Axel watched the girl sleep. Silver eyes narrowed in contempt. 'There is nothing where she should be…only Darkness…' he looked at her sleeping face and his stern expression softened some. 'I can't find her…' Perfectly tan skin, bordering on the cusp of brown. Almond shaped eyes, full lips. Perfectly crafted on a oval face.
"She's beautiful isn't she?" Atoli murmured from the cracked door way. Axel nodded as he sat in the chair beside her bed. "You need to eat…" she murmured, "I'm fine…" Axel started; his sentence was cut off by the rumble of his stomach. His silver eyes widened and he spun around in his chair to look at Atoli who was just as shocked. "I'll… make you a soup?" "chicken…" Axel blurted as he brought a stiff hand to his angerly growling stomach. "C-can you make chicken…please?" Axel mumbled. Atoli blushed. Axel sat in his chair, halfway turned, hand on his stomach. His eyes were staring at the shelf to his left and his cheeks were tinted pink. Atoli offered a warm smile, "Of course. I'll bring it up to you when it's ready." She murmured as she slowly left him to his thoughts. 'Thank you, Atoli…' Axel returned to his former position and reached for Myriahs outstretched hand. 'I have never fancied chicken… that must be you, Myriah. Help me find you.'
***
(2068)
"Hello?" She was met with silence, "daddy? Mr. Soldier?" She tried again, but only silence replied, "I'm ready to go home now…" an eight year old Myriah said to no one. "Mr. Soldier?" She looked at where she knew the camera was and she tilted her head with a cute pout, "Daddy? The nice man said mommy would see me here if I did everything they said ..." her sentence was cut off by the bars Infront of her opening. Myriahs breath hitched in anticipation, "Mommy?"
Instead it was a woman in white, holding a clipboard. She looked down at Myriah with disdain. But the little girl didn't comprehend that the disdain was directed at her. Myriah faced the woman and held up her hands, "are you going to take me to mommy?" The innocent question halted the woman's step. She approached Myriah with a thin smile and took the small girls hand. "I'm gonna give you some medicine now, and we'll take you to your mommy, once the medicine is done, okay?" Myriah nodded with an eager smile. "Ready?" The woman asked as she was handed a needle, "One. Two-" a jab of the needle and though the girl whimpered and there were tears In her eyes, she didn't struggle. 'Surely a child this well behaved cannot be a Nillie…' The woman watched the girl sway in front of her and she stood on shaky legs.
"What is… a Nillie?" The eight year old girl asked. The woman slowly turned and faced the amber eyed girl. "Nillie …."
"Is it a badword?" Myriah asked, "Mommy says bad words are hard to explain to children."
The woman felt her heart stammer and her jaw drop. Myriah tilted her head and stared straight into the woman's wide, terrified eyes, "Good people shouldn't say bad words."
The woman covered her open mouth with a shaking hand and ran from the cell.
***
(2076)
Axel was a right mess when he got into the van with the boy and Myriah. His silver eyes were wide and unseeing, he was clammy and completely silent.
"Axel…"
"Drive." He mumbled. "I'll be fine."
It took both the witch and Atoli to explain to Axel why he had to be separated from Myriah. Which was a tricky feat since Axel was the only one who could touch the girl and remain unharmed. After some tampering and spells, the girls were eventually able to bathe and clothe Myriah. While the girls tended to the sleeping Myriah, Axel destroyed the library.
Yelling and crying at the same time, he swiped books from shelves, flipped tables and ripped paintings from walls. Atoli, in her worry tried to go to him but his extended hand stopped her. "I don't want to hurt you." He rasped. "She's not woken."
Atoli could only shake her head and watch Axel continue to let out his rage on the poor library.
