An Angel Falls.

The sky above began to fade, the bright blue tones melding into a darker hue as dusk approached. Slender pine trees and ancient oaks loomed upward, their green leaves blotting out the brilliant sunset, dull olive pine needles overpowering the red and pink hues that stuck out just above the horizon line as the sun disappeared.

The world began its assent into sleep, darkness whispering that the time had come to rest for those that had survived the previous day. Amongst the forest and the few animals that hurried to their burrows and nests was a house. A modest cottage, constructed of wooden planks left natural to blend in with the scenery. Outside of the humble living space three silhouettes could be seen, beings who decided to ignore the Earths call to bed. Despite the fading source of light, the three figures still moved about as if they had time…

“Catch!” A young boy’s voice cut through the air. Young arms hurled a ball with all the strength they could muster towards a dark haired man. The child’s throw fell short as always, forcing the adult to make a hurried dash to connect with the ball. Still, the man known simply as Vi looked to his growing boy with pride as he returned the leather ball with a weak toss.
The golden haired youth couldn’t have been more than eight years of age, and of small stature. A wide grin was plastered on as the boy drove to make the catch. He hadn’t needed too…but getting dirty was half the fun of this game.
A woman with the same shimmering hair color watched from the front steps of the porch, enjoying the bit of leisure time the small family had for at least a night. It was rare that her husband could calm himself enough to take the time for such menial things, and though she knew his joints probably suffered from the running about, it was worth it.

The brown ball soared through the darkness once more, the young boy’s coordination much better this time as the toy went past both his father and mother…and off into the shadowy forest that surrounded their home. At first apologetic, the youths smile returned with renewed vigor when the long throw earned a rare compliment from Vi. The older man sprinted off with a bit of a groan, doing his best to ignore the warning his body gave him. He shouldn’t run on his bad knees, shouldn’t strain his shoulder with all this activity. He should rest. A long day had passed and one equally rough loomed on the horizon.

To hell with that. The man had never been above sacrificing his well-being for something he wanted. And right now he wanted to play catch with his son. Such thoughts were interrupted as he began the search for the leather ball, kicking brush and leaf litter aside as he went into the forest. His quest seemed futile, for as time had passed the blackness of night grew thicker…if only he had some light!

As if to answer his wish, an unearthly brightness encircled him. Color returned to the surrounding trees, vivid greens and browns registering to Vi as well as the lost toy at his feet. The winged man crouched low to retrieve the ball, unsure where this light had appeared from. Within moments he no longer had time to act. Ball in hand, the colors around him were bleached out as the brightness over took all it enclosed. All that could be seen was a blinding white that ate up everything.
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Unsure what had transpired, Vi held a hand over his eyes to block out the overpowering illumination. As the light faded, shapes came into view. But not the familiar trees or the silhouette of his home in the distance. He heard no child’s laughter or feminine call of his name.

This place was new. And felt very wrong.

Wraith's eyes opened wide, her speach suddenly affected as a vision whorled through her head. An onlooker narrowed his gaze, speculating on what was happening and wondering if his hostess would be able to continue with her lesson. Selfishly, her wished her all to himself, but the boy's infatuation with her would have to wait, as it seemed.

Wraith slowly came back to herself and frowned, searching her memory to track the best route towards the latest soul to arrive in this land. She smiled apologetically at the young human male sitting across the fire from her and kept track of her hands as she made a few more adjustments to the fabric that was in her hands.

Ever the accomplished multitasker, Wraith finished the weaving efficiently and displayed the new shirt to the young man's avid gaze. She explained, in a voice just a little bit more distant than usual, that each weave needed to be completed before starting up another, otherwise it would fall apart. This, she had learned, the hard way.

He nodded enthusiastically, but a shadow crossed his face as Wraith made to stand up. "Where are you going?" He asked, his petulant tone causing her to stop and frown. Rethinking quickly, she knew that she was in a delicate situation. Though this boy was hardly more than fourteen, he was stronger and faster than even she was and could crush the life out of her in an instant. His raging hormones far outweighed any thought to her safety or his infatuation with her when he was angered.

Almost already, she had had two near misses with him and had learned to deal with him delicately. "There's someone that needs my help, Aston. Someone in a lot of pain in confusion. I need to see them... " she smiled gently, bending her knees in readied flight, the folds of her black skirt hiding her actions. "Perhaps he will be a new friend for you?" she murmured and only too late realised her mistake.

Hissing, her fangs coming to the fore, Wraith barely escaped the little tent on the outskirts of Vale City as she was wont to call it. An enraged howl came after her and she skirted around, ziggzagging behind the tent, her footsteps light and silent, instead of going in a straight line.

Sure Aston was fast. But he also had the coordination of a foal that had just been born and hadn't found its legs yet. She sighed once he roared off into the distance, her thrown rock scattering down the hillside opposite in the direction she would be going.

She breathed heavily and looked up at the stars. It would not be long until the midnight hour reached the Vale. She would have to hurry if she wanted to make it back with their newest guest before dawn. She stilled her breathing, willing herself to calm down and only then realised that her fangs were extended and the transformation was upon her.

She sighed and with an effort turned back into her normal self. To have to bring out the extra reflexes, speed and strength that being in her vampire form gave her when around that boy was staring to tax her kind nature.

Wearily, she set off in the direction of the latest vision.



