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A Not So Friendly Guest (Sal, Eckhart)

Started by Blink, March 12, 2017, 10:54:50 PM

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Blink

Just as any other morning Silver was the first to wake, always eager to catch the sun. Using her air atunement to aid her the half elven woman slid out of bed with hardly any sound. Aeizith's ears were so sensitive that she was doing her very best not to wake him, as she did most mornings. Looking over her shoulder she smiled at his resting body before making her way over to their wardrobe and pulling out her normal attire of a three quarter length sleeved top dyed a hue of purple accompanied with her bottoms and belt and slipped them on. Grabbing her boots resting by the door she slid out the door, still making the best attempt possible at not awakening Aeizith.

Once in the hallway she peaked into Amber's room where the small girl was still slumbering soundly. Leaving the door cracked she continued down the hallways with boots in tow, pausing only a moment in front of Kaida's now empty room. It had been just over a week since Kaida departed them, the young dragon determined to walk down a path of her own. As much as Silver wanted to disgrace her for this she couldn't blame her. But these thoughts and many more were ones she kept to herself. One thing she had learned in the time she had spent around the Black-Hearth family was it was usually best to stay out of it.

Once more moving forwards Silver descended the stairwell, again careful to keep her feet as light as possible not wanting to awake anyone before they were ready. Once at the bottom of the stairs she slipped her boots on one by one and made her way to the kitchen where a few off duty Assasins were preparing their breakfast for the day. "Good morning" she enthusiastically whispered to her company, reassuring them of her good mood with a smile as she grabbed a carrot from the countertop. Soon Silver was grabbing all sorts of things including a bit of dried meat and a chunk of cheese. "What are your plans today?" one of the assassins asked as he looked at Silver with a confused grin.

"I think I am just going to go out into the woods for a bit to get some fresh air. I haven't really left the house since we moved here but on a few occasions." Silver leaned against the counter as she started stuffing the food into her pack. "Seems like everytime I try to leave something horrid happens. But with Kaida out of the picture I don't think I have anything to worry about. And Jacobi isn't due to visit for a few more days based on the last letter we received." Placing the last bit of supplies in her bag she folded the flap over and slung the strap over her shoulder. "Tell Aezith I will be back before nightfall please and not to worry." She started for the back door through the kitchen before pausing. "And make sure Amber doesn't get herself into too much trouble today." Silver giggled at the thought of the mischief her daughter was capable of... she was Silver's daughter after all.

And with that Silver was out the door walking towards the woods, nodding to the few assassins on duty as she made her way into the forest and away from the large house. The sun had just now begun to kiss the horizon, the dew still fresh on the ground from the cool nightly air.

Meanwhile inside Amber had already begun to stir. Sliding out of her bed she rubbed the sleep from her eyes and yawned as she outstretched her small arms. Her hair was far from graceful to say the least and her posture was simply horrid. Despite this she slowly made her way across the room to where her clothes had been laid out the night before. Slipping into her daytime attire Amber simply discarded her nightgown on the floor before stepping a foot into each of her small boots. With her hair still sticking up in every other direction Amber opened her already cracked door and made her way down the hallway, now more comfortable in the house than she used to be.

No longer did she feel the need to wait for her mother or Aeizith to awaken and escort her downstairs, nor did she need them to get her ready in the mornings. Matter of factly she had grown quite accustomed to asking for help from others within the house if she needed it. After making her way downstairs Amber made herself comfortable on a couch in the entry way of the home, one of her favorite places to sit and attempt to read one of the many books at her disposal. She was still so young, but already had a basic grasp on literature with the hundreds of books now at her disposal. One that she had been attempting to read the night before still lay on the stand next to the couch, and in no time it was in Amber's small hands as she skimmed past the pages within it.


