Chapter One: The dream
Taking an almost never ending path and not knowing what would happen, Mina Tsume finally stopped and looked up at the shack before her. She was wearing a hooded cloak and only her nose was sticking out, her blue green eyes were visible only if you looked at her head on. She smirked, her ivory vampire fangs visible even under the shaddow of the hood hood. A bright blue butterfly flew arround the head of the vampire, and landed on her open left hand.
Mina closed her palm and the butterfly transformed into a elven knife, the exact knife from her childhood. In her other hand ws a note from a old friend, Mina opened it and read, "What you seek lies at 9790 Keleskas path." She had this note for three years, and never read it untill now. She sighed and put the note away and entered the shack sized bar.
"What a mess!" Mina exclamed, and the knife turned into its butterfly form and replied to her.
"Yup, Yup. Messy indeed Mina-sama." The voice was cute and squeeky. Mina looked down at the butterfly, put her hands on her hips and said,
"Lets get started, Keira."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chapter Two: Cleaning and Waiting
Kana walked out of the nearby lake twards the shack like building to fing Mina hanging from the cealing sweeping it (think of howl's moving castle) and Keira humming and polishing an old picture. She began to pitch in and soon the place was clean. Mina began stocking the rotating shelves with all the liquors, alchahols, flavorings, and vodka's imaganible, Kana was polishing the tables and Keira was making shure there wasn't a speck of dust on the glasses, only a butterlfy could do this. The only thing was left to do was name their new home.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chapter Three: Naming and...Customers?
Three days had passed and no sign of life had entered through the doors of the new Bar. Kana was listening to music in one of the ten upstairs roomsthat she had 'claimed' as her own, Mina was exploring the rotating shelves in the back of the bar area, while Keira was lached to Mina's waist in her designed hilt. Kana stopped listening to music from childhood, and walked down the stairs to the bar area.
"How about 'The Final Escape, Bar and Inn'?"
Mina looked at her and said,
"Maybe 'The Last Chance Bar & Inn'?" Mina walked out of the cubbord and leaned on the Cedar barcounter.
"Too south western." Kana sighed as she sat down in a nearby blue and black leather booth.
"You're right!" Mina laughed, and replied "I got it! 'Window To The Soul Bar & Inn'."
"I like it." Kana leaned aganst the bar and smiled, "Looks like we found our name."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chapter Four: Hopefull Friends
Mina stood outside their new Bar & Inn and hung up a sighn that read,
'Window To The Soul Bar & Inn'
'Opens now, closes on judgement day.'
'All are welcome here.'
She fixed the askew sign and smiled, "Perfect."
Kana walked out of their new sanctuary and said, "Going to the lake for a while, be back in a few."
"Be carefull, Kana." Mina gave her a concerned look as she watched her friend depart, knowing her brother could be nearby. She sook it off and walked inside the bar. Mina could feel some new presences in the surrounding area and smiled. Things were finally looking up.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chapter Five: New faces and New friends
Reivan looked to the newly hung sign.
Reivan: I heard there's a lake somewhere nearby, I'm going for a swim.
Terahn: Alright, I'll try and get us a couple rooms for the night.
Reivan nodded and walked off into the forest as Terahn walked into the inn.
Mina looked up and saw a man walk in she asked him, "Can I help you , sir?" She thought he was pretty cute.
Kana was in her Mermai form swimming arround when a loud pulsing noise came from the shore. Currious she swam up to find out what the noise was. With her head and neck poking out of the glossy blue water about twenty meters from shore, she noticed a boy, he seemed to be about her age looked like he was about to go swimming. She swam to a rock, sat on it and began to sing the song 'Desert Rose' in a tone you would only hear comming from the mouth of a female Siren.
She wanted to make him wonder what she was and would only show herself rarely to him. As she sang mist formed arround the edges of the lake and then swirled arround the rock she was on. The mist faded occasionally and danced to the beat and words of the song.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chapter Six: Creature In The Water, And Two Rooms.
Terahn turned and bowed to the woman who spoke, "Good evening Milady, I'm travelling with my brother and we need some rooms for the night, payment or quality is not an issue, any room will be fine."
Mina smiled at the man and returned the bow, slightly blushing, she had never been called 'Milady' before.
"Seprate Rooms?If you get a room here drinks and bevrages come free." Keira flew out of her hilt and landed on Mina's head.
Reivan reached the lake and pulled his travelling cloak off, he just took his shirt off when he heard the singing. Awe struck be the voice he turned to see the singer. "beautiful" he said in almost as whisper as the mists began to enshroud the lake. Enchanted by the strange girl and her song he waded into the water.
Kana stopped singing and jumped off the rock, swimming down to the depths only to come u and sillouet herself aganst the setting sun saying,
"Welcome to lake Geniva, stranger." Her voice surrounded the lake as if she was everywhere at once.
~~~~~~~~~~
Terahn nodded, "Yes, thank you." the young woman was beautiful he would admit but he figured he would be gone by morning and scrapped his hopes of getting to know her better
Mina could feel his emotions comming off him, and she felt bad. "How long would you like to stay, sir?"
Reivan was speechless for a few moment, when he did talk it was clumsy, "Oh umm thank you..I-I am Reivan, i'm s-sorry if I interrupted you miss.."
Kana swam up to this 'Reivan' and smiled, "Hello Reivan, I'm Kana, Princess of the lake. Litterally. Its ok, I wasn't interupted by you."
~~~~~~~~~~
Terahn looked at her and a half smile escaped him, "I would like to take a week to rest... but the two of us have things to do." he said with a sigh, "how much are the rooms?"
