Vermillion: Learning

After breakfast Luna met up with Dom and Nick in Mason's lounge where the three decided to talk outside in the open air about Romus' fine tastes and tales. Nick couldn't feel any disturbances right away, just a pressure exuding around him, but nothing that he could pinpoint. He shrugged it off as nerves and walked with his friends to the bridge where they looked over the pond.

"So, Brina told you?" Dom asked.

"Jesus, she didn't have to. You really have issues with your own sexual-

"Could we please leave anything sexual out of our time together?" Nick questioned "It's a nice day." The sun was still high in the sky, the clouds were like large cotton balls moving gradually as the wind breezed through the tangerine-yellow leaves, and the wet grass scent stained the air.

"My count." Dom murmured.

"Yes?"

"How is it that you're so calm about everything that's transpired?"

"I'm just tired of all the theatrics, yes Sirus being here has been a bit challenging. Yes, there were small disruptions during the celebrations and coming together, but they weren't anything to get upset over. We're here now, happy now, and it seems to me that you and Brianna are closer than ever."

Dominic blushed "W-

"Like superglue." Luna smirked.

"You are a little devil."

"Bite me, it's nothing to be embarrassed about. Besides Nick and I were planning to-

Nick coughed a little "Lets just enjoy our surroundings for now, not each other's love lives."

"So, something gross?" Dom asked.

Luna started laughing while Nick smiled at the sky. But the smile soon faded when the sound of glass cracking was heard. Nick could barely see it, but a projectile that went straight before his very eyes reflected off towards Mason's manor shattering the large windows of the great hall.

"What the h-

"Get down!" Nick shouted, he pushed both Dominic and Luna onto the bridge as a rapid onslaught of arrows went gliding towards a tree in the distance. Nick peered up to see a man in a long seersucker jacket with a quiver on his back grinning as he took aim at the tree again. He was familiar to Nick, but confusion struck him at what was happening. He could feel malice and hatred poison the air.

"Come out, demon." The man said taunting his prey, he pulled back his bow and let it fly again towards a tree. This arrow penetrated an unforeseen barrier, dispelling Sirus' own power, striking him through the shoulder. "I knew it was you, your stench is too overwhelming."

Luna looked while down on the ground at Sirus who grunted as he pulled the arrow out "You're one to talk, Caldric. Why are you here?"

Caldric whistled "I was drawn here by another, but your presence was the larger one and nearer too. So after I kill you, I'm going to kill her."

Sirus now knew what Lynx was cooking up now. It was her revenge, and if he took it she'd surely take his head. But things like that made no difference when his life was threatened.

"I'd like to see you kill me." Sirus's mouth curled into a cruel grin.

Caldric pulled back his bow, shooting five arrows at the same time, four of the arrows fell to ground around Sirus' feet while the fifth was caught by Sirus who could feel his power start to wane. He threw the arrow back at the huntsman who dodged it easily before shooting again. Sirus repelled the arrow which hit against another window of the manor.

Nick didn't want to risk the lives of those living there, working, visiting, so he focused his thoughts and gave a mental shove at both Sirus and Caldric who fell on the ground.

"Don't make me kill you too! I don't care if you're a king or a god! If you interfere, I will destroy you!" Sirus snarled. His entire body was covered in a black fog, his face twisted in anger.

"I will not have you two destroying those people in whatever game this is. Every arrow you deflect could kill and innocent bystander. If you continue this then I will be the one who kills you." Nick warned, he slowly stood up "Careful, Sirus."

"Careful? I don't care about anyone in that building, if they die they die. If you really want to stop this then why don't you kill the ill famed hunter?" Sirus smiled when he asked the question "He is a true menace hopping continent to continent slaying anything nonhuman no questions asked."

"Like you? Keep to your word and leave, this doesn't have to become a battlefield."

Sirus started to chuckle, nearly uncontrollably, he couldn't have the hunter coming for him, living he was a danger. "Then I guess I'll have to break my word!" Sirus raised his hand and the dark fog started to swirl into the air and attach itself to the nearest living thing, being trees, flowers, grass.

Some of the plant lie became gray and rotted as soon as the fog spread. The bark on the trees started to break off and float into the air. Sirus then threw his hand and all of the wooden shards came flying towards Nick and Nick alone. Nick's eyes glowed red and all of the wood turned to ash before it could even reach him.

