Myriah stood before the dragon stone. She tilted her head as she thought about her recent dreams…and her missing savior.
'Axel, where did you go?'
She eyed the unconscious Kain and Jasmine as she allowed herself to feel alittle bit of guilt.
'If you all will keep me from what I want, then I will take it for myself.' She thought as her lavender eyes turned gold.
'So you are also looking for me… Āciriyar…'
*
Myriah faced the golden eyed woman in her mind space, 'Āciriyar?'
'The great dragon who this heart belongs to.'
'So he is really alive without his heart?'
'Yes, the only way the heart maintains its power is if the beast is still alive.'
'How do you know these things?' Myriah asked, 'like you, young pure one, I see and hear all…' the spirit replied ominously.
'Watch…'
***
The babe was found in the woods, wrapped in a blood stained blanket, her tiny hands fisted under her chin and her legs wrapped around one another as her knees were curled into her chest. The youngest of the five men was the one to discover the sleeping babe. His boot covered foot came close to crushing the tiny being when he was tossed into the leaning willows a few feet from where they were hunting.
The babe was brought to their home, thinking her wounded.... perhaps cursed.
Hours turned to days, then to months of magic spent on trying to cure the babe of her ailment...
However her eyes never opened...
they never learned how old the baby was
Or how long she had been sleeping...
They only knew that the babe was magic and she had to have been powerful...
For the sleeping baby was not bound to time nor was she bound to the natural flow of life.
***
'Am I that baby?' The spirit tilted her head, 'who else can it be?' Myriahs eyes widened as her golden eyes came into contact with ocean blue eyes.
'This babe is the last of the pure ones…' Myriahs eyes widened, "I am a pure one…"
She whispered as she allowed herself to retreat as the spirit stayed in the forefront of her mind.
"So you bear the red spirit?" Syrena asked as she eyed the unconscious Kain and Jasmine. "I have heard of the red spirit from others like you and I."
"Will you try to stop me?" Myriah asked in a cool tone. The mermaid pursed her lips. "I bear you no ill will. However… what of the wolf and the shifter?"
Myriah pursed her lips. "They are asleep in her room." The mermaid nodded, "and the female vampire?" "I put her to sleep too."
"But you only fought these two?"
"They tried to stop me."
Syrena nodded inching closer to the golden eyed girl. "So you do fight…" Myriah braced herself to fight the mermaid if necessary. But the blue eyed beauty took another route, "Can I feed on them?"
Myriah tilted her head, "You're half and half. You don't need life force to sustain yourself."
"I don't need life force to sustain myself, but it does help to sustain my magic." The blue eyed beauty murmured, "Also, I find… I don't like the taste of the wolf or the shifter…"
Myriah narrowed her eyes, "Who else have you fed on?" "Only those two. The Vampiress is still recovering the magic in her blood… I didn't think it Prudent to attempt to feed on her… after all, her mate is my savior."
"You shouldn't-"
"You shouldn't." Syrena snapped as she approached the unconscious Jasmine.
"These are supposed to be your saviors, the people who saved you from that awful place…While in it…" Syrena gestured toward Kain, "and out…" Myriah bowed her head, "… you have been manipulating them this entire time, haven't you?"
Syrena climbed ontop of Jasmine and slightly opened the witches mouth.
"I will keep your secret… if you keep mine."
Syrena hummed as she leaned closer to jasmine, allowing her fangs to lengthen. Myriah pursed her lips, 'what is it to me if this little traitor gets fed on? However…' the golden eyed girl caught Syrena by her throat and pinned her to the wall behind her. "You think because we were both tormented by that monster, you have any sway to command me?!"
Syrena gasped as her blue eyes held onto gold. Gold with red pupils. "Your allure holds no sway over me, halfling." Myriah snarled as she tightened her grip on Syrenas throat.
"We are not the same. Speak of this, and you will not be the same."
Myriah carelessly let the girl fall to the floor as she went back to the stone and placed her hands on it.
***
Her golden eyes found the purple eyes of Athiansia only to widen, 'This woman isn't her…'
Golden eyes widened as the dream unfolded before her, she watched a purple eyed woman fight for her babe… the way Athiansia fought for her children… the stories were too similar..
The purple eyed woman held her babe close to her bosom as the armed men advanced on her. She cried out when they grabbed her long ebony hair and tore the wailing babe from her arms. Powers all but useless they held a silver knife to the babe as they each had a turn with her, cutting her and biting her, beating her as her babe wailed for her mothers embrace…
The golden eyed girl gasped, she was tempted to turn away from the scene, 'surely this girls gentle heart is getting the better of me…'
Her thoughts were halted by a sickening snap and all was silent.
The purple eyed woman gathered the dying babe into her broken body and she hummed a spell… 'Tīrkkataricaṉam keṭṭatu (prophecy be damned)' ... This was her dying wish as the broken skull of the babe pieced itself together…
Golden eyes widened further if possible, 'this woman connected me to her dying child…
***
"Give us the child and we will spare your life." A hooded figure commanded as he pointed a sword to young mans throat.
The man's answer was to glare as he held the babe close to his lips and kissed her forehead. He had been prepared to die for this child since 'Teacher' came to him and his comrades.
He was entrusted with the child's safety, and so he would ensure it ... even at the cost of his own life.
"Be safe silent one. Be strong, and remain pure."
And with that that sleeping baby disappeared.
With that Myriah shot up from her bed, 'Did I really touch the stone?' She looked at her hands to see flawless skin, 'did I really hurt Syrena, Kain and Jasmine?' Myriah climbed out of her bed, body stiff as she heard the shuffling of Edymond and Axel entering the house.
Myriah rushed to meet them.
"Edym-" her words ended on a gasp when she saw Axel hanging from the elf's form. "Axel!"
She rushed over to him and gathered the unconscious vampire into her arms. Edymond watched her lay him on the floor and press her forehead to his. She pulled away seconds later with a pout.
"Why is he like this, Edymond? Where did you take him?"
"I took him to find answers Goddess." Myriahs eyes filled with tears, as she laid her head on his chest, hoping his heartbeat was only too faint for her to hear. "Goddess…" Edyminds words fell on deaf ears as Myriah closed her eyes and willed Axel to wake up. 'You've never come back like this…'
She gasped when his left arm slid around her form and his hand cupped the back of her head.
"Myriah?" Axel mumbled as he opted to stroke her hair. "I saw you.. in the elf's dream." He mumbled again, "I'm sorry…" Myriah felt her body still as his hand fell from her form, limp. She couldn't hear his heart beat and she felt her own breath hitch. Wide eyed, Myriah slowly pulled from Axel and shook him.
When he didn't respond, she started to hit him as tears steamed down her cheeks.
'He promised…'
"You promised…" Myriah mumbled as she continued to try to wake Axel up.
"Goddess-"
Edymond was slow to gather the stunned girl into his arms before she screamed.
Energy exploded from her body as she wailed for all she was worth. The elf was knocked a few feet back, and all went black.