Fantasy Immortuos

[Kaya]

Everything was white.

Where am I?

Hadn't he just been at a masquerade?
But... Everything was white...white like-

Why am I here?
The past three hundred years were gone, he was back at her grave, clinging to the broken remains of a statue he mistook for her gravestone, his right eye spilling tears, his left eye... blood.
Clinging to the only person he trusted... and loved. But she was gone, Alice was gone, and all because of him, because he had been arrogant, too sure of his himself and his ability to protect her.
And dumb enough to believe that the one he considered his brother wouldn't stab him in the back. In just one second... One miniscule, insignificant second had been enough to lose everything...
Again.

Just like back then.
If he hadn't cared for his sick mother... If he had left her to die like she would've done anyway... Maybe then he wouldn't have been infected. Maybe then he would've been able to be there for his siblings, instead of watching from afar as they dealt with it all on their own.
Always because he hesitated and wanted to make the right decisions.
But he wouldn't hesitate now. Not now that he had this one chance for making them pay. He could hear them.

His still blazing eyes were locked to Lucian and Yulian, the latter by not even moving anymore. Breathing heavily, he fought to stand up and pulled a branch from the remains of a crippled, burned tree. It was quite brittle, but for avenging Alice's death it would suffice.
With empty eyes, wooden stake in hand, he slowly approached Lucian. For a second, he could've sworn, there was a voice somewhere, but it didn't reach him.

Just a second before he could've killed Lucian, still mistaking his burned face for one of Carden's lackeys, Harper, his wife, dashed past Isla and rammed her shoulder into his stomach to stop him.
The impact did make him stumble, but the second he had regained his footing, Diavel's hand shot forwards and swatted the young vampire away like a fly.

But that voice...
That was when he noticed Isla, or in his broken mind-
Alice...?

But... How?
He had just buried her, just a couple of hours ago... How was she...

His left cheek smeared with blood from his eye, he slowly approached her, eyes wide, yet still clouded.
Slowly, unbelieving, he reached out to cup her face, his thumb gently caressing her cheek. It was a 180 turn he'd made.

"...Ally...?", he whispered breathlessly. "But- oh my god-"
It was more than a hug when he pulled her in, he was clinging to get like his life depended on it.
"I'm so sorry... I'm so- I should've protected you, I should've seen it coming, he-" he silenced when his voice cracked, and instead, completely forgetting in what state he was in, regarding all the blood, pulled her into a loving kiss.

But... Somehow...
This didn't feel like Alice, not just on a physical level... His heart was beating a different rhythm, this wasn't the dance he had danced with Alice so many countless times, this was new, though in no way less beautiful...
When he pulled back his eye was back to its clear, rain cloud grey.
"Issie-!", he gasped.
Oh...shit.
"Fuck-!"
Well hearing that kind of language from him was new. "Oh god I-"
Only then did he notice the destruction he had caused and paled. "Ah, no-!" He didn't think, not a second, when he spread his wings and rushed off into the darkness of the night sky.
Now he would've been thankful for a whole ocean of holy water do disappear in.

 

[AccioProphecy]

He was lost. Isla could tell by the different look in his eyes.

What...Do I do? Is there even anything...?

Just as another figure whizzed by her, trying to tackle him away from Lucian. A chill ran down her spine when he easily deflected and pushed the woman away, but for some reason she had stepped and walked towards him, not wanting him to do any more damage to anyone or anything. "Dia, stop," She hadn't walked over to him in a hurry, small careful steps and her voice slightly shaky yet gentle.

He's going to kill me too isn't he...?

That's where she stops dead in her tracks, fear rooting her to the ashen white ground. But she was not prepared for what came next, as if her mind was not confused enough, Diavel's demeanor changes when he sees her.

"...Ally...?"

Isla bites the inside of her lip, refraining from grimacing at the mistake he's made, face contorting into one of pity and...what was this she felt? She wasn't sure and she couldn't find the correct description for it.

No... he doesn't see me... His wife... but why?

He clung to her like she was the only one keeping him sane and alive. And then, the kiss. His lips were soft, and there was a certain type of kindness and passion that she didn't think he had and yet at the same time, he cradled her face as if it was the most fragile thing in the world. But to her, it was empty. It hadn't been meant for her, after all. Nevertheless she gives him the comfort he desperately needed and didn't pull back, causing whatever sinking feeling she had in her chest to widen and spread, almost engulfing her in the hole.

"Issie-!"

He'd come back to his senses then, but her eyes were glossy with unshed tears. She didn't even know why she had wanted to cry. There were too many things happening at the same time. The fear, the disappointment, the shock runs and tumbles through her. "Dia," despite it all she tries to tell him it's okay, but she understands his reaction. She understands why he decided to flee, because she had desperately wanted to leave as well and now... She looks around her, most of the people there had started whispering, looking at her, or the destruction, she wasn't sure. It didn't seem like Lucian would be able to help her now as well. She takes a step back.

I'm alone.

Her hands find each other and starts to fumble, starts to panic at the realization that no one was going to help her. Diavel was not here.

I don't belong here... I don't--

She takes several steps back and turns to break into a run. She had no idea where she was going, just away from all the eyes on her. Away from whatever chaos had ensued. She runs towards the ballroom doors and pushes them open with a strength that she didn't know she had. She darts down the stairs, gathering her dress around her and just runs, into the forest where she thinks that no one will scrutinize her. All she had really wanted to do was hide. Out of embarrassment? Fear? Whatever it was, it seemed as if she ran for hours, scratches appearing on her hands and cheeks from all the branches that she had just ignored, and finally, had just collapsed on her knees, panting and trying to catch her breath.

It was dark, trees around her. Just like the first time she'd landed here, when she realized that she wasn't home--

Home.

She wipes the tears that had flowed down her cheeks while she was running. Now she was just too tired to cry. She sits there for a while, wondering if anything would jump at her but... the night was awfully quiet.

Home... I need to get back...

She gathers whatever is left in her and stands, pushing through trees and bushes and when she breaks through the edge of the forest, as if an answered prayer, she sees a familiar house up ahead. It takes her a while to digest what she sees. It was a familiar house but she couldn't piece it together, what with all the things that had just happened and then...

That's... the alchemist's house...

Without a second thought she's in front of the door and knocking on it like she was being chased by a horde of hungry vampires. There was some clanging inside, and the door swung open "Okay, okay, calm down--" and Snell had stopped the rest of his sentence to see that he was presented with the world traveler. The best thing about it was that, she was alone, and obviously vulnerable. It wasn't difficult to see, tattered dress, scratches on her cheek, watery eyes. A perfect combination. He didn't even need to say anything, it was the girl who had suggested it to him.

"Please. Please, anything to get home," She was on the verge of tears again, her tone of voice very much unlike her, but Snell had graciously welcomed her in with a sinister smile. "Good choice, milady," and locked the front door behind him. She wouldn't be leaving anytime soon, not if he had anything to do with it. "You look like you need a drink, hold on," and moved the books on his couch over to his also messy table, motioning her to sit.

For her, it had been a strange place, but now, the warmth from the fireplace was comforting. A stranger's house, yes, but desperation pushed you to do various different things. She didn't have any other choice, in her mind. She was handed something that looked like water and in her very unguarded state, drank all of it. The next time she opened her eyes, she was tied up, and the sleeves of her dress had been slashed out. On the ground, which was clear and clean, there was some sort of magic circle drawn and some blood. It took her seconds to realize that it was hers, dripping from a small cut on her leg.

"Clearly I didn't give you enough, it's only been 30 minutes, ideally you'd be out for an hour," Snell was standing in front of her, book in hand, vial in the other. "I'd advise you to sleep, the next time you wake, you might be back home already," She was too groggy, too tired to even say anything and she still very much wanted to leave this place and get back to her world. Her leg didn't even hurt, the only thing she could feel was loneliness.

"It says here that extracting your soul might help," Isla's head snaps up at that, what did that entail? It dawned on her slowly that this might have also been a mistake but at the same time she couldn't think about what else she could have done. It had, for a split second, occurred to her at the ballroom to look for Sol but she was certain she was way too far from wherever he was. He wouldn't have heard her either. "...Wait," she suddenly says, moving her hands a little but noticing that she was tied around the wrist. "...I don't--" What was she supposed to say? That she didn't want to die? But perhaps that was the way home, she had been near death, that's why she was transported here, if, perhaps, she came close to her good friend Death again then maybe...

She shut her mouth, as the alchemist retrieved a knife from somewhere.

Maybe that's it.

She thinks, as the alchemist walks towards her with the sharp weapon.

If I greet Death like an old friend... Maybe that's it.

Isla was not sure if she had just given up, or truly believed that this was the way home.

 

[Kaya]

He had never really left. How could he, after all? Of course he needed time to think, to get this all straight, come to terms with the fact that everyone had seen his scars, that he had almost killed the only family he had left, for a split second thought about biting his daughter in law, destroyed Yulian's entire garden, but for se odd reason all of that faded into the background when he'd heard Isla running through the forest.
He had always been with her, exploiting his entire arsenal of vampiric powers. He had been there, in the eyes and ears of every creature of the night, in the light fog that covered the ground, a white raven perched high up in the trees.
And how would he not?
After everything that had happened he owed her this much, to put her safety before his comfort. But one thing he couldn't do...
Show himself to her.
He'd seen the tears brimming in her eyes and he remembered every goddamn second of mistaking her for Alice. And he remembered how it felt to find out it was Isla. He'd be lying if he said that he didn't love Alice, she'd always be a part of him, but she was, as much as it hurt to finally admit it, a part of the past. A memory long gone, no matter how beautiful it had been. And bringing her back didn't mean giving her a future. It meant preventing himself from having one. It meant locking himself in a state of eternal suffering because he wouldn't allow himself to move on. It was hard, but for her... For Isla, who had found herself in a world she didn't know, full of dangers she was defenseless against... How hard must it be for her?

