Orlain

((Don't jinx it))

Damien nodded and then glanced at her horse. All the horses were very tired from the traveling, specially the last bit. They would probably have to leave the horses here and go on foot. Being this tired, they would be nearly useless anyway. She pulled her cloak up closer to her neck to fight back the chill. She wondered for a moment if there was any other reason Kerian wanted her along other then she was the only one who has seen the thing fallowing them... Damien was needed just because of that, Kerian would know it when she saw it. But she shook off the thought and moved to fallow Kerian.

"You're just really beautiful, and it's nice to look at something beautiful for a change, " Jack teases with a small chuckle. "Better then having to look at the terrain or Joey's face..."

((My bad.))

"So do you have any idea what it might be that you've been seeing?" Kerian asked as they went along, never looking at Damien as she surveyed the landscape. "And . . . you're certain it isn't something you've been imagining?"

Zakuro laughed a little. "Quit trying to flatter me," she said. "And don't be mean about Joey--he's had enough to deal with without you being a butt."

Damien thought silently before she answered. Maybe she has just been imagining it? Maybe... It seemed weird that no one else saw it or even felt like they were being fallowed. Specially Kerian or Taiju. Could it have been that simple?
"I... Don't know." Damien admitted, watching the ground as she walked instead of the area around her. She took a deep breath to try and not think she was going to end up like Jack, making a split personality that wanted to kill him and all his friends off.

"I know, I know..." Jack said softly. "You are still far better to look at." He leaned forward to kiss Zakuro on the end of her nose lightly.

Kerian hummed a little. "Well, it is still worth investigating," she said soothingly. "I would not want to ignore any potential threat. Even being aware of things that could kill us has not kept us entirely safe." She tried a short laugh, though the joke was entirely based on experience. Everything did seem to be out to kill them, and everything was nearly successful regardless of how prepared the group was.

"You are so cheesy," Zakuro sighed dramatically, waving Jack away. She was smiling regardless.

Damien lifted her head from her gaze at the ground to look around for any signs of the beast that she thought had been fallowing them. But she didn't see anything. Part of her knew they wouldn't find anything. If she hadn't been going crazy and it was actually there, it would be just her luck for it to not show up. She wondered what Joey would think if Kerian told him she might have been imagining it.
"Is this the only reason you wanted me to come along with you?" Damien asked Kerian, "because I have seen it I mean. Or is there something else?" She couldn't help but get the feeling that there was something else their mentor had wanted to talk to her about.

"But you love it," Jack replied quickly with a smirk. He rolled over onto his back and stretched a little, suddenly feeling tired.

Kerian waited a moment before answering, looking down at her feet as she picked her way over a particularly rocky piece of ground. "I'll admit, I have also been worried about your . . . health, for lack of a better word," she said. "What has happened between you and Joey is none of my business, and I don't expect you to say much of it, but while he seems to have managed some sense of normalcy since then, you seem to be more . . . troubled."

She brushed a piece of hair from her eyes. "I am concerned, is all, and I did not think you would simply talk with me about it if I asked."

Zakuro laughed and draped herself over Jack's stomach, perpendicular to his position. "I guess you're right," she confessed.

"Sometimes all you have to do is ask..." Damien began, looking around and being sure to not look at Kerian. "I don't care to let people know what I am feeling. Well... At least what I can understand of it." She walked steadily behind her, barely breaking in stride or speech, as if she had been expecting this conversation to happen.
"Honestly I expected Jack or Zakuro to be the one to ask over you. I know you care, but you usually don't get into things like this... And since you want to know I am going to be honest. . . And you probably wont like what you hear. Are you prepared for it?"

Jack made a fake pained sound and Zakuro flopped down on him. He laid one hand on her lower back and smiled down at her again. "I am not a pillow to just abuse ya know." He teased.

Kerian nodded, her expression growing more grim. The way Damien said this was even more concerning, as though she were about to reveal some awful secret. She dropped her gaze again to step over a rock, then looked forward, trying not to look like she was staring Damien down for answers.

"Sure you are," Zakuro mumbled into the blanket, reaching up just enough to thump Jack lightly in the chest. "That is the entire basis of our relationship."

