Land of the Forgotten

The moonlight dances atop the sculpture of a goddess long forgotten. One of her arms outstretched towers the sky while the other either broke off or was cut off by someone seeking to make some gold. The Land of the Forgotten is primarily home to bandits and strays. Granted some do come here willingly, after all, to live here is the same as the Underworld for some while for others it's a haven.

Da-Xia continues to pace impatiently. Camellia and Alexander headed out in search of food just before sunset and have yet to return.

"You should have gone with them," I say drinking the last of the pomegranate wine Ryan gave me before heading towards Antiquity with Enrique. Uncle Feng was to head there should things not go as planned.

"You're not level headed," Da-Xia says as I rummage through my satchel finding a black apple.

"Shadows can only be killed by shadows," I say taking a bite, sweet nectar drips down my chin. A hundred years I waited perhaps I waited too long. Grandmother gave up her essence to end the Witch Wars yet it wasn't enough to placate the living. Had the Dragon King not colluded with Nathalia, perhaps she'd still be here.

"What are you thinking?" Da-Xia asks just as I pick up on the sound of Camellia's laughter.

"Whatever could amuse you?" I ask as they near empty-handed.

"The rest of this realm looks nothing like the ruins," Camellia says.

"Once you reach the center there's a small city with shops a couple of taverns," Alexander continues to describe Forgotten while I call back the shadows. One by one they take their place the wolves on my left leg the twins on my forearm, the crow on my shoulder, the Valkyrie settling above the twins' eyes closed. I was born with my shadows, conceived during one war born during another grandmother claimed it was due to my conception.

"So will head into the city…

"No," I say as I catch sight of something small scurrying between two boulders.

The others watch as a shadow hand trails behind the small creature. I rise, my movements to slow to cause any ruckus. The tiny thing heads further into the cypress woods, it's eight tales dragging behind. Fox spirit, I used to have one of those she didn't make it through the war.

"Careful," Da-Xia sends.

"Always nagging," I send back. The fox is chasing a rabbit, who if I'm not mistaken is also a spirit.

"Now where are you off to?" I ask no-one, in particular, the fox tenses the rabbit's ears twitch neither were aware they were being hunted.

The little fox bears her canines making me laugh. With a shadow hand, I pick her up. Rabbit tries to run only I'm faster. Fox nips at the air trying to break free rabbit just stills perhaps accepting its fate.

"Oh, good diner," Alexander says as I stride back with my tiny prisoners.

"They're not food," I say setting the cage down, "their spirits." I dig through my satchel finding I still have a persimmon. Both fox and rabbit continue to look at me as if I'd snap their necks at any second. I cut the persimmon in half tossing a slice to either side of the cage. "That's all I have."

"So, no dinner then?" Alexander asks.

"Are you keeping them?" Camellia asks as she peers into Rabbit's side of the cage.

"Their children just set them loose," Da-Xia says not even looking up from her perch.

"Like I, did you?" I ask taking a seat on the cracked earth. "I suppose that's an option."

"She's keeping them," Camellia squeals reaching into the cage I smack her hand away.

"Just let them be."

"But…

"The cage keeps them safe."

"From?" Camellia asks as roaring erupts a bear and a wolf charge towards us smacking into a wall of shadow.

Alexander reaches for his sword, "That," he says reading to fight.

"Nope," I say as the earth trembled, I toss the cage up just as the earth splits a serpent-like creature with horns on either end and feathers down its chest slithered out.

"You dare take from me?" the serpentine asks its voice like thunder its eyes like lighting.

"They're not yours, nothing here is Cyrus," I drawl wiping away debris from my shoulders and head, "told you they'd cast you out, but then again you never did listen."

"Crimson," Cyrus slithered towards me, "you should be dead."

"Yet here I am," I rise wings barely visible, "How would you like to take back your throne?"

"Why would you help? You sided with the traitor."

"Did I?" I ask placing one hand above his crown.

He trembled as my magic engulfs him breaking the curse that's kept him this way. Da-Xia just laughs as the serpentine is replaced by a male of bronze skin and feathery moss-green hair. Scars line his torso, his arms and legs the chains that once bound him left their mark. The bear and wolf stumble towards us their eyes as wide as a chameleon.

"You're stuck to, aren't you?" Camellia asks as they bow before my feet.

I don't say anything at sweet darkness embrace. Ryan tosses a satchel to Alexander before patting Cyrus on the back. "Good to see you, old man."

"Old man, you are twice my senior," Cyrus grumbles.

"Semantics."

"Where are they?" I send.

"Securing our passage home," Ryan sends backs, "don't worry the undersea will corporate after all even they are divided."

"Well Cyrus, will you reclaim your place as king?"

"What's there to lose?"

"Besides your head," I say pulling the cage towards me, "not much."

###

Alexander didn't exaggerate when describing the center of the city. There are shops of all sorts even pubs and ins. The cage shakes as we enter the Sun & Moon a villa with lavender at its doors moon blossom on its walls and coral steps. For a place meant to be forgotten, it's lavished.

"How may we be of assistance?" A faun with lavender hair and emerald eyes asks.