"Going easy won't get you the result you desire. Back off, Sirus."

"Or better yet." Caldric shot another arrow "Stand still and die!" This arrow came at him faster and it knocked him back into the tree into his right side. "I never knew the king to be this gracious."

"Don't make the assumption that I support your agenda, Caldric. My warning extends to you as well." Nick informed him.

"Oh? But he seems to be very...unruly." Caldric nodded as the dark fog around Sirus grew and sucked the life out of the grounds. Any wildlife that it touched died instantly.

"My count." Dom whispered "We-

"Dominic stay down with Luna." This was a command, Dominic's attachment to him could be worrisome as in the past he had taken shots that were meant for the king or jumped in front of him on instinct. Nick didn't need Dominic's protection, but wanted to protect him dearly as a friend and family.

The fog seemed deadly, but he wasn't sure that it would be deadly to him, so he tried pushing it away, but the fog kept heading forward. "You won't interfere." Sirus said darkly, his eyes were as black as the fog itself.

At the time Luna was watching, thinking of what would happen, could happen. She and Nick would probably be okay, but Dominic was still human even if he were immortal. Sirus wasn't trying to harm her and the hunter was only trying to harm him. Caldric tried shooting another arrow, but the fog swallowed it up and melted it into a puddle.

Luna looked down at the water, maybe if she pushed herself, she could help. Luna focused all thoughts on her emotions, what she was feeling the other day. It was relief, joy, acceptance, and even a tinge of sorrow. She grazed the water with her fingertips and felt a small pulse from within. She moved her hands and the water followed while Caldric and Sirus held off Sirus' darkness.

"That's new." Dom noted.

Luna said nothing, but let a lightness fill her heart, let her worry for Dom and Nick turned into her strength to protect the ones she loved. She lifted her hand up and the water rose, it rose higher than the tops of the trees and for a moment everyone was mesmerized by it. Half of the pond was free floating in the air. Luna threw her hand towards Sirus and all the water turned into diamond shaped shards of ice, Sirus tried blocking them, but only most were deflected onto the sides of trees, a few of the ice shards jabbed Sirus in the gut.

Sirus gasped in shock but managed to pull the shards out. The wound was healing unlike the others, but slowly. "Luna."

Luna stood up hesitating and glared "If you think I'm going to sit on the fucking ground while you try to kill Nick, you're insane. If you threaten his life, then you threaten mine." Her eyes were becoming brighter with a sharpness that Sirus knew meant that he had no qualms about killing him. Sirus huffed angrily gripping his side, he wanted to kill Nick and everyone in the vicinity for his interference, but Luna.

As everyone waited for the fog to come again in the depths of the forest Lynx was sitting on a rock when she felt a surge of energy flow past her. The energy was coming a few yards away, and it was familiar. Lynx's eyes flashed bronze before she started running off in the direction that she knew she'd find trouble.

Sirus didn't attack, but placed another shield up. Caldric readied his next arrow when he felt his other target drew near. Lynx took no time in running out of the brushes out into the open opposite of Sirus.

"What the hell is this?" Dom asked looking up.

"I don't know." Nick murmured looking at Lynx, she surveyed the area spotting Nick, Luna, and Dom as well as Caldric.

"The harpy's come at last. This will be easier than I thought." Caldric said grinning.

"Why are you here, Sirus?" Lynx snapped.

"Because he came for me, so now I'm going to kill him."

"You son of bitch. This was my vengeance, my chance!" Lynx growled, her teeth sharpened to a point and her nails became claws.

"Sorry." Sirus smirked shrugging.

Lynx stomped on the ground causing it the break up, dropping into an endless chasm, but because of Sirus' shield the ground stayed leveled underneath him. "I will obliterate you."

"Come on- Before they could start their own brawl Caldric shot an arrow into Lynx's shoulder, then into her leg. Lynx could feel her body start to tremble, her vision was becoming blurry, her power was being depleted.

"What is this?!"

"Arrows that I made especially for demons out of demon blood and bone." Caldric said bulling five arrows back, one nearly hit Luna who Nick covered with Dom's help in pulling her down "King of Vermillion, I too would like you to desist from involving yourself into this affair."

"Lynx, run, you can't take him now!" Dominic shouted.