The light slowly faded into night and Vi would realise that alien stars shone in an alien sky up above. A low misty fog appeared, the almost full twin moons illuminating the dense, crawling fog with an eerily white glow.

From the mist appeared a shape. This shape soon dissolved into a figure. Upon closer inspection, it would reveal a woman walking slowly towards him, all dressed in black. Her boots hit the ground beneath her, but made no sound. Her skirt swirled around her ankles but did not stir up the mist, her dark hair shining almost blueberry in the moonlight.

Her alabastor skin shone with an unearthly glow and her red lips were bright in contrast with the rest of her.

"Hello," her voice came, soft and gentle, yet with a hard commanding edge that was hard to mask. "I am Wraith, welcome. What is your name?"

Enjoyed his home not because it was cozy, or that it was clean, or even that it was secluded. He loved it because it was familiar. His whole life could be a whirlwind of change and yet that little unit he’d built for himself was always there. He knew his little piece of sky without question. And these stars were not right. And yes, the twin moons were a bit of a tip-off as well. His world could boast nothing like that…

Something, no someone, approached to break his inspection of the unfamiliar territory he now found himself in. His hand tightened around the leather ball he’d retrieved from his interrupted game of catch. It was the only ‘weapon’ he had, and hell if he wasn’t gonna use it…

Had Wraith’s appearance been any less striking she would’ve found her self face to face with a small brown ball inches away, an angry winged man in the background. Luck was on her side it would seem, as instead she came to view a man in his late twenties holding a leather sphere in mid swing, staring at his own hand as if it was something alien. Perhaps it wasn’t her appearance but his own that had stopped his attack.

Indeed he had changed. The hand that gripped his pathetic weapon was not his own…or was it? The skin was a bit tighter, less worn from weather and mistreatment. The scars he’d remember crisscrossing across his flesh were no longer there save a few. The extremity was his own, only younger? He took a tentative step forward. No pain. He took another. Still nothing. His joints were quiet, no screaming at him of their misuse. In fact, his entire being felt somehow renewed, he felt no nagging reminder of his age. But how?

He stood there, gawking at himself as the pale woman asked her questions. It may have seemed that such fell on deaf ears as he gave no immediate answer, enraptured with this new development as one just born was with newly discovered fingers.

His left free hand was held up, the palest blue eyes studying each digit as he wiggled them. He turned the hand over, shifting his inspection from the palm to the back. The simple silver ring remained on his middle finger as it always had, though it was a bit loose. It was a wonder. This could be no dream, for nothing his mind conjured up in the evening hours was this pleasant or quite so tame. His attention then shifted, the spell seemingly broken as he brought Wraith back into focus.

It was sudden, and it was quick. His approach to the female stopped abruptly as he rushed forward, only to stop an inch or two from her darkly clothed form. The expression he held showed no fear, only a wide grin that may have been a bit out of place. Great feathered wings unfurled behind him, increasing his width and presence, seeing as he was a bit vertically challenged in comparison. He did have to look up to Wraith to meet her eye. Arms mirrored those appendages at his back, opening wide, his right hand still clinging to the toy that had come with him.

“I am Alatus and you better have some answers for me…”

Wraith watched in silence as the winged man began to inspect his hands. She had seen this sort of reaction before in others that she helped and she generally didn't ask about their previous lives. She had learnt that sometimes those things were better left alone. He took a step forwards, as if testing his legs. Then another and rather rapidly he was in front of her, his wings spread wide in an impressive arc and his arms held out to his sides, mimicking his feathered appedages.

Wraith did not step back, nor even did she actually make any movement at all. Except a very slow and measured blinking of her long eyelashes. She breathed deeply for a moment and then fixed his gaze with her own.

"Of course I have answers, though I cannot tell you that I have all the answers but I will try as hard as I can to put you at ease." Only then did she politely step back, though it was plain that she simply needed space and it had nothing to do with fear or awe.

Her red lips curled up into a gentle smile as her soft voice continued, the mist swirling around her ankles as wisps rose up to wrap themselves around her body, "Let me first welcome you to this place. Though it is night and you may not be able to see too clearly, this," she gestured around them, "is what I call 'Illusion Vale' or just Vale for short."

Then she inclined her head, her eyes sharp and clearing observing as she placed a hand on her chest, "I am a caretaker here. Of both the people that arrive and the place itself."

Then something seemed to touch her eyes, some deep sadness, or was it regret? "I'm sorry," she reached forward presumptiously and fleetingly touched a shoulder, though her fingers were feather light against his clothing and it was the briefest of contacts, "But you cannot return home. To where ever it was that you came here from, at least, not yet."

Her voice was sadly soft and gentle as she broke the hardest piece of news that she had learned people didn't want to hear most of the time, "You're stuck here. Until I can find a way to take you home."

Her dark eyes looked into his own and he could see the sadness, the regret and the pain behind those dark orbs, "I'm sorry,"

He took to heart that his step into her ‘personal’ space had caused no reaction, stepping back a few feet, closing those dark feathered wings of his.

Sadly, her answers only raised many more questions. Why was this place gifted with such a name? Illusion Vale? Was it truly an Illusion? The want to pinch himself and wake from what he assumed may be dream after all faded as she touched his shoulder. Only one of the feathered appendages twitched in response, his shoulders dropping at her news.

If she was this ‘caretaker’ as she claimed, as she knew not the path to his home…then he must truly be stuck here. The new gift of youth seemed like a sad trade off, a bit of fate’s pity on a man who may have lost what was truly of importance.

