Fantasy ˡᵒᵛᵉˡʸ ˢᵉᵈᵘᶜᵗⁱᵒⁿ ⁻ ᶜˡᵒˢᵉᵈ

[Woody.]

Why was she being difficult of all times? He wanted to push her to come with him, he almost dragged her away, but he had to stay strong. IF he were to make a move now she would probably be way to suspicious. He tried to lower his voice in a more soothing tone, as if he was the one trying to tempt her away. Yet, as a human he had no power like she had. She filled his senses with warmth, everything about her made him tingle inside, and he never wanted to leave that feeling. But all these emotions swirling in him were finally taking control, he was going to do something he shouldn't be. Every creature had a right to live- it was how nature worked. Circle of life was something he took serious, and to kill a girl for living.

She murdered.

Not for food, not for survival, she killed cause Mazel had been close to his home, that was it. He had to do this for his village. Get rid of the curse that had been haunting them. Her counter offer made him weak in the knees. He could have that feeling back though, forget the world and just have her embrace him while he slept. She would stay by his side with no problem, god why was he already leaning towards her offer. The pain in his arm reminded him though of what she was, perhaps she was using her power on him again. He looked behind him- would the villagers get angry if he made them wait? He doubted it, but he just wanted to be with her for just a few more minutes? "Camilla, it's best to just leave now. They're all celebrating in townhall, and I doubt they'll leave soon" He complained, god did the hay look so nice to lay in though. He was tired still, and his arm was in pain. He had to get Camlla to them, "It'd be warmer in my home. There is a nice soft bed, a place where you and I can just finally be together. Don't you want that?" Then he pulled one last plea, "Don't you love me enough to trust me?"

 

[Syrli]

Camilla could feel the shivers going up her spine again. Something was definitely wrong, because if he still felt and thought the same of her he wouldn’t have told her no. What had they done to him? Why must these little humans always take the things that make her happy, her dreams and the people and things she loves and tear them away from her!? Everything was their fault, everything! She didn’t want to hurt anyone...it was...it was their fault too! Even Mazel’s life should burden their conscience, not hers! She would’ve never taken an innocent life willingly if it weren’t for their hate. It was their blinded hostility that had made her so scared and desperate, like a wounded animal fighting for it‘s own life.

No, she would not let them take him from her, or her from him. She would never hurt him, and if they just let her have him everything would end up good for everyone. But of course those ignorant and selfish humans could never understand that. She nearly teared up, but she couldn’t let her emotions show to Eliot. If she showed him that she realised things she really shouldn’t be able to realise, she might just prove the villagers stories. But what other options did she have? Follow him to those cruel, heartless people that were surely waiting for them?

”Eliot, what did they do to you?” She asked and stepped closer and wanted to touch him. Maybe she was in denial, and thought that a bit of warmth could mend their broken bond. “What do you think of me, and what did they say to make you think such things?“ She felt the tears burning her eyes and in the back of her throat. “Of course I trust you...just please, stay here with me.” Did she trust him? It felt like it was the complete opposite as how it usually was, the villagers had poisoned his mind but if he only let her back in everything would be perfect again and she would trust him with her life. But...was this his true, pure, unaffected mind? Did the person that she told herself were in love with her really just want to kill her? Gosh, was she just fooling herself thinking that anyone would truly love her?!

 

[Woody.]

Eliot's patience had run thin, he let out a small puff of air escape his lips. God, why on this fucking earth would you allow this woman in his life? She tormented him, clawed at his heart trying to bring him closer, and hell, he didn't fucking care if he was lulled back into the daydream with her. As long as it was with her, but why God did you make this woman a fucking monster? He had prayed in that meadow for something that would lift his life and make his life adventurous. If he had known that adventure would lead to death and a woman he so badly wanted to love. Even now, he saw the tears build up behind her eyes, did she suspect him of his plan? His hand twitched, why not grab her? take her back? Have her pay for summoning that monster and killing Mazel. His hands could be at her throat, choking her to death, should he do it himself? That nagging feeling in him told him that he should.

But was this just his heart crying out in pain for his fallen friends? Didn't he admit to himself that he believed in the circle of life? For now, he didn't know whether she knew it or not, women were emotional at times- perhaps he needed her to trust him now. Should he lie like she had lied to him? Make her believe he was still on her side. A revenge very much suited for killing those men, and betraying him most of all. He adored her, and he knew that wasn't just the fog now. He still hesitated to kill her without the fog in his head.

So he hushed her, "I believe you, my love." He pulled her close to his chest now. He held her for a moment, just cradling her trying to not make her cry. He leaned his head down on hers, and closed his eyes, "I will stay with you, Camilla. Until you're ready to go out. I want you to trust me fully, deal?" His voice was soft, like before and pulled away just a bit so he can cup her cheek and give her a kiss. He wanted her to believe him, but he enjoyed her kiss. The warmth was back and it was like he didn't know anything again, and he enjoyed that

 

[Syrli]

She buried her face against his shoulder as he pulled her in closer. Her hands grasped the fabric of the back of his shirt as her spastic, stuttering breaths made her body shudder against him. A few tears might have escaped her eyes and gotten soaked up by his shirt, but his heartbeat against hers slowly brought her breathing back to normal. She didn't trust her voice enough to speak without it cracking, so she just nodded at his suggestion.

Her eyelids sunk down along with her shoulders as she mentally dove into the kiss. His warmth and the total darkness and the gentle motions of their heads and lips felt rhythmic, like she was being lead into a slow, swaying waltz. Her mind wandered off to grand ballrooms with spinning dresses and glistening chandeliers, and in the blackness behind closed eyes and feeling Eliot's body against hers is wasn't hard to imagine herself being there.

She stood on her tiptoes and tried to lift her self higher to be able to dive in deeper. Her hands clung to her shoulders as the triple metre symphony in her head began picking up the pace. He was cradling her, and it made her feel immense relief. She had just been mistaken and delusional, so scared that she'd loose him that she had made groundless conclusions about what he was thinking. He would love her always, and she'd never let him leave.

 

[Woody.]

That feeling came back, and he wanted more. He had to try to stay strong though because he needed to punish her for what she did. His hands were already having trouble unlatching from her, didn't he just promise to stay the night? The name Camilla was all he could think of right now. The villagers were clear from his mind, the lives that had been taken disappeared, and everything was about Camilla- but not as strong as it was. He just didn't bother to fight it because he just loved how it felt. He hovered his lips over hers for a moment, should he be this close to a monster?

Now that he was actually kissing her, he couldn't sense any malicious extent. Wouldnt a monster simply find a different target if the target was too much of a hassle? With what they went through, she had stuck by his side.

Plan was in effect still, but he would enjoy her for as much as he could- take pleasure in her company and make her feel wanted. With no words needed he simply picked her up and carried her to the hay. It would be uncomfortable to lay in but they didn't need comfort. This was their last night with each other, though she didn't know that, the guilty thoughts haunted him, but would not deter him. Yet the words came out of his mouth were an accident, "I love you Camilla." Perhaps that was the first time he said it allowd without the fog, he didn't care. She'd never hear it from his lips again

 

[Syrli]

She felt weightless as he slowly lowered her down onto her back. If a gust of wind had blown by right now she might just have flown away with it, because the stack of dried straws might as well have been a deliciously fluffy cloud. "Eliot, I love you too." There was surprise in her voice, she don't think that anyone else had told her that. Maybe the other's simply haven't had the time before their time was up, but that kind of reasoning was far too logical for Camilla's current state of mind. For her, it was only more proof that they had something special, something more than just mind control, something real. He loved her not only because of the fog in his head, he actually loved her. Her hands found their way up his shirt, and they impatiently explored his sides and back, lightly trying to pull him closer against her. She simply couldn't tolerate the few inches of emptiness between them anymore, she needed to feel his breath against her neck, his hands in her hair and his hips against hers. If he still had any of those doubts left from before, they soon wouldn't matter anymore anyways. She would make sure to wipe them all away from his delicate mind.