Salzem

Aeizith was never the kind of person to wake up so early, not while the sun itself was just waking up... The darkness, the soothing warmth of sleep was what he craved embracing every night and it was only more attractive with Silver beside him each time. Such was the case when he the sky started to fade to blue and the stars fell away to day. The dragon stirred as Silver did, though much more slowly thanks to her careful implementation of her air-magic and general experience at such things. Still... he couldn't help but open his eyes when Sliver began putting on her normal attire, but still refusing to move an inch from the bed. 5 more minutes... he always needed 5 more minutes... For a vampire, ring or no ring, the Sun was never there to greet him... It was either there to smack him sideways when he was stupid and forgot his ring... or simply spit on him when he didn't. He could remember the days where he could look up at the sun and smile and have it smile back, not feeling his blood boil under it's violent hatred. Still... he needed to be as much of a creature of the day as Silver was fore that's what he was unwilling to give up. For 7000 years he had been able to walk both world flawlessly and he planned to do the same for another 7000. That and... well... He wanted to spend as much time with Silver and Amber as he possibly could... His heart fluttered with love whenever they were around and it was a feeling he simply couldn't live without...

Eventually, though, he had to get up... As much as his vampire side screamed in resistance for him NOT to climb out of bed this day, his draconic will overpowered the undead influence and he slipped out of bed, letting out a yawn before slinking over to his wardrobe as well and slipping on his own outfit. With his heavy blue jacket, snow boots and gloves slipped over his pale, thin form, the little ice dragon slowly made his way downstairs where he noticed that Silver was not there and Amber was on the couch...

"Silver went out on a walk, my lord Aeizith. She'll be back before nightfall." One of the assassins by the door spoke, sensing his confusion. Ah... of course... this wasn't the first time she did this... She probably needed to get out for a day... go bounty hunt or just be with the nature that surrounded them. He could understand... Being 7000 years old, Aeizith had learned to take life much slower, to realize that there WAS time to be still and enjoy the moment. Unfortunately... she would never know what it meant to be so old, to grow in this way unless she became a vampire herself and he'd never let that happen...

NEVERTHELESS, due to his own vampirism and the fact he had fed the evening before, Aeizith had no craving for food and, instead of retrieving breakfast, sat down besides his little girl on the couch, watching her read. His eyes followed hers she they flicked back and forth across the lines of text, her little fingers underlining each letter as she spelled them out in her head. He was impressed how QUICKLY she picked up the art of literature and how readily she was willing to accept it in her life... It made him proud in a way that only a father might be...

"Good Morning, Amber..." He greeted, gently wrapping an arm behind her back and around her shoulders, pulling her into a soft hug from the side. "What are you reading?"

Eckhart_Von_Musel

Emilia Black-hearth walked through Niahi woods, shoulders slumped. She had been walking for the three days straight, and her legs felt like jelly. Her wings were something she had always taken for granted, and it was only now that she realized how much she relied on them. "I hate this stupid body" she thought grumpily. "It can't do anything."

Finally, she found it- a large mansion in the middle of the woods. Masked figures stood guard over the building, patrolling the perimeter  "Well, this must be the place, his assassins are here." Walking up the path, she shuddered. "God, I can smell the cowardice from here." As she approached, assassins quickly moved out of the way. It had been two weeks since her return, and she was finally getting the respect she thought she deserved. Emilia smirked. "It's about time. At least these fools know their place."

Reaching out to knock on the door, she hesitated. This new body was weak, what if Aeizith attacked her? She couldn't defend herself, not like this. She abruptly shook her head. "I am Emilia Black-Hearth. Entire cities have been leveled in my wake. Aeizith will see me and he will crumble. I just need to be myself." With that in mind, she knocked on the door. She would stand with arms crossed, waiting for somebody to answer.

Blink

Happily the little girl snuggled into Aeizith's arms as he wrapped them around her. "It's a book about magic" the small girl answered, smiling widely at the dragon. "These are my favorites to read" she added before diving back into the book, biting her tongue as she struggled to make out some of the words. Despite how hard she tried sometimes the words just wouldn't come to her, too expansive for her young mind to make out.

Amber's attention though was grasped by something else as she heard a knock at the door. "I'll get it!" she all too loudly exclaimed as she set the book on Aeizith's lap and wiggled her way out of his arms. It was funny how this once shy and softspoken girl had already begun to evolve into that of an outspoken and impulsive one. Just above three and a half foot the door towered before her as her tiny hands grasped the handle of it, struggling to pull it open completely. She did however manage to get it open enough to see a woman standing on the other side.... one she had never seen before.

She did not even acknowledge the stance of the woman on the other side, but instead noticed the ragged clothing dressing her. Immediately Amber felt sorry for her, the poor woman must be a beggar. "Hello!" she smiled at the woman as she pulled the door open further. Her enthusiasm and large smile an attempt to brighten the woman's day even if it was only a little bit. "Do you need some food?" Amber was not even shy with her assumption, immediately trying to offer the poor woman anything she could to help her.

