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<p><br>
The sandstone city of Vaelon stood silhouetted by the slow fall of the twin moons, otherwise lit by scattered lanterns placed before few doorfronts and windows. The light was scant but adequate for the silent journey they undertook beneath the shadows, careful to not make the slightest noise and attract notice as they traversed the ornate pathways that led towards the far end of the city.</p>
<p>Vaithe watched her steps as she trod over the finely engraved pavements. Each slab was adorned with intricate designs that had weathered the ages well since first carved, patterns that reminded her of a dwelling that had once been situated in Astana... it had to have belonged to Avia Serin. </p>
<p>The smallest details in these later lives were as pieces of a puzzle that became more perplexing with each rebirth, and an anger came over her with each step that she took. She felt an urge to kick out at the pavement - to crack it, to destroy it! - though restrained her senseless inclination as the silence screamed at her to remain quiet. Instead, she raised her eyes to Darien's head and threw imaginary daggers at him, her glare remaining fierce even as he peered over his shoulder and raised an eyebrow at her.</p>
<p><em>'Something wrong, Viffy?'</em></p>
<p><em>'You know very well there is!'</em></p>
<p>He smiled his infuriating grin at her and turned back to their goal, his nonchalance exacerbating her rage further as the Serin house rose up before them, protected only by wrought iron.</p>
<p>The house was of flawless build; a home centuries old yet as new as the day it was constructed - even the gardens were in pristine condition - and though this house and Castle Arisse were of similar age, this structure was nothing at all like the ruinous and overgrown remains they had found in Astana... perhaps Darien had indeed neglected to remove something of himself, or perhaps Avia Serin was truly a powerful witch whose magic lived on.</p>
<p>Darien winked at her over his shoulder, clearly amused by her inner dialogue, and placed his hands over the iron. The segment vanished and Vaithe's heart twisted tight as she watched him climb through the hole, as Nik followed behind, and as she realised she was now expected to join them.</p>
<p>They were about to traverse the lair of the red-haired witch, a despicable woman who had terrified the land when Vaithe existed as Natalia, who had forced herself through her and murdered the King, which had resulted in this endless cycle of lives! Exploring Avia's secret domain was foolish, there could be anything down there... but, perhaps there could be something to end her burdens; perhaps that was what called to Darien.</p>
<p>Vaithe met his inquisitive gaze and swallowed her nerves as she stepped through the conjured hole, and was careful to remain concealed by the shadows cast over the building as she followed the two men. She noted that Nik appeared as apprehensive as she felt whilst Darien was as cheerful as ever... but surely this place was as a house of horrors to him.</p>
<p>The memories he had thrust into her mind when they first reached Astana still shone clear, the torture he had experienced under the witch's control, the flash of silver as she harvested the ceaseless flow of his blood, over and over. She shuddered and hurried onward, the men crouched by the side entrance as they awaited her arrival.</p>
<p>"Come on, Viffy! Don't be nervous."</p>
<p>Darien's whisper seemed overly loud within the harsh silence and Vaithe glared at him again, her one desire for this night to be over, to return to safety and sanity... perhaps that was too much to ask; it was far more likely that she would never feel safe or sane again.</p>
<p>"Can we just do this and leave?"</p>
<p>He ran his hand over the door. A dim golden glow emanated from his fingertips as he forced the entrance open, and he winced as he stepped through though he was quick to conceal the motion, his customary cheer resumed.</p>
<p>"Darien...?"</p>
<p>"It's nothing. Remnants of something... or perhaps a trigger. We'll be quick."</p>
<p>Nik narrowed his eyes at Darien and asked, "A trigger?"</p>