She moved her head and tasted his skin along his jaw and down his neck. She lightly grazed the sensitive skin with the tip of her nose and lips. "Oh, please" She mumbled between her breathes. "You won't make me wait anymore, will you?" Her hands had nearly been clawing at his shoulder blades from inside of shirt, but she moved them back down to his lower back. She brought one of her hands between them and let it explore just a bit further, just a bit bolder.

She took a deep breath. There was plenty more to see, feel and taste. She was beginning to wonder if she would be able to handle it all.

 

[Woody.]

Eliot looked down at her, her hair sprawled out in the gay, those damn eyes looking up at him desiring him and only him. A woman who stayed loyal to him through all the mud they had been through. She wanted more of him, and he would gladly oblige. "I'll never make you wait again." He mumbled, and clothes went flying, hands were everywhere and the taste of her was so sweet. She was perfect for him, and they fit together like a puzzle. She was his missing piece that he had been so desperately trying to find in his life. However, with each minute that passed by he felt that hold getting deeper in his head. Like it was re-planting in him trying to make its way inside, and he couldn't fight it. He so desperately wanted to pretend that he was just distracting her, but in reality he wanted this. The villagers didn't understand the tie he had with her and how strong it was. It wasn't just the fog, it was her that made him feel this way naturally. She belonged to him, he didn't know for how long, but in the moment no one would rip them apart.

--

It was late- late morning? It couldn't be- but it was really dark outside. Time had slowed when he was with her, and sat up. They had rested their eyes after their love making. How glorious it was, and how he savored every moment of it. It mustn't have been that long because there was no one calling out his name, perhaps they had given up on him? He looked to his side, where she peacefully lay, the temptation to allow her sleep was great, but he knew he couldn't allow that. Even with all of that- he couldn't fathom she caused chaos in the village. "Camilla, we need to start moving." He tried using, "Somewhere warmer."

His mouth and hands, however, were really having a hard time trying to keep to himself. His hand was already stroking her leg and he nuzzled his face into her neck trying to get her to awaken. The villagers were probably sneaking around trying to find them. What would they think of him now? "If you get up, my love, we'll have all the time in the world to relax in my home."

 

[Syrli]

She slowly blinked awake as her sleep was broken by his light touch and soft voice. She experienced a few moments of confusion and disorientation. Something felt so strange, but she couldn’t quite put her finger on what. What could be wrong in a situation that felt so perfect? She stretched slightly before curling up closer against him, seeking his warmt and not yet quite awake enough - or willing enough - to leave this and stand up and face the cold air and harsh world. As he continued to speak with her, her head began clearing up against her will. Even though she was more or less fully awake at this point she kept her eyes closed, and pretended to still be drunk with sleep and mumbled something unintelligible, hoping that it would fool him and make him not get up from her.

Soon she realised what had felt so off as she had woken up - he was there. He hadn’t gotten this far with many of her victims, but it was at this point she found them dead. She could never really remember killing them, but there was usually enough clues left to make it painfully clear that she was infact the perpetrator. Marks on the throat, blood...She couldn’t lie about the fact that she once had enjoyed what she did, even though now when she thought back at those moment she felt sick to her stomach. But there was something inside her, something that thrived on screams and last breaths. But as she had gotten to spend more times with the humans, and heard their stories and feeling and songs, she had managed to stuff and hide it away. Well, except for Mazel. The fear of losing Eliot had triggered it from deep within her.

She couldn’t remember feeling any traces of it last night though, not even the slightest intrusive thought in her head. Unless she had forgotten it completely. What if she had tried to hurt him, but she had forgotten all about it? But in that case, he wouldn’t still act so kindly towards her, right? She opened her eyes again, and pulled herself up to a half-sit. She looked at him, and only now she saw the wound that ran along his arm. It felt like all the blood in her face dissapeared, and the ground seemed to sway for just a second beneath them. “Wha- wh...?” The only thing that came out of her mouth were sounds, not complete words. “Did I...Did I do that?“ She didn’t know how she would’ve been able too, she didn’t even have a knife. She picked up his arm to look at it closer.

 

[Woody.]

Eliot blinked, had he actually gotten her up, but when she had gotten to his arm and her worry escalated he wondered why she was so worried about a cut in his arm. Aye, it hurt and there was dried up blood around it, but he could have gotten that anywhere? "I must have gotten it when we were running from the monster." He lied through his teeth, he winced a bit as she inspected it closer, "Don't worry about it, Camilla. I'm fine." He did wonder why she thought she had done that. That haunting question, "Did I do that?" was stuck in his head, and he couldn't get it out. Perhaps she had slept with other men and had perhaps wounded them during their nights together? "You would 't never hurt me." He stated, and looked among the hay for his clothes. When he tried to stand up- he did feel his body weaken and almost collapse. God, why was he still tired? Aye, he didn't get much rest with what they did most of the time, but he was exhausted completely. His energy level dropped, and he had to gather balance on the stable wall.

"I do, however, have a headache." He admitted, at least hoping to draw her attention away from his arm, because if she were to find out- she'd most certainly try to kill him now. He had to remember Bjorn's words, that she killed the men she was with. Now that they had sex, would he be killed soon after? His heart rate went up, and he began to grow a little nervous. The high he experienced from last night was coming down and now he had to act normal. He only did it to get her to believe him, right? He had to stay strong for the village, but how could he stay strong when he just wanted to lay back down and have her coddle him, and worry about the wound? Have her whisper to him sweet nothings, while he lay with her. Yet, it was that fear of dying that had him sweating. He didn't know what she was- all he knew was that she was a monster of some sort. Would she rip out his eyes or feast on his heart? Perhaps she had casted a spell on him while they were making love? What had he done.

It was like a moment you regretted and couldn't take it back. Deep inside him, he just wanted all this pain to go away. No matter how much she tried to draw his attention towards her, now that he knew the cause of all those people's death, why would he betray them? "Perhaps, I need to go bandage it up. I have some sewing needles at my home, and possibly a remedy that could cure my headache." He laughed it off, trying hard to hide his horrifying realization that he could be standing at death's door.

 

[Syrli]

Camilla pulled her dress over her head, relieved that the wound wasn't her doing, at least. It was true what he said, she'd never hurt him. Not willingly at least. But the wound was still worrying, his skin seemed to be cut pretty deep and he seemed to sway as he stood up. She realized just how inexperienced she was in this matter - she knew a little about certain herbs, but usually her interest had been in the hurting, not the healing. Would he need to see a doctor? Would it be stupid of her to ask?

She stood up and lightly held his arm, carefully watching him and ready to support him if he needed too. He did look a little weak, maybe even sick. "You haven't eaten anything in a while, either. I'll go with you." It might be risky, but some hours had passed so she though that the level of the alertness of eventual villagers keeping a lookout for her would probably be less than before. And she really felt like she had some responsibility over Eliot's well being, she couldn't let him stumble home alone. She didn't know how to properly care for the wound, but she would try to help him with that to the best of her abilities too, if he needed her.

She lightly grazed her fingers over the wound on his arm. He didn't seem to like her looking at it, but he was hurt. She needed to make sure that he was okay. It didn't seem to be infected, and the cut was relatively clean. Lincei's claws could probably be sharp enough to cause a wound like that, but it was still strange that she hadn't noticed it until now. Had he hid it from her to not make her worry? Aw, he was almost stupidly sweet. If she had known that he was hurt, she would've taken care of him better and would have let him rest a bit more.