Pale eyes lowered to view the leather ball, he gripped it so tightly that every sinew and bone in his shaking hand became visible. It seemed a fitting turn in his life that he’d have no rest, no escape from the long lonely nights he’d found filled with his wife and child. It would seem Alatus wasn’t finished, not yet.

“I haven’t lived this long just to die in some unfamiliar land.” The man straightened some, a new resolve coursing through his body. He only gave Wraith a simple nod to show he was ‘ready’ for whatever else she threw at him. There was no going back, no time for tears and no time to let fear secure its claws into his soul. If he was to perish, it would be on his terms…or so he hoped.

“Lead on, Zeleti’L, lead on”

It was time to see just how twisted this nightmare could get.

Wraith cocked her head to one side, the mist still curling around her ankles and climbing up her skirt to waft just below her long, slender fingers. "What is it that you call me?" She asked, her voice soft and genuinely puzzled. It was clear that she took no offense to what ever it as that was said, but what made her pause was the fact that she could not understand it.

The gift of being caretaker had always allowed her to understand all manner of languages that came here. And in turn, she had taught all those that did not know, the common tongue of the Vale. Which for some strange reason had evolved to a strange blend of English and French.

She then turned around, her skirt swishing, yet the mist still being undisturbed at her movement. "Come, I'll take you to the town center and we'll see if we can get you a bed this night. I'm sure in the morning we can settle down a little more and get to know each other." Though her tone was brisque, it was in no way rude. Simply, business like.

"You'll find all manner of creatures here. All beings. Some may..." she paused, seeking the right words, "... give you pause. I assure you, before you react, that each person in the Vale is loyal to me and I've asked for no fighting of any kind." She looked over her shoulder, "They're just lost poor souls like you. Its what links us all together."

She began to walk away from him, obviously expecting him to follow. Her pace was easy and the path was she chose the same. She kept silent until the winged man decided to ask her a few more questions. She had learned that giving people too much information in too short a time wasn't always a good thing.

Wraith’s question of the foreign word went unanswered at first. The winged man seemed suddenly distracted, head tilting upward to take in the twin moons above. The ebony sky dotted with stars gave him pause. A deep breath was taken in, chest rising and falling slowly as he prepared himself to take the next step. It wasn’t lost on him that each move he made was an acceptance of this new reality, a new path that may lead towards home…or the loss of all he held dear. His concern was evident, brows falling, lines forming on the now youthful face.

Damn.

In truth he hardly heard a word she spoke, not truly coming ‘back’ to this world until she began to move away. Wait…had she tagged him as a poor lost soul? What did she know? The bit of anger at the misunderstood insult gave him back a bit of resolve, and in turn he moved to catch up, walking at her side. As much as he cursed his new situation, the ability to match anyone, stride for stride, without pain was a bit of a bright spot.

A good bit of ground would be covered before he found his voice again. “Did not find the name you gave suited you, you seem to be no kind of spirit. And as this place you seem to hold so dear seems a bit of Hell to Alatus…demon suits you better.” His tone was more factual, as he hadn’t meant the title he’d given her to be an insult…though her affinity for this place was spoken with a hiss of anger.

“So, Zeleti’L, How long have you been a poor lost soul in this place?” He wasn’t sure he wanted an answer, but just the same he had to know what he had to work with. He ran a hand through his closely cropped hair, the other still clutching the leather ball that was his only link to his existence outside this Vale.

Oddly, at the mention of her possibly being a spirit, she laughed. It was mirthless however, and held a bitter note that was reflected in the cruel twist of her mouth. "Demon..." she whispered to herself, forgetting his presence for the moment and traveling back into her past. Back through all the things she had done, the beings she had killed, the way she had lived for a long, long time.

Oddly enough, the name brought a smile to her lips. "I have never known someone to be so right about this place in such a short amount of time," she laughed again, never once losing pace, "You are quite right. This place, this world. This 'vale' is a prison, a hell for all those that come here. No-one ever wants to stay, no one ever sees the beauty I carved out of harshness... no one sees..." she trailed off.

It was clear through her words, through her tone that she was torn. That her heart ached for her own return to her world and yet ached to stay in the only home that she had now. In this place, in this time.

"Yes, the Vale and I are close. I am as a mother to it and it a wayward son loathe to give up his secrets..." she sighed and stopped then, looking up at the twin moons that rode in the night sky. She had named them once, Little Sister for the one that ran full every month. Big Sister for the one that ran full every two months.

"I have been here far longer than any other. I am the First," she smiled, an edge of bitterness to her voice and a tinge of sadness and regret in her eyes, "It has been... a long time."

Then she sighed and took up her walking again, the mist swirling around her skirts, never once disturbed by her passage. "Demon I may be, but at least I offer to help," she muttered as she passed him by and began leading the way back through the thicket of trees once more.

Vi took very little comfort in her mention that she was the First in this place. Though she may have the most knowledge about this Vale, she was still here. It had been a long time, and yet she’d not found a way to return home. The true question was if she’d truly tried…or become attached to this place she called herself Caretaker over.

The winged man paused when she did, following her gaze up to those twin orbs that lit up the sky. He could hardly appreciate their beauty. The ‘sisters’ only served as another reminder that he was far far from home.
Wraith’s analogy of this place as her ‘son’ only dug the dagger of reality in deeper. He could relate to raising a wayward child…would he never be able to return to his own son?

