to the three group members and then smiled. “Lets be off then.” He said, walking away from them and over to Seren. She looked to be in conversation with the Estel fellow but he wanted to greet the woman who he felt he could call his mother. “Seren!” Zac leapt up behind her and wrapped an arm around her shoulder. “Well well mother hen returns.” He looked to his crew. “We missed her, right boys?!” He called out and the men erupted in cheers.

Seren looked at Estel and listened to him speak. “We can only hope…” the next thing the woman knew, there were a strong set of arms around her shoulders, turning her towards the crew and cheering her on. “Come now Zac, you only missed someone keeping your crew healthy.” She said sweetly.

Zac dramatically put a hand to his heart. “That hurts, Seren, you know we love you for more than your healing qualities.” Zac grinned once more and the bound off not wanting to hear her rebuttal for what he said. He made his way to the head of the ship and began their course.

Aneria sat with Alberic quietly, still tired and battered from the attack the night before but able to move on her own now. “You didn’t have to save me.” She stated quietly. She knew what it was she had done, what her father wanted her to do still. But there was nothing she could do about it. She was their only daughter and most likely their biggest disappointment. She would be killed for disobeying orders but she thought it was worth it for the time she could spend with Alberic. She had no intention of telling him anything about her inevidable death. She wanted him happy while it could last.

Celo sat too with Terrowin quietly as things began to get under way. She figured she was going to be bored out of her mind on this little ship but at the very least she could fly up and around it while their waited for their destination to be reached.

((I honestly wasn’t sure if you wanted me to skip time or if you had something to add. Feel free to skip to when they reach the river. I has an idea. :3))

Raven felt her cheeks flush slightly at Zak's words, though they were anything but flirtatious. She didn't understand why she felt like such a bashful woman around him; perhaps it was his rebellious charm and cocky grin that made her feel so warm and fuzzy. She gripped Kol's hand, reminding herself that she had her own man already. She didn't need drama. "I'm glad to hear you are well," she replied, smiling lightly. "Our journey was...." She paused, trying to think of a proper word. Between meeting Felren, traveling across the desert on giant lizards, being captured and nearly raped by sand pirates, meeting an ice demon, and her brother getting raped by other demonesses, it was hard to think of anything that would really explain it. "It was an adventure," she finally finished, her smile weakening. She really wouldn't have too many fond memories of the island. She was glad to be leaving it; it seemed like they had been there for much longer than they really had. Two weeks aboard the ship didn't seem so bad in comparison, and she could always take a break and fly for a while if she needed to. She nodded once more to Kol as he walked off to perform his duties as captain. She forced her eyes away from his retreating figure, looking instead to Kol, who seemed less enthusiastic about being on board the ship for that long. "Hey, it's alright," she murmured, winking. "We will have plenty of time to spend together. Maybe we can even find some empty room downstairs to... I don't know, mess around a bit, if we want to." A roguish grin crossed her face at the suggestiveness of her tone. She was glad when Felren came up and made Kol even more at ease. She pulled Kol to below the deck, where they discussed about what had happened over the past few days and what the future held for them, both personally and for the general population of the country.

Estel laughed along with the rest of the crew, knowing that the men really missed her more than they would honestly admit. It was obvious how much she cared about them, and they in return. He wondered briefly if he could have had some sort of relationship with the woman had they not been separated when they were younger. It would have been nice, he thought, to have lived the past few decades of his life with a fellow human being instead of with the elves. He would take care to spend as much time with her as possible. He almost felt like a shy young man with a crush around her, and knew that his feelings would only grow stronger as time passed. He took her hand gently and smiled at her, then motioned that she should go and see if there was anything that she needed to be doing. There was certainly something, since the crew had gone without her for a few days. He would talk with her more later; two weeks was plenty of time.

The hand running through Aneria's hair paused, and Alberic thought over the statement that she had just made. "I suppose you're right," he finally said, bringing his arm to around her waist. "At least, from someone else's point of view, it may seem that way. But Aneria, you saved me first. Those demonesses surely would have killed me if you hadn't arrived. Not to mention that if you died.... A part of me would die as well." He swallowed hard, trying to push away the violent images of the night before. He couldn't wash away his feeling of uncleanliness no matter how hard he tried. "I feel connected to you in a way that I've never felt with anyone before, and I didn't just save you because I felt I had to... I saved you because I need you." He blinked, turning his gaze away from the demon. It felt strange to say it aloud, but he spoke the truth. Every moment he became more attached to the woman, and he wasn't sure what to think, especially considering it was a group of her own species that had violated him less than a day before.

The next two weeks went by in blur. The couples kept to themselves much of the time, but there was interaction between members of the group as well as with the young men of the crew, nearly all of whom Raven felt fluttered and out of her league. She must have a thing for pirates, she finally decided. Something about being on the open sea without a care in the would made her feel like she was on top of the world. Of course, she talked and messed around with Kol too, as she had promised. Terrowin became close to many of the young men, finding a lot in common such as good ale, cool breezes, and a carefree life. He spent a lot of time with Celo as well, and they, predictably, grew even closer, finding hidden moments to sneak off for make-outs (though to his credit, he never pushed her farther than they had already gone). Alberic and Aneria spent most of their time with each other or alone, both seeming to be haunted by what happened in Bay Moar. It wasn't surprising that they wanted to spend time alone, and though Alberic spoke with Raven about certain things, he kept quiet most of the time. Estel helped out wherever he could, working alongside men half his age with the same vigor and energy as they. He helped out with Seren's duties as well, which, he came to find out, demanded much attention, considering all the trouble that her boys tended to get into. It was both a relief and a sad parting when they finally caught sight of land, and that evening pulled into the bay near the Goren River. Everyone was eager to get off the ship, even if for but a while before they sailed off again. The group paired off into predictable couples, and each went their own ways to try to walk off their sea legs. It was a rather amusing task, much of which Alberic stuck near Aneria's side to keep her from stumbling. Before long, the group and crew had settled down for the evening on the beach, a bonfire roaring in the middle of their camp. It was both cozy and romantic, and everyone that could took advantage of the low light.

((Sorry it's a bit fail, but hopefully you can do something with it :] ))

The two weeks on the boat really gave time for Kol to think about how they were going about their little recruitment and how well it was actually working. They had the entire Elven army on their side and several hundreds of people from random towns but was it going to be enough? As he sat on the beach that they decided to settle down on for the night, he leaned back, digging his fingers into the slightly warm sand from the days sun and sighed. They still had a long journey to go before they could come to the final battle against the wizard king and he knew all to well it wasn't going to be easy. He looked to Raven and the harsh lines on his face softened lightly. She was with him, that made this so much easier. A slight pang of guilt washed over him when he thought about the woman he had killed awhile back, and what she might have been to the wizard king but he did it to save innocents.

Felren looked over Kol's contemplative look and tilted his head, trying to get a read on the man. He looked deep in thought and troubled by something but it went away soon enough when his attention was back on Raven. "Raven, is it possible for you to make contact with your dragon and check on the Elven armies?" He asked, picking up a piece of fruit and biting it to it, pleased by its juiciness.

Aneria looked to Alberic and smiled gently, putting a hand on his face and gently rubbing at the lines of worry. "You look tired." She commented, despite their relaxing two weeks on the ship it seemed Alberic never stopped worrying for her and she knew it was her fault at how clumsy she was.

Celo looked around the campsite and stood, walking the shoreline along the river with Terrowin and stopped when she was out of earshot of the others and looked at him. Something had been on her mind during the weeks on the boat and she wanted to ask him about it. "What interest have you in me?" She asked, cocking her head slightly, one of her pigtails sliding down her shoulder.