Demons Blood

Ch.16 Dancing Flames

Kylvao was not a large city, it was small and insignificant and had no major tourists attractions. One redeeming quality though is the major bonfire parties. They dotted all over the outside, lighting up the night, leaving the actually city itself dark and foreboding. It's by one of the bonfires, by the edge of the woods, that the trio finds themselves. The locals dance around the fire, laughing, singing, dancing. Niko watches with awe as there dancers danced and there shadows danced with them. The fire seemed to kiss the sky as it swirled and danced the wind, blowing it and creating new moves with each gust. The three sat down at the edge of the woods, the locals knew they were they, but payed them no head. They had already tried to get them to join. Lady sat, the shadow created by the fire covered her face, encasing it further in darkness than it already was. Hetsu sat next to her palms down, watching the fire with a blank look. There, there was no emotion. While Niko, had a look of pure childish awe on his face as the dancers and the fire merged, creating the most mesmerizing of dances. Niko slowly began to gather courage, and a bit of hope. He began to tremble with the thought of it. He then wiped his head around and opened his mouth to speak, to only to be shot down by his sister's glare, that somehow pierced the the darkness that shrouded her. 

"Please" Niko begged. Lady made no move. "Hetsu" Niko complained to him, trying to get him to convince her. Nothing. Niko flopped on his stomach and began to roll around. Moaning silently as to not cause a scene but loud enough for the two of them to hear. The townsfolk continued to dance around the flames, there laughs echoing through the night sky. Niko grew silent and still as he watched. Suddenly, a girl from the town around the age of 12 or 13 came over the them a giant smile spread across her face. She held her hand out and said, "Welcome to Kylvao! Care to dance with us?". Niko's eyes widened with excitement, he turned to Hetsu and his sister and gave his most pleading pair of baby eyes. Lady wasn't even looking at him. She stared at the child in front of her. Her face, her hair, her eyes; they were all identical to the creature from the river. Even her voice was a perfect match. Lady felt her heart swell as she remembered how that child risked her life, in order to save her. Lady then looked down at Niko and gave his a curt nod. Niko leapt up and took the girls hand as they ran to the edge of the fire and began to dance together. Hetsu looked a bit surprised and turned to look at Lady for any hint of emotion. The shadows covered all. 

Hetsu then got up with a grunt and stretched his hand out to Lady as if to help her up. "Care to dance?" He asked in a calm and collected voice. Lady was a bit shocked by his proposition, she froze and stared at the outstretched arm in front of her. Hetsu continued to hold it out when before wither of them could react to of the locals came over, a man and a woman. The woman grabbed Hetsu's outstretched hand while the man, not knowing where Lady's arms were grabbed her by the shoulders and they pulled the both of them to the edge of the fire to dance. Hetsu and the Lady immediately began to dance but Hetsu still had a really confused look on his face as the woman dancing with him laughed. The woman had the same muddy brown hair as the girl who took Niko and the same eyes, she smiled widely as Hetsu's confusion slowly dissipated. Lady, who was with the man, had raised her hands as a sign of stop, or no thank you. The man payed no heed, grabbed her now exposed hands and pulled her into a dancing position as they began to twirl around the fire. The man had bright blond hair and a pair of pale gray eyes to go with it. Lady at first put up a fight against the man but he wasn't taking no for an answer. They continued to dance and Lady felt the rhythm in her feet, the dancing heat of the flames and she felt something she hadn't felt in a while. She began to resist less and less, and a small smile came across her face. She began to move faster and the man kept up with her. There dancing went faster and faster until suddenly the man was gone and in his place was Hetsu. Holding her hands as Lady continued to dance.

"Hey there, my Lady!" He replied with a smirk on his face. From the angle of the fires glow, Lady's face had completely been illuminated allowing him to see her smile. "That's one pretty smile you have. You should show it off more." Hetsu said in a calm voice laced with a sense of wit. Lady stopped in her tracks, stopping Hetsu too. She then bent her head, casting her face in shadows once more. She tried to pull away, from him but Hetsu held firm. Hetsu then leaned forward so that his mouth was right next to Lady's ear and he whispered. "Please, just this once allow yourself to be happy." Hetsu then pulled away his hands still holding hers. Lady still held her head down and refused to meet his gaze. Lady then pulled her hands away from Hetsu and stood in front of him for a second before walking away, back to where they were sitting. Hetsu's face expressed insurmountable disappointment, as he turned to face the raging fire once again. He suddenly felt a tap on his shoulder he turned and there was Niko. He looked up at Hetsu a questioning look on his face. "Where's my sister?" Niko asked Hetsu. "Well she's right over ther-" Hetsu's sentence cut short as he realized that Lady wasn't at there spot. He quickly scanned the area but there was nothing there. Niko saw Hetsu's panic and began to panic a bit himself. She had to be around here somewhere but where. Suddenly, the locals began to clap and cheer. Both curios they turned to look and what they saw exhilarated them. 

Dancing at the edge of the fire, was a beautiful woman, with straight jet black hair that seemed to blend in with the night itself, it swirled and whipped as the lady danced around the edge of the fire. A brilliant white smile reflecting of of her, her toffee skin changing shades with the shadows cast from the fire. Her deep chocolate brown eyes held so much joy and life as the fire and those watching her danced in her irises. On her neck laid deep slash running diagonally down. It did nothing but enhance here enchanting beauty. The lady wore a dark blood red shirt that had no sleeves and merely covered her torso. The shade of red complemented her skin tone so nicely it drew the eyes of all the surrounding the locals but that was not all. Under her shirt there lay a pair of black short that held her hips in the most comfortable way, allowing easy movement and flexibility. On her hips sat a belt full of all sorts of bags, nick-knacks and other useful items. The objects were so well placed they did nothing to impair here dancing and even provided a bit of music as they jangled with her dancing form. On her calves, wrapping around and shining like stars, were a pair of silver anklets that wrapped around her legs as ivy does a tree. With each spin they shone like gold, yet shimmered as silver should, the fire creating sparkles and amplifying its beauty. She wore no shoes as her bare-feet kicked up dirt and rocks that sparkled and cracked as them made contact with the roaring fire. She was beyond beautiful, it was if, she was an exemplary angel sent from heaven itself. 

Niko then mumbled something under his breath as they watched the girl dance with the fire. "What'd you say?" Hetsu asked calmly, not taking his eyes off of the angel that stood before him.Tears filled his eyes and his hands went up to wipe them away but stopped half way no longer willing to look away at the spectral before him even to wipe away his tears. "Sister" He managed to mutter before falling silent, letting his tears of joy streak down his face.