A Time of Reminiscing

I was seated at the table while Dracyian was dealing with Zecane. I was leaning against the table with my palm on my cheek. Aremiah was happily munching on junk food. Aleera was sipping on some tea. Skythe was... meditating. Caius was seated closer to me with his nose hidden in a book.

This was boring, to say the least. I closed my eyes trying to reach out to my dark side. But every time I tried there was a glass mirror shielding me. But I could hear the rattles of chains banging against the walls and a scream of terror.

I could hear her but she couldn't hear me

The more I tried to focus and break the shield, the more energy it pulled from me. The more strength and power she was pulling from my mind. This was not a normal occurrence. I remember when I was younger, my dark side was stronger, she could release herself at any time.

The deaths that we had taken... was too many to count. But now it's harder for her to come out. That could only mean we are mending and I'm becoming stronger.

I felt eyes on me. So when I opened my eyes I came across Caius peeping at me from his book. Growing up I remember he was always inside his books, he was quiet and kept to himself. He never bothered with the rest of us. He was told plenty of lies about me.

I never came back to reconcile with anyone, for whoever had hurt me had to do the reconciling and whether I forgave them or not was up to me. But as I stared at my six siblings. One thing was for certain, everyone here except Zecane wanted to reconcile.

Caius stood up from his seat and glanced at me and with a silent gesture, the motioning of his fingers he gestured for me to meet him. After leaving the area, I waited a couple of minutes and I followed him.

Caius was around fifteen now. He was still a child. And yet I know nothing about him or my younger siblings. I know nothing about them. Their hobbies or dislikes. It saddened me to think that I never grew up with them because of this thing I have inside of me.

Caius was sitting near the pond and so I sat near him not by him or close to him. Just an arm's length away. I wasn't sure if he would be comfortable with me. I remember him always being away cause he was also sick. It always surprised me when demons got sick.

"How is your health been?" I asked staring into the pond.

A notepad floated to me as words formed on the page.

'I've been okay... how are you holding up?'

I softly smiled and shrugged, "what can I say... surviving."

'Uhm congratulations on your wedding...'

I chuckled, I knew the way he wrote the words. He was contemplating what to say.

"Well, uhm thank you. It's not something I'm happy about but at least it's not with Talberon."

I heard Caius scoff and the words formed again.

'I'm honestly glad you're not marrying him, he's an annoying douchebag.'

"Your voice... it still hasn't returned..." I frowned glancing at him. He shook his head.

"I'm sorry, I really am sorry, I know that nothing I do can make it up for what I did," I whispered.

I felt bile rising in my throat as I remembered that night I lost control and hurt him. A cold palm landed on mine and I glanced at him. He shook his head with a smile.

"If ever one day you want to get revenge on me... then you may."

I physically impaired him ruining his chance of speaking. The scar he hid under the scar was hideous. I had used my darkness to destroy his vocal cords.

'Let's forget for now about what happened... but uhm can you please tell me about Terrae?'

His gold eyes held stars in them, so this was why he wanted to speak to me. He wanted to know more about the realms.

With a grin, "For now I'll tell you about Terrae." I said and held his hand in mine as I used my power to show him all the marvelous things Terrae had to offer.

That was how we spent the rest of the day. I did all of the talking and showed him my adventures, well what was the least of it anyway.

The whole time I showed him my memories of Terrae, he would gasp in awe of everything. And soon the time had passed by so quickly. The red sky in Iracundia had darkened to a blue color. Soon the night would be upon us.

I was still alert to my surroundings so when I heard footsteps I glanced back to see a blade hurling toward us. I pushed Caius to the ground as my rapier formed with swirling darkness around it. My rapier slashed the blade away as my darkness shielded us. I sensed danger from the blade but there was no murderous intent.

Dracyian clapped his hands as he stepped forward from the shadows.

"It's amazing to see that your speed and agility haven't diminished."

I glared at him. "You almost hurt Caius!" I seethed.

"Little sister, I knew you would protect Caius. Cause when it comes to your kin, you always vowed to protect what's important to you." Dracyian smirked.

"Is it a crime to protect what you love!?" I argued.

Dracyian shook his head with a proud smile, "Just be careful. Things are different now compared to when you were here. The person you'd least expect is the person that could backstab you even your kin."

I scoffed, "it's not the first time someone in our family had betrayed me and I know it certainly won't be the last."

"That's good, you learned about survival and betrayal quite early."

Well obviously, because of this stupid power. Even if I said it aloud, it wouldn't make a difference. I released my rapier and my darkness receded into me.

"I shall be returning to my hall. Thank you for this... lovely few days here... it was nice." I had a hard time expressing myself.

"How about you thank me at your welcome back party? It's also going to be your engagement party."

I groaned at that.

Dracyian chuckled, "as tradition, every prince has to have a dance when they are giving their sister away. And I know you hate dancing, so I do hope you do us the honor of giving us the final dance to give our crown princess away."

I let out a light gasp. They're giving me away again. I clenched my fists. What was the use of returning if I was going to leave? But would I leave? Would Dante take me away?

"It would be my honor to have my final dance with my brothers." I quivered.

Dracyian, Skythe, Zecane, and Caius.

My four brothers...

One I admire for his courage and talent

One I hate his lies

One I despise and have hatred

And my final brother, I admire him for his compassion.

Iracundia is always feared for the demons, phoenixes, and other dark creatures that reside here. But as for the kingdom of Obscurum, no one would expect the princes to have a heart. Dracyian, Zecane, and Skythe were ruthless in battle but when no one is around. Skythe and Dracyian were kind.

That alone proves how much our kingdom has to be feared, after all, we're demons and demons create chaos, not harmony.

I know in their minds, chaos burns through them except in mine. Peace and war are raging inside of me.