August Hill

Vashhan

He stood tensed ready to spring to either side if she showed signs of releasing the arrow at him.

"This is my territory of the forest. You are the people with no business here." He snarled stepping towards them menacingly. "I will fight you if you do not get off this land. You have no permission to be here."

"The Lycanthrope race here have died out, except for your exception. There is no territorial borders any longer. Those treaties were broken as soon as the bloody Daemon stabbed that dreaded sword of his into the back of another." She smirked at Vashhan's flinch. "I believe we have as much right as you do."

The treaty was actually broken as soon as Daemon killed his father for his blood. His father was the first blood shed. Vashhan would regain those broken treaties and revive his people once more into glory. He would lead them into redepmtion and safety. He would not let the same thing happen once this was all over.

"More importantly," The other elf stepped toward Raesa and another gruff growl came from deep within Vashhan.

"Do not touch her."

"She is not a Lycanthrope like you. She is witch. You can not fool us." Her voice was pleasant to the ears but Vashhan would not let it sooth him. "Where is you Alter?"

"Dead." Vashhan lied again. This would make them believe they had an advantage. They would under-estimate him. With out your other half, it is not like you are yourself any longer. When you live with out your Alter, the pain is unbearable. Many people commit suicide. Vashhan himself had only met one person who had ever lived on without his Alter.

The effect of that lie on them was fairly good. They stiffened slightly and he knew they were both considering his words for truth or not, because he was already caught lying once. But if they believed him, they would think he would be more over suffering.

"Its a lie." The one with the bow so calmly stated. "Your Alter is around here. Bring him out. Call him. We do not like being lied to."

Vashhan growled deeply. He would not call Nadira, she was too far away. The pain had deepened itself on his heart. She would not be coming any time soon.

"We aren't so kind to liars." She breathed again, her smirk becoming more sinister.

At this very moment, Vashhan munged to the side and raged at the one who was armed, quickly dodging the arrow that was let loose. He did not think of Raesa at this moment. He did not think of Nadira or of his dead fore-fathers. He did not think of how foolish this act truly was. All he felt was the desire to see their blood soaking into the cold ground. All he felt was the desire to feel the snap of their necks between his fangs. All he felt was the desire to kill. It could have been any one.

The anger had built itself up inside of Vashhan making him foolish. He did not notice the quickness of her reloading the bow. He did not notice Raesa's cry. All he did feel was the biting pain of the arrow hiting its mark in his chest.

-----------------------------

~Incognito

**LaRiena - I hope I got Alassea's arrow symptom stuff right - Tell me if I didn't and I'll edit -

Raesa

Raesa screamed. She darted toward Vashun, her heart racing. No... He can't be - No. No!

The elf raised her bow quickly and pointed at Raesa. Raesa halted nervously. She forced herself to calm down. It wouldn't do Vashhun any good if Raesa was injured as well. Raesa glared at the elves.

"I will ask you once more," said the elf who had shot Vashhun. "Who are you people?"

"Vashhun and Raesa," said Raesa breathlessly. "Please - You've got to let me - "

"Don't move!" hissed the elf harshly, brandishing her weapon. "Your companion already tried to kill us; what's to say you won't do the same?!"

Furious tears began to fall. Raesa balled her hands into fist. "Let me help him," she spat, shaking. "Let me help him, or so help me, I'll - "

"You'll what?"

Raesa licked her lips. She took a deep breath. "You may have killed him," she said in a controlled calm.

"Your point?"

Raesa raked a hand through her hair. The elf couldn't be swayed. Even if she could be, Raesa wasn't great at healing spells... Not that healing spells were that effective, anyway. Healing was more a gardener's art.

Raesa swallowed. She needed Lazona.

A fresh wave of tears threatened Raesa. Raesa gritted her teeth and pushed them back.

"Please," Raesa muttered desperately. "You can't just - just stand and watch this happen. Let me help him... Let me help him, and I - I swear - I swear that we will do whatever you wish. Just - Let me help him!"

The elf with the bow opened her mouth to snap back a retort, but her companion stepped in. "Alassea," she said softly. "It wouldn't hurt to - She would be in more of a position to talk if - "

The elf with the bow closed her mouth gingerly, as if she had a sour taste in her mouth. Raesa barely spared her a glance before sinking down to Vashhun's side. She rolled him over gently, and looked for the arrow's entry wound.

