Sea Shadow (General Kirigan & Nikolai Lantsov)

Before

They were under attack and the only thing she could think about was protecting Nikolai, she was finally with him again and she didn't want to lose him.

A nichevo'ya was coming after them, it was going to kill them. Kaida stopped running to face the nichevo'ya.

"Kaida!" Nikolai screamed worriedly.

Kaida lifted her arms calling the shadows towards her, she produced the cut and threw her arms towards the beats, making it disappear.

Kaida turned around to see Nikolai watching her with fear.

"Nikolai," she called, taking a step towards him, but he took one backwards.

"You are like him. You are a monster," Nikolai said, looking at her with fear and horror.

"No, please," Kaida said with tears in her eyes.

Kaida woke up finding purple mist and shadows flying around her. She sighed with frustration and called them back to her body.

Kaida wasn't really sure how much time had passed since the battle in Os Alta and the day Alina and her found out that she could summon shadows, underground was difficult to keep track of the days, but one thing she was sure about was that she was going to end up killing the Apparant. He was trying to control all of them, especially Alina and Kaida was getting tired.

Neither Alina or Kaida had told someone what Kaida was now capable of, and the gray eyed girl was really grateful to the sun summoner for that.

The truth was that she was scared, scared of what she was capable now and of what the people she cared about would think of her.

Kaida didn't know what to do, her small science wasn't working as it worked before, she could feel emotions, change them, but she wasn't able to connect with the people, she wasn't able to find them and that was the worst part. She needed to know Nikolai was okay, she needed to know he was alive, but now she wasn't able.

When she was alone and everyone was asleep, Kaida practiced in her room to summon both of her small sciences and control them. It was easier than she thought, and part of her was scared of that. She was scared because it felt normal for her to control and summon the shadows when it shouldn't be.

Kaida got out of her bed, she had been hiding her new small science since she and ALina discovered, why not a little longer? She got dress and went to the kitchen where she knew she would be hiding.

Kaida never talked with the followers of the Apparant, but for some reason they has shown certain interest in her, she didn't know why but she never stood there to heard it.

She entered the kitchen and found her friend there.

"Hey!" Kaida said with a smile.

"Hey," she said as usual, without interest. The red haired didn't turn to see her making Kaida sigh.

"Genya, please, don't turn your back on me," Kaida said sadly. Genya hesitated but turned to look at her. Her beautiful face was covered with scars and one of her eyes lost that beautiful green color. The Darkling knew that Genya considered her beauty her armor, so he took it for her, but from Kaida's eyes, Genya was still beautiful, no matter what.

Kaida smiled. "Well, what I was telling you yesterday, before the Apparant forced me to leave you," Kaida said, annoyed. "When I found out who Sturmhond was, Nikolai, at the beginning I was so mad, I thought I was going to kill him," Genya laughed. Kaida told her everything that happened with the prince and Genya listened closely with a smile on her face.

Genya was really grateful with Kaida, she was the only one that treated her the same way as before. All the rest, even if they wanted to hide it, looked at her with pity. Hearing Kaida talk and treat her the same way as before made her forget what happened to her. Seeing Kaida was her favorite time of the day.

"Did you talk with David?" Kaida asked.

"No," Genya said ashamed.

"Genya Safin, you must talk with him," Kaida said, looking at her with disapproval.

"I can't" Genya said.

"Why not?" the gray eyed girl asked.

"Look at me Kaida," Genya said sadly.

"I'm looking," Kaida said, mock out of her voice. "and the only thing that I see is the person that saved me from The Darkling and from the loneliness of the Little Palace,"

"Why? Why are you so kind to me? I helped him, I helped him hurt you," she said with sadness.

"You did what you have to do to survive," Kaida said. "Genya, scars or not, you still are a beautiful person and nothing is going to change that. You survived, show your scars with pride," Genya shook her head. "If you don't want to be proud of surviving, at least don't hide yourself. You have to learn to accept that now the scars are part of you because if you don't do it, no one will,"

"I remember the first time I saw the scars on your back. You didn't saw ashame, you didn't care showing them and I thought 'How does she do it?' 'How did you survive?' You have never been ashamed of them. But I can't do it, I can't accept it," Genya said.

"We are survivors, and those scars are proof of that. Show them when you are ready," Kaida gave her a smile and decided to change the subject.

🍁🍁🍁

The White Cathedral was asleep but Kaida wasn't. She was wondering about Nikolai, what might he be doing? Where would he be? would he be okay?

She was staring at the ceiling, she couldn't sleep, something usual on her, but this time was different. She was thinking about the conversation she had with Genya, more specifically about her words. "How does she do it?" "How did you survive?"

I didn't, that was the answer for that question. I didn't survive. That was the truth, she didn't survive.

Tired of thinking about that, Kaida got up from her bed and walked to the middle of the room. She was determined to find Nikolai, to see if he was okay and safe.

She closed her eyes and focused on locking up the shadows inside her on a box. She felt the shadows fighting against it. She frowned and with all her will and focus she locked them on that invisible box inside her. She knew it wouldn't stay that way for too long, but it was the best thing to do if she wanted to have all control over her small science.

Kaida called her purple mist and she focused on Nikolai's features, his hazel eyes, his gold hair, his strong body... she made the perfect imagen of him in her mind and the purple mist started to surround her as it used to do. She closed her eyes trying to concentrate and make the connection with him. She gasped.

Kaida opened her eyes, finding the perfect imagen of Nikolai sleeping on a bed. There he was, he was safe and sound. Kaida smiled, feeling the connection between them.

Nikolai opened his beautiful eyes but Kaida didn't move.

Nikolai looked at the direction Kaida was for a few seconds.

"I know this sensation," he whispered standing up. He walked towards where Kaida was standing and stood in front of her. "Kaida?" he asked. Kaida's eyes lit up with tears. "I might be talking to a wall or maybe you are doing that thing you do and watching me. If it's that so, Kaida, I want you to know I miss you, a lot. I hope you are okay, that everyone is okay. We will see each other again, I won't let you go this time, I promise. I love you,"

"I love you too," Kaida whispered, she knew he couldn't hear her, only her could hear him but it didn't matter. Kaida made the purple mist fade and stood in the middle of her room with a small smile on her face. He felt her, he felt the connection between them and even though he didn't know if he was just imagining things he promised her they would be together again.

Kaida walked to her bed and with Nikolai in her mind she fell asleep.