How can you walk away from something and still walk right back to it?
By walking around the world.
Funny how small the world seemed to be. 

Remarkably, the skeleton was still there, a mere shadow of the finery it once represented. Twisted and decrepit, the black charred remains covered in a crust of sea salt that was kicked up by the sea that crashed against the breakers down below in the dark. No one had risked rebuilding on cursed soil, much to the warlock's… perhaps it was relief he felt. 

The dark undercarriage of the mansion was still relatively intact, much thanks to the great stone floor that had been laid upon the ground above his head. He worked in the dank of the dungeon that once had caused him such grief, candles lit to illuminate the work upon the floor that he was etching with a hot mixture of salt, silver, and molten iron. In all his research and study, no unholy creature was ever able to cross a line of just one of those things. This… this was a trap for a demon, and he would spare no expense to keep this one trapped. 

Once his work cooled, over the top he threw an ornate rug to hide the marks upon the floor. If she was truly as silent and ignorant as he hoped, this would be quick work. 

In the distance the repetitive tip-tip-tap of water dripping through the cracks in the floor above echoed in the dark as Drae stood and faced a table and began flipping through his book of arcane rituals. He came to the page required and he took a deep steadying breath. Softly his tone low, confident voice and skilled tongue spoke the words that would call her from the sleep in the recess of his mind where she lurked. Hopefully, she would be ready and willing to manifest herself.

There were but few times she had a woke in her deep slumber these past few years. She was so tired and weak from the purge her sister had done. Angela had ripped her apart piece by bloody piece, her soul in shards compared to what she had done to her sister. In her eyes, Angela had over reacted. In Angela’s eyes the goddess hadn’t done enough. Two sides of the same coin fought over what would be the end of their whole world. Cyprus thought children were nothing more than tools it was why she took great pleasure in ending the lives of eleven of her own children when she found them conspiring against her.

Despite all of her feelings, Cyprus had underestimated just how angry Angela would be. Forever Angela was the docile one. The one who didn’t go to war, the one who quietly moved her pawns in the dark, and despite the words about how she had been in the other land… That hadn’t been Angela here. The woman only moved when she had to and she was slow to even agree to war. Angela had however proven that she was more bite than bark as Cyprus stole her child and killed him. Brutal actually. The woman of the Black Court knew that she would be sentenced to death but what had transpired in that dark courtyard was beyond what she had expected. 

The few times she had woke up and peeked outside of Adraejen’s mind eye she was disgusted. He had somehow ended up in the arms of the one person Cyprus sought to destroy. Woe was her. She was dramatically throwing herself around in his mind every once in a while. Though to him she would still be in her slumber, which she returned too not long as her pity party. The moron even had the nerve to procreate with the goddess who destroyed his patron. How was that for irony? Angela took the life of the person who gave life to her eventual lover. Irony…

Her red eyes opened as she slinked her way out of his mind. She lounged in front of him and stared at him. The black hair she had swarmed her body and the dress she wore was barely even covering the assets she had. She brought her hands up and gave but a smile. “You know Adraejen, you please me greatly. Have you given into me and left that wretch?”

Her smile turned to a frown. “To think that you figured out who I was after all this time. Irony doesn’t begin to describe it. I gave you life Adraejen… You wouldn’t think of betraying me for her, would you? I could give you love too.” Not that she knew what love was. “I have work that needs to be done! I have unfinished dreams! She took them from me Adraejen. She is a monster.” She threw herself at him. “You wouldn’t love a woman who did that to your reborn mother would you?”

So odd it was to hear someone call him by his full name. Adraejen seemed like a completely different person from so long ago compared to the man he had become in just a few short months. His skin crawled from the sheer evil his patroness radiated as she threw herself onto him. But fortunately, it seemed that she was none the wiser. 

He turned on his most charming smile and lightly took Cyprus's hands. 
"Even I have to admit, the irony in this situation is really fantastic," Drae smiled and lifted one of her hands to his lips and lightly pressed a kiss upon it. "It is a damned shame, however, that I had to find out who you were from HER," he commented. "But lets not kid ourselves, Cyprus. You aren't capable of love," he added as he spun her outward as if to dance with her. "Which makes you a completely different and stunning creature," he said with a smile. 

"Tell me about your plans and dreams darling, I am dying to hear…"

Cyprus gave him a frown and smacked him across his face easily enough. The false smile left her lips and she looked unamused with him. “And it was disgusting every time I opened my eyes and looked through your mind’s eye to see her stupid smile. If I had told you who I was and she had asked it would have gotten us both killed. Whether you like it or not I played it the smart way. As long as Angela never knew I existed as long as she never tried to pry for my true name, I won.”