"I don't run from a fight!" She shouted, her veins were burning, her blood was toxifying from whatever the arrow was coated with. But she needed her revenge on Caldric more than her life and stayed facing him. Staring into his face she could feel all the fury and hatred that she had at the loss of her sister and bolted towards him.

"A bold devil, indeed." Caldric pulled the bow back again, but before he could fire he felt a cold hand poke his shoulder. It was a feeling he couldn't place. He turned around to see a young man with light blonde hair and eyes as silver as his hunting knives and the arrows began to break and split down the center.

Lynx froze when she saw him, he couldn't have come for her? Not now...could he sense her? "Alex..."

"Hi, Lynx." Alex gave his weird ultra-smile at her and waved before looking back at Caldric "I don't like it when people hurt my friends. Could you stop?"

Caldric snorted "Don't be absurd. But if I don't what will you do?"

"Hurt you, badly." Alex balled up his fists.

Caldric pulled a long blade from the inside of his jacket and swung it towards Alex who ducked, it cut his cheek slightly as he dodged the attack. But when Caldric swung again, Alex for some reason became slower allowing the huntsman to stab him through the shoulder, pinning him to the ground.

"Stay there unless you want to be executed." Caldric pointed another blade at Alex who glowered back in pain. A thin black rope of fog had inched it's way towards Caldric who ignored Lynx for a moment and shot the silver blade with the bow into Sirus' chest.

Sirus' eyes widened, this wasn't a small impact, all of his strength was nearly gone and soon he'd be near mortal from the anti-demon weapons.

"You're next." Caldric pointed a blade at Lynx who was nearly at the end of her rope. But before he could shoot the blade heated up in his hands causing him to drop it.

"This is over." Nick told him "Lynx, please go now. I'll take care of this."

Lynx looked at the king of Vermillion, he wasn't concerned about the situation or even knew, but he was willing to let her go so that she could live. She wouldn't say thank you, but pulled out of the arrows, casting a mournful look at Alex who gave her one in return. She didn't need to speak, but he knew that she was telling him "Maybe next time".

Lynx's body began to fade out until it was gone. Caldric looked enraged, but knew not to fight Nick. He had met the king before and his powers were above him in class.

"Alex, just wait a moment, okay?" Nick called to him.

"Okay, your majesty..." Alex laid his head back on the grass sighing.

"Looks like...we'll have to...part ways." Sirus said, he was bleeding out from the injuries he had sustained and began turning into a dark mist before looking at Luna one last time, and the mist flew off into the forest.

"You fool." Caldric violently pulled his blade out of Alex's shoulder, not caring if he hurt or not "You let them go."

"I let Lynx go, because for whatever reason she wanted your life I feel that it is one that I can understand. And more just that any of the nonsense you spew" Nick walked across the bridge and bent down, using his telekinesis he sealed up the wound in Alex's shoulder.

"Thanks again." Alex said sitting up "I'm sorry."

"It's fine, you gave Lynx a second chance."

"He surely did." Caldric grumbled before walking off into the woods to look for Sirus.

Luna, Nick, Alex, and Dom all went to check on everyone else after Caldric's exit. Luna had heard of the infamous hunter, he'd kill any being that wasn't human in the name of peace, sometimes he would kill those who had never even committed an evil act.

He believed that there was malevolence in demons and most supernaturals that he'd come across. Those unlucky ones were judged and then executed in horrible ways. The four witnesses to the small mock battle explained everything that had happened. Everyone was okay, Areya had been grazed, but nothing serious. Everyone was there and accounted for, except Iris who mysteriously disappeared five minutes before Sirus' departure.

To get answers, Mason agreed that Areya, Alex, and the king and his party should seek the silver eyed seer immediately meaning tomorrow. As soon as possible. Brina opted to go, but Mason forbade her. He had lost too much family as it was and the thought of his only living relative possibly being caught in the crossfire gave him pause. Brina eventually settled with the idea and kissed Dominic goodbye, she'd be returning to Verdure in a few days. After all the goodbyes were said, handshakes and hugs exchanged, everyone headed out on foot to find the seer.

It wouldn't take then long, according to the information acquired from the spirit and Areya's navigation they'd reach the seer within six hours from their departure from Romus. Along the way everyone was quiet wondering what this person was or could be, maybe they could answer their lifelong questions, questions that ate at them secretly.

