Autumn's Beginning, Autumn's Breeze

Davnix-

I studied the girl curiously. Suddenly she turned to leave.

"No, don't go. I remember you now. Excuse my earlier rudeness, it's been a hard day. I'd enjoy company."

She turned back to me slowly and after a moment came to sit on the bench with me.

"Why aren't you fighting?" she asked, casting my foot a glance.

"Hurt my foot," i replied sheepishly.

Valentina~

The blood tasted sweet...nearly too sweet. I choked a bit, but knew what I had to do.

I drank until the creature had no blood left. A good amount of it was on the ground, and a good amount was in my stomach. I landed on my feet next to the ugly brute, just in time for something to grab me around my neck, cutting off my breathing.

I looked up, meeting Nathaniel's angry gaze with much worry.

Natan-

Val got off the demon just as it collapsed... and my father stepped forward to grasp her around the neck. I blinked.

"Dad, wait, no!"

Nathaniel threw her to the ground, his eyes blazing. I knew he was beyond reason, having seen the madness take over him a few times before. I also knew that anyone around him, especially Val, was in trouble.

My father took a step forward, towards Val, and raised his hand. I saw his lips move and knew that i had to act quickly.

I raised my own hand, the heel of my palm facing Nathaniel. I whispered two single words under my breath and closed my eyes tightly as i released the spell, dreading what i was doing. We'd be short one powerful mage for the rest of the battle, and i had already seen Davnix pulled out.

My spell hit my father just as he was preparing to cast his spell. He blinked once, then collapsed. I stepped forward quickly and caught him before he hit the ground.

"You'd best stay out of his way for a while," I said, looking up at Val who was staring at me wide-eyed. "We'll talk about it later; i have a few questions to ask you."

I picked up my father and began to weave through the remaining battles. Luckily, these weren't the same demons my older relatives had fought, and so they did not clone themselves every time one died. There was probably a total of four left, though i could not be sure.

I emerged onto a deserted side street, away from the battle, and began to walk down it. I didn't want to teleport for fear of where we might end up. My teleportation skills were incredibly weak and i didn't want to risk it. Instead, i walked towards where i hoped Davnix would be. The image of Val's stricken face was burnt into my mind. I hope she knew i wasn't very mad with her.

The man i carried in my arms was a dead weight, but not heavy. I was not a strong person. My father was so thin and frail that i wondered how he ever managed to last even that long in battle. His weakness bothered me, and i promised myself I'd ask my mother about it later once this was all over.

I rounded a street corner and saw Davnix sitting on a bench not too far away. But, to my dismay, there was someone with him. The girl, whom i had healed earlier, was sitting next to him, fingering the small pendent around her neck. I walked calmly forward until they finally saw me.

"Natan!" Davnix exclaimed, trying to stand. "What happened?"

"Long story," i muttered, leaning my father against a nearby wall. I walked over to Davnix and immediately set to examining his foot.

"Is he-"

"No, he's fine." I said, then looked up at the girl who was sitting next to him.

"I don't think we were ever properly introduced," i said, my hands still working on Davnix's ankle and foot. I felt one broken bone and a few more injured. "My name is Natan. I am Nathaniel's son. And that," i pointed back to my father. "Is Nathaniel."

I muttered a small set of words and Davnix's foot healed almost instantaneously. I stood up, looked the rest of him over quickly, before turning back to the girl.

Velna

Velna looked at the guy, she could handle one guy that she didn't know. But now there were three. Where was Trent? Yes one of these guys had healed her and the one that was knocked out Crest trusted but that didn't matter.

"I..I'm Velna." She replied looking past them.


Trent

Trent swooped down on one of the last demons and tore into it with his claws. He landed softly on the ground and looked around. He slowly changed form and brushed the few peices of ice that clung to his arm. He didn't see Velna anywhere.

'Crest, Where are you and Velna?' He tried getting the mind connection to work, but they were to far away. He frowned, he had to find Velna and fast before something happened to her.

Val~

I watched Natan lead his father off the battlefield, before getting to my feet. I wanted to follow him, but the thought of facing Nathaniel worried me. (Yes, I knew he was unconcious...but who knew how long that would last?)

Natan wanted to ask me questions...that could end horribly.

Slightly shaky from being thrown to the ground, I wasn't sure how well I could fight. I managed to kill another demon, before feeling dizzy...