 

[Woody.]

Eliot stiffened up when she had gotten close to him to help him in his hurt state. He probably was hungry which could cause the lack of energy, but he couldnt be so sure. However, she was finally going to come out of the stable, it would be his chance to give her to the villagers. Perhaps be saved from her magic, and allow peace in the village. She had taken hold of him earlier in the night, it was her magic that made him so weak and give into her. He had told her that he loved her, that had to be all her, right? "I'll probably eat what's left of my bread." He stated, he almost offered him to cook for her, however, he would be rid of her soon enough. He would simply go back to living a life on his own, settle down with a woman from the village and simply forget all of this happened.

"Then we'll need to be quiet, and you have to follow close to me." He explained, and took her hand. If she had an inkling of suspicion, it could ruin the whole plan. Outside the stable he was surprised to see the moon lighting their way. There didn't seem to be villagers on the path, in fact all the lights, including the townhouse, were off. Were they tired of waiting? Did they give up on him, letting him die to the monster? His hand clutched her smaller ones as he walked towards a different home that wasn't his. He would pretend Bjorn's home was his, perhaps then Bjorn will take her back.

He tried the door handle, but it was locked.. Damn it Bjorn, Eliot had taken too long and now no one would open their doors for him? Little did he know that were simply gathering in their homes watching the two in the moonlight. Waiting for a good opportunity to snatch Camilla. Eliot just laughed, "Perhaps I lost my key. I suppose we should go back to the stable till day time." It was when he saw movement in the corner of his eyes, he saw a silver arrow shine in the moonlight. A hunter seemed to be waiting patiently, thank God someone was out here, but he would have to move a bit for the arrow to aim at Camilla. He'd soon be free.

But- it was that hesitstion to kill her that stopped him from stepping to the side to allow the hunter a better angle. "Perhaps go back to the cottage..." he said quietly, as if talking yo himself. Why was he getting cold feet now? Didn't he desire to be free?

 

[Syrli]

Camilla didn't recognize the house Eliot was approaching, but bit her tongue. She couldn't tell him about the night when she had followed him to his home without him knowing, especially not considering what happened to Mazel there that night. Maybe it was a doctor's house...As he chuckled out something about losing a key, Camilla couldn't try to ignore the fact that something was wrong anymore. There was no more excuses or explanations or eyes shutting because she didn't have the guts to look truth in the eyes. He was leading her somewhere in the village, and it wasn't his home. How...how could he....She didn't understand. She never did anything to hurt him, she was only ever kind and loving. She'd protect him with her own life, she'd be willing to risk it all for him to just stay with her and help her fulfill her dreams so they could be happy together. And...he just...Camilla felt like there wasn't really any words to describe what he was doing to her. He had just told her he loved her, they had made love...and now he was willing to give her up to them?

She awaited a wave of anger to flow over and drown her. For the monster inside to awaken and kill everything in reach. Eliot, the villagers, her hopes, her dreams. To burn this godforsaken village down and leave nothing but burning homes and corpses, to cleanse the world of these people that had hurt her so badly. But it never came. She just stood there, and stared blankly. Maybe the realisation was just too much to handle. Her arms were crossed over her chest as if she was giving herself a limp, cold hug. Her fingertips was turning white from pressing into the flesh of her arms so hard. She looked up at him. At those kind eyes and soft hair. The skin that was so filled with life and felt so nice against hers. The stubble that had tickled her neck only hours ago. The lips that had told her that he loved her.

This was doomed to happen sooner or later, she assumed. Humans would never be able to accept her, and definitely not love her. She wasn't lovable or friendly, she was a creature of the devil. Her dreams were painfully naive, but that didn't make it any easier for her to give up on them.

His eyes seemed to avoid her as he spoke. Was that guilt, on his face? And more importantly, was he telling her to flee? What gave him the right? The right to betray her completely, to only now feel his guilt? She slowly took a few steps back, away from him. She looked at him one last time, thinking of what to say. She couldn't think of anything.

She ran, but just barely had enough time to take about two steps before it struck her. Time seemed to slow down, and only one thought passed through her mind the moment it happened. It felt like lightning and thunder. First, the impact. Sudden and forceful, but not really hurting. It made her trip over her own feet and force her to slow down to a halt. Second, the pain. A few short moments later, like the rumbling thunder after the lightning strike.

She clenched her hands around the wooden stick protruding from just below her ribs, as she fell to the ground. It felt like her flesh was burning from within, and she tried to scream but the sound that came out was broken and interrupted by gasping breaths trying to gulp for air. She laid on her side and curled up her head and knees in towards the hole in her body as she continued to try to breathe. Wet, warm blood flowed down her hands and belly and soaked her dress.

 

[Woody.]

Eliot went cold. The fear that had ran through him was extreme, and he couldn't move. Everything in his head was spinning and he couldn't bring himself to look behind him. If someone could see his face, they'd find it stone-like and untwitching. A face with no emotion as it stared at the wooden door before him. The sound of a body hitting the ground made him close his eyes, and his teeth clench. Why couldn't he move? She was on the ground behind him, so why wasn't he celebrating? A figure stepped out in the shadows, then another, and then more. Then there were choruses of cheers, some embracing each other as the the first like of day began to slowly peek above the mountains. A hand placed itself on Eliot's shoulder, and he knew who had. Bjorn had laughed, "Boy, we have finally gotten the monster. Look at her laying there!"

He didn't have the guts to do so, he couldn't open his eyes even. He wanted so badly to wake up in the meadow like all of this was a bad dream, that he never brought Camilla into this. If it hadn't been for him stumbling upon her, she would most likely be frolicking among the grass and basking in the sun. "Bjorn-- why do I feel like a knife has gone through my heart." Eliot whispered, a hand clutching at his chest and Bjorn let out a sigh, "She isn't dead yet, lad. Once we finish her off you'll be over joyous. Then we can have you marry one of the women and live a long healthy life." Bjorn tried to cheer the man up, but Eliot couldn't handle the pain he was feeling, the sorrow. "Besides, Crowther's daughter has been waiting for your head to clear to bring up the topic of courting." Bjorn teased, the woman had to be the prettiest out of the lot that were unwed. Surely that would make Eliot happy. To have a woman that wouldn't try to suck the life out of him.

But Eliot hated the thought of another woman, she wouldn't have Camilla's smile, her laugh, or her ability to love unconditionally. He was a smith, he made good coin, he would be a fine man to settle with if you were a woman. But Camilla didn't give two shits who he had been, why had he doubted her? Because he was afraid to die, and with know he could potentially die in her presence had caused him to think irrationally and defensively. When he turned his head to finally look, she had been gasping in pain. Her body curled trying to rid herself of the pain, and just the look of her had made him react. "Stop, please stop." He moved to help her, to remove the pain he had caused, but Bjorn simply held the man back. Eliot was too weak with sorrow to fight properly, "Please, help her. S-She didn't do anything wrong-" He didn't want to think of her hurting anyone or even Mazel. He only saw her as Camilla, the woman who simply allowed him to rest on her shoulder and talk with him.