When she arrived at the alchemist's house, Diavel was tempted to step in and tell her to go home with him, but he knew that he wasn't in any position to tell her what to do. If she wanted to go home and take the risk of working with that shady scumbag... Maybe he'd just have to accept that...
Did he?
Part of him was hurt that she didn't even wait till the next morning to say goodbye, but another part understood her, that she just needed to get away from everything now. The alchemist being there merely was an unfortunate coincidence.
But hell if he would do anything but help her get back home he'd-

He froze at the scent of blood.

It carried Isla's sweet scent, just intensified, and spiced with adrenaline. But the scent was too strong, it was too much blood to come from a scratch caused by running through the forest.

"It says here that extracting your soul might help."

His fine ears caught the Alchemist's voice, telling Isla that he was about to kill her. Oh hell no. He'd failed to protect Alice back then, but he wouldn't make the same mistake twice.
This man was as good as dead.

Snell was about to cut her open when the door burst into a rain of splinters, the impact taking down a part of the stone wall as well.
Emerging from the settling dust caused by the destruction, came Diavel, a dark silhouette against the ring of white fire burning around the house, the same white fire that was burning in his eyes.
Wings spread, he blocked the alchemist's only way to escape and gave him a warning glare. It was an unmistakably clear message- one wrong move and you'll regret it.

A second was enough for him to cross the distance between him, Isla and that dirty rat. While he was opening the leather restraints that kept Isla in place with his hands, he used one wing to pin Snell down in a corner.
"Isla... I'm so sorry", he whispered silently to her as he supported her with one arm around her waist. He could smell the sedatives in her, so he'd rather make sure that she wouldn't collapse any second.

But then he turned to the man, his face a mask of disdain as it hovered only inches from the Alchemist's neck.
"If I hadn't taken an Oath that no mortal would ever be harmed by a vampire on my land you'd be an empty shell already", he hissed. "We both know that helping her was never your true intention. What were you going to do with her soul, eh? Create a Philosophers Stone? You disgusting, perverse abomination."

Unsure whether or not Isla would be able to walk on her own, he picked her up and made it back to his mansion in record time, still boiling with hatred. Maybe it was paranoid of him, but to be honest he wouldn't be surprised if that bastard would try to break into his mansion and kidnap Isla.

"Issie... I'm so sorry about everything", he mumbled softly. "I-... Can we talk tomorrow?"
Maybe, if he had been a little more watchful of his surroundings and a little less distracted by his emotions, he would've noticed that the room he had carried her into wasn't hers... But the room to which he'd banished all memorabilia of Alice.
He set her down on the bed, considering for a moment to take a seat next to her and talk now, but he didn't want to make it even harder for her by trying to talk to her while the sedatives were probably still affecting her.
"Listen, I'll lock the door and take the key with me, okay?", he said silently. "To make sure that bastard won't try to kidnap you."

Hasty like a gust of wind he left, locked the door and rushed into his own bedroom, holding on tightly to the key as he slid down the wall.
The light of the moon shining on his face revealed his own eyes to be glassy and wet with unspilled tears.

 

[AccioProphecy]

The sheer loudness of the door imploding caused her to shut her eyes and whimper the slightest bit in shock. When she cracks her eyes open again it was the familiar white fire that woke her senses up. She was scared. and she hadn't meant to be, but her whole body and mind had told her that she should be scared. Even when he apologized and he held her, she had nothing to say. Whether or not because she was drugged, or just didn't feel like it, wasn't very clear to her at the moment.

The next few things was a whirlwind to her, they'd suddenly arrive back in his mansion and he yet again apologized. She didn't meet his gaze, she stiffened in his arms and wasn't sure what to say. It wasn't that she disliked or hated him, she was just confused and drowsy. Much like how it was when she first came here. She didn't have a choice when he asked if they could talk tomorrow,

"Listen, I'll lock the door and take the key with me, okay?"

No. Don't. Please. I don't want to be here by myself.

It was quiet, but she wasn't able to voice it out because she knocked out in the next second. The sedative was still in her veins. It was a dreamless sleep and for that reason, when she woke up, she woke up with a start, sitting up in alarm. All the memories of what happened attacking her mind. She breathed in steadily, as if to keep her grounded and to stop herself from panicking. There was moonlight coming from the balcony doors, enough to let her know that this room was not hers. Mostly because of the layout and... There were a lot of items in there. The old brown dressers lined with different items on top. A few of which were jewelry boxes, some folded clothes stacked up on each other, and another box, with a crank on its side. Isla guessed it was some sort of music box.

She had the urge to hear it and so the first thing she does when she gets up, is to walk towards it, open the lid of the box and starts winding the crank. She lets go of it and a very soft melody plays. It was a beautiful one, full of hope. If she thought about it, it would be the music that accompanied an innocent sort of love. The beginnings of something that seemed unreal. It put a small smile on her face, and she lets it play on the background as she turns to go back and rest on the bed.

That's when she saw the big portrait. It was of Diavel, looking quite relaxed and next to him was... Isla felt as if she had been floating that whole time, not really back to her senses. Seeing herself on the portrait didn't lift that feeling. She still felt as if she was floating on water, like a piece of wood. She's confused, and gets more so the longer she looks at the portrait.

When did he... get this painted?

When she saw the names written on the frame, she was even more confused. It said Alice and it hits her like a tsunami. The impact of it leaving her crumbling into a heap on the floor, hand unconsciously hovering over her mouth.

"Don't you think I'm happy for you that you've finally found a replacement for Ally?"

The words ring in her ears, the music that was playing in the background had suddenly seemed like it had distorted into a slow, horror theme. Her head was spinning.

No.No.No.No. Why does she-- Why do I look exactly like her? Is this why I'm here? Is this why he keeps me around and everything is--

Scenes of moments she shared with Diavel flashes through her mind. The smiles that he'd given her, or the mischief they'd created together. The banter. The way that she lost so badly in chess and he would laugh, but encourage her to try harder. And then the kiss, him calling her Ally.

It's not me. It's never been me in his eyes.

And the void in her chest opened up again and she finally could put a name to what she felt: bitterness but most of all, betrayal. She darted up towards the door, rattled the handle and realized it was locked. She shakes her head and moves towards the balcony doors instead. That was locked too. She goes back to the main door and tries to rattle it again, pulling on it, not wanting to accept that she had to stay here. With someone who probably just locked her in here so he could wake up every day and see his wife. She didn't want to believe it, she still hung on to the idea that Diavel was a respectable man and wouldn't do anything to hurt her but she couldn't be sure now.

What with the incident in the ballroom, and finding out that she was the exact copy of his dead wife. It was just shock after shock shaking her unknown world. She ended up giving up, slumping on the floor again and staring at the door. Alone and trapped. In a room where a picture of Diavel and Alice was staring at her, mocking her. She trembles, still trying to keep herself together but tears start to spill from her eyes. "I want to go home," she whimpers, like a child who really didn't want to take that trip to the grocery store with mom. "I don't want to be here, I wish I never ended up here!" She starts shouting at nothing in particular eyes shut tight, wondering if anyone could hear her. Could Diavel hear her? Could Sol?

Her eyes snap open. Sol.

In the next second she'd brought her fingers to her mouth, poising it for a whistle, and blowing, the sound shrill in the four walls that surrounded her.

 

[Kaya]

"Smile darling don't be sad
Stars are going to shine tonight
Tell me wh-"
Sol silenced immediately the second he heard a music box playing. He was sitting around a campfire with a few other wolves, down in the dungeons, just talking, telling stories, singing... Well, just enjoying the good parts of life, basically, although he had been on edge ever since Diavel and Isla had returned from the masquerade.
With the way the vampire was steaming with fury and Isla was smelling of sedatives, something must've gone way south there, but he'd figured that he'd just keep an eye and an ear open in case she'd need him. The last he wanted to do was force her to stay awake while all her body wanted to do was sleep. But knowing that Diavel never touched the music box, hearing it play was a sure sign that Isla was awake... And in a room she definitely wasn't supposed to be in.
Poor thing, if she'd find out that she was a doppelganger of Diavel's dead wife...
He didn't like the vampire for various reasons, and suspicious as he was he had kept a close eye on the way he behaved around Isla, but he could tell that, by now, he saw her as just her. They'd never become friends, most likely, but the light this room was shedding on the Duke was wrong.

"Sh-sh-", he said, waving one hand towards Rahna next to him, who was about to say something.
Most likely tell him to sing on.
It seemed to be her way of coping with the loss of their mother. Back then she had listened to her singing. Now she listened to him.
"Sunny?", she asked, sounding a little bewildered, and looked up at him from her spot, leaning against his shoulder.
"I think I heard something..."
"Isla perhaps?", his sister teased with a grin and lovingly nudged his side. "Watch out watch out or you'll imprint on her."
"No I'm not! I just care about her", he grumbled. "Remember how we landed in a whole new world we didn't know when Mazelinka freed us and took us in? I just can relate to how she feels."
"Yeah sure, of course."
He didn't like the way his sister was still grinning like she knew him better than he himself did. "Will you stop staring at me like that?!", he chuckled and covered her face with his hands, but jerked back when she cold-bloodedly drooled against his palms.
"Ack, Rahna!"
"You giving up?"