Letting out a sigh first, Damien darred to begin. "I was in love with Malak. And it was hard to let him go. But my heart was not broken. I was in love with Joey and he broke my heart. It was even harder to let him go, to force myself to have no more feelings so I could no longer hurt inside. And just when I was starting to grow numb he came back. In the long run it may have not been his fault that he broke my heart... But it's not something I can just turn around a forget, acting like everything is alright. It took me a while to grow numb, and will take me a while to not be numb. But what I am feeling just confuses the crap out of me. I don't even feel like I am myself anymore. Between my anger and Malak training me when no one was around I have been able to bring out my powers... And it seems like Malak has been the only to even believe in me and my ability. I don't even believe in me." She paused to swallow past a dry lump in her throat. "Right at this moment I don't care about Joey remotely. Most of me just wants him to stay gone so he wont stur up the old feelings.. The ones I have worked so hard to keep numb. I don't even care how it would effect my friends if he were to be dead. I just don't want to feel anything for him ever again, and that hasn't been working. So between what Malak has been teaching me and the lack of feelings toward the ones I once loved, I don't even want to be on this quest any longer. You would probably all do better without me any way. but I haven't left, cause I don't know where I would go. And I do trust Malak to teach my how to use my powers, since he is the only one who has had powers like mine, I don't trust him any further then that. . . . " She stopped now, figuring she had said enough. She prepared herself for what Kerian might say.

Jack chuckled, making Zakuro bounce lightly on his stomach. "So what do I get out of it then?"

Kerian listened in silence and was quiet for a few moments after, digesting the information. She wasn't certain how to respond; while she had absolutely no idea how Damien's mind worked anymore, she hadn't quite expected anything that she had said.

Eventually, she sighed and rested a comforting hand against the back of the girl's shoulder. "You underestimate yourself," she said, deciding to ignore the issue of Malak for now. "And your abilities. I suppose I should say that now. You are more vital to this quest than you realize, and you are no less important than anyone else with us."

She sighed again, not sure how to tackle any of what had been said. "I cannot tell you how to feel," she continued, taking back her hand in favor of drawing her cloak around her throat. "But what I can tell you is that numbing your feelings, ignoring them, is not the way to handle it. It is dangerous, unhealthy. I've watched Jack and Taiju both attempt this as well as you, and you know as well as I what they've sometimes resorted to because they feel it's easier to ignore their emotions entirely rather than deal with them."

Kerian swallowed, then added, "If we're being honest, I can also attest to it. Heartbreak is not a pleasant thing, by any means. Some years ago, I tried for a long time to pretend nothing was wrong, or at least ignore it, after an incident. I hated the pain as much as you do, but it wasn't until I decided what to do and moved on that I could function again. Whether you believe it or not, Damien, you have much potential and much to offer, and I would hate to see it wasted like this."

"Absolutely nothing," Zakuro answered, stretching out as far as she could before falling still again. "That's how it works."

Damien listened quietly, looking at Kerian as she spoke, looking for truth to what she was saying. She seemed to be telling the truth. But so much of her screamed to not believe a word she was saying. But she was right. She thought back to Jack dissapearing and staying gone, trying to ignore everything and keep the others safe from Jayce. And Taiju keeping to himself. But they both changed, so though it seemed to impossible, she could change back too. Damien looked away slowly, thinking quietly. She didn't know what to say. She could say how she thought Kerian was wrong, but that was just going to end up being a pointless argument. Finally, all she said was "okay," very softly. She would try, she supposed, for her own sake if no one elses.

She looked back up from her trail and suddenly froze, a gasp escaping her mouth. She felt her heart jump into her throat and beat loudly in her head, as she starred forward fearfully.
Just a head of them, about 50 feet or so, was a large black figure. So large that I could have scaled most building and any village. It was almost human shaped, as in it had two arms, a head, a torso and two legs. It was hunched over though, breathing heavily as if it was hurt, and starring straight back at Damien and Kerian, eyes glowing red in the dark night air. It starred at them, as if to be angry but unmoving. A unnatural fod shifted around its body where various spikes and tentacles extended from it's body. It's arms hung limply at it's side, stretching down below it's knees. At the end of it's hands were long and sharp nails, dripping a horrible stench. Instead of feet where it's legs touched the ground his legs just seemed to blend into the ground, spreading out like veins in a body, staining the ground black. As it starred at the two girls it twitched it's figures lightly, making a spine chilling cracking sound when ever it moved, as if bones breaking. Other then that, no more detail could be seen as there was a dark shadow over it's body.