Raesa didn't see one. Her eyes raked Vashhun's chest, looking from any sign of the arrow. A small scorch mark right under his rib cage.

"Where's the arrow?" she muttered distractedly. Raesa turned to the elves. "Where's the arrow?!" she demanded. The elf with the bow rolled her eyes and scoffed.

"That arrow is embedded with a elven holy light. They disintegrate upon contact."

Raesa turned her eyes back to Vashhun, who was, quite plainly, unconscious.

"Then - What's wrong with him?" she muttered.

"He was too close," sneered the elf impassively. "Usually those arrows cause only a shortage of breath. Obviously you're friends got more than he bargained for..."

Raesa gritted her teeth in irritation, but ignored the elf. If Vashhun was only unconscious, then... How could Raesa revive him?

There was a rustling in a thicket beside her. Raesa glanced toward the bush distractedly. A long, thin nose poked out of the foliage.

Did you need me? whispered a tiny voice from the thicket.

Who are you?

Fronse whispered the voice. You seem upset, witch... Can I help? the voice was more insistent now.

That depends replied Raesa quickly. What are you?

What your kind call a ferret.

Raesa's tense face broke into a grin. Ferrets had body odor. And lots of it. Like a furry bottle of smelling salts. Yes, Fronse... I think you can help me...

Fronse emerged from the thicket cautiously. What can I do?

See him? asked Raesa, pointing toward Vashhun. Fronse sniffed him curiously.

I see.

Please, if you can position yourself on him so that he can get a good whiff of you...

Witch, said Fronse, panicking. Do you intend me to be a meal?! That is Lycanthrope! Savages!

No, no! cried Raesa. No he - I promise he will not harm you!

Fronse looked at her, terrified, then began to cautiously climb onto Cashhun's chest. With another miserable look toward Raesa, he reluctantly curled up under Vashhun's nose. Raesa watched him anxiously, praying for success.

Vashhan

The smell was horrfic. Burning all the way through his nostrils until he could comprehend the smell.

Ferret.

He felt a weak growl crawl through his chest and right away, the ferret ran away frightened. His chest ached, and he kept smelling the scent of burned flesh. The smell of the ferret still lingered in his nostrils making his raise his hand from the ground and cover nose hoping he could drown out the scent of the ferret with his own. As soon as the burning sensation left his nostrils he sat up right away feeling the slight pain in his chest. The pain was direct and small. It felt like a bruise. When he looked around he realized that he was still alive from the arrow, and there standing over below the crescent made by the trees stood the two elves.

Jumping to his feet, he readied himself for another attack.

"Vashhan. Please don't." Raesa's voice came from behind him, followed by a reasuring touch on his shoulder. He whirled around and felt relief that Raesa was still there unharmed. They did not hurt her.

"Where did the arrow go?" He breathed looking at his chest where the pain had pnce been, but now all he felt was a brusing pressure and the itching feeling of his skin quickly knitting itself fully to how it once was. There was a slight burn mark where the arrow had hit, but other than that, there was no sign of a wound. "Did you do this Raesa?"

"No, I did nothing." She said with a weak smile. For some odd reason she relevantly wished with all her heart that she was the one to have saved him. But truly his life was never actually in danger.

"Next time, think before you act." The elvish voice echoed arround them.

"I did think for you information." Vashhan snapped.

"Not very clearly, that is for certain."

-----------------------------

~Incognito

Good, good! Wonderful. I loved that. You guys are great with puppeting each other's charcters around. Something that I am too afraid to do somehow ...

Faelwen
"Alassea." Her voice was firm. Alassea's head so little as twitched in her direction. Alassea grabbed another bow from her quiver, and held it ready, pointed at the witch.

"Let's play a game, shall we? It's call the 'If-you-don't-tell-me-why-you're-here-the-witch-will-be-killed' game!" Uh-oh. The lycanthrope was fuming. His nostrils flared. "Don't you dare touch her!" He growled.

The witch-- who she'd learned was 'Raesa'-- whimpered at the lycanthope. "Vashhan ...," Her voice was soft and filled with worry. She inspected his wound quickly, but not quickly enough. The lycanthrope brust forwards, standing protectively in front of Raesa.

Alassea, though, was continuing her fear game. The smirk on her lips made her look so evil. Something she really wasn't. Alassea didn't care though. "What would you rather, Vashhan? Light, or dark?"

