Story Time, the Second!

The day passes slowly. Natalia waits in her stone chamber, but no one sends for her. So she waits until the fires die down, until the darkness grants her peace. Then she hears a sound outside, and she goes to see what it is. But in the darkness, she can only call out, and that same voice replies.
"M'lady!" A voice hisses. She relaxes at the sound of Kairu's voice. "You must not wander about! Many here would not harm you, but others would not be so gentile!"
"But since Kyle has made me Queen of this god-damn place, I shouldn't have to be afraid!" She hisses back.
"Some still oppose the thought of an elf taking throne of destruction, and though you are half, they still believe you are not worthy." He replies, and Natalia turns to squint at the face.
"Do I know you?" She asks. Her eyes can only catch a flicker of light upon his jaw line, but it is enough.
Kyle hesitates, worried about revealing too much. "No, you do not know me, but you certainly know my cousin." His voice is suprisingly calm, though internally he rages, worried that the lie won't take.
"I don't think that's it..." she says softly, trying to remember, but there's a wall in her mind, blocking her from the truth.
"It is." He says calmly, trying to convince her. "Kyle is the one you know."
"Kyle? He sounds like you..." Natalia says, trying to overcome the barrier in her head.
"But I'm not him. Believe me, Natalia." He says, soothing, longing to comfort her like before.
He is desperate that she not discover him, for she would begin to fear him once again. She would not speak to him as if he was human.
The fires start again, and Kyle leaves quickly, suddenly, and Natalia feels as if a part of her goes with him everytime he leaves.
Natalia spends another lonely day in her chamber, waiting for the return of Kairu. The only person she can possibly consider a friend in this strange place. And as the fire dims, Kairu appears again, the ever-same shadow of dark.
As Kyle approaches Natalia's stone chambers he can't help but wipe away a tear, because she knows him as either a heartless monster or Kairu, the true Kyle. but still, for Natalia, he comes back to comfort her.
This time, he has a surprise for her, something to dull the monotany of her days. At least until the riots die down... "Hold out your hands," he whispers, letting the small creature fall into her open palms.
Into her hands trickle a little black spot, much like an ink blot. It coos in her hands, and she smiles. She puts in in her right hand, and leans in to hug Kairu.
Swiftly he sidesteps, evading Natalia's arms. It pains him to do so, but he cannot risk her touching him, awakening the longing and sadness her innocence invokes. Natalia falls into the basalt wall, confusion twisting her features. "Kairu?" She asks into the darkness, her elven eyes unable to pierce the blackness.
"I-I'm sorry. My form is ugly, and I don't want you to be disappointed." He says, running into the night.
Her voice carries through the tunnel. "Kairu?! Kairu?!!" But he doesn't turn back. Natalia sinks to the ground, back to the wall, shivering in fear as a scream tears through the musty air. She cannot see anything, and she is lost.

The day passes slowly. Natalia waits in her stone chamber, but no one sends for her. So she waits until the fires die down, until the darkness grants her peace. Then she hears a sound outside, and she goes to see what it is. But in the darkness, she can only call out, and that same voice replies.
"M'lady!" A voice hisses. She relaxes at the sound of Kairu's voice. "You must not wander about! Many here would not harm you, but others would not be so gentile!"
"But since Kyle has made me Queen of this god-damn place, I shouldn't have to be afraid!" She hisses back.
"Some still oppose the thought of an elf taking throne of destruction, and though you are half, they still believe you are not worthy." He replies, and Natalia turns to squint at the face.
"Do I know you?" She asks. Her eyes can only catch a flicker of light upon his jaw line, but it is enough.
Kyle hesitates, worried about revealing too much. "No, you do not know me, but you certainly know my cousin." His voice is suprisingly calm, though internally he rages, worried that the lie won't take.
"I don't think that's it..." she says softly, trying to remember, but there's a wall in her mind, blocking her from the truth.
"It is." He says calmly, trying to convince her. "Kyle is the one you know."
"Kyle? He sounds like you..." Natalia says, trying to overcome the barrier in her head.
"But I'm not him. Believe me, Natalia." He says, soothing, longing to comfort her like before.
He is desperate that she not discover him, for she would begin to fear him once again. She would not speak to him as if he was human.
The fires start again, and Kyle leaves quickly, suddenly, and Natalia feels as if a part of her goes with him everytime he leaves.
Natalia spends another lonely day in her chamber, waiting for the return of Kairu. The only person she can possibly consider a friend in this strange place. And as the fire dims, Kairu appears again, the ever-same shadow of dark.
As Kyle approaches Natalia's stone chambers he can't help but wipe away a tear, because she knows him as either a heartless monster or Kairu, the true Kyle. but still, for Natalia, he comes back to comfort her.
This time, he has a surprise for her, something to dull the monotany of her days. At least until the riots die down... "Hold out your hands," he whispers, letting the small creature fall into her open palms.
Into her hands trickle a little black spot, much like an ink blot. It coos in her hands, and she smiles. She puts in in her right hand, and leans in to hug Kairu.
Swiftly he sidesteps, evading Natalia's arms. It pains him to do so, but he cannot risk her touching him, awakening the longing and sadness her innocence invokes. Natalia falls into the basalt wall, confusion twisting her features. "Kairu?" She asks into the darkness, her elven eyes unable to pierce the blackness.
"I-I'm sorry. My form is ugly, and I don't want you to be disappointed." He says, running into the night.
Her voice carries through the tunnel. "Kairu?! Kairu?!!" But he doesn't turn back. Natalia sinks to the ground, back to the wall, shivering in fear as a scream tears through the musty air. She cannot see anything, and she is lost.
The fires start to burn again, and she can't find her way back. So she slumps up against a large rock and startsto softly weep.
"I wish I was back in the normal world. One that actually makes sense." She says to herself, and the rock next to her opens, and she lands in front of her best friend.

The day passes slowly. Natalia waits in her stone chamber, but no one sends for her. So she waits until the fires die down, until the darkness grants her peace. Then she hears a sound outside, and she goes to see what it is. But in the darkness, she can only call out, and that same voice replies.
"M'lady!" A voice hisses. She relaxes at the sound of Kairu's voice. "You must not wander about! Many here would not harm you, but others would not be so gentile!"
"But since Kyle has made me Queen of this god-damn place, I shouldn't have to be afraid!" She hisses back.
"Some still oppose the thought of an elf taking throne of destruction, and though you are half, they still believe you are not worthy." He replies, and Natalia turns to squint at the face.
"Do I know you?" She asks. Her eyes can only catch a flicker of light upon his jaw line, but it is enough.
Kyle hesitates, worried about revealing too much. "No, you do not know me, but you certainly know my cousin." His voice is suprisingly calm, though internally he rages, worried that the lie won't take.
"I don't think that's it..." she says softly, trying to remember, but there's a wall in her mind, blocking her from the truth.
"It is." He says calmly, trying to convince her. "Kyle is the one you know."
"Kyle? He sounds like you..." Natalia says, trying to overcome the barrier in her head.
"But I'm not him. Believe me, Natalia." He says, soothing, longing to comfort her like before.
He is desperate that she not discover him, for she would begin to fear him once again. She would not speak to him as if he was human.
The fires start again, and Kyle leaves quickly, suddenly, and Natalia feels as if a part of her goes with him everytime he leaves.
Natalia spends another lonely day in her chamber, waiting for the return of Kairu. The only person she can possibly consider a friend in this strange place. And as the fire dims, Kairu appears again, the ever-same shadow of dark.
As Kyle approaches Natalia's stone chambers he can't help but wipe away a tear, because she knows him as either a heartless monster or Kairu, the true Kyle. but still, for Natalia, he comes back to comfort her.
This time, he has a surprise for her, something to dull the monotany of her days. At least until the riots die down... "Hold out your hands," he whispers, letting the small creature fall into her open palms.
Into her hands trickle a little black spot, much like an ink blot. It coos in her hands, and she smiles. She puts in in her right hand, and leans in to hug Kairu.
Swiftly he sidesteps, evading Natalia's arms. It pains him to do so, but he cannot risk her touching him, awakening the longing and sadness her innocence invokes. Natalia falls into the basalt wall, confusion twisting her features. "Kairu?" She asks into the darkness, her elven eyes unable to pierce the blackness.
"I-I'm sorry. My form is ugly, and I don't want you to be disappointed." He says, running into the night.
Her voice carries through the tunnel. "Kairu?! Kairu?!!" But he doesn't turn back. Natalia sinks to the ground, back to the wall, shivering in fear as a scream tears through the musty air. She cannot see anything, and she is lost.
The fires start to burn again, and she can't find her way back. So she slumps up against a large rock and startsto softly weep.
"I wish I was back in the normal world. One that actually makes sense." She says to herself, and the rock next to her opens, and she lands in front of her best friend.
Linali stares at the stone wall her hands were resting against, her violet eyes wide. "Holy crap," she said, her voice husky and soft "It actually worked. Damn, that was awesome!" A manic grin sweeps across Linali's face as she hauls Natalia to her feet and dances about. "Sweet! I am amazing!"

The day passes slowly. Natalia waits in her stone chamber, but no one sends for her. So she waits until the fires die down, until the darkness grants her peace. Then she hears a sound outside, and she goes to see what it is. But in the darkness, she can only call out, and that same voice replies.
"M'lady!" A voice hisses. She relaxes at the sound of Kairu's voice. "You must not wander about! Many here would not harm you, but others would not be so gentile!"
"But since Kyle has made me Queen of this god-damn place, I shouldn't have to be afraid!" She hisses back.
"Some still oppose the thought of an elf taking throne of destruction, and though you are half, they still believe you are not worthy." He replies, and Natalia turns to squint at the face.
"Do I know you?" She asks. Her eyes can only catch a flicker of light upon his jaw line, but it is enough.
Kyle hesitates, worried about revealing too much. "No, you do not know me, but you certainly know my cousin." His voice is suprisingly calm, though internally he rages, worried that the lie won't take.
"I don't think that's it..." she says softly, trying to remember, but there's a wall in her mind, blocking her from the truth.
"It is." He says calmly, trying to convince her. "Kyle is the one you know."
"Kyle? He sounds like you..." Natalia says, trying to overcome the barrier in her head.
"But I'm not him. Believe me, Natalia." He says, soothing, longing to comfort her like before.
He is desperate that she not discover him, for she would begin to fear him once again. She would not speak to him as if he was human.
The fires start again, and Kyle leaves quickly, suddenly, and Natalia feels as if a part of her goes with him everytime he leaves.
Natalia spends another lonely day in her chamber, waiting for the return of Kairu. The only person she can possibly consider a friend in this strange place. And as the fire dims, Kairu appears again, the ever-same shadow of dark.
As Kyle approaches Natalia's stone chambers he can't help but wipe away a tear, because she knows him as either a heartless monster or Kairu, the true Kyle. but still, for Natalia, he comes back to comfort her.
This time, he has a surprise for her, something to dull the monotany of her days. At least until the riots die down... "Hold out your hands," he whispers, letting the small creature fall into her open palms.
Into her hands trickle a little black spot, much like an ink blot. It coos in her hands, and she smiles. She puts in in her right hand, and leans in to hug Kairu.
Swiftly he sidesteps, evading Natalia's arms. It pains him to do so, but he cannot risk her touching him, awakening the longing and sadness her innocence invokes. Natalia falls into the basalt wall, confusion twisting her features. "Kairu?" She asks into the darkness, her elven eyes unable to pierce the blackness.
"I-I'm sorry. My form is ugly, and I don't want you to be disappointed." He says, running into the night.
Her voice carries through the tunnel. "Kairu?! Kairu?!!" But he doesn't turn back. Natalia sinks to the ground, back to the wall, shivering in fear as a scream tears through the musty air. She cannot see anything, and she is lost.
The fires start to burn again, and she can't find her way back. So she slumps up against a large rock and startsto softly weep.
"I wish I was back in the normal world. One that actually makes sense." She says to herself, and the rock next to her opens, and she lands in front of her best friend.
Linali stares at the stone wall her hands were resting against, her violet eyes wide. "Holy crap," she said, her voice husky and soft "It actually worked. Damn, that was awesome!" A manic grin sweeps across Linali's face as she hauls Natalia to her feet and dances about. "Sweet! I am amazing!"
"What are you talking about, girl?" Natalia says, dancing along with Linali.
"I summoned you!" She squeals excitedly. "And it worked!"
"That's cool!" Natalia exclaims, when there's a knock on Linali's door, and she answers it.

The day passes slowly. Natalia waits in her stone chamber, but no one sends for her. So she waits until the fires die down, until the darkness grants her peace. Then she hears a sound outside, and she goes to see what it is. But in the darkness, she can only call out, and that same voice replies.
"M'lady!" A voice hisses. She relaxes at the sound of Kairu's voice. "You must not wander about! Many here would not harm you, but others would not be so gentile!"
"But since Kyle has made me Queen of this god-damn place, I shouldn't have to be afraid!" She hisses back.
"Some still oppose the thought of an elf taking throne of destruction, and though you are half, they still believe you are not worthy." He replies, and Natalia turns to squint at the face.
"Do I know you?" She asks. Her eyes can only catch a flicker of light upon his jaw line, but it is enough.
Kyle hesitates, worried about revealing too much. "No, you do not know me, but you certainly know my cousin." His voice is suprisingly calm, though internally he rages, worried that the lie won't take.
"I don't think that's it..." she says softly, trying to remember, but there's a wall in her mind, blocking her from the truth.
"It is." He says calmly, trying to convince her. "Kyle is the one you know."
"Kyle? He sounds like you..." Natalia says, trying to overcome the barrier in her head.
"But I'm not him. Believe me, Natalia." He says, soothing, longing to comfort her like before.
He is desperate that she not discover him, for she would begin to fear him once again. She would not speak to him as if he was human.
The fires start again, and Kyle leaves quickly, suddenly, and Natalia feels as if a part of her goes with him everytime he leaves.
Natalia spends another lonely day in her chamber, waiting for the return of Kairu. The only person she can possibly consider a friend in this strange place. And as the fire dims, Kairu appears again, the ever-same shadow of dark.
As Kyle approaches Natalia's stone chambers he can't help but wipe away a tear, because she knows him as either a heartless monster or Kairu, the true Kyle. but still, for Natalia, he comes back to comfort her.
This time, he has a surprise for her, something to dull the monotany of her days. At least until the riots die down... "Hold out your hands," he whispers, letting the small creature fall into her open palms.
Into her hands trickle a little black spot, much like an ink blot. It coos in her hands, and she smiles. She puts in in her right hand, and leans in to hug Kairu.
Swiftly he sidesteps, evading Natalia's arms. It pains him to do so, but he cannot risk her touching him, awakening the longing and sadness her innocence invokes. Natalia falls into the basalt wall, confusion twisting her features. "Kairu?" She asks into the darkness, her elven eyes unable to pierce the blackness.
"I-I'm sorry. My form is ugly, and I don't want you to be disappointed." He says, running into the night.
Her voice carries through the tunnel. "Kairu?! Kairu?!!" But he doesn't turn back. Natalia sinks to the ground, back to the wall, shivering in fear as a scream tears through the musty air. She cannot see anything, and she is lost.
The fires start to burn again, and she can't find her way back. So she slumps up against a large rock and startsto softly weep.
"I wish I was back in the normal world. One that actually makes sense." She says to herself, and the rock next to her opens, and she lands in front of her best friend.
Linali stares at the stone wall her hands were resting against, her violet eyes wide. "Holy crap," she said, her voice husky and soft "It actually worked. Damn, that was awesome!" A manic grin sweeps across Linali's face as she hauls Natalia to her feet and dances about. "Sweet! I am amazing!"
"What are you talking about, girl?" Natalia says, dancing along with Linali.
"I summoned you!" She squeals excitedly. "And it worked!"
"That's cool!" Natalia exclaims, when there's a knock on Linali's door, and she answers it.
Linali's brother walks into the room, his smile wicked. "Oh, little sisssteeer?" But he stops when he sees Natalia. "Linali, what did you do?"