Both flinched noticeably when a loud, high-pitched sound rang through the silent corridors. His cue! He had told Isla to call him this way if she ever needed his help.
"What was that?!", Rahna questioned, but Sol was already half down the corridor. "Gotta go!"

If there was a species that had a better sense of smell than vampires, it was werewolves. And so it was easy for him to follow Isla's scent to exactly where he had expected her to be.
The creep room.
Oh dear...
Upon trying to enter, he realized the door was locked. What in all worlds...? What had happened? Why would Diavel lock her in like a prisoner?
"Isla?", he mumbled softly into the wood. "Listen, the door is locked..." He cocked his head. "... And there's a protection rune. Wait a second, I'll try the other entrance-"

In his wolf form he races down the corridors, the stairs, through the entrance door and followed the wall until he spotted the balcony that should lead to the creepy room.
"... Well then", he huffed as he returned to his human shape and climbed the nearest tree he could find. From there it was only a more or less small leap onto the balcony.
He wasn't surprised to find this door locked, too, but unlike the other one, this one wasn't unforced with silver that would drain him off his power. This one was easy to break.
"Step back!", he called and unceremoniously broke the glass. A few shards cut his right shoulder and arm, but those minor injuries would heal within a couple of hours.

Finding Isla with tears staining her face and her once beautiful dress torn in several places, his eyes widened in shock. He didn't hesitate a second to drop down next to her and pull her in like he would protect her from everything the big bad world had to offer, at the same time changing into his wolf form again, remembering how she had told him that she enjoyed his soft fur.
"It's okay, I'm here, I'm here for you", he mumbled silently to her ear.
"Do you... Want to talk about it?"
He made sure to have it sound like a genuine question, not a command, and let her know that no matter whether or not she wanted to talk, he'd just be there.

And tomorrow... Tomorrow he'd have a very serious talk with Diavel.

 

[AccioProphecy]

Isla's head snaps up when she hears her name being called out softly by the last lifeline she had in this world. She's just about to throw herself at the door towards him when he mentions that it's locked, and protected with rune magic. He'd try the other entrance, he reassured, but it felt like forever to him before his presence showed up at the balcony doors again. Isla doesn't even flinch when the glass broke and Sol came striding in. Glass breaking was like a small ant now compared to the other frightful things she'd just encountered.

Sol's warmth envelops her like a gentle fireplace. She closes her eyes and wraps her arms around him too, and her skin meets with fur. She buries her face into it, taking steady breaths.

It's okay. I'm okay. I'm not alone. I'll be fine.

She doesn't know how long it takes her to finally get her voice back, and some of her more normal senses and thinking. It was hard to think straight after that, but the comfort Sol provided was very helpful. Without pulling away, she starts to tell him bits and pieces of the incident, but only the ones that had been imprinted on her mind. She doesn't mean to paint Diavel in a bad light, but she was so thoroughly perplexed on how she would go back to whatever friendship they had.

"He burned the garden down, and even--" the scene flashes in her mind's eye again "his friends. It's like he didn't see them... And then..." She gulps, she didn't know if she could say it out loud, that he'd mistaken her for his wife, clung to her like she was salvation and kissed her because she had seemingly risen from the dead. "I don't know, I don't know. He--" she repeats. "He mistook me for Alice... he wouldn't calm down so I followed him out but he--It's not me that he saw," that void in her chest kept coming back whenever she got to that part of the story. So she stopped, and didn't say more. She didn't explain the alchemist, nor did she mention the kiss. "I don't understand..." She was getting confused about who she was, a part of her had suddenly thought that there was no way such similarities in looks was just a coincidence.

Her grip on Sol loosened the more time passed, and the comfort he provided was starting to lull her into a more peaceful and relaxed state, her eyes drooping, but she tried to fight the sleepiness, her hands occasionally tightening back around him, only to loosen again, like a cycle. Until, she finally fell into a deeper sleep, "Please don't leave..." she mumbles before she was taken by dreams completely. She didn't have the gem that Sol gave in this room, but Sol himself was a thousand times better than the glowing gem that had accompanied her for cold and dark nights on end.

 

[Kaya]

Sol remained silent during the entire process of Isla trying to piece together her jumbled thoughts and memories, her explanations coming out about just the same. It did take him some effort to understand it all, but the gist of it, as it seemed, was that Diavel had lost control over his fire, burned down the entire garden and his own friends in the process, and to top it all off, had mistaken Isla for Alice.

He lowered his gaze as he took it all in and, amidst all her fear and anger and hurt he could almost feel physically, realized one thing that bothered him more than it probably should.
Of course everyone would be hurt and furious upon finding out that they seemingly had been nothing but a replacement for someone else, but in this case, he was quite sure, there was more to it.
"You like him, don't you?", he mumbled, his voice warm and gentle, yet, if one was to listen closely enough, so very vulnerable. He shook off the jealously that was boiling somewhere deep inside him and just sighed silently.
For a wolf, the pack always came first. And he long considered her part of it. He'd deal with himself later.

"Of course I'm in no position to speak for Diavel", he said as he nuzzled his nose into her hair. "And to be frank I'm not exactly his biggest fan. But trust me when I say that I don't think he means for you to be a replacement for Alice. He by far has enough knowledge and aptitude to bring her back, especially with you here. Summoning a soul into the body of its doppelganger really is easier than it should be. But he hasn't. That must mean something, doesn't it? That's all I can say about the matter."

Feeling how her grip on him loosened , then tightened, and loosened again, he had to chuckle lightly. Had she even heard what he had said? Anyway he'd just make sure she'd be okay tonight.
He threw Alice's old, bloody dress off the bed and changed the sheets before he carefully picked her up and tucked her in.
"Don't you worry, I'll still be here when you wake up", he whispered and curled up next to her, close enough for her to nuzzled into his fur.
His eyes, glowing like embers, lingered on the door for a while before he fell asleep, too.

 

[AccioProphecy]

Isla hadn't heard anything that he said. Just bits of it, chopped off words that didn't really make much sense to her, but his voice had a certain calming effect on her. Perhaps it was how naturally warm he was too. She didn't move a lot in her sleep, mostly because she was dead tired but she did have a dream this time.

She'd been alone in a barren place. It was completely empty, but she recognized the white sheet of ash on her feet. It felt uncomfortably warm and she saw the silhouette of Diavel approaching her. "Dia? Are you ok?" He was suddenly in front of her in her dream sequence, he smiled, one that she'd seen a lot before. "Perfectly fine, Alice," and she had started on that spiral again. Her identity was starting to slip from her, until, someone else pulled her back and away from the vampire duke and enveloped her in a warmth that pulled her up from whatever depressing ditch she was in. "Don't you worry, I'll still be here when you wake up" The voice behind her reassured her.

And when she opened her eyes she was met face to face with Sol's human face. Sunlight was peeking through the curtains. She wasn't completely awake yet but she was just staring at the contours of Sol's face. He looked so peaceful and in her mind she could see his bright smile. Then she realizes that she's wrapped up in his arms, pretty close to his bare chest and she feels heat creep up to her cheeks at the fact that she was in bed next to Sol who was warm and half naked. "Um, Sol?" She whispered and tries to move away from him, but his arms tighten around her, perhaps out of instinct. She couldn't help but smile a little at how awkward their position had been so she tried to wake him again, "Sol?" she slips her arm and hand up to touch his shoulder and try to shake him awake.

Isla thought that he'd wake up easily, judging from how good his ears were but perhaps he was feeling far too comfortable. She thought she was out of this predicament when she heard a slight rattle of a key in a lock, the door opened but she couldn't crane her neck far enough to see who it was.

 

[Kaya]

Who are you...?
Sol had opened his eyes just to find himself sitting on a clearing, somewhere in a forest he didn't know. Golden sunlight and the shadows of the trees around dappled the floor like the scales of a koi fish.
Across the clearing, almost too far away to make out details, sat an old man. Again, the elder asked the same question. "Who are you?"
"What... What do you mean?", he asked hesitantly, but the oldan just smiled. "You'll know."

It was Isla's voice that woke him from his sleep and momentarily left him confused. This place was smelling of old, very old and stale blood, vampire scent, just as stale, but the most prominent was the scent of Isla. Isla? Why would she-
Wait, there was a body right next to him, their limbs almost tangled up in each other. And it smelled like... her.
It was comfortable, though...
Whether it was for him not being entirely awake yet, or him just being a giant puppy now and then, he just kept his eyes closed and cuddled tighter against her. "... Five more minutes..."
But when she carefully tried to shake him awake he sighed silently and opened his eyes.
Oh, she was closer than expected. He still looked completely content, however, when a smile crossed his face and he slightly turned away to yawn.
"Good morning", he said silently. "Feeling better, swetie?"