John came into view, had he been the one to shoot? He hovered over Camilla's writhing body, and that smile that held so much hate for this creature. He wanted her to suffer for what she had done to everyone in the village and for those men who had died at her feet before. This monster had haunted the village for too long, and now John was gonna be able to avenge the fallen men- but he wanted her death to be long and painful. "Don't fucking touch her." Eliot cried out and pushed and tried his best to punch Bjorn, but in his weaken state, he was easily thwarted. "Come, you don't need to see this, boy." Bjorn shoved Eliot away, getting him away from the scene, "Camilla, please. I'm sorry!" Eliot begged and cried. Bjorn unfortunately shoved him away from the area to get him back into Bjorn's home where the man could mourn until her death. And if she died, Bjorn believed Eliot would revert back to normal and the magic dissipate into thin air.
-
John looked at the woman, her face twisted in pain and he enjoyed every fucking second of it. Mazel's father was a good friend to John, and seeing his dear friend in pain had been tormenting. The stories of men disappearing into the woods and never returning were very real and the men that he lost the day before were going to be avenged. John didn't want her to die quite yet, and he would simply enjoy it a little longer. For now, he would stash her away into a cell and let the tormenting begin. She wouldn't last long, the arrow wedged into her was pure silver and she already looked like she was suffering, "You and I will be having one last bit of fun." John hissed, as he crouched near her. A cell would be ready for her, and with Eliot being escorted away, John would have all the time in the world to enjoy this moment.

 

[Syrli]

She felt the presence of someone hovering around her like a vulture circling a dead animal. She wasn't sure who it was, her eyes where shut tight, and even if she tried to open them her vision was blurred by tears and pain. There were also sounds, and they felt loud but still distant at the same time. They melted together into an unintelligible mass of voices without a source. Maybe they were just in her head. The figured crouched closer to her, and while his features were still very much blurred, she thought that it was a person she recognized. "...Eliot?" Her voice was weak as she tried to reach out her hand towards him, and she wasn't sure that anyone else had heard what she tried to say, as it easily could've sounded like just another whimper. The sound of his voice hissing near her ear made it clear that it wasn't him. Had he left her? Was he celebrating?

The man placed a boot on her shoulder and shoved her over so that she laid on her back. The feathered arrow raised and sunk along with her heaving chest. This is it, she thought as she awaited the final blow. She wondered for a moment where they would strike. Her heart? Slitting her throat might also be fit for the occasion, taking revenge by taking her life the same way Camilla had taken Mazel's. An eye for an eye. Her body didn't seem to be able to accept death yet, there was probably some deeply rooted instinct that forced her to try to fight it. Her hands tried to find grip on the ground and she searched for strength to pull herself up, but she didn't get far before she felt the man take a grip around the arrow. He yanked it out of her flesh without hesitation, and the sudden pain made her yelp and drop back onto the ground. Her hands desperately held the wound, trying to make the pain and bleeding stop. Why did they take it out? She wasn't dead yet. Her heart pounding in her ears, drowning out all other sounds, made her sure of that. She wouldn't die from just the bleeding, the silver needed to poison her veins until the last breath. At this point, she would probably be begging for it if she had the voice.

The man was still there, just looking at her. She stretched out his arm towards him, she wanted to claw at his throat but the only thing she could get a hold of was the fabric of his shirt, and her grip was so weak that it nearly slipped out of her hand, but she held on. Soon more silhouettes gathered around her, and someone pressed up something against the wound on her stomach. She looked down too see some sort of cloth that was quickly beginning to turn red. Where they trying to stop the bleeding? Why? As the crowd came closer she tried to kick and claw at them, but her attempts were futile. Every movement caused another stab of pain, and soon she felt hands on her shoulders lifting her from the ground. They seemed to ignore her vocal expressions of agony as they moved her body.

---

She must've passed out at some point, because now as her eyes slowly opened she was on a cold stone floor, somewhere. As she remembered the events that happened before, she jerked upright, but was quickly remained of her wound as the pain stopped her midway and took her breath away. She felt it with her hands that were still stained red, but the wound felt dry. A new piece of cloth was wrapped tightly around her stomach, but it still hurt too much to be able to move properly, and the blood loss definitely had taken it's toll too. She tried again too, this time very slowly, push herself up from the floor. Her arms shook as it took most of her strength to do so, but she managed to sit up at least somewhat straight while supporting herself against the wall.

 

[Woody.]

Bjorn had settled the maniac man on the chair in his home. Eliot's eyes were blank and his face white as snow. The man was shivering for some damn reason, and he kept begging to talk to Camilla. All Bjorn could say was, "She's dead." Which would only make Eliot's manic state worsen. The man was deep under her spell if he was acting like this and Bjorn couldn't allow that to happen, he had to force Eliot to drink water. He would only spit it out and snap at the man, "She's alive, isn't she?" Bjorn didn't know, he would have hoped she died to help this poor boy, "She'll be dead within minutes." Was the answer he gave him. Whatever this woman did to Eliot, she had him on the ropes, and every word that came out of his mouth was something about her. Even when she wasn't near the poor man was still thinking about her. Bjorn only thought of it as dark magic, and for the time being had to knock him out and put him on the bed.

--

John watched her for a long time, he had made sure the doctor had saved her from her wound. He wanted her alive. Perhaps it was a bad idea to keep her alive, because anything could happen, but John wanted to make sure she screamed and begged for mercy. Perhaps Mazel begged her to stop? When she had stumbled up, he had opened the steal doors and closed it shut behind him. On his belt were several tools, such as silver shackles and and knives. He wanted to make sure that every pain she felt was remembered before she fucking died. "Hey there, little miss." HE stated, his voice dripping with venom, "I see you're awake and alive." He examined her figure and did understand why Eliot had been so enchanted by her, but he wouldn't be fooled. He knew too much and expected her to use her tricks. She was certainly weak, which would make it easy for him to play around with her. "You and I are gonna have a bit of fun while we're down here. Little Eliot will be free soon, but he can wait a little long. Do tell me when were you planning on killing him? We told him it would be soon, but we didn't know an exact date." He teased, as he spun the cuffs around on his finger.

"How long do men usually survive around you, anyways? Do you just kill them when you have sex, you whore?" Before he let her answer, he wrapped a silver chain around his knuckles and gave her a good punch to the wound she had just received, "Cause since you both probably had sex, which was why he took so fucking long, perhaps you were going to take his heart out and eat it."

--

Eliot had been knocked out, however, it didn't take long for him to recover. His eyes were heavy, and tried his best to sit up. Flashes of what happened played through his head, and he clutched his head to get rid of them. His Camilla crying in pain as he betrayed them, why did he do that? Why was he so stupid in giving her up? He would have died for her if he wasn't so scared. Bjorn wasn't aware of his awakening, his back turned as he was warming food on the fire. Eliot looked at the man, then at the door. She had to be alive right? Bjorn was lying to him. "Don't bother, kid." Bjorn interrupted his escape thoughts, "You won't be able to get to her."

"So she is alive." Eliot said coldly, trying to test his balance by standing. His legs were still shaking And he snapped at Bjorn, "You drugged me." Bjorn didnt deny it either, as he scooped soup from the cauldron. "You were being delusional, I had to do something." Eliot tries standing up, but it was no use, "Take me to her, you bastard. " The man simply ignored the command and went over to set the bowl on the stand next to Eliot. The look in his eyes told Eliot that he'd be no help and he needed answers, "I made a mistake Bjorn, I can't leave her to die, I just can't. I love-"

"Don't say that Eliot." Bjorn interupted, and pulled up a stool to sit in front of Eliot, "Look, you have been exposed to a woman who intices her victims into this delusion. She has lied about everything she is, and has kept so many things from you. Why would you love her?" Eliot gritted his teeth trying to find words to argue, but Bjorn continued, "The only things you know about her, are things that would entice a man like you. Eliot, just let us help you."

