Love is a Noose {NightlordKrusnik x Carantathraiel}

[NightlordKrusnik]

Taris slashed again through the blackness pressing around him, another wolf dissolving into nothing. Laughing rang around him, coming from everywhere and nowhere at once. The assassin growled and sent a burst of power around him, shoving the swirling shadows back some. The laughing increased in intensity.
“Enough games, Wolf, come out!” he shouted.

The laughing subsided, “Ah Taris. It pains me still that you were the one to contain me and live. You’re too soft, especially for an assassin. You fight me over a woman? If you would just accept me, not only would we be more powerful than any being in millennia, you’d be personal consort to the Lady herself… What woman could be more worthy of your devotion than her?”

Taris growled again and his blades shimmered in his hands. The Wolf’s laugh rang again. “Fine then,” the voice said, “have it your way mortal.” The shadows swirled and crushed over Taris, sucking away his breath and throwing him against solid chucks of the Void.
He screamed.

The assassin bolted straight upright in the bed, nearly falling out of it a moment later as he noticed Envy next to him. “Why do you do that? Fucking creepy…” he muttered. Another movement and he noticed the pull of medicine on his skin, “You know, this stuff works best with water.”

Envy shrugged, “You were passed out pretty hard, a bath would have drowned you. That and none of us wanted to get you nude.” The Kartaian took a draw on his cigarette and looked directly at Taris, “You were thrashing pretty bad there, just before you woke. Bad dreams?”

The assassin shook his head, “If only they were dreams. The Wolf is loose now, and I’m struggling to maintain control of myself.”
“You mentioned this ‘Wolf’ before. What is he?”
“A spirit. Power. Great power, in fact, and the worst part is I like it. It feels amazing to have complete control of the shadows.” He shuddered, “But to accept him fully would mean to lose myself. I can still hear him howling in the darkness…” Taris stopped a moment, “But I’m holding him back for now. How is she, Envy?”

The taller elf blew out some smoke, “She’s stable. At least physically. That last burst of magic you gave her probably saved her life, and your healing potions and powders are working well.”
“There’s a ‘but’ coming isn’t there?”
Envy nodded, “Mentally, I don’t know. The tortures… I don’t know what they did to break her, but her power has been unlocked, for lack of a better word. She doesn’t need to touch directly for her power to work now, and the way she looked at me was disturbing. It was like she didn’t even recognize me, like she was a different person.”

Taris was worried at the look on Envy’s face. If anything, the Kartaian was even more worried than before they rescued Aera. “I should go be with her, keep watch.” He got up and pulled on a robe, heading for the master bedroom.

Envy was unsurprised, and followed him out, “You sure about this? I don’t know that she’ll make a distinction between friend and foe anymore.”

Taris only shrugged and opened the bedroom door, “We’ll see I guess, but she recognized me before. I can only hope I can get through to her.” He went and sat on the bed next to her, sending Hadhen to get some sleep. “You go too, Envy, maybe it’s best that she doesn’t see another Kartaian for a while. Get some rest, and I’ll see about sending Russel or Hadhen to hire a carriage to take us back to the tunnels, or at least one of my closer safe houses.”

[Carantathraiel]

Aera ran.
Far ahead of her, she could only see the golden color of dry grass under a blue sky. In the far distance were green hills, but no matter how fast she moved her feet, they came no closer. Her bare feet pounded against the grass and she heaved, taking deep breathes as she ran, her arms pumping, the warm sun burning her skin.
She paused, then, and slowed to a stop, looking down at her hands with a confused look on her face. Her skin was brown. Had she been in the sun that long? She put her hands down and looked at her feet. They were still the same porcelain white they'd always been. She lifted her hands again to find that they, too, were back to their normal pale pigment.
Puzzled, she dropped her hands and her eyes fell on the dark blue-grey figure of a Kartaian, his jagged blade raised and poised in her direction, ready to strike. She raised her hands, unsure of what she was doing, only moving on instinct.
“Aera!” She whirled around to see a pale Raielwen standing, bow aimed at her, his silver eyes stern. “Duck!” He yelled.
She fell to her knees, her hands covering her head as the arrow flew overhead. She followed it with her eyes and saw that it struck the heart of a pale woman, her ears wide, like Taris', her soft pale hair trailing her head as she slunk to the ground. Mortified, Aera turned with a questioning look to find the holder of the bow was a short Kartaian with a maimed ear. “Envy?”
He shouted at her and pointed, but it didn't make sense to her ears. Her brain muddled it and she shrugged, confused, lifting her hand to her ear. Her arms were brown again.
She heard the crack of a whip and she tossed her head back and screamed as pain ripped across her back.