Turning her head to look over her shoulder Amber's eyes searched for Aeizith. "Aeizey I think its a poor person." The only words she could think of to describe the woman on the other side.

Salzem

Aeizith smiled warmly as his little Amber snuggled closer in his hug, stating that her book was about magic and that they were her favorite to read. The ice-dragon's grin widened at that, making a small mental note to go by the book-store sometime that week and grab a few more "magic books" for her. Together, both Amber and Aeizith read the book, the dragon careful to follow his daughter's speed, helping her out on any words she might've gotten stuck on. For a little while, they simply read together until, unexpectedly, 3 sharp knocks radiated out from outside their front door. It seemed they had company... The ice-dragon's sanguine eyes shot up and stared at the door strangely, not expecting anyone at all, especially since they live so far removed from other parts of society... In fact, besides that one village that was destroyed by a demon, the nearest village was at least a mile away... Why would anyone go so far out of their way like this...? Before he could think on it further, Amber shot out of her seat like it was on fire, exclaiming that she would get the door. Laughing, the little ice dragon got to his feet and casually strolled up behind his little girl as she opened the door, her excited expression giving way... to pity much to Aeizith's surprise. She then turned to him, stating that it's a "poor person". That couldn't have been right... No... something else must've been going on here... It made no sense for a poor person to be out in the woods in the middle of nowhere! That was like seeing a flock of birds near an active volcano... Smiling, confused, the little ice dragon gently nudged Amber behind him as he peaked out the door.

As if a switch had been flipped, the ice dragon's eyes widened in shock, then narrowed in hate, ice coagulating around amber and tugging her back further and, if only a little roughly sat her back down on the couch. Aeizith now opened the door fully, taking up the door-frame as best he could as he stared up at the woman that exiled him from home... Emilia Black-Hearth, the epitome of looking "worse-for-wear".

At first, his glare was merely hiding the fear for his daughter's life that Emilia was here, here to extract endless pain from him by killing Amber.... but then he felt the lack of magic off of her, the lack of void-taint that that always hovered around her like a miasma of death. For whatever reason... Emilia's void was gone... not even SHE could surpress it so well and... wait... why didn't she smell like a dragon...? Even in human form, she should SMELL like a dragon! What, did she go and get herself stuck in her human form? Gradually, the shell that was his hateful gaze began to fill in, becoming more genuine as his confidence grew. Emilia was weak. Pathetic... Aeizith could kill her right now if he wanted! If he wasn't growing colder by the second, one could swear Aeizith's rage was burning right through him.

"What do you want...?" Aeizith growled, his magic only being held back for the concern of his house and his little girl. "Come to kill us, Sister-dear?"

Eckhart_Von_Musel

Emilia looked at the creature that answered the door in disgust. "Oh, you've got to be kidding me. How long have I been gone?" Her disgust turned to embarrassment when it suggested that Emilia was but a beggar. "I don't look that bad, do I?" She thought as she ran a hand through her hair. Upon realizing that her once perfectly cared for golden locks were now caked with dirt and sweat, she quickly pulled her hood up. "Alright, it probably has a point. I ought to clean myself up when I'm done here."

A few moments later Aeizith appeared in the doorway, looking no different then when she last saw him- pathetic, as he always did. He did look a bit shorter, but Emilia supposed that was due to her human body more than anything. Her newfound height was literally the only good thing about being stuck in this awful form, as it let her tower over those that she would normally have to look up at- something that had always made her feel insecure. When Aeizith asked if she was here to kill him, Emilia smirked. "Oh, is that fear I hear? It'd better be, you spineless little fuck. I could use some respect after all the shit I've been through"

"I'm afraid not, brother." She said, attempting to speak with the same confidence that she had when she was a dragon. "I'm... in a bit of a rush you see, and I simply don't have the time to destroy you at the moment."

"That sounded believable, right?"