"Does it really matter? Either way, you won't touch her!"

"Ha, I highly doubt that. Which would you like? Dark is like a poison, light is like a drug. It leaves you wanting more. Soon you'll be begging for mercy at your knees, asking for the pain to subside. And only light can stop that pain. Its like an addiction that can only be broken by death."

The forest went silent. The lycanthrope was breathing heavily. He felt it. The pain. The trees rustled, and Faelwen closed her eyes. She hated using her voice so harshly ...

"Alassea!"

All three looked at her. "Just stop it, will you? They mean no harm. I-I'm sure of it."
- - -
I hope I got Vashhan, mostly, right. And Raesa.

Shaiel

He folded his arms and looked around at the others. He wasn't exactly happy that Ringo now knew they all wanted to kill Daemon, the siren struck him as close to Rason than anyone he'd met. On the other hand, Rason didn't like him. Or at least, the demon didn't like Ringo being alive. He was fine with his mindset, he just didn't like it being in someone living. The one good aspect of this was that the sirens would probably mistake Shaiel's agreeing to help as a sign of weakness, that he didn't think he could kill Daemon on his own.

The truth was, Shaiel knew full well that he and Rason could kill Daemon without help. What he was going to need help with was controlling Rason afterwards.

"Well." he said, "Assuming Ringo and Ballow have agreed to join us," he said, choosing his words carefully. He didn't want the sirens getting any ideas that they were in charge here, not when Ringo had mentioned he wanted slaves earlier. "We should get going now."

Nadira looked for a moment as though she was about to shift, when suddenly she let out a shriek of pain, struggling to stay on her feet. They all looked at her. "Vashhan..." she gasped.

"Which way is he?" Shaiel asked. Nadira pointed into the forest, and Shaiel launched himself up through the canopy, flying in the direction she'd indicated and looking for the other lycanthrope.

He'd only just seen him - standing with Raesa and two people Shaiel didn't recognise - when he also noticed another group. The midday sun glinted off the points of fifty spears as a column of armed men marched towards the edge of the forest, splitting up into five group of ten as they reached the edge. Four started to circle around, presumably to allow them to search more easily. They carried torches, and Shaiel had the horrible feeling that they meant to burn the forest.

What really captured his attention, though, was the final group, the one that he saw for only a moment before it headed straight into the forest. With those ten soldiers were the three who had been heading the column. One human, and two nonhuman.

"Daemon." He muttered, "It must be."

Then we should kill him now! Let me out, and lend me your strength, together we could easily kill them. Rason replied.

"There are two down there who are not human."

[i]And also not as powerful as us. We can kill all of them. We should finished this now, Shaiel.[/b]

Shaiel shook his head a little, "No - I have to warn the others. If we act now, then they'll be killed by the other soldiers."

**I thought I'd give you an opening to bring up that fight with Daemon you mentioned, La Reina.**

--Awesome Billy! That is so wicked! *high fives*--

Vashhan

Smoke. Smoke meant fire. Fire meant destruction. Destruction was the closet idea he had of Daemon. His heart pulled with pain again. Nadira was too far away to hear his thoughts. She would not smell the smoke that he smelt.

"Raesa, He is here." Vashhan growled turning into his wolf form feeling the familiar limbs and muscles he was so skilled and used to. The elves did not shoot. They looked at him bewildered as if he had just spoke something both dreaded and anticipated.

"Wait. Vashhan! Daemon?!" The alarm shifted through her voice. "That cannot be!" But it was too late. Vashhan charged past into the forest leaving them all behind. The connection pained him as he ran even farther from her. Run. He begged in his mind. Don't just stand there and do nothing.

The smell of burning plants were the second sign he smelt. The distinguished smell was easy to place. The forest seemed to shudder in panic as he ran on. The stench of smoke was stronger now and soon in the distance, there he saw the blistering flames. Other animals ran past him hoping to get deeper into the forest to get away from the destruction and malfunction of the forest. Their homes were burnt, their lives they would have to build somewhere else. He jumped into the fire, singing some of the edges of his white fur black. He landed in front a group of armoured soldiers, hair bristling on its end.

One charged towards him brandishing a large broad sword. He swung inexperienced down and Vashhan dodged merrily, and he launched himself catching the soldiers neck, snapping it instantly in a mess of blood. He landed, blood dripping from his mouth growling a warning at the other soldiers. One points a spear at him.