As she began to move off he stayed in place for just a moment. Blue eyes turned down to gave at the object he cradled in his left hand. It was a simple ball, constructed of woven leather died a dull blue. Alatus had made it, and could remember doing so. The leather was now cracked, a pale shade of its original color. More rusty brown than a true cobalt shade. The hand the grasped this treasure was so familiar, and yet not all at once. He felt so young, so alive. A deep breath was taken in, muscles flexing as he prepared himself, a decision made. Without a sound the folded wings unfurled, adjusting slightly backward in wait.

He’d no intention of following the pale woman ahead of him. Not now. She’d reviled that she didn’t know the way home…and for all the want to aid others, he sought after no bed to lie in for the night. If that was where they were even headed…could he trust this stranger?

Wraith would hear his first few foot falls at her back from the heavy boots he wore, and then nothing. His approach would’ve been perceived as rather quick…and accompanied by a gust of air that caused the mists to swirl and dance in response.

No attack came, just a shadow moving over head. The rushing of wings would be heard, the silhouette of Alatus against the starry sky as he flew over his guide, attempt to become his own in this strange land. Perhaps it wasn’t the wisest move...

Wraith indeed had no inkling of the movements that Alatus planned to make. Out of an added respect for his person, she refrained from skimming his surface thoughts, and rather piercing his mind on a deeper level. Often she had found that asking permission first was a better way to obtain the information.

She blinked as the shadow moved above her head, her first instinct being to duck. She whirled around to, in a slight half crouch, her lips forming the words of warning that she intended to fling towards the man behind her.

He wasn't there.

She whirled around again, expanding her senses, silently cursing her lapse in concentration as she scented him somewhere above and before her. She looked up, her eyes picking up his dark shape winging its way ahead of her.

Growling, she took off at a loping run, having to change into vampiric form for reasons that would soon become apparent. She looked up, catching up with the winged man and running to just beneath him, easily matching pace.

"Listen! Get out of the sky, now! If you value your life now, or ever wish to someday return to your world, I beg of you... land no-" she was suddenly interrupted by a piercing scream that rent the air. It had come from behind them and the rushing sound of pounding wings wasn't far behind.

"Hurry! Land!" She hissed, attempting to reach up and latch onto his ankle, or anything, really to pull him down. "I can't protect you from down here!" She screamed as yet another shreik rent the sky behind him. This time, it was much, much closer.

If Alatus had the presience to look behind him, he would see nothing. Perhaps a ripple of movement, or a tweak of light but all he would feel were the rushing winds that blew at his face and all he could hear was the beating of unseen feathers.

If he chose to heed Wraith's warning, he would find her on the ground and directing him to a thick set of brush. It would claw at him and scratch his clothing and skin, but it would provide him a cover of thorny branches.

As for Wraith herself, she was half crouched on the ground in relative clearance, red tipped claws glinting, half seen on her fingertips, her eyes wide and fully dark, no pupils or irises to be seen and her fangs strangely elongated. A long, low, deep and steady growling came forth from her curled lips.

"Come get me!" She shrieked to the sky and it would not matter if Alatus was still in mid air, as she drew a long, thin clawtip against her forearm, drawing blood.

What ever it was screaming in the wind suddenly took a downwards rush, the scent of fresh blood in its nose. The downwards force of wind actually stirred up Wraith's clothing and whipped her hair about loosely.

She snarled, apparently prepared to do battle as suddenly a huge winged beast seemed to materialise out of the air. It's flesh glinted strangely, like it wore armor. A long beak, razed with sharp teeth headed straight for the vampire and curved, hooked talons reached for her.....

The Angel was surprised to look down from his flight and find Wraith running beneath him suspended form, keeping up with him. In the moments he had to think before the chaos broke loose he deiced without a doubt she wasn’t a normal human. Any questions he had erased, no typical being could run as fast as he could fly.

Her desperate shout would’ve fallen on deaf ears had she not grabbed him. Alatus hadn’t been airborne long enough to gain much altitude, and though it’d be a bit hard for her compete with the downward thrust of his wings to ground him, her touch was enough to startle him…as well as the shriek that disrupted the peaceful night sky.

Flight was a complicated action to perform, battling gravity and riding unseen currents of air. The addition of other factors…the downward pull of Wraith and the incoming enemy… caused the pattern of wing movements to go askew. He was experienced enough to pull off a rather ungraceful landing, though it was far from a crash. Booted feet touched the earth as he stumbled forward, digging deep into the ground with the impact before whipping around to face the pale woman in time to witness her ‘change' and managing not to trip in the process.

Well, perhaps his christening of her as ‘Demon’ wasn’t so far from the truth after all as he witnessed her new 'appearance.' Her strength and power were evident, and he suddenly became aware that she saw him as one how needed protecting.. Her very words and attempts to show him a place to hide made this all too clear. The very idea of another thrusting themselves ahead of him to fend off danger caused his stomach to turn and blood to boil. Had he come to this world so weak? Did he lose all the skills he’d fought so hard to develop, that he’d used to fight so hard?
Instinctively his right hand fell to his waist, where a sword had lain most of his adult life. The familiar weight of the weapon was absent and he hadn’t noticed until now. His fingers grasped at air, wings snapping shut behind him.
The sudden transport had brought him weaponless, as he'd been playing catch with his son before being thrust to this world...not dressed for battle.