Eliot looked at him, he wanted to believe Bjorn, but he knew that it was his fault that Camilla was getting hurt and all of this happened to the village. If he hadn't found her, none of this would have happened. Camilla, oh sweet Camilla... she wouldn't have been exposed to the village. But then we wouldn't have met her, or had fallen in love The voice in his head told him

 

[Syrli]

Camilla wanted to curl up into a small ball and disappear, but in the dark room there wasn't anywhere to hide. She forced herself to meet his eyes, trying to radiate confidence and strength even though she recognized his voice and the memories of the arrow being brutally pulled from her insides made her shiver. "You don't need to torture me...I'll admit everything." Because...why not? She had not more left too loose, and she'd much rather just have it end as soon as possible instead of suffering through a few more hours. The man in front of her seemed to go in and out of focus, but judging by the glimpses of his face and the tone in his voice she realized that he had no intention of giving her the mercy of death so easily. "You're a sick bastard." She growled under her breath as she tried to steady her slightly swaying upper body. How dared they call her the monster if this was this man's idea of fun? "Eliot is already free, you managed to steal him away from me, the bond is completely severed. What more do you want?" Apparently they believed that they needed to kill her to free Eliot, but that wasn't the case. If her powers even had the slightest influence left over him he never would've decided to hurt her. Something they told him must've shocked him so greatly that he broke away, and that bond could probably never be restored even if she managed to break out from here.

He asked when she was planning on killing him, and the truth was never. But...some part of her felt like she shouldn't tell him that. She was beginning to come to terms with that these would be the final moments of her life, and despite everything Eliot had done to her...Well, since she'd never get out of here anyways it didn't really matter. She might as well try to save him some trouble, or sorrow. If she told the truth they might suspect that Eliot was working with her somehow, betraying his brethren. And if she admitted to wanting to kill him, he would probably hear the news sooner or later. And if he did have even just a slight spark of regret in him someone, she might be able to spare him of that, if he thought she really wanted to take his life. So she remained quiet, but to John it must've seemed obvious that her silence confirmed his accusations. She looked down on the floor as she heard him chuckle.

But when he began spitting insults at her, she knitted her eyebrows and closed her eyes as if she were trying to shut the sound of his voice out. The punch to her gut forced them open again however, and the sudden blow made her create a sound that seemed to be a mix of a cough and a whimper. He didn't remove his fist though, but instead kept pressing it towards her wound. Even through the fabric she could feel the silver, as if it was metal straight from the fire that was being pushed against her bare skin. She could feel warmth spreading from his fist, and she knew without looking that the strike had opened the wound again. She cried out from the intense sting of the silver, and wrapped her hands around his wrist in a fruitless attempt to try to pull it away. "I asked you a question. Answer me, bitch." Camilla tried to breathe through the pain, but her anger fueled her enough to be able to swing her hand up and grab him by the collar. She pulled his face closed to hers and her eyes rolled back into her head as she hissed at him in a forgotten language. Her words were strained and slow, so she didn't have time to finish it before he pulled away from her, making her let out a sigh of relief as the pain from the silver subsided into a throbbing ache. Her chest slumped down over her knees as her hands held her stomach.

"What the fuck was that!? Tell me, you ungodly beast!" Although his voice was still dripping with hate and threat, she could tell that he was also frightened. He had backed up a few steps away from her. The curse wasn't finished, so it wouldn't have any effect. But he wouldn't know that. "A curse of sickness." She looked up at him. "It will torment you and your sons and their sons. If your bloodline will last that long, that is." He looked down on her as if she was the incarnation of evil itself, and the horror on his face brought her some kind of enjoyment, at least. The curse was so long that it would've taken her multiple minutes to finish it completely, so she had basically done it just to scare him. "You must undo it. Now!" She shook her head. It wouldn't stop the torture even if she did.

---

Lincei made his way through the village as fast as he could, following her scent. He was moving as a human, his wounded shoulder made him too slow in his cat form. He had debated with himself for a long time whether he should go after her, as he had felt the spark of her presence quickly fading. Now he could only feel a small glimpse of her left, and he wasn't really sure if it meant life or just an empty body. It wasn't because he cared much about her life that he had finally decided to try to find her. He definitely didn't love her, nor see her as a sister. She was...more like a pet that just seemed to be hanging around wherever he was. And not a nice, friendly pet like a dog or a horse either. More like a rat, that you had gotten so used to running around your floors that you eventually just gave it a name and accepted it as a roommate. Okay, fine, he might be able to stretch it out as far as to say that they were friends, but they definitely weren't on the best of terms. However, even if it would be her fault if they had killed her, he at least owed her getting her body. She had only ever wanted peace, and without the proper ceremony her soul would be stuck in a state of unrest forever.

He reached a street, and her scent here was overwhelming, and spread out in every direction. It made it impossible to figure out where the trail continued. Her spark seemed to come from underground, though. He noticed something else in the collection of smells, something that he recognized. It was that human. He had killed her, so he must know where they had taken her. He followed his scent to the door of a nearby house. There were three people inside, and no one of them was Camilla. He knocked on the door impatiently, and as it began to open he tackled it inwards so that it hit the person behind it in the head. Bjorn collapsed on the floor, and Lincei immediately located Eliot. He charged towards him and pushed his back down onto the dining table and pinned his throat to it. A woman's scream alerted him, and he looked up to find the lady who had came rushing down the stairs. "Oh, please. Just be thankful that I spared your husband's pathetic life, and shut up." He turned his attention back to Elliot, looking at him intensely with his yellow eyes and needle-thin pupils. If only he had killed this man before, than he wouldn't have to go though all this trouble. He wouldn't kill him now though, he needed him to find her. He would dispose of him later. "Where is she?"

 

[Woody.]

John was frightened, but not so for himself. His bloodline was important, he had almost died out there with the beastly creature. It was more important to him than breathing air, and if he had to kill this bitch to rid himself of the fucking curse he would. He hesitated, she may have cursed him of illness, but he could feel like he could still at least move. If he was cursed, then he would end her no matter what. Torture her enough to release him of this curse, this wasn't for Eliot. This was for his own pride, he had hesitated to kill her up by the cottage, but he'd never make that mistake again. The scars over his body and his eye were proof of his hatred for every creature in the world. He looked for other torture methods he could use, painful and slow. A curse on him meant that she could only reverse it, and if he could cause her more pain she would eventually give it up.

Lifting a knife up, he produced a vile. A vile of silver and he'd put much more silver inside her body than they did to Eliot. After all, she was creature. "If you don't release me, bitch." HE threatened, "I'll make sure you don't die, and you're given a dose of silver. Enough to keep you alive, but enough to cause you unbelievable pain." When he reached back towards her, he was a desperate man. He had to pin her to the ground, his body pratically shoved at the woman. His goal was her arm, right were Eliot had been stabbed. Instead of a small dose of silver, he'd give her a whole vile. The knife cut through her arm, more jagged and much longer than Eliot's was. The silver knife probably caused much more pain as well as it dug in her flawless skin. He almost dropped the vile, but he managed to pop the lid of with his mouth, and quickly dump it into her bleeding wound. "I don't know about you, but I'm going to enjoy every second of your pain. If you'll release my curse perhaps I'll show you mercy."
-

Eliot had been surprised, honestly. The fact a man came barging into the home, not to cause wreck to Bjorn, but to pin Eliot down was something he didn't expect. No one would have done that to Eliot in a life time, but this man who glared at him from above. Those familiar cat like eyes made a bulb finally light up in Eliots head, the eyes that had belonged to the cat in the cottage, the very same eyes that had hunted the men down in the fucking forest. He couldn't really prove it, but if his theory was right, this was the monster in that very same forest disguised as a human. When he had demanded to know where she was, he just knew. He coughed a bit, and looked at him with not much emotion. The only emotion he held was sorrow for Camilla, anything else wouldn't interfere with that. What he had done was unforgivable, and though all his inner thoughts told him that, she lied to you. she murdered. she tormented you. He just couldn't let it rest, Camilla needed to tell him the truth to his face. It was that dying question he just wanted to ask her that would put him at rest. To simply put it, he didn't want her dead yet until his question was answered.