"Well that doesn't seem fair at all," Jack exclaimed as he suddenly shot up from his spot and wrapped his arms around Zakuro, holding her tightly against him and kissing the side of her jaw. "I think I should get an unlimited amount of kisses then." He laughed.

Kerian opened her mouth to say something else, but whatever she was going to say was cut off as she caught sight of the monstrous beast in front of them. Her sword all but leaped into her hand as she took a defensive stance, instinctively in front of Damien, and an elven swear slipped past her lips.

"Is this the thing you have been seeing?" she asked. She barely dared to raise her voice.

Zakuro squealed and laughed, jokingly pushing Jack away. "I think that's an awful lot of kisses," she replied, twisting to sit up. "I dont' think you deserve nearly that many."

Damien nodded, unable to speak any further. The beast seemed to have the ability to make the two more afraid then they normally would be. Her whole body started to to tremble with fear. She felt like she couldn't breath and her hands and legs felt numb. She willed her heart to slow down and tired to take a deep breath, but she could barely breath at all. It was as if the fear was chocking her and forcing her to be still. She had never felt fear like this, well, at least not since her family died.

The beast turned to face them a little more, it's movements slow and exaggerated, bones cracking with every movement. In the darkness a putrid stench radiated from it, drifting in the breeze. It smelt like a thousand dead bodies rotting in the sun. Though the beast kept eye contact it did not seem to want to attack the two.

Jack pulled back a little bit to look at Zakuro but still held her close, "then how many do I deserve?"

Slowly, Kerian reached out her free hand and closed it around Damien's wrist. "We should turn around," she said. "Get back to the others, warn them and Aegon." The overwhelming stench coming from the beast made her throat fill with bile, and it took all her effort not to vomit. She started to take a step back, never taking her eyes off the monster.

"How about we just start with one," Zakuro suggested, looping her arms behind Jack's neck. "Don't get too ahead of yourself."

Damien still couldn't force herself to move as Kerian grabbed her wrist, but as soon as she was tugged by her she quickly turned around, panic suddenly flooding her body. She was terrified and didn't know what to do other then run. But as they started to quickly head back the beast slowly moved after. It's movements slow, but the cracking sounds felt like it was right behind them, like it was breathing down their necks.

Jack smiled and kissed Zakuro firmly on the lips, holding her a bit tighter, but in a soft sort of way.

Despite the panic flooding her body (a feeling Kerian couldn't remember ever having felt so strongly before), a thought nagged at Kerian's mind. The thing was following them, and they would lead it right back to the house.

"I don't think we can go back to Aegon," she said between gritted teeth. "Not while it follows."

Zakuro kissed him back, grateful for the quiet moment. A sneaking thought stole its way into her head--a little bit of guilt that she and Jack could enjoy this kind of moment when nobody else could--but she quickly squashed it. No need to feel guilt over something like that.

"B-but... Then what do we do... I'm scared." Damien spoke softly, her voice unsteady. She dared glance behind her and the beast was much closer then she thought it could have been. It started to reach a long hand out toward them slowly and she squealed in fear, quickly speeding up again. She didn't want to stay out in the open, she felt like she was going to die out there. As she sped up she pulled away from Kerian, gaining a little bit of distance between them in her attempt to get away from the beast. But she didn't pay attention where she was going and stumbled on some pointy rocks, falling onto her knees and scraping herself up.

Jack dared to lean on Zakuro lightly to try and gently push her down to the bed, smiling into the kiss, and not daring to pull away, even to breath.

Kerian swore again and whirled around to face the monster, her sword ahead of her. The panic consumed her now, and her head was screaming at her to turn and flee. The thing would not leave, though, and she was doubting they could outrun it, especially after Damien's fall. She stood as strongly as she could, brandishing her blade and praying whatever would happen next would not end with their deaths.

Zakuro initially responded eagerly, but tensed and resisted being pushed back on the bed. Memories from months before flashed through her mind, and while she tried not to react to them, she refused to be put back in the same position.

