Chapter one

Nights closed his eyes and tried to think happy thoughts

"Okay… a sunny day, Reala, a good book, naps…" with all these thoughts and more in mind, he jumped, hovered for a few seconds, and came back down. He growled angrily, "why can't I fly anymore?"

The wind picked up causing him to shiver. He pulled his knee length cloak tighter around him, maybe it's because I haven't felt a sunny day in at least a millennia," he cursed the Wizemin under his breath.

One of the large doors of the Crystal Castile opened and Reala came out into the cold evening air, "Nights, there you are," Reala flew over to his younger brother, "come inside, you'll catch your death out here."

Nights looked at Reala, a sarcastic look on his face.

Reala sighed, "Just, come inside."

"Why should I?" Nights asked, dejectedly, "no one wants me around."

"Who in the world told you that?" Reala asked.

"Lue and Renee."

"Don't listen to them, a lot of people want you around."

"Look," Nights reached into his inside pocket, and pulled out a crumpled piece of paper, "they took a tally, of how many of us that doesn't believe I'm broken, and don't want me around."

Reala took the paper and looked at it, there were tally marks on both sides, on the bottom right hand corner Nights had scribbled a number: 900.

"Nine hundred," Nights said, "everyone except you, E.C., Matsu, Reginald, and a few of the healers."

"Why haven't I seen this?" Reala said shaking the paper heatedly.

"They knew you would smack them around if you saw it."

"Well, I guess we're just going to have to go and talk to them, aren't we?"

Reala and Nights walked into the dining hall, where dinner was in progress.

"Hey," Adia walked over to Reala and kissed his cheek, "what has my dear husband been up to?"

"Not right now Adie," Reala replied, "I need to talk to everyone," Reala stood on his chair, at the head of the table, and taped his glass with his fork, "could I have all of your attention please?"

The room went silent.

"Nights have just shown me this," Reala held up the crumpled piece of paper. All the Nightmaren sank in their chairs, "I have never seen such mockery and disregard for another since the days of the Wizemin, Why did you do this?" the room was silent, "go outside and run from here to Castile Eden."

"You can't tell us what to do," A Nightmaren called out angrily.

"You'd better do what he says or you'll have to answer to me!" Nights growled.

The Nightmaren scrambled up and ran out the door, no one wanted to be in the same room as an angry Nights.

"Hey, Teara, Oddities, stay here," Reala commanded.

The four 'Maren stopped in their tracks, "come back and sit down."

The four of them sat back down in their chairs.

"Why didn't any of you tell me about this?" Reala asked, waving the paper in front of them.

"Hey," Reginald said defensively, "don't look at me, I didn't know about it either."

"I did," Matsu confessed, "I'm sorry sir, I should have told you,"

"Why didn't you?" Reala asked.

"I was afraid, for my friends."

"Basterd," Nights shouted, "you mean you didn't want to be made fun of, don't you? Well, don't you!?"
"No," Matsu said silently.

"Stop lying!" Nights slammed his fists on the table.

"I was afraid of you!"

There was a moment of silence.

"I was afraid you would… would hurt them."

Nights looked at his fists, still pressed against the table, "Oh," Nights laughed quietly, and shook his head, "of course, how could I have been so stupid." He left the room.

"Nights," Reala went running after his brother.

Nights was on the far side of the entrance hall, head against the wall.

Reala floated over, reaching out his hand to touch his brother's shoulder.

"Don't," Nights said, quietly, "It hurts."

Reala pulled his hand away, "Are you okay?"

"How should I know?" Nights turned to his brother, back against the wall, "I could be dying for all I know, or care,"

"Don't say stuff like that," Reala pleaded, "death isn't the answer."

"You always say that," Nights said more to himself, "I forget who I am sometimes."

"What?" Reala looked at his brother, heart sinking.

"I forget who I am," Nights repeated, "it's been happing more often…" Nights trailed off and stared off into space.

"Air head!" the other Nightmaren had began to return, and started making fun of nights, in his mental absence.

"Faker!" they laughed.

Reala growled warningly.

The 'Maren quickened their pace, and were gone.

"Nights," Reala tried to rouse his brother, who was starting to go pail, "come on, let's get you to your room," Reala took Nights' hand and tugged slightly, Nights obeyed, and let Reala lead him to his room.