That's when he noticed that the scent of vampire had become stronger. As if on cue he heard someone silently clearing their throat and shot up into a sitting position, fangs bared in a snarl.
In less than five seconds he had crossed the room to push Diavel against the door frame with his fingers digging into his collar.
Especially now, with the two men standing face to face, the height difference between them was almost comical. Diavel already was far from short, but Sol, with his broader build, was towering over him.
It almost seemed like he grew taller when he was angry.
"What do you think gives you the right to lock her in like a prisoner?!", he hissed. "You have no right! None! And you have no right to hurt Isla!"
Much to his surprise, instead of fighting him, Diavel just lowered his head.
"I know", he said silently. "And I'm glad you were there for her tonight. Thank you... Sol."
There werewolf just stared at him wide-eyed, completely perplexed, and didn't even react when Diavel turned his head to look at Isla.
"Isla, I'm so-... Please, can we talk?"
"Tell me and I'll kick his ass", Sol remarked behind him, arms crossed and looming over the vampire like a very angry dark shadow.

 

[AccioProphecy]

"Good morning", he said silently. "Feeling better, sweetie?"

That threw Isla off and caused her to have a reaction that tinted her cheeks the slightest pink. She rarely felt shy about these things but with his arms around her and in such close proximity it hit her differently. She was about to answer when whoever came in cleared their throat. In the next moment Sol was up and Isla had sat up on the bed to watch the two go at it.

She fidgets uncomfortably when Diavel presents himself and asks if they could talk. She glances up at him and then at Sol who had stated all she had to do was say the word and he would probably beat the crap out of the vampire but...

Could he really? Diavel is...

The image of white fire destroying the garden completely flashes in her mind but she cracks a small smile. "No ass kicking, Sol," she simply says but swings her legs around to the side of the bed. "... But I'd like to have a bath first..." and stands, then glanced at the large portrait in the room. "...In my own room, I'll be done in an hour..." she could definitely find her own way around the mansion now. Well, as long as she could find the staircase, she knew where her room was.

Isla strode past Dia with her head down, but when she got to Sol she can't help but give him a very quick hug round the middle. She might've gone crazy last night without him. "Thanks Sol, umm... You're not leaving yet are you?" She doesn't want him to, but didn't want to intrude if he had plans underground.

Nevertheless whatever his answer was she found herself in the bath 10 minutes later. Sinking into the water up until right below her nose, strands of her hair billowing out on the surface of the water around her. She tried to organize her thoughts but it wasn't working because... She had none. She couldn't think properly. It was just blank and she knew it was probably she didn't want to remember it. Something vague comes up in her mind though, something that Sol had whispered or muttered last night when she was in and out of consciousness.

"You like him, don't you?"

Isla skims over the statement again and thinks nothing about it. She did like him, but she also liked Sol. Because they'd been her lifelines and the closest people to her during her stay here. Now, if Sol had meant it in another way, say, romantically, she... Wasn't quite sure or wasn't willing to admit it at that point. It was difficult to tell when there were so many unknown variables. Like his dead wife looking like her or that she was in a world that she didn't quite understand. A lot of her mind and brain power was spent on just trying to survive and figuring the world out, rather than romantically linking herself to anyone but...

But it's true that I'm fond of him...or I wouldn't be so hurt by... That.

She dunks her head under the water at the thought and continues her bath in silent contemplation. Once she was done, dressed, hair slightly damp, she'd left her door open the slightest bit to let anyone know that she was unoccupied.

 

[Kaya]

When Isla told him that there would be no ass kicking today, Sol looked almost miffed as he crossed his arms and just spent the anger that had built up inside him since yesterday evening to glare daggers at Diavel, who, however, seemed to have started an attempt of hypnotizing the floor.
Only when Isla hugged him did he grin at the vampire provokingly and gently ran his fingers through her hair while his other arm wrapped around her.
"Don't worry, I won't be going anywhere in case someone will attempt to cross any lines again", he stated, voice calm, yet, bearing a clear threat directed at Diavel. He just rubbed his forehead resignedly. "Sol-..."
"What, leech?"
Dia sighed deeply, but didn't say another word. Whether that was because he didn't want to remind Isla of his outburst last night or because he actually was intimidated by the werewolf wasn't really clear. Maybe a bit of both.

As Isla's room was close to the staircase and the kitchen was just a short walk down the stairs away, Diavel went to wait for her to finish her bath there, accompanied by Sol, who apparently had made it his mission to watch every breath he took like a guard dog.
As if the long talk he'd had with Rain hadn't been enough... But to be honest he was still quite exhausted, so he decided to save his breath and power for Isla and just accept the werewolf following him around.
He huffed a little as he moved towards the pantry to pour himself a glass of blood. Sol didn't say anything about it, but he could see how the werewolf scrunched up his nose in disgust.
Thanks a lot... It's not like I enjoy it either-!
"I didn't mean to hurt her, you know...", he muttered. Honestly he had no idea why he was talking about this with Sol, but somehow he just felt like... He had to. For whatever reason.
The werewolf just scoffed.
"What do you want from her? She's not your dead wife."
"I know", Diavel replied calmly. "But trust me when I say I made sure to test whether or not I'm just projecting Alice onto her. And I'm not."
Sol just scoffed once more, clearly indicating that he wasn't going to discuss the matter any further.

As if on cue both heard Isla's door opening. Diavel took a deep breath. This was it. Time to fix what he had broken... If that could even be fixed... He had behaved like a complete psycho. "Don't try anything funny", Sol growled as he ascended the stairs, feeling the werewolf's glare on his back like he was getting ready to kill him any second.

Even though Isla's door was open, he did stop to silently knock on her door frame, if only to let her know that he was there.
"Good morning..."
Usually, Diavel made sure to maintain his poise and an air of authority, but right now he was basically naked. Metaphorically, save for his mask, which he left on the table off to the side, as he hesitantly approached.
He didn't know if she'd get the message, but he certainly hoped so.
I'm not going to hide anything. My defenses are down...
Vulnerable, almost.

"I-... I'm sorry Isla. For everything. I could try to justify my actions, but what happened yesterday is beyond justification. I shouldn't have lost it like that. And I shouldn't have run off. And... Everything else, really..."
He had been stubbornly fixating his mask on the table till now, feeling like it was staring back at him and judging every word he said, but after a while he finally managed to look her in the eye.
"But please don't think that I'm trying to use you as a replacement for Alice. I just wish there was a way to prove it to you... You must be feeling so betrayed..."

 

[AccioProphecy]

And in a moment the "man of the hour" had strolled in, took the mask off and started explaining himself to her. She couldn't place her eyes on him the first few sentences, but somehow, just as he had looked her in the eye, she had picked up hers and met his gaze.

She was silent for a moment, before yet again taking her eyes off him, playing with her damp hair.

Is that all...?

"What... Can I even say?" she started, looking off to the side, trying to focus on the gem on her bed and just spoke her thoughts. "...I don't have anywhere else to go...so whatever it is, I'm still stuck here..." she moved away and picked up a brush to fixate on something else. "I don't really want to talk about what happened, I'm just confused and I think that'll need some time..." She started brushing her hair, looking at her reflection.

"It feels as if I'm back to the day when I first landed here... I was a bit lost and cautious about everything..." but now at least she knew she could count on Sol to be there for her. "...But thank you anyway," she turns around, manages a small smile "... I've always believed in the good I saw in you, and I still do," she looks at his forlorn and defeated expression. Something that she never saw on him and so she knew, somehow, that the guilt was really getting to him. She cursed herself for having the urge to comfort him, but she was never the type to refrain from her wants.

She strolls over and stands right in front of him, her hand reaching up to lightly touch just below where the scars on his left side of the face started, acknowledging his vulnerability. "I can't say I'm okay or It's okay... Because I don't really feel like that... But I'm sure when I've digested more of what happened that I'd have some questions to ask... All I want is for you to answer them truthfully," she withdraws her hand and looks up at him expectantly.

If he had been a complete asshole to her for her whole stay, her first reaction might have been to slap him, but he had been accommodating and even respectful of her, so she didn't have it in her. "In the meantime I think we both need a bit more rest?" he was obviously tired and so was she.

And frankly, she had really liked the warmth and safety that Sol had given her last night. She might have knocked out real quick because of that, but it seemed to her that now, she was really holding on to that because he was the only thing she was sure of at the moment. The only thing that was separate from the events in the ballroom. He had always been reliable, and Isla had always admired that.

 

[Kaya]

"... Okay", Diavel said silently as he got up and fetched his mask from the table to put it back on. She had been clear, she didn't full-on hate him, but right now she didn't want him around. Honestly he was that kind of person who loathed not clearing arguments, misunderstandings and all the like immediately, but he couldn't force her. So all that was left to do for him was wait, as much as it triggered his deep-rooted fear of loss. If he was human he would've been haunted by nightmares last night, but being what he was he had just closed his eyes and skipped some time.

He could still feel the touch of her fingers on his face, invisible traces with the power of lightnings, or at least it felt like that.
"You know... I've always been honest to you. And I've always spoken to you."
And not Alice, he added internally.
"So, of course I'll answer all your questions truthfully. Tell me whenever you want answers. I'll be waiting for you."
For a second he considered carefully brushing that stray strand of hair out of her face, and just yesterday he would've done so without a problem, but now it felt like he would be a crossing a line. Right now he would've loved to punch himself in the face.

When he reached for the doorknob to leave, he turned around one last time, but, really, what was there left to say?
Nothing he could think of right now.
"So... See you", he said silently and left in a hurry.

Meanwhile Sol was sitting in the kitchen and drumming his fingers on the table as his mind was reeling. It was just a gut feeling, but he was quite certain that Isla would turn to him more often now that Diavel had fucked up. And honestly he didn't know how to feel about it.
She had spent a lot of time with the vampire during the past two weeks, and maybe it was just him being paranoid, but he felt like second choice. On the other hand he understood how she felt, so much, actually, that it surprised him, too, but his kind was known to be highly empathetic.
Hurt pride fighting against a hint of gloat towards Diavel and the care he felt for Isla, he was staring at the wooden table like it could give him any answers.