"We require your whole villa," Da-Xia says.

The faun looks from one to another until her gaze settles on Cyrus. "My King," she bows her head.

"Lara," Cyrus speaks her name as if it belonged to a lover.

"So close yet so far," I say heading towards the opening where tables of granite create a path, "this should do." I set the cage down my tiny captives already asleep. The bear steps forward I place my hand above his furry head and lift the curse. His skin is of the same brown as his fur his eyes are like shimmering amber. Wolf is next just like with the others I lift his curse. His eyes maintain the silver of his fur.

"Names?" Da-Xia asks for me.

"Arzhur," the bear speaks first, "I once ruled the northern bear tribe.

"I am aware your brother bedded a witch, then convinced her to curse you so that he may be king."

"How…

"Does my knowledge of such things truly matter?"

"No Lady."

"You?"

"He is the silver wolf after his mate was murdered, he went on a rampage the gods forced him to remain in his wolf form until his sins were forgiven."

"Lies they betrayed me they took Cassandra from me."

"I never said I believed them," I say leaning back against the table, "tell me there's food. "

"Lara will have food brought out soon," Camellia says settling beside me, "will you change them too?"

"They're not cursed just scared," I say running my fingers over one of the fox's tails.

"What will you do with them?"

"Don't know," I say as trays of bread and cheeses are brought out, honey and fruits but no meat.

"No one that can afford it ever visits my villa," Lara says as I inspect the trays.

"It will do," I say taking slices of apple and pear then drizzling honey over them.

"What do your pets eat?" She asks.

Everyone tenses as I look her over it takes her a moment to realize her mistake. But it only takes me a second to lift her off the floor.

"Crimson," Cyrus moves towards us walking straight into a wall of ice.

"Took you long enough," I say as Enrique and Uncle Feng walk in. My claws pierce the faun's skin cherry red blood dripping down her throat.

"Ran into an old friend," Uncle Feng says, "what is her sin?"

"Besides. creating illusions, and poisoning the food," I say, "nothing really."

"That is absurd," Cyrus says, "Lara wouldn't do such a thing."

"She's a witch disguised as your faun. Poison doesn't work on any present," I say, "the lavender is hair, the coral mermaids' skin, and the moon blossom mortals' teeth."

"Indeed, moon blossom only grows in the dark realm," Ryan says, "it makes no sense for the center to be prosperous while the outskirts desolate."

"Illusions never worked on those two," Alexander says, "should have realized what this place is."

"Revele," I say the faun no more instead a Shtriga dangles mid-air blood now as black as tar. Skin withered hair ash white. "Such a waste of existence." I snapped her neck with little effort my grip releasing when her head breaks free of her shoulders. Da-Xia hands me a glass vial I use it to collect some of the Shtriga's blood. Uncle Feng then sets the corpse on fire.

"Don't tell me we're staying here?" Alexander asks.

"Might as well," I say cleansing myself of the witch's energy, "unless you feel like purging every last nook and cranny of this place."

"Once you overlook the gore it's not that bad."

"Those accustomed to battle shouldn't complain."

"All right, all right, we'll settle for the night then set out, come morning," Enrique says casting an ice shield over Sun & Moon.

"Let us find a room that doesn't stink of death," I say picking up the cage.

"But your death incarnate," Alexander says as we pass him.

"Is that so," I say as I levitate to the second floor. It seems only the ground floor is decorated with the Shtriga's prey. Ryan trails behind me as I head towards the end of the hall.

"What are you up too?" He sends as we enter a room with a single bed, a small wooden desk next to the window a basin next to the bed.

"Lock the door," I send back, seating the cage down moonlight catching on the rabbit's fur. Ryan places a shield made of darkness.

"Well?"

"Do you remember that day?" I ask not looking away from the cage.

He lets out a breath aware of what I intend on doing. "It was my fault you couldn't keep them."

"Clearly."

"Crimson, if I could change the past I would."

"There's no going back it's pointless to discuss," I say turning to face him. His eyes glow even in the darkness there as bright as stars.

"You can't exchange…

"Not exchange," I say cutting him off, "There is a method grandmother taught me, it's how the first Shadow Queen was created. All it requires is blood."

"That simple?"

"The blessing of mother moon and aunt."

"Aunt?"

"When Lluvia wanted a daughter, she plead to the gods but none would answer. At last two took pity on her and agreed to help, first was the moon our mother, second was death our aunt. They had Lluvia travel the battlefield during the war of Dark and Light. Once there she used her blood to create a child of dark and light. It would keep the balance she thought.

"From the ashes of the fallen rose a figure with skin as pale as moonlight and hair as red as blood her eyes were made of obsidian. Her skin was lined with moving markings of all shapes and kinds."

"Shadow Souls," Ryan says at my pause I only nod before continuing.

"Like all living things Lluvia feared what she didn't know. The child before her could wield darkness and light. In a manner that allowed her to become both. She left her on that battlefield alone and nameless. Lluvia thought she could just leave her there to die, little did she realize what she had done. Thinking the child died she married the Dragon King leaving her world behind."

