As I Was Saying

     His eyes traveled to the side as she spoke. Her eyes narrowed, looking in the direction of his sight to the bombshell waitress walking by. She looked back to him. He made it so obvious he was looking. He wasn't even trying to hide it. She paused in her words, unwrapping her sliver ware. She traced the steak knife's blade with her long nails before leaning back.

      "Uh huh," he finally stated. She made a noise, leaning forward. Flipping the knife in her hand, she slammed it down into the table. He jumped back for a moment, looking over to her. He eyed the knife, his mouth twitching slightly. "What the fuck is wrong with you! Are you crazy!?"

     "As I was saying," she simply continued with a tilt of her head and a coy smile.

A Demon's Rage (Explicit Violence)

    Rosalina's heartbeat sounded faint, and her breaths struggled to raise her lungs up and down. With his hand caressing her cheek, her blood smeared across his fingers. Rosalina's eyes fluttered open. A dullness of her face made his blood run cold. Did her weak mortal body dare to take away her bright, warm brown eyes? 

    "You are okay," he told her. Her lips smiled weakly in response. Her eyes looked over his face, a slight hum escaping her mouth. "You will be okay; you understand me." 

    "Ura..." his name sounded so hollow, so dead in her struggling gasps. No. This was not how it was supposed to be. This wasn't how he wanted it. "I know the truth within those lies, Ura. I'm going to die."

    The demon's anger raged, his pupils slanting like a snake's. He snarled, pulling her closer to his body. So cold, oh, how could he ever let her get this cold. His hand ran through her hair; the sound of the soldier's feet barely caught his attention. Ura moved his head down to her bosom, and he listened to her slowing heartbeat. Silence stretched across the two, and he lost himself in the sound of her breaths.

    "Did I do good?" She eventually broke the quiet between them. His head jerked up, and he cupped her face with his hands. 

    "You were a fool," the demon hissed, frustration and sorrow crushing down on him. His eyes softened as he saw how pale Rosalina looked. She coughed, blood pouring from her mouth as she did. "You did not need to bear my burdens." A robust laugh broke from the dying girl, and Ura felt numb. Her hand caressing his own.  

    "I got to absolve you for your sins. I got to hold you up and live for you. Now, I bled for you and I will die for you. That is enough; this fate is enough for someone like me." 

    Her hand weakly fell to her side as Ura looked away, unable to bear looking at her like this. His eyes widened as her breathing stopped. He pulled her close, moving his hands to shake her shoulders. 

    "No. It can't be. This wasn't how it was supposed to be."

     Deafening silence answered him. Rosalina had a smile on her lips, final tears slipping down her cheek. Everything stood still as he gently placed her body down. The demon expectedly kept his eyes on her face as though she would breathe again. He waited as soldiers' footsteps became louder. They crunched dying plants and broken stones beneath their feet. One of the rocks rolled to hit Ura's thigh. His body trembled with anger; the loneliness and pain gripped his soul. It was too much, and he felt his heart about to burst.

    "Demon, you have nowhere to run and no priestess to protect you anymore. Prepare yourself to go and rot back in hell, where you belong." The commander spoke out. 

     The sound of arrows being drawn and soldiers running forward broke Ura from his misery, cold wind hollowing around him as he screamed out his pain and rage. 

    "I said that not even the divine could take her from me! You can't just take her from me! I will claw my way to each holy domain and drag them down!" The demon roared, his body morphing and shifting. The arrows fired but were knocked away by an icy shockwave that pushed the frontline back. 

    The ground shook as he slammed his mighty hands on either side of the priestess, his talons digging through the stoned floor of the ruined temple. His body grew within an instant; spikes, and horns ripping through his skin. The human-like skin obliterated, the beast's four eyes glowing like golden fire. Ura roared again, sounding like a human scream mixed with a monster's. 