"Wake up Nadira, from this foolish masquerade. The time is now to fight. Foolish mistakes I made but I promise I will make ammends for what I have done and the lives I will take. Take up arms and join me. The time is now."

Nadira

"Vashhan has taken up arms." Nadira spoke sternly, shaking off the pain. "He is fighting."

"This is it then. No other joiners apparently. Let us be off to find this good fellow Daemon." Lazona said cheerfully despite the atmosphere. "The only comment I will make is that, do any of you know how many people have gone to fight Daemon? Do you know how many have died?"

"It does not matter. We will the first." Nadira spoke the words confidently, yet there was anguish in behind those simple words.

"He is merely but a human." Ringo said joining in.

"But a human who has lived this long and killed many in that life time." Lazona added, her tone still surprisingly light.

"Then we will take up arms." Nadira said, feeling those words reverbrate through her being. They were connected in more than just the mind, but in the spirit. She felt a memory of her childhood, a phrase that the elders had called Vashhan and her when they were but mere pups. 'The ultimate connection lied within these two.' The one had said. This was truly what the ultimate connection meant.

It was at that moment that Shaiel came in crashing from the skies, feathers obscured aroung him. He got up, silver hair surrounding him almost like a halo. The dreaded news was at the edge of his tongue.

-----------------------------

~Incognito

Raesa

Blindly, Raesa ran after Vashhun. No. It could not be Daemon. Raesa had always imagined the final confrontation more planned, scheduled than this...

Animals darted, frantically, to and fro throughout the bushes. They were desperate to escape the death that had entered the forest, crackling merrily. Raesa longed to help them.

Her eyes caught a pair of deer, mother and daughter by the looks of it. The daughter had some bad burns on her back, and the mother was torn between caring for her young and escaping danger. Raesa skidded to a halt. She had to help them! Raesa fell to her knees, and gouged a small hole in the ground. Muttering frantically, she called up a small pool of water.

Keep still Raesa crooned gently to the fawn. Raesa ripped the edge of her sleeve, saying another muttered spell to sanitize the rag. She dipped the rag in the water, and lay the rag gently on the fawn's wound. The fawn jumped, crying out to her mother. The mother stepped forward.

Stop it! she cried fiercely.

Raesa backed away quickly. I hope I helped...

The fawn sniffed the rag on her back nervously. The mother called to the fawn. The fawn glanced cautiously at Raesa, then followed her mother deeper into the forest. Raesa noticed with some satisfaction that the fawn seemed to be a little livelier.

Raesa froze as she heard a growl coming from her right. Vashhun.

Raesa darted forward. She broke through a mess of branches in time to see a soldier point a spear at Vashhun. Panicking, Raesa cried out another incantation. The spear snapped. The soldiers rounded on her. Taking advantage of their distraction, Vashhun attacked them all in a blur. The last, bloody soldier threw a dagger at Vashhun at a last attempt. Vashhun dodged it without much difficulty.

Raesa heard barked orders coming from the thicket to the left of Vashhun. Raesa's heart sank. There were too many soldiers for just the two of them.

"Vashhun," she said, warningly, as Vashhun was showing every sign of charging toward the next group of soldiers. "Vashhun, please! For once in your live, have the courage to run away!"

Lazona

Some strange force filled Lazona with an unexplainable sense of ecstasy. Daemon, for all of his faults, had that aura of sheer power that Lazona craved. Look at how people were affected by his mere presence!

By no means did Lazona support Daemon. She would be a fool if she did. However, admiration, from afar, was never a sin. Lazona would never join Daemon's forces. But if she could somehow rally his army to her cause... That would be something marvelous.

"Daemon and his army are here," said Shaiel breathlessly. "His army intends to burn the forest. I saw Raesa and Vashhun. They seemed to be safe... But they were right in the army's path..."

Lazona began to laugh. She felt her 'companions' faces turn to her, increduously. Lazona, chuckling, stared back at them.

"Oh, how I envy my dear other... Raesa, peace-loving as she is, always manages to attract trouble," Lazona's grin widened. "Right, then..." she said, rubbing her hands together. "Let's set out, then... Before Raesa spoils all the fun..."

Lazona let out one more bark of laughter before marching away.

