[FweepFwopFwoop]

"I'm sorry, child." The vampire said. "It's for the best."
"I'm so sorry Cormac. I'm so, so sorry." Astien wept.

[Eskal]

"No," Cormac pleaded. "Please stay or, or let us come with you. You can't do this...Assistant or not I promised to protect you."
Wyn came down the stairs and gently touched Cormac shoulder. "Let him go, Cormac," she said as she blinked back tears. "If he wants to leave...We should let him."
"But... ARGH!" He spun around and decked the vampire in the face before running out of the house.
Wyn hugged Astien. "I hope you are right about this being for the best," she whispered into his ear. "I hope we meet again, when this is all over." She kissed Astien's forehead. "He loves you so much, Astien."

[FweepFwopFwoop]

"I don't really want to go, but..." Astien started, but was but off by the vampire.

"It's for the best Astien. Your compliance in this matter is not up for debate." He turned to Wyn. "Allow me to introduce myself." He bowed. "Vincent Avalon van Helson, humble servant of Siran Nymoria."

[Eskal]

"Siran?!" Wyn screeched as her face morphed from sadness to anger. "Astien! Cormac's been protecting you from him for months! Why would you do this to him?!" She smacked Astien across the face. "Why is is that you men run away when things get tough?" She glowered at Astien before turning to Vincent. She took a pin form her hair and it grew into a rapier. "As for you, Sir, I will not let you take him. Cormac has lost his family once before and I will not stand to have him go through that again."

Cormac fell from the sky and into a clearing. He couldn't see through his tears let alone fly in his emotional state. "ARGH!" He roared as he shot a fireball at the damp grass. "WHAT AM I DOING WRONG?!" He shouted at the moon. "HAVEN'T I SUFFERED ENOUGH?!" He shot a fire ball into the sky, directed at the moon. "You took my parents from me and I finally felt like I had a family again! But you can't let me be happy, can you?!"

[FweepFwopFwoop]

"You think I want to go with him?" Astien cried, but Vincent gently pulled him toward the door. "You misunderstand my purpose, young miss. I am taking Astien away because I believe he has become a danger to himself. My master can help him get better."

I'Karis stepped out of the shadows and toward Cormac. "You know who that vampire was, right?"


)off to work

[Eskal]

"I don't believe that for a second," Wyn stated as she firmly grabbed onto Astien. "Astien may be going through a rough patch, but Cormac and I will help him as a family should." She pulled Astien behind her and held her sword to Vincent's neck.

"What's it matter? Astien made his choice!" Cormac shouted angrily. "I know things have been hard and awkward with Wyn joining us, but that's no reason to run away!"

[FweepFwopFwoop]

"When you and Cormac are not around, he contemplates suicide. Every day." Vincent looked to Astien, who looked down at the ground, ashamed. "I want him to get the help he needs."

I'Karis shrugged. "If that's what you want to think, I guess that's your prerogative. Pretty sure he's not actually going by choice, though. I mean lets face it, pissing off the most powerful mage in the realm is pretty much just a bad idea all around." He leaned against a tree. "Have you ever been where Astien is? It's like fumbling around in a great darkness, occasionally seeing glimpses of light, but no matter how you reach for it, it's always just out of your grasp." His gaze shifted to his feet. "Then the darkness isn't just around you. It's inside you too. You feel it rot your heart and cloud your brain. You can't tell what's what anymore. You don't feel alive anymore. You just sort of... Exist. And you just drift wherever the outside world takes you."

[Eskal]

"I doubt you'll actually help him," Wyn retorted. She took Astien's hand while she still kept her sword to the vampire's throat. "Astien, you don't have to go through this alone. And your certainly don't have to go with him. We'll help you. Please, just stay with us." She squeezed his hand gently. "Let us help you, Astien." She glanced over her shoulder and smiled at him though the worry and fear were prevalent in her eyes there was strength and caring shining through. "I may not be able to understand exactly how you feel, but I care about you and want to help. Cormac cares about you too. You don't have to do it for us, but do it for yourself. Who knows what they'll do to you, Astien."