    The soldiers attempted to reorganize themselves, archers readying another volley. They barely had time to react; the demon's large claws collided with the frontline. He knocked them down like fragile cups, and the men instantly dying as their bodies crashed to the ground. Archers fired their held arrows, but Ura's tail splintered them into pieces and they bounced off his skin harmlessly. Lunging forward, the beast's teeth sunk deep into one of the screaming archer's chest. With one powerful crunch from his mighty jaws, blood spewed from the man and onto his starstruck companions. Ura dropped the broken corpse before them, crushing it underfoot as the other soldiers dropped their weapons and ran in different directions. 

    "Men! Stay strong!" The commander's voice boomed, but Ura roared again, turning them all into frightened children. No, she was not spared, so not a single one would be either. Everyone, even the world, must die, and even that didn't satisfy him.

    Taking a deep breath, the demon let frost collect in his belly. Screaming in agony, the deathly cold exploded forward and instantly turned the cowards into ice. The commander took a shakey breath as Ane'Gael made the Dal'Jin known with his large shield that had protected the commander. The Zularian Empire's symbol shimmered from the layer of ice on it. The Priestess, Tenshi, stepped forward with the other Dal'Jin knights. She held her staff firmly and frowned softly, her brown eyes falling onto Rosalina's corpse. 

    "The moonlight knights of her empress. You will not stop me either," Ura hissed at them, bearing his large fangs. The priestess paid him no mind, approaching Rosalina's body. "Stay away from her!" The beast screamed, bounding forward and landing on all fours above his beloved's body. He growled lowly. The vibration felt deep in their chests. 

    "Is she..?" Tenshi started, but Ane'Gael interrupted her. 

    "She's long dead."

The Tarot Princess

"Let's see what fate has in store for us both, shall we?"

Eun-Ae placed her hand on Raiden's with a wide grin. Then, hiding in their secret spot in the Royal Garden, she flipped the five cards before them. "Each card represents the four directions of life, and the last will represent us, our beings, our souls."
As the young woman pulled the cards and pulled the last one, Eun-Ae quickly pulled her hand away from him as it went to cover her mouth. She gasped aloud as she stared at the cards, her eyes wide. Raiden could instantly tell the pain and panic written all over her face. He opened his mouth to speak, but Eun-Ae's lip trembled as she placed a finger out to him. Her eyes were glassed with tears, though they never fell as she held her graceful composure. "This isn't what I had wanted.."

"The north represents intuition, the three swords reversed." She took a shaky breath, her skin looking pale. "He cries out to the heavens in his distress. His mind is a playing field for chaos, his composure rapidly disappearing. He suffers extreme anguish from the mental and emotional stress." Her hand hesitates as it holds onto his with a strange, uncharacteristically firm grip. As though he would disappear in front of her if she let go.

"The east represents thought, Queen of Swords reversed." She bites down on her painted lip, her grip losing suddenly—a look of defeat all over her face. "She is troubled by the conflicts inside her mind, experiencing misery in profound form, a feeling she will never shake. A sense of gripping anguish repeatedly plays in her lonely mindscape." A single tear rolls down her face, and she wipes it away. Raiden wanted to help but knew better than to interrupt her readings.

"The south represents emotion, the hanged man reversed. He is caught in a trap and left to hang before the hunters. He is displayed for the world, and his luck has run out. He is an example—a victim of someone else's plan." She pauses, mumbling to herself. Raiden strains to try and hear her, but it is useless as she continues.

"The west represents feelings, the hermit reversed. His lantern has grown dull, the light fading and unable to lead the way. So he runs away from everything. He turns away from life. He must retreat for his good." She tries her best to finish her reading, but the tears don't stop falling from her face.

"The center represents the soul, represents us. It is t-t-the Em-Empress in reverse." She spoke between cracks in her voice and choked tears. "She is lost in the w-wil-wilderness of despair. T-the joys of...the joys of life have e-escaped her. She runs away from love and...and hides in the mountains. The r-rock face of loneliness. Others of g-great power are in control. She is a p-puppet in play, and she has no say."