The day passes slowly. Natalia waits in her stone chamber, but no one sends for her. So she waits until the fires die down, until the darkness grants her peace. Then she hears a sound outside, and she goes to see what it is. But in the darkness, she can only call out, and that same voice replies.
"M'lady!" A voice hisses. She relaxes at the sound of Kairu's voice. "You must not wander about! Many here would not harm you, but others would not be so gentile!"
"But since Kyle has made me Queen of this god-damn place, I shouldn't have to be afraid!" She hisses back.
"Some still oppose the thought of an elf taking throne of destruction, and though you are half, they still believe you are not worthy." He replies, and Natalia turns to squint at the face.
"Do I know you?" She asks. Her eyes can only catch a flicker of light upon his jaw line, but it is enough.
Kyle hesitates, worried about revealing too much. "No, you do not know me, but you certainly know my cousin." His voice is suprisingly calm, though internally he rages, worried that the lie won't take.
"I don't think that's it..." she says softly, trying to remember, but there's a wall in her mind, blocking her from the truth.
"It is." He says calmly, trying to convince her. "Kyle is the one you know."
"Kyle? He sounds like you..." Natalia says, trying to overcome the barrier in her head.
"But I'm not him. Believe me, Natalia." He says, soothing, longing to comfort her like before.
He is desperate that she not discover him, for she would begin to fear him once again. She would not speak to him as if he was human.
The fires start again, and Kyle leaves quickly, suddenly, and Natalia feels as if a part of her goes with him everytime he leaves.
Natalia spends another lonely day in her chamber, waiting for the return of Kairu. The only person she can possibly consider a friend in this strange place. And as the fire dims, Kairu appears again, the ever-same shadow of dark.
As Kyle approaches Natalia's stone chambers he can't help but wipe away a tear, because she knows him as either a heartless monster or Kairu, the true Kyle. but still, for Natalia, he comes back to comfort her.
This time, he has a surprise for her, something to dull the monotany of her days. At least until the riots die down... "Hold out your hands," he whispers, letting the small creature fall into her open palms.
Into her hands trickle a little black spot, much like an ink blot. It coos in her hands, and she smiles. She puts in in her right hand, and leans in to hug Kairu.
Swiftly he sidesteps, evading Natalia's arms. It pains him to do so, but he cannot risk her touching him, awakening the longing and sadness her innocence invokes. Natalia falls into the basalt wall, confusion twisting her features. "Kairu?" She asks into the darkness, her elven eyes unable to pierce the blackness.
"I-I'm sorry. My form is ugly, and I don't want you to be disappointed." He says, running into the night.
Her voice carries through the tunnel. "Kairu?! Kairu?!!" But he doesn't turn back. Natalia sinks to the ground, back to the wall, shivering in fear as a scream tears through the musty air. She cannot see anything, and she is lost.
The fires start to burn again, and she can't find her way back. So she slumps up against a large rock and startsto softly weep.
"I wish I was back in the normal world. One that actually makes sense." She says to herself, and the rock next to her opens, and she lands in front of her best friend.
Linali stares at the stone wall her hands were resting against, her violet eyes wide. "Holy crap," she said, her voice husky and soft "It actually worked. Damn, that was awesome!" A manic grin sweeps across Linali's face as she hauls Natalia to her feet and dances about. "Sweet! I am amazing!"
"What are you talking about, girl?" Natalia says, dancing along with Linali.
"I summoned you!" She squeals excitedly. "And it worked!"
"That's cool!" Natalia exclaims, when there's a knock on Linali's door, and she answers it.
Linali's brother walks into the room, his smile wicked. "Oh, little sisssteeer?" But he stops when he sees Natalia. "Linali, what did you do?"
She suddenly finds the floor interesting, smiling shyly. "Nothing."
He puts his hands on his hips. "Linali!"
She pouts. "Alright, fine, I summonded her. Happy?"

The day passes slowly. Natalia waits in her stone chamber, but no one sends for her. So she waits until the fires die down, until the darkness grants her peace. Then she hears a sound outside, and she goes to see what it is. But in the darkness, she can only call out, and that same voice replies.
"M'lady!" A voice hisses. She relaxes at the sound of Kairu's voice. "You must not wander about! Many here would not harm you, but others would not be so gentile!"
"But since Kyle has made me Queen of this god-damn place, I shouldn't have to be afraid!" She hisses back.
"Some still oppose the thought of an elf taking throne of destruction, and though you are half, they still believe you are not worthy." He replies, and Natalia turns to squint at the face.
"Do I know you?" She asks. Her eyes can only catch a flicker of light upon his jaw line, but it is enough.
Kyle hesitates, worried about revealing too much. "No, you do not know me, but you certainly know my cousin." His voice is suprisingly calm, though internally he rages, worried that the lie won't take.
"I don't think that's it..." she says softly, trying to remember, but there's a wall in her mind, blocking her from the truth.
"It is." He says calmly, trying to convince her. "Kyle is the one you know."
"Kyle? He sounds like you..." Natalia says, trying to overcome the barrier in her head.
"But I'm not him. Believe me, Natalia." He says, soothing, longing to comfort her like before.
He is desperate that she not discover him, for she would begin to fear him once again. She would not speak to him as if he was human.
The fires start again, and Kyle leaves quickly, suddenly, and Natalia feels as if a part of her goes with him everytime he leaves.
Natalia spends another lonely day in her chamber, waiting for the return of Kairu. The only person she can possibly consider a friend in this strange place. And as the fire dims, Kairu appears again, the ever-same shadow of dark.
As Kyle approaches Natalia's stone chambers he can't help but wipe away a tear, because she knows him as either a heartless monster or Kairu, the true Kyle. but still, for Natalia, he comes back to comfort her.
This time, he has a surprise for her, something to dull the monotany of her days. At least until the riots die down... "Hold out your hands," he whispers, letting the small creature fall into her open palms.
Into her hands trickle a little black spot, much like an ink blot. It coos in her hands, and she smiles. She puts in in her right hand, and leans in to hug Kairu.
Swiftly he sidesteps, evading Natalia's arms. It pains him to do so, but he cannot risk her touching him, awakening the longing and sadness her innocence invokes. Natalia falls into the basalt wall, confusion twisting her features. "Kairu?" She asks into the darkness, her elven eyes unable to pierce the blackness.
"I-I'm sorry. My form is ugly, and I don't want you to be disappointed." He says, running into the night.
Her voice carries through the tunnel. "Kairu?! Kairu?!!" But he doesn't turn back. Natalia sinks to the ground, back to the wall, shivering in fear as a scream tears through the musty air. She cannot see anything, and she is lost.
The fires start to burn again, and she can't find her way back. So she slumps up against a large rock and startsto softly weep.
"I wish I was back in the normal world. One that actually makes sense." She says to herself, and the rock next to her opens, and she lands in front of her best friend.
Linali stares at the stone wall her hands were resting against, her violet eyes wide. "Holy crap," she said, her voice husky and soft "It actually worked. Damn, that was awesome!" A manic grin sweeps across Linali's face as she hauls Natalia to her feet and dances about. "Sweet! I am amazing!"
"What are you talking about, girl?" Natalia says, dancing along with Linali.
"I summoned you!" She squeals excitedly. "And it worked!"
"That's cool!" Natalia exclaims, when there's a knock on Linali's door, and she answers it.
Linali's brother walks into the room, his smile wicked. "Oh, little sisssteeer?" But he stops when he sees Natalia. "Linali, what did you do?"
She suddenly finds the floor interesting, smiling shyly. "Nothing."
He puts his hands on his hips. "Linali!"
She pouts. "Alright, fine, I summonded her. Happy?"
Linali stares in shock at her normally gentle older brother when he backhands her, fury turning his kind features into a fearsome mask. "You STUPID girl! Do you intend to bring the wrath of hell down upon our heads! Have you forgotten that a witch can do nothing to stop the wishes of a DEMON?! Stupid girl! Moron! Imbecille!" He turns to Natalia, his face softening as he looks upon the unfortunate figure standing against the wall. "I'm so sorry, but you can't stay here. The coven is in a precarious enough position already." His fingertips brush Natalia's cheek, his eyes revealing his despair, for he had always been amazingly fond of his little sister's closest friend. "Perhaps I can help a bit... but you can't stay here."

The day passes slowly. Natalia waits in her stone chamber, but no one sends for her. So she waits until the fires die down, until the darkness grants her peace. Then she hears a sound outside, and she goes to see what it is. But in the darkness, she can only call out, and that same voice replies.
"M'lady!" A voice hisses. She relaxes at the sound of Kairu's voice. "You must not wander about! Many here would not harm you, but others would not be so gentile!"
"But since Kyle has made me Queen of this god-damn place, I shouldn't have to be afraid!" She hisses back.
"Some still oppose the thought of an elf taking throne of destruction, and though you are half, they still believe you are not worthy." He replies, and Natalia turns to squint at the face.
"Do I know you?" She asks. Her eyes can only catch a flicker of light upon his jaw line, but it is enough.
Kyle hesitates, worried about revealing too much. "No, you do not know me, but you certainly know my cousin." His voice is suprisingly calm, though internally he rages, worried that the lie won't take.
"I don't think that's it..." she says softly, trying to remember, but there's a wall in her mind, blocking her from the truth.
"It is." He says calmly, trying to convince her. "Kyle is the one you know."
"Kyle? He sounds like you..." Natalia says, trying to overcome the barrier in her head.
"But I'm not him. Believe me, Natalia." He says, soothing, longing to comfort her like before.
He is desperate that she not discover him, for she would begin to fear him once again. She would not speak to him as if he was human.
The fires start again, and Kyle leaves quickly, suddenly, and Natalia feels as if a part of her goes with him everytime he leaves.
Natalia spends another lonely day in her chamber, waiting for the return of Kairu. The only person she can possibly consider a friend in this strange place. And as the fire dims, Kairu appears again, the ever-same shadow of dark.
As Kyle approaches Natalia's stone chambers he can't help but wipe away a tear, because she knows him as either a heartless monster or Kairu, the true Kyle. but still, for Natalia, he comes back to comfort her.
This time, he has a surprise for her, something to dull the monotany of her days. At least until the riots die down... "Hold out your hands," he whispers, letting the small creature fall into her open palms.
Into her hands trickle a little black spot, much like an ink blot. It coos in her hands, and she smiles. She puts in in her right hand, and leans in to hug Kairu.
Swiftly he sidesteps, evading Natalia's arms. It pains him to do so, but he cannot risk her touching him, awakening the longing and sadness her innocence invokes. Natalia falls into the basalt wall, confusion twisting her features. "Kairu?" She asks into the darkness, her elven eyes unable to pierce the blackness.
"I-I'm sorry. My form is ugly, and I don't want you to be disappointed." He says, running into the night.
Her voice carries through the tunnel. "Kairu?! Kairu?!!" But he doesn't turn back. Natalia sinks to the ground, back to the wall, shivering in fear as a scream tears through the musty air. She cannot see anything, and she is lost.
The fires start to burn again, and she can't find her way back. So she slumps up against a large rock and startsto softly weep.
"I wish I was back in the normal world. One that actually makes sense." She says to herself, and the rock next to her opens, and she lands in front of her best friend.
Linali stares at the stone wall her hands were resting against, her violet eyes wide. "Holy crap," she said, her voice husky and soft "It actually worked. Damn, that was awesome!" A manic grin sweeps across Linali's face as she hauls Natalia to her feet and dances about. "Sweet! I am amazing!"
"What are you talking about, girl?" Natalia says, dancing along with Linali.
"I summoned you!" She squeals excitedly. "And it worked!"
"That's cool!" Natalia exclaims, when there's a knock on Linali's door, and she answers it.
Linali's brother walks into the room, his smile wicked. "Oh, little sisssteeer?" But he stops when he sees Natalia. "Linali, what did you do?"
She suddenly finds the floor interesting, smiling shyly. "Nothing."
He puts his hands on his hips. "Linali!"
She pouts. "Alright, fine, I summonded her. Happy?"
Linali stares in shock at her normally gentle older brother when he backhands her, fury turning his kind features into a fearsome mask. "You STUPID girl! Do you intend to bring the wrath of hell down upon our heads! Have you forgotten that a witch can do nothing to stop the wishes of a DEMON?! Stupid girl! Moron! Imbecille!" He turns to Natalia, his face softening as he looks upon the unfortunate figure standing against the wall. "I'm so sorry, but you can't stay here. The coven is in a precarious enough position already." His fingertips brush Natalia's cheek, his eyes revealing his despair, for he had always been amazingly fond of his little sister's closest friend. "Perhaps I can help a bit... but you can't stay here."
"Help how? And it's only Kyle....Kyle....Linali! Do you still have that video of us, at your party?" She nods, and she gets her cell phone. It plays, music blaringly loud.
"Man, this is one of the best parties I've been to, Lin!" Natalia hears her own voice say.
"Yeah, Lin, it's rockin'!" Kyle's voice says, and Natalia sinks to the floor.

The day passes slowly. Natalia waits in her stone chamber, but no one sends for her. So she waits until the fires die down, until the darkness grants her peace. Then she hears a sound outside, and she goes to see what it is. But in the darkness, she can only call out, and that same voice replies.
"M'lady!" A voice hisses. She relaxes at the sound of Kairu's voice. "You must not wander about! Many here would not harm you, but others would not be so gentile!"
"But since Kyle has made me Queen of this god-damn place, I shouldn't have to be afraid!" She hisses back.
"Some still oppose the thought of an elf taking throne of destruction, and though you are half, they still believe you are not worthy." He replies, and Natalia turns to squint at the face.
"Do I know you?" She asks. Her eyes can only catch a flicker of light upon his jaw line, but it is enough.
Kyle hesitates, worried about revealing too much. "No, you do not know me, but you certainly know my cousin." His voice is suprisingly calm, though internally he rages, worried that the lie won't take.
"I don't think that's it..." she says softly, trying to remember, but there's a wall in her mind, blocking her from the truth.
"It is." He says calmly, trying to convince her. "Kyle is the one you know."
"Kyle? He sounds like you..." Natalia says, trying to overcome the barrier in her head.
"But I'm not him. Believe me, Natalia." He says, soothing, longing to comfort her like before.
He is desperate that she not discover him, for she would begin to fear him once again. She would not speak to him as if he was human.
The fires start again, and Kyle leaves quickly, suddenly, and Natalia feels as if a part of her goes with him everytime he leaves.
Natalia spends another lonely day in her chamber, waiting for the return of Kairu. The only person she can possibly consider a friend in this strange place. And as the fire dims, Kairu appears again, the ever-same shadow of dark.
As Kyle approaches Natalia's stone chambers he can't help but wipe away a tear, because she knows him as either a heartless monster or Kairu, the true Kyle. but still, for Natalia, he comes back to comfort her.
This time, he has a surprise for her, something to dull the monotany of her days. At least until the riots die down... "Hold out your hands," he whispers, letting the small creature fall into her open palms.
Into her hands trickle a little black spot, much like an ink blot. It coos in her hands, and she smiles. She puts in in her right hand, and leans in to hug Kairu.
Swiftly he sidesteps, evading Natalia's arms. It pains him to do so, but he cannot risk her touching him, awakening the longing and sadness her innocence invokes. Natalia falls into the basalt wall, confusion twisting her features. "Kairu?" She asks into the darkness, her elven eyes unable to pierce the blackness.
"I-I'm sorry. My form is ugly, and I don't want you to be disappointed." He says, running into the night.
Her voice carries through the tunnel. "Kairu?! Kairu?!!" But he doesn't turn back. Natalia sinks to the ground, back to the wall, shivering in fear as a scream tears through the musty air. She cannot see anything, and she is lost.
The fires start to burn again, and she can't find her way back. So she slumps up against a large rock and startsto softly weep.
"I wish I was back in the normal world. One that actually makes sense." She says to herself, and the rock next to her opens, and she lands in front of her best friend.
Linali stares at the stone wall her hands were resting against, her violet eyes wide. "Holy crap," she said, her voice husky and soft "It actually worked. Damn, that was awesome!" A manic grin sweeps across Linali's face as she hauls Natalia to her feet and dances about. "Sweet! I am amazing!"
"What are you talking about, girl?" Natalia says, dancing along with Linali.
"I summoned you!" She squeals excitedly. "And it worked!"
"That's cool!" Natalia exclaims, when there's a knock on Linali's door, and she answers it.
Linali's brother walks into the room, his smile wicked. "Oh, little sisssteeer?" But he stops when he sees Natalia. "Linali, what did you do?"
She suddenly finds the floor interesting, smiling shyly. "Nothing."
He puts his hands on his hips. "Linali!"
She pouts. "Alright, fine, I summonded her. Happy?"
Linali stares in shock at her normally gentle older brother when he backhands her, fury turning his kind features into a fearsome mask. "You STUPID girl! Do you intend to bring the wrath of hell down upon our heads! Have you forgotten that a witch can do nothing to stop the wishes of a DEMON?! Stupid girl! Moron! Imbecille!" He turns to Natalia, his face softening as he looks upon the unfortunate figure standing against the wall. "I'm so sorry, but you can't stay here. The coven is in a precarious enough position already." His fingertips brush Natalia's cheek, his eyes revealing his despair, for he had always been amazingly fond of his little sister's closest friend. "Perhaps I can help a bit... but you can't stay here."
"Help how? And it's only Kyle....Kyle....Linali! Do you still have that video of us, at your party?" She nods, and she gets her cell phone. It plays, music blaringly loud.
"Man, this is one of the best parties I've been to, Lin!" Natalia hears her own voice say.
"Yeah, Lin, it's rockin'!" Kyle's voice says, and Natalia sinks to the floor.
Natalia can't stand the pain of hearing herself that happy, of hearing the normalicy of the conversations. It's all fake, a sham. She bites her lip, drawing blood. A tornado of emotions fill her: grief, fear, worry, and anger.
"No!" she shrieks her emotions forking across the room, and the TV screen across the room shatters, smoke wafting from its charred remains.