"I just came to ask where you other siblings have run off to. I assume Electi is still missing, but Kaida wasn't at the citadel." She said, purposely leaving out her sister Eira. Kaida could be at the citadel for all she knew, but Emilia wasn't able to make the climb up there in this new, frail body. Pointing the the creature at Aeizith's side, she continued. "Also, that is disgusting. I never had very high hopes for you, but this is a new low." Frowning, she looked at the half-human larva with an upturned nose. "You're at least teaching it to kill for you, right? There no point in making one of those if you don't."

Blink

Before she knew what was happening Amber had been pushed back to the couch by ice that was not her own. She didn't know why, and if anything it annoyed her a bit. Why couldn't she talk to the beggar? Stretching her body she tried to get a glimpse of the woman at the door once more but it was no use. So instead she hopped off of the couch, ignoring Aeizith's attempt to keep her back. Instead she walked up behind him, one hand grabbing the fabric of his pants while her head peaked out from behind.

Maybe it was because of who her mother was, but Amber did not like being referred to in the way that the woman talked to her. The small girl flinched a bit when the woman pointed a finger at her and called her an 'it'... "My name is Amber!" she so rudely interupted before processing what else the beggar had said. "Kill for him?" she thought, completely confused by the statement. Aeizey didn't kill people, he was kind and sweet and... a good person.

"I don't like her" she half whispered as she looked up to Aeizith, hoping he would just shoo her away. "She says things that are not true and I don't like it."

Salzem

Aeizith was hardly listening to the bravado his alleged sister was spewing in both stance and word, instead looking for some kind of weakness he could use to justify shattering her stupid ego. Then... she mentioned Kaida and Aeizith internally smiled. He knew how much Emilia loved her younger sibling, how much she cared what she thought of her. That was her weak point and he'd make it bleed... Before he could say anything further however, Amber came running up behind him once again, hiding behind his legs as she spoke her name, making Aeizith flinch fore fear for her... As if seeing that moment of weakness, Emilia then commented how he should be making Amber kill for him, as that was the VERY LEAST he could do, that he would have no use for her otherwise. The little ice dragon merely let out a sigh, knowing full well how much higher he stood over his sister in this moment, before looking down at his sweet little girl before picking her up and taking her into his arms.

"Amber, w-would you do m-me a favor...?" He asked, smiling at her lovingly. "W-would you please g-go up to y-your room while I t-talk with this poor person...? The adults n-need to t-talk." He spoke in such a way that was gentle, but didn't leave any room for arguments. It would be clear that he was telling her what to do, just in a more diplomatic frame of voice. He'd softly kiss Amber on the cheek before letting her do as he requested, before his scornful glare returned in force, reaching out a hand at blinding speeds that gently touched Emilia's belly. Instantly, she'd be thrown back out of his door frame with enough force to bruise her weak human body, but also send her rolling far from his house.

"Kaida... h-huh...?" Aeizith asked, stepping out of his house and onto the ground. The moment his foot touched the earth, a wave of frost rippled across the setting, freezing the grass, the weeds, it all in ice, becoming sharp, rough needles that sprouted from the ground. In addition, the door would have been forced shut by a frosty wind, frozen closed so Amber could not hear what was being done... Learning from his previous mistakes as well, Aeizith frosted over the windows, so nothing could be seen either. This was adult time. The moment Emilia came to a stop, Aeizith would seemingly teleport right up to her (though that was his incredible speed) and took her by the shoulder, nearly cracking it like a walnut in his grip.

"N-no... I d-don't think I kn-know where she w-went... B-but she did t-tell me to t-tell you s-something, s-sister..." Aeizith's sanguine eyes glowed in a chilling cold anger, his vampiric fangs bared as he stared her down. "She h-hates you... h-hates you w-with a r-rage that w-would burn y-you away... S-she w-will k-kill you and y-you will h-have d-deserved it..."

Eckhart_Von_Musel

Emilia looked on in disgust as Aeizith put his mouth on the inferior being. "Ew, that's gro-" she began to say, but then Aeizith touched her and Emilia was sent flying backwards. "No! This isn't what's supposed to happen!" She hit the ground roughly four times before finally slowing down. She attempted to push herself up, but her right arm had broken. Emilia had been her share of scraps in her old life, but she'd never been in this much pain before. "Is this how it feels?" She thought, tears streaming down her face. "Is this how those humans felt when I crushed them into dust?" Emilia grimaced and let out a soft chuckle. "Knowing that just makes ending their worthless lives more satisfying."