Screaming, she flung herself forward, suddenly finding it hard to move her hands. She gasped, her body sore and stiff, her movement hindered. “Envy!” She shrieked. Her eyes darted around as she realized she wasn't sure where she was. She was on a bed, and beside her was some black skinned elf. Her scream had startled him, and he looked uncertain about whether he'd like to grab her to quiet her or leap out of her reach. Her eyes narrowed and she glared at him. He seemed to shiver and shimmer in from of her eyes, dark swirls of shadow leaping about him. She paused, snarling at him. “What the hell are you?” Something.... something about his eyes....
Her head turned when she heard approaching footsteps, and she glared at the Kartaian who stilled in the doorway. With difficulty, she pulled her legs up to her chest and pushed herself back against the headboard of the bed with a growl, her bound hands in front of her. Her vision went fuzzy. “Ezra!” She shouted, looking around. The Kartaian pulled a face, suddenly looking serious. He glanced over to the black thing beside her and pointed in her direction. With a slight hesitation, it reached out and grabbed her arms and she cried out as her head was riddled in pain.

It died away and suddenly, her vision wasn't fuzzy anymore. Her breath came fast as she realized whose red-purple eyes she was staring into, her lip quivering. “Taris!” she cried and ceased her resistance against his grip. Her head fell back and she looked over her cheeks at Envy as her limbs went heavy with grief. “Envy! I'm so sorry...” she whimpered, tears falling, her breathing broken. “So, so sorry.” Her vision was going fuzzy again, her tears still flowing, and she tensed in Taris' hands again, pulling away from him, her hands extended toward Envy. “The blue skies darken the earth and make the straw grow.” Her breath quivered. “I'm sorry.”

“Hold onto her.” Envy demanded, stepping towards her, his expression one of perplexity.
“What was that nonsense about the skies?” Taris asked. “What does that mean?”
Envy frowned, his hands quickly working to untie the shirt that bound her hands. He pulled the cloth away and, no longer worrying about her hands, dug his fingers against them to pull them apart. She cried and pulled her hands away from him, Taris' grasp holding her still. “Coming from her, it doesn't make any sense.” He told the Shadow Elf, pulling her clasped hand apart with his sturdy hands. It had been something Ruli had always said to him. Coming from Aera it made no sense.

In the palm of her bloody hand was a clump of wheat colored hair.

He grimaced, taking the strands from her shaking hand. “That's how they did it.” he whispered. “Ruli had a good amount of skill in mind manipulation. He'd been inside her head once before, and their …. connection... she wouldn't intentionally harm him.” He took Aera's head in his hands and looked into her unfocused eyes. She was looking around, still dazed and confused. “They used him to break her.”

Aera whimpered and struggled against the two of them, her head falling backward as she cried. “I'm so sorry...” She looked down at her hand, Ruli's blood dried on her skin. Her dark gaze went to Taris, her eyes swimming in and out of focus as she came in and out of recognition. Her eyelids flickered and her head fell back as she dipped back into unconsciousness. “...I'm sorry...”

[NightlordKrusnik]

Taris clutched Aera’s limp body gently against him, stroking her hair until her trembling calmed, all but ignoring the Kartaian for that time. The assassin said nothing for a time after her breathing slowed, before he finally lifted her fully and placed her back in the bed. Envy gave him a questioning look, but Taris merely shook his head, going into the bathing room. Minutes later he returned with a bucket and towel and began cleaning the dried blood from her body, muttering, “Get this stuff off of her…”

Envy looked at him for a moment, before nodding and heading downstairs to check on the humans, as well to gather his own thoughts and allow the Shadow Elf to sort out his own. After some minutes had passed he made his way back upstairs, sure that Taris had questions after that outburst. However, the look on the assassin’s face when he returned was enough to give Envy pause.