"I don't know." He stated simply. He should have been angry at this creature for causing his brethren to die yesterday, throw insults and claw at this man for causing this mess as well. It wasn't Camilla that had killed those men, it was this thing. Camilla had murdered Mazel, lied to Eliot, and in his head all he could think about was the fact she probably wanted to kill him. "But if you can find her I'd be very appreciative." The man, creature, thing, glared at him and he felt a cold shiver run down his spine, It was as if this animal would kill him if he said the wrong thing, did he wanna try to test that theory out. The creature pressed onto his neck and he let out a choke, perhaps this creature was her lover too. Her true lover. They'd bait men to their cottage to feast on men and Eliot was just a victim. Just the thought had brought his anger out, he was overthinking it, but he didn't know what to believe anymore. "If you let me go, perhaps I can help you find her. She must be around here somewhere-" His hope for her being alive was extreme. Even though Bjorn explained that she was, he just couldn't believe it. He didn't have a connection to rely on, the only place he could think of was the old bunker where soldiers were once stationed. That may have a place to hold her, and he didn't want to tell him unless he tagged along, "I may have an idea where she is, just allow me to go with you."

Why would he ally himelf with a creature that murdered? Perhaps the monster would just torture the information out of him. He couldn't die yet, and he wouldn't.

 

[Syrli]

Lincei got the impression that the man in his grip was broken, somehow. If it was something Camilla had done to him, he didn't know, but he was in a weakened state and didn't feel like a threat. His grip got noticeably looser. The small lady was crouching over the man on the floor, gently holding his head in his lap and nervously glancing at the two men that had caused chaos in her living room. At least she had gotten the hint, and kept quiet. He didn't really worry about getting the attention of more humans, he could handle them even if wounded. The sound of crying was just so loud and annoying, it gave him a headache. "She's underground somewhere, deeper than a regular basement. Does that ring any bells?" He couldn't tell if he was bluffing or not, his blank expression could mean anything. He was sure that he wouldn't be able to do any harm, however, so he released him. He stretched out his wounded shoulder by spinning his arm as he straightened himself up. His joints cracked audibly, and his bony fingers gently massaged his tense shoulder. "Go on, feel free to lead the way. What are you waiting for?" As they existed the house he flashed a smile towards the woman on the floor. She flinched away from him. "Geez, so much for trying to be polite..." He mumbled to himself.

--

Camilla quickly regretted her trick, as she realized that this man was truly mad. He had pinned her to the floor with his boot nearly crushing her arm as his knee pushed down on her throat. With one hand he held down the wrist of her other arm, and in the other he held a knife. She tried to scream for him to stop, but he quickly turned her crying into her trying to gasp for air by applying more pressure onto her throat. Tears were streaming down her face as she felt the edge of the knife grasped her skin. When he cut, it felt like his hand was shaking, and she tried to wail. She heard the sound of the bottle popping open, and she actually thought she could hear sizzling as the silver was poured into the wound. It felt like it would burn through her flesh and bone, all the way out on the other side of her arm. The room slowly faded into blurriness again, and her heartbeat drowned out all other sounds. She could vaguely her the sound of her own voice, but it sounded kind of like it came from the room next door. "Pl-please! Please...I...I...I lied! I couldn't finish the curse, it's...Oh, god, just please get it off me. I beg of you, please..." Her voice was jagged and breathy, and she could feel her consciousness beginning to slip away. She desperately tried to make eye contact with him even though she couldn't clearly see his face, although she highly doubted that her powers would have even the slightest effect in a weakened state like this.

--

As Lincei and Eliot arrived to the entrance to the bunkers, he could identify her smell more clearly, and the presence of her spark was closer. Hopefully they hadn't buried or burned her yet, since that would make collecting the body so much more difficult than it had to be. "She's down there. Well, either her or her corpse, anyways. Her presence is too faint for me to tell." Why did he bother making small talk with him? He could really just get rid of him right now, he had gotten the help he needed. But who knew, maybe he could be useful for something. A distraction or bait if there was any guards, maybe. They made their way inside, and the place was pretty much abandoned except for a few folks that Lincei could handle. He lead them deeper down through the corridors, following her scent. Could she really be alive still?

 

[Woody.]

The bunker was cold and dark. A constant reminder of soldiers from awhile ago, and Eliot hated to think she was in it. For all he knew, she could really be dead and her body laid out on the floor. Lincei had been the kind of cover, Eliot needed because with his senses he told Eliot that she was at least here. He was right about something at least. The corpse part bothered him a little though, why would the villagers put her corpse here and not in a ditch far away from the village? Lincei would be good to take out any people in there, Eliot had been unable to perform like he wanted, and his pride was hurt cause of that. It was when he heard the screaming did Eliot freeze, the sound was pure pain. Whoever the fuck was doing that to Camilla sure as hell will have to face Eliot's wrath, the man still needed questions answered, and he needed to atone for at least his one sin.

-

John had made sure to pour as much onto her wound as possible, god he loved silver. The one useful thing at the moment, and he kept her pinned to make sure she didn't try to drain the silver from entering her body. When she had admitted it to being false, his anger worsened. The bitch would threaten him? Of course she was the monster, not John. She had been the one to torment the village for centuries by taking away their boys and sons. There would be constant hate between her and the villagers and John didn't mind it. Because after today, she'd no longer be alive. "That was fucking stupid, girly." He growled and grabbed at her hair and sneered, "I'll see you in hell another time," He brought the knife up to her throat, just as the door opened to reveal Eliot and Lincei. The look on Eliot's face made John freeze for a moment, the man looked deadly and though he looked a bit ill from all of this, he knew he was screwed. Immediately he held the knife to he throat and threatened, "Eliot, back the fuck up."

Eliot saw her alive, perhaps weak and there was blood, but she was alive. She had been whimpering and her screams would be a constant reminder of his sin. Eliot had been able to weave his way through the bunker and her screams helped him to find her. Seeing her on the brink of deaths door had caused his insides to twist, her beautiful face twisted in pain. All he wanted to do was cuddle her close and keep her safe, how could he do that if he barely could fight? He'd try his best though and he demanded, "John, just give her back to me, please. She'll leave if you do. Don't be a murderer."

"Like her?" John accused pressing the knife closer to her neck, her skin hissing as it met the silver blade, "Why should we let a monster go? Mazel like family to all of us." The man was desperate to rid them of the monster, but he knew that he'd die when he did. The man next to Eliot looked like he meant business. "She has you under her spell Eliot. Let's end her together. She's made you miserable."

That wasn't true. She made him happy, and every moment they were together wasn't anything to be feared. Even if he were to die next to her, he would accept that. He was the fool for giving her up so easily, he was just so scared.

"She doesn't." Eliot stated, "I don't love her anymore. This is for your sake John. If you don't let her go, this man here will kill you." He pointed to Lencei, and he looked at Camilla. Her pained expression was still there, and when he saw the silver burning her skin he couldn't hide the fact she wasn't human. Mazel was a kind woman who cared for everyone, what happened to her was a tragedy, and to make Camilla pay for her sin was to get her to leave her own home. Leave the place she had once adored, and get her away from the forest. Killing Camilla was pointless because Mazel would have been too sweet to hold a grudge. "If you were to be free, Camilla. You'd leave this place right? Not back to your cottage, but far away. Where you can hurt no one, right?" John held her tight, not liking that idea. He wanted to kill her so badly, but if he wanted his life- he had to see if there were options they can come to.

