*9*

(PREVIOUSLY ON DARKNESS BEFELL US)

"Why did you bring him here?" she asked looking down,

"Nen we need help, a lot of help with the etocrites, yes I know we have Xasv but we still need help from anyone that offers it, who knows maybe those creatures multiplied in number maybe thousands," I said sitting next to her

"Did you bring him here to test me?" she asked looking in my eyes

"What are you talking about?" I asked in confusion

"To make sure you get that trauma out of me, to make sure I see him so much that I stop fearing him," she stated like it was obvious but to be honest I did not know what she was talking about, that made sense but it is not why he is here

"Nen he is the leader of the Karan security duty and offered to help with the war," I said touching her and she flinched from my touch, to say I was hurt was an understatement, I could not believe it

"Nen look I am sorry I brought Rik here but we need help," I said moving off the bed

She got up and looked at me for a long time and moved to the door, "Nen come on," she turned and looked at me, "Did you tell Farath?" she asked

"Yes of course I had to," I replied in an obvious tone

"And you could not tell your partner, that is all I needed to know," she said simply and left

. . . . .

(NOW)

Karth (narration)

I was standing with Noth while Farath gathered the people for my address, as a leader I had to talk to my people about what was going on, and with Nen not talking to me, it was even going to be harder as she already told Noth that she is not going to stand by me at the raised stand,

"Everything is set Karth," Farath said nodding at me and I nodded back and went up, the security duty stayed down but still close to me

"Everyone I know that this missile that hit the market but has brought panic but there is no need to worry as we are taking care of it, I am very sorry we lost, you lost your loved ones and we lost citizens, everything is being taken care of and we have the Karan security duty to help too so everything will be fine but we need everyone of you to be alert, if you see anything odd or disturbing or not right, just talk to any of the security duty here, the time we are living now we all need to be alert, we need to help each other in order to ensure safety in our state," I said nodding at the silence among the masses and looked at Nen who was looking at me but when she noticed I was looking she looked away immediately

"This was a surprise attack but everything is being taken care of," I added

"What is really happening Leader?" a man from the crowd yelled out,

"Are we safe Leader?" another asked,

"Everything is going to be alright as long as we work together, we will ensure that our tribe is secure and I say that as your leader, no other person will die," I said and clapping erupted from the masses,

I looked back at Farath and Noth and they nodded a little smiling, as the people started scattering from the grounds, I approached Nen but she tried to move away I grabbed her wrist and pulled her to me, she avoided looking in my eyes the whole time, she could look anywhere else but not in my eyes,

"Nen I am sorry," I said trying to make her look at me but she just kept pulling away and it hurt seeing her act like that, yes I did something wrong but I am just trying to get all help I need for this fight,

"Just leave me alone,I need to be alone," she said and pulled away, and I saw Noth at the entrance of the tower approaching me,

"Wow she is still mad, but you know what I do not blame her, you brought a man that almost left her disfigured back here, but just try and talk to her, make her understand," he said and I just looked off,

"I have tried talking but she just ignores me like I am a plague," I said and looked at him, I cannot believe he thinks he give me advice everytime,

"I did not say one time," he replied and moved back to the tower,

I just rolled my eyes and moved on until I was called out by a familiar voice,

"Karth I am here for any help you need, anything at all," Clay said hugging me,

"Thank you very much, come with me," I said and we moved to the tower

. . . . .

"Clay I know you want to help but then you are rested, we can work on this," I said and looked at Clay,

"Yeah uncle I do not think we need you we will handle everything, we have Xasv and it will help," Farath said looking at his uncle, Clay was Farath's uncle, he was his father's youngest brother so Clay was not that old but he was older than us,

"So what if you have the metal, it does not guarantee the safety of the people, yes the metal is good for our tribe but we all know people will die Karth and that little promise you gave to the citizens, how are you going to make sure that no one dies," he said with a raised eyebrow,

"The fight is with us, the security duty of this tribe, the citizens will not be any part of it," I said sitting down,

"Look Karth this monster queen did not die the first time, what do you think she has planned for us she had all these years to prepare and honestly Karth I do not understand her obsession with you it is clear this fight has always been about you and her there is something unanswered between you two," Clay said smiling and sitting down,

"Wait how do you know that our fight is with the etocrites? Did you tell him?" I questioned Farath turning to him,

"No you know how he is, he must have done his own digging," Farath said simply crossing his arms over his chest,

"He did not tell me anything, I just know everything, I have my ways," he said leaning back in the seat,

"So you have someone in the security duty that tells you stuff," I said with a raised eyebrow,

"No Karth, like I said I have my ways and I am not discussing them with you, the main point right now is these etocrites, oh and by the way why did you bring Rik to the tower, he does remember that is the man that tried to kill his girl right," Clay said looking at Farath who was sitting across from him,

"I do remember that, I do not forget easily you know," I said getting up and facing the wall,

"Then why is he here? Wait has Anensia seen him yet, well what I am asking she must have seen him when you held a security duty meeting, wow Karth you really did it this time, I cannot believe you brought that man to the tower I just cannot simply believe it, " Clay added and I must say he was right about the last part,

"I seriously want to know how you know such things Clay,' I said turning and looking at him,

"Well Karth I was part of security duty remember, that kind of talent does not go away, and like I said in the beginning I want to be part of this...fight," he said looking at me

"And besides my nephew here knows you need me and I am offering...what else do you need," he said looking between Farath and I,

"Between you and I I do not think it is a good idea to have Rik here in this tribe, I think his motives are not the best Karth, you better look into that," he added signaling between him and I,

"I believe I will be of much help to you and also I want our tribe to go back to living as we were, those good old times, I want them back at all costs and by the way tell Nen I said hello that is if she is talking to you right now," he said smiling at the last part and left,

"You know your uncle is a know it all right," I said looking at Farath and he smiled,

"I know," he replied smiling nodding his head,

"You know what I do not understand, is when he said that the fight is about me and the queen, when he said it is about us two," I said looking at Farath who just shrugged

. . . . .

Nen (narration)

I was walking to my room when Noth called out to me, "Hey Nen,"

"Hey," I said and stopped turning to him,

"Nen about Karth he was just thinking about the security of the state please do not blame him to much, I too hate Rik but they could be of help, " he said

"So he sent you to beg on his behalf, I just want to be alone Noth," I said and turned to leave,

"Nen he did not mean to hurt you, you know he loves you he was just thinking as a leader ready to protect his people at all costs," he added touching my shoulder,

"Well if he did he wouldn't have brought here the one person that has hurt me so much and did not have the guts to tell me before doing so, I just thought he cared for me but I was wrong, he just decided to bring that monster back," I said looking at him,

"I love him but I am just hurt at the moment I need time I just need to be alone for now, I have to go," I said and left

When I reached my room, I sat down I was just done for the day, I was not going back out there, wherever I went the other security duty were giving me sad looks, then others would come up to me and say they did not know he was going to come back, I was just done with everyone feeling pity for me

I just laid on the bed and looked up at the ceiling, I remembered when I looked at Rik the day he arrived, the memories in my head with his evil laugh and me screaming while he cut into my flesh, I am doing a lot better now, I can have a memory and sleep but it was much harder before, I slept with only one mission on my mind and that was to kill Rik.