She let him spin her and gave a tiny smile perhaps the only true kind she could. “Oh all the demons I’ve ever shared my bed with have said that.” Only if she knew they were lying and much preferred her corpse at this point. “You were dying to hear in the beginning too.” It didn’t look like she was beyond jokes no matter how rude they were.

“My plan was simple, mate with a strong demon have a demon’s child. I did that. I was going to go straight for an angel but they hated me. Said I was filled with malice and I can’t trust anyone to do it because their bodies don’t have good breeding. If that is one thing Angela does have it’s that our parents were fine mortals with good magical properties. Could have stolen Cathrine’s daughter but one does not go right for the throat. So I traced the angel I had harassed’s mortal family down until I found a human who didn’t know a damn thing. I got pregnant and I waited. BUT and there is always a god damn but with Angela being there. I gave birth to the girl and Angela took her. I was going to use their blood to summon the perfect being and use him to attack Angela.”

She gave a frown. “I found my children, what was left, plotting to kill me so I killed them first. I used to bones, bodies, and blood to fuel my experiments. Then I saw her, the child that Angela ripped from me with no remorse. I had heard rumors of Lotus, one of my only living children, going to Angela. So… I stole Angela’s young Raven and left him as a present. Neatly compacted in a sack for her. Completely backfired but it’s okay BECAUSE here we are! We can steal Colden and Kirika and we can make my dreams come true. Then I will kill every last one of Angela’s children but the little red head. I did say I needed a vessel and the little red haired one is a powerful little one. You will raise her and I will take over her body when it matures. Yes, then I can release you and all is well. You can stop playing house with her Adraejen, that was never you. You are the monster that burned down this house. Remember that.” She seemed intoxicated on her own power.

A vein pulsed in Adraejen's neck when Cyprus slapped him, and he did a very good job at maintaining his cool exterior and charming smile despite his stinging cheek. He gently touched it and chuckled slightly. A fickle creature she was, incredibly changeful, and he would have to remember it. 
"I wasn't trying to argue with you soundness of your logic. It's true she would have torn me to pieces in a trice if it meant getting to you," he replied in a upbeat tone despite being slapped. 

He rolled his eyes while she was spinning, so that she would not see his disrespect, but listened with great interest and intent as she told to him the plans she had, and he marked her every word. His eyes narrowed dangerously when she said she was going to slaughter all of Angela's children, save it be Iva. It took a great deal of inner strength not to tear into the callous woman. He had to play this just right. He sighed as he danced with her. 

"Now, see, that part there at the end about killing all Angela's children… that is where we are going to have to deviate in our views," he said in a business-like manner. "Have you forgotten the reason I made my pact with you to begin with? Why I became the monster that burned down the house of Greer?" he asked her curiously. He half didn't expect her to remember. 
"That man took from me my unborn child. If you kill all of Angela's children, I would have to destroy you the same way. I'll not stand by while my own blood is endangered," he said simply. 

Cyprus stared at him for a long while as she stopped the dance. Her red eyes were full of curiosity as she began to chuckle. “Even better. Ripping Angela’s youngest from her devastated form as she discovers the others. I quite like that. If you want the little one I suppose I can do that. You have been so good and faithful Adraejen. If not for you, I would have never found out just how perfect a match her little one was. Though children are always replaceable. It’s something most mortals just don’t understand.”

Reaching up she pet his face and frowned. “Do you know how to destroy a goddess? You kill everything she loves and take away anything you can’t kill. You see the love and care break in their eyes as they rip you apart, but let me tell you something… That’s how you win. You can’t kill Angela but you can make her hate her own existence. You see her melt as a person as she weeps over the body of a child that quite frankly had no meaning to its existence. All children should come packaged with what purpose they have. Off the ones that don’t push your agenda and breed the strong ones.”

She was a monster but she was well aware. “I’ve not the time nor the patience to deal with free thinkers and nurturing a child takes way too long. It makes them weak and not useful. Look what they’ve done to my pet project. Kirika is so weak and gullible. She could have been a powerful being and instead she is humble and protecting.” Cyprus looked disgusting. “To think a thing like that could come from my blood infuriates me. That is what Angela does. She corrupts and takes what she pleases. Just like she tried to do to you Adraejen. How she tried to get you to realize everything would be okay but it’s never okay. Never ever. Candied words is what she offered you. She wants to use you like I use you. At least I’m upfront about it. Remember that.”