Their party flagged a ride with a farmer who had enough room in the back of his horse drawn carriage, something Luna thought would be extinct by now. Following the energy signals, they passed for miles on an empty dust road outside of Romus.

Around the second hour the trees were starting to appear back in shades of basil. When the fourth hour neared, the trees began to be seen in hues of viridian and lapis. The leaves were tussling around the fifth hour when a cool breeze kicked up. When the sixth hour approached everyone got off the carriage and bid the farmer adieu, but not before Nicholas compensated him for his time and generosity.

From there they walked, with sand grains blowing in the air, the smell of saltwater clogged their nostrils, and the anticipation as they came closer to their destination.

Because they were out of Romus, Luna decided to dress down in dark denim skinny jeans, black sandals, and a cheery colored tank with ebony roses down the left side. Dom was wearing a faded-out concert t-shirt in navy with jeans, Nick a dark dress shirt and pants to match, Areya wore a flaxen-orange sundress that ran down to her toes, and Alex wore a smile.

After an hour they could see shapes in the distance as well as an aura of absolute serenity. As they came closer a gazebo could be made out, well half of one, with eggshell colored columns that have ivy creeping along the cracks. There was a stone bench in the center where a man sat, eyes closed, singing to himself.

The man was about eighteen feet away, immersed in his own trance, unaware of those around him. Alex was eager to meet him; he rubbed his arm unconsciously. His shoulder still ached from Caldric's attack, but he wanted answers desperately and started to approach. Areya held her hand out anxiously, for two reasons: Alex was still winded from his wound, and secondly, she had no idea on how to go about the truth about Alex. It made her squirm inside.

"Just wait here, your shoulder's still bothering you. It won't hurt to rest a little." Areya told him.

Nick made a face that informed Dom that his count was over Areya's diversion tactics. Alex looked around, not being able to see the man's face clearly, but he looked to the ground in defeat. Nick's powers were incredible and healed his wound completely, but the area where the blade pierced him still felt swollen and heavy to move.

"For a few minutes." Alex said placing a hand over his eyes to shield them from the sun "You guys go ahead."

Nick nodded and before he knew it, they were all less than ten feet away from the singing man sitting on the bench. He opened his mouth and a wondrous sound came flowing out in a robust and smooth tone:

~Alas my love you do me wrong

To cast me off discourteously;

And I have loved you oh so long

Delighting in your company.

Greensleeves was my delight,

Greensleeves my heart of gold

Greensleeves was my heart of joy

And who but my lady Greensleeves.

I have been ready at your hand

To grant whatever thou would'st crave;

I have waged both life and land

Your love and goodwill for to have.

Greensleeves was my delight,

Greensleeves my heart of gold

Greensleeves was my heart of joy

And who but my lady Greensleeves.~

The man opened his eyes, running a hand through his short umber hair, both eyes were different. One was a midnight blue that gave such a calmness to anyone who peered into it, the other was silver, sparkling with glimmering beauty. He stood and came forward, smiling at everyone standing before him.

"What pretty little stories you four have weaved." He then rubbed the stubble around his mouth and chin "Nicholas, it's been some time. And even now I feel your angst."

"I-

The man then turned to Dom "A man whose life was damned to start with, losing the only family he knew to find the family he actually wanted. One that he'd lose his own soul over, and it keeps expanding. I feel your worry, Dominic."

Then he turned to Luna "A young woman who's wanted the truth, but only ever gets a portion of it, come at last to piece your life together, so that you can continue pursuing your own truth. I can sense your confusion, Luna."

Luna rolled her eyes "And I saw that." The man said after he had turned to Areya.

He really had no words; he was astounded that she would even show herself to him again after what she did. Areya rubbed her fingers in circles on her palms when she looked at him. "What? Nothing for me?"

"I already know what I need to from you and about you, Areya. Like singing that song, because it was once your favorite."

Luna looked from the man to Areya, Dom did as well. They had already made assumptions in their head on the truth, but now it was staring them in the face.

"Neimos, pl-

Neimos held his hand up "I know why you're here, and I will reveal the rest of Luna's puzzle to completion. In return, I'm expecting a token."

"What kind?" Nick asked.

"Nothing you can provide me with, you're still a boy." Neimos leered. Nick rubbed his temple, he was no match for Neimos who knew him from his mother. They were old friends making Eliza and Nick family friends, distant though.