"Lets see, we haven't set a price for the rooms yet. But you are the first guests so its on the house." Mina winked and snapped her fingers, white wine appearing in the wine glass she had set infront of her.
"If you need anything just ask." She handed him the keys to their rooms.
Reivan bowed, "A pleasure to meet you your highness." he looked around and pulled his cloak back on, thinking it inappropriate to be shirtless in front of royalty. As he looked back up the moonlight shone on the lake and illuminated it in soft grey light, when she became visible his heart jumped, "A pleasure indeed," he said.
Kana smirked, she was back on the rock she was sitting on before.
"All the men in my world are shirtless. But if it makes you feel comfertable." She turned her head and looked at him.
~~~~~~~~~~
Terahn smiled and took the keys "thank you... one of those would be nice" he said pointing to the glass.
Mina smiled kindly and snapped her fingers, another white wine appeared along with the bottle in case if either of them wanted more,
"Enjoy." She sipped hers as Keira landed on the rim and looked at her in a , ' I'd like some too.' way. Mina smiled dipping her finger in her drink with a drop of the liquid on her finger wich Keira sipped slowly.
Reivan nodded and took the cloak off again along with his shoes and socks, he waded into the water up to his knees, "I hope you don't mind..."
"Not at all!" Kana said in a playfull way, slipping off the rock into the lake chasing a small mothed bass arround in circles.
~~~~~~~~~~
"Again thank you." Terahn said raising his glass slightly before sipping this wine,
"Interesting little friend you have there, where did it come from? if you don't mind me asking."
Mina blushed at the rased glass, and she also raised hers.
"Your welcome." She looked at Keira.
"Who, Keira here? Ah, I found her in a spider web and rescued her. She was my guinea pig for the experement to change into a blade." She heald her in her hand and closed her fist, squishing the butterfly, or so it seemed. When Mina opened her palm a knife sat there, with the same blue glow as the butterfly's wings.
Reivan relaxed a little and slipped into the water still wearing his pants. He swam into a deeper part of the lake and dived under briefly to let the cold water clear his head.
~~~~~~~~~~~
"Interesting.. I ran a similar experiment but with no success, the test subject was too...unstable, his body broke down at a rapid pace and he literally fell apart." He said sipping the wine and nodding with interest.
Mina raised a eyebrow,
"Would you like to try again?" She smiled, closing her eyes politely and sipping her wine. Once she opened her eyes they were a brillant pink with the perfect hint of blue in them, she made them in a beautifully hypnotizing way. These eyes wern't ment to make anyone fall under a spell, they were rarely shown.
Reivan surfaced and took a deep breath. "So um, princess? If you don't mind me asking are you a mermaid or a siren?" He asked a little nervously.
Kana swam up from the depths and came face to face woth Reivan.
"I'm a mermaid but I can sing like a Siren." She just treaded water and stared at him, but in a polite way, a smile crossing her face.
"Now that you know what I am, Can I ask what you are?"
~~~~~~~~~~~
He smirked, "Are you volunteering your soul?" He said with a sly grin.
Mina raised her eyebrow with a playfull look on her face,
"Offer my soul, how?" She rested her chin on her hands, six inches from his face.
"Do tell, sir."
Reivan nodded "I'm a halfling, part vampire part snake." he said with a sigh.
Kana looked at him like she wanted to know what was wrong.
"Is somthing the matter? Did I give you a bad memory?"
~~~~~~~~~~
"It's simple, you say yes, I lay my hand on you heart and cleave your soul from it's mortal shell, once that's done I force you spirit into another vessel." He said, moving closer until he could practically feel her heartbeat.
Mina smirked, he vampire fangs extending one and a half inches long, her eyes going from their pink-blue to red to black, two bat like wings shooting out from her back.
"I dont think so. My way's easer, and wont cost anything."
"No nothing's wrong... I just don't talk about my self very often." He admitted, "By the time I tell people what I am they usually run off screaming 'BLOODSUCKER!' or something like that..."
Kana smiled and swam arround him, only her head and hair sticking out of the lake.
"My friend who runs the Bar & Inn is a vampire, I do not fear that race, and I love snakes."
~~~~~~~~~~
Terahn smirked "Except my life" He said chuckling, "So you're a vampire? Then you and my brother would get along just fine."
"Vampire too huh?" Mina shrank back to her normal self, but not her wings and looked out the window.
"Full moon." She walked over to the window and sat in it, The light illuminating her skin.
Reivan smiled, "Then I guess I have nothing to worry about then huh?" He looked up and realized it was a full moon tonight. "Stay inside brother.. I don't want to have to hunt you down again." He mused.
Kana looked up at the moon, "Pretty. Werwolf or Lycan?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chapter Seven: In the light of the moon.
Terahn nodded but made sure to keep from the window, he could feel his inner wolf howling to be free.
Mina looked at him, something was not right.
"Moonlight not your favorite?" Her elf ears flicked tward him. She walked up to him and put her ear on his heart, and she seamed like she was searching for somthing.
"Hm, I know what you are now, and I wont judge." She shook her head, smiling.
Reivan looked back down at her, "Lycans and werewolves are one in the same princess."
Kana smiled, "No need to be formal, you don't have to keep calling me 'Princess'."
~~~~~~~~~~
"Even still, me and moonlight don't go well together, and I wouldn't want you bar destroyed on it's opening night," Terahn said taking another sip of his wine.
"Hm."
She looked at him.
"If I were to have given you my soul, what kind of vessel would you have put it in?" She drained her glass and began to clean it behind the bar.