That's when he heard the door of Isla's room opening and shutting again, and the vampire's silent steps as he headed for the library.
Now what? He didn't want to intrude or annoy Isla, but the puppy inside him won after a short debate. He just needed to know if everything was alright.

"Isla?", he called from the bottom landing, secretly enjoying the fact that Diavel would hear him just fine.
"I'm about to head out to the market, you need anything? Or wanna come with me?"

 

[AccioProphecy]

"You know... I've always been honest to you. And I've always spoken to you."

That's what you say but...

The hidden spite in her thoughts shocked her. This was the exact reason why she had to have some time alone. Any longer and she might've said something hurtful that she didn't really mean. She'd have to have some time to turn the freshness of the event into something positive, or at least into something that didn't make her despise the whole thing or the people involved in it.

As soon as Dia left, Sol had came. Isla had no idea why Sol had decided to talk to her from the bottom landing instead of coming up to her door, but when she peeked her head out to look at him, she merely raised an eyebrow. "Actually, I was going to sleep a bit more, Sol." she smiled, a genuine one. It seemed that her genuine ones could only reach Sol at the moment, someone who had been completely detached from the whole event. "Besides, don't you have..." she raised both her eyebrows in a silent message, "...things to do?" she meant underground, and added. "I'll be fine Sol... It's okay now...Thanks,"

She hadn't been trying to push Diavel nor Sol away...Well, maybe a little, but it was purely for their own good. Isla had always treaded carefully when it came to Sol, mostly because he had a family. Not only that that. He had a family. He had a pack. He had a secret to keep. And if she recalled correctly, Sol said that the smell of vampires would bother him, and there are times where she wondered if just being around the mansion was a bother for him. There were several times where Sol had been on her mind, but she'd never thought of calling him to her because it just hadn't seemed right to take him away from...his other responsibilities. It didn't occur to Isla that the wolf might have felt neglected, and now that she was not in immediate danger, it seemed that she didn't need him anymore either. That hadn't been her intention, she just didn't want to split his time too much. "I'll see you later though, if you're still here?"

Nevertheless she listened to Sol's reply and retreated back into her room right after. She plopped on the bed face down and started to stew in her thoughts.

Why did it have to be like this? Did I really have to come to this world? What's the point?

She rolls on to her back and stares up.

...Maybe I took my life on the other side for granted... my problems here seem to be on a grander scale than back there. The only monster I'd have to deal with back home is... my boss... and my family, I suppose.

Not that she thought Diavel or Sol were monsters but... they had tendencies that she wasn't used to. Magic. Shape shifting. The whole deal. Her eyes were fluttering shut again, she was more tired than she thought and everything was slightly better out of those clothes, freshened up and into new clothes. In the next moment, she had drifted off into a comfortable sleep. She felt nothing at all. It'd been a normal daytime nap, to hopefully get rid of her frustrations.

So, when she woke up yet again, not in a bed, but on the ground, staring up at the leaves of trees and its branches. She panicked, thought she was dreaming, when she realized she wasn't, she panicked even more.

Don't tell me...

She sat up immediately and scrambled to her feet, not wanting to be eaten alive by something strange, but, the next thing she saw was Diavel and Sol also on the ground and... a boy with a Chihuahua on its leash. It looked as if the boy had stumbled upon them and the Chihuahua was now licking at Sol's face and barking at the same time. "Hey mister, are you lost?" the boy asked, tilting his head and then noticed that Isla was up and innocently stated. "My doggie just suddenly went this way," with a shrug. Isla's eyes narrowed at the boy. Those mannerisms and the dog breed was familiar, could it be...? "Hi," Isla said and crouched down next to the boy, "We are kind of a little lost, could you tell us where we are?" The boy looked at her weirdly and then pointed out on one side of the "forest". From the cracks between the tree trunks you could see that it was actually a pretty lively place. "We're at Central Park... I took my dog out for a walk and my mom and dad are probably looking for me, so... bye bye!" Just like that the boy had pulled on the Chihuahua--who was still barking at Sol, mind you--and was off on his way.

Central Park! Isla's heart skipped a beat. This was HER world. She immediately turned to the other two, ready to start gushing that her apartment was just a walk away but quickly realized...

Wait... Why are they here too?!

That, and they might have needed some time to process things. So, Isla didn't add to their confusion as they were waking up.

 

[Kaya]

The inviting expression of friendly curiosity on Sol's face darkened noticeably when he was told that Isla was going to get some more sleep. If he would've been in his wolf Form right now, his ears would've flattened with the slight anger starting to rise inside him, but this way he just averted his gaze to the side and frowned slightly.
"Yeah, sure", he just said. If it wouldn't have been for his unusually short-spoken answer giving away that he wasn't exactly as sunny as usual, his voice would've done the job. Usually it was warm, full of life, but right now he just sounded disappointed.
I guess that's what it means to be a werewolf. Being used.

He was just on his way out when Diavel crossed his path. He was still pissed at the vampire, of course, but anger was an emotion he could deal with way better than disappointment, so he actually stopped to watch as the vampire started to sway slightly and even had to lean on the wall with one hand to keep his balance.
"... Are you okay...?", he asked with a frown, but he had to wait a little to get a reply.
"I don't know, I'm... Kinda dizzy", Diavel mumbled, sounding just as confused as Sol looked. Vampires normally didn't get sick, save for the new red plague, so seeing the Duke like that definitely was something out of the ordinary.
"Aftermath of yesterday's events, perhaps?", he tried to find an explanation, but it didn't seem likely. Back in the days Diavel had burned down entire cities without even breaking a sweat. He seemed to have thought the same, at least the vampire shook his head, still looking like he was about to throw up.

That's when Sol started to feel it, too. No dizziness, though, it rather felt like something was tugging on him, but not exactly physically. Like something was pulling on his very self, his soul, and dragging his body along like excess weight.
While Diavel was on his hands and knees by now, trying to suppress the urge to gag, the werewolf just sat down on the ground, with his back leaning against the wall, and closed his eyes. He'd heard enough stories and legends of his people to know what would come next. He just took another, deep, and admittedly nervous breath, before unconsciousness made his world fade away.


It felt like only seconds had passed when he noticed something wet and warm slipping across his face.
"Eh...?"
The face that looked back at him momentarily made his skin crawl. Enormous eyes, tiny teeth... Some kind of bat, perhaps? But it did have a scent that reminded him of...
No way. That was a dog?!
Why was it squeaking like that?
Afraid to break the strange creature, he carefully pushed it away from his face and sat up.

When someone addressed him with 'mister', his eyes shot up to settle on the kid standing in front of him.
"Huh...? Oh, um, hi there!" Despite his confusion he cracked a wide smile and instinctively moved into a position that would allow him to jump into action at any second. That tiny, squeaking dog was the most unsettling thing he'd seen in years. So, squatting, in this case, as he didn't want to tower over the kid and scare him, he curiously cocked his head. "I uh... Yeah I think I... Might be lost..."
What was this annoying, sharp scent in the air? And the roaring he could hear in the distance?

Upon hearing Isla's voice, and noticing that she was here, too, some of the tension made space for relief and he released a silent sigh.
Central Park?
He'd never heard of a place like that, and the werewolves usually were a network. They knew every place, every nook and cranny. Central Park was not a place in Naphuron.
... So his initial suspicion was right.
Yet another soul travel... But this time not onl Isla but also Diavel and I... But why?

As soon as the boy had left he quizzically raised one eyebrow at Isla. She looked far too happy right now. Did that mean...?
I don't know which God of the Wolven pantheon did this but WHAT THE HELL?!
"Central Park...", he muttered. "And you looking like you're about to jump out of your pants with happiness.... We're in your world, aren't we?"

"We are where...?", Diavel had finally come to his senses, too, and looked just as confused, but after a couple of seconds his eyes widened...
And widened...
And widened.
There was sunlight spilling through the foliage of the trees, but... It didn't hurt. It didn't hurt at all.
His fingers traveled up to his face just for him to notice that his mask, as well as the pain, was gone.
"SOL!"
The werewolf flinched when he suddenly shouted his name. "What!!?"
"Look me in the face and tell me what you see!"
"What? Well, your face? Gray eyes, pale, I don't know what you wanna hear."
The Duke tearing up and grinning like an idiot was the last straw to make Sol freak.
"Isla, what the hell is going on here?!"

 

[AccioProphecy]

"Central Park... And you looking like you're about to jump out of your pants with happiness.... We're in your world, aren't we?"

Before Isla could reply, although her twinkling eyes and more than comfortable demeanor would have given the answer away, Diavel woke up and Sol freaked out at his reaction, causing Isla to try and wave her hands at the two of them. "Okay, wait, let's calm down," she says, noticing that, first of all, they were still in their normal Naphuron clothes. That would be fun. Isla thought sarcastically. Her apartment was near but it was still a block away and she didn't know how they were going to survive the walk there.

"Let's get home first and we'll figure it out from there," She tries to touch her pockets, but notices that she herself was not in modern day clothing, however, she looked less conspicuous because she had always chosen the dresses that she was most comfortable with back in the mansion, and those were usually the less flashy and simpler ones. Isla didn't know what to do, should she warn them about what to expect, that people would probably stare and some might even call out or come up to them and ask what the occasion was? Some New Yorkers were pretty bold, but Isla would probably say that most people would just be curious. "Listen... People are gunna stare, just ignore them and we'll all be fine, alright? And please don't stray away from me," She was tempted to hold their hands like kids, specially at the thought of crossing the busy roads.