Damien tried to get back up, her legs cut open from the sharp rocks, but the fear made it nearly painless. She turned around to see the monster still reaching her them, seeming to be unafraid of Kerian's sword. Just before it's claws reached Kerian a unknown figure slammed into it's side with immense force, knocking it completely over and slamming it into the ground. As the monster slammed into the ground it shreaked out, sounding the like the scream of a thousand victims. Dust flew up around it's massive body and they couldn't see what had attacked it. But as Damien quickly grabbed Kerian to run again while they had the chance, she thought she spotted a purple glow within the dust.

Jack felt Zakuro refuse to his push and quickly stopped pushing. He pulled away from the kiss and looked at her softly. "I'm sorry.." he mumbled quietly.

Kerian barely took the time to appreciate whatever had saved them. She stumbled into a run beside Damien, not looking back as she sprinted back toward Aegon's home. Everyone else needed to know, and she prayed the thing would not follow them back.

Zakuro managed a slight smile, but her fingers gripped at the bedsheets, giving away how she felt. "It's alright," she said. "Just . . . it still comes up sometimes, I guess."

Damien sprinted back as fast as she could, stumbling a few times from her injuries. But as the adrenalin pumped through her it kept most of the pain away and kept her going.
As they came closer to the house Asha was outside, looking for them to make sure everything was alright. She looked confused as they ran up, "whats going on?" She asked quickly, very concerned. She had never know anyone to run like that unless there was something terrible happening.

"Yeah.. I just don't think about it a lot. I'm not going to hurt you... I shouldn't push you though." Jack said softly, leaning in again to just hug Zak warmly. He suddenly felt horrible for ever even having thoughts of anything that could scare her.

Kerian didn't answer immediately, turning back to make sure the creature hadn't followed them, wheezing for breath as she did. When she could finally feel the panic ebbing away slightly, and her breathing was slightly under control, she turned to Asha.

"We came across a demon," she said. "Something unlike I've ever seen before. I do not know what it was that allowed us to escape or whether it will come from us, but . . ." Suddenly, she felt foolish. The monster had been horrifying, yes--but why, exactly? She couldn't quite pinpoint what had inspired her terror-filled flight.

"It's not your fault," Zakuro replied, leaning into the embrace tiredly. "I'll be okay."

Damien didn't speak, trying to catch her breath. As the adrenalin wore off pain suddenly wracked her leg and she collapsed against the side of the house. She moved her clothes to look at her wounds. The cut's were deep, but not deadly, but seemed to be at first glance from all the blood running down her leg.

"What kind of demon?" Asha asked, "there usually aren't any around here."

"It was big, dark and smelt horrible," Damien added between breaths.

"I have never heard of anything like that. How did you get away?" Ash continued to press. "We must tell my father, come inside!" She glanced around quickly, wondering if the demon would be fallowing them.

"Something attacked it. I'm not sure what," Kerian answered as they headed into the house. She kept an eye on Damien, making sure the girl could walk. "Perhaps Aegon may know more; I haven't a clue what it was."

Aegon was still in the front room with Rane, no longer healing her but examining her as he sat on the center table. He didn't immediately notice as the group came in, his mind elsewhere.

Damien pressed her cloak against her leg to soak up some of the blood before getting up and fallowing Asha into the house. She quickly sat back down though, wincing in pain.

Asha approached Aegon quietly at first and put a hand on his shoulder to get his attention, "father, Kerian and Damien said they saw a unknown demon not far from here." she said, scarred but not as the other two seemed to be.

((whoops forgot Jack and Zak))

Jack sighed lightly and forced a small smile at Zakuro, "let's just go tot sleep."

Aegon looked at Rane from the corner of his eye, not lifting his chin from the support of his folded hands. "A demon?" he questioned. "Hardly uncommon things, though generally we don't see them out here, aside the one . . ."

"I do not think it was a common beast," Kerian said coolly.

"How was it unusual?" Without looking at Damien, Aegon lifted his head and extended a hand toward her bloodied leg. A pale light emanated from his palm as Kerian tried to explain the demon, and magic surged along the gashes, sealing them over neatly.

Zakuro nodded her agreement, ready for the day to be over. They had finally found Aegon and she couldn't say she minded getting to finally relax now that they were here.