The battlefield spun around me, and I struggled to walk to where the other wounded sat. A few yards away, I collapsed. A demon was behind me, trying to attack me.

"Natan!!" I cried. "Someone?!"

Gerard-

I heard a desperate call for help and turned to see one of the remaining demons attacking Val, who looked to be hurt. I grabbed my sword and rushed forward, plunging the blood-stained metal into the demon's gut. Its howl turned into a gargle and it collapsed. I jerked my sword free and reached down to give Val my hand. She hesitated before reaching up and grasping my offer of help. I pulled her to her feet.

"Come on, lets get you out of here. Bella, Alise and the others can handle the last two. We'll take you to Natan and see if he can heal you. What happened?"

"I...I..."

Val collapsed suddenly. I reached out and caught her before she fell, looking around for Nathaniel or someone. I saw Bella.

"Bella, i have to take her to Natan! I'll be back in a few!"

She nodded and launched another attack at the demon she was fighting. I rushed off and down a narrow side-street. I saw dusty footprints on the dirt road and followed them. After a moment, i saw Natan, Davnix, some other girl and...my brother? sitting against a wall, either unconscious or dead.

I quickened my pace. Suddenly Natan looked up, sensing my approach. He stood quickly.

"What is it?" he asked, his face unreadable.

"I think she's hurt. I don't know, she just fainted."

"Set her down, I'll look at her."

"What happened to them?" I asked, pointing to the others.

"Davnix broke a few bones in his foot and ankle, and Velna there is just weak from the poison i extracted from her earlier. She just needs rest."

"And, your father? My brother?"

"He...erm...lost control."

I cursed. Then, looking back at the young boy in front of me, examining the girl on the ground, i laid my hand on his shoulder. He tensed at my touch but did not draw away.

"You did the right thing, though i know it must've been hard. He is dangerous, you know that."

He sighed. "Yes, i know."

I saw some hidden meaning behind those words, but i couldn't guess at it. I sighed too and went over to stand my my own son and talk with him, leaving Natan and Val alone.

Valentina~

When I woke up, a blurry face was hovering above me. I blinked a few times, trying to bring it into focus. It was Natan.

"Are you all right?" he asked as soon as he realized I was concious. I groaned, trying to sit up. He chuckled, pushing me back into a lying position. "Rest, Val."

"i'm not tired," I replied persistently. THe battle wasn't over, was it? Things certainly seemed quieter.

"Then, stay lying down. The fight is over, and I brought you home."

"Why are you still here then?"

"Would you like me to leave?"

"No!" I answered to quickly...I could tell by the smile that played on his face.

"Very well then, I shall stay."

Natan-

I got up and began to pace around the room. "I have a few questions for you, Val."

"Where's Nathaniel?"

"In the other room."

Her eyes widened and she opened her mouth to say something. I snapped my fingers and it instantly shut.

"Don't worry, he's still unconscious, and shall remain that way until i say otherwise. I didn't want to take him home for fear that my mother or sisters would find out. Especially Leria. She is still too young to understand."

I stopped, turning to face Val and sighed. "Why didn't you tell me?" i asked, my tone switching to one of hurt disappointment. My eyes read the same sadness as i felt. "I don't understand, Val. You wouldn't have had to tell my father, or anyone else, but why didn't you tell me?"

Valentina~

Natan looked so hurt...subconsiously, the tears began falling down my cheek. I found tha my mouth could open again, adn began to speak.

"I was afraid..." I whispered. "I was afraid that you shared the strong opinion your father has on vampires...That you would tell him...I was afraid you would hate me..." Natan sat beside me, putting an arm around me. If not for my current mental breakdown, I would've been overjoyed.

"Why would I hate you?"

"Because of what I am..." I thought this would've been an obvious answer, but apparently not because Nat seemed shocked.

Natan-

I laughed softly. "Val, my father only hates Vampires because he has had such a bad experience with them. I, on the other hand, do not hate vampires. My aunt and uncle were once vampires!"

She looked up at me then with teary eyes. "What?"

I nodded. "Yes, Alise and Gerard were once vampires before they traveled to the mages tower to get changed back. In that time, my father had thought he had lost his brother and only remaining family, and he was heartbroken. He never really liked vampires much to begin with, either, but that's his problem, not ours."