The moment Myriah was placed in her room, Axel was sitting at her bedside, holding her hand. Atoli sighed, 'hopefully he comes home soon…'
***
Axel woke with a gasp. He looked to the window to see the pinks and blues that painted dusk. He looked at the girl to find himself looking into golden eyes. 'Her eyes resemble fire.' He thought, holding her gaze. Even though her eyes were not their natural color, he held her gaze. The red string that connected them when he held her purple gaze back in school, seamed to visibly connect them as the world disappeared around them. Myriahs hand clasped to his. Those golden eyes bore into his soul, and he didn't look away.
'If I look away, I fear you will disappear…' is the thought that came to mind, 'You are one person who I don't want to disappear…' he silently replied to the why that was whispered between them.
Her expression softened, and then it hardened again, Axel flinched when he felt a different burning. 'Fire?' he thought as his free hand came to his chest, and he leaned forward, 'I'm here to protect you.' He thought as he pressed his forehead against hers. Making her golden eyes flutter shut. 'I will always protect you.' He tightened his grip on her hand. 'I promise.'
*
A few days later, Atoli was making her way to the kitchen when she found Axel at Myriah's side, holding her hand in his.
'He's still at her side…' she thought with growing worry.
"Why not let her rest? "
Atoli murmured as she wondered into the dimly lit room. Axel sighed,
"She's gone." Axel murmured. "There is nothing but darkness..."
"Darkness?" Atoli repeated, Axel tightened his grip on Myriahs hand ever slightly.
"What you're looking at is a carcass of ones self." He murmured. "This happens when gentle beings are tortured past their breaking point. Her heart beats, and you hear her breath." Atoli nodded, "But that is it. It's similar to a mortal being brain dead." Axels words were so final.
"Wh-what...?"
Atoli wasn't sure of what Axel was saying, "Is… is she sleeping until she passes on? Is that what you're saying?"
Atoli shook her head, "W-can she wake?" "I am unsure… I can only see Darkness" Atoli nodded, slowly sitting in the chair that Axel had occupied moments ago.
"In my experience, darkness on a mortal usually means that the spirit is gone. The brain is dead… and Death will eventually visit." Atoli nodded again, "What does it mean for one of us?"
"It means that our spirit is broken, and susceptible to the Darkness."
"Darkness?"
"Think of it as fear or depression on a mortal: If it doesn't kill its host, it corrupts their very being."
Atoli shook her head, 'Myriah…'
"I can feel her strife...her struggle." Axel murmured pulling Atoli from her thoughts, "Sometimes I can see her memories and dreams... and others its empty like this..." Axel murmured. "What does that mean?" Atoli asked with a worried tilt of her head. Axel shook his head, "It means that hope is not lost. If she dreams, I can find her… and hopefully I can save her."
Atoli nodded to herself, torn between completing her chore list and offering Axel some type of support. "Atoli... please don't mention any of this to my brother." Atoli's jaw slacked.
"Axel-"
The loud grumble of Axels stomach helped Atoli with her dilemma, it also increased her worry tenfold. Axel had since aged past the need for food or sustenance...
"You're eating pretty regularly now." Atoli murmured with a sly grin, "What are you craving?" the question had Axel's bottom lip poking out, making him resemble a boy more than the man that he was. "Y-you can make whatever..." He mumbled as he leaned forward to press his forehead against Myriahs.
'I wonder why he does that…does he like her?'
Atoli pursed her lips at the sight when Axel pulled away from the girl wide eyed,
"C-Can you make pot roast?" He whispered the question, fearing the harsh no that would come from her. Axel flinched when her hand ruffled his hair.
"I'll bring it up when its ready." She murmured as she left the room.
Axel watched Atoli leave before he fully focused on Myriah. 'Pot roast now, huh? So a part of you knows you're safe…'
"You're so indecisive..." He mumbled as he once more took her left hand in his. He sighed as he brought a hand to his throbbing chest. 'The darkness seems to be never-ending in your heart too...'
Axel sighed as he once more attempted to reach the girl laying before him. 'Come on, Myriah... let me help you…'