Emilia gasped as she was abruptly grabbed tightly by the shoulder and lifted up to face her brother, who had seemingly appeared out of thin air. She'd be lying if she said she wasn't scared shitless, but she somehow managed to keep herself from sobbing uncontrollably. Looking at her brother defiantly with tears still still streaming down her face, she spoke in a flat voice. "You're lying. Kaida wouldn't say things like that, she's never had your knack for being melodramatic about things." Emilia forced herself to smile through the fear and pain. "That creature you've sired, does it know that you're a big, scary monster yet?" she asked, deciding to change the subject to something that'd put her at an advantage. "Look at yourself Aeizith, you can't keep roleplaying forever. This escapism, it's not healthy. Have you forgotten that you're immortal? What will happen when these mortals die? Or if you loose control and kill them for food?" She smirked at him. "Will you even care? Of course you won't. You'll just move on to another mortal, and another, and another, each time telling yourself that the feelings you have for this one are real." Giving her brother a caustic glare she continued, voice dripping with poison. "When will you accept that you will never be happy like this?"

Blink

Amber wasn't quite sure what was about to transpire between Aeizith and the poor woman, but she sensed Aeizith's aggression. For the short time she had known him never had she seen him like this, so angry and cold towards someone. Maybe it was a facade she had built in her head but she wanted to believe that he could never hurt anyone... only now was that revealing itself as a false hope. When he picked her up and asked her to go up to her room she did not reply, but merely stared into his eyes. Her gaze continued to be locked on him even as he set her back down and assumed she would just reply to his request.

At first she did start heading towards the stairs, but paused the moment her tiny hands touched the railing. Turning her head she saw Aeizith reach out to the woman from the doorway before she went flying backwards. The action alone rendered Amber speechless and by the time she had completely turned around Aeizith had spoke the girl's name she had met a week or so ago. But then she was cut off... the door slamming shut behind him before enveloping its seal in ice. So instead she ran to the window, only to see the woman laying in the grass several yards from house before the window itself frosted up. Not quite sure what made her so upset Amber ran to the door anyway, despite knowing Aeizith had already froze its seal. Reaching her hand out all she could think of was stopping Aeizith from doing whatever it was he was about to do. "Stop Aeizey... stop Aeizey.... stop Aeizey..." the mantra repeating itself over and over again in her mind.

Then to her suprise Amber saw the seal of ice begin to recede around the door. She wasn't sure why... perhaps Aeizith was removing it from the outside. Perhaps he had already done away with the woman and was now on his way back in to act as if none of this had ever happened. Whatever it was Amber was not going to wait to find out. Wrapping her fingers around the handle she pulled the door, and with a bit of force managed to crack it open just enough for her body to slip out. But the scene she saw on the other side left her mortified.

Slowly she stepped onto the frozen path leading towards Aezith, and as she calmly made her way down it towards the two she listened to what was being said, the first understandable sentence coming from the woman. She was asking if 'that creature' knew about him being a monster. Even if she was six Amber was able to deduct the woman was talking about her. She heard the woman ask what would happen if he killed them for food, that he would just move on to another 'mortal'. She didn't know if he realized she was standing there, now only a few feet behind him, and honestly she didn't care.

"Aeizey..." her voice was not as full as enthusiasm as it once was, but instead almost tainted with fear. "Your gonna kill me and mommy?" If he would turn towards he she would simply take a step back and flinch, not quite sure whether or not to believe she was even safe anymore.

Salzem

"I haven't lied to you once, Emilia." He stated, smiling strangely as he cocked his head to the side, shifting his grip from her shoulder to the front of her shirt. It was an awkward sight, someone so small holding a person so large at bay but in that moment, Aeizith commanded a presence that put any height difference out of significance, a dark haunting presence of power that was comparable to both an angel... and a demon. Just as if he were embracing either role, his pair of leathery, tattered wings sprouted from his shoulder blades, a wave of frost washing over his older sister, leaving a thin coat of snow across her flesh, likely chilling her deeply. Aeizith contemplated why he let Emilia go on for this long, why he didn't just rip out her throat, break her spine, or something that would end this menace and all the venom she would spew... Maybe it was because he wanted her to break on the inside before he worked on her bones... maybe it was because he had his family just behind him and he didn't want them to witness this death (though that certainly wouldn't stop him, he was sad to admit), but mostly... it was the fact he craved the expression on her face when Kaida did the honors for him... Emilia went on and on about all the reasons why this would never work: how long until he got hungry and at them... has he forgotten his immortality... That part made him smile in a strange, crooked way. He dragged Emilia a little closer so that their faces were only a few inches apart, the dragon looking into her eyes with his as he raised a hand above his head, intent on smashing her head in just enough to knock her out just long enough so he could leave her on some path away from here...