"What do you think I've been through all these years wandering this realm?" Cormac muttered. "There were months where I would barely eat or even move. All I wanted was to be with my mother and the feeling returned when I found out about my father. But Astien...Being with him has changed that." Cormac wiped away tears. "I pulled myself out of it. I nearly died. I want to help Astien. I need to help him, but if he wants to just hand himself over... After everything we've been through..." He shot a fireball at the grass once again. "I'm tired, I'Karis. I'm tired of running. I'm tired of being scared. I'm tired of failing." He fell to his knees and punched the ground.

[FweepFwopFwoop]

The vampire sighed. "If you must, you can come along. But Astien must come with me. This isn't about his child, though I cannot deny it's a cause for worry. This is about him getting the help he needs."

Astien's eyes were red. He didn't know what was real anymore. This was all a dream, it had to be. All of it, even his pregnancy. Soon he would wake up, he'd be back at the academy, his stomach would be flat, and he'd be told to go and conduct research somewhere. Everything had to be a dream.

I'Karis sat on the grass next to Cormac. "If you want to be with him, then why not just go ask if you can come along?" He put his arm around Cormac's shoulders. "Everything's terrible for everyone, kid. You know what Astien's going through, you've been in that dark place. But you're not there anymore. He is. Fumbling around in the dark, just looking for something, anything at all. You know how hard it is to pull yourself out of that place. Someone's going to have to pull him out of that darkness, and that's who he's going to stay with. I'm not going to lie to you. Siran? He has a mind like a maze. Maybe he was to help Astien, maybe he plans to keep him under house arrest in that manor of his. Who knows. But you're going to be a part of that or you aren't."

I'Karis looked up at the moon. "Lady Faye is an odd one. Her ideas for us don't really seem to make sense. Sometimes it feels like we're just fate's playthings. But while we all are going down different roads, they're also all the same. We can choose to, or not to do something." He stood up. "I'm choosing now to go and find someone who might be able to help. What are you going to do?"

[Eskal]

Wyn lowered her sword and turned fully to Astien. "We'll go with you, Astien." Her sword shrunk back into a pin and she placed it in her hair. "Give me time to find Cormac and pack our things."
"There's no need," Cormac said as she stepped into the house. He put his hands on Astien's shoulders and looked him in the eyes before pulling him into a firm hug. "I promised to protect you and if that means we go to Siran...So be it." He looked to Wyn who gave him a harsh look before running up to pack their things. "I won't let you go through this alone, Astien. I know how much it hurts."
Wyn came down a few minutes later with their bags packed. She glared at Vincent as she walked past him to get to the carriage. Cormac took Astien's hand and helped him into the carriage. Wyn immediately set to making a soothing brew of tea.

[FweepFwopFwoop]

It was days before they arrived at Siran's place. As it turned out, Nymoria Manor was surrounded by a natural citadel, cliffs and waterfalls creating a large circle, in which his home was located. The entrance to this citadel was a path carefully hidden behind a waterfall. The carriage could not fit, however, so they were forced to leave it, and continue of foot. Through the cave behind the waterfall, they found themselves behind another waterfall, an beyond that was the citadel interior. There were many waterfalls along the cliffs, mirroring the ones on the outside. There were trees and flowers, and herbs of all kind. It was like a small meadow, and in the center of it was a very large moat, on the land in the center of which sat the manor in all its splendor. It was certainly a sight to behold.

A small land bridge connected the manor to the rest of the garden, and on it stood a man. Siran Nymoria himself.

His skin was a deep tan, contrasting to his long, shining, silver-white hair, reaching down to just above his ankles. His clothes reflected what we would consider an Arabian origin. But most curious about this man was his ears. They were pointed, not unlike an elf's, but where an elf's ears pointed back, his pointed up, creating something of a curved teardrop shape. The only other race with similar era were the imps, but they had tails and rather... interestingly shaped legs. But lacking either of those, he was something neither Cormac nor Wyn had ever seen.

[Eskal]

Wyn leaned on Cormac, feeling exhausted from the trip. Cormac eyed the man, but said nothing.

[FweepFwopFwoop]

Siran stepped forward and approached Astien. He looked him up and down, and Astien felt himself grow hot and embarrassed. "Astien, you look terrible." He said. He turned to Vincent. "Vincent, please show Astien to his room. I'll be there to check on him." The vampire bowed, and took Astien across the bridge and inside. He turned to Wyn and Cormac. "And who might you be, who follow Astien?"