"So that's how you're related," Ryan says, "the story of creation is always different."

"Some thought her a monster yet that didn't stop her. Truth is the ritual can be performed at any time all it requires is blood."

"How much?"

"A few drops," I say summoning a chalice and our ceremonial blades.

"Won't it harm them?"

"It shouldn't we're only replacing their blood with ours," I hand him one of the blades the one with obsidian at its hilt. I take the one with moonstone and slash my wrists open. "Blood from the mother's blood from the father." The blade remains pressed against my wrist less the wound heal. Ryan those the same repeating the chant until the chalice is full.

"What now?" He asks as the cage dissolves.

Rabbit and fox lift their heads at once. Their eyes darting all over the room now engulfed in shadows and darkness.

"You have two options," I say, "you can run and continue to fend for yourselves or you can accept the burden that is to be children of shadow and darkness?"

Rabbit makes to run then halts looking from Ryan to me then at the fox. She inclines her head ears hanging off the edge. Fox swings her eight tails from side to side then mimics Rabbit.

I lift the chalice with one hand then take Ryan's into my own.

"With mother and aunts blessing let these two become children of darkness, children of shadow," I pour blood onto rabbit's head, "I name you Cerin," then I pour blood onto foxes head, "I name you Selene," Ryan says, "let this blood flow through your veins as it those ours," I say running one hand over rabbit's head the other over fox's smearing the blood in the process. At first, nothing happens then as Ryan places his hands over my own, they begin to glow. Rabbits ears pick up fox's tails twitch this way and that. We step back as the light engulfs them then darkness takes over until a cocoon of shadows is all that's left.

"Interesting," I say as it burst open Cerin's hair is as white as snow her eyes resemble pomegranate seeds her nails are claw-like her skin slightly fair. Selene's hair is like flaming marigolds her eyes as dark as obsidian her skin as warm as the sun.

"What's with their markings?" Ryan asks pointing to the stones in their third eye. Amethyst on Selene and Jasper on Cerin.

"They will help them harness their power," I say wrapping each girl in dresses of shadow, "speak."

"What should we say, mother?" Cerin asks her voice as sweet as honey.

"That's a good question," I say wiping the blades clean then the chalice.

"How, will we explain them to the others?" Ryan asks summoning clothes and food. He just smiles at my confusion.

"He can create food out of thin air, yet he won't make my wine," I say the girls bite into Apples and small cakes, "slow down you'll get sick."

"Erase their memories like before," I send to him.

"We can't keep doing that, eventually their minds will shatter," he sends back.

Cerin takes a bite of dried meat then spits it out. Selene takes the meat from her finding it to her liking.

"It seems even in this form Cerin can't eat meat," Ryan says handing her some berries.

"Their diets won't change just because their forms do, it'll take time," I say taking a seat on the bed's edge.

"Then what do you suggest?" I send to him as the girls start to pick through the clothes.

"We tell them the truth."

"That won't do."

"Why?"

"It just won't."

Selene picks a cloak embroidered with night blossom, trousers too long for her short legs and a blouse too big it falls to her knees.

"These are my clothes," I say realizing he kept everything I left behind.

"What if they are?" He asks amusement in his eyes.

I move towards them using my magic to make the clothes small enough for a child. Cerin picks a violet cloak embroidered with eyes and hands.

"Here," I say handing her a purple blouse and black leggings. "Why keep them?"

"Never got around to tossing them," he says as I wrap a silver and fuchsia scarf around Cerin's waist. Then a lavender and rose around Selene's.

"So, you never hoped I'd return," I say to myself more than anything taking one of the pieces of dry meat, "you need stockings and boots," I dig through the pile only finding slippers, "I guess for now they'll do. One pair is red as blood the other a flaming red placing them on their feet, I shrink them to their size.

"We could go home."

"Not yet," I say as someone knocks on the door. Whoever it is has masked their scent.

Ryan shakes his head as Selene opens her mouth. With a flick of his hand, the room is restored, the food and the extra clothes, gone. There's a gurgling sound followed by a thud as the knocking continues. I move the girls towards the window tightening their cloaks. They're frightened that's evident yet they do not speak, I lower their hoods so that their faces are covered there's no need for them to see what will soon happen. Summoning my blade, I stand before them.

"What?" Ryan asks.

"Where are you?" I send to Da-Xia and Camellia others.

"Sleeping, "Da-Xia sends.

"Same," the others send.

"It's me Camellia," the voice says.

I shake my head as I send to the others, "it's time to go."

"Whatever's behind that door, it's not Camellia," I send to Ryan.

"I know," he sends back, "grab the girls and run."

"Why?"

"I think I know what it is," he sends, "head towards the mortal lands near the Vampire Realm."

"What will you do?"

"Burn the city down," dark flame already eats at the walls and bedding.

"Careful," I send wrapping my arms around the girls and winnowing away. I make it as far as the outskirts, I've used too much energy.

"Mother," Cerin's voice trembled.

"Don't worry he didn't live this long to die tonight," I say if only to calm my nerves. With one breath I take hold of them once more letting the wings I keep hidden emerge and take off into the night.