"Sorry, Kana..." Reivan said with a smile before diving under and doing a few laps to keep himself from getting bored.
"Then again, that was an option, you can call me what you want." She snuck up behind him when said it, then sank back down to the depths and poped up twenty feet away.
~~~~~~~~~~
Terahn looked her over and grinned, "Probably a weapon of some sort, but now that I think about it that body seems to suit you." He put the drink down and walked over to her.
She blushed furriously at the comment and put away the glass. Mina turned arround to see him walking over to her.
"Somthing I can get you?"
"I like 'Kana' better than princess," he said as she resurfaced.
"Fine with me." Kana said as she sat on her rock and moon-bathed.
~~~~~~~~~~~
Reivan waded onto a sandbar that jutted out into the lake and laid back. "I always loved the night, it was so calming."
Kana chuckled, "I don't think your brother would agree with you, but I do."
~~~~~~~~~~~
Terahn stopped a few inches from the beam of moonlight, "I was just thinking how beautiful the world must be at night..."
Mina walked up to him, her hands folded in front of her in a polite manor.
"I wish I could help you see the world and not transform. I'd do almost anything." She was now standing beside him looking at him over her shoulder.
He laughed, "You're right about that."
Kana looked at Reivan and smiled.
~~~~~~~~~~~
"I don't mind the change, It's the world that bothers me, it's not ready for my kind yet so I wait." Terahn said.
"Here we accept all kinds, and hope the world will too someday." Mina smiled and returned to the bar.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chapter Eight: Midnight and beyond
Mina looked like somthing had hit her.
"I forgot to say that both of you have a intercom in your rooms. You can contact either me or Kana at the push of a button, we'll come and meet your need(s)."
Terahn nodded and sat down to finish his drink.
Reivan closed his eyes and let the moonlight wash over him well she did say she liked snakes... he smiled and let his body change into his more comfortable Naga form.
Kana watched him morph and said,
"I haven't seen a Naga in years." She swam up to him and smiled, "One of my old friends was a Naga, sadly he's dead now."
~~~~~~~~~~
Terahn thanked her, "Thank you, Mina is it?"
She looked up at him.
"Yes, that's my name." She set her elbow down on the ceader bartable and sighed. Her eye's turned a glassy purple as she looked at him. After a while her eyes returned to their noemal colbalt blue.
"And I beleve your name's Terahn." The song comming from the lake almost made her fall under a spell as she gracefully walked over to the window and stood there, the song entrancing her.
Terahn smiled, "Sorry to hear." He closed his eyes and began to sing on old elven eulogy his mother used to sing to him his voice was a smooth tenor that flowed clearly in the night air and could be heard at the inn.
Kana listend to him singing and watched the stars, she seemed to have not a care in the world.
"Beautifull song."
Terahn listened to the song and sighed sadly, "Why must songs of sorrow sound so beautiful?"
~~~~~~~~~~
She slowly blinked.
"That song brings back memories."
"It's called the Lament of the Highborne.. the elves used to sing it to honor the fallen warriors." Reivan said calmly, "My mother sang it to me as a lullaby before she died."
"Mina's probably having memories flood back to her." Kana stared at the moon.
"Midnight."
Terahn listened as the song faded and sighed, he looked up and saw Mina, "You enjoyed it?"
~~~~~~~~~~
"I used to be elven. Mom elf, dad vampire. Both dead. Vampire inside took over."
"So you know elven... interesting." he walked next to her and felt the moonlight start to change him. "What kind of memories?"
"Childhood ones." She watched him change and asked, "What now?"
Reivan looked up at the moon and smiled. "As one day ends another begins... an endless cycle of life, death and rebirth."
Kana changed into her human form and stood on the rock, looking out at the lake, the wind blowing gently through her hair.
"A new day."
~~~~~~~~~~
Terahn smirked, "And now I wait till sunrise." He said calmly.
Mina said to Kana 'Get his brother over here.' in her mind.
"What would happen if a friend were to cross your path after you transform?" She stood her ground, but she was ever watchfull, if somthing were to happen.
Kana quickly looked at Reivan saying,
"Your brother just touched moonlight."
Reivan nodded and returned to his human form, "Well I better get back to my brother... no telling what kind of trouble he's getting into." He bowed, "It was a pleasure to meet you Kana."
~~~~~~~~~~~
"I keep moving. If they insist on interfering I use force." he stepped away from the window and sat down, "don't worry, as long as the change is incomplete I am more man than wolf." he said.
"Gotcha, i'll keep that in mind." Mina headed twards the stairs.
"Excuse me, i'm going to bed. If you need anything, use the intercom."
"Crap" Reivan pulled his shirt and cloak on and ran down the path towards the inn.
Kana sprinted behind him and they soon reached the Inn. Kana watched Mina walk up the stairs and dissapear arround the corner.
"Is this your brother, Reivan?"
Reivan nodded, "yeah that's him. Don't scare me like that Terahn!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Terahn shrugged and grinned, "if you weren't so slow you could have been here to stop me." he tossed Reivan the key to one of the rooms, "I'm going to bed, night."
Mina walked into her room and shut the door and changed into her night gown and sat on the edge of her bed and put her head on her hands.
"Keira, Tearhn's so cute."
"I'ts easy to see that you like him."
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Terahn closed the door to his room and looked to the intercom, half of him wanted to page her just so he could talk to her again, "Damn... why me?" he sighed and flopped down on the bed to think.