Vashhan

"Vashhun, please! For once in your live, have the courage to run away!" Raesa cried appearing in between the bushes, slightly surprising Vashhan. He knew how odd it was that the spear had snapped, but it was Raesa's doing. He turned to face her, morphing into a human. The blood was smeared all around his mouth and his eyes seemed more feral than they had ever done before. His hair was frazzled around him giving him the appearance of a heavenly god come down to smite those who would not listen. He stepped towards Raesa.

She flinched back slightly afraid. Some part in the back of her head made her think that he would attack her. The furiousity in his eyes were capable of murder by just looking at someone.

"You ask me to run." Vashhan cupped his hand on her cheek, a slight smile on his face. "You tell me to have the courage to run away. I just want to tell you one thing Raesa." He inhaled closing his eyes enjoying her flowery scent. "I have had enough of running away. I give up. I better face my demons now. You say it takes courage to run away, but how come I am shaking of fear right now. I do not wish to see you hurt Raesa. I do not wish for you to see me fight, for I do not want these feelings to be gone as if they were nothing."

Colour seemed to rush into Raesa's face. That made his heart lurch. She was still part human no matter how much witch she was. She was still a mortal. She could still die and if he did he would blame no one but himself.

"You need to leave Raesa." He finally said. He watched her face pale and she stepped away from his touch.

"B-b-but,"

"I need you to go back to others and warn them. Maybe even bring them here to fight. You just need to tell them that I am here fighting and I know what is going on. They need to know the news of Daemon." Vashhan turned and looked at the other soldiers starting to come and make a semi-circle around him, obviously fearing him because of the litter of dead bodies around him.

"I will not leave you!" Raesa called to him.

"But you have to. You have to go tell them. I am depending on you. I would hold them off from here. I promise I will not die. Not just yet." At this Vashhan morphed into his wolf form once more ending the conversation. He charged at another soldier and knocked him off balance, making him loose control of his spear. He heard her delayed foot steps as she ran back into the forest to where she came. He listened. She would be safe.

------------------------------
~Incognito

Shaiel

The angel murmured a silent prayer. This Lazona girl couldn't possibly understand Daemon's strength. Nor could she understand the numbers against them. Before he'd flown back down, he'd seen other armies converging on the forest from different ends. There must have been over five hundred soldiers, plus Daemon's fifty bodyguards. The forest was burning, the crackle of flames reaching him from its distant edges.

And yet Lazona marched on, shouting challenges to wherever she though a soldier might be. Shaiel kept pace about twenty metres to one side of her.

He paused, hearing a rustle in the woods to his right. That can't be Lazona, she's on my other side... He turned towards the sound, hands glowing softly. "Vasshun?" he called, "Raesa? Is that you guys?"

A whistling noise cut through the soft sound of the fires, and Shaiel didn't have time to react. In mere heartbeats, he had gone from standing still to down on one knee, an arrow going straight through his thigh. He grunted, blinking as he stared down at it, then reached forward to remove it. Pull it out with one hand, cauterise the wound with the other. He thought, concentrating hard to stop Rason getting control.

He was more prepared when a second arrow sped towards him, rolling away from it. It struck him in the side nonetheless, and he shouted in pain, light flaring briefly around him. A hysterical laugh filled his head, the image of burning white eyes and gleaming teeth in pitch darkness rising.

In his blurred, fading vision, he could make out the archer stepping forward, a third arrow notched and drawn. The soldier raised it, "I don't know what kind of freakish half-breed you are, but you're not human, that's for sure. And the master's orders are that monsters must die."

Rason's cackling intensified, and the look of confusion on the soldier's face told Shaiel that the laughter was no longer in his mind. It was bubbling out of his throat.

Rason

The demon tore the two arrows free, then froze his wounds shut. He tossed the two pieces of wood aside, then rolled his shoulders and let out another burst of laughter. "Ah, this is more like it!"

The soldier's bow twanged, but the arrow got no farther than a foot from his bow, a line of ice joining the two together. Rason growled at him, then leapt forward, darkness gathering around his body. He grabbed the human and lifted him off the ground, the greenery around them starting to blacken and freeze in the sheer cold that radiated off Rason.

The soldier screamed as whatever steel that touched his body was suddenly frozen against it, and his skin darkened with the beginnings of frostbite.