The day passes slowly. Natalia waits in her stone chamber, but no one sends for her. So she waits until the fires die down, until the darkness grants her peace. Then she hears a sound outside, and she goes to see what it is. But in the darkness, she can only call out, and that same voice replies.
"M'lady!" A voice hisses. She relaxes at the sound of Kairu's voice. "You must not wander about! Many here would not harm you, but others would not be so gentile!"
"But since Kyle has made me Queen of this god-damn place, I shouldn't have to be afraid!" She hisses back.
"Some still oppose the thought of an elf taking throne of destruction, and though you are half, they still believe you are not worthy." He replies, and Natalia turns to squint at the face.
"Do I know you?" She asks. Her eyes can only catch a flicker of light upon his jaw line, but it is enough.
Kyle hesitates, worried about revealing too much. "No, you do not know me, but you certainly know my cousin." His voice is suprisingly calm, though internally he rages, worried that the lie won't take.
"I don't think that's it..." she says softly, trying to remember, but there's a wall in her mind, blocking her from the truth.
"It is." He says calmly, trying to convince her. "Kyle is the one you know."
"Kyle? He sounds like you..." Natalia says, trying to overcome the barrier in her head.
"But I'm not him. Believe me, Natalia." He says, soothing, longing to comfort her like before.
He is desperate that she not discover him, for she would begin to fear him once again. She would not speak to him as if he was human.
The fires start again, and Kyle leaves quickly, suddenly, and Natalia feels as if a part of her goes with him everytime he leaves.
Natalia spends another lonely day in her chamber, waiting for the return of Kairu. The only person she can possibly consider a friend in this strange place. And as the fire dims, Kairu appears again, the ever-same shadow of dark.
As Kyle approaches Natalia's stone chambers he can't help but wipe away a tear, because she knows him as either a heartless monster or Kairu, the true Kyle. but still, for Natalia, he comes back to comfort her.
This time, he has a surprise for her, something to dull the monotany of her days. At least until the riots die down... "Hold out your hands," he whispers, letting the small creature fall into her open palms.
Into her hands trickle a little black spot, much like an ink blot. It coos in her hands, and she smiles. She puts in in her right hand, and leans in to hug Kairu.
Swiftly he sidesteps, evading Natalia's arms. It pains him to do so, but he cannot risk her touching him, awakening the longing and sadness her innocence invokes. Natalia falls into the basalt wall, confusion twisting her features. "Kairu?" She asks into the darkness, her elven eyes unable to pierce the blackness.
"I-I'm sorry. My form is ugly, and I don't want you to be disappointed." He says, running into the night.
Her voice carries through the tunnel. "Kairu?! Kairu?!!" But he doesn't turn back. Natalia sinks to the ground, back to the wall, shivering in fear as a scream tears through the musty air. She cannot see anything, and she is lost.
The fires start to burn again, and she can't find her way back. So she slumps up against a large rock and startsto softly weep.
"I wish I was back in the normal world. One that actually makes sense." She says to herself, and the rock next to her opens, and she lands in front of her best friend.
Linali stares at the stone wall her hands were resting against, her violet eyes wide. "Holy crap," she said, her voice husky and soft "It actually worked. Damn, that was awesome!" A manic grin sweeps across Linali's face as she hauls Natalia to her feet and dances about. "Sweet! I am amazing!"
"What are you talking about, girl?" Natalia says, dancing along with Linali.
"I summoned you!" She squeals excitedly. "And it worked!"
"That's cool!" Natalia exclaims, when there's a knock on Linali's door, and she answers it.
Linali's brother walks into the room, his smile wicked. "Oh, little sisssteeer?" But he stops when he sees Natalia. "Linali, what did you do?"
She suddenly finds the floor interesting, smiling shyly. "Nothing."
He puts his hands on his hips. "Linali!"
She pouts. "Alright, fine, I summonded her. Happy?"
Linali stares in shock at her normally gentle older brother when he backhands her, fury turning his kind features into a fearsome mask. "You STUPID girl! Do you intend to bring the wrath of hell down upon our heads! Have you forgotten that a witch can do nothing to stop the wishes of a DEMON?! Stupid girl! Moron! Imbecille!" He turns to Natalia, his face softening as he looks upon the unfortunate figure standing against the wall. "I'm so sorry, but you can't stay here. The coven is in a precarious enough position already." His fingertips brush Natalia's cheek, his eyes revealing his despair, for he had always been amazingly fond of his little sister's closest friend. "Perhaps I can help a bit... but you can't stay here."
"Help how? And it's only Kyle....Kyle....Linali! Do you still have that video of us, at your party?" She nods, and she gets her cell phone. It plays, music blaringly loud.
"Man, this is one of the best parties I've been to, Lin!" Natalia hears her own voice say.
"Yeah, Lin, it's rockin'!" Kyle's voice says, and Natalia sinks to the floor.
Natalia can't stand the pain of hearing herself that happy, of hearing the normalicy of the conversations. It's all fake, a sham. She bites her lip, drawing blood. A tornado of emotions fill her: grief, fear, worry, and anger.
"No!" she shrieks her emotions forking across the room, and the TV screen across the room shatters, smoke wafting from its charred remains.
Linali's brother moved in to try to comfort Natalia but in all her grief and missery she ran. Jumping straight out the window and as far away from this place as she possibly could, but the truth is you can never run from hell.

The day passes slowly. Natalia waits in her stone chamber, but no one sends for her. So she waits until the fires die down, until the darkness grants her peace. Then she hears a sound outside, and she goes to see what it is. But in the darkness, she can only call out, and that same voice replies.
"M'lady!" A voice hisses. She relaxes at the sound of Kairu's voice. "You must not wander about! Many here would not harm you, but others would not be so gentile!"
"But since Kyle has made me Queen of this god-damn place, I shouldn't have to be afraid!" She hisses back.
"Some still oppose the thought of an elf taking throne of destruction, and though you are half, they still believe you are not worthy." He replies, and Natalia turns to squint at the face.
"Do I know you?" She asks. Her eyes can only catch a flicker of light upon his jaw line, but it is enough.
Kyle hesitates, worried about revealing too much. "No, you do not know me, but you certainly know my cousin." His voice is suprisingly calm, though internally he rages, worried that the lie won't take.
"I don't think that's it..." she says softly, trying to remember, but there's a wall in her mind, blocking her from the truth.
"It is." He says calmly, trying to convince her. "Kyle is the one you know."
"Kyle? He sounds like you..." Natalia says, trying to overcome the barrier in her head.
"But I'm not him. Believe me, Natalia." He says, soothing, longing to comfort her like before.
He is desperate that she not discover him, for she would begin to fear him once again. She would not speak to him as if he was human.
The fires start again, and Kyle leaves quickly, suddenly, and Natalia feels as if a part of her goes with him everytime he leaves.
Natalia spends another lonely day in her chamber, waiting for the return of Kairu. The only person she can possibly consider a friend in this strange place. And as the fire dims, Kairu appears again, the ever-same shadow of dark.
As Kyle approaches Natalia's stone chambers he can't help but wipe away a tear, because she knows him as either a heartless monster or Kairu, the true Kyle. but still, for Natalia, he comes back to comfort her.
This time, he has a surprise for her, something to dull the monotany of her days. At least until the riots die down... "Hold out your hands," he whispers, letting the small creature fall into her open palms.
Into her hands trickle a little black spot, much like an ink blot. It coos in her hands, and she smiles. She puts in in her right hand, and leans in to hug Kairu.
Swiftly he sidesteps, evading Natalia's arms. It pains him to do so, but he cannot risk her touching him, awakening the longing and sadness her innocence invokes. Natalia falls into the basalt wall, confusion twisting her features. "Kairu?" She asks into the darkness, her elven eyes unable to pierce the blackness.
"I-I'm sorry. My form is ugly, and I don't want you to be disappointed." He says, running into the night.
Her voice carries through the tunnel. "Kairu?! Kairu?!!" But he doesn't turn back. Natalia sinks to the ground, back to the wall, shivering in fear as a scream tears through the musty air. She cannot see anything, and she is lost.
The fires start to burn again, and she can't find her way back. So she slumps up against a large rock and startsto softly weep.
"I wish I was back in the normal world. One that actually makes sense." She says to herself, and the rock next to her opens, and she lands in front of her best friend.
Linali stares at the stone wall her hands were resting against, her violet eyes wide. "Holy crap," she said, her voice husky and soft "It actually worked. Damn, that was awesome!" A manic grin sweeps across Linali's face as she hauls Natalia to her feet and dances about. "Sweet! I am amazing!"
"What are you talking about, girl?" Natalia says, dancing along with Linali.
"I summoned you!" She squeals excitedly. "And it worked!"
"That's cool!" Natalia exclaims, when there's a knock on Linali's door, and she answers it.
Linali's brother walks into the room, his smile wicked. "Oh, little sisssteeer?" But he stops when he sees Natalia. "Linali, what did you do?"
She suddenly finds the floor interesting, smiling shyly. "Nothing."
He puts his hands on his hips. "Linali!"
She pouts. "Alright, fine, I summonded her. Happy?"
Linali stares in shock at her normally gentle older brother when he backhands her, fury turning his kind features into a fearsome mask. "You STUPID girl! Do you intend to bring the wrath of hell down upon our heads! Have you forgotten that a witch can do nothing to stop the wishes of a DEMON?! Stupid girl! Moron! Imbecille!" He turns to Natalia, his face softening as he looks upon the unfortunate figure standing against the wall. "I'm so sorry, but you can't stay here. The coven is in a precarious enough position already." His fingertips brush Natalia's cheek, his eyes revealing his despair, for he had always been amazingly fond of his little sister's closest friend. "Perhaps I can help a bit... but you can't stay here."
"Help how? And it's only Kyle....Kyle....Linali! Do you still have that video of us, at your party?" She nods, and she gets her cell phone. It plays, music blaringly loud.
"Man, this is one of the best parties I've been to, Lin!" Natalia hears her own voice say.
"Yeah, Lin, it's rockin'!" Kyle's voice says, and Natalia sinks to the floor.
Natalia can't stand the pain of hearing herself that happy, of hearing the normalicy of the conversations. It's all fake, a sham. She bites her lip, drawing blood. A tornado of emotions fill her: grief, fear, worry, and anger.
"No!" she shrieks her emotions forking across the room, and the TV screen across the room shatters, smoke wafting from its charred remains.
Linali's brother moved in to try to comfort Natalia but in all her grief and missery she ran. Jumping straight out the window and as far away from this place as she possibly could, but the truth is you can never run from hell.
Her bare feel tore themselves up on the rough tarmac, the humid air blocked her lungs, forcing her to stop, to fall upon the dewed grass, the water and night air burning where they touched her wounds. "Kairu," Natalia called weakly, hoping.

The day passes slowly. Natalia waits in her stone chamber, but no one sends for her. So she waits until the fires die down, until the darkness grants her peace. Then she hears a sound outside, and she goes to see what it is. But in the darkness, she can only call out, and that same voice replies.
"M'lady!" A voice hisses. She relaxes at the sound of Kairu's voice. "You must not wander about! Many here would not harm you, but others would not be so gentile!"
"But since Kyle has made me Queen of this god-damn place, I shouldn't have to be afraid!" She hisses back.
"Some still oppose the thought of an elf taking throne of destruction, and though you are half, they still believe you are not worthy." He replies, and Natalia turns to squint at the face.
"Do I know you?" She asks. Her eyes can only catch a flicker of light upon his jaw line, but it is enough.
Kyle hesitates, worried about revealing too much. "No, you do not know me, but you certainly know my cousin." His voice is suprisingly calm, though internally he rages, worried that the lie won't take.
"I don't think that's it..." she says softly, trying to remember, but there's a wall in her mind, blocking her from the truth.
"It is." He says calmly, trying to convince her. "Kyle is the one you know."
"Kyle? He sounds like you..." Natalia says, trying to overcome the barrier in her head.
"But I'm not him. Believe me, Natalia." He says, soothing, longing to comfort her like before.
He is desperate that she not discover him, for she would begin to fear him once again. She would not speak to him as if he was human.
The fires start again, and Kyle leaves quickly, suddenly, and Natalia feels as if a part of her goes with him everytime he leaves.
Natalia spends another lonely day in her chamber, waiting for the return of Kairu. The only person she can possibly consider a friend in this strange place. And as the fire dims, Kairu appears again, the ever-same shadow of dark.
As Kyle approaches Natalia's stone chambers he can't help but wipe away a tear, because she knows him as either a heartless monster or Kairu, the true Kyle. but still, for Natalia, he comes back to comfort her.
This time, he has a surprise for her, something to dull the monotany of her days. At least until the riots die down... "Hold out your hands," he whispers, letting the small creature fall into her open palms.
Into her hands trickle a little black spot, much like an ink blot. It coos in her hands, and she smiles. She puts in in her right hand, and leans in to hug Kairu.
Swiftly he sidesteps, evading Natalia's arms. It pains him to do so, but he cannot risk her touching him, awakening the longing and sadness her innocence invokes. Natalia falls into the basalt wall, confusion twisting her features. "Kairu?" She asks into the darkness, her elven eyes unable to pierce the blackness.
"I-I'm sorry. My form is ugly, and I don't want you to be disappointed." He says, running into the night.
Her voice carries through the tunnel. "Kairu?! Kairu?!!" But he doesn't turn back. Natalia sinks to the ground, back to the wall, shivering in fear as a scream tears through the musty air. She cannot see anything, and she is lost.
The fires start to burn again, and she can't find her way back. So she slumps up against a large rock and startsto softly weep.
"I wish I was back in the normal world. One that actually makes sense." She says to herself, and the rock next to her opens, and she lands in front of her best friend.
Linali stares at the stone wall her hands were resting against, her violet eyes wide. "Holy crap," she said, her voice husky and soft "It actually worked. Damn, that was awesome!" A manic grin sweeps across Linali's face as she hauls Natalia to her feet and dances about. "Sweet! I am amazing!"
"What are you talking about, girl?" Natalia says, dancing along with Linali.
"I summoned you!" She squeals excitedly. "And it worked!"
"That's cool!" Natalia exclaims, when there's a knock on Linali's door, and she answers it.
Linali's brother walks into the room, his smile wicked. "Oh, little sisssteeer?" But he stops when he sees Natalia. "Linali, what did you do?"
She suddenly finds the floor interesting, smiling shyly. "Nothing."
He puts his hands on his hips. "Linali!"
She pouts. "Alright, fine, I summonded her. Happy?"
Linali stares in shock at her normally gentle older brother when he backhands her, fury turning his kind features into a fearsome mask. "You STUPID girl! Do you intend to bring the wrath of hell down upon our heads! Have you forgotten that a witch can do nothing to stop the wishes of a DEMON?! Stupid girl! Moron! Imbecille!" He turns to Natalia, his face softening as he looks upon the unfortunate figure standing against the wall. "I'm so sorry, but you can't stay here. The coven is in a precarious enough position already." His fingertips brush Natalia's cheek, his eyes revealing his despair, for he had always been amazingly fond of his little sister's closest friend. "Perhaps I can help a bit... but you can't stay here."
"Help how? And it's only Kyle....Kyle....Linali! Do you still have that video of us, at your party?" She nods, and she gets her cell phone. It plays, music blaringly loud.
"Man, this is one of the best parties I've been to, Lin!" Natalia hears her own voice say.
"Yeah, Lin, it's rockin'!" Kyle's voice says, and Natalia sinks to the floor.
Natalia can't stand the pain of hearing herself that happy, of hearing the normalicy of the conversations. It's all fake, a sham. She bites her lip, drawing blood. A tornado of emotions fill her: grief, fear, worry, and anger.
"No!" she shrieks her emotions forking across the room, and the TV screen across the room shatters, smoke wafting from its charred remains.
Linali's brother moved in to try to comfort Natalia but in all her grief and missery she ran. Jumping straight out the window and as far away from this place as she possibly could, but the truth is you can never run from hell.
Her bare feel tore themselves up on the rough tarmac, the humid air blocked her lungs, forcing her to stop, to fall upon the dewed grass, the water and night air burning where they touched her wounds. "Kairu," Natalia called weakly, hoping.
But no-one replied.