Mina was sleeping now, though no dreams entered her head, it was just in case if somone needed to contact her. Keira was in her hand, in her kinfe form in case of an intruder or robber entered.
Reivan blinked as his brother walked upstairs to his room. "Oookay... either I'm hallucinating or Teheran's gone all wispy on me."
"Yeah, he just went up to bed, but I think he's still awake. What do you mean by 'Wispy'?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Terahn's the kind of guy who would sooner kill someone than get to know them, to see him so calm and trusting is odd for me." Reivan said.
"I wondre if Mina has anything to do with his behavior..." Kana looked up the stairs, almost like she was waiting for her to come down.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Reivan shrugged, "Who knows?" He looked at the key then upstairs. "I suppose I should check out my room."
"If you need anything you can use the intercom to alert me or Mina at anytime." Kana watched him go up the stairs and sighed as she cleaned the bar.
Terahn could barely sleep. Every time he dozed off he kept dreaming about Mina which woke him up again and again. "What's going on? Why do I feel like this when I think about her?"
Mina couldn't sleep, she was sitting on the roof of the inn and gasing at the fading stars above her. Keira was in her room just in case if somone contacter her via intercom. She sighed and began to hum which turned into singing.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Reivan nodded and climbed into bed and soon drifted off.
Kana finished, cleaning to the beat of Mina's song. She Walked up the stairs and slipped into her room, trying not to wake any one. She was soon swept into her dreams.
Terahn sighed and climbed out his window and onto the roof thinking he'd be alone but then he heard her singing. He quietly sat down and listened, "Beautiful."
She stoped, Mina felt a presence arround her.
"I know your there, Terahn." She looked directly at him, smiling.
~~~~~~~~~~~
He smiled and stood up, "Couldn't sleep wither huh?"
"Somehow, yes." The sun was slowly rising, and the glow touched the trees just enough to make them seem like the never ended.
"And I like to watch the sun rise." She swung her legs back and forth off the edge of the inn.
~~~~~~~~~~~
He stepped up next to her and closed his eyes and spread his arms. he felt himself change back then re-tightened his belt. "Same here."
She tured and faced him and asked,
"Does it pain you to change forms?"
~~~~~~~~~~~
"Not much anymore, I've learned to deal with the physical pain." He said with a smile, "And what of you? Does it hurt to extend your wings?"
"Same as you, i've learned to cope with pain." She smiled back and leaned back on the roof, her legs still moving.
~~~~~~~~~~~
Terahn nodded and sat next to her as the pastel pinks and reds washed over the sky.
Mina noticed somone walking up the path to the inn.
"Sorry, I think we have a visitor." She let her wings expand and dived, head first, to the earth her wings caught her about three feet from the ground and she slipped into a open windoe and snuck behind the bar, hiding her wings as she did.
~~~~~~~~~~~
Terahn nodded and climbed back into his room and sat down on the bed.
Hello sir, can I help you?" Mina said as the man walked into the room.
"Do you by any chance have Sake, sweetheart?" The man looked up at her and winked.
Reivan yawned and woke up and walked downstairs to get an early morning drink.
Mina turned to fave Reivan as he walked into the room. "Good morning, anything you'd like?" She grabbed the Sake and handed it to the man.
~~~~~~~~~~~
"A Molson Lager if ya have it." Reivan said with a good morning smile, he nodded to the newcomer and sat down, "By the way, the princess Kana, is she a regular here?"
In a snap of Mina's fingers his Molson Lager sat infront of him.
"Kana works here, didn't you know?"
The stranger tok a sip of his Sake and smirked, though no one saw it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Really? guess I'll be seeing alot more of her then" he mused drinking the beer.
Kana walked down the stairs, rubbing her eyes.
"G'morning everyone..." She made it to the bottom of the stairs and sat on one of the barstools, one next to Reivan.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
" 'Morning Kana, hope you slept well?" He asked, his face lightening up partly from the beer and partly from her presence.
"You ok, Reivan?" Kana noticed the drink. "Favorite of yours?"
"Where's Terahn, I wonder." Mina wispered to herself.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
"I'm fine" He said blushing a little, "Just haven't had a good canadian beer in a while that's all."
"Ok, I see now." Kana smiled at him and got behind the bar and entered the kitchen. Her voice rang through, "Anybody want anything for breakfast?"
Terahn desended the stairs from his room, "I'm right here milady so wonder no further." He said with a grin. He glanced at the stranger and sniffed once then shrugged and sat down. "Water please."
Mina smiled and blushed at Terahn as he walked down the stairs twards the bar. She walked to the back of the liquor closet, grabbed a water and set it down in front of him, a sweet smile crossing her face. "Can I get some of your great pancakes Kana?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Thank you, Make that two." Terahn said.
Reivan raised his now empty bottle in a toast, "I third that motion, and i'll have a water to, need to clear my head."
Kana's head poked out of the kitchen and it said, "Alright."
Mina smild and got Reivan his water, she sat it infront of him and saw the stranger come up to the bar and set a sack of money on it.
"For the drink, cutie." He said, and walked out.
After he left Mina took the money and set it in the safe under a tile in the floor.
Kana came out of the kitchen with a pile of pancakes on four plates, one for each of them. "Enjoy."
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Reivan smiled and began to eat. "Wow this is great!"
Terahn hesitated a moment thinking about something, "Hmm kudos to the chef."
Mina had finished her pancakes and commented, "Wonderfull as allways, Kana."
Kana blushed at the remarks, "Thanks you guys."
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Reivan sat back and sighed as he finished his breakfast,"Nothing beats good ole fasioned home cooking."