“He tore her apart….” Taris said flatly.
The thief went rigid, immediately knowing what he meant, “How did you discover that?” His voice had a small edge.

The assassin didn’t even glare at his insinuation, “Recovered a small bit of my magic, wanted to know the extent of her wounds. Spell doesn’t take much. I doubt that she’ll want to be touched like that for a while, if ever. Envy, they’re monsters…” His voice trailed off and he looked back at Aera. Envy noticed that he’d found a robe for her and looked between the two, noting that Taris touched the light, hand-shaped scar on his own chest almost fondly. “So he’s dead then, your mind-reader? That’s what broke her?” He waited for Envy to nod, before asking, “Who’s Ezra?”

Envy sighed and opened his mouth to answer when the room suddenly chilled around them. Taris’ eyes widened and he sprung to his feet, throwing knives in hand. From the washroom came a chuckle, and a silk-clad Shadow Elf with lavender-grey skin stepped into the room. “Put those away Curse-Brother, you and I both know in your state you can’t win against me.”

“Esverin…” Taris growled.

The other laughed aloud at that, “Ah it has been a long time indeed, Mirn’zelnen, have you forgotten? He accepted me, fully, and all the power that I bring.”

The assassin’s eyes narrowed, “Abarach.” The knives came up and ready to be thrown at the slightest provocation. Envy watched cautiously at the two Shadow Elves stared at each other. The silk-clad elf gave another chuckle, even that flowed like a caress from his mouth, “Ah Brother, didn’t I teach you this lesson before? Love is a noose, Mirn’zelnen, and there are those that will use it to hang you. I’d thought you learned that well after I killed your wife all those years ago.” Esverin, Abarach, paused and cocked his head.

Taris groaned and fell to a knee. “Get out of my head,” he growled through clenched teeth.

Abarach shrugged and shifted his gaze to the unconscious Raielwen. “The Wolf is loose I see. He’s howling in your mind even now, and the Void nearly trembles at his call. He is waiting for the trauma of your failure, do you know? He is gathering his strength until you do. But her… ah Taris, she is trapped deep in her own memories. In her pain. And still she calls for you.” A smirk, “See what happens when I plant the image of her burning you to death in there?”
Aera cried out in her sleep and Taris immediately burst out in a sweat and launched his knives. They flew wide and the assassin lurched to his feet, “Stop!”

“As you wish Brother,” and Aera calmed once more. “You’ll have your work cut out for you bringing her back out here. But I know your ability to manipulate minds is limited, being a Shadow Lord as you are.”
“What do you want?” Envy asked.
Abarach turned his gaze to the Kartaian for the first time, “Nothing, but a little entertainment. I wish to see how this turns out, for now. My Brother has proved himself more resourceful than one would believe at first glance in the past. But my time grows short, and I must leave you now. Take care Mirn’zelnen.”

A swirl of shadow and he was gone. Envy turned back to Taris, “More bad news? Your brother?”

“Curse-Brother, another like me, with a spirit inside him. However, he gave in, long ago to the temptation. Now he’s Abarach, the Lady’s Mind. The other half to Her Blade, the Wolf inside me.” Taris sat on the bed, shaking just a little. “It also means they’ve found me… what’s left of the Shadow Wolves.”

“How long before they come?”

Taris thought for a moment, “Don’t know, I think Abarach wants his game, so not until Aera is saved or los… until she is saved.” He paused for a moment a sudden thought crossing his mind, “Hey Envy, what if he’s right? And I need to get inside her head to get her out? How big is the risk, do you think?”

[Carantathraiel]

Envy heaved a heavy sigh, his eyes on the assassin. "I don't know yet." He admitted before lifting his eyes to the Shadow Elf. "It may be more complicated than I originally thought, Taris." He came forward and stood tall over Aera, his expression showing some of his concern. "I can't say for sure. Not yet. But I can." He glanced back up at Taris. "I can manipulate minds pretty well. I don't like to, but I can. I taught Ru..." he stopped. "If they did what I think they did... with the two of them... it may make her more difficult to ... save."

He lifted the heels of his hands to his eyes and groaned. "Chances are, they used him to break her, he had to get into her mind. To do their bidding, to save his life, to try to help her, I don't know for which reason. But if she killed him while he was in there, chances are..... he still is." He lowered his hands again and stared down at the pale face in the bed. She looked so peaceful.