The silence stretches between them as she quietly sobs. Her visions, her cards, they were never wrong before. Raiden reaches out, but she quickly stands and moves away from him. Her rejection stung, but he felt she would only run away if he continued after her. He exhales loudly, shutting his eyes to reflect on her words. Her name being called quickly brought their attention to the guards, whose voices only grew louder. Raiden knew not to waste time hurrying away into the garden's maze. His eyes linger on the princess, who gave the saddest smile he had ever seen to him. With regret, he mutters curses and fled.

Azazel's Sympathy

The moment you decided to be my scapegoat is the moment you didn't realize how happy yet sad that made me. Much like my fall from heaven to hell, you will take on the world's burdens and ill feelings, but you get nothing in return. So as you sob, and scream, and ask me why. I can only answer with this is the life of the scapegoat. You take the pain. The anger. The divine fury. The blame. The guilt. The loss. That is what it is to be my champion. To never gain anything and to only lose. Just as I know one day I will lose you like I had lost everything before.

Akane

The pains and annoyances had ended as the sun came down to rest. The hard-working girl had no more worries, picking a flowy but easy-to-move-in dress. Then, glossing her lip and going for a smokey-eyed look, she stared at her phone, trying to decide on a meeting place for the girls. What would be spontaneous and fun? She hadn't gone to a club-like atmosphere for a long time, and she honestly wasn't getting any younger; going to those places the older you get seems to make you more of an outcast. So she decided on a smaller bar that got more lively and full of dance the longer you were there. The young woman had her Draco send a message to the girls to meet at the Resting Dragon. The pyromancer headed out, playing with flames between her fingers as she walked through Chara's busy streets. As usual in her life, she arrived first and beat the crowds.

She entered, greeting the guards at the door before heading deeper into the bar. Not many people were here yet; a few girls were giggling in the background, already drunk on life, a handsome red-headed man behind the bar cleaning glasses, and a group of five men in suits all sitting at a back table. Looking around, she meets eyes with one of the men in the back with ginger hair and blue eyes. She spotted red horns hidden in his bright hair and quickly looked away. While his smile seemed gentle, that look in his eyes screamed bad news to her.

If This Isn't Love..

Approaching her, then retreating. Over and over again, it felt slowly maddening. How could a girl make him feel such intense emotions without even touching him? He rolled the thought repeatedly but could not reach a conclusion. The more she brought him into her world, the more he didn't want to leave it. The fear bit him, yet he always found himself wandering back to where she patiently awaited him with a sweet smile. She couldn't possibly be real. It had to be a persona, yet he knew men sought after her in real-time. Men didn't need to try hard, yet males seemed to strive for her affection. Bittersweet, that's what she was to him. He had to know the truth, but how? Fear gripped him. Intimidated by such a tiny woman? A nervous laugh escaped him, humming as he shook his head. Why did she look at him with such admiring eyes? He wasn't special, nothing too extraordinary. What if she grew bored with him? She always escaped with creativity and passion at every turn. Could he keep up with her? Yet she was always willing to call and be there for him. She'd attempt her very best to console him at the drop of a pin. How could he repay her, as she always offered him a place in her life without asking for anything in return? Even after days where he offered barely little in conversation, days where he said nothing, at the end of silence, she welcomed his return with open arms. He felt selfish to keep her to himself, yet he wanted nothing more than to hide her bright light from everyone else. Yet he couldn't; he couldn't cage such a beautiful soul as hers. So, as usual, he watched and approached before retreating with these aching thoughts.

Falling From Heaven

"I feel like I don't belong here. This world, I know it seems cynical, but things here are dirty. Wrong."

The moonlight reflected off her black hair. The man sat in the grass on the hill above her, looking out to the lake. What a typical thing for her to say, he shook head with a chuckle. She edged closer, leaning in slightly with curiousity in her big eyes.