 

[Syrli]

Camillas body was forcefully pulled up by her hair. The room was spinning around her. She suddenly felt the sting of silver against her throat, and John was talking to someone, but all the voices seemed so distant and she had a hard time being able to figure out the words. She opened her eyes, and her vision faded in and out along with the rhythm of her heartbeat. Eliot and Lincei? Oh no. She didn’t want them to be her, and she didn’t want Lincei to hurt him. She didn’t know if she would ever be able to look into his eyes again, after he realised what she was and all her lies...She wouldn’t be able to handle it.

He wanted her to leave, not just the village but the forest also. She had never tried, but she knew it was impossible. She was it’s guardian, and like the trees that stood in it you couldn’t just pull her up by the roots. Warm blood trailed down her arm and wrist, out along her fingers and dripped from her fingertips, down to a small puddle that was growing beneath her hanging hand. She closed her eyes, pushing a few burning tears rolling down her skin and turned her face towards John. “Do it, please.” She sobbed, barely loud enough for even him to hear. All tha tshe had left was the shards of her broken dreams, and they hurt too much to hold onto.

Lincei looked at the scene in front of him. It didn’t disturb him much, he had admittedly probably done worse things himself, but the look of the various silver tools and weapons made him shiver. He cautiously stood back, not knowing how he would intervene or if it was even worth it.

 

[Woody.]

John looked at Camilla in a panic, then towards Eliot, "She is the devil, why- "

"Did I not tell you, that I don't love her. I want her gone just as much as you John. If you kill her, she'll be at peace. Do you want her to be at peace?" Eliot had his back straight, and he opened and closed his palm. He at least was getting better movement of his body, "Look, I would like to help you get rid of her. After all, she was the one who put a curse on this village and all the bad luck that has happened. It was me that was enchanted, let me punish her." John looked up, the suspicion in his eyes, he was no idiot. He caressed the knife on her neck a little longer, he didn't want to die, but he did want this whore gone. John wouldn't be easy to trick, it was when Eliot moved forward did John get defensive and when Eliot hesitated, John grinned.

"Tsk, tsk." He teased, "Any closer and she will die." Even if Camilla was asking John to do it, Eliot shot daggers at her. Truly, there was more to life than fucking giving up. "I'm just wanting a chance to hurt her like she hurt me."

John shook his head, and said, "How about you just leave, and allow me and sweet camilla some time alone." He hated the name on John's lips. Eliot should have been the only one to call her that name, and just hearing it from others made it sound wrong. That name didn't belong on their filthy tongues. Instead of trying to reason with him, he'd simply have to give him a wake up call, "Hand her over John, or you'll be dying today. We'll let you walk out and you can see Laura and your kid. You don't need to gain revenge for all of them, let me do it for you." John hesitated when his wife's name was brought up. John was a family man, well before he got fucked up, but he loved them. Eliot had taken a few more steps closer, he had to be careful with a man set on revenge. "She didn't kill those men- he did." Deciding to use the man next to him, the creature that hid under human flesh. In all honesty, he was assuming the man was the monster. After all, those cat like eyes weren't fooling him. John snorted in disbelief, "She just killed Mazel." Eliot whispered with a plea. Another step forward and he was getting closer, "She's not the monster you want to kill."

John's hate for what happened to his eye and his friends seemed to be more important than Camilla, "He's human."

"Well, she isn't and she looks human, don't she?" Eliot kept distracting, while John's eyes locked on Lincei as if he were sizing up the man. His eyes were an unnatural color, and he has this wave of intimidation that John didn't like. Perhaps he was thinking of testing the man to see if he really was a monster. "Then why are you with him, Eliot." John's question was valid, and Eliot didn't have an answer he needed Lincei to at least help in finding her.

Lencei casually looked at Eliot with slow blinking eyes. Was this human stupid? Perhaps, the look of him trying to put the blame on him was funny. He had no evidence that Lencei was the monster, but the look in Eliot's eyes told him that he sure as hell believed it could be. "Ya, I'm the big monster." He snorted finally, and flashed him his pearly fangs at John in a grin, "I do have to warn you though, I do bite."

Eliot was grateful for the fucker who had so rudely pinned him to the table ealier. His attitude was almost like a god-complex, but he couldn't complain about that now. John had stepped back in fright when he saw sharp teeth in the man's mouth. That gave Eliot the ability to close the distance as John's focus was now on the man who had supposedly killed his friends. It was believable due to Camilla's small stature and this man's lanky body. Lencei took one step and John was already shaking and shoving the already weaken girl to the side, seeing this man now made John more worried for his life than killing Camilla at the moment. The knife in his hand would probably be the only barrier between Lencei and John either way.

Eliot could give two shits about John and Lencei behind him, he needed to get to Camilla. He slid on the ground as her body hit the concrete the sound of John trying to find a good stance to wait for Lencei's attack, who simply had just taken one step, and probably wasn't going to attack unless provoked.

"Camilla?" Eliot spoke as he tried to life Camilla up from the ground while he knelt down. She was injured, the wound on her arm matched his and he was worried the silver water that had entered him today had gotten into her as well. He could only assume how much pain she was in. "Camilla, darling. I need you to at least stay awake, can you do that?" She couldn't die yet, not until he got answers that he wanted from her.

 

[Syrli]

Lincei rolled his eyes. The whole scene was just so melodramatic, and honestly he'd much rather just watch them all kill each other. Camilla's body was good enough for him, he didn't owe her anything more than that. But if Elliot thought that he would just let him walk away with her, he was gravely mistaken. And now he had just taken a single step against this man and he was already shaking like a leaf, and pointing that blade towards him. He chuckled to himself and looked up towards the ceiling. It wasn't really meant to mock the man in front him, he was just laughing at the ridiculousness of the situation. Why would anyone want to get involved with the humans and their business, when they literally acted like this? And could someone please tell him when he signed up to be a babysitter? Not only for Camilla but especially for Eliot, that had so easily decided to throw him under the bus even though he never would've had a chance of finding her if it wasn't for him.

The man just still stood and held that knife towards him like it was a sword. He was doing some laughable wide stance pose and was holding his arms out like he thought he was some kind of bird. "Please, go ahead. I'd rather just get this over with. To be honest, every second you wait you're just making a bigger embarrassment of yourself. Really, if you worry about your honor, have mercy on yourself and don't just stand there looking like a - Oh, well. Here we go then." The man must've grown annoyed by his speech and didn't even have the manners to let him finish. It truly showed how barbaric these humans were. Well anyways, here he came charging towards Lincei, which at least was a fairly honorable attempt. Maybe not that clever, but he couldn't hold such a simple mind up to very high standards. Lincei simply stepped away from his raging path, and as he had just stumbled passed him, Lincei took hold of his arm and spun him around to redirect his forward momentum and hurled him into the stone wall. The man tumbled onto the floor, and Lincei was quick to straddle him. His main concern was the knife, that luckliy had a wooden handle. He pryed it out of his hands and held it up with just the tip of his fingers. He grimaced before throwing it away.

He looked at the man beneath him who was clearly a bit dazed. "You know, I'm actually considering not ending you life. How generous of me! I've actually spared, like what, three lives today already?" He looked over to Eliot, as if he would testify that he had indeed not killed all of the guards on their way down here, but he seemed to be preoccupied with Camilla. He shook his head and sighed. "Well, anyways." He turned back to John and leaned in closer, studying his face. "I assume it could have to do with the fact that you're actually quite handsome, for a human. And the world surely needs all the beauty it can get." He laughed maniacally at the look on John's face.