Shit.

Frustration and anger at his helplessness consumed him to his very core. Energy and adrenaline coursed through the winged man with no escape. The ebony wings at his back trembled, fists curling tightly. Alatus felt as though he would burst with rage, looking to the offered bush of cover just once as the fury overtook him. In the moment the horrific bird beast came into view, talons outstretched to take on the vampiric woman time seemed to stand still.
Something snapped within Alatus, he swore he felt his heart stop. His chest burned, the painful feeling seeming to crawl down his left arm, a physical manifestation of his anger flowing through his veins. Drips of sweat rolled down his skin, pale blue eyes squinting with the intense pressure he felt. His hand felt like it was on fire….and soon after it was. The left hand that gripped his son’s toy leather ball burst to life with angry red flames for just a moment, long enough to catch the object he held on fire. The short lived fire licked at his skin and forearm, the scent of burning hair wafting into the night…but not that of scorched flesh. Somehow his skin was left unharmed.

For the second time that night the winged man looked down at his hand as if it was not his own. A foreign set of digits clasping a foreign flaming object. What in blue hell? For the first time in his short visit to the Vale something felt right. He had no time to ponder just what or how the flames had been called to his hand…or why he felt no pain holding the leather ball that still harbored the dancing fire. The world around him came back into focus, brief seconds passing as he took in the situation…already running toward Wraith from behind.

A cruel smile colored his face, something akin to glee reaching those cold blue eyes. He could not hide the thrill this danger and the new ‘ability’ brought out in the Angel. The left hand holding the flaming ball cocking back as he prepared to hurl the impromptu weapon at the monster. Alatus moved with a strength and speed he didn’t recall possessing before now. He put most of his effort into the timing of his attack, hoping to miss the Caretaker and hit true between the beast’s eyes. At very little he hoped to catch the creature off guard, startled it and give the pale woman a pause in its decent to make her move. And maybe, if his luck held out the bird-like monster would be flammable.

Wraith hissed and snarled as the talons of the beast came closer and closer. Her own nails, elongated now, curled and stretched out, intending to rip and tear, to scratch and rend. Her sensitized hearing picked up a sound that did not belong and she spared a moment to flick her eyes behind her.

No! The fool! She cursed herself and clenched her fangs together as she took a decisive step forwards and twirled herself around. Reaching out, she plucked the burning ball from the air, a howl of pain ripping from her opened lips as she fluidly let the ball fly, away from the bird beast.

"It is a Flaringale! It feeds on fire!!" she growled back, not intending to sound harsh, "You cannot fight it with flame!"

A shriek came from behind her and Wraith essentially disappeared. The flaringale was now not ten feet away from Alatus as it blinked in confusion and its beak lifted up in the air. Then it suddenly swung its head around on its serpantine neck as Wraith just as suddenly made another appearance, this time directly above the beast.

She snarled and landed on its back, darting and rolling away from its diving beak as she hissed and began scrabbling around with her claws. With what looked like incredible strength, she began to slowly rip the scales from the flaringale's back.

Slashing upwards when ever it tried to peck her off its back, she got a lucky shot in and caught it in its eye. It reeled backwards and she got the chance she needed.

Suddenly she looked up, in a queer moment of clarity in the heat of the frenzied battle. "Please... look away..." she whispered, her eyes deeply regretful, repulsed and pleading in the same measure. Her voice, though soft, would carry clearly to the winged man's ears below the shriek of the Flaringale.

Then swiftly she ripped up yet another scale and viciously stabbing her claws into the raw muscle found beneath, she pulled it up slightly, bending in a swift motion and sinking her fangs into the soft muscle.

The flaringale shrieked yet again, this time it was a clear sign of pain. It stumbled around as the vampire stubbornly clung onto its back, its one visible eye soon rolling back into its head as its massive wings suddenly flared up as it sang another long shriek of pain, the sound seeming to die on its beak as it slumped forwards onto the ground.

Even when it stilled, Wraith still clung on with her mouth, her eyes shut as she gripped the bloody muscle with her talon-like claws, blood oozing between her fingers.

Then a sudden, last jerk was given as the Flaringale's heart came to a shuddering stop. A strange growling sigh came from the vampire as she lifted her head up, her eyes closed in bliss as she felt the beast's life blood fuel her own.

Then she opened her eyes. She stared at Alatus for a moment and then clambered off the bulky beast, still swallowing. The front of her entire chest was wet and bloody, the lower half of her face was red with the sticky liquid and she reeked of the beast's blood.

Her voice came soft and slightly wearied, "Please... the path. Its the safest way... that's why I forged it..." she shook her head, lifting her fingers to her mouth and wiping some of the blood away. She looked down at her reddened fingers and the looked up into Alatus's eyes.

Suddenly, the deep seated commanding nature of Wraith was stripped away and only an overwhelming sense of betrayal and panic was left in her eyes. Her whole body shook as she stood there, her expression akin to that of a deer caught in headlights.

"Please... " then she suddenly whirled around and disappeared, reappering on the edge of the clearing, her steps too fast for him to follow in her Vampiric form. "Just follow the path..."

And then her bloodied form fled from view.

Alatus didn't think it was possible to like this place any less than he already did.

He was wrong.

He'd been gifted it seemed with this ability to call flame out of nothing, maybe even just for that moment for all he knew...and the creature they were up against fed on flame. Of course.
Apparently his luck hadn't followed him to the Vale.