Damien watched her leg heal perfectly, the pain fading quickly. He was much faster and neater with his work then Rane. And she thought Rane was amazing... "Thank you," she said softly, thankful for the pain to be gone.

Asha was listening quietly as Kerian described the monster to her father. Before anyone could respond to her details a sudden gust of wing carried it's self through the house, even though no windows were open. Just when the wind died there was a small crash of glass breaking in another room, making both Damien and Asha jump slightly. But Asha just sighed lightly, knowing who it was.
"Didn't think he would be far behind.." She said to her father before leaving into the other room.

"Who?" Damien asked quietly, seeming a bit scarred.

Asha could be heard talking, then there was another small crash and Asha yelled at someone to stop breaking things. After a short silence Asha started back into the room, helping some one walk. The person was much taller and leaner then her, his hair long and dark grey. Purple blood dripped from fresh claw marks down his body and he smelt horrible, just like the other demon Damien and Kerian had seen. Asha helped him until he roughly pulled away from her and leaned against a wall, gritting his teeth.

"Malak!?" Damien exclaimed once he had pulled away from Asha and was in proper lighting.

Kerian immediately drew her sword again, a scowl twisting her lips, but Aegon stood and held out his arm between her and Malak.

"He will not harm you," he said, looking at Malak dispassionately. He turned his gaze to the demon and raised a brow just slightly. "I was beginning to wonder when I would see you again."

Kerian lowered her blade, but refused to sheathe it. "You know of him?" she asked, before looking at Malak. It was obvious now that he had been the one to attack the demon they had fled, but she couldn't understand why--unless it had to do with Damien.

Malak put a hand over his wound on his chest. It stretched from his face down to his chest. He was waring nicer clothes, similar to the clothes the group had first met him in. But he was trying much less to hid his demon qualities. All of his teeth were sharp to a point and his nails as well. "Well if I had come an earlier I wouldn't have been able to save these two idiots from the Lurker..." Malak growled defiantly.

Damien swallowed down some worry for Malak and his wounds, trying to seem like she didn't care. She remained silent, this whole thing was weird.

Asha wipped some of his purple blood off her shirt, making a disgusted face.

Aegon gave an aggravated sigh. He cared not for Malak, at least not in any conventional sense--Malak was more a tool than anything else to him, one that was just useful enough to be kept around rather than destroyed. Turning the demon loose would, likely, result in more harm as well. Keeping Malak around was simpler, if nothing else.

"I wonder what that one was doing out here," he said, holding out his hand again to heal Malak's wounds this time. He was much less generous with his healing, however, only supplying enough magic to seal the gashes with new flesh and keep them from reopening easily. They would still ache fiercely, and Aegon was content to leave it at that. "Certainly hope it wasn't looking for my guests. I've enough to take care of."

Kerian had a lot of questions, but she bit them all back. Malak was an enigma--an enemy, but not the same sort that he had been when they first met. She didn't know what to think of him anymore.

Malak held still while Aegon healed him, but scowled at him for purposely not finishing the job. "Well they fallow death. Unless someone has died around here recently it was probably fallowing the smell of Rane. That's what I have been using for months. Luckily most demons with a brain don't try to get past me. But Lurkers don't really think.." He said, still obviously in pain. He glanced at Kerian and Damien breifly.
"Oh don't give me that stupid look Damien," he growled sharply, "you don't really know anything about me.. And why the hell didn't you use your dog damn powers?!"

Damien was taken back for a moment and then was speechless. She almost had thought that she had Malak figured out at one point. Not anymore.. And she felt useless and looked down at her hands, unable to answer a simple question.

"Your powers, not matter how strong, are useless if you don't get the guts to actually use them.." Malak continued, ignoring everyone else for a moment, forgetting for a moment that Aegon had complete control over him and could really hurt him if he wanted to.

"Be quiet," Aegon said, his tone idle but his voice carrying an undertone of magic--a command meant to silence Malak. He had little patience for the demon this evening. "I dare say you've done enough. Far more than I ever instructed you to in regards to these people. It would be unwise to add to it right now."

"Instructed?" Kerian repeated, looking to Aegon.

"Malak was originally supposed to watch you and tell me of your progress," Aegon said coolly. "He is, unfortunately, terrible at simple tasks."