The Kartaian stared down at her, his mind racing, trying to figure out how to best explain it. "Ruli will respond well to me, if I manage to find him inside her head. At least he should. I see no reason why he wouldn't. Aera, on the other hand.... there's a chance my presence would do more harm than good." He sighed again. "Its hard to say. But the longer his essence stays in her head, the less chance we have of getting her back to who she was before."

Envy stood over her and stared for a long moment, letting Taris filter what he'd said, while his own mind raced through what options he had. "Hold her hands..." He said suddenly, bending down. Taris raised an eyebrow and hesitated, Envy's previous words making him pause. The Kartaian grabbed his hands and pulled them above Aera's head, lifting her arms to make Taris grasp them. "Hold onto her, this is the best chance we have at the moment." He put his knee beside her hip on the mattress and cupped her face in his hands as he pressed his forehead to hers. His dark lips moved as he mouthed silent words.

Aera strained and pulled against Taris arms, her body tensing and twisting. Envy gracefully adjusted and swung his leg over her, sitting on her to keep her still. A noise that resembled a growl came from her throat and her eyes snapped open to glare at the elf above her. She hissed and writhed.
"Envy!" Taris snapped, but the Kartaian ignored him, flexing to put more weight on Aera. She let out a scream that died down as her body relaxed, her eyes closing again. Her body went limp again, though after a few uncertain seconds she planted her feet and bucked her hips and, with strength that wasn't her own, tossing Envy off of her. He fell from the bed and knocked his head against the bedside table, spilling the water Taris had brought earlier. The elf swore and rubbed his head while Aera glared down at him. Wordlessly she glared at Taris and kicked at him until he released her. Envy knelt on the floor beside the bed as Hadhen and Russel came running into the doorway, attracted by the noise.

Aera's nostrils flared in her anger as she looked around, her eyes narrow. Envy held up both his hands and made an odd symbol with his fingers. Aera paused and leered at him, her eyes on his hands. Then she made another with her own hands. Envy made a face. Ruli was speaking to him through Aera.

Taris sat beside Aera, his face blank, though he was obviously a bit confused, as Envy and Ruli signed to one another. It was slow going, and every few minutes Aera would flutter her eyes and start to panic and hyperventilate until Envy grasped at her again and held her until Ruli took over again.
"When I first found Ruli..." Envy started to explain as he signed. "He couldn't speak a single word. So we started communicating with our hands.... It seems he's forgotten a lot of it." He went quiet, his face growing serious. "I'm asking about Aera, where she was, if he knew what happened..." Aera moved her fingers, hesitantly from time to time, as Rulitus' essence in her head spoke back. "He says he can smell flowers. And moss. And there's a woman..." He blinked and signed faster. "I don't know where that is... Ruli, what... who is she?"

Without warning, Aera screamed and flung her arm out, knocking Envy in the face. He swore and leaned back, his hand over his nose. "Grab her!" he shouted, and Taris' hands shot out with impressive speed to grasp at her wrists. She writhed and kicked, calling for Ezra again as she pulled against Taris' grip. Tears leaked from her eyes and she gasped as Envy threw his hand against her face, holding her forehead. Immediately, she went limp again, whatever he'd done acting fast.

He exhaled, holding his bleeding, broken nose. Gritting his teeth, her pressed his fingers to his skin and pressed, clicking his nose back to its original position. "She's always been good at that..." he grumbled, blowing the blood from his nose before picking up the wet cloth Taris had been using earlier. "I won't try that again." He sighed. Probably shouldn't have done that this time..... He squared his jaw and thought. "Aera is hiding. Terrified." he told Taris, sitting at the foot of the bed to gaze at Aera. "Even he was afraid, so her fear... its alarming. He said he could feel where she was. Could smell flowers. Moss. Stone. Butterflies. And something about a woman, holding water, and feeding the tr-" he paused. "I know what he's talking about. Its a statue, in the forest where she grew up. Theres a marble statue of Our Mother. She told me once she used to hide her treasures beneath it." He glanced over at Envy, still holding his throbbing nose. "If you need to get into her head to find her, that'd be where she is."