This was a creature of pure evil, of that Adraejen had no doubt. The way she spoke of what was the hope of many people like they were nothing but trash to be tossed aside.

"No one would no better than you how to make one suffer the most. I've read your histories and what you did. Suffering, is something you excelled in bringing," Adraejen said grimly as he turned away from the hand that would have pet his cheek like he were some toy. He couldn't take it anymore, and he took steps visibly back and away from Cyprus. 

"Remarkably, you are wrong," he said as he turned his back to her, and put his hands on the makeshift workbench he had set up there at the wall. His hands were hidden from her and he picked up a handful of iron shavings and salt. 

"Angela didn't take me. It was mutual, and I was the one who decided to stay. She didn't sugar coat my pain… she bore it with me, because she knew what that pain was like. She didn't make it just plain ok. Such pains never truly leave us… but she helped alleviate it. And while I will always wonder what things could have been, somehow I know that it never would have been as good as I have had it this past year. She has no need for a pawn like me, so there would be no benefit for using me as a pawn. I have nothing that I can offer her, and she knows that," he said flatly. "But still she gives me her heart, and her love. And her children accept me… accept me as their father and mentor, and I love each and every one of them," he said strongly. He turned and faced Cyprus again, his hands clenched at his sides, his silver eyes almost glowing in the dim. 

"I said I would not help you in harming my own kin. I meant it. I'll not let you near them, any of them. As I live and breathe, I shall protect them, and Angela…."

The anger that dwelled within the woman came bursting out as fire of old began to relight the world around them. The charred word began to blaze as an unamused look came on her face. “Say that again Adraejen. I own you. I made you. I let you live when your puny mortal body gave out on you. I never once in a million years wanted you to save that wretch of a woman. She was weak and she died for it. You were weak and the only reason why you are living is because you bit into the cursed apple of wisdom at the last moment.”

Then suddenly the flames came down and dwindled as if her power wasn’t all that it was meant to be. There was a tired look in her eye. “I seem to have miscalculated how deeply my sister’s thoughts go. Bravo.” She chuckled at how much magic her real body’s ashes had absorbed. “You who appear to be so righteous my dear Adraejen. Let me tell you your greatest sin.”

She came up to him and she leaned into his ear. “Let me really piss you off. How do you think I extended your life? I had no magic and there were two souls just waiting to be plucked. Do you know how you live? You killed your lover and unborn child, not Greer. Every wish has a consequence. Isn’t it beautiful Adraejen? I gave them a purpose, didn’t I? You want to betray me then I shall let you live with the truth of what you did. I do not lie… Ask Angela to read your soul. She will find them trapped there like a tomb. I wonder if they are screaming Adraejen.” Cyprus kissed his ear before going back. “Remember that you can’t kill me without killing yourself. Agony is a bitch… isn’t it?”

Drae's eyes went wide as the truth of it dawned upon him. All was still for a moment, as this realization sunk deep into his skin and for a moment, he thought maybe he could hear their cries ringing faintly in his ears. He was stock still for the moment, before the beast inside him began to rise up. 

"YOU BITCH!" he snarled, his hands becoming clawed as he lashed out at Cyprus in an attempt to drive her away from him, backward onto the rug.

His rage blinded him to the clear and present danger around him. There was a soft phwish through the air, and all he could feel was pain, like ice splitting through his back. He grunted and took a stumbling step forward as he was struck in the back again and again, and again. 

Blood spattered his lips and he staggered to his knees, deep runs in his back. He looked up at Cyprus, unsure of what had just transpired. 

His fingers went through her ethereal form and she gave him a grin worthy of a monster. “Tell me Adraejen how does it feel to know you are every bit a monster as me? I would dare call you my dearest soul mate.” 

She watched him as her ethereal daggers stuck him again and again. She was pleased with how filled with rage he was. “You have never been more attractive than you have been in this moment.” She pulled him forward and kissed his lips. “You shouldn’t be her’s. I can’t let you be her’s. You see that would mean she would win and I would rather us die right here. I win that way. Don’t you see?” She got up and unwillingly stepped into his magic circle.

At that moment she began to panic as she thrashed against the invisible wall of her new cell. “ADRAEJEN,” with a hiss she looked towards him. Just who was it that back stabbed first. If looks could kill he would have been dead in that moment. “You will just rot here Adraejen. How far do you think you’ll get with those wounds.” She pressed herself up against the barrier. “I’ll get out Adraejen and when I do. I’m gonna make sure you watch what Greer started and finish Angela and all those kids off in front of you. I’ll make sure that I have something planned for your blood. Only the finest for Adraejen’s blood.”