"But sister..." He responded, letting out a sigh that sent frost all up her lips and cheeks. "I'm NOT immortal..." With that, the dragon's muscles tensed, his gaze hardened, his anger burned and demanded he strike her down... 

And then a soft voice rang out from a little ways distance behind... a voice that immediately snapped him out of his rage-fueled trance.

"Aeizy..."

Aeizith's head swiveled around in shock, his sanguine eyes falling on Amber... Aeizith's little girl as she flinched away from him, afraid.

"Amber... I..." Aeizith began to speak, trying to come up with some kind of excuse that would make this situation look even a little worse before the little girl said something that made these potential words die on his lips:

"You're gonna kill me and mommy?

Aeizith was shocked, tears forming in his eyes as he slowly turned away from his daughter, his head downcast as he imagined all the things running through the little girl's mind. He couldn't say a word to her... Nothing he could say would make her any less afraid of him... not while he still held Emilia in his grip. Sensing his weakness, the older former dragoness stared into his teary-eyed face and asked a question Aeizith had been secretly dodging, a question he refused to even contemplate an answer for:

"When will you accept you will never be happy like this?"

The dragon only stared up at Emilia silently, his expression a mix of hate, sorrow and something else... something more complicated before dropping her to the ground, all the ice he had splashed over the ground seeming to blink out of existence as he melted it instantly. Slowly, he turned around again to face his daughter, His wings slipping back inside his body.

"N-never..." He whispered, answering both Emilia's and Amber's questions. He simply wouldn't. Not knowing what else to do, and knowing that Emilia was no longer a threat, He crouched down and opened his arms to welcome Amber into them if she would so choose, wanting nothing more than to embrace his daughter again...

Eckhart_Von_Musel

A look of genuine terror grew on Emilia's face as her brother rose his fist to end her. "No! Not like like this! I-I cant be killed by him!" She looked at him, pleading. "You- you wouldn't. I'm your big sister, you need to respect me!" she whispered, not even sure if Aeizith would hear her. At that moment, as if on cue, the entire situation changed.

Aeizith's spawn had disobeyed him, and was now pleading for her father to stop. Emilia was dropped to the ground as Aeizith made a move to comfort the bleating creature. A feeling of joy overcame Emilia, and she let out a satisfied hum. "Yes! Whenever I'm in a pinch, luck always pulls through!" Not wasting a moment, Emilia looked at the half breed with a expression of utmost fear, her voice panicked and shaking. "Get away from here! Now that you know he's a dragon he'll kill you too!"she yelled. "Run!"

At this, Emilia slowly stood back up. Her entire body was in pain, but she powered through it and began to stagger off in the direction of the road. When she was maybe fifteen feet away she turned her head to look at her brother one last time, an expression of prideful determination on her face. "Do you know the reason why you can't beat me? Even when I''m like this?" she asked, her voice swelling with pride. "Fate favors me, Aeizith. No matter what happens, I'll always come out on top. Have fun with your kid." With that she would limp away, never to return.

Blink

She was already hesitating, but the cries of running away overcame the little girl. Except she didn't run away, but instead just took a few more steps back from Aeizith. "Your a dragon?" her voice even more shaky than before. Amber had read about dragons in some books, not to mention heard the lore surrounding them. They were portrayed as awful beasts that horded treasure and killed livestock and humans. Was this really what he was?

She was so confused, her heart telling her that the man she had grown to know and look up to was still Aeizith... while her mind was telling her to get away as quickly as possible. So she did the only thing she could...

Slowly she continued to take steps backwards away from him, creating as much distance as possible between them as possible without moving too quickly. She didn't know what else to do.. how to react... how to breathe. It seemed as if this woman who was now walking away had managed to create what appeared to be an unfixable crack in their family in a matter of minutes. Amber hated her for this. This woman, who just came knocking on the door spewing venom from her mouth. Heck, she may as well have been the vision of a dragon in Amber's mind by the way she was acting.