The day passes slowly. Natalia waits in her stone chamber, but no one sends for her. So she waits until the fires die down, until the darkness grants her peace. Then she hears a sound outside, and she goes to see what it is. But in the darkness, she can only call out, and that same voice replies.
"M'lady!" A voice hisses. She relaxes at the sound of Kairu's voice. "You must not wander about! Many here would not harm you, but others would not be so gentile!"
"But since Kyle has made me Queen of this god-damn place, I shouldn't have to be afraid!" She hisses back.
"Some still oppose the thought of an elf taking throne of destruction, and though you are half, they still believe you are not worthy." He replies, and Natalia turns to squint at the face.
"Do I know you?" She asks. Her eyes can only catch a flicker of light upon his jaw line, but it is enough.
Kyle hesitates, worried about revealing too much. "No, you do not know me, but you certainly know my cousin." His voice is suprisingly calm, though internally he rages, worried that the lie won't take.
"I don't think that's it..." she says softly, trying to remember, but there's a wall in her mind, blocking her from the truth.
"It is." He says calmly, trying to convince her. "Kyle is the one you know."
"Kyle? He sounds like you..." Natalia says, trying to overcome the barrier in her head.
"But I'm not him. Believe me, Natalia." He says, soothing, longing to comfort her like before.
He is desperate that she not discover him, for she would begin to fear him once again. She would not speak to him as if he was human.
The fires start again, and Kyle leaves quickly, suddenly, and Natalia feels as if a part of her goes with him everytime he leaves.
Natalia spends another lonely day in her chamber, waiting for the return of Kairu. The only person she can possibly consider a friend in this strange place. And as the fire dims, Kairu appears again, the ever-same shadow of dark.
As Kyle approaches Natalia's stone chambers he can't help but wipe away a tear, because she knows him as either a heartless monster or Kairu, the true Kyle. but still, for Natalia, he comes back to comfort her.
This time, he has a surprise for her, something to dull the monotany of her days. At least until the riots die down... "Hold out your hands," he whispers, letting the small creature fall into her open palms.
Into her hands trickle a little black spot, much like an ink blot. It coos in her hands, and she smiles. She puts in in her right hand, and leans in to hug Kairu.
Swiftly he sidesteps, evading Natalia's arms. It pains him to do so, but he cannot risk her touching him, awakening the longing and sadness her innocence invokes. Natalia falls into the basalt wall, confusion twisting her features. "Kairu?" She asks into the darkness, her elven eyes unable to pierce the blackness.
"I-I'm sorry. My form is ugly, and I don't want you to be disappointed." He says, running into the night.
Her voice carries through the tunnel. "Kairu?! Kairu?!!" But he doesn't turn back. Natalia sinks to the ground, back to the wall, shivering in fear as a scream tears through the musty air. She cannot see anything, and she is lost.
The fires start to burn again, and she can't find her way back. So she slumps up against a large rock and startsto softly weep.
"I wish I was back in the normal world. One that actually makes sense." She says to herself, and the rock next to her opens, and she lands in front of her best friend.
Linali stares at the stone wall her hands were resting against, her violet eyes wide. "Holy crap," she said, her voice husky and soft "It actually worked. Damn, that was awesome!" A manic grin sweeps across Linali's face as she hauls Natalia to her feet and dances about. "Sweet! I am amazing!"
"What are you talking about, girl?" Natalia says, dancing along with Linali.
"I summoned you!" She squeals excitedly. "And it worked!"
"That's cool!" Natalia exclaims, when there's a knock on Linali's door, and she answers it.
Linali's brother walks into the room, his smile wicked. "Oh, little sisssteeer?" But he stops when he sees Natalia. "Linali, what did you do?"
She suddenly finds the floor interesting, smiling shyly. "Nothing."
He puts his hands on his hips. "Linali!"
She pouts. "Alright, fine, I summonded her. Happy?"
Linali stares in shock at her normally gentle older brother when he backhands her, fury turning his kind features into a fearsome mask. "You STUPID girl! Do you intend to bring the wrath of hell down upon our heads! Have you forgotten that a witch can do nothing to stop the wishes of a DEMON?! Stupid girl! Moron! Imbecille!" He turns to Natalia, his face softening as he looks upon the unfortunate figure standing against the wall. "I'm so sorry, but you can't stay here. The coven is in a precarious enough position already." His fingertips brush Natalia's cheek, his eyes revealing his despair, for he had always been amazingly fond of his little sister's closest friend. "Perhaps I can help a bit... but you can't stay here."
"Help how? And it's only Kyle....Kyle....Linali! Do you still have that video of us, at your party?" She nods, and she gets her cell phone. It plays, music blaringly loud.
"Man, this is one of the best parties I've been to, Lin!" Natalia hears her own voice say.
"Yeah, Lin, it's rockin'!" Kyle's voice says, and Natalia sinks to the floor.
Natalia can't stand the pain of hearing herself that happy, of hearing the normalicy of the conversations. It's all fake, a sham. She bites her lip, drawing blood. A tornado of emotions fill her: grief, fear, worry, and anger.
"No!" she shrieks her emotions forking across the room, and the TV screen across the room shatters, smoke wafting from its charred remains.
Linali's brother moved in to try to comfort Natalia but in all her grief and missery she ran. Jumping straight out the window and as far away from this place as she possibly could, but the truth is you can never run from hell.
Her bare feel tore themselves up on the rough tarmac, the humid air blocked her lungs, forcing her to stop, to fall upon the dewed grass, the water and night air burning where they touched her wounds. "Kairu," Natalia called weakly, hoping.
But no-one replied.
The darkness closed in around her, strangeling her senses; she had been out of the sun too long. Darkness threatened to overwhelm her mind, twisting and twining across her eyes. The last thing he saw before her mind slipped away was a dark shape running towards her: Linali's brother, despair and regret writ across his face.

The day passes slowly. Natalia waits in her stone chamber, but no one sends for her. So she waits until the fires die down, until the darkness grants her peace. Then she hears a sound outside, and she goes to see what it is. But in the darkness, she can only call out, and that same voice replies.
"M'lady!" A voice hisses. She relaxes at the sound of Kairu's voice. "You must not wander about! Many here would not harm you, but others would not be so gentile!"
"But since Kyle has made me Queen of this god-damn place, I shouldn't have to be afraid!" She hisses back.
"Some still oppose the thought of an elf taking throne of destruction, and though you are half, they still believe you are not worthy." He replies, and Natalia turns to squint at the face.
"Do I know you?" She asks. Her eyes can only catch a flicker of light upon his jaw line, but it is enough.
Kyle hesitates, worried about revealing too much. "No, you do not know me, but you certainly know my cousin." His voice is suprisingly calm, though internally he rages, worried that the lie won't take.
"I don't think that's it..." she says softly, trying to remember, but there's a wall in her mind, blocking her from the truth.
"It is." He says calmly, trying to convince her. "Kyle is the one you know."
"Kyle? He sounds like you..." Natalia says, trying to overcome the barrier in her head.
"But I'm not him. Believe me, Natalia." He says, soothing, longing to comfort her like before.
He is desperate that she not discover him, for she would begin to fear him once again. She would not speak to him as if he was human.
The fires start again, and Kyle leaves quickly, suddenly, and Natalia feels as if a part of her goes with him everytime he leaves.
Natalia spends another lonely day in her chamber, waiting for the return of Kairu. The only person she can possibly consider a friend in this strange place. And as the fire dims, Kairu appears again, the ever-same shadow of dark.
As Kyle approaches Natalia's stone chambers he can't help but wipe away a tear, because she knows him as either a heartless monster or Kairu, the true Kyle. but still, for Natalia, he comes back to comfort her.
This time, he has a surprise for her, something to dull the monotany of her days. At least until the riots die down... "Hold out your hands," he whispers, letting the small creature fall into her open palms.
Into her hands trickle a little black spot, much like an ink blot. It coos in her hands, and she smiles. She puts in in her right hand, and leans in to hug Kairu.
Swiftly he sidesteps, evading Natalia's arms. It pains him to do so, but he cannot risk her touching him, awakening the longing and sadness her innocence invokes. Natalia falls into the basalt wall, confusion twisting her features. "Kairu?" She asks into the darkness, her elven eyes unable to pierce the blackness.
"I-I'm sorry. My form is ugly, and I don't want you to be disappointed." He says, running into the night.
Her voice carries through the tunnel. "Kairu?! Kairu?!!" But he doesn't turn back. Natalia sinks to the ground, back to the wall, shivering in fear as a scream tears through the musty air. She cannot see anything, and she is lost.
The fires start to burn again, and she can't find her way back. So she slumps up against a large rock and startsto softly weep.
"I wish I was back in the normal world. One that actually makes sense." She says to herself, and the rock next to her opens, and she lands in front of her best friend.
Linali stares at the stone wall her hands were resting against, her violet eyes wide. "Holy crap," she said, her voice husky and soft "It actually worked. Damn, that was awesome!" A manic grin sweeps across Linali's face as she hauls Natalia to her feet and dances about. "Sweet! I am amazing!"
"What are you talking about, girl?" Natalia says, dancing along with Linali.
"I summoned you!" She squeals excitedly. "And it worked!"
"That's cool!" Natalia exclaims, when there's a knock on Linali's door, and she answers it.
Linali's brother walks into the room, his smile wicked. "Oh, little sisssteeer?" But he stops when he sees Natalia. "Linali, what did you do?"
She suddenly finds the floor interesting, smiling shyly. "Nothing."
He puts his hands on his hips. "Linali!"
She pouts. "Alright, fine, I summonded her. Happy?"
Linali stares in shock at her normally gentle older brother when he backhands her, fury turning his kind features into a fearsome mask. "You STUPID girl! Do you intend to bring the wrath of hell down upon our heads! Have you forgotten that a witch can do nothing to stop the wishes of a DEMON?! Stupid girl! Moron! Imbecille!" He turns to Natalia, his face softening as he looks upon the unfortunate figure standing against the wall. "I'm so sorry, but you can't stay here. The coven is in a precarious enough position already." His fingertips brush Natalia's cheek, his eyes revealing his despair, for he had always been amazingly fond of his little sister's closest friend. "Perhaps I can help a bit... but you can't stay here."
"Help how? And it's only Kyle....Kyle....Linali! Do you still have that video of us, at your party?" She nods, and she gets her cell phone. It plays, music blaringly loud.
"Man, this is one of the best parties I've been to, Lin!" Natalia hears her own voice say.
"Yeah, Lin, it's rockin'!" Kyle's voice says, and Natalia sinks to the floor.
Natalia can't stand the pain of hearing herself that happy, of hearing the normalicy of the conversations. It's all fake, a sham. She bites her lip, drawing blood. A tornado of emotions fill her: grief, fear, worry, and anger.
"No!" she shrieks her emotions forking across the room, and the TV screen across the room shatters, smoke wafting from its charred remains.
Linali's brother moved in to try to comfort Natalia but in all her grief and missery she ran. Jumping straight out the window and as far away from this place as she possibly could, but the truth is you can never run from hell.
Her bare feel tore themselves up on the rough tarmac, the humid air blocked her lungs, forcing her to stop, to fall upon the dewed grass, the water and night air burning where they touched her wounds. "Kairu," Natalia called weakly, hoping.
But no-one replied.
The darkness closed in around her, strangeling her senses; she had been out of the sun too long. Darkness threatened to overwhelm her mind, twisting and twining across her eyes. The last thing he saw before her mind slipped away was a dark shape running towards her: Linali's brother, despair and regret writ across his face.
She woke up in a normal bed, with light dashing her face. She looks around, and sees Linali's brother guarding the door, sleeping lightly.

The day passes slowly. Natalia waits in her stone chamber, but no one sends for her. So she waits until the fires die down, until the darkness grants her peace. Then she hears a sound outside, and she goes to see what it is. But in the darkness, she can only call out, and that same voice replies.
"M'lady!" A voice hisses. She relaxes at the sound of Kairu's voice. "You must not wander about! Many here would not harm you, but others would not be so gentile!"
"But since Kyle has made me Queen of this god-damn place, I shouldn't have to be afraid!" She hisses back.
"Some still oppose the thought of an elf taking throne of destruction, and though you are half, they still believe you are not worthy." He replies, and Natalia turns to squint at the face.
"Do I know you?" She asks. Her eyes can only catch a flicker of light upon his jaw line, but it is enough.
Kyle hesitates, worried about revealing too much. "No, you do not know me, but you certainly know my cousin." His voice is suprisingly calm, though internally he rages, worried that the lie won't take.
"I don't think that's it..." she says softly, trying to remember, but there's a wall in her mind, blocking her from the truth.
"It is." He says calmly, trying to convince her. "Kyle is the one you know."
"Kyle? He sounds like you..." Natalia says, trying to overcome the barrier in her head.
"But I'm not him. Believe me, Natalia." He says, soothing, longing to comfort her like before.
He is desperate that she not discover him, for she would begin to fear him once again. She would not speak to him as if he was human.
The fires start again, and Kyle leaves quickly, suddenly, and Natalia feels as if a part of her goes with him everytime he leaves.
Natalia spends another lonely day in her chamber, waiting for the return of Kairu. The only person she can possibly consider a friend in this strange place. And as the fire dims, Kairu appears again, the ever-same shadow of dark.
As Kyle approaches Natalia's stone chambers he can't help but wipe away a tear, because she knows him as either a heartless monster or Kairu, the true Kyle. but still, for Natalia, he comes back to comfort her.
This time, he has a surprise for her, something to dull the monotany of her days. At least until the riots die down... "Hold out your hands," he whispers, letting the small creature fall into her open palms.
Into her hands trickle a little black spot, much like an ink blot. It coos in her hands, and she smiles. She puts in in her right hand, and leans in to hug Kairu.
Swiftly he sidesteps, evading Natalia's arms. It pains him to do so, but he cannot risk her touching him, awakening the longing and sadness her innocence invokes. Natalia falls into the basalt wall, confusion twisting her features. "Kairu?" She asks into the darkness, her elven eyes unable to pierce the blackness.
"I-I'm sorry. My form is ugly, and I don't want you to be disappointed." He says, running into the night.
Her voice carries through the tunnel. "Kairu?! Kairu?!!" But he doesn't turn back. Natalia sinks to the ground, back to the wall, shivering in fear as a scream tears through the musty air. She cannot see anything, and she is lost.
The fires start to burn again, and she can't find her way back. So she slumps up against a large rock and startsto softly weep.
"I wish I was back in the normal world. One that actually makes sense." She says to herself, and the rock next to her opens, and she lands in front of her best friend.
Linali stares at the stone wall her hands were resting against, her violet eyes wide. "Holy crap," she said, her voice husky and soft "It actually worked. Damn, that was awesome!" A manic grin sweeps across Linali's face as she hauls Natalia to her feet and dances about. "Sweet! I am amazing!"
"What are you talking about, girl?" Natalia says, dancing along with Linali.
"I summoned you!" She squeals excitedly. "And it worked!"
"That's cool!" Natalia exclaims, when there's a knock on Linali's door, and she answers it.
Linali's brother walks into the room, his smile wicked. "Oh, little sisssteeer?" But he stops when he sees Natalia. "Linali, what did you do?"
She suddenly finds the floor interesting, smiling shyly. "Nothing."
He puts his hands on his hips. "Linali!"
She pouts. "Alright, fine, I summonded her. Happy?"
Linali stares in shock at her normally gentle older brother when he backhands her, fury turning his kind features into a fearsome mask. "You STUPID girl! Do you intend to bring the wrath of hell down upon our heads! Have you forgotten that a witch can do nothing to stop the wishes of a DEMON?! Stupid girl! Moron! Imbecille!" He turns to Natalia, his face softening as he looks upon the unfortunate figure standing against the wall. "I'm so sorry, but you can't stay here. The coven is in a precarious enough position already." His fingertips brush Natalia's cheek, his eyes revealing his despair, for he had always been amazingly fond of his little sister's closest friend. "Perhaps I can help a bit... but you can't stay here."
"Help how? And it's only Kyle....Kyle....Linali! Do you still have that video of us, at your party?" She nods, and she gets her cell phone. It plays, music blaringly loud.
"Man, this is one of the best parties I've been to, Lin!" Natalia hears her own voice say.
"Yeah, Lin, it's rockin'!" Kyle's voice says, and Natalia sinks to the floor.
Natalia can't stand the pain of hearing herself that happy, of hearing the normalicy of the conversations. It's all fake, a sham. She bites her lip, drawing blood. A tornado of emotions fill her: grief, fear, worry, and anger.
"No!" she shrieks her emotions forking across the room, and the TV screen across the room shatters, smoke wafting from its charred remains.
Linali's brother moved in to try to comfort Natalia but in all her grief and missery she ran. Jumping straight out the window and as far away from this place as she possibly could, but the truth is you can never run from hell.
Her bare feel tore themselves up on the rough tarmac, the humid air blocked her lungs, forcing her to stop, to fall upon the dewed grass, the water and night air burning where they touched her wounds. "Kairu," Natalia called weakly, hoping.
But no-one replied.
The darkness closed in around her, strangeling her senses; she had been out of the sun too long. Darkness threatened to overwhelm her mind, twisting and twining across her eyes. The last thing he saw before her mind slipped away was a dark shape running towards her: Linali's brother, despair and regret writ across his face.
She woke up in a normal bed, with light dashing her face. She looks around, and sees Linali's brother guarding the door, sleeping lightly.
He sits in a simple chair, his leg propped against the opposite side of the doorframe. His arms are crossed over his chest, a sword sheathed in an ancient looking scabbard. Now that his long black hair is tied back, Natalia can see for the first time how tired he is, cheeks hollow and his eyelids purple.