But first things first, they better get out of the park. "The sooner we get to my place the better, so let's go," she had seemed a totally different person then. Sure of herself and definitely knew what she was doing. They broke out of the trees and there was a flurry of things. Joggers, families pushing babies on strollers, people walking their dogs. Isla looked back to make sure the two were following her. "Umm... This is the main park around town... I'm guessing it's the weekend because it's not usually this full..." There was a couple walking their dog, a retriever, which stopped and looked at Sol yet again. Isla guessed the dogs could just smell something different--or maybe familiar--on him. It started barking at Sol and the couple just looked bewildered at their dog, pulling it away in the next moment.

"Okay, come on, let's go," If they stopped, people would start staring. There were no incidents as they were walking to the park entrance, just of course, a couple of stares, mostly from women really. Isla didn't know if she was walking too fast, but when she next turned around to check on them, there were two women talking to them already. Isla rolls her eyes and stands watching a few steps away.

"Wow, those are some really big guns you've got there," one of them, looking to be a woman in their mid 30s--probably married actually, if Isla had to guess--was touching Sol's bicep. The other one was complimenting Diavel's hair and asked, "Are you both... male exotic dancers? Your costumes look really good on you too. How much is it to hire both of you?"

Oh God, Isla thought, but couldn't help and put a hand on her mouth to conceal her smile. Well, a little bit of fun won't hurt right? She'd watch how they'd handle the situation and would probably step in if they were having too much trouble--or if the two guys would look as if they were about to hit someone.

 

[Kaya]

Despite the fact that he felt like running away screaming at the sight of so many new things to see, the cacophony of weird and painful sounds all around and a terrible mix of scents, Sol noticed that, while he felt everything but comfortable here, Isla had suddenly doubled in confidence. Huh, Naphuron must've really intimidated her...
He followed after her, looking like a scolded pup, but much to his surprise, he seemed to be alone with his discomfort;
Diavel did look quite confused by all the new impressions, but he actually looked comfortable.
Like he had left all his burdens back in Naphuron. Well, great for the guy, but what he had left behind was his family, his pack, everything he loved and valued, despite being a slave over there.
He instinctively cocked his head upon being stared at by another dog. With his pack, other werewolves, he could communicate telepathically, but it didn't seem to work with this guy.
When Diavel walked past him with a happy little smile on his face, he was close to exploding.
Didn't he understand that this was not good?!

Diavel however... honestly couldn't have been happier right now. Okay, well, maybe, if the situation with Isla would've been a better one, but-
Upon leaving the trees behind, he took a second to close his eyes and lift his face towards the sun. This was the first time in over seven hundred years that he could feel its warmth, instead of being burned by it. As it seemed, the first time of being what he had been before he had become Diavel. Mason felt so much closer right now. If only he would've been so lucky centuries ago. Maybe then he would've been able to spend some time with his family. On the other hand, though, he would've never met Isla.
"Peculiar attires...", he remarked after a while. Those pants some of these people were wearing... They looked like sleepwear to him...
However when a man in a leather jacket walked by, he was intrigued. That one looked good indeed. If he'd have to dress differently to fit in, that seemed like a piece of clothing he could live with.

And that's when he and Sol basically were assaulted by two shockingly straightforward ladies. If he could even call them that.
Sol immediately flinched and made a step back, his expression somewhere between awkward, scared and sinister, while Diavel just bowed slightly as he received a compliment.
"Oh, thank you", he replied a little bashfully. Back in Naphuron most people didn't even dare to approach him, let alone would they ever compliment him that openly. But here he was just another guy, no one to be scared of him, no one relying on him ruling Irewood.

"Hey stop that!"
Sol's distressed voice made him lose focus of the lady in front him momentarily. The werewolf was frowning deeply by now.
"My 'guns' are private, thank you very much", he growled. "I doubt you'd like to be groped by some random stranger, so what do you think gives you the right to-"

"Exotic- dancers...?" The other woman had cut Sol off with her question, prompting Diavel to wonder if he had understood her correctly. Had she just basically called them both prostitutes?
By now Sol just seemed to be on the verge of despair, while Isla was doing nothing but watching with a smile she believed to be able to hide behind a hand.
Well thank you very much...

"Trust me just for a second", he mumbled silently to the slightly trembling werewolf- whether that was from fear or anger he couldn't tell- and nonchalantly wrapped one arm around his waist.
"Of course we are flattered by your compliments, miladies, but I'm afraid I'll have to tell you no. We are just on our way back from a festival, you see, and, for obvious reasons, we aren't available for any amorous escapades. Right, honey?"
Sol stared at him like he'd gone mental for a couple of seconds, but finally seemed to catch on.
"Ah, eh, yeah, that's right. Absolutely."

As soon as they had lost the two quite intrusive women, Sol wound out of his grip like he was poisonous.
"Couldn't you have come up with something else?!"
Diavel just chuckled. "Nothing as effective as that."
"Well thanks for your help", Sol grumbled at no one in particular, while it could've been directed at both, Diavel and Isla.

 

[AccioProphecy]

"Well thanks for your help"

Isla smiled, not sure if it was directed at her but countered, "Still easier than waking up somewhere unknown and nearly having your blood sucked out. They were pretty harmless, if you ask me," She beams at the both of them, as if forgetting everything that had transpired just last night. Well, she was back home, somewhere familiar and she was just enjoying it, not really knowing WHEN fate would decide to play with her again and send her back to Naphuron.

"Okay, anyway, the next bit is tough, so," she grabs both their wrists and tugs them in a line, Sol on her left Dia on her right. They were about to tackle the traffic lights and zebra crossing. "Unless the lovely couple would like to hold hands instead, just let me know," She teased, pertaining to their earlier act. She drops her hold on Dia's wrist momentarily to explain the chaotic sight. "Those are cars," she said while they zoom past. "Those are traffic lights, red is stop, green is go, but those are for the cars," Then she points at the pedestrian lights, "See that? Those are for us, if it's green and the little man inside tells us to walk, then we walk," Then she points at a random man who was still crossing despite the red pedestrian light. "DON'T ever do that, it's just dangerous, just follow the lights,"

Then she realizes it might have been too much to take in for them, particularly Sol who looked as if he was about to book it and run. She looks up at him and squeezes his wrist a bit, "You ok Sol? It's quieter at my place, we're nearly there," she reassured, not knowing what else to say to him. She definitely knew how it felt. Diavel on the other hand...seemed to be thriving. Once they'd safely cross the road, there had actually been a big clothes store right in front of them. She made a mental note to come back to it later, she didn't have any money on her right now.

The rest of the walk had been fast and uneventful. Her building was a pretty secure place and when they arrived at the door, she let go of both of them and waved at the guard. She usually would have her card key with her. The security guard looked up from his post, a man in his mid-40s, flashed a smile at her and pressed a button to unlock the door and greeted her, "Ms. Becker! Hadn't seen you in a while," then the guard looked at her two companions, but didn't say anything about it, although he was thoroughly weirded out. "Ah... yea... hahaha," this particular security guard was fond of her, only because whenever she came back from work and had some snacks or food with her, she had offered it to him. She motioned the two guys to follow her, the security guard must have felt like the whole thing might turn into a murder mystery. A girl lets two suspicious looking men into her apartment. Not a good start.

"This is," she started to explain, then turned her voice down. "This is an elevator, I live on the 22nd floor," She pressed the up button and then shoved both of them inside before pressing 22nd. "It's like a thing that transports you to different floors so you don't have to take stairs," then got out, turned left to Flat E. She didn't have her key with her, but she had been locked out plenty of times before and had learned how to keep a spare in her mat outside the door. IN her mat, not under it. She had made an incision on the doormat just where the letter "E" on the word "WELCOME" stopped. She'd slip her spare key in there, and although it was unhygienic, it worked.

She opened the door to her apartment and welcomed them in, almost like she was in a hurry. "Umm... yea we're here. Do whatever you want, sit down or explore or something I just need to check on something." Her phone in particular. She darted to her room and found that her every day bag was there, with her wallet, phone and keys, which was strange cause she was sure she had it with her that day she was transported to Naphuron. In any case, she took her phone out, it was out of battery and so she plugged it in and let it charge for a bit.

She went back out and finally took a good look at the two men. "Umm... Are you guys okay? Must be a shock right?" She certainly was shocked when she woke up in a different place, but she was still particularly worried about Sol. "You should sit down and rest first, we'll figure it out a bit later." Then there was sleeping arrangements... were the two of them going to stay here? She didn't think she could leave them both alone and fend for themselves when they'd done so much for her. She would probably need extra pillows and blankets. "Do you want something to drink?" She asked the two, moving to the fridge--which she was sure might need some cleaning.

 

[Kaya]

The look of pure horror didn't fade from Sol's face for even a second as they made their way across the streets, past cars and traffic lights and a mess of scents and sounds, not to mention all the weird-looking people. His eyes were momentarily glued to a punk crossing their way, but while he looked completely dismayed, Dia just seemed fascinated.
Vampire society was quite uniform; elegant, dark clothes that made them melt into the darkness of the night, no one really standing out. But here!
He didn't know how this man had managed to make his hair stay in that position, or how he'd made it this colorful, but no one seemed to mid him as he walked past. The more he wondered why Sol and he were being stared at. Did they really stand out this much?