"Where are your comrades?" Rason screamed at him, shaking him, "Where is your master?"

The mortal pointed off in one direction, and Rason gave him a smile, showing off gleaming white teeth. Then he spun, slamming the man headfirst into a half-frozen oak.

"What a polite man." The demon murmured, cracking his knuckles as he set off in the direction the soldier had indicated, "I hope his friends are the same."

Nadira

Her black form lunged at a soldier who sudden appeared from the dark shade below the tree. Catching him by the throat she gripped tighter snapping his neck, blood hemoraging around. She dropped the body to the ground and lurched forward once more into a run. The pain in her chest was lessoning. Vashhan.

Day started to slowly dim to night and she could feel anticipation running through her veins. Up ahead a row of fire outlined the trees in the forest. It was killing everything in its past, the smoke nearly smothering her. She leaned closer to the ground to get her head of the smoke. At this moment Vashhan was fighting, so she would to. She surprised another soldier off guard as he was fanning the flames. She lurched forward knocking him over and watched as he landed breaking his arm on a rock. She paced around him swifftly waiting for him to move into perspective so that she could catch him in the neck. But just before he got up and arrow was released through the forest piercing right through the soldiers armour killing him istantly. And only a couple seconds after it his it disappeared as if it was never there. Elves.

And sure enough two of them came through the woods. One in particular seemed to be facinated by Nadira. The fire glinted in her eyes.

"Alassea. I believe we have found that wolf's alter." She spoke calmly, slight enjoyment in her voice. Meanwhile Nadira's heart leapt at the mention of another Lycanthrope which had to be Vashhan. She automatically phased back into human form, eager, leaving herself open to any flailing attacks that might come from behind. Nadira did not care.

"Where is he?" Nadira stepped towards them.

"He ran off, claiming to go to fight Daemon. We have no idea where he would be at this moment." The one apparently called Alassea told her, her voice void of any expression that would let Nadira understand what her emotions truly were.

But before Nadira could ask more, a man walked into the clearing, his hair as dark as the night and blood on his hands. Alassea automatically took out an arrow and pointed at the man. Nadira started to phase but then she realized who he truly was. The build was the same and very slightly she could see the sign of demonic wings on his back.

Rason. The Alter of the angelic Shaiel. Whatever had happened? They both shared the same scent, that was obvious and that was why she was not alarmed before, but she knew just by the man's aura, that he was much more to be feared than the simple human soldiers who were attacking.

"Keep your weapon ready," Nadira hissed to the elf. "I am not sure if this ally has an actually desire to help us." Rason turned and grinned menacingly at the three of them.

------------------------------

~Incognito

Rason

Rason's wild eyes flashed from the elves to Nadira, "Now Nadira, I appreciate your restraint, but was that really any way to greet a friend?"

The elf kept her bow drawn at him, and he smirked, "Don't worry, I have no desire to kill any of you right now. After all, your Alter," he said, looking to Nadira, "Is out hunting the man I want to kill. So time isn't exactly on my side."

He strode towards the flames, waving a hand dismissively at them. The fire flinched away from him. For a moment, Rason thought that Nadira was going to ask him to put out the fires, to save her forest. But apparently her momentary hesitation had revealed to her the futility of such a request. Even when Rason dealt with a fire, the plants around him withered and died.

He turned back to them, smiling, "Oh, and call off Vashhan, Nadira. My brother might have accepted someone else killing Daemon, but I will not."

What are you doing, bastard?! Shaiel's voice echoed in his mind.

Rason frowned for a moment, then smiled, "You can't see through my eyes, can you?" Nadira and the elves gave him a questioning look, but he didn't seem to notice them any more, "Well, don't worry. I haven't killed any of your friends yet."

The freezing blackness around him began to spin around his arm. It formed itself into a bastard sword, the dulled steel seeming to absorb more light than it reflected, its image blurring. Rason looked down at it for a moment, channelling a curse into the blade, then he started through the fire. He knew that Daemon would have remained close to the edge of the forest.

Alassea

With a nod of her head, Faelwen was off, running towards the man. She bounded out, flipped up, pushed off a heavy oak, and landed before him, he hand weapons ready.

"Don't move a step farther, demon," Alassea called, her voice steady, but still bemused. "You're pinned. I've got an arrow to your back, and weapons in your front. I could pierce some very important arteries if you don't stop."