The day passes slowly. Natalia waits in her stone chamber, but no one sends for her. So she waits until the fires die down, until the darkness grants her peace. Then she hears a sound outside, and she goes to see what it is. But in the darkness, she can only call out, and that same voice replies.
"M'lady!" A voice hisses. She relaxes at the sound of Kairu's voice. "You must not wander about! Many here would not harm you, but others would not be so gentile!"
"But since Kyle has made me Queen of this god-damn place, I shouldn't have to be afraid!" She hisses back.
"Some still oppose the thought of an elf taking throne of destruction, and though you are half, they still believe you are not worthy." He replies, and Natalia turns to squint at the face.
"Do I know you?" She asks. Her eyes can only catch a flicker of light upon his jaw line, but it is enough.
Kyle hesitates, worried about revealing too much. "No, you do not know me, but you certainly know my cousin." His voice is suprisingly calm, though internally he rages, worried that the lie won't take.
"I don't think that's it..." she says softly, trying to remember, but there's a wall in her mind, blocking her from the truth.
"It is." He says calmly, trying to convince her. "Kyle is the one you know."
"Kyle? He sounds like you..." Natalia says, trying to overcome the barrier in her head.
"But I'm not him. Believe me, Natalia." He says, soothing, longing to comfort her like before.
He is desperate that she not discover him, for she would begin to fear him once again. She would not speak to him as if he was human.
The fires start again, and Kyle leaves quickly, suddenly, and Natalia feels as if a part of her goes with him everytime he leaves.
Natalia spends another lonely day in her chamber, waiting for the return of Kairu. The only person she can possibly consider a friend in this strange place. And as the fire dims, Kairu appears again, the ever-same shadow of dark.
As Kyle approaches Natalia's stone chambers he can't help but wipe away a tear, because she knows him as either a heartless monster or Kairu, the true Kyle. but still, for Natalia, he comes back to comfort her.
This time, he has a surprise for her, something to dull the monotany of her days. At least until the riots die down... "Hold out your hands," he whispers, letting the small creature fall into her open palms.
Into her hands trickle a little black spot, much like an ink blot. It coos in her hands, and she smiles. She puts in in her right hand, and leans in to hug Kairu.
Swiftly he sidesteps, evading Natalia's arms. It pains him to do so, but he cannot risk her touching him, awakening the longing and sadness her innocence invokes. Natalia falls into the basalt wall, confusion twisting her features. "Kairu?" She asks into the darkness, her elven eyes unable to pierce the blackness.
"I-I'm sorry. My form is ugly, and I don't want you to be disappointed." He says, running into the night.
Her voice carries through the tunnel. "Kairu?! Kairu?!!" But he doesn't turn back. Natalia sinks to the ground, back to the wall, shivering in fear as a scream tears through the musty air. She cannot see anything, and she is lost.
The fires start to burn again, and she can't find her way back. So she slumps up against a large rock and startsto softly weep.
"I wish I was back in the normal world. One that actually makes sense." She says to herself, and the rock next to her opens, and she lands in front of her best friend.
Linali stares at the stone wall her hands were resting against, her violet eyes wide. "Holy crap," she said, her voice husky and soft "It actually worked. Damn, that was awesome!" A manic grin sweeps across Linali's face as she hauls Natalia to her feet and dances about. "Sweet! I am amazing!"
"What are you talking about, girl?" Natalia says, dancing along with Linali.
"I summoned you!" She squeals excitedly. "And it worked!"
"That's cool!" Natalia exclaims, when there's a knock on Linali's door, and she answers it.
Linali's brother walks into the room, his smile wicked. "Oh, little sisssteeer?" But he stops when he sees Natalia. "Linali, what did you do?"
She suddenly finds the floor interesting, smiling shyly. "Nothing."
He puts his hands on his hips. "Linali!"
She pouts. "Alright, fine, I summonded her. Happy?"
Linali stares in shock at her normally gentle older brother when he backhands her, fury turning his kind features into a fearsome mask. "You STUPID girl! Do you intend to bring the wrath of hell down upon our heads! Have you forgotten that a witch can do nothing to stop the wishes of a DEMON?! Stupid girl! Moron! Imbecille!" He turns to Natalia, his face softening as he looks upon the unfortunate figure standing against the wall. "I'm so sorry, but you can't stay here. The coven is in a precarious enough position already." His fingertips brush Natalia's cheek, his eyes revealing his despair, for he had always been amazingly fond of his little sister's closest friend. "Perhaps I can help a bit... but you can't stay here."
"Help how? And it's only Kyle....Kyle....Linali! Do you still have that video of us, at your party?" She nods, and she gets her cell phone. It plays, music blaringly loud.
"Man, this is one of the best parties I've been to, Lin!" Natalia hears her own voice say.
"Yeah, Lin, it's rockin'!" Kyle's voice says, and Natalia sinks to the floor.
Natalia can't stand the pain of hearing herself that happy, of hearing the normalicy of the conversations. It's all fake, a sham. She bites her lip, drawing blood. A tornado of emotions fill her: grief, fear, worry, and anger.
"No!" she shrieks her emotions forking across the room, and the TV screen across the room shatters, smoke wafting from its charred remains.
Linali's brother moved in to try to comfort Natalia but in all her grief and missery she ran. Jumping straight out the window and as far away from this place as she possibly could, but the truth is you can never run from hell.
Her bare feel tore themselves up on the rough tarmac, the humid air blocked her lungs, forcing her to stop, to fall upon the dewed grass, the water and night air burning where they touched her wounds. "Kairu," Natalia called weakly, hoping.
But no-one replied.
The darkness closed in around her, strangeling her senses; she had been out of the sun too long. Darkness threatened to overwhelm her mind, twisting and twining across her eyes. The last thing he saw before her mind slipped away was a dark shape running towards her: Linali's brother, despair and regret writ across his face.
She woke up in a normal bed, with light dashing her face. She looks around, and sees Linali's brother guarding the door, sleeping lightly.
He sits in a simple chair, his leg propped against the opposite side of the doorframe. His arms are crossed over his chest, a sword sheathed in an ancient looking scabbard. Now that his long black hair is tied back, Natalia can see for the first time how tired he is, cheeks hollow and his eyelids purple.
"What on Earth have you been doing, Jarel?" She whispers to him.

The day passes slowly. Natalia waits in her stone chamber, but no one sends for her. So she waits until the fires die down, until the darkness grants her peace. Then she hears a sound outside, and she goes to see what it is. But in the darkness, she can only call out, and that same voice replies.
"M'lady!" A voice hisses. She relaxes at the sound of Kairu's voice. "You must not wander about! Many here would not harm you, but others would not be so gentile!"
"But since Kyle has made me Queen of this god-damn place, I shouldn't have to be afraid!" She hisses back.
"Some still oppose the thought of an elf taking throne of destruction, and though you are half, they still believe you are not worthy." He replies, and Natalia turns to squint at the face.
"Do I know you?" She asks. Her eyes can only catch a flicker of light upon his jaw line, but it is enough.
Kyle hesitates, worried about revealing too much. "No, you do not know me, but you certainly know my cousin." His voice is suprisingly calm, though internally he rages, worried that the lie won't take.
"I don't think that's it..." she says softly, trying to remember, but there's a wall in her mind, blocking her from the truth.
"It is." He says calmly, trying to convince her. "Kyle is the one you know."
"Kyle? He sounds like you..." Natalia says, trying to overcome the barrier in her head.
"But I'm not him. Believe me, Natalia." He says, soothing, longing to comfort her like before.
He is desperate that she not discover him, for she would begin to fear him once again. She would not speak to him as if he was human.
The fires start again, and Kyle leaves quickly, suddenly, and Natalia feels as if a part of her goes with him everytime he leaves.
Natalia spends another lonely day in her chamber, waiting for the return of Kairu. The only person she can possibly consider a friend in this strange place. And as the fire dims, Kairu appears again, the ever-same shadow of dark.
As Kyle approaches Natalia's stone chambers he can't help but wipe away a tear, because she knows him as either a heartless monster or Kairu, the true Kyle. but still, for Natalia, he comes back to comfort her.
This time, he has a surprise for her, something to dull the monotany of her days. At least until the riots die down... "Hold out your hands," he whispers, letting the small creature fall into her open palms.
Into her hands trickle a little black spot, much like an ink blot. It coos in her hands, and she smiles. She puts in in her right hand, and leans in to hug Kairu.
Swiftly he sidesteps, evading Natalia's arms. It pains him to do so, but he cannot risk her touching him, awakening the longing and sadness her innocence invokes. Natalia falls into the basalt wall, confusion twisting her features. "Kairu?" She asks into the darkness, her elven eyes unable to pierce the blackness.
"I-I'm sorry. My form is ugly, and I don't want you to be disappointed." He says, running into the night.
Her voice carries through the tunnel. "Kairu?! Kairu?!!" But he doesn't turn back. Natalia sinks to the ground, back to the wall, shivering in fear as a scream tears through the musty air. She cannot see anything, and she is lost.
The fires start to burn again, and she can't find her way back. So she slumps up against a large rock and startsto softly weep.
"I wish I was back in the normal world. One that actually makes sense." She says to herself, and the rock next to her opens, and she lands in front of her best friend.
Linali stares at the stone wall her hands were resting against, her violet eyes wide. "Holy crap," she said, her voice husky and soft "It actually worked. Damn, that was awesome!" A manic grin sweeps across Linali's face as she hauls Natalia to her feet and dances about. "Sweet! I am amazing!"
"What are you talking about, girl?" Natalia says, dancing along with Linali.
"I summoned you!" She squeals excitedly. "And it worked!"
"That's cool!" Natalia exclaims, when there's a knock on Linali's door, and she answers it.
Linali's brother walks into the room, his smile wicked. "Oh, little sisssteeer?" But he stops when he sees Natalia. "Linali, what did you do?"
She suddenly finds the floor interesting, smiling shyly. "Nothing."
He puts his hands on his hips. "Linali!"
She pouts. "Alright, fine, I summonded her. Happy?"
Linali stares in shock at her normally gentle older brother when he backhands her, fury turning his kind features into a fearsome mask. "You STUPID girl! Do you intend to bring the wrath of hell down upon our heads! Have you forgotten that a witch can do nothing to stop the wishes of a DEMON?! Stupid girl! Moron! Imbecille!" He turns to Natalia, his face softening as he looks upon the unfortunate figure standing against the wall. "I'm so sorry, but you can't stay here. The coven is in a precarious enough position already." His fingertips brush Natalia's cheek, his eyes revealing his despair, for he had always been amazingly fond of his little sister's closest friend. "Perhaps I can help a bit... but you can't stay here."
"Help how? And it's only Kyle....Kyle....Linali! Do you still have that video of us, at your party?" She nods, and she gets her cell phone. It plays, music blaringly loud.
"Man, this is one of the best parties I've been to, Lin!" Natalia hears her own voice say.
"Yeah, Lin, it's rockin'!" Kyle's voice says, and Natalia sinks to the floor.
Natalia can't stand the pain of hearing herself that happy, of hearing the normalicy of the conversations. It's all fake, a sham. She bites her lip, drawing blood. A tornado of emotions fill her: grief, fear, worry, and anger.
"No!" she shrieks her emotions forking across the room, and the TV screen across the room shatters, smoke wafting from its charred remains.
Linali's brother moved in to try to comfort Natalia but in all her grief and missery she ran. Jumping straight out the window and as far away from this place as she possibly could, but the truth is you can never run from hell.
Her bare feel tore themselves up on the rough tarmac, the humid air blocked her lungs, forcing her to stop, to fall upon the dewed grass, the water and night air burning where they touched her wounds. "Kairu," Natalia called weakly, hoping.
But no-one replied.
The darkness closed in around her, strangeling her senses; she had been out of the sun too long. Darkness threatened to overwhelm her mind, twisting and twining across her eyes. The last thing he saw before her mind slipped away was a dark shape running towards her: Linali's brother, despair and regret writ across his face.
She woke up in a normal bed, with light dashing her face. She looks around, and sees Linali's brother guarding the door, sleeping lightly.
He sits in a simple chair, his leg propped against the opposite side of the doorframe. His arms are crossed over his chest, a sword sheathed in an ancient looking scabbard. Now that his long black hair is tied back, Natalia can see for the first time how tired he is, cheeks hollow and his eyelids purple.
"What on Earth have you been doing, Jarel?" She whispers to him.
The slight sound of her voice is enough to wake him. He looks over at Natalia, sees that her eyes are open, and rises to stand next to her. His fingertips dance across her forehead as if checking for fever. "I've been rescuing you, missy. That's what I've been doing."

The day passes slowly. Natalia waits in her stone chamber, but no one sends for her. So she waits until the fires die down, until the darkness grants her peace. Then she hears a sound outside, and she goes to see what it is. But in the darkness, she can only call out, and that same voice replies.
"M'lady!" A voice hisses. She relaxes at the sound of Kairu's voice. "You must not wander about! Many here would not harm you, but others would not be so gentile!"
"But since Kyle has made me Queen of this god-damn place, I shouldn't have to be afraid!" She hisses back.
"Some still oppose the thought of an elf taking throne of destruction, and though you are half, they still believe you are not worthy." He replies, and Natalia turns to squint at the face.
"Do I know you?" She asks. Her eyes can only catch a flicker of light upon his jaw line, but it is enough.
Kyle hesitates, worried about revealing too much. "No, you do not know me, but you certainly know my cousin." His voice is suprisingly calm, though internally he rages, worried that the lie won't take.
"I don't think that's it..." she says softly, trying to remember, but there's a wall in her mind, blocking her from the truth.
"It is." He says calmly, trying to convince her. "Kyle is the one you know."
"Kyle? He sounds like you..." Natalia says, trying to overcome the barrier in her head.
"But I'm not him. Believe me, Natalia." He says, soothing, longing to comfort her like before.
He is desperate that she not discover him, for she would begin to fear him once again. She would not speak to him as if he was human.
The fires start again, and Kyle leaves quickly, suddenly, and Natalia feels as if a part of her goes with him everytime he leaves.
Natalia spends another lonely day in her chamber, waiting for the return of Kairu. The only person she can possibly consider a friend in this strange place. And as the fire dims, Kairu appears again, the ever-same shadow of dark.
As Kyle approaches Natalia's stone chambers he can't help but wipe away a tear, because she knows him as either a heartless monster or Kairu, the true Kyle. but still, for Natalia, he comes back to comfort her.
This time, he has a surprise for her, something to dull the monotany of her days. At least until the riots die down... "Hold out your hands," he whispers, letting the small creature fall into her open palms.
Into her hands trickle a little black spot, much like an ink blot. It coos in her hands, and she smiles. She puts in in her right hand, and leans in to hug Kairu.
Swiftly he sidesteps, evading Natalia's arms. It pains him to do so, but he cannot risk her touching him, awakening the longing and sadness her innocence invokes. Natalia falls into the basalt wall, confusion twisting her features. "Kairu?" She asks into the darkness, her elven eyes unable to pierce the blackness.
"I-I'm sorry. My form is ugly, and I don't want you to be disappointed." He says, running into the night.
Her voice carries through the tunnel. "Kairu?! Kairu?!!" But he doesn't turn back. Natalia sinks to the ground, back to the wall, shivering in fear as a scream tears through the musty air. She cannot see anything, and she is lost.
The fires start to burn again, and she can't find her way back. So she slumps up against a large rock and startsto softly weep.
"I wish I was back in the normal world. One that actually makes sense." She says to herself, and the rock next to her opens, and she lands in front of her best friend.
Linali stares at the stone wall her hands were resting against, her violet eyes wide. "Holy crap," she said, her voice husky and soft "It actually worked. Damn, that was awesome!" A manic grin sweeps across Linali's face as she hauls Natalia to her feet and dances about. "Sweet! I am amazing!"
"What are you talking about, girl?" Natalia says, dancing along with Linali.
"I summoned you!" She squeals excitedly. "And it worked!"
"That's cool!" Natalia exclaims, when there's a knock on Linali's door, and she answers it.
Linali's brother walks into the room, his smile wicked. "Oh, little sisssteeer?" But he stops when he sees Natalia. "Linali, what did you do?"
She suddenly finds the floor interesting, smiling shyly. "Nothing."
He puts his hands on his hips. "Linali!"
She pouts. "Alright, fine, I summonded her. Happy?"
Linali stares in shock at her normally gentle older brother when he backhands her, fury turning his kind features into a fearsome mask. "You STUPID girl! Do you intend to bring the wrath of hell down upon our heads! Have you forgotten that a witch can do nothing to stop the wishes of a DEMON?! Stupid girl! Moron! Imbecille!" He turns to Natalia, his face softening as he looks upon the unfortunate figure standing against the wall. "I'm so sorry, but you can't stay here. The coven is in a precarious enough position already." His fingertips brush Natalia's cheek, his eyes revealing his despair, for he had always been amazingly fond of his little sister's closest friend. "Perhaps I can help a bit... but you can't stay here."
"Help how? And it's only Kyle....Kyle....Linali! Do you still have that video of us, at your party?" She nods, and she gets her cell phone. It plays, music blaringly loud.
"Man, this is one of the best parties I've been to, Lin!" Natalia hears her own voice say.
"Yeah, Lin, it's rockin'!" Kyle's voice says, and Natalia sinks to the floor.
Natalia can't stand the pain of hearing herself that happy, of hearing the normalicy of the conversations. It's all fake, a sham. She bites her lip, drawing blood. A tornado of emotions fill her: grief, fear, worry, and anger.
"No!" she shrieks her emotions forking across the room, and the TV screen across the room shatters, smoke wafting from its charred remains.
Linali's brother moved in to try to comfort Natalia but in all her grief and missery she ran. Jumping straight out the window and as far away from this place as she possibly could, but the truth is you can never run from hell.
Her bare feel tore themselves up on the rough tarmac, the humid air blocked her lungs, forcing her to stop, to fall upon the dewed grass, the water and night air burning where they touched her wounds. "Kairu," Natalia called weakly, hoping.
But no-one replied.
The darkness closed in around her, strangeling her senses; she had been out of the sun too long. Darkness threatened to overwhelm her mind, twisting and twining across her eyes. The last thing he saw before her mind slipped away was a dark shape running towards her: Linali's brother, despair and regret writ across his face.
She woke up in a normal bed, with light dashing her face. She looks around, and sees Linali's brother guarding the door, sleeping lightly.
He sits in a simple chair, his leg propped against the opposite side of the doorframe. His arms are crossed over his chest, a sword sheathed in an ancient looking scabbard. Now that his long black hair is tied back, Natalia can see for the first time how tired he is, cheeks hollow and his eyelids purple.
"What on Earth have you been doing, Jarel?" She whispers to him.
The slight sound of her voice is enough to wake him. He looks over at Natalia, sees that her eyes are open, and rises to stand next to her. His fingertips dance across her forehead as if checking for fever. "I've been rescuing you, missy. That's what I've been doing."
"I don't need a knight in shinging armor. I just want my life back."