Terahn finished and nodded, "I agree"
Kana smiled at their comments, "Seconds anyone?"
Mina looked up at her. "Pick me!"
Another batch was set on her plate and Mina began eating again, paying attention to her surroundings and looking at the door that lead to the basement often.
~~~~~~~~~~~
Reivan held up his plate and grinned "Hit me!"
Terahn shook his head, "No thank you, I'm stuffed." He noticed Mina's behavior and kept an eye on her and the door.
"Alright." Kana set another batch of pancakes on Reivan's plate then noticed Mina looking at the door to HIS lair. "Mina?"
When she heard her name she jumped, "What?!"
"Its Dragonheart, isn't it?"
Mina looked down, she was caught.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chapter Nine: Into the lair of Dragonheart.
Reivan looked up from his food, "Mrphlegrt?"
Terahn raised and eyebrow, "what I'm sure my brother meant top say was.. Dragonheart?"
Kana took Terahn and Mina's plate and brought ithem into the kitchen to clean it.
"He's the dragon that lives in the basement." Mina looked at the door again, if you looked closey enough you'd see dust comming from the centemeter high gap under the door.
~~~~~~~~~~~
Terahn seemed most interested. "A dragon in the basement... fascinating." Terahn chuckled, "He most likely knows I'm here by now, I use dragon bones in many of my experiments and they can smell there brethren dead or alive very well." He stood and walked over to the door and listened to the faint sound of breathing.
Reivan watched his brother than finished his breakfast. "Whatever, dragons aren't really my thing, so I'm going for a swim." Reivan waved and walked down the path towards the lake.
Mina put her and on the door nob and leaned in close to Terahn, "Would you like to meet him Terahn? I dont think he'd mind."
~~~~~~~~~~~
He grinned, "After you milady I just hope I didn't use his cousins skull in a potion sometime." he joked.
Mina unlocked the door and stepped in, "Dont say that arround him." She stepped into the dark room and said into the dark, stepping on golcoins and silver rings, everything that a pirate would envy. "Damien? Dragonheart?"
Two blue snake like eyes shined to the left of them and a cold vioce echoed through the room as the door slammed shut. "Who's there.... Wait, Mina?" The eyes dissapeared and a Figure of a boy appeared through the darkness and embraced Mina. He looked up and saw Terahn and healed her close, "Who's the kid?"
"Damien, your suffocating me."
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Terahn huffed, "This kid, as you call me, is a friend. My name is Reivan... and I think you should let her go." He said taking a step forward.
Damien looked at his most prized posession and let her go, "Fine." He noticed him step forward and smirked, "She's mine, got it?"
Mina landed on the gold coins below her and sat up coughing for air, soon after standing up and walking to Terahn. "I'd chose Terahn over you, be nice Damien."
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Terahn was a little surprised at what she said but regained his composure quickly, "Damien is it? An honor to meet a living dragon in person, most of your kind I meet are usually dead unfortunately."
Damien scoweld at Mina's comment and smirked at Terahn. "I knew that you were a Necromancer right from the start, Mina what are you doing?"
Mina was staring at Damien's face and finally poked him in the nose turning him into a smaller version of his 'human' form, and only standing as high as three and a half inches. She crouched down and piched him up by the back of his shirt saying, "Still your weakspot after all these years?"
Damien growled at her in a high pitched voice, then he stuck his blue tounge out at her.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Terahn chuckled and stood next to Mina, "He looks kinda like Keira."
Mina looked at him and nodded, "He does. Looks like you'll have to wait till the next lunar eclipse Damien." She set him on her hands and watched as he broke outin squeeky sobbs.
"NO! No no no no!" He pounded his fist on her hand and squeeked, "You and me both Mina. I can tell Ukume wants out."
She put her hand on her heart and plopped Damien in Terahn's hand, "I bet she does."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Ukume?" he asked inquisitively before popping the half dragon into his pocket. "By the way Damien, it's at least a week till the next eclipse." He said grinning.
"Yay! One more week untill, hey!" Damien didn't like being put in somone's pocket, especially if the pocket belonged to a dragon slayer.
Mina had a blank expression on her face, "Ukume's my demonic version of my vampire side, she will kill you if you approach her, she'd even kill Kana." She looked at Terahn, "Please, dont leave the tavern on the night of an eclipse."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"I wouldn't leave even if Damien here dragged me out" he said "Besides, Reivan will keep an eye on Kana, so don't worry about her."
"I'm just saying she'd kill anything or anyone that crossed her path.I think Kana has a crush on your brother." She smiled.
Damien poked his head out out of the pocket he was in, "And why would I drag you out?" He said in a sarcastic way, then he smirked, "Hehe."
Mina stooped down to Damien's level and stared at him, "Whats so funny?"
"Nothing..."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Terahn pushed Damien back down with his finger and smile, "And Reivan has a crush on her... but he's not the only one in love."
Mina looked up at him slightly confused, "He isin't?"
damien's hands were flailing as he sank deeper into Terahn's pocket.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
He laid a hand on her cheek and kissed her fully, when he broke the kiss he smiled, "I am too."
Damien poped out of the pocket and landed on the gold below him, "You Lucky!She wouldn't even let me hug her!"
Mina blushed when the kiss ended, honestly she wanated it to last longer. "Thank you." She embraced him, and kissed him back, she put as much passion in hers as he did in his.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
He returned her kiss equally and used a free hand to flick Damien across the room.
Damien was thrown into a wall knocking him out.
Mina couldn't say anything to Terahn seeing as their lips were locked so she told him through telapathy, "I love you."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
He held her hand and squeezed it gently as a reply.