"Why do you laugh?"

"It just sounded like something you'd say. You know, sometimes I wonder about you."

He leaned back against his arms, as the woman knelt down in her sparkly white dress. Her bow shaped, red painted lips tugging into a small smile.

"What do you mean?"

Rocking back on her converse. She loses her balance and moves backwards to fall. She yelped, but his strong arm wrapped around her waist. He held her firmly, a laugh echoing in the night sky. The man shook his head more.

"Given how pathetically clusmy you can be at times. I wouldn't put it past you to have tripped and fell from Heaven to Earth."

The woman glared with her cheeks on fire.
"Ha! So funny!"

She sneered, breath hitching as his lips touched hers.

"Sugar, learn to take a compliment."

He winked, setting her down gently.

Kyoi, the First Wolf (Explicit Violence)

A young beastkin sat alone on a stump outside a falling apart home, hands together as he tried to focus on the sounds of nature. No matter how much he tried to concentrate on his breathing, the screams and crunch of broken bones made it nearly impossible to lose himself in his meditation.

Opening his eyes, he watched a Belit clan member run out the door and into the brush, followed by the bellowing of a large, full-blooded beastkin. Why his father favored such games, he would never understand.

"You are safer in here than out there, honey. Trust me."

The young male exhaled slowly, moving onto his feet and swiftly climbing a tree. His sharp eyes examined the environment, following the moving vegetation.

'Poor girl,' Kyoi thought as he watched the silver fur shimmer in the light. His camouflage belonged in the snowy mountains, not in their green trees and lush foliage domain.

'Should I end her suffering? She might make it out.' His eyes grew duller as he hopped from tree to tree following her movement. He followed the fox beastkin, clicking his tongue against his closed teeth as he watched her run to her demise. Typically, his mercy had long since died. Yet occasionally, a desire to maybe play hero would try to save his father's prey.

"Not that way. I just set up the traps yesterday," he whispered, soaked with disappointment. She had gotten so close. He heard a click and the sound of flesh being torn through. The young fox screamed in agony, and he winced, taking out his knife. Kyoi jumped to a lower branch, sliding down the bark with his claws as leverage. His feet touching the soft forest floor, he approached the girl whose leg dangled at a cruel angle. The metallic smell of blood filled his nostrils.

"You were so close," his voice held pity as he looked down at her. 'A shame. She would have been one beautiful woman.' His cold eyes met her blue ones filled with tears.

"Help me, please!" The girl yelped, wrenching her body as she tried to struggle against the trap, deeply gouging into her leg. All her helpless desperation did was cause more agony as her screams were deafening. His ears moved closer to his head to try to quiet the sound. How many more times would he have to see this? How many more times would he feel this.. helplessness?

"You could save her, but I have a feeling that isn't your plan, is it, child?" Kyoi quickly turned, swinging his knife upwards. His knife found itself tangled in wires. His eyes widened, staring up. He felt his blood run cold, and every fiber of his being screamed run. A half-blooded wolf beastkin not much older than himself stood, eyes so similar to Kyoi's father.

"Give up; your retaliation is pointless," the stranger spoke, Kyoi feeling the crushing weight of his magical energy. This power, while tears rolled down his face from fear, he couldn't help but smile. The wolf beastkin tilted his head, observing the younger half-blood.

"If you follow the path, you'll hit traps. You are safer traveling in the trees to the northwest. Follow the trail of crushed plants.. her path will lead you straight to him. To the right of the house, I enchanted a barrel full of gunpowder. Underneath the doormat, another enchantment to silence. Active that first," the words stumbled out of Kyoi's mouth as he dropped to his knees. Closing his eyes, he hoped it would be painless.

The fox's screams filled their silence between each other before the wolf beastkin let out a loud laugh. His eyes were sharp and shone with the sunlight rays entering the forest.

