Halfling (editing in process)

Chapter Ten

It took three days for them to leave the elven city. Javen had tied up some loose ends and packed, leaving Aria alone in the strange spherical home in the mother tree's branches, sheltered from the others by a ward he had set. She had watched the city, even learned a few elven spells from books he kept in his home. She had tried to take the band off to no avail; the bracelet seeming to mock her attempts with little pulses of energy. With the addition of the bracelet she found elven spells easier to learn than the few she had spent years trying to perfect; the earth-bound magic coming to her as simply as the demonic ones she had been learning since she was but a youngling. Javen hadn't been talking to her much and certainly hadn't enjoyed the idea of her sleeping in his home. By the time Javen gave her the all clear to leave on the fourth day she was ready to go, not used to the confined space for days on end. What she hadn't realized however, was that he had a horse, so he rode while she grudgingly followed on foot, she would have flown if he hadn't demanded that she fill him in on the rest of the relics and what the end goal was for her little mission.

"There are two more relics; one in a crypt and the other a mountain. If we gain them we will have enough power to take down my father and Lucien will release me." Aria finished.

Javen snorted and shook his head. "Sounds like you are all too weak. I wouldn't need any relics to kill him. I have killed far too many demons to even count."

Aria rolled her eyes. "He would have you as a slave in a heartbeat. You do not know him or his world. I can show you the shadows, but the nightmares he has created within..." She shuttered, her chest constricting at the thought of her time within said nightmare.

"You're alive aren't you? You do not dwell in your past miseries, you learn, move on, and grow stronger."

"Oh yes, because you have gotten over your mother, Mr. Past Miseries."

And that was how they ended up losing the horse in a scuffle that she ended up winning thanks to her new spells.

It took them a couple of days walking to reach the base of the mountain. They had talked little since the incident where they had lost the horse, their only stops to sleep when they grew too tired to move further. The night they reached the mountain's base was a cool, clear night; the sounds of a crackling fire and the trills of insects a peaceful ruse for whatever trial awaited them when the sun rose again. She had fallen asleep turned towards the fire, curled up in her furs a she watched the flames dance in a hypnotic rhythm. While she had gone to sleep alone, she woke with Payne straddling her hips, the woman's fingers stroking through her hair. Aria jolted upwards, only to have Payne to push her back downwards, a wicked grin coming onto the woman's face.

"Shhh. No need to wake your brother. I'm just checking in. We weren't expecting the band to bind with you, who would have known it belonged to your mother? Not to mention you brought a nasty little parasite along with you." She tsked. "Anyway, there is a nasty beast guarding the relic inside, be weary. When you find it approach with caution; I would be quite sad if you died before we got to play." She grinned. "I'll see you in your dreams, dear Aria." She purred, and was gone.

Aria sat up with a curse, looking over to see Javen staring at her. Distrust, disgust, and malice reflected in his eyes, his jaw set with anger.

"What?" Aria questioned in exasperation. "I didn't ask her to show up, she just popped up."

Javen scoffed. "Oh please. She looked like she wanted to eat you and fuck you all at once. I don't like you, and if you bring any other demons into this I swear to the Goddess I will not hesitate to kill them, you, and whatever tries to stop me. A demon that 'just pops up' doesn't straddle you and leave a gift."