Mina was lost in the moment, 'Lost in love's embrace' one would call it, she finally broke the kiss and turned it into a hug. She then picked up the now KO'd Damien and set him on a pile of gold.
Reivan broke the surface of the lake and took a deep breath of the fresh night air. he saw a shadow move under the water and dived back down. the moment he did, someone grabbed him and pulled him deeper as he passed out, Reivan caught a glimpse of what looked like a merman before everything went dark around him.
Kana was tending to a coustomer when she flinched, somthing wasn't right. Normally Reivan would come back soon, the scar on her arm throbbing.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Terahn smiled, "Let's get back to the bar, no telling what kinda trouble those two will get into."
Mina nodded and climbed the stairs only to see a worried Kana looking at them. "Kana, is somthing... Oh-no, be right back." Mina's face want blank, a scary feeeling engulfing her, she extended her wings and landed on the highest point of the place. She scowled as she searched the woods and lake with her purple eyes, "Ezera..."
Kana watched her friend and turned twards Terahn, "What happened down there? If you dont mind me asking..."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Terahn blushed slightly, "Well uh, I met Damien and we talked... about.. stuff... where's Reivan, hasn't he come back yet?"
Mina opened the front doors, and rushed over to Kana. "Kana i'm sorry to say Icant see Reivan, or contact him. Sorry to say Kana, your going to spend some time in the basement with Damien."
Kana looked puzzled, "Whatever for?"
"Your brother payed Reivan a visit while he was swimming."
"Oh, god, no!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chapter Ten: An unwanted guest and "Trace".
Terahn became engulfed in a blue flame, a long staff appeared in his hand. "We're not alone..." his voice had an odd echo to it.
Kana flew down to the basement and locked the door behind her and turned on the lights, she sat next to the now awake Damien.
"What are you doing down here?"
"Ezera, thats why."
"Where's the dragonslayer and Mina?"
"Upstairs."
Damien mused for a moment and turned into is dragon form, standing only five feet high. "I dont like you very much, but i'll protect you."
"Thank you."
Upstairs Mina was in her vampire form and had Keira in one hand and a blue potion in the other. "Where is he?" She looked up at Terahn, hoping he knew, she could'nt feel Ezera's presence at all.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Right here" Ezera said darkly,
Terahn turned but was blasted back, he flipped and landed on his feet and fired a bolt of energy toward the intruder.
The merman dodged and rolled to his feet, "I don't have time for these games... where is my sister?"
"Wouldn't you like to know, Ezera-san? Where's Reivan?" Mina smitked as Keira was in her knife form behind at him and flew twars his spine.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ezera spun around, he grabbed Mina's wrist and twisted it behind her back, "I've change alot since we last had the pleasure of meeting Mina my sweet."
Terahns hand was engulfed in a white mist.
"You wouldn't dare attacking me now."
Mina winced in pain.
Terahn merely smirked and cast the spell. A shaft of white light passed harmlessly through Mina but did it's damage as it passed through Ezera.
"W-what?!?" he sputtered.
Terahn readied another spell, "Bone spear, attacks the targets soul and passes through anything else with merely a slight chill."
"I will ask you again..." Mina swung her body arround and wacked Ezera in the crotch with all her rage. "Where is Reivan?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ezera fell to his knees, but started laughing, "Why don't you find him.. it's as simple as making a Trace."
Terahn lowered his hand. "What?"
Mina fell to her knees and got a glazed look on her face as as she fell to the floor.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Mina!" Terahn ran to help her but was knocked out by a well placed right hook.
Ezera walked over and knelt next to Mina, "Now my dearest.. where is she?"
"Safe" came a voice from behind Ezera, he turned and came face to face with a large and very pissed looking Naga.
Mina awoke and was in a glass looking ball about four feet all arround, and was filling up with water, and fast. She began banging on the side, but it didn't dent. "Stupid 'trace curse', why was it put on me?" she continued to bang but every time she did an inch of water was added to the already foot of water in the glass ball.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ezera took a step back.
Reivan smiled, "What? didn't know snakes could swim?" He rapidly sprung forward and coiled around Ezera and began to squeeze the life from him .
Terahn examined the bubble and stepped back a spell forming in his hands. "Step away from this side Mina." He said.
"It's a curse! It wont break! You'll just end up hurting me!" She screamed at him, the water only rose higher, at about a inch a minuet. The prison alreadt held a foot and a half of water.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Terahn stopped his casting, "Do you know how to stop it?"
Reivan squeezed harder, "So you wanna hurt my friends? Well guess what? I'm gonna hurt you alot more first."
Ezera gasped as the serpentine body tightened around him.
"I think so, you gotta say something that uses the word that cassed the spell in the first place. It starts with an 'M' I think." The water was half full in the tank that Mina was being held prisoner in.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ezera got his knife up and stabbed Reivan.
Reivan screamed and let go but quickly charged after his target.
Terahn began thinking of a million possible M words but a single one popped into his mind as he watched his brother fight. "Memory!"
THe glass shaddered as she fell onto the cold floor, landing on the glass, her skin tearing on contact. "Ouch, not my favorite thing in the world." Mina moved her body into a sitting posistion, making herself oblivious to the pain on her body.
Kana couldn't stand it anymore she got up and made her way to the stairs.
"Kana, don't!" Damien screamed at her.
"THe people I love are up there, I'm not going to stand by while they could they be dying wothout my knowing!"