[Eskal]

"I'm Astien's assistant," Cormac stated. He motioned to Wyn. "This is Wyn, my fiancee."
"Hello," Wyn said as cheerfully as she could manage. The trip had worn on her and she felt drained suddenly. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

[FweepFwopFwoop]

Siran bowed. "Hello. I'll have Kell set you up in your rooms. Follow me." Siran led them into his manor, and the first room, the grand hall, was files with tapestries and paintings, decorated like the home of the highest nobility. The tapestries were of some unrecognizable origin. "Kell!" He called.

A human fellow came rushing out of the dining hall, tall and muscular, hair shaggy and face stubbled. He proceded to fall flat on his face, but quickly pulled himself to his feet with only some minor cursing. "Yes sir?" He asked.

"This is Cormac, and this is Wyn. Please, show them to their rooms and get them settled in."

"Will do!" Kell took their bags and led them up a grand, spiraling stairwell, and led them to a room on the second floor. "I'm Kell." He said. "Hope you like your room! I just cleaned it this morning." He opened the door, and showed them their room. As elegant and noble as the rest of the manor, the room was laden with portraits, tapestries, small golden statues on shelves, exotic flowers, and a bed large enough for several people, with clean white sheets, a soft blanket, and fluffy pillows.

Kell placed their bags on the bed, and walked back toward the door. "Let me know if you need anything, yeah?" He called over his shoulder.

[Eskal]

"We will," Wyn said as she sat on the bed.
"You look flushed, Wyn."
"I'm just tired. I'll just take a short nap." She laid down on the bed. "You should talk to Astien. You've barely spoken to each other this entire trip."
"I will. Later though."
"Cormac."
Cormac huffed. "Fine." He kissed her head before leaving the room. He asked a passing servant for directions to Astien's room and eventually found it. He gently knocked on the door after a few moments of hesitation. "Astien?"

[FweepFwopFwoop]

Inside, Siran seemed to be giving Astien an examination. "From what I can tell, your... Child, doesn't seem to be exhibiting any sort of notable irregularities, at least compared to a normal pregnancy. It isn't dead, Astien." He leaned away from Astien and sat on the side of his bed. Neither seemed to notice Cormac. "This was a mistake Astien. I-"

Astien interrupted him. "No. You listen to me, now. I'm so sick and fed up with all of this. Vincent said he brought me here so I could get medical help. That's it. I don't give a damn what you think. I don't care about anything you have to say about this that isn't related to my health."

Siran seemed a bit taken aback. He didn't really know Astien to be assertive. "What I think doesn't matter. The fact is this is probably-"

"I don't care!" Astien shouted. He clutched his belly possessively. "I don't care what you think, Siran. This is my son. Wether you want to call it a monster, or a threat, whatever! I don't care anymore! I just want my son to be healthy, and for my life to go back to normal." He teared up a bit. "I just want to stop feeling so... Miserable. I want to go back to feeling happy, and excited to be a mother." He turned back to Siran. "I'm not going to let you keep intimidating me!" He stood up from his bed, and looked at Siran. "I'm tired of all of this, this... This drama you've caused. From this moment, this very second on, I'm staying here by MY choice. When I decide this place has nothing left to offer me, I'm going to leave, and that'll be that."

[Eskal]

Cormac smiled as he saw a life in Astien's eyes that he hadn't seen in a while. "And we'll be there with you," he stated.

[FweepFwopFwoop]

Siran stood up. "I'm afraid you can't leave until I have the specifics of your current condition. Of course, I speak of your health. Vincent promised this would have nothing to do with the nature of your child, and while I do so reluctantly, I will honor that. But you can't leave until I've concluded that you're healthy. Fair enough?"

Astien sighed. "Fair enough."
Siran smiled. "Good, now please, get back in bed and rest. You still look terrible." Astien climbed back into bed, and Siran left the room, bumping into Cormac in the hall. He raised an eyebrow at him. "Eavesdropping?"

[Eskal]

"Just visiting," Cormac said simply before stepping into the room. He ran his hand through his hair as he approached Astien. After days of silence between them he felt hesitant to say anything. "Wyn would have come too, but she's really tired from the trip." He avoided eye contact though he didn't know why he did. "I...How are...Feeling any better?"