The day passes slowly. Natalia waits in her stone chamber, but no one sends for her. So she waits until the fires die down, until the darkness grants her peace. Then she hears a sound outside, and she goes to see what it is. But in the darkness, she can only call out, and that same voice replies.
"M'lady!" A voice hisses. She relaxes at the sound of Kairu's voice. "You must not wander about! Many here would not harm you, but others would not be so gentile!"
"But since Kyle has made me Queen of this god-damn place, I shouldn't have to be afraid!" She hisses back.
"Some still oppose the thought of an elf taking throne of destruction, and though you are half, they still believe you are not worthy." He replies, and Natalia turns to squint at the face.
"Do I know you?" She asks. Her eyes can only catch a flicker of light upon his jaw line, but it is enough.
Kyle hesitates, worried about revealing too much. "No, you do not know me, but you certainly know my cousin." His voice is suprisingly calm, though internally he rages, worried that the lie won't take.
"I don't think that's it..." she says softly, trying to remember, but there's a wall in her mind, blocking her from the truth.
"It is." He says calmly, trying to convince her. "Kyle is the one you know."
"Kyle? He sounds like you..." Natalia says, trying to overcome the barrier in her head.
"But I'm not him. Believe me, Natalia." He says, soothing, longing to comfort her like before.
He is desperate that she not discover him, for she would begin to fear him once again. She would not speak to him as if he was human.
The fires start again, and Kyle leaves quickly, suddenly, and Natalia feels as if a part of her goes with him everytime he leaves.
Natalia spends another lonely day in her chamber, waiting for the return of Kairu. The only person she can possibly consider a friend in this strange place. And as the fire dims, Kairu appears again, the ever-same shadow of dark.
As Kyle approaches Natalia's stone chambers he can't help but wipe away a tear, because she knows him as either a heartless monster or Kairu, the true Kyle. but still, for Natalia, he comes back to comfort her.
This time, he has a surprise for her, something to dull the monotany of her days. At least until the riots die down... "Hold out your hands," he whispers, letting the small creature fall into her open palms.
Into her hands trickle a little black spot, much like an ink blot. It coos in her hands, and she smiles. She puts in in her right hand, and leans in to hug Kairu.
Swiftly he sidesteps, evading Natalia's arms. It pains him to do so, but he cannot risk her touching him, awakening the longing and sadness her innocence invokes. Natalia falls into the basalt wall, confusion twisting her features. "Kairu?" She asks into the darkness, her elven eyes unable to pierce the blackness.
"I-I'm sorry. My form is ugly, and I don't want you to be disappointed." He says, running into the night.
Her voice carries through the tunnel. "Kairu?! Kairu?!!" But he doesn't turn back. Natalia sinks to the ground, back to the wall, shivering in fear as a scream tears through the musty air. She cannot see anything, and she is lost.
The fires start to burn again, and she can't find her way back. So she slumps up against a large rock and startsto softly weep.
"I wish I was back in the normal world. One that actually makes sense." She says to herself, and the rock next to her opens, and she lands in front of her best friend.
Linali stares at the stone wall her hands were resting against, her violet eyes wide. "Holy crap," she said, her voice husky and soft "It actually worked. Damn, that was awesome!" A manic grin sweeps across Linali's face as she hauls Natalia to her feet and dances about. "Sweet! I am amazing!"
"What are you talking about, girl?" Natalia says, dancing along with Linali.
"I summoned you!" She squeals excitedly. "And it worked!"
"That's cool!" Natalia exclaims, when there's a knock on Linali's door, and she answers it.
Linali's brother walks into the room, his smile wicked. "Oh, little sisssteeer?" But he stops when he sees Natalia. "Linali, what did you do?"
She suddenly finds the floor interesting, smiling shyly. "Nothing."
He puts his hands on his hips. "Linali!"
She pouts. "Alright, fine, I summonded her. Happy?"
Linali stares in shock at her normally gentle older brother when he backhands her, fury turning his kind features into a fearsome mask. "You STUPID girl! Do you intend to bring the wrath of hell down upon our heads! Have you forgotten that a witch can do nothing to stop the wishes of a DEMON?! Stupid girl! Moron! Imbecille!" He turns to Natalia, his face softening as he looks upon the unfortunate figure standing against the wall. "I'm so sorry, but you can't stay here. The coven is in a precarious enough position already." His fingertips brush Natalia's cheek, his eyes revealing his despair, for he had always been amazingly fond of his little sister's closest friend. "Perhaps I can help a bit... but you can't stay here."
"Help how? And it's only Kyle....Kyle....Linali! Do you still have that video of us, at your party?" She nods, and she gets her cell phone. It plays, music blaringly loud.
"Man, this is one of the best parties I've been to, Lin!" Natalia hears her own voice say.
"Yeah, Lin, it's rockin'!" Kyle's voice says, and Natalia sinks to the floor.
Natalia can't stand the pain of hearing herself that happy, of hearing the normalicy of the conversations. It's all fake, a sham. She bites her lip, drawing blood. A tornado of emotions fill her: grief, fear, worry, and anger.
"No!" she shrieks her emotions forking across the room, and the TV screen across the room shatters, smoke wafting from its charred remains.
Linali's brother moved in to try to comfort Natalia but in all her grief and missery she ran. Jumping straight out the window and as far away from this place as she possibly could, but the truth is you can never run from hell.
Her bare feel tore themselves up on the rough tarmac, the humid air blocked her lungs, forcing her to stop, to fall upon the dewed grass, the water and night air burning where they touched her wounds. "Kairu," Natalia called weakly, hoping.
But no-one replied.
The darkness closed in around her, strangeling her senses; she had been out of the sun too long. Darkness threatened to overwhelm her mind, twisting and twining across her eyes. The last thing he saw before her mind slipped away was a dark shape running towards her: Linali's brother, despair and regret writ across his face.
She woke up in a normal bed, with light dashing her face. She looks around, and sees Linali's brother guarding the door, sleeping lightly.
He sits in a simple chair, his leg propped against the opposite side of the doorframe. His arms are crossed over his chest, a sword sheathed in an ancient looking scabbard. Now that his long black hair is tied back, Natalia can see for the first time how tired he is, cheeks hollow and his eyelids purple.
"What on Earth have you been doing, Jarel?" She whispers to him.
The slight sound of her voice is enough to wake him. He looks over at Natalia, sees that her eyes are open, and rises to stand next to her. His fingertips dance across her forehead as if checking for fever. "I've been rescuing you, missy. That's what I've been doing."
"I don't need a knight in shinging armor. I just want my life back." Natalia couldn't help wincing at the petulant tone in her voice.
"Well, you're going to have to deal with it," Jarel said, his violet eyes locking onto Natalia's golden ones. "Because I'm not cruel enough to just leave you alone. Not when I know what's chasing you."

The day passes slowly. Natalia waits in her stone chamber, but no one sends for her. So she waits until the fires die down, until the darkness grants her peace. Then she hears a sound outside, and she goes to see what it is. But in the darkness, she can only call out, and that same voice replies.
"M'lady!" A voice hisses. She relaxes at the sound of Kairu's voice. "You must not wander about! Many here would not harm you, but others would not be so gentile!"
"But since Kyle has made me Queen of this god-damn place, I shouldn't have to be afraid!" She hisses back.
"Some still oppose the thought of an elf taking throne of destruction, and though you are half, they still believe you are not worthy." He replies, and Natalia turns to squint at the face.
"Do I know you?" She asks. Her eyes can only catch a flicker of light upon his jaw line, but it is enough.
Kyle hesitates, worried about revealing too much. "No, you do not know me, but you certainly know my cousin." His voice is suprisingly calm, though internally he rages, worried that the lie won't take.
"I don't think that's it..." she says softly, trying to remember, but there's a wall in her mind, blocking her from the truth.
"It is." He says calmly, trying to convince her. "Kyle is the one you know."
"Kyle? He sounds like you..." Natalia says, trying to overcome the barrier in her head.
"But I'm not him. Believe me, Natalia." He says, soothing, longing to comfort her like before.
He is desperate that she not discover him, for she would begin to fear him once again. She would not speak to him as if he was human.
The fires start again, and Kyle leaves quickly, suddenly, and Natalia feels as if a part of her goes with him everytime he leaves.
Natalia spends another lonely day in her chamber, waiting for the return of Kairu. The only person she can possibly consider a friend in this strange place. And as the fire dims, Kairu appears again, the ever-same shadow of dark.
As Kyle approaches Natalia's stone chambers he can't help but wipe away a tear, because she knows him as either a heartless monster or Kairu, the true Kyle. but still, for Natalia, he comes back to comfort her.
This time, he has a surprise for her, something to dull the monotany of her days. At least until the riots die down... "Hold out your hands," he whispers, letting the small creature fall into her open palms.
Into her hands trickle a little black spot, much like an ink blot. It coos in her hands, and she smiles. She puts in in her right hand, and leans in to hug Kairu.
Swiftly he sidesteps, evading Natalia's arms. It pains him to do so, but he cannot risk her touching him, awakening the longing and sadness her innocence invokes. Natalia falls into the basalt wall, confusion twisting her features. "Kairu?" She asks into the darkness, her elven eyes unable to pierce the blackness.
"I-I'm sorry. My form is ugly, and I don't want you to be disappointed." He says, running into the night.
Her voice carries through the tunnel. "Kairu?! Kairu?!!" But he doesn't turn back. Natalia sinks to the ground, back to the wall, shivering in fear as a scream tears through the musty air. She cannot see anything, and she is lost.
The fires start to burn again, and she can't find her way back. So she slumps up against a large rock and startsto softly weep.
"I wish I was back in the normal world. One that actually makes sense." She says to herself, and the rock next to her opens, and she lands in front of her best friend.
Linali stares at the stone wall her hands were resting against, her violet eyes wide. "Holy crap," she said, her voice husky and soft "It actually worked. Damn, that was awesome!" A manic grin sweeps across Linali's face as she hauls Natalia to her feet and dances about. "Sweet! I am amazing!"
"What are you talking about, girl?" Natalia says, dancing along with Linali.
"I summoned you!" She squeals excitedly. "And it worked!"
"That's cool!" Natalia exclaims, when there's a knock on Linali's door, and she answers it.
Linali's brother walks into the room, his smile wicked. "Oh, little sisssteeer?" But he stops when he sees Natalia. "Linali, what did you do?"
She suddenly finds the floor interesting, smiling shyly. "Nothing."
He puts his hands on his hips. "Linali!"
She pouts. "Alright, fine, I summonded her. Happy?"
Linali stares in shock at her normally gentle older brother when he backhands her, fury turning his kind features into a fearsome mask. "You STUPID girl! Do you intend to bring the wrath of hell down upon our heads! Have you forgotten that a witch can do nothing to stop the wishes of a DEMON?! Stupid girl! Moron! Imbecille!" He turns to Natalia, his face softening as he looks upon the unfortunate figure standing against the wall. "I'm so sorry, but you can't stay here. The coven is in a precarious enough position already." His fingertips brush Natalia's cheek, his eyes revealing his despair, for he had always been amazingly fond of his little sister's closest friend. "Perhaps I can help a bit... but you can't stay here."
"Help how? And it's only Kyle....Kyle....Linali! Do you still have that video of us, at your party?" She nods, and she gets her cell phone. It plays, music blaringly loud.
"Man, this is one of the best parties I've been to, Lin!" Natalia hears her own voice say.
"Yeah, Lin, it's rockin'!" Kyle's voice says, and Natalia sinks to the floor.
Natalia can't stand the pain of hearing herself that happy, of hearing the normalicy of the conversations. It's all fake, a sham. She bites her lip, drawing blood. A tornado of emotions fill her: grief, fear, worry, and anger.
"No!" she shrieks her emotions forking across the room, and the TV screen across the room shatters, smoke wafting from its charred remains.
Linali's brother moved in to try to comfort Natalia but in all her grief and missery she ran. Jumping straight out the window and as far away from this place as she possibly could, but the truth is you can never run from hell.
Her bare feel tore themselves up on the rough tarmac, the humid air blocked her lungs, forcing her to stop, to fall upon the dewed grass, the water and night air burning where they touched her wounds. "Kairu," Natalia called weakly, hoping.
But no-one replied.
The darkness closed in around her, strangeling her senses; she had been out of the sun too long. Darkness threatened to overwhelm her mind, twisting and twining across her eyes. The last thing he saw before her mind slipped away was a dark shape running towards her: Linali's brother, despair and regret writ across his face.
She woke up in a normal bed, with light dashing her face. She looks around, and sees Linali's brother guarding the door, sleeping lightly.
He sits in a simple chair, his leg propped against the opposite side of the doorframe. His arms are crossed over his chest, a sword sheathed in an ancient looking scabbard. Now that his long black hair is tied back, Natalia can see for the first time how tired he is, cheeks hollow and his eyelids purple.
"What on Earth have you been doing, Jarel?" She whispers to him.
The slight sound of her voice is enough to wake him. He looks over at Natalia, sees that her eyes are open, and rises to stand next to her. His fingertips dance across her forehead as if checking for fever. "I've been rescuing you, missy. That's what I've been doing."
"I don't need a knight in shinging armor. I just want my life back." Natalia couldn't help wincing at the petulant tone in her voice.
"Well, you're going to have to deal with it," Jarel said, his violet eyes locking onto Natalia's golden ones. "Because I'm not cruel enough to just leave you alone. Not when I know what's chasing you."
"Kyle is not a what!" She snaps, returning to her old badass self she used to be before this all started.
"He is now." Jarel confirms with a hard tone.