--

Camilla flinched as she felt hands lifting her up again. She pulled her shoulders up to her ears and tried to turn away. At the sound of his voice she slowly opened her eyes and realized that it was indeed Eliot, but it didn't do much to calm her down. She was hyperventilating and a tingling numbness was spreading from her fingers. She had heard the things he said about her and the things he wanted to do to her, at least bit and pieces of it, but it was more than enough. She tried to roll away so that she could lay on the floor with her back against him, curled up and clawing at her skin, but he held her closely. "I-I'm sorry...I'm s-sorry..." She whimpered between breaths, but her voice was barely clear or strong enough to be heard.

 

[Woody.]

John has been beaten with no effort on the monster's part. His mocking remarks and caused John embarrassed and furry. He wanted to dig that knife so badly into his neck and finish this. If only he wasnt a fool and let Camilla go, "Bastard. " he hissed, and Lincei simply rolled his eyes and yawned like he was bored, "Beat it, human before I take your other eye." Watching John scramble to his feet was funny enough, but really it was pathetic. Humans were unsuited to live on their own, without an army the wouldnt be able to stop Lencei. He was pretty sure that was the human that had shot him in the shoulder. Damn, he should have wrecked his arm for that. Looking towards Eliot, Lincei's fun would shortly come to an end.

Eliot had tried to cover the wounds, but that wouldn't stop the silver from burning her. Her words were inaudible which made him worry. Though she fought against him to get away, he would stubbornly hold her close. "Shh." He tried comforting her, "He's gone, we can go home-."

"We?" Lincei interrupted. His body hovering over the two. Watching Eliot coddle the person he betrayed was what really set Lincei off. Don't get him wrong, he was just here for the body and if she were alive, that would be a bonus. Humans who were two face liars were the worst of the worst. The man had pratically worshiped her on her feet and he simply gave her up. "I believe I'll be taking her back." Eliot opened his mouth to argue, but Lincei had one more threat for the day. This threat would be real if he really broke it, "If you even think about coming into the forest again, I'll be the one who rips out every bone in your body to make a home for the faeries, drain your blood on the forest floor to give the trees nutrition, and feed your organs to the goblins. Got it?" There was a stare off, but Eliot knew he didn't have a choice. Camilla was too much in pain and Eliot had no way of healing her.

"Will you at least help her?" Eliot begged, as if Lincei had to do anything thd human said, "dont just take a corpse back. " Lincei shrugged and knelt down to take Camilla into his arms. He winced as some of the silver water dropped on his arm, "if she lives she lives." Abd walked towards the cell door. Eliot quickly stood to follow, "that doesn't answer my question, you fuck." His brown furrowed and almost go to the door before Lincie shut the cell door shut. The click to lock and they stared at each other for a moment before Lincei said, "Camilla should have never fallen in love with you." And walked away to let Eliot suffer in there.

 

[Syrli]

Lincei way stumbling in exhaustion by the point that they returned into the forest. Carrying her strained his hurt shoulder, and she was dripping of blood contaminated by silver. She was still alive, but unconscious. He felt like something was off just by sensing the air. The forest was weakened, missing it's protector and caregiver. Mourning her? He wondered what would happen to it if she died. What would happen to him, and all of the lives in it? The creatures of the forest that he protected couldn't survive without their home, just as the forest wouldn't survive without birds spreading the seeds of the trees and worms turning carcasses into fertile soil. He had planned to take her back into the circles, maybe the spiritual powers there could heal her, but he didn't have any strength left. He fell down to his knees and laid her body down into the grass. The wind picked up around them, and it was howling in his ears, as if the forest was screaming at him. "Yes, I know, I know!" He shouted out at the swinging treetops. "I should've brought her back earlier, I should've killed him when I had the chance before, but I can't change what has already happened!" The screaming did not subside. "Tell me what I need to do to save her then! There must be some way, right?"

As Lincei awaited an answer, some kind of guidance, he could feel a strange shift in energy. He shivered, and pearls of cold sweat collected on his forehead. He pulled himself up and backed up from her body. He noticed movement coming from the ground around her, and soon after tree roots of different sizes sprouted from the earth and bent over her, locking her in a dome of intertwined wood. He tried to tug his way through them, but they wouldn't budge. "NO! No, you idiotic trees! She's not dead yet, I can still sense life in her!" He kept on trying to pry a bigger gap between the roots, but suddenly he noticed the winds stopping, and inside the dome he could see the grass withering around her. It spread out from her body like a growing grey circle, and the roots surrounding her began losing color and shrinking too. He stumbled backwards and tripped over a rock, but kept shuffling away from her to keep his feet away from the expanding circle of withered vegetation. It grew to the size of maybe 15 yards across before it stopped. Dead birds had fallen from the withered trees that stood in it. However, the spark from within the dried up dome was noticeably stronger. The woods had given her some of its life. "Gee, thanks. You couldn't have warned me before you created a field of death right under my feet?" He snorted out, but truly he was relieved. He wasn't sure what would've happened if she died, but he had a feeling that it wouldn't be good. "Hey, you'd do that for me too right, if my life was in danger?" He asked, but the voice of the woods didn't answer him. "Aw, come on! I'm not that bad!"

 

[Woody.]

Eliot had watched him take Camilla away, seeing what he had, and what he should have kept disappearing before his eyes was painstakingly worse. Eliot knew his sin, and everything he did to her. He couldn't push the blame on her though, not anymore at least. Yes, he was furious that she probably lied about everything. Perhaps she lied when she said the 3 words to him last night. Did he lie when he had said them back? That feeling of dread and guilt told him he hadn't lied. His forehead was pushdd on the door and kicked the steel. It was that thunk that caught his attention. Was a bolt loose? As a black Smith, one had to be warry of loose bolts or a customer may get angry. The door was a bit loose and looking behind him he saw the silver tools across the floor. Especially the knife, perfect. Snatching up the knife and maneuvering to the bolts in the doors, he began picking at it with the blade. Thank God, his father passed down his trade to his son.

The door had nearly toppled on him, when he got the first bolt down with. He easily pushed it as it hung by 2 remaining bolts, and he pushed his way through the opening. Now with the same knife that had cut into Camilla, he'd use on that beast if he tried to stop Eliot. He'd get to camilla, one way or another.

When he exited the bunker he was met with several of the villagers. Bjorn, the man who just wouldnt stay down, and his wife. "We know where you're going, boy."

Eliot flipped the knife to his other hand as he glared, "She needs my help."

Bjorn looked to the others as if they had a discussion before hand, "If you leave to her, you won't be welcomed back to this village. You have caused too much chaos. She had killed and brought wrath down on us, we can't allow anyone associated with that woman living here."

Eliot's knife dropped a bit lower. He had done so much for the sake of his village, even turning Camilla in. Even if Camilla couldn't forgive him, or Eliot her and her lies, he needed to make sure was at least alive. If that got him outcasted from the village, he'd simply be on his way somewhere else. When he was sure Bjorn wouldn't stop him, he stated his choice, "Then I'll be on my way."

The villagers slowly made a path for him to leave, and he took it. After today, he'd be somewhere else. Perhaps this time he'd find a woman, settle down fast and live out his life normally. Well thats if Lincei didnt murder him for getting close to Camilla. In the distant sky he saw birds flying away from an area, some dropping which gave him his first clue. Hed die just to see Camilla safe.