Ms. Becker...
For the first time he realized that he'd had no idea what Isla's surname was. There had just been so much happening that it had gone completely unnoticed.
"Good morning", he greeted the man, who seemed to be a guard, although he did wonder where his armor was. How was he supposed to defend this oddly-shaped mansion without armor? He could just be taken out by the next mental with a sword... Or an assassin!

"Wait, you're telling me I'm supposed to trust this weird... Cage... To magically take me to another floor?", Sol remarked critically. "Didn't you say there's no magic in your world?... Something's not right here."
Dia just grabbed his by the collar of his vest and pulled him into the strange contraption, hiding a small grin at the sight of the taller man breaking into cold sweat. "See it as fate's way of repaying you for taking Isla to the lazaret the other day."

However when Isla unlocked the door to her apartment with nothing but a thin sheet of some material neither of them could recognize, they both looked utterly confused. This did look very much like magic, so why would she claim there was none here?

Once inside, Sol headed right for the window, looking out with empty eyes. He was trying to reach his father or his sister, but where he normally could hear his pack's thoughts was utter silence now. Even when he and his siblings had lost their mother they'd still had each other, but now...
He'd never, in his entire life, felt so alone before. Rahna... Father... I'll come back, I swear I will. Whatever it takes, I'll find my way home...
... I hope...

Diavel, meanwhile, was walking around the living room and exploring his surroundings. Especially a box with several buttons, standing on a shelf had caught his interest. There were two smaller boxes standing left and right of it, the front part covered with some sort of mesh, but the one in the middle seemed to be the centerpiece.
"What does this do...?"
He curiously pushed the biggest button, the one in the middle, and suddenly music filled the room. Oh so this was some kind of music box!
Slightly nodding his head to the rhythm, he took a seat on the couch, but got up again just seconds later to take off his long coat. It was the most eye-catching detail about his outfit, the rest was just some black pants and an ivory shirt that didn't stand out too much.

That's when Isla came back and asked if they were okay. He just lifted his shoulders, an ironic smile crossing his face. "Well, for whatever reason crossing into your world seems to have turned me into a human so..." his smile finally turned into a full grin. "I'm feeling great. But... Fluffy over there..."
He subtly pointed at Sol "He already looked quite down before we landed here, but now-"

 

[AccioProphecy]

Isla watched the two of them. Back in Naphuron they were like day and night. Day being Sol and Diavel being night. Now it's like it had been reversed, though, Isla could completely understand what Sol was going through. It was the more "normal" reaction, so to speak whereas Diavel... He... seemed more relaxed, more so than Isla had ever seen him. She sighs and was walking over to Sol just as Diavel turned on the her speakers, apparently the playlist was on a pop-rock song that she quite enjoyed. "Speakers, they play music..." She couldn't help but smile a little at how fascinated he was and she wasn't worried about him touching anything. There was nothing harmful in her apartment, just as long as he didn't try to eat every little thing. She pointed at the TV which she thought might entertain him, "...Remember when we talked about movies? The TV plays movies," she grabs the remote from the shelf and hands it to Diavel before turning towards Sol again and going over to the window that overlooked the streets below her building.

"Sol?" she asked gently. He had a very faraway look in his eyes. She didn't know how to comfort him but, for some reason she suddenly felt that one of her pockets were heavy. She yet again pats her sides, she hadn't done it properly earlier only because she knew she didn't have her house keys with her, nor her phone or wallet, but when she had given herself a good pat on the side she realized that there was, indeed, something in her pocket.

She plunges her hand in and touches something hard yet smooth, when she fishes it out, her eyes widen. It was the gem that Sol had given her a few nights back, when she said that she had not been sleeping well and was antsy at night.

That's right... I was sleeping... and then I suddenly woke up at Central Park... I must have been holding this when I slept...

She gingerly turns the gem around in her hands and then presents it to Sol with a soft frown on her face, "Here you go, I think you need this more than I do now," she stands silent for a while, wondering if she was even getting through to him. "I'm sorry, I somehow feel like this is all my fault..." An image of Rahna flashes through her mind. She'd be worried sick, not to mention sad and everyone would wonder where he was. She secretly bit her lip and took his wrist, pulling him a little over to the couch and prompted him to sit, "Hey, it's okay, we'll figure it out, alright?" She tries to be positive for his sake, but has no idea what in the world had even happened.

Was it because I had wanted to come back home so desperately? If so then why did the two of them come with?

"Is there anything you need? Something I can do to make you feel better? Do you want my fluffy blanket?" She asked a series of questions, the fluffy blanket was a stretch, she just thought the texture would make him remember home but that was probably a bad idea.

 

[Kaya]

"This is very different from the music in Naphuron", Diavel remarked, drumming his fingers to the song's beat on the armrest of the couch. "But I like it!"
However when Isla handed him the remote, he took it, holding it very carefully, but just eyed it confused. How was this odd slab of foren material going to help him make the TV show movies?
He was about to ask for instructions, but seeing how she was trying to comfort Sol he decided to stay silent. The werewolf and he were far from being friends, but he knew when to show consideration. That, and, he didn't want to risk annoying her. Not after what had happened last night. So he just watched silently.

Sol, meanwhile, had stuffed his trembling hands into the pockets of his pants and was biting the inside of his cheek.
This silence was deafening, almost painful. No, not almost. It was. It hurt like hell.
When Isla offered him the gem he'd given her two weeks ago, when she had mentioned having difficulties sleeping, he looked at it for a short moment before averting his eyes and shakily taking it from her.
His knuckles turned white from how tightly he held on to it, but the comfort it gave him was minimal.
"Don't get me wrong", he whispered in a choked voice. "I like you, I really do, and you've become very important to me... But I would've never followed you here. I need to get home."

Hearing the wolf's words, Diavel bit his lip and awkwardly looked away. That hit home... But he got it. In the end, Sol had the heart of a wolf. He didn't belong into a city, let alone without his pack.
He must feel like I felt when I had to leave my siblings behind after becoming a vampire.
Thinking of it he could still feel the sting somewhere deep inside him. Even after seven hundred years he missed them, and he was pretty sure that, without Daxten and Carden back then, he would've suffered even more.

"... Could you just leave me alone for a bit...?", Sol just replied silently when Isla tried to come up with ways to comfort him. "I just need some to digest this and get back on track..."
Diavel cast a questioning glance towards her. Her place wasn't exactly big, from what he could tell, so leaving the werewolf alone could actually prove to be a little difficult.

 

[AccioProphecy]

"... Could you just leave me alone for a bit...?"

Isla stepped back with a small smile. "That's fine," She understood, only moments ago wanting to be alone in her room to sort out her thoughts and to get some rest, only to wake up in Central Park. For a while she considered what to do, there was only two places to be in her flat. Her room and the living room, so there really hadn't been, so called, a real chance to leave him alone... Unless... Isla turned to Diavel who seemed perplexed with the remote...of course he didn't know how to use it.

"Hey, Dia, let me show you my computer?" Probably not the best idea, she hadn't cleared and never cleared her history but that was alright, it's not like Dia knew how to work it. She was only doing it so they could leave the whole living room to Sol. She snatched the remote away, put it on the coffee table and took his wrist, moving him into her room. "...I'm sorry my place is so small," she realized that he might have not been used to it. His place was... probably a hundred times bigger. Off the side of her room was a table, with some papers and books and also her desktop computer. She booted it up and motioned for him to sit on the swiveling computer chair.

It occurred to her that they were alone here, just the two of them, when hours before she hadn't even been comfortable enough to look him in the eye or talk to him about...Alice. Being home did wonders though, and even if she was still quite bothered by what had transpired--mistaken kiss, incinerated garden and all--at least she was in her element, and frankly, it was probably a good time to give back what she had received when she was in Naphuron.

It was here she realized she was still in the somewhat medieval dress that she wore, so, while Dia was occupied with how to use the computer, she quickly changed into some home clothes. Grabbing whatever she could from her drawers, pajama shorts with strawberries printed on it, reaching only just her mid thighs and a plain, loose, blue shirt, she went to the bathroom--glancing at Sol on the way--quickly changed and retreated back to her room.

"Ah... right... you probably don't even know how to use it..." Isla thought when she saw that Diavel had not been even using the mouse or the keyboard. She teaches him the basics, about the mouse, how to click, how to type--not that he knew what to search for. "...You can get a lot of information from a computer...so... if you're curious about anything you can search for it," perhaps Dia would search for something weird. Like rune magic. Well, he would still get search results, just probably not his expected ones. "...I'll take the two of you shopping for new clothes later..." she says as she climbs into bed and under her covers, grabbing her phone and turning it on, it had charged a little. "...Maybe you can learn a bit about the fashion here..." she suggests, her tone soft as she got comfy.

It didn't bother her one bit that there was a man in his room. That struck her, because she usually would be. Maybe it was the fact that Dia didn't have his powers anymore...or merely because they were away from Naphuron, but there was a certain type of security in the change of atmosphere and environment. She put her phone down as it booted up, staring at Dia's face momentarily as he tried to navigate the computer.

He looked so...at ease. It was really strange. "...You don't seem to be bothered at all that you're here," she started, deciding to put aside the lingering fear and deceived feelings she had bubbling inside her. She was just curious how he was coping so well. She knew that Sol had people he had left behind and he had always been very attached to them... Did that mean that Diavel didn't feel any attachment whatsoever to Naphuron at all, although it was his shire and he was responsible for the people there.

I get it... I ran away from my responsibilities too... and I probably would still do it if things got too tough...

 

[Kaya]

Diavel was beyond fascinated by this... Computer. From what Isla explained about it, it being a medium to gather all kinds of information and all, it did remind him of the various ways witch masters and psychics used to not only predict the future but see what was happening across the world. That actually made him smile ironically.
Isla said there was no magic in this world, but from what he saw, it just was a different kind of it. Everything the people of Naphuron did with Runes or power of will, the people here did with their unusual contraptions and machines.
It was fascinating, really.

Despite that, though, he did feel obligated to say something when she apologized for her smaller place. He cracked a small, wistful smile at her.
"I grew up in a shed in the forest", he remarked, actually sounding like it was a memory he was really fond of. "I might have lost a lot of who I used to be but I never forgot where I come from. Your place is beautiful, Issie."

He'd been so preoccupied with being intrigued by how this world worked that he hadn't even noticed that Isla had left the room a couple of seconds later. Instead, he'd been carefully examining the computer. It did make silent noises, sewhere inside the box, but in no way he was going to disassemble the thing out of curiosity. He'd probably break it by accident. But what he did understand was that the reason this thing was blowing out warm air was probably for cooling. So it heated up... Just a side effect or some unusual means to heat the room?
At least he hadn't seen a fireplace anywhere...

Only when Isla returned did he look up from his box and blinked surprised. This was an attire he'd never seen her in, let alone something anyone would ever wear in Naphuron.
Maybe his eyes had lingered on her for a little too long, so he sighed relieved when she didn't seem to have noticed and instead explained how to work the computer.
It did take him a moment to get the hang of it, but honestly it was quite intuitive.
The first thing he searched for was the lyrics of the song he'd just heard in Isla's living room, and just a second later the screen showed him its title, writer and the entire text.
And all that without a single incantation!
Ah, so that kind of music was called pop-rock... Rock like- stones? Boulders and gravel?
"Curious...", he mumbled to no one in particular and continued to learn more about Rock music.

He was aware that Isla had recommended learning something about the local fashion, but if they were going to go to a tailor later today he was pretty sure that person could help him better than any learning. Just crossing the street he had seen at least ten different kinds of fashion, so-...

Only when Isla asked about how he was just fine with being here did he turn around to her, once again amused by how the chair just moved like a carousel. It undoubtedly was practical, very much so, but funny nonetheless.
He chuckled wryly at her question.
"Issie I have more enemies than friends, I staked my father- vampire father, if you know what I mean-, stabbed my metaphorical brother in the back, married the woman he was in love with, burned down the entire land a couple of centuries ago and made a deal with a pack of werewolves. I'm not exactly the popular guy among my kind. So you can bet I was prepared for the day someone would show up and kill me. In case of my death or disappearance for longer than thirty days, Yulian will be my successor. He's young, but capable, and Lucian will be there to help him. You see, I'm not needed. And maybe, without me, the relationships between Irewood, Vesuvia and Sigrid will be a little less heated."
He smiled softly, shaking his head.
"Lucian. My God you have no idea how proud I am of him. I know he will do good, with or without me, and what else is there for me in Naphuron? Alice? She's dead as she could be. And I've been holding on for far too long. It's time to let go, and I'm ready. Hey I've felt the sun today. Not as a scorching pain but the warmth. The light. In this world I'm human, I'm not immortal, but it doesn't feel like facing death. I feel alive, you know what I mean? You have no idea how often I regretted becoming a vampire. Maybe this is my second chance."
He shrugged, a small, apologetic smile crossing his face. Maybe he sounded like he'd gone mental, maybe not, he wasn't sure. He just hoped he'd somehow make sense.

 

[AccioProphecy]

"I grew up in a shed in the forest. I might have lost a lot of who I used to be but I never forgot where I come from. Your place is beautiful, Issie."

Isla's eyes softened at his statement. She was worried for no reason and it occurred to her that...she still had a lot of things to learn about him.

Judging him for a few things he did wrong and ignoring all the good things he's done for me... I'm sounding a little pathetic but still... I can't help but feel the things that I feel...

She momentarily closed her eyes and opened them back up when she heard her phone go off. The message tone going off one after the other. Diavel would probably be curious as to what the sounds were. "This is my mobile phone... It's kind of like... a tiny computer. This is how I mainly communicate with others, it sends them messages, you see. Or I can call them," she says while her eyes were still glued on the phone. Lots of emails from work. Overdue bills--thank God there was a grace period. Text messages from her dad, mom, Faye, Allison-one of her few close friends and several others when they realized that they hadn't heard from her in a while. She didn't even know where to start. She sighed and was thankful that it was the weekend.

She needed to yet again re-organize her priorities, but Dia had replied to her question, and it was a welcome distraction. She gulped a little at his whole explanation, not knowing that this was how he felt about the whole thing. Of course she could tell that he hadn't, or more like couldn't, be a 100% happy with his situation. He had a lot of memories that he probably had a hard time forgetting and also a lot of responsibilities. His past was probably always catching up to him...

"I guess I'll speak for all of us here if I say- how? There are things we don't know how to forgive..."

She stays silent for a while, enjoying the familiarity of her room and comfort of her bed, mulling over Diavel's words. "...I suppose I understand..." He was basically saying that there was nothing else for him in Naphuron, and if she wasn't mistaken, he seemed particularly fond of the idea of staying here but... Sol was another thing. She had to do something about that. "...It must have been me that pulled the both of you here with me..." she deduced, not seeing another explanation for it. She was just thinking aloud at this point. "...and while you're okay with it, I think I've crippled Sol, I don't know what I can do..." Her eyes glaze over as she was just staring into nothing in particular. "It's because I'm too attached to you and was relying on Sol too much..."

She hadn't realized how that might have sounded. That she was attached to Diavel. She went back to checking her phone, and decided to start with her overdue bills, all the while wondering if she had to look for a new job. They most likely had replaced her by now, or so she thinks. She would handle that tomorrow. Today, she was going to use her effort to get Diavel and Sol settled down, or at least attempt to.

"...Your second chance, huh?" She repeated his earlier sentiment.

Do you also just see me as... a second Alice?

Isla knew the answer, but had just wanted to hear it from him. She didn't have the courage to ask and hadn't really wanted to. She was again reminded about how similar the two of them looked. With just looks alone, it looked as if they were the same person, actually. She shook her head a little and sat up in bed. "...I think you fit right in, Dia, without your coat you look just like you were from here," Her mind flashes back to that moment she first saw him without it. She smiles a little, he still looked really good.

She glances at the clock she had on her bedside table, wondering if Sol was alright in the living room. She'd give him a bit more time, and would probably go out with the two of them soon. Unless Sol didn't want to come, then, it'd just be her and Dia. She was sure she could pick something adequate for Sol. She looked through her wallet, saw that she had enough cash and she was confident about her savings in the bank anyway, but was just slightly worried how she would fare now that her job was unknown and that she was housing two of them.

 

[Kaya]

Diavel's only reaction to Isla mentioning that she must've pulled him and Sol along into her world because she had been relying on the wolf too much and was too attached to him was raising his eyebrows by just a fraction. He didn't want to jump to any conclusions, but of course it made his mind reel, whether or not he liked it. So she was attached to him? In what way? And why?
That question might have sounded stupid to most people, but being used to being feared it was hard for him to wrap his mind around the fact that someone could actually get attached to him.

His train of thought was interrupted by her so-called mobile phone starting to make noise, followed by her explaining what that little device was and what it was used for. The part about calling others did confuse him, how would that thing help call out to someone? He'd figure it out sometime later, just as... Well, everything else, really. There was so much for him to learn about this world.
Again, his internal listing of things he'd need to take care of and learn was interrupted.

"A second chance, huh?"

That's when she had given herself away, at least in his opinion. The undertone hidden in what she said, the way she kept looking at her phone when talking to him instead of looking up from it like she had done till now.
It seemed like she was feeling exactly what he had felt just this morning when she had hugged Sol after sounding quite distant towards him.
She sounded jealous.
Jealous of a dead person... Not that he wouldn't understand, after all he'd done everything to give her some good reasons to feel like that not even 24 hours ago.

"May I watch?", he asked and got up from the funny chair to squat next to Isla's bed, his chin propped up on his crossed arms as they rested on the mattress.
It was risky, of course, but hoping to ease her up a little and maybe, just a little, mend what he had broken yesterday, he extended his hand to lightly touch her forearm with the back of his fingers.
"We'll get it managed. I'll help in any way I can to get each of us to where we belong, 'kay?"
It was unintentional, but when he looked up at her from his position he did look a little like an abandoned kitten.
"...You're thinking about her, aren't you? I said I'd never lie to you, and I mean it. All you need to do is ask."
Wanting to give her some time to think he got up and headed for the door. Guessing from the way she had looked at the clock and checked her wallet it seemed like she wanted to go somewhere.
"I'll check up on Fluffy", he said with a small, understanding smile and headed for the living room.
Where he found Sol sleeping on the couch, eyes pressed shut and arms crossed as he pressed his back into the backrest. Taking pity in the werewolf he picked up a blanket from the other couch and carefully tucked him in. He didn't relax one bit, but buried his face into the fabric.

"He's asleep", Diavel said as he returned to Isla, keeping his voice low to make sure he wouldn't wake him up.
"I guess it's all been a little too much for him."