"You have a point there. Alright, for Mina and," he hesatated at the name, "dragon-boy." They ran up the stairs into the on-comming fight, unaware of what might unfold.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ezera saw Kana appear and charged at her.
The injured Reivan called out, "Kana! Down!"
Kana smiled as her foolosh brother charged at her, she quickly put up a force feild arround her and laughed, "Good to see you to Ezera, Nii-san." Nothing could penatrate her force feild, unless she wanted it to. She saw Reivan and made her way to him, letting him into her barrier she imbraced him, a tear falling from her face, "Thank goodness, your safe. What happened?"
Terahn ran to Mina to help her, "Are you alright?"
She gave Terahn a funny look, like had never seen him before. "Yes, thank you, do I know you?"
Kana looked at Terahn, "Did my brother say 'Trace' by any chance?" she had a worried look on her face.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chapter Eleven: Something's not right, Is she ok?
Reivan picked himself up and checked his wound, "Not much, that bugger tried to drown me then he stabbed me. But I'm fine."
Terahn was perplexed, "Yes, and I said Memory to get her out of that bubble."
Kana looked down, a sad smile on her face. "Her curse come's at a price, if you break the bubble, it'll erase her memory of you, I'm sorry Terahn." She made her own bubble dissinagrate, completely forgetting Ezera's presence, then remembered that Damien was taking care of him.
"Thank you for being concerned about me, sir. My name's Mina, pleased to meet you." Dispite the pain in her back she managed to bow to him.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Terahn helped her up. A slightly sad look on his face. "Reivan let's go... we need to talk."
Reivan looked up and kissed Kana quickly,"Be right back love, Terahn! Wait up!"
The two brothers left the tavern and set out into the night air.
Ezera watched the two leave from a nearby tree, he managed to get away from Damien but suffered some serious injuries, "Soon sister.. soon." He turned and made his way back to his hideout to rest and heal.
"I wonder what's wrong, Mina you ok?" Kana was blushing form the kiss and began carefully plucking the blood stained glass shards out of Mina's back and arms.
"Yeah, i'm fine, Ouch!" Kana had bumped a shard and now it was causing Mina to bleed, the crimson liquid staining her shirt.
"Sorry."
Damien made his way over to the two women, sporting his now broken left arm. "Your brother's a good fighter, Kana. Let me help," The shards were soon removed and swept away.
The mess was cleaned up by Damien while Kana bandaged Mina, making shure she got every one. She felt bad foor poor Terahn, she knew how he felt about Mina and now she had no memory of him.
"Kana are you done?"
"Oh, um yeah."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The two brothers stood outside in the night air.
Reivan took a deep breath and sighed. he noticed Terahns sad face and laid a hand on his shoulder, "What's wrong bro?"
"It's just like Danielle... I couldn't protect her... I just made things worse."
Reivan sighed, "You can't keep blaming yourself for what happened... besides, we can help Mina, after all, every curse can be broken."
Terahn smirked, "Is that why you still have yours?"
Reivan turned red and slapped his brother. "Anyway, let's get back inside, no telling if Whassis name will show up again."
Terahn nodded and they came back in.
"How is she Kana?"
Kana was neeling facing Mina when she looked up at Terahn, "She's fine, a bit scratched up though, but I need you to do somthing for me if you want her memory back."
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Terahn looked up, "Anything!"
Kana took Terahn and sat him in front of Mina who looked hipnotized, "All I need you to do is to say some of the things you did together. You'll know if you said somthing significant." She pat him on the shoulder and walked over to Reivan, she stood by him and watched Terahn and Mina intently.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Terahn looked back at Kana then to Mina. He started to recollect what had happened. He started with how they first met. How he revealed what he was to her. How he felt about her that night. He eventually came to the part where he kissed her in Damien's lair in the basement.
Nearby Damien huffed. He was in a bad mood because this stranger had taken his love, wiped her memory and now he finds out that he kissed her in his own home.
Reivan listened and took Kana's hand in his.
Mina's state of hipnosis was telapathic, everything that went through Terahn's mind went through hers as well. As the memories flooded through, she grew back into her normal self, her normal smile went across her face and her body levatated in thin air, defying gravity.
Kana blushed and smiled as Mina floated in the air, "Its working!" She shouted in a gleefull way.
The lifeless body fell, but not hard enough to cause her injury, more like it floated down ont the cedar flooring. Mina slowly opened her eyes scanning the room, her memory fully restored.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Reivan smiled.
Terahn hurried over to and knelt next to her. "Mina?"
Mina sat up then suddenly lay back down, "Terahn, why does my back hurt so much?
"You landed on a pile of glass!" Damien rushed to her side and picked her up, only to get slapped in the cheek by Mina's left palm,"Ouch. What was that for?!?"
"For causing me more pain, Dragonheart." She looked at Terahn with a smirk on her face, "Terahn, I give you full permission over Damien's life."
Damien looked shocked and ran down into his lair, locking the wodden door behind him.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Terahn used his magic to keep Mina elevated while he watched Damien run downstairs, "Damn lucky he can run that fast..." He mumbled with a grin.
"He's weakest when he sleeps and," Mina reached into her back pocket and pulled out a pair of keys, "I have the keys to the basement." She handed them to Terahn. She looked arround her and smiled and in a childish way said. "Look mommy! I can fly!" Knowing full well that herm mom was dead.
Damien slowly crept up the stairs and silently unlocked the door, if somone were to 'unlock' the door they would lock it. "Hehehe."
~~~~~~~~~~~~
He took the key's and grinned "Thanks but I won't need them, I can phase through doors." He said with a playfull wink.