The day passes slowly. Natalia waits in her stone chamber, but no one sends for her. So she waits until the fires die down, until the darkness grants her peace. Then she hears a sound outside, and she goes to see what it is. But in the darkness, she can only call out, and that same voice replies.
"M'lady!" A voice hisses. She relaxes at the sound of Kairu's voice. "You must not wander about! Many here would not harm you, but others would not be so gentile!"
"But since Kyle has made me Queen of this god-damn place, I shouldn't have to be afraid!" She hisses back.
"Some still oppose the thought of an elf taking throne of destruction, and though you are half, they still believe you are not worthy." He replies, and Natalia turns to squint at the face.
"Do I know you?" She asks. Her eyes can only catch a flicker of light upon his jaw line, but it is enough.
Kyle hesitates, worried about revealing too much. "No, you do not know me, but you certainly know my cousin." His voice is suprisingly calm, though internally he rages, worried that the lie won't take.
"I don't think that's it..." she says softly, trying to remember, but there's a wall in her mind, blocking her from the truth.
"It is." He says calmly, trying to convince her. "Kyle is the one you know."
"Kyle? He sounds like you..." Natalia says, trying to overcome the barrier in her head.
"But I'm not him. Believe me, Natalia." He says, soothing, longing to comfort her like before.
He is desperate that she not discover him, for she would begin to fear him once again. She would not speak to him as if he was human.
The fires start again, and Kyle leaves quickly, suddenly, and Natalia feels as if a part of her goes with him everytime he leaves.
Natalia spends another lonely day in her chamber, waiting for the return of Kairu. The only person she can possibly consider a friend in this strange place. And as the fire dims, Kairu appears again, the ever-same shadow of dark.
As Kyle approaches Natalia's stone chambers he can't help but wipe away a tear, because she knows him as either a heartless monster or Kairu, the true Kyle. but still, for Natalia, he comes back to comfort her.
This time, he has a surprise for her, something to dull the monotany of her days. At least until the riots die down... "Hold out your hands," he whispers, letting the small creature fall into her open palms.
Into her hands trickle a little black spot, much like an ink blot. It coos in her hands, and she smiles. She puts in in her right hand, and leans in to hug Kairu.
Swiftly he sidesteps, evading Natalia's arms. It pains him to do so, but he cannot risk her touching him, awakening the longing and sadness her innocence invokes. Natalia falls into the basalt wall, confusion twisting her features. "Kairu?" She asks into the darkness, her elven eyes unable to pierce the blackness.
"I-I'm sorry. My form is ugly, and I don't want you to be disappointed." He says, running into the night.
Her voice carries through the tunnel. "Kairu?! Kairu?!!" But he doesn't turn back. Natalia sinks to the ground, back to the wall, shivering in fear as a scream tears through the musty air. She cannot see anything, and she is lost.
The fires start to burn again, and she can't find her way back. So she slumps up against a large rock and startsto softly weep.
"I wish I was back in the normal world. One that actually makes sense." She says to herself, and the rock next to her opens, and she lands in front of her best friend.
Linali stares at the stone wall her hands were resting against, her violet eyes wide. "Holy crap," she said, her voice husky and soft "It actually worked. Damn, that was awesome!" A manic grin sweeps across Linali's face as she hauls Natalia to her feet and dances about. "Sweet! I am amazing!"
"What are you talking about, girl?" Natalia says, dancing along with Linali.
"I summoned you!" She squeals excitedly. "And it worked!"
"That's cool!" Natalia exclaims, when there's a knock on Linali's door, and she answers it.
Linali's brother walks into the room, his smile wicked. "Oh, little sisssteeer?" But he stops when he sees Natalia. "Linali, what did you do?"
She suddenly finds the floor interesting, smiling shyly. "Nothing."
He puts his hands on his hips. "Linali!"
She pouts. "Alright, fine, I summonded her. Happy?"
Linali stares in shock at her normally gentle older brother when he backhands her, fury turning his kind features into a fearsome mask. "You STUPID girl! Do you intend to bring the wrath of hell down upon our heads! Have you forgotten that a witch can do nothing to stop the wishes of a DEMON?! Stupid girl! Moron! Imbecille!" He turns to Natalia, his face softening as he looks upon the unfortunate figure standing against the wall. "I'm so sorry, but you can't stay here. The coven is in a precarious enough position already." His fingertips brush Natalia's cheek, his eyes revealing his despair, for he had always been amazingly fond of his little sister's closest friend. "Perhaps I can help a bit... but you can't stay here."
"Help how? And it's only Kyle....Kyle....Linali! Do you still have that video of us, at your party?" She nods, and she gets her cell phone. It plays, music blaringly loud.
"Man, this is one of the best parties I've been to, Lin!" Natalia hears her own voice say.
"Yeah, Lin, it's rockin'!" Kyle's voice says, and Natalia sinks to the floor.
Natalia can't stand the pain of hearing herself that happy, of hearing the normalicy of the conversations. It's all fake, a sham. She bites her lip, drawing blood. A tornado of emotions fill her: grief, fear, worry, and anger.
"No!" she shrieks her emotions forking across the room, and the TV screen across the room shatters, smoke wafting from its charred remains.
Linali's brother moved in to try to comfort Natalia but in all her grief and missery she ran. Jumping straight out the window and as far away from this place as she possibly could, but the truth is you can never run from hell.
Her bare feel tore themselves up on the rough tarmac, the humid air blocked her lungs, forcing her to stop, to fall upon the dewed grass, the water and night air burning where they touched her wounds. "Kairu," Natalia called weakly, hoping.
But no-one replied.
The darkness closed in around her, strangeling her senses; she had been out of the sun too long. Darkness threatened to overwhelm her mind, twisting and twining across her eyes. The last thing he saw before her mind slipped away was a dark shape running towards her: Linali's brother, despair and regret writ across his face.
She woke up in a normal bed, with light dashing her face. She looks around, and sees Linali's brother guarding the door, sleeping lightly.
He sits in a simple chair, his leg propped against the opposite side of the doorframe. His arms are crossed over his chest, a sword sheathed in an ancient looking scabbard. Now that his long black hair is tied back, Natalia can see for the first time how tired he is, cheeks hollow and his eyelids purple.
"What on Earth have you been doing, Jarel?" She whispers to him.
The slight sound of her voice is enough to wake him. He looks over at Natalia, sees that her eyes are open, and rises to stand next to her. His fingertips dance across her forehead as if checking for fever. "I've been rescuing you, missy. That's what I've been doing."
"I don't need a knight in shinging armor. I just want my life back." Natalia couldn't help wincing at the petulant tone in her voice.
"Well, you're going to have to deal with it," Jarel said, his violet eyes locking onto Natalia's golden ones. "Because I'm not cruel enough to just leave you alone. Not when I know what's chasing you."
"Kyle is not a what!" She snaps, returning to her old badass self she used to be before this all started.
"He is now." Jarel confirms with a hard tone.
"Tch. You're wrong! You haven't seen him!"
"YES I HAVE!" Jarel's retort is loud, his voice making the doorknob rattle. "It is YOU that have not seen him. All you can see is what he was. There is a reason that you haven't seen him under the noon sun."

The day passes slowly. Natalia waits in her stone chamber, but no one sends for her. So she waits until the fires die down, until the darkness grants her peace. Then she hears a sound outside, and she goes to see what it is. But in the darkness, she can only call out, and that same voice replies.
"M'lady!" A voice hisses. She relaxes at the sound of Kairu's voice. "You must not wander about! Many here would not harm you, but others would not be so gentile!"
"But since Kyle has made me Queen of this god-damn place, I shouldn't have to be afraid!" She hisses back.
"Some still oppose the thought of an elf taking throne of destruction, and though you are half, they still believe you are not worthy." He replies, and Natalia turns to squint at the face.
"Do I know you?" She asks. Her eyes can only catch a flicker of light upon his jaw line, but it is enough.
Kyle hesitates, worried about revealing too much. "No, you do not know me, but you certainly know my cousin." His voice is suprisingly calm, though internally he rages, worried that the lie won't take.
"I don't think that's it..." she says softly, trying to remember, but there's a wall in her mind, blocking her from the truth.
"It is." He says calmly, trying to convince her. "Kyle is the one you know."
"Kyle? He sounds like you..." Natalia says, trying to overcome the barrier in her head.
"But I'm not him. Believe me, Natalia." He says, soothing, longing to comfort her like before.
He is desperate that she not discover him, for she would begin to fear him once again. She would not speak to him as if he was human.
The fires start again, and Kyle leaves quickly, suddenly, and Natalia feels as if a part of her goes with him everytime he leaves.
Natalia spends another lonely day in her chamber, waiting for the return of Kairu. The only person she can possibly consider a friend in this strange place. And as the fire dims, Kairu appears again, the ever-same shadow of dark.
As Kyle approaches Natalia's stone chambers he can't help but wipe away a tear, because she knows him as either a heartless monster or Kairu, the true Kyle. but still, for Natalia, he comes back to comfort her.
This time, he has a surprise for her, something to dull the monotany of her days. At least until the riots die down... "Hold out your hands," he whispers, letting the small creature fall into her open palms.
Into her hands trickle a little black spot, much like an ink blot. It coos in her hands, and she smiles. She puts in in her right hand, and leans in to hug Kairu.
Swiftly he sidesteps, evading Natalia's arms. It pains him to do so, but he cannot risk her touching him, awakening the longing and sadness her innocence invokes. Natalia falls into the basalt wall, confusion twisting her features. "Kairu?" She asks into the darkness, her elven eyes unable to pierce the blackness.
"I-I'm sorry. My form is ugly, and I don't want you to be disappointed." He says, running into the night.
Her voice carries through the tunnel. "Kairu?! Kairu?!!" But he doesn't turn back. Natalia sinks to the ground, back to the wall, shivering in fear as a scream tears through the musty air. She cannot see anything, and she is lost.
The fires start to burn again, and she can't find her way back. So she slumps up against a large rock and startsto softly weep.
"I wish I was back in the normal world. One that actually makes sense." She says to herself, and the rock next to her opens, and she lands in front of her best friend.
Linali stares at the stone wall her hands were resting against, her violet eyes wide. "Holy crap," she said, her voice husky and soft "It actually worked. Damn, that was awesome!" A manic grin sweeps across Linali's face as she hauls Natalia to her feet and dances about. "Sweet! I am amazing!"
"What are you talking about, girl?" Natalia says, dancing along with Linali.
"I summoned you!" She squeals excitedly. "And it worked!"
"That's cool!" Natalia exclaims, when there's a knock on Linali's door, and she answers it.
Linali's brother walks into the room, his smile wicked. "Oh, little sisssteeer?" But he stops when he sees Natalia. "Linali, what did you do?"
She suddenly finds the floor interesting, smiling shyly. "Nothing."
He puts his hands on his hips. "Linali!"
She pouts. "Alright, fine, I summonded her. Happy?"
Linali stares in shock at her normally gentle older brother when he backhands her, fury turning his kind features into a fearsome mask. "You STUPID girl! Do you intend to bring the wrath of hell down upon our heads! Have you forgotten that a witch can do nothing to stop the wishes of a DEMON?! Stupid girl! Moron! Imbecille!" He turns to Natalia, his face softening as he looks upon the unfortunate figure standing against the wall. "I'm so sorry, but you can't stay here. The coven is in a precarious enough position already." His fingertips brush Natalia's cheek, his eyes revealing his despair, for he had always been amazingly fond of his little sister's closest friend. "Perhaps I can help a bit... but you can't stay here."
"Help how? And it's only Kyle....Kyle....Linali! Do you still have that video of us, at your party?" She nods, and she gets her cell phone. It plays, music blaringly loud.
"Man, this is one of the best parties I've been to, Lin!" Natalia hears her own voice say.
"Yeah, Lin, it's rockin'!" Kyle's voice says, and Natalia sinks to the floor.
Natalia can't stand the pain of hearing herself that happy, of hearing the normalicy of the conversations. It's all fake, a sham. She bites her lip, drawing blood. A tornado of emotions fill her: grief, fear, worry, and anger.
"No!" she shrieks her emotions forking across the room, and the TV screen across the room shatters, smoke wafting from its charred remains.
Linali's brother moved in to try to comfort Natalia but in all her grief and missery she ran. Jumping straight out the window and as far away from this place as she possibly could, but the truth is you can never run from hell.
Her bare feel tore themselves up on the rough tarmac, the humid air blocked her lungs, forcing her to stop, to fall upon the dewed grass, the water and night air burning where they touched her wounds. "Kairu," Natalia called weakly, hoping.
But no-one replied.
The darkness closed in around her, strangeling her senses; she had been out of the sun too long. Darkness threatened to overwhelm her mind, twisting and twining across her eyes. The last thing he saw before her mind slipped away was a dark shape running towards her: Linali's brother, despair and regret writ across his face.
She woke up in a normal bed, with light dashing her face. She looks around, and sees Linali's brother guarding the door, sleeping lightly.
He sits in a simple chair, his leg propped against the opposite side of the doorframe. His arms are crossed over his chest, a sword sheathed in an ancient looking scabbard. Now that his long black hair is tied back, Natalia can see for the first time how tired he is, cheeks hollow and his eyelids purple.
"What on Earth have you been doing, Jarel?" She whispers to him.
The slight sound of her voice is enough to wake him. He looks over at Natalia, sees that her eyes are open, and rises to stand next to her. His fingertips dance across her forehead as if checking for fever. "I've been rescuing you, missy. That's what I've been doing."
"I don't need a knight in shinging armor. I just want my life back." Natalia couldn't help wincing at the petulant tone in her voice.
"Well, you're going to have to deal with it," Jarel said, his violet eyes locking onto Natalia's golden ones. "Because I'm not cruel enough to just leave you alone. Not when I know what's chasing you."
"Kyle is not a what!" She snaps, returning to her old badass self she used to be before this all started.
"He is now." Jarel confirms with a hard tone.
"Tch. You're wrong! You haven't seen him!"
"YES I HAVE!" Jarel's retort is loud, his voice making the doorknob rattle. "It is YOU that have not seen him. All you can see is what he was. There is a reason that you haven't seen him under the noon sun."
His words lash out at her and she recoils, hissing. "Don't talk about him that way. You haven't seen the Underworld, either."

The day passes slowly. Natalia waits in her stone chamber, but no one sends for her. So she waits until the fires die down, until the darkness grants her peace. Then she hears a sound outside, and she goes to see what it is. But in the darkness, she can only call out, and that same voice replies.
"M'lady!" A voice hisses. She relaxes at the sound of Kairu's voice. "You must not wander about! Many here would not harm you, but others would not be so gentile!"
"But since Kyle has made me Queen of this god-damn place, I shouldn't have to be afraid!" She hisses back.
"Some still oppose the thought of an elf taking throne of destruction, and though you are half, they still believe you are not worthy." He replies, and Natalia turns to squint at the face.
"Do I know you?" She asks. Her eyes can only catch a flicker of light upon his jaw line, but it is enough.
Kyle hesitates, worried about revealing too much. "No, you do not know me, but you certainly know my cousin." His voice is suprisingly calm, though internally he rages, worried that the lie won't take.
"I don't think that's it..." she says softly, trying to remember, but there's a wall in her mind, blocking her from the truth.
"It is." He says calmly, trying to convince her. "Kyle is the one you know."
"Kyle? He sounds like you..." Natalia says, trying to overcome the barrier in her head.
"But I'm not him. Believe me, Natalia." He says, soothing, longing to comfort her like before.
He is desperate that she not discover him, for she would begin to fear him once again. She would not speak to him as if he was human.
The fires start again, and Kyle leaves quickly, suddenly, and Natalia feels as if a part of her goes with him everytime he leaves.
Natalia spends another lonely day in her chamber, waiting for the return of Kairu. The only person she can possibly consider a friend in this strange place. And as the fire dims, Kairu appears again, the ever-same shadow of dark.
As Kyle approaches Natalia's stone chambers he can't help but wipe away a tear, because she knows him as either a heartless monster or Kairu, the true Kyle. but still, for Natalia, he comes back to comfort her.
This time, he has a surprise for her, something to dull the monotany of her days. At least until the riots die down... "Hold out your hands," he whispers, letting the small creature fall into her open palms.
Into her hands trickle a little black spot, much like an ink blot. It coos in her hands, and she smiles. She puts in in her right hand, and leans in to hug Kairu.
Swiftly he sidesteps, evading Natalia's arms. It pains him to do so, but he cannot risk her touching him, awakening the longing and sadness her innocence invokes. Natalia falls into the basalt wall, confusion twisting her features. "Kairu?" She asks into the darkness, her elven eyes unable to pierce the blackness.
"I-I'm sorry. My form is ugly, and I don't want you to be disappointed." He says, running into the night.
Her voice carries through the tunnel. "Kairu?! Kairu?!!" But he doesn't turn back. Natalia sinks to the ground, back to the wall, shivering in fear as a scream tears through the musty air. She cannot see anything, and she is lost.
The fires start to burn again, and she can't find her way back. So she slumps up against a large rock and startsto softly weep.
"I wish I was back in the normal world. One that actually makes sense." She says to herself, and the rock next to her opens, and she lands in front of her best friend.
Linali stares at the stone wall her hands were resting against, her violet eyes wide. "Holy crap," she said, her voice husky and soft "It actually worked. Damn, that was awesome!" A manic grin sweeps across Linali's face as she hauls Natalia to her feet and dances about. "Sweet! I am amazing!"
"What are you talking about, girl?" Natalia says, dancing along with Linali.
"I summoned you!" She squeals excitedly. "And it worked!"
"That's cool!" Natalia exclaims, when there's a knock on Linali's door, and she answers it.
Linali's brother walks into the room, his smile wicked. "Oh, little sisssteeer?" But he stops when he sees Natalia. "Linali, what did you do?"
She suddenly finds the floor interesting, smiling shyly. "Nothing."
He puts his hands on his hips. "Linali!"
She pouts. "Alright, fine, I summonded her. Happy?"
Linali stares in shock at her normally gentle older brother when he backhands her, fury turning his kind features into a fearsome mask. "You STUPID girl! Do you intend to bring the wrath of hell down upon our heads! Have you forgotten that a witch can do nothing to stop the wishes of a DEMON?! Stupid girl! Moron! Imbecille!" He turns to Natalia, his face softening as he looks upon the unfortunate figure standing against the wall. "I'm so sorry, but you can't stay here. The coven is in a precarious enough position already." His fingertips brush Natalia's cheek, his eyes revealing his despair, for he had always been amazingly fond of his little sister's closest friend. "Perhaps I can help a bit... but you can't stay here."
"Help how? And it's only Kyle....Kyle....Linali! Do you still have that video of us, at your party?" She nods, and she gets her cell phone. It plays, music blaringly loud.
"Man, this is one of the best parties I've been to, Lin!" Natalia hears her own voice say.
"Yeah, Lin, it's rockin'!" Kyle's voice says, and Natalia sinks to the floor.
Natalia can't stand the pain of hearing herself that happy, of hearing the normalicy of the conversations. It's all fake, a sham. She bites her lip, drawing blood. A tornado of emotions fill her: grief, fear, worry, and anger.
"No!" she shrieks her emotions forking across the room, and the TV screen across the room shatters, smoke wafting from its charred remains.
Linali's brother moved in to try to comfort Natalia but in all her grief and missery she ran. Jumping straight out the window and as far away from this place as she possibly could, but the truth is you can never run from hell.
Her bare feel tore themselves up on the rough tarmac, the humid air blocked her lungs, forcing her to stop, to fall upon the dewed grass, the water and night air burning where they touched her wounds. "Kairu," Natalia called weakly, hoping.
But no-one replied.
The darkness closed in around her, strangeling her senses; she had been out of the sun too long. Darkness threatened to overwhelm her mind, twisting and twining across her eyes. The last thing he saw before her mind slipped away was a dark shape running towards her: Linali's brother, despair and regret writ across his face.
She woke up in a normal bed, with light dashing her face. She looks around, and sees Linali's brother guarding the door, sleeping lightly.
He sits in a simple chair, his leg propped against the opposite side of the doorframe. His arms are crossed over his chest, a sword sheathed in an ancient looking scabbard. Now that his long black hair is tied back, Natalia can see for the first time how tired he is, cheeks hollow and his eyelids purple.
"What on Earth have you been doing, Jarel?" She whispers to him.
The slight sound of her voice is enough to wake him. He looks over at Natalia, sees that her eyes are open, and rises to stand next to her. His fingertips dance across her forehead as if checking for fever. "I've been rescuing you, missy. That's what I've been doing."
"I don't need a knight in shinging armor. I just want my life back." Natalia couldn't help wincing at the petulant tone in her voice.
"Well, you're going to have to deal with it," Jarel said, his violet eyes locking onto Natalia's golden ones. "Because I'm not cruel enough to just leave you alone. Not when I know what's chasing you."
"Kyle is not a what!" She snaps, returning to her old badass self she used to be before this all started.
"He is now." Jarel confirms with a hard tone.
"Tch. You're wrong! You haven't seen him!"
"YES I HAVE!" Jarel's retort is loud, his voice making the doorknob rattle. "It is YOU that have not seen him. All you can see is what he was. There is a reason that you haven't seen him under the noon sun."
His words lash out at her and she recoils, hissing. "Don't talk about him that way. You haven't seen the Underworld, either."
Jarel's eyes soften with grief as he scoffs. "What makes you think I haven't?"