If Aeizith were to take another step towards her Amber would stop retreating, but instead fall to her knees and put her hands over her eyes. "Don't eat me!" Her own ice fracturing from around her with a distance of only a few feet.

Salzem

Aeizith wasn't listening anymore to the hateful growls of his older sister, now fully focused on the little girl he had known as his daughter... the little girl that was now backing away from him in horror... When she asked if he really was a dragon, if that was true, Aeizith only silently nodded his head, his arms falling to his sides as he watched his daughter retreat from him further... Frost arched out beneath her feet with each step, her eyes practically bulging out of her head in terror and disbelief, completely sold on the idea that Aeizith was nothing more than an evil, person devouring dragon that would just as soon gobble her up than take her in for lunch... and that was only half of the truth she knew...

"Amber-" he tried to speak, taking a step forward. Before he could get any further, however, the little girl fell to her knees, covering her face with her hands and began begging him not to eat her... pleading her father for her life... The little ice dragon withered on the inside as he watched the little girl beg, images flashing across his mind with hundreds... no thousands of people in the same position at his feet with him raising a dagger to their throats... The little ice dragon felt sick, borderline terminal with the sorrow and pain that seeped from his heart like an infection.

In an instant, Amber would feel the dragon's arms wrap around her shoulders, holding her to him in a soft, warm embrace. He held her just tight enough that she would be pressed against him, but easily able to break away should she desire. Aeizith would say nothing but silently hold her for at least a minute before pulling away himself and putting his hands on her shoulders.

"I am a dragon..." He murmured, still as meek and gentle as ever. "I am... a-and I l-love you, Amber... I-I do... I won't h-hurt you... I.... I can't..."

Blink

The small girl sat frozen in pure terror as Aezith embraced her. She could have tried to run, but she knew she was no match. In that moment she believed more than anything... that she was going to die. The minute seemed like it lasted hours, every second finding herself asking "Am I dead yet?" within the confines of her own mind.

She could feel the ice still flowing from her, encasing her surroundings and spreading like a disease. Worst of all, she couldn't control it. It was as if it were blood pooling from her body with no end in sight. Aeizith's words though broke her from her mental prison. His statement of not hurting her... the he couldn't. Somehow these words caused her to find her voice again.

"But you hurt other people" her voice soft, accusing...confused.

Silver wasn't that far off from the house, maybe a fifteen minute sprint if need be. She was sitting at the base of a large tree just taking in the sights and smells of the forest around her. Of course she lived in a large house now.. she had everything she would ever need. But all of that was artificial. Nothing in that house other than her daughter and Aeizith could ever compare to the peace she felt here. Well at least... that was until she saw her.

Silver jumped up, having to take a double take at the woman walking away from her home a bit away. Thankfully Silver was concealed enough in the thick brush that hopefully the woman wouldn't see her. But she had enough of a view to make out who it was. "Emelia" she whispered, her voice barely even audible to her own ears. How could it be? Silver saw what happened back at the citadel, how she was pulled into a void so dark leaving them to think she would never be heard from again. Except she looked different.

Emelia was less regal, taller... fuller. Her hair wasn't as white, her skin not as porcelain... her clothes... rags. Was this really her? But instead of waiting to confirm for herself Silver grabbed her things and stuffed them into her bag and started running back for the house, sending a breeze ahead. It would reach them long before her, and then she would know. Amber and Aeizith would feel it, the wind passing by them, encircling them and making its way across their entire bodies. And then it would recede from the direction it come from.

Once it returned to her Silver was afraid, feeling the coldness it brought with it. Something was wrong... very wrong. Either Amber or Aezith had cooled the air around them which led for her to believe there was an attack of some sort. Her pace quickened at the thought, turning her run into a full on panic filled sprint. When she finally broke through the trees and the house was in site she saw Aeizith leaned down in front of Amber, ice slowly enveloping the area around them. "Amber!" she screamed as she continued running towards them, afraid of what she had just ran into.