"And why would you do that?"

"Simple. My sister and I have our own plans to kill Daemon, and you aren't about to do it for use. Only the truly pure-- us elves-- can kill him."

Faelwen gave Alassea a look of question, but Alassea ignored it. "Don't move!" She growled at the demon. "I have light arrows over here, and dark weapons on Faelwen's side. You take a step and we will both kill you!"
- - -
That's all I've got, really.

Nadira

She slipped into her wolf form easily enough taking in what was happening. The elves were being foolish. Rason was much stronger than they thought. There would be no match against him. Rason would win without her help. She side-stepped over to cover a side just to let Rason know that if he tried to attack the elves, she would attack. She shackles rose and she let loose a harsh growl.

"Vashhan! Respond! I need you now." Nadira projected with her thoughts knowing that becuase of the strength of the projection, the people around her would most likely hear it.

Silence was what responded and she felt crestfallen. He was not responding. At one moment she passed a thought that he could possibly dead, but that couldn't be because right now she would feel the searing pain of the loss of the other half of her soul.

Pain blistered through her body sending her falling to the ground surprising everyone. She hissed and snarled trying to get to her feet once more, but this was not possible. Vashhan was hurt. He was hurt.

"Nadira. I am here." His thoughts trickled through her mind and she felt the pain blister away. She jumped to her feet and looked around for him. He was not that close.

"What happened? Worry and desperation was also projected with this thought as she looked balefully around. He was not here. Was it his imagination?

"I am poisoned." As soon as that thought came to her, her heart dropped. This couldn't be. There was no way he could have gotten posioned without her knowing. But then sure enough she realized what this was about. That searing pain in her chest at the clearing was not the effect of being to far away. He had been injured. He was wounded. He could not fight wounded. If he could not fight, he would die. She could not stand it.

"Do not move. I am coming." She prepared to lunge into the forest when the painful response came.

"Do not come. You are not needed here." The harsh response came and rendered her to freeze in her place. Almost all of their connection withered away as if it was nothing. He did not want her there. This was not how it was supposed to be. Their connection was weakening. How could that be possible?

Raesa stumbled out of the brush then, a defeated look on her face. Nadira turned into a human to greet her.

"He is poisoned!" Nadira hissed at Raesa, a mix of anger and desperation vexed her voice. "You should have known! He will die! You could have saved him! I should never have trusted you damn witches! You will nothing for anybody else, only yourself!" The words were harsh, Nadira knew it.

Vashhan

He fought. With all of his strength and prowl. He fought. Yet there seemed no end to this fighting. He was weakening yet they kept coming leaving him fighting on the edge of exhaustion. He knew these were his last moments in this world. There was no way he could live for this long. Nadira would live on, even though she would not ever be the same, but she would keep the Lycanthrope race a live. They wouldn't disappear as if it was nothing. They would fight until the very last moment, and then would they finally be known to be dead once more.

The bodies around him kept piling up, his fur was stained red. Wounds were brandished onto the soldiers where ever Vashhan could catch open flesh. His killing methods were getting sloppier and sloppier, leaving them there to bleed to death. This was not the honourable way to fight, yet they continued to come and he could waste no time.

But then the soldiers stopped coming, and Vashhan fell over, tired as hell, reverting into his human form becuase he could not maintain his bretheren form any longer. He closed his eyes and felt the cold air all aorund him. He was not scared of the flames only a little while off. He was not scared of any more attacks. He would lay her amoungst his victims and maybe for once be at piece.

If you could live to the end of the world, what would you live for? And what is the end of the world but a fragment of speech commonly used by the mortals who had no hope in ever seeing the true end to the world. But deep in Vashhan's mind, he knew that this world was ending in the grasps on Daemon. This world would die out and be like any other. He would not be able to save it. This was the end for him. He would die not in the hands of his enemies but in the grasp of fate. This was how it was supposed to be.

"You do indeed look like your father." The voice echoed around Vashhan. The voice was clear and caressing, soft to the ears. Was this God? But when Vashhan opened his eyes, it was the farthest thing from.

There stood the almightly Daemon, his eyes slit like a demons, but mortal he was, just born with a curse. The smile spread across his face. This man looked so much like an angel with his golden curly hair framing his face like a halo, yet how come this man had killed so many. 'For a free world' is what he had spoke to Vashhan many times.