Kerian rubbed her eyes tiredly. So Malak was under Aegon's influence one way or another. Wonderful.

Malak immediately went silent. But he continued to scowl at Aegon, dreaming of all the ways he wished he could kill him. He winced in pain before moving off to sit in the corner of the room on the floor. With him being forced to be silent, he was left to his thoughts. Part of him wanted to attack Aegon, but he had tried that before and it did not turn out remotely well for him.

Damien watched Malak for a moment, and then looked back at Aegon. "So this whole time Malak has been reporting what we have done back to you?" She asked, "why?"

Asha walked away from the group and into the other room for a moment.

"At first, I had to be sure the prophecy was true," Aegon said, resuming his seat on the table rather than a more proper chair. "Afterward, I needed to be certain of your prowess. I was . . . admittedly disappointed at first, though you all are shaping up rather well now. I know of the dragon and the army it is building, and my intent has always been to stop it. Unfortunately, it is not something I'm likely to do by myself. I do not think an old rogue healer is mentioned anywhere in that dusty scroll of Zevran's."

"Would it not have been simpler to simply approach us?" Kerian asked, growing frustrated. "If you knew of Zevran, at least--"

"And what would that have accomplished?" Aegon interrupted. "Aside that, I have been incredibly busy with my own research and preparations. I am not even certain I'm meant to have any role in this, though I can't say it's stopped me thus far from trying."

"So all the bad things Malak did were on his own? How can he do that if you can control him?" Damien asked quickly, half hoping Malak was innocent. But deep down she knew he was just a demon that looked like a man. But that explained why he saved their lives some of the time. Or maybe why he had been training her.

"I think the others need to be hearing this aswell.." She added as an extra thought.

Malak was listening to them now, wondering what things were going to be said about him. He was a very powerful demon, he never did fully understand how a human healer could gain power over him so easily. But even now, if he tried to speak, he would forget how to make simple words or sounds since he was told not to speak.

"Likely an error on my part. A lack of directions." Aegon rested his chin back on his hands. "For which I must apologize if it was my indirect doing." He looked up to find Asha, hoping to have her fetch the others at Damien's suggestion, but the elven girl had gone.

"Perhaps you should find them, then," Kerian said to Damien. "I imagine there will be much to discuss about this." While Zakuro and Jack were attempting to sleep, Joey had chosen to sit outside awhile, sitting at the edge of the rocky cliff that overlooked the beach. Taiju had quietly holed himself up in a different guest room. Both were unaware of any commotion.

Damien nodded and stood up from where she was sitting to find the others. She first knocked on Jack and Zakuro's room and woke them back up. She told them that they were learning important things and that everyone should be there to hear it.
Then she headed to Taiju's room and told him the same thing. Lastly she check Joey's room for him and when she couldn't find him she checked outside.

"Joey," she said, walking up behind him, "we need everyone inside, and in the main room. We are learning some interesting stuff..." Damien paused as couple feet behind him. "Malak is here and apparently he is controlled by Aegon.."

Jack yawned as he forced himself out of bed and shuffled to the main room with Zakuro. He has just gotten to fall asleep when Damien had knocked on their door.

Taiju reluctantly left his room with his swords at his hips. So much for relaxing. He hoped nobody would notice the faint smell of alcohol on his breath.

At hearing the reason for the gathering, Joey could only give a sigh. "Fan-fucking-tastic," he muttered as he got to his feet. A demon he had an extra reason to hate working for a man they were supposed to trust.

Aegon gave Malak permission to speak again as everyone slowly trickled into the front room. He figured the demon would have a few choice words and explanations for his behaviors in the last year.

Damien didn't say anything and just turned to head back inside ahead of Joey. She just didn't know what to say to him.
Jack moved into the room and plopped down on a chair tiredly. He glanced around and his green eyes instantly settled on Malak, and he stood back up, trying to break the eye contact but having a hard time.
"What's he doing here?" he asked quickly. Jayce had a thing with Malak and Jack knew it would only be a few seconds before Jayce came out.
Malak couldn't help but smile. He loved screwing with Jack's head.

Asha came back, she had been cleaning up Malaks mess.

Damien came in and sat back down quietly.