Salzem

Aeizith was actually shocked by the tone of accusation smacked over his head like a blunt stick, making him flinch as she stated that he hurt other people... Why not her? It hurt him to think that he had to explain this concept of justification to a little one like her... especially when the circumstances made him the bad guy... Silently, he was aware of Amber's ice bleeding out all over the ground, pooling at his feet and beyond, spreading out over chaotic directions. He did his best to surpress the flow of ice and managed to keep it from creeping any closer to the house but he couldn't keep it from crawling much further. That fight with Emilia and now this was extremely mentally taxing on the little ice dragon... He didn't think he'd be able to stay awake the rest of the day, let alone stop this powerful run-away magic.

"Amber..." He whispered, looking into her eyes with a gaze as gentle as fluff. "S-she was going to h-hurt you... W-what could I do... but s-scare her a-away...?" Before he could get any further in turning his wrong into a right, Silver came rushing out of the brush of the forest, screaming Amber's name fearfully. Without needing a demand, threat or any other incentive, Aeizith let his arms hang loose at his side, allowing Amber to run up to her mother and tell her anything she wished... While Aeizith just sat down in the grass and stared up at the sky, more tired than he had ever felt before.

Emilia was back and even if she could no longer strong-arm them into being her little puppets, she had certainly won this day... It seemed that a long time of isolation in the void didn't dull her wits as much as her body, leaving Aeizith to wonder what he could possibly do now...

Blink

The minute Amber heard her mothers voice she pulled herself from Aeizith's already falling arms and began running for her. Before she even reached her the tears had already begun to build in her eyes, and with arms outstretched she was ready for her mothers comfort.

Silver was relieved to see Amber perfectly able to run for her, eliminating any fear of her being injured instantly. Within a matter of seconds mother and daughter were reunited, Silver having scooped her up the moment she was within arms reach.
"Mommy! Aeizey is a dragon and he eats people! That lady said he was going to eat us!" Silver was shocked at the words pooling from her daughter's mouth. It all sounded like something Emelia would place into her small child's mild. This brought her back to the main concern on what led her home... why was Emelia here.
"Aeizith would never do anything like that!" she corrected her child as she walked up to Aeizith, Amber still in her arms. By now Amber's ice had receded, no longer dripping from her body uncontrollably. But instead of responding to her mother's statement she merely left her head buried in her shoulder, refusing to acknowledge the outside world at that moment.

Silver knew this was a long overdue conversation, but it would have to wait. Right now there was a more pressing issue at hand. After finally reaching Aeizith Silver stood next to his kneeling body with eyes to the sky. "Please tell me that was not who I think it was..." this and a million other questions running through her mind. "... and if it was why did you let her leave here alive? She is going to find Kaida and the two of them will kill us all for sure."

Salzem

Aeizith was silent for a moment, two wrapped up in his own thoughts to notice Silver kneeling down beside him, daughter in hand... It was when she asked if "that was not who she that she was" did he snap out of his trance, coming back into the present. Aeizith's eyes locked onto his sweet Silver's and they were flat... almost dead with little emotion behind them.... probably as a safeguard to keep them from spilling over his cheeks in tears.

"It is." He simply stated, letting out a breath of exasperation... All he wanted to do now was sleep... She asked why he let her walk out of there then, that she would just bring Kaida and the both would kill them all... The little ice dragon said nothing, his mind now as flat and barren as the look behind his eyes... It was like looking into the perfectly healthy shell of a man, instead of the whole package... "She will have no help from Kaida." He finally spoke, getting to his feet, though he could feel his legs just about ready to give out... There was nothing worse... absolutely nothing worse than having one's little girl run in fear from them... He didn't hurt her, but in his mind he might as well have from the expressions on her face, the tone of her voice, the fear in her eyes... It almost made him wish Emilia had all her powers so she could kill him... Almost, but not quite.

"I can't kill her now..." Aeizith sighed, his heart feeling like a clump of iron in his chest. "Maybe... if she was like me...Inhuman.... but she IS a human now... weaker... She can't do anything but yell at us... Silver... if I just snuffed her out..." Aeizith snapped his fingers. "...Like that, my own sister... I couldn't be a man you could love..." And, with that being said, the little ice dragon stuffed his hands into his pockets and made his way back to the house and not slowly either. The moment he'd stepped inside, he disappeared into his room, flopped out on the bed and just covered his head with a pillow, trying to block out the two pronged attack of guilt that struck him from both sides...

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