The winged man couldn't help but wince as Wraith fixed his mistake with her own hands, her cry of pain piercing him. He watched the vampire take on the Flaringale with a mixture of horror and awe. Even her request to look away could not cause his blue eyes to tear themselves from the battle.
Quick steps carried him back away from the scene however, ever ready to run if this situation went afoul.

Wraith had the beast handled however, and Alatus needed to do nothing more than watch the bloody mess this battle became. As war-weary as this man was, watching someone rip the heart out of anything and consuming its contents would be considered a disturbing sight. Even more-so the blissful expression etched in the vampire’s expression.

Even as this turned into something quite the opposite as she approached him, reeking of death and splattered in red the winged man couldn’t hide his disgust, apprehension shrouding him as he stared at her, hands raised, fingers splayed in front of his chest, Subconsciously over his own heart. Wraith’s pleading words were given little response, save the slow blink of his blue eyes…what had he gotten himself into?

As she ran off, the Angel couldn’t help but release a sigh of relief. Though he found himself trusting her just a bit more…he couldn’t erase the blood-stained images from his mind. Curiosity drove him walk slowly towards the fallen bird-monster, inspecting it…kicking at its head with his booted foot. The half-charred leather ball was found nearby, still warm and now only half its former size.

The toy in hand, Alatus decided he would continue down this path, alone for now. He hoped things would stay that way…

Wraith ran through the trees, errant branches scratching at her face as she abandoned her usual graceful nature, her mind aimlessly screaming out in pain over and over again. Her claws reached out and grabbed at foliage and tree branches and swinging vines to rip them from her path with a savageness that belied her tortured mind. How? How had it come to this?

She stopped in the middle of a clearing, a small pond of water reflecting the twin moon's glow from above. She stumbled to the edge and fell to her knees, looking at the reflective surface and the blood that had dried, caking, on her flesh.

She shuddered and cupped her hands into the water, her movements desparate as she splashed the clear liquid onto herself, scrubbing the thick redness off of her. Eventually, tears stinging her voidal eyes, she slipped into the water, ducking her head under and swimming. Twisting and turning, she ran her fingers over her own body, scraping the blood from her form.

Surfacing, finally clean, she crawled from the water and sat on the edge, drawing her knees up. How had it come to be like this?

She sat there, deep in thought. Thinking of a time when others had come. Several that had been markedly different from those that had come before them. Alatus was exactly like that. Ordinary, yet... different at the same time. His soul was... she couldn't place a finger on it, but he was the same as those that were different before them.

Somehow, he was like her. Born in this realm of a different, vastly superior power than others. He was a shaper of the world as she had been and a piece of the puzzle that was the Vale.

She sighed, dragging herself up. If he indeed was of that special breed that only presented themselves in times of trouble, then she would have to take special care of him. Like the others, she needed to keep them close at her side, in case the unexpected happened.

She stood to her full height and twisted, spinning herself around at a speed that would be hard for an 'Innocent' to follow. When she stopped spinning, she clumped down onto the ground holding her head and squeezing her eyes shut. She did still suffer from dizziness but at least her clothes were dry.

Sighing, she began to make her way back to Alatus, tracing her own destructive path back to the trail she had left him on. She simply hissed at the night creature, them being too timid to try her this night. Not after having the fresh blood of a Flaringale in her veins.

***************************

She suddenly appeared before him. The mist curling up her form as she looked at him, her eyes returned to their natural, warm brown. Her claw vanished and her teeth a neat, straight row. She smiled at him, her eyes sad. "I'm sorry... please, I will answer all your questions but I must take you to the city. It is not safe here at night, not by yourself. You can go if you wish, I will not follow you. But I cannot protect you out there either, and I wish to. You are special Alatus. I know that now."

She smiled again, this time a wistful smile, but a smile none-the-less, "Perhaps with your help, I can finally send everyone home..."

She stood there, waiting to see if he ran from her or if he moved towards her. However way it happened, it was his choice.

At Wraith's sudden reappearance the Angel paused, ready to attack or flee from whatever monster jumped out of the woods to attack him now...good thing she was back to her normal appearance.

Her mood seemed to have lightened up a great deal, and though his expression was skeptical he was somewhat relieved by her words. He could leave if he wanted. She wouldn't follow. The fact that he had a choice put alot of his ill feeling about this situation at ease.

He'd come from a past that most of its events had been thrust upon him, and he'd had to claw his way to the top where he was in charge of his life, not anyone else.

Pale blue eyes smiled before one actually reached his lips as he stepped forward, decision made. The blackened leather ball in hand, feathered wings clamped shut behind him he stepped to her side, ready to move on.

"Let us get one thing straight. Alatus is no kind of special. You tag him with that and nothing good will come of it. Never does." He gave a shrug, his tone more playful that actually demanding.

"And this city better have weapons for free or I won't be around long enough to show just how special I am."

Silently and within her heart, she was gladdened that Alatus had chosen to come with her. Her smile of friendship and happiness that she extended towards him as he stepped up beside her was utterely warm and completely genuine.

She gave a dry chuckle at the winged man's comment about not being special but refrained from commenting. "We work on a unique barter system around here. Trading anything of value to your or the other person for something you also wish. Most people don't bother though and usually just give things like food and skills out without demanding payment. Our society is a small one, a friendly community."