The day passes slowly. Natalia waits in her stone chamber, but no one sends for her. So she waits until the fires die down, until the darkness grants her peace. Then she hears a sound outside, and she goes to see what it is. But in the darkness, she can only call out, and that same voice replies.
"M'lady!" A voice hisses. She relaxes at the sound of Kairu's voice. "You must not wander about! Many here would not harm you, but others would not be so gentile!"
"But since Kyle has made me Queen of this god-damn place, I shouldn't have to be afraid!" She hisses back.
"Some still oppose the thought of an elf taking throne of destruction, and though you are half, they still believe you are not worthy." He replies, and Natalia turns to squint at the face.
"Do I know you?" She asks. Her eyes can only catch a flicker of light upon his jaw line, but it is enough.
Kyle hesitates, worried about revealing too much. "No, you do not know me, but you certainly know my cousin." His voice is suprisingly calm, though internally he rages, worried that the lie won't take.
"I don't think that's it..." she says softly, trying to remember, but there's a wall in her mind, blocking her from the truth.
"It is." He says calmly, trying to convince her. "Kyle is the one you know."
"Kyle? He sounds like you..." Natalia says, trying to overcome the barrier in her head.
"But I'm not him. Believe me, Natalia." He says, soothing, longing to comfort her like before.
He is desperate that she not discover him, for she would begin to fear him once again. She would not speak to him as if he was human.
The fires start again, and Kyle leaves quickly, suddenly, and Natalia feels as if a part of her goes with him everytime he leaves.
Natalia spends another lonely day in her chamber, waiting for the return of Kairu. The only person she can possibly consider a friend in this strange place. And as the fire dims, Kairu appears again, the ever-same shadow of dark.
As Kyle approaches Natalia's stone chambers he can't help but wipe away a tear, because she knows him as either a heartless monster or Kairu, the true Kyle. but still, for Natalia, he comes back to comfort her.
This time, he has a surprise for her, something to dull the monotany of her days. At least until the riots die down... "Hold out your hands," he whispers, letting the small creature fall into her open palms.
Into her hands trickle a little black spot, much like an ink blot. It coos in her hands, and she smiles. She puts in in her right hand, and leans in to hug Kairu.
Swiftly he sidesteps, evading Natalia's arms. It pains him to do so, but he cannot risk her touching him, awakening the longing and sadness her innocence invokes. Natalia falls into the basalt wall, confusion twisting her features. "Kairu?" She asks into the darkness, her elven eyes unable to pierce the blackness.
"I-I'm sorry. My form is ugly, and I don't want you to be disappointed." He says, running into the night.
Her voice carries through the tunnel. "Kairu?! Kairu?!!" But he doesn't turn back. Natalia sinks to the ground, back to the wall, shivering in fear as a scream tears through the musty air. She cannot see anything, and she is lost.
The fires start to burn again, and she can't find her way back. So she slumps up against a large rock and startsto softly weep.
"I wish I was back in the normal world. One that actually makes sense." She says to herself, and the rock next to her opens, and she lands in front of her best friend.
Linali stares at the stone wall her hands were resting against, her violet eyes wide. "Holy crap," she said, her voice husky and soft "It actually worked. Damn, that was awesome!" A manic grin sweeps across Linali's face as she hauls Natalia to her feet and dances about. "Sweet! I am amazing!"
"What are you talking about, girl?" Natalia says, dancing along with Linali.
"I summoned you!" She squeals excitedly. "And it worked!"
"That's cool!" Natalia exclaims, when there's a knock on Linali's door, and she answers it.
Linali's brother walks into the room, his smile wicked. "Oh, little sisssteeer?" But he stops when he sees Natalia. "Linali, what did you do?"
She suddenly finds the floor interesting, smiling shyly. "Nothing."
He puts his hands on his hips. "Linali!"
She pouts. "Alright, fine, I summonded her. Happy?"
Linali stares in shock at her normally gentle older brother when he backhands her, fury turning his kind features into a fearsome mask. "You STUPID girl! Do you intend to bring the wrath of hell down upon our heads! Have you forgotten that a witch can do nothing to stop the wishes of a DEMON?! Stupid girl! Moron! Imbecille!" He turns to Natalia, his face softening as he looks upon the unfortunate figure standing against the wall. "I'm so sorry, but you can't stay here. The coven is in a precarious enough position already." His fingertips brush Natalia's cheek, his eyes revealing his despair, for he had always been amazingly fond of his little sister's closest friend. "Perhaps I can help a bit... but you can't stay here."
"Help how? And it's only Kyle....Kyle....Linali! Do you still have that video of us, at your party?" She nods, and she gets her cell phone. It plays, music blaringly loud.
"Man, this is one of the best parties I've been to, Lin!" Natalia hears her own voice say.
"Yeah, Lin, it's rockin'!" Kyle's voice says, and Natalia sinks to the floor.
Natalia can't stand the pain of hearing herself that happy, of hearing the normalicy of the conversations. It's all fake, a sham. She bites her lip, drawing blood. A tornado of emotions fill her: grief, fear, worry, and anger.
"No!" she shrieks her emotions forking across the room, and the TV screen across the room shatters, smoke wafting from its charred remains.
Linali's brother moved in to try to comfort Natalia but in all her grief and missery she ran. Jumping straight out the window and as far away from this place as she possibly could, but the truth is you can never run from hell.
Her bare feel tore themselves up on the rough tarmac, the humid air blocked her lungs, forcing her to stop, to fall upon the dewed grass, the water and night air burning where they touched her wounds. "Kairu," Natalia called weakly, hoping.
But no-one replied.
The darkness closed in around her, strangeling her senses; she had been out of the sun too long. Darkness threatened to overwhelm her mind, twisting and twining across her eyes. The last thing he saw before her mind slipped away was a dark shape running towards her: Linali's brother, despair and regret writ across his face.
She woke up in a normal bed, with light dashing her face. She looks around, and sees Linali's brother guarding the door, sleeping lightly.
He sits in a simple chair, his leg propped against the opposite side of the doorframe. His arms are crossed over his chest, a sword sheathed in an ancient looking scabbard. Now that his long black hair is tied back, Natalia can see for the first time how tired he is, cheeks hollow and his eyelids purple.
"What on Earth have you been doing, Jarel?" She whispers to him.
The slight sound of her voice is enough to wake him. He looks over at Natalia, sees that her eyes are open, and rises to stand next to her. His fingertips dance across her forehead as if checking for fever. "I've been rescuing you, missy. That's what I've been doing."
"I don't need a knight in shinging armor. I just want my life back." Natalia couldn't help wincing at the petulant tone in her voice.
"Well, you're going to have to deal with it," Jarel said, his violet eyes locking onto Natalia's golden ones. "Because I'm not cruel enough to just leave you alone. Not when I know what's chasing you."
"Kyle is not a what!" She snaps, returning to her old badass self she used to be before this all started.
"He is now." Jarel confirms with a hard tone.
"Tch. You're wrong! You haven't seen him!"
"YES I HAVE!" Jarel's retort is loud, his voice making the doorknob rattle. "It is YOU that have not seen him. All you can see is what he was. There is a reason that you haven't seen him under the noon sun."
His words lash out at her and she recoils, hissing. "Don't talk about him that way. You haven't seen the Underworld, either."
Jarel's eyes soften with grief as he scoffs. "What makes you think I haven't?"
"I can tell. I was there, for many days."
"Days? Natalia, you were gone for almost six months."

The day passes slowly. Natalia waits in her stone chamber, but no one sends for her. So she waits until the fires die down, until the darkness grants her peace. Then she hears a sound outside, and she goes to see what it is. But in the darkness, she can only call out, and that same voice replies.
"M'lady!" A voice hisses. She relaxes at the sound of Kairu's voice. "You must not wander about! Many here would not harm you, but others would not be so gentile!"
"But since Kyle has made me Queen of this god-damn place, I shouldn't have to be afraid!" She hisses back.
"Some still oppose the thought of an elf taking throne of destruction, and though you are half, they still believe you are not worthy." He replies, and Natalia turns to squint at the face.
"Do I know you?" She asks. Her eyes can only catch a flicker of light upon his jaw line, but it is enough.
Kyle hesitates, worried about revealing too much. "No, you do not know me, but you certainly know my cousin." His voice is suprisingly calm, though internally he rages, worried that the lie won't take.
"I don't think that's it..." she says softly, trying to remember, but there's a wall in her mind, blocking her from the truth.
"It is." He says calmly, trying to convince her. "Kyle is the one you know."
"Kyle? He sounds like you..." Natalia says, trying to overcome the barrier in her head.
"But I'm not him. Believe me, Natalia." He says, soothing, longing to comfort her like before.
He is desperate that she not discover him, for she would begin to fear him once again. She would not speak to him as if he was human.
The fires start again, and Kyle leaves quickly, suddenly, and Natalia feels as if a part of her goes with him everytime he leaves.
Natalia spends another lonely day in her chamber, waiting for the return of Kairu. The only person she can possibly consider a friend in this strange place. And as the fire dims, Kairu appears again, the ever-same shadow of dark.
As Kyle approaches Natalia's stone chambers he can't help but wipe away a tear, because she knows him as either a heartless monster or Kairu, the true Kyle. but still, for Natalia, he comes back to comfort her.
This time, he has a surprise for her, something to dull the monotany of her days. At least until the riots die down... "Hold out your hands," he whispers, letting the small creature fall into her open palms.
Into her hands trickle a little black spot, much like an ink blot. It coos in her hands, and she smiles. She puts in in her right hand, and leans in to hug Kairu.
Swiftly he sidesteps, evading Natalia's arms. It pains him to do so, but he cannot risk her touching him, awakening the longing and sadness her innocence invokes. Natalia falls into the basalt wall, confusion twisting her features. "Kairu?" She asks into the darkness, her elven eyes unable to pierce the blackness.
"I-I'm sorry. My form is ugly, and I don't want you to be disappointed." He says, running into the night.
Her voice carries through the tunnel. "Kairu?! Kairu?!!" But he doesn't turn back. Natalia sinks to the ground, back to the wall, shivering in fear as a scream tears through the musty air. She cannot see anything, and she is lost.
The fires start to burn again, and she can't find her way back. So she slumps up against a large rock and startsto softly weep.
"I wish I was back in the normal world. One that actually makes sense." She says to herself, and the rock next to her opens, and she lands in front of her best friend.
Linali stares at the stone wall her hands were resting against, her violet eyes wide. "Holy crap," she said, her voice husky and soft "It actually worked. Damn, that was awesome!" A manic grin sweeps across Linali's face as she hauls Natalia to her feet and dances about. "Sweet! I am amazing!"
"What are you talking about, girl?" Natalia says, dancing along with Linali.
"I summoned you!" She squeals excitedly. "And it worked!"
"That's cool!" Natalia exclaims, when there's a knock on Linali's door, and she answers it.
Linali's brother walks into the room, his smile wicked. "Oh, little sisssteeer?" But he stops when he sees Natalia. "Linali, what did you do?"
She suddenly finds the floor interesting, smiling shyly. "Nothing."
He puts his hands on his hips. "Linali!"
She pouts. "Alright, fine, I summonded her. Happy?"
Linali stares in shock at her normally gentle older brother when he backhands her, fury turning his kind features into a fearsome mask. "You STUPID girl! Do you intend to bring the wrath of hell down upon our heads! Have you forgotten that a witch can do nothing to stop the wishes of a DEMON?! Stupid girl! Moron! Imbecille!" He turns to Natalia, his face softening as he looks upon the unfortunate figure standing against the wall. "I'm so sorry, but you can't stay here. The coven is in a precarious enough position already." His fingertips brush Natalia's cheek, his eyes revealing his despair, for he had always been amazingly fond of his little sister's closest friend. "Perhaps I can help a bit... but you can't stay here."
"Help how? And it's only Kyle....Kyle....Linali! Do you still have that video of us, at your party?" She nods, and she gets her cell phone. It plays, music blaringly loud.
"Man, this is one of the best parties I've been to, Lin!" Natalia hears her own voice say.
"Yeah, Lin, it's rockin'!" Kyle's voice says, and Natalia sinks to the floor.
Natalia can't stand the pain of hearing herself that happy, of hearing the normalicy of the conversations. It's all fake, a sham. She bites her lip, drawing blood. A tornado of emotions fill her: grief, fear, worry, and anger.
"No!" she shrieks her emotions forking across the room, and the TV screen across the room shatters, smoke wafting from its charred remains.
Linali's brother moved in to try to comfort Natalia but in all her grief and missery she ran. Jumping straight out the window and as far away from this place as she possibly could, but the truth is you can never run from hell.
Her bare feel tore themselves up on the rough tarmac, the humid air blocked her lungs, forcing her to stop, to fall upon the dewed grass, the water and night air burning where they touched her wounds. "Kairu," Natalia called weakly, hoping.
But no-one replied.
The darkness closed in around her, strangeling her senses; she had been out of the sun too long. Darkness threatened to overwhelm her mind, twisting and twining across her eyes. The last thing he saw before her mind slipped away was a dark shape running towards her: Linali's brother, despair and regret writ across his face.
She woke up in a normal bed, with light dashing her face. She looks around, and sees Linali's brother guarding the door, sleeping lightly.
He sits in a simple chair, his leg propped against the opposite side of the doorframe. His arms are crossed over his chest, a sword sheathed in an ancient looking scabbard. Now that his long black hair is tied back, Natalia can see for the first time how tired he is, cheeks hollow and his eyelids purple.
"What on Earth have you been doing, Jarel?" She whispers to him.
The slight sound of her voice is enough to wake him. He looks over at Natalia, sees that her eyes are open, and rises to stand next to her. His fingertips dance across her forehead as if checking for fever. "I've been rescuing you, missy. That's what I've been doing."
"I don't need a knight in shinging armor. I just want my life back." Natalia couldn't help wincing at the petulant tone in her voice.
"Well, you're going to have to deal with it," Jarel said, his violet eyes locking onto Natalia's golden ones. "Because I'm not cruel enough to just leave you alone. Not when I know what's chasing you."
"Kyle is not a what!" She snaps, returning to her old badass self she used to be before this all started.
"He is now." Jarel confirms with a hard tone.
"Tch. You're wrong! You haven't seen him!"
"YES I HAVE!" Jarel's retort is loud, his voice making the doorknob rattle. "It is YOU that have not seen him. All you can see is what he was. There is a reason that you haven't seen him under the noon sun."
His words lash out at her and she recoils, hissing. "Don't talk about him that way. You haven't seen the Underworld, either."
Jarel's eyes soften with grief as he scoffs. "What makes you think I haven't?"
"I can tell. I was there, for many days."
"Days? Natalia, you were gone for almost six months."
This little bit of news freezes Natalia. Six months?! How?! As she opens her mouth to speak, Jarel interupts her. "And I have been to Hell. Many times. I spent a year. A year, hiding behind columns of sulfur and trying to avoid detection. I was there two years before you were, so don't speak to me as if you know so much more than I."