<p>Darien performed his characteristic shrug and gestured for them to hurry, which suited Vaithe just fine. No longer fueled by anger, a chill replaced her heated emotions and she held her arms tight across her chest as she hastened after Darien and Nik, keeping her eyes to the floor as they passed through the empty kitchens and living areas, not the smallest speck of dust upon the polished floorboards as Darien led them through the massive house.</p>
<p>Their footsteps echoed several times over within the dark, bare rooms, the dull thuds a litany that repeated ever and over through her ears and heightened her fear as the small hairs on her arms stood on end and turned her blood to ice; she did not want to be here and the idea that Darien's entrance had 'triggered' something filled her with unease.</p> 
<p>She could hear no storm though, the riders were not making their approach, and that knowledge alone relieved her... barely.</p>
<p>"Down we go! And I suggest we make haste."</p>
<p>Vaithe glanced up into Darien's grinning face and down to the grand set of stairs that appeared before them and descended deep into the bowels of the house, his voice spinning about her head as an eerie glow shone up from the depths, the only light in the entire house an illumination that both called for and repelled her.</p>
<p>She took a deep breath and began the descent, not comforted by the proximity or presence of either Nik or Darien as they climbed further down into the great unknown. The unnatural light brightened as they neared the bottom and as they stepped into the large cavern Vaithe raised a hand to her mouth, surprised to discover the cause of the strange gleam.</p>
<p>Perfect, miniature replicas of the twin moons circled overhead in slow patterns that mimicked the passage of the true bodies... they were beautiful and Vaithe could not help but admire their otherworldly wonder as they passed directly above her, so mesmerised by such magic that she did not notice Darien race to the back of the cavern and was oblivious to Nik's slow, halted walk towards a crystal slab placed in the centre of the area, only broken from the allure of the false moons when she heard his strained voice.</p>
<p>"What... what is a transport crystal doing here?"</p>
<p>Forcing her eyes from the luminous orbs, she glanced at Nik and paled as she saw the pain written across his face, an agony agleam within his eye before he buried his head in his hands. </p>
<p>Darien only shrugged as he rummaged through various glassware in a cabinet he had found at the back of the room, his response hurried as he said, "How do you think we arrived near Vaelon so quickly? I didn't just whisk us away with the click of my fingers while you both slept... and, it may have alerted the Magisters. Possibly."</p>
<p>Vaithe shuddered as she realised the means taken the night they had arrived, she had been as unaware as Nik of their passage through the Magisters' device and her fear returned tenfold as she noted the trigger Darien assumed he had activated.</p>
<p>"Darien! You need to hurry!"</p>
<p>"Yes, yes. I've almost found it... I think."</p>
<p>She rolled her eyes upward in an impatient grimace and turned back to Nik, and unable to restrain herself she raced toward him as he was beset by a wild shiver. He had returned his gaze to the slab, fixated by the object, and took several more unwilling steps toward it before he stopped and wrenched away, the plea buried within his eyes calling to her as she stood before him.</p>
<p>"What is wrong with you!?"</p>
<p>"I... feel compelled to activate it... I can complete my duty, perhaps my punishment will be lessened..."</p>
<p>Unbidden tears flooded her vision as she stared into his agonised eyes and ignored Darien's derisive snort, and as Nik tried to step past her she pushed against his chest, trying to halt his passage as she cried, "Don't let them control you! You're free now!"</p>
<p>"...I don't <em>want</em> to activate it... I have to..."</p>
<p>Fear coursed through her faster than the swiftest river. They had no time for this; Darien was capable of looking after himself, but she and the ex-horseman? They stood no chance against the inevitable arrival of the Magisters. Even if Nik did not activate the crystal and betray them... they had to know they were here. They were coming. She would not go to the Isles, she would not be tormented by their heinous overlords, and she would not allow Nik to return there!</p>