Then she smiled again, their steps silent amongst the swirling mist, "A weapon is not needed, though should you wish one, our Smith can make you one. Though he will most likely want something in return," she grinned.

Alatus shot a quick look in her direction, moving to follow her side by side down the cleared path if she was ready…A dark brow lofting, a smirk tilting his lips as he regarded the dark woman as if she’d grown a second head. “A weapon is n-not needed?” He stuttered, chuckling at her absurd statement. “Oh really…well perhaps you are not aware of this but not everyone has the strength to rip an opponents’ heart out with their bare hands..”

He retained the levity in his tone despite the rather gruesome subject. He’d been impressed, but also become very aware that he was no match for the creatures of this place. He felt different here….stronger, faster…but still. Was it enough? “Yeah, I think Alatus could do well with a weapon. Just In case…hopefully this blacksmith is flexible with payment. I didn’t exactly get to pack before I was dropped in this Hell…”

She nodded absently, disregarding his comment about Hell. For her own little torment, she knew well enough how much of an Underworld that this place was. But that didn't mean that she had to agree with his statement. It was simply too much to ask of her kind nature.

"You will find that here you will gain new skills. You will gain new powers, so to speak." Then she arched an eyebrow towards his direction, "Tell me, how did you flame that leather ball?"

Then she waved away any comment he could make about her earlier question. "The Smith is rather fond of a certain pie we've created in this land." She gave an inward, chuckling smile; almost that of a mother thinking of a beloved yet wayward child, "I'm sure if you have some of those, he will give you what you need. But as I said, your abilities you'll find you have here more than make up for any lack of weaponry."

Of course she would give him the recipe and he would know, simply by her suggesting it, that there would be no obligation on his part for her help. It was simply what she did. She helped others.

"Strength in the body doesn't count for much," she remarked, suddenly remembering his earlier statement about her gruesome display of power. "I find that strength and power of the mind will help here," she continued to muse, as though simply talking to the air around her, though her voice was clear to his ears.

"We should not be disturbed for the rest of the night. However, I think it is clear that you think twice about launching at night from now on, hmmm?" her delicately arched eyebrow held some amusment, as did the twinkle in her eye.

Her good spirits, it seems, had not deserted her.

The was no answer to just how he’d lit the leather toy, he didn’t know. It had just happened…but something told him it wouldn’t be the last time. As Wrath had mentioned this odd place seemed to change a person…for the better? He wasn’t so sure.

“I haven’t the first clue how I did it. Not a very helpful ability if I can’t figure out how to do it again…” His pale eyes fell to the mentioned ball grasping in the hand that swung at his side. What ever feeling of pent up energy he’d experienced before the fiery event wasn’t present now. “Of if every damn thing in this place feeds on fire.”

As she mused about strengths, physical and otherwise and their importance in this place Vi took in the surroundings they left behind, still very much a stranger in this place. By all appearances he wasn’t listening, even to her bit about the pie and the Blacksmiths love of such. But this was far from the truth…listening didn’t involve the eyes. This lesson had been pounded into the winged man long ago. Why bind up two senses for the sake of good manners? Courtesy wasn’t a good enough reason to jeopardize himself.

Her jab about taking flight seemed to bring him back, the mentioned appendage twitching behind him at the very thought of taking to the air. He flashed the dark woman a grin to match the twinkle in her eyes…”I could’ve out flown that monstrosity…” He gave a her a wink, his voice dripped with pride. Could he have truly done so? Vi wasn’t sure…but he meant this in fun anyhow.

"How much further is it?"

Wraith smiled, "I've no doubt that you are faster than the winds themselves, Mr Vi," she inclined her head, willing to keep the cheery atmosphere for now.

She shook her head then, "Not long. The Flaringale was unusally close to the settlement... strange." It was something that she would clearly investigate later. Once she had gotten Vi settled in, of course.

She paused to move aside a thick screen of vegetation. There before them was a modest looking village. Well, more of a town but definitely not a city. Funnily enough, it was called Vale City.

She smiled, "Ahh... here it is, your new home," she ducked her head in embarrassment, "I mean, that is until you get back to yours," She smiled, hoping that he wouldn't take any offense to herself calling this his newfound home. Though he was more than welcome to it.

"It is the middle of the night, so perhaps I should get you settled. Tomorrow is another day and we can visit the Smith then?" She asked, though it was clear she had made up her mind and it really wasn't a question.

"You can rest here," she indicated a large longhouse that was resting roughly in the center of the town. Then she started to walk towards it. "Are you hungry?"

The flash in his cold blue eyes was enough of a sign that her labeling of this 'Vale City' they'd finally reached as his new home wasn't appreciated, his dirty hand gripping the scorched leather ball tighter as flashes of his family were dredged up. He longed to be back...but darker thought haunted his features.
It was then the Angel relieved for just a moment he was excited to be back 'in the field' again. Old urges and thrills he thought he'd buried, now resurrected in this place with the promise of new powers and youth.

"Damn it all Zelet'L, why do you tempt me with this dream..." He paused to look Wraith's dark form over once, his gaze meeting hers as somehow he felt her intentions...it was a new sensation, something he felt he could perceive without even trying. Any answer the winged man gleaned was stored away to be sorted out with the other strange changes this Vale brought on.

With a sigh he turned, quick steps carrying him to the longhouse unless he was stopped without a word spoken about food.