Joey leaned against the wall, fixing a tired glare on Malak. Taiju stood off to the side, trying to look diligent, but his gaze flickered between Malak and Rane's unconscious form on the other side of the room.

"I don't suppose someone would like to tell me what he has done while I've been busy," Aegon said, looking between everyone who had gathered. "Though I'm uncertain I would want to hear it all."

Kerian looked at Jack, hand going to her sword out of habit. She had no idea if Jayce would try to take over again.

"I think it would be simplest to say there have been multiple attempts on our lives," she said slowly. "As well as some . . . other involvements, with both us and an elven man named Rowan."

Jack sat back down and quickly cupped his head in his hands, trying to force Jayce to back off.

"There also have been a lot of time where he has saved us..." Damien added, instantly feeling like she shouldn't have stuck up for him afterward.

Malak glanced at Damien, a bit shocked at her. "Doesn't mean I wouldn't kill you if I could get away with it..." He added darkly. it was a half hearted attempt though, since he was half lying. But he looked back at Jack after ward, "what's wrong Jack? Having a hard time sharing?" He asked in a faked caring voice.

"Shut up..." Jack growled, not bringing his head out of his hands.

"And in my defense, they did kill me..." Malak added, looking at Aegon. Not that he would care.

"I'd do it again," Taiju said bitterly.

"And yet, you are sitting in my den, so I am not too concerned about that part," Aegon said blankly. He looked over at Jack. "And what about the boy? What have you done to him?" His gaze flickered over everyone else until he settled on Damien. She was the only one to speak in Malak's defense. "And the girl, your involvement with her . . . ?"

Joey caught himself gritting his teeth. Regardless of where he stood with Damien now, he hated to be reminded that there had ever been anything between her and Malak.

"I didn't do anything to Jack that he wasn't already doing to himself. I just sped it up a little." Malak answered, obviously hiding things from Aegon. "I have been teaching Damien how to control her power because they are nearly identical to mine, just much less refined. Nothing more. She is just the only one in this group that has a brain..." He sounded bitter again, sending a glare to each person in the room.

"And she's right. There have been plenty of times where if I hadn't been there they would all be dead. Yeah sure I have messed with them a bit, but they were mostly attempts to make them stronger and partially cause I was board. I don't get to destroy things as often with your chain around my throat. But look, they are all alive. Cept maybe the healers dog, but that wasn't my fault." Malak explained bitterly, pushing some of his grey bangs back out of his eyes. At the beginning I was still able to hold my rank among the dragons forces, but after they killed me I was stripped of my title and most of my power. I am still capable of killing very easily, don't underestimate me..."

"Asha apparently didn't tell you that Damien tried to kill her when they first met..." Malak chimed, looking over at Asha then to Damien, trying to take some of the attention off of him.

Aegon waved a hand, dismissing the mention of Asha, though he did file away the information for later consideration. "That is not what we are discussing right now," he said. "I'm not a fool, demon." He leaned forward, elbows propped on his knees as he watched Malak. When he spoke again, it carried the magical weight of another command. "You are my burden and I have to repair whatever damage you may have done. Do not lie to me, do not hide information from me, and do not threaten me or anyone who is here."

Malak grew silent as he starred back at Aegon defiantly. Though he couldn't say how much he hated the healer, he was hoping that a hard glare would some how kill him. He couldn't help himself but let his purple energy flow through his body, but as it reached his skin to start to show, it stopped as if something was blocking him. Malak started to grind his teeth and dig his nails into his arms that were crossed over his chest. Someday he was going to kill this healer, if it was the last thing he did.
"Jack has mental problems from whatever other world they come from. And since I am able to explore most minds I did a little digging when I was still pretending to be their ally. It's was pretty easy to find what made the boy tick. And mostly out of fun, I started messing with him, pushing things around, setting off his breaks downs. It was actually a lot of fun. Then I noticed another being in his mind, hiding away in a corner, and desperately trying to get out. So with some hard work, I set him free. He proved to be handful at first, and my powers seemed to take effect of him, making him more insightful and powerful then I had anticipated. . . So he knows a lot about me, and I know a lot about him. If needed, we both know the secrets to killing each other. He originally planned to kill the group slowly, letting them believe it was me..." Malak paused for a moment and looked away from Aegon and to Jack, who had lifted his head from his hands and was listening to the demon. "But he is growing soft, and seems to be falling in love with them and-"

Before Malak could finish his sentence Jayce quickly took over Jack and lept from his seat, pulling his golden blade from his right hip and easily sliding it into Malak's shoulder, the demon was unable to fight back and just cried out in pain shortly, gritting his teeth as he was pinned against the wall he had been leaning against.
"Shut up Malak... I will fucking kill you..." Jayce growled darkly.