Mina smiled and playfully stuck her tounge out at him, "I'm sorry, I should have told you about the cur..." Mina stopped and looked at the door. "Not another one, excuse me everyone." She made her way to the door and walked out. Shouting came from the other side and then a eerie quiet. Mina soon walked in, covered in blood, "Donr worry it's not mine."
Kana smiled and said, "Number?"
"Twenty, to be exact." She made her way to the stairs and said, "Sorry, i'm gonna be a while." Her body soon dissapeared arround the corner.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Reivan picked up the smell of blood and his stomach grumble, "Uh I'll be right back." he ran off after Mina.
Mina saw Reivan and asked, "Somthing wrong?"
Terahn was dumbfounded "What was that all about?" He asked pointing to the door.
"Vampire hunters, mostly after Ukume." She looked up at him. "She'll be fine."
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Reivan grinned,"Just a bit hungry." He said. He felt a sharp pain in his arm and saw a silver dart. "Damn...." He pulled it out carefully and looked into the eyes of the hunter that shot him, "Mind if I join in Mina?"
"I wasn't going to drink the blood, I had my fill when I killed them." She looked at the dart and heard the voice, "Excuse me?".
Terahn nodded, "Ahh. no problem then the two of them should have fun." He said chuckling. He sat down and looked to the door a wide grin spreading across his face. "N'ar tolak nephenthis" He said chuckling.
Kana did a comic book pass out, "Earth speak, please?"
~~~~~~~~~
"I said mind if I join in" Reivan said, shrugging he charged at the hunter there was a scream and Reivan stood, "Got 'im!"
"And I Finally got you!" Said a female voice.
Reivan turned then vanished into the bushes as if something dragged him down.
"Reivan! Snap!" Mina screamed out the window. She couldn't see him. "Reivan are you ok?!"
Terahn chuckled, "It's the language Reivan was taught when he grew up in the temple of eternal sands, it means 'May she suffer'."
"Ok thank you." Kana heard Mina screaming and assumed the worst. She took Terahn's hand and ran out side, she saw Mina's head sticking out the window on the second story. "What happened?"
"He got hit with a dart then he got dragged out the window!" Mina jumped out the window and looked into the bushes.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Terahn sighed. "Don't worry, we'll be physically fine, it's Rajamet Reivan's unwanted crush."
Reivan squirmed and struggles and he lay tied up by the lake. He felt a familiar weight and the smooth touch of scales slide around him "Mphrgle fphlipth rhmt agn?"
The Naga woman looked at him confused, "What was that my love?"
Reivan squirmed out of the gag and took a deep breath, "I said...WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE RAJAMET!? And let me go!"
"Why would I do that?" She giggled.
"Because you and your mother ruined my life, killed my best friend and you chased me across the globe despite the fact that i've told you I hate you!"
She smirked, "You you just love to joke around don't you?"
Reivan sighed, "Oy..."
Kana was watching from the shadows and was resisting the urge to make herself known. She gave in and stepped out of the shade of the pine and slowly made her way over to Reivan, bowing to the naga trying to not pose as a harm. "You ok Reivan?"
Mina and Terahn were standing on top of the pine Kana has previously taken refuge under a minuet ago, making shure nothing happened to her.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Reivan nodded, "Yeah I am now that you're here, I- Hey!"
Rajamet coiled herself around Reivan and came up infront of Kana, "And who are you?"
Reivan scowled, "She's my girlfriend Rajam-ACK!"
At the word 'girlfriend' Rajamet tightened her coils "What!?"
Terahn sighed and jumped down.
Mina flew down beside her and wispered into her ear, "Kana, whistle at her."
Kana looked at her and smiled, She pursed her lips and a whistleing noise ishued out of her mouth. It was faint and lasted about three seconds, her eyes flashed black and the ropes that bound Reivan were cut.
"You're choking him! Let him go, please!" Mina said as she stepped forward.
"Please, let him go. And yes it is true, I am his girlfriend." Kana replied quietly her hands folded in front of her, her head bowed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Listen girl I'm the only on allowed to be in love with my wittle snoogums, so Back Off!"
Reivan sighed, "Fine, you wanna play rough?" He closed his eyes, there was a dull light as Reivan changed into his Naga form. He extended his fangs and bit her shoulder hard.
The woman screamed and uncoiled.
Reivan slithered up and over to his friends and brother. "Listen Rajamet, I know how you feel about me but you ruined everything for me... just consider yourself lucky I didn't kill you."
"Why can't you accept the fact he dosnt want you anymore?" She took Reivan's hand and smiled. "Snoogums?" She said in confusion.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Reivan sighed "It's a long story..." He looked at the wounded Rajamet, "What do ya wanna do with her?"
"Ok, forget the nickname." Kana was worried now, whatever Rejamet wanted wouldn't be good, but she was ready to take whatever she threw at her.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Reivan turned his back on the naga and returned to his human form. "Kana... I know I don't have a ring or anything but... Would you agree to marry me?"
"You bet I would!" She threw her arms arround him and looked at Rejamet and smiled, "I'm sorry Rejamet."
"You can get a ring from Damien, he had thousands in his lair." Mina put her hand on her hip, happy for her friend. "Damien, can you get us a ring please?"
Damien's head poked out of a window that lead to the basement, "Who for?" he said as he glared at Terahn, "Did the dragonslayer propose? If so no!"
"For Kana and Reivan silly!" Mina stuck her tounge out at him.
"OK, then, contact me when you want to find a ring." Damien's head slid back through the window.
MistyMoo97 Community Member 
|
|
