Old Acquaintances

With the night comes a surprising coolness, that where we mortal would probably give us hypothermia. From what Ren told me this use to be a grand city. The entire realm was quite an interesting place with mechanisms that allowed mortals to fly from one place to the next.

"What are you thinking?" Night sends.

I keep my eyes on the building below us, "someone once told me about this place, he made it sound like it was quite lovely," I send.

"Ren?" Night sends.

The mention of the cheating bastards name should spike some rage and yet I feel nothing. Somethings aren't destined and for once I'm glad, "yup," I send just as our target exists the spiraling tower.

"Tell me again how you know Maximiliano?" Night sends.

"I sent him here," I say, jumping off the building momentum taking over I land before the Vampire Lord I tricked. Night lands beside me as graceful as a cat.

"Who are you?" Max asks his guards moving around "trapping" us.

"Let's say we're old friends," I say, earning a light laugh from Night.

"I don't know you," Max looks from me to Night, "either of you."

"One could say we have friends in common," Night says, "besides if you don't know us, why send Orianda and Zack after us?"

A female vamp with ruby red lips and yellow eyes sneers at us, "you killed my sister."

"Hello Saraya," Night says, "it seems the years have not been kind to you."

Saraya rushes towards us only to be met with my dagger at her throat, "I really wouldn't, I've grown quite fond of him."

Night chuckles, "That is the sweetest thing you've ever said."

"Is it," I plunge the dagger into Saraya's throat, crimson blood spilling out as I turn the dagger until I hear bone snap. Saraya's head hangs from her shoulders, Night steps forward and pulls it completely of her shoulders.

Max growls at us his men moving closer, "I really wouldn't," I wave a bloody finger, "it won't end well for you. Now, why don't you tell us what it is you want."

Just as Max is about to speak the sky roars fat drops of rain falling like a gods sent.

"Rain," one of Max's men says, "we haven't had rain in over a thousand years."

"Really?" I ask no one in particular.

"Who are you?" Max asks the slightest hint of alarm in his voice.

"I was once called a living Nightmare," I say, "but for the most part we're Assassins."

"Assassins can't make it rain," a female with a short bob says stepping out of the spiraling building.

"And you are?" I ask.

"Anas," Night says, "the old Gate Guardian to the Nether, she failed to do her job and was stripped of immortality."

"You seem to know who I am," Anas moves to stand beside Max, "yet I don't know who you are."

"I think you do," I say, lighting flashes as the sky roars once more currents of wind, howling with the sky. Rain soaks us, if I were not wearing leather even my undergarments would be sodden.

"You don't belong here," Anas says taking a step back, "what do you want?"

"Katalina," Night says.

"Who's that?" Max asks.

"If you don't know then there is no use in wasting our time with you," I say, summoning a pair of wings of the purest black, "you know, I've always wanted to ride a storm."

"Now seems like the perfect time," Night summons his own wings using the wind to our advantage we push up flying as high as the storm will allow.

"They will try to find us once the storm stops," I send Night.

"I have no doubt about it," he sends, "why did you make it rain?"

"I thought you did," I send heading towards the glowing light, "do you see that?"

"Yeah," he sends, "perhaps we should land."

"Why?"

"Storms are not meant to be flown in."

"It won't kill us."

"This is the Nether Realm the rules aren't necessarily the same as back home."

"Are you saying we could die here?"

"Possibly, it's a prison world."

"Have you forgotten since we got here, we've been able to do things others can't.

"Even so, let's not tempt fate."

"As you wish," we fly down towards a red stone building the rain having washed its windows clean giving us a glimpse of the burning candle inside.

"Mortals," I say, landing on the roof.

"Children," Night says.

"Why would there be children?" I ask jumping down to the muddy earth.

"Mortals were trapped here too," Night says, "it seems they couldn't help but reproduce even in such an environment."

"But how would they survive?" I ask as the door opens, a pair of big brown eyes peering out at us with wonder.

"You have wings," the little girl rushes out, "you're Angels mama was right."

"We're what?"

"They're heavenly entities with feathery wings," Night says tucking his wings away, I do the same, "it's something mortals believe in."

"Back home I've never heard mortals mention them," I say, "are they Deities?"

"Think of them, like the Guardians back home," Night says, "Demons have a relation to them."

"I see," I say, the little girl stops jumping in the puddle of mud and clasp her hands behind her pink dress.

"I'm Fei and you?"

"Jaya," I say, "that's Kaz, where are your parents?"

"Don't know who my papa is" Fei says, "mama died some time ago."

"So, then who is inside with you?" Night asks.

"My big brother Ro," she smiles at us the slightest glimpse of canines visible, "and Rue."

"Whose Rue?" I ask Fei, "demy fay?" I send Night.

"Ones that know how to mask their scent," he sends back.

"So, are they really children?"

"Perhaps not," he sends, "keep her talking."

"Why don't you ask them to come out?" I ask Fei.

Looking down she twists the ends of her dress, "They don't know I'm out here," Fei says, "Ro wouldn't like it."

"Why is that?"

Fei looks up at me, "Vampires run the Night," she gives the most disturbing smile I've ever seen on a child's face.

"Why pretend to be a child?" Night asks.

Fei sneers at him, blinking with confusion when she runs into a shadow wall, "let's try this again shall we," I say, wrapping shadow chains around her. Night gets rid of her guise earning a surprised look from Fei.

The child is replaced by a demi-fay in her late teens. Raven hair falls, down to her shoulder's, eyes no longer brown but a bright green resembling jade.

A male and female rush forward only to be chained in place, "we don't like being lied to," Night says.

"Let us go," Ro trashes like a wild animal.

"Anas wants your heads," Rue hisses the chains around her neck tightening.

"Perhaps you can enlighten us as to why," I say, "Anas herself couldn't say what she wants from us."

"Your heads," Rue repeats.

"Yes, but why?" Night asks.

"The entire Nether Realm shook when the two of you descended from the above," Fei says, "Anas spread the word you were sent here to destroy us, food and water will be given to whoever can cut off your heads."

I let out a sigh of annoyance, "why would we make it rain, if we wanted you dead, besides we're here looking for a friend."

Night lets out a bored yawn, "they don't know anything."

"Are you sure?"

"Yup," he cocks his head to the side, "their heads are quite boring."

The look of fear all three wear matches their scent. I let the shadow chains dissipate.

"We could care less about you," I say, "let all know we are here for Katalina the rest of you don't matter," I walk past Fei, Night follows behind me with a smug smirk.

"Wait," Fei says, "Katalina died long ago."

"Did she," I say, "or is that what Anas wants everyone to believe?"