"But why don't you hate vampires?"

"Because i have no need to. They have never brought me harm or misfortune or sorrow. Oh, sure, i have felt pity for my father, but that is still no reason to hate them. I actually find your kind interesting."

Riley-

I finished off my demon quickly and turned to see if anyone else was having trouble. I saw Ariana fighting the second to last one alone. I looked around for a reason and saw that most of the others had disappeared. Only Bella, Alise, Max, and Isabella remained on the battle field, and they were all either beginning to tend to their cuts and gashes, or were fighting the last one.

I ran to see if i could help, drawing one of my daggers. I came to stand next to her.

"Need help?" i asked.

Velna

Velna watched as four of the five people that had been there left. Davnix was still sitting on the bench, waiting, she dind't know for what. She had her legs pulled up to her chest, rocking back and forth. She was tired, but she had to find Trent first.
Can I go look for Trent now? She asked Crest,

Yes, but be careful please. he replied tiredly. She stood up and started towards the battle feild.

"You looking for someone?" Davnix asked catching up with her.

"My brother, Crest made me leave the battle feild and I don't know where he is now." She replied, she wouldn't let herself look at Davnix. He was very handsome no doubt about that, but she wouldn't let herself think anything would come of it. They wouldn't stay here long, what could possibly keep them here.

"Mind if I help you?" He asked as they got closer to the battle feild.

"No," She replied with a small smile. WHen they got there there was no sign of him at all.

Trent

Trent walked back to the house that Crest had sent them to earlier. He hoped Velna would be there, but something told him she wouldn't be. He knocked and waited, praying she was there.

Ariana

"That would be nice," I said dodging a blast of magic and throwing my dagger at it. I screached when it threw it back and grazed my shoulder. I could feel it biting into my skin and drawing blood. I winced at the amount of vampires in the area. She depseratly tried to cover it up and stop the bleeding while Riley delt with the demon.


Max

I smelt blood, not the disgusting demon blood that seemed to be all around me, but the blood of the innocent. Ariana...My head turned toward her and the Avain fighting a demon. She was desperatly trying to cover and stop the blood flowing out of her shoulder. But it was too late, I had seen her, and I was addicted, just like I was addicted, just like I was addicted to her mother.

*Alzz, i thought it was Max and Isabella who were having a love affair...Oh. Got it.*

Riley-

I quickly finished off the weakened demon before turning and trotting over to where Ariana sat, trying to stanch the cut in her shoulder. I wrapped a piece of cloth around it and picked her up easily.

"Put me down, i can walk."

"I believe you, but can you run faster than a vampire or fly?"

"No, but why would i need to do that?"

"Because you bleeding has attracted that vampire's attention, and so thus i have to fly you to the healers house." I said, lifting into the air quickly. I skimmed low over the houses.

"You alright?" i asked.


Davnix-

I looked around the battle field and saw only a few scattered people, all of which i recognized. My mother, Bella, Isabella, and the vampire, Max. I turned back to the girl.

"Who exactly are you looking for?"

"My brother. He's not here."

I thought for a moment. "Well, why don't you come back to my house until we find him. I need to check on my cousin and ask him a few things, and you'd be more than welcome to come before we head back to my house. Your brother wouldn't have left town if he knows you're still here. We'll find him."

Velna

Velna thought about it for a minute. "Alright," She bit her lip and looked around. where could Trent be.


*wow, I'm really on a bad streak*

Ariana

I clung to the avain as he flew, he couldn't know about my terror of heights and with the wind whipping by I was barely able to understand what he said.

"are you okay?" he asked.

I shook my head and he looked at me curiously. "Just get me down," I pleaded urgently. "I'll be fine then."

"Don't look down."

Oh great, he said not to look down, and now I had to. Turning my head ever so slightly I looked down and saw blackness...no houses or street lights or anything, just whisps of clouds. Now I couldn't breathe.



Max

I watched as the Avian picked up Ariana and flew away, I couldn't help but be relieved. It wouldn't take long before I was distracted by that cut, wanting to sink my fangs into it. I turned to Alise, for some reason her beauty had diminished from when I had seen her last...My mind was filled with Ariana and her cousin Isabelle.

Ariana's blood called to me, and so did Isabelle's beauty. There was no blood lust towards Isabelle. Perhaps love at first sight. But he wouldn't count on it.