"If you planned that all out, what's stopped you?" Kyoi opened his eyes, staring up at him. He opened his mouth but found himself speechless. The older male walked past him and pulled his hands before him like puppeteering nothing, the trap slowly removing itself from the girl's leg. Her screams quieted as she slumped over, passing out from the pain.

"Finish what you started, or I will kill you with him as an accomplice with your mother and father. Your choice." He picked up the young fox, pouring a magical red liquid on her wound while forcing it straight. It started to heal in a matter of seconds. "Hurry up. My patience isn't everlasting."

Without another word, Kyoi climbed back up the tree and returned home without a second glance behind him. Freedom from this nightmare? Finally? Never did he feel such a sense of clarity.

Even as the fire licked the sky and the screams subsided.. he felt oddly calm. His eyes caught a red wire leading through the forest and followed it without hesitation.

A Personal Poem

She lay there; a painful melody thumped in her chest. Alone, no more crutches, no more playful escapes. Her eyes stared up in defiance of the crushing feeling. What was left of her now? The silent room, four purple walls, was home to bits and parts of her soul. Pieces of art. Five years seemed to be a maze leading back to the start. Racing hearts, shattered dreams, and a broken heart desperately in need of healing. She was lying on the ground with a hand reaching for the stars, a waterfall gently caressing her face and puddling on the tile. Between numbness and fire, the pieces she mended together with soot-covered hands. The internal blowtorch was melting and reconstructing. Yet, her other hand's claws ripped into the metal heart, pulling and throwing pieces to the side, bleeding internally from open, invisible veins. She had been happy to exist. An organ was barely beating, but she had never felt more alive at that moment. It would surely be worth the pain, yes? Or would it always remain the same? Same mistakes, same foolish desires, and the same sort of decisions? No. I would never be the same; she would always remember. Eyes much more open and transparent, though visibly blinded by fog and salty water that could fill the sea. Her fists tightened. She had always been bold and brazen. Strong and independent. Successful and wise. So why had she become timid over time? The woman was settling for less than she deserved and dreaming of a better life instead of taking control of her own hands. Who had put in her head that she needed saving when she had been fine alone. She hadn't ever needed anyone before. Waiting for a change, she suffocated on the broken pieces of her pride. How dare she fall victim to her fears and self-doubt — a prisoner inside her flesh, her old delusions. Misery so familiar, yet so dangerous and comfortable to rely on it. Happiness, a warm smoking gun. Pulling that trigger wasn't so tricky, so why didn't she?

Dropping her arm, she let out a long and shaky exhale. Anger at herself was swelling up. Never again. No, not ever again. No more settling. No more trying to please by being something she's not. No more self-doubt would corrupt her soul. No more! Hell and Heaven both knew she had been taking bounds, leaps even, by herself. When she focused on herself, her dreams, the things she enjoyed, and her hopes... they became a reality with no one's help but her own. She would be damn near crazy to have not seen the progress she had made, only to let someone else destroy it. Again, even god damn now, she had picked herself up off the floor, ripped out the knives from her back, and viciously swore those who tried to destroy her would only see her bloom more gorgeous and powerful. She would rather die than prove them right about her. To show that she was weak. She was blazing beautifully on the blank canvas of what the world called life. What they showed, what people tried to cram down her throat, was not the horizon she wanted. She would continue to fight, even if the whole damn world became her enemy. Sitting up, she placed a hand on her heart. It nearly beat out of her chest. The same joyful feeling of a first love seemed to resound itself. Had this been the first time she loved herself? Had she ever felt as confident as this? Flames flickered inside her eyes.

She needed to continue like this. She was moving forward independently, without stopping to ask if it was okay. She would achieve the things she wanted and bluntly face everyone head-on who would stand in her way—no more sacrificing her love and happiness for others unworthy. No more! She would move forward with grace and dignity to prove to herself that she could become the woman she dreamed of being—a woman she dreamed of instead of the immature and innocent girl she had been.