<p>Her thoughts screamed through her mind faster than she could catch them and unsure of how else to snap Nik out of his indoctrination and drag him out of this horrific house, she raised herself up on the tips of her toes and pulled his face down to hers, kissing him with every telepathic plea she could muster.</p>
<p>His hand fell to the small of her back and held her close as she kissed him, and she wrapped her arms around him, strangely happy at this outcome and pleased that he no longer moved toward the slab. Secure for the moment, Vaithe rested her head against his chest, the beat of his heart soothing her worries as he ran his hand through her hair, though her return to reality was quick as she heard Darien chuckle behind them.</p>
<p>"You wouldn't have been able to activate it. You do realise that your abilities vanished alongside the death of <em>your</em> demon, correct?"</p>
<p>"Darien!"</p>
<p>"Oh, Viffy. What do you think the horses are? They're borne of the Aethya, created by the hand of Esraelle, just as I."</p>
<p>She turned to Darien and prepared to deliver the tongue-lashing that had been screaming through her mind since earlier that day by the hot springs, but was stopped by Nik's sudden grasp on her hand. </p>
<p>As though her world had slowed around her, she glanced down at her hand encased by his, illuminated by a soft, rosy glow. Her slow gaze followed the light toward the crystal slab - now shimmering with an unnatural brightness - and her voice was unlike her own as she shrieked, "Darien! Someone is coming!"<br>
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<h3>Previous Chapters</h3>
<p>- - -</p>
<p><CENTER><table align="center">
<tr><td>
<a href="https://steemit.com/fiction/@kaelci/skyswept-chapter-one">Intro // Chapter One</a><br>
<a href="https://steemit.com/fiction/@kaelci/skyswept-chapter-two">Chapter Two</a><br>
<a href="https://steemit.com/fiction/@kaelci/skyswept-chapter-three">Chapter Three</a><br>
<a href="https://steemit.com/fiction/@kaelci/skyswept-chapter-four">Chapter Four</a><br>
<a href="https://steemit.com/fiction/@kaelci/skyswept-chapter-five">Chapter Five</a><br>
<a href="https://steemit.com/fiction/@kaelci/skyswept-chapter-six-part-1">Chapter Six pt.1</a><br>
<a href="https://steemit.com/fiction/@kaelci/skyswept-chapter-six-part-2">Chapter Six pt.2</a><br>
<a href="https://steemit.com/fiction/@kaelci/skyswept-chapter-seven">Chapter Seven</a><br>
<a href="https://steemit.com/fiction/@kaelci/skyswept-chapter-eight">Chapter Eight</a><br>
<a href="https://steemit.com/fiction/@kaelci/skyswept-chapter-nine">Chapter Nine</a><br></td>
<td>
<a href="https://steemit.com/fiction/@kaelci/skyswept-chapter-ten">Chapter Ten</a><br>
<a href="https://steemit.com/fiction/@kaelci/skyswept-chapter-eleven">Chapter Eleven</a><br>
<a href="https://steemit.com/fiction/@kaelci/skyswept-chapter-12">Chapter Twelve</a><br>
<a href="https://steemit.com/fiction/@kaelci/skyswept-chapter-thirteen">Chapter Thirteen</a><br>
<a href="https://steemit.com/fiction/@kaelci/skyswept-chapter-fourteen">Chapter Fourteen</a><br>
<a href="https://steemit.com/fiction/@kaelci/skyswept-chapter-fifteen">Chapter Fifteen</a><br>
<a href=https://steemit.com/fiction/@kaelci/skyswept-chapter-sixteen">Chapter Sixteen</a><br>
<a href="https://steemit.com/fiction/@kaelci/skyswept-chapter-seventeen">Chapter Seventeen</a><br>
<a href="https://steemit.com/fiction/@kaelci/skyswept-chapter-eighteen">Chapter Eighteen</a><br>
<a href="https://steemit.com/fiction/@kaelci/skyswept-chapter-nineteen">Chapter Nineteen</a>
<br></td>
<td>
<a href="https://steemit.com/fiction/@kaelci/skyswept-chapter-twenty">Chapter Twenty</a><br>
<a href="https://steemit.com/fiction/@kaelci/skyswept-chapter-twenty-one">Chapter Twenty One</a><br>
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</tr></table></p>
<p><br>
<sub>Image used for the story heading is my own painting of the rainbow skies :)</sub>
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Thank you for reading! :)<BR><BR></p>
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