I hope y'all are hungry for some pain… because this week, I'm smacking you in the face with it. I am actually so sorry.

I changed the plotline for this chapter so much, by the time I fully decided on it, I had to hustle to get it done. Finals were a bitch, but the results were worth it. I passed with flying colors. Yay!

I had a load of reviews this week! It makes me so happy!

Wildgirl6: You go, my friend. And I agree, Eragon is similar to other series, but it is totally different in terms of plot and just the elements of literature all together. You are a person of culture.

solipsism is impossible: I hope this chapter feeds you, my friend. There is angst. A lot of it.

heneedssomemilk: Thank you! Also, I love those similes. You should write a fic sometime! And I apologize in advance. You'll see why.

theburningearth: Long time no see, my dude! Also, same. Good villain backstories are the best.

Catreallychaotic: Hi again! Glad you still love our Selena! And Deimos… he didn't always think that way. You'll see why.

Lily: Hiyah! Also, mood. Finals had me like *insert video of the washing machine with a brick thrown into it*. I am so glad you continue to enjoy my story!

Prepare your hearts, my friends. This is gonna be rough. Enjoy!

"Hey, there you are!" Esmeray grinned as Deimos jumped down the hill to meet him where he stood at the edge of the training field. "Right on time."

Deimos nodded. "Of course. I'm never one to be late." He shifted the bag he carried on his shoulders.

The day after the two of them made their agreement, they met in the sand circle, one of the most desirable spots for swordsmanship training. The soft sand meant minimal injury, should an elf take a hard fall, and minimal damage to any weapons that were dropped.

Deimos brushed a stray hair from his face. He had tried his best to contain all of his hair in one hair tie, but no matter how hard he tried, he always had those few strands who refused to do what he wanted. He glanced at Esmeray's perfect braids, just a touch jealous.

"So," Esmeray began, "what are we going to work on first?"

Deimos pursed his lips. "Well, it would be best if we began with swordsmanship training. Studying would lock up our muscles and make it more difficult to warm up." He shrugged his bag off his shoulders, setting it on the edge of the training circle.

Esmeray dipped his head. "Well then," he unsheathed his sword, a smile on his face. "Let's get started!"

Deimos nodded in agreement. The two took their positions beside each other, mirroring each other's stances, and began their warm up reps.

For Deimos, the sets were as easy for him as breathing. Each position was perfect. He moved between them in a relaxed, swift tempo. Breathe in, breathe out. Every movement, every position, was executed with precision and accuracy.

The same, however, could not be said for Esmeray. As Esmeray was much more attuned to archery, swordsmanship was not one of his stronger suits. Though he tried his best to even out his breathing and flow through the motions, many of his movements were slightly jerky and out of tempo. He had to either speed up or slow down in order to stay somewhat in time with Deimos. His brow was knit in concentration, and his mouth was ticked in a frustrated scowl.

His plight did not go unnoticed. After finishing the sets, Deimos dropped his position and put a hand on his hip.

"How about we try that again, hm?" He asked, sheathing his sword.

Esmeray, despite Deimos' slightly harsh word choice, only laughed. "Yes, definitely. That was…" he blew a breath from his mouth, "not the best."

Deimos hummed. "This time, go at a speed