Vashhan felt the urge to get up but he could not, out of pure exhaustion. His desire to kill Daemon was so intense and so real yet he was crippled to the ground.

"Do not move so much. You are poisoned." Daemon spoke kindly, softly. What did he care about his health? Wouldn't it be better to just kill him off now? "You seemed to have made a mess of things." Daemon spoke as he awknowledged the dead soldiers around Vashhan.

"Stop this mockery. Just kill me now. Put me out of my misery." Vashhan managed to snarl at Daemon. It was a solemn statement, and it proved to Vashhan's restless mind that there truly was no more hope.

"But why would you do that?"

"You killed the rest of my people. You turned them to just mere dogs. You mercilessly killed my father just so that my people would not stand against you. I have suffered for this long, knowing that there is no one else! Kill me now! End this torment. For if I had just the strength I would kill you!"

"Vashhan, stop being so foolish." A different voice spoke this time. A different voice that was so familiar.

And then out from the forest behind Daemon stepped a Lycanthrope and his Alter. The Lycanthrope had almost white blonde hair, such as Vashhan had, and the Alter remained a wolf, black as the night. Vashhan felt a stab to his heart as soon as he realized who exactly they were, bringing memory of his past.

"Father." The word barely escaped Vashhan's lips.

------------------------

LaReina, I think I have too much.

~Incognito

Raesa

Raesa spun around to face Nadira. "Poisoned?" she whispered, horrified. "N- No, he can't be... I just saw him - He was fine!" But Raesa had left him. It was her fault.

"You were wrong!" spat Nadira. Raesa covered her face with her hands.

"He - He told me to - to go back, and warn the others," babbled Raesa, hysterically. Her gaze darted from person to person. "I didn't know! I wouldn't have - "

Raesa's eyes caught Lazona. Raesa staggered toward her, her eyes widening. "Lazona," she breathed desperately. "Your bag... Can you - ?"

Lazona put a protective hand on the bag at her side. "Can I what?" she snapped harshly.

"You don't have some herb, or - or potion that could he - "

"I wouldn't know," said Lazona quickly. "I'd have to inspect him firs - "

"I think I know where he is. Lazona, please. I've never asked you to do much for me before - "

"Why should I?"

Raesa hesitated. The solution came to her suddenly. Raesa thought it might have been more difficult to sacrifice her one power over Lazona. It was not. Sacrificing this power was a small price to pay for Vashhun's life. "Because it is your duty. Lazona, this is my Ultimate Plea," said Raesa firmly.

Lazona was shocked. Raesa knew it. The Ultimate Plea was a clause designed by the Witches Council after a particularly nasty series of battles between witches and their other sides. It was designed so that each witch could ask a single favor in their lifetime that her other would be required to comply with. Raesa had always been reluctant to use hers. It gave Lazona more power over her.

Lazona was beginning to look pleased. "Very well," she said smugly. "You are aware of the consequences. I will go, then..."

"Thank you, Lazona," Raesa whispered fervently, gripping Lazona's arm gratefully. Lazona shrugged Raesa off.

"Lets just get this over with."

Rason

He looked from the elves to the shifted Nadira, frowning. “How discourteous…” he murmured, “And to think, Shaiel, that you want me to spare them…” Two arrows, Elvish ones. I probably couldn’t freeze them in midair, then. Their magic is almost certainly immune to that. Moreover, I can sense what kind of magic it is. They could prove immensely problematic. Perhaps it would be more beneficial to let Shaiel deal with them.

“Of course it would be!” Shaiel shouted.

Rason ignored him. “If you require a pure heart to kill our common enemy, elf, then you require my other half. He will kill no one but Daemon. You two, on the other hand, poison your weapons with magic and threaten your allies.” He smirked, “And you claim to be pure? You elves have always carried the arrogance of humans, talking about racial purity and the like. Your claim to it is no stronger than mine. Purity is not a thing of degrees, one is either completely pure, or they are corrupt.”

Shadows had been creeping unseen up his black pants as he had spoken, and now swirled visibly about his stomach, ready to spring into a shield in front of him the second either of the elves moved. The shield couldn’t reflect the arrow imbued with darkness, it would reflect the light one. So they elves could only hurt Shaiel, and who would want to do that?

“Now.” He growled, “I will ask you nicely one last time. Let me go to kill Daemon.”