She raised her eyebrows at him, wondering just what he was talking about. She could sense that he was fighting an inner battle that she had no part in. She could hear his surface thoughts on the wind. She did nothing about it though, willing him to do it on his own. Sometimes people were their council. She sensed that this could very well be one of those times.

"I tempt you with nothing," she murmured softly to him, the wind picking up her hair and stirring it around softly. The moonlight caught face with an errant beam, making her face glow inhumanly.

Then she caught up to him as he entered the long hall. It wasn't exactly packed, but it wasn't exactly deserted either. Some people looked up with curiosity but they were generally used to seeing Wraith escorting new people into the Vale. There was no hostility, simply curiosity.

A woman did come up to them however. She was human looking, except she had pointed ears and slanted eyes. Her bone structure was finer than Wraiths and she was certainly taller at 5'9".

"Verain!" called Wraith, obviously pleased to see the other woman. "This is Alatus Vi. He's a newcomer and I would love it if you could show him around a little. Get him some clothes and the like."

Verain took one look at Alatus, blushed and then nodded shyly. "Of course, Wraith, it would be my honor." She bowed her head respectively towards the Angel and smiled nervously at him.

Taking him arm gently, she guided him deeper into the longhouse, leaving Wraith behind to attend to her many caretaker duties. "What size are you? I believe we can find something for you. Are you hungry?"

Alatus seemed disappointed to find the Longhouse full of others, though in truth he should have expected it. So much had happened in one night all he wanted was to find a place to himself...

Such hopes were dashed as the slight woman made her way over, the stranger caught under Alatus's cold gaze as she spoke with Wraith until they were left alone.

Verain. He caught the name, tucking it away as he became suddenly distracted by her hand brushing against his skin. The rough sound of feathers moving against each other came to announce their moment behind, the dark appendages opening ever so slightly. His expression showed no discomfort however, in fact he didn't seem to be completely present to the situation at all.

"No, no..." He shook his head as if to clear it, walking with Verain and keeping most of his attentions on her to deter him from the curious stares. Such sent a tingle up his spine. He tried to ignore it. "Not hungry. Just..." He paused. "Nevermind. How long have you been here?" His gaze shifted down, the blackened leather ball he still held turned slowly as it was studied.

"I don't bite, sting, claw or eat pointy-eared women, calm yourself. "

"I don't bite, sting, claw or eat pointy-eared women, calm yourself. "

Verain laughed, she grinned up at him, her eyes sparkling, "I have no fear of you, Alatus Vi. I trust Wraith and her judgement." She smiled and tucked a strand of hay gold hair behind her ears, "I would gladly turn my back to you."

Hopefully he took it as a compliment. Not simply as arrogance on her part.

She took his hand once more, guiding him out of the Longhouse and to a small, homely hut. "I know that coming here can be confusing. I haven't been here long myself. About two years. I still remember what its like. Wraith can sometimes forget... its been so very long for her." There was sadness and pity in her eyes, but not directed at him. She was thinking of the Vampiress that continually sacrificed herself for the good of others.

"She means well enough though."

The elven woman gestured towards a comfortable looking seat next to a small coffee table. "Make yourself comfortable. I think I can find some clothes in your size."

Scattered around the small hut were small semi precious stones of varying colours, sizes and quantity. By the work house connected to the hut, it was obvious that she had some kind of skill she contributed to the Vale, but exactly what was hard to say.

She smiled gently at him, treating him no different than any other she had ever known. She didn't even look askance at his wings, though it was evident that she was curious. "Do you... umm.. did you have a wife?" she suddenly asked, her cheeks rosing slightly as she busied herself with a pile of clothing.

Vi became more at ease when Verain laughed, seeming to indeed take her words to heart. He was easily lead to the hut, taking the offered seat, blue eyes studying the place and the odd stones that decorated it.

The knowledge that this woman had been in the Vale for two whole years troubled him, but he still felt a kinship that had been absent with the Vampiress. As had been spoken, the ordeal of being swept from the familiar to this strange land had happened long-long ago to Wraith, and as much as Alatus wanted someone to blame he knew she wasn't the cause.

With a tired sigh he leaned forward, resting elbows on bent knees as the leather toy he carried was set on the nearby coffee table, freeing his hands to allow his chin to rest in them. He was exhausted, and his stomach reminded him he was hungrier than he let on. It'd been dinner time back at his home right before he'd been brought here....

The memories and sadness that flooded over the man were banished with a quick shake of his head, Vi focusing on the Elvish (?) woman instead, even managing to quip back. "And if you find no clothing in my size am I condemned to wander this place naked?" A light bit of laughter followed, to enforce the fact he was only joking...the woman seemed somewhat shy and he couldn't resist.

Up until her next question things seemed to be going well, relaxed and almost comfortable the newcomer seemed...and perhaps because of this his next actions would take the poor woman by surprise as she rummaged through clothing, back turned.
It was quick, the Angel's movements fluid and seeming without effort. He stood, wings flared as Vi went stepped up onto the short table and then over it, within two breaths time he was behind Verain, arm raised and bent as he fully intended on using the momentum and his weight to pin her against the wall, her back facing him and his forearm against the base of her skull.
If all went to plan she'd have a rather irate winged man behind her, breathing in hushed-hissed tones into that pointed ear. "I have a wife. I have a child. Present tense. I am not dead!" Each word dripped with anger and more pointedly-hurt. Pain.

Perhaps turning her back to Vi was a bad idea after all.