When Jayce suddenly lept up Damien couldn't help but jump a little and when Malak was stabbed she covered her mouth and had to look away. Seeing any kind of blood, even if it was purple, made her sick to her stomach.

"Enough!" Aegon said sharply, finally rising to his feet. He growled a word of command and threw out his hand, magic flaring in the room--a spell intended to bind Jayce painlessly and push him away from Malak. "There will be no fighting in my home!"

When the dust settled, Zakuro dared to steal a glance at Jayce. Jack's alternate personality had confused her for some time. She held absolutely no love for him and never would, but what Malak said would fit, somehow, into Jayce's recent odd behavior.

Jayce cursed loudly as he was suddenly pushed away from Malak and his arms forced down to his side, leaving his sword pinned in Malak's shoulder. He struggled for a moment and then stopped, glaring up at Aegon.
"You think this is going to stop me old man?!" He shouted across the room. "What has been reported to you about our powers was for Jack, not me!" Without moving Jayce glanced at his sword and suddenly yanked it out of Malak's shoulder with his powers, quickly sending it toward the healer swinging. He didn't care if someone else might have gotten hurt since they were all in a room, not outside. Rage filled him and he was determined to kill Aegon.

Asha couldn't help but feel scarred for her father. She had never seen him face someone like this so she was unsure. But she knew he was powerful, so didn't try to help. She would only be in the way.

Malak grunted when the sword was pulled from his shoulder and then slumped down more, moving one hand to the wound.

Aegon didn't flinch as the blade came at him. He flicked his wrist and the sword abruptly stopped and rebounded as though hitting a solid wall; the air in front of Aegon shimmered with a magic barrier and cleared again. He didn't speak as he began another spell, hurling Jayce through the wall of the house and out on the rocky coast.

"Aegon!" Kerian shouted, turning to him, but he didn't so much as glance.

"He'll live," he muttered. "I do not want him believing he can come into my home and do as he pleases."

Kerian looked through the gaping hole in the wall. Admittedly, she had always sort of wanted to do something similar to Jayce.

Taiju laughed a little--sort of a side effect of his drinking earlier in the evening, but he couldn't help being amused by the sight anyway.

Zakuro seemed the only one outwardly concerned now.

Jayce laid still for a moment after breaking through the wall of the house. Everything hurt, and not just because he had been launched into a wall, but also because that mysterious pain was plaguing his body again. He grit his teeth tightly, try to let Jack have control back, but it wasn't working. He started to curse repeatedly to himself, "come on Jack.." He grunted, but Jack seemed to not be listening. And if Jayce were to just fold back into their mind without Jack taking over they could go into a coma. The metals in the house started to bend inward slowly, cept the swords, as Jayce slowly pushed himself up. Somehow he broke away from Aegon's first spell and was moving freely. Once he was to his feet he put his hand over his heart, panting heavily. Jayce glared back into the house at Aegon, he brought his sword back to him, but returned it to his side instead of fighting again. Without saying a word he turned and walked away from the whole, stumbling a couple times.

"Where is he going?" Asha asked, watching Jayce walk out of sight. Suddenly all the metal stopped bending, she glanced around at everyone slowly, confused.

Damien glanced over at Joey, as if to make sure he was alright, and then looked back at Malak, feeling sorry for the hunched over demon.

Aegon sighed heavily. He disliked having to use his magic for offense, but it was a preferable alternative to more fights breaking out in his house. He murmured a spell and set to repairing the broken wall, ignoring that Jayce wasn't returning.

Kerian swore quietly. "And now I have to hunt him down as well," she said distastefully. "I would like to go one evening without having to go after someone."

"Is it a good idea?" Zakuro asked. "If he's like that, he might attack you too."

"Yes, but the demon outside . . ."