The Beginning

The dawn of Alos had only just risen over the ancient city of Seigram, peeking its warm embracing light over the vast field of graceful silver shrouding the rooftops of those that held the privilege to be a part of the capital. In particular, the week following after Seigram's first blizzard of the year. Bodies, frozen and still, littered the streets each day, with nondiscriminating elements stripping away the lives of those that held no place in this world. It had not mattered age, sex, race; under the natural force of nature, the lives of the citizen seemed like a fleeting dream.

Far in the west of the capital, under its blanket of snow, a young man, whom many would still perceive to be a boy, lay near the fireplace, crackling with firewood. Warm and comfortable, his faint snores sounded soft and even. At least till a hint of warning slithered into his mind.

Slowly opening his eyes silver as the moon, his lips twitched with disapproval at the golden eye lass, glaring mischievously, so close the tip of their nose touched.

"Good Morning, my Dumb-Dumb." Aurelia Morningstar greeted as usually taking the deepest of pleasure at the rising irritation over the young boy's complexion. She had always found it enjoyable testing the limits of the Young Master's patience.

Zariel blinked, then blinked again, believing this to be a dream, wishing for nothing more than to rest his mind.

"Wake up!"

"Get out."

Giggling with an evil glint that filled her eye, Aurelia chuckled. How could she not? Bearing the sweetest smile, she pulled away; and an uncomfortable sensation swelled within the Young Master. He glanced around, taking note of his surroundings, but nothing seemed to catch his eye: nothing but the golden eye fallen grinning rather fiendishly.

"What did you do?" Said Zariel.

"Little old me? Master, I would never do anything." Aurelia said, painted in a smile that didn't quite meet Zariels approval.

"Something is up," he said, pulling the blankets off his body and rising to his feet. Aurelia pounced with a deadly kick toward the family jewels. But suddenly, a powerful force seized her body still. The moment Zariel opened his hand, palms facing her and fingers stretched wide. He smirked coldly and slowly raised his hands.

Force off her feet, Aurelia tried with her all pushing out Arcana, but nothing seemed to work no matter what she did. "What is this?" She shouted.

"Was this your plan? I'm disappointed," Zariel said, "I've only been asleep for a week, and yet you think you can sneak attack me?"

"Do it, Astra!" Aurelia cried out when suddenly, from the base of Zariels bed, beneath the floorboard, a small baby owl holding onto a string lodged inside its beak gave a fearsome tug.

With a clicking sound, Zariel, much less Aurelia, had no time to see what had taken place as an exploding stinkbomb detonated, caring the heavy stench of dong that whipped over his clothing, permeating its scent into the very fiber of Zariel's clothing.

"Cooo!"

"I-I-I," Zariel stammered as his eyes rolled to the back of his head, and his body plummeted down to the bed.

Free from the strange force around her body, Aurelia fell to the ground, landing square on her feet, holding her breath.

"That's for being a big bully to Aurelia in the Tower of Sorrow!" She thought, bearing a bright grin; she skipped out of his room, ready to forever be on the run. Aurelia dashed, fixing the ring upon her finger that held everything she needed, having had a week of planning. Combined with Earl Kest's wealth, Aurelia was fully prepared to flee the city.

"You're not going anywhere!" Zariel screamed after coming too, storming after the young lass with tears bleeding from his eyes. "Your dead! Just dead!" he shouted, blinded by rage seething from his very bones.

"Team two! Go!" Aurelia cried immediately in response, her heart pounding with fearful fright. She dared not stop. Twisting around the corner, she plunged beneath the barricades. A small opening prepared just for where Sionn, gripping a large shield, stood laid in wait. A little ways behind him stood Ella. Determined to hold back their Master to give Aurelia some time, sweat trickled from their cheeks.

Hot on Aurelia's heel, Zariel did not even bother to skid over the ground while chasing Aurelia. But rather thrust his palm out as a gale of telekinetic force shattered the brocade of antique furniture, blasting Sionn away, who laid in wait, through a window.

Catching sight of Aurelia and Ella about near each other, his will of telekinetic force pressed against their bodies, dragging them towards him slowly so that they may tremble in fear of what was to come.

"Master," Ella said, about to continue when Zariel waved, casting her body through the glass and out the window without a second thought. His attention was fully on Aurelia Morningstar.

"Team—"

"No!" Zariel barked, clenching his palm a little bit, putting great force on Aurelia's throat, "You will not speak anymore of this bull shit. Your dead!" He tightened his hands, ready to crush her windpipes or at least scare her into believing he would. Aurelia dangled helplessly, violently choking as she tried to continue her command with all her might, small as it may be.

"Three," She struggled to say, with the pooling darkness filling her eyes.

"That's enough, Zariel," said Eilin Fel, appearing from around the corner, arms fixed in a cross; she approached, carrying with her the fable tales of beauty sketched over her serene expression, " You two are linked, or have you forgotten."

"Your still here?" He said but did not release his hold over the young fallen.

"Release her," Eilin commanded sternly, holding her sight over the apathetic gaze of the silver devil, "You will release her, or I will force you." A hint of coldness permeated the hallway. And, in but a moment, an instance of anger. Hatred stemmed from Eilin's clenched jaw.

He was right before her—the man that had taken it all—taken all that she held dare.

Zariel canted his head, "Aurelia," he said, letting his hold loosen ever so slightly, just enough so that she would commence gasping for air, "You will learn not to take after this woman here. If there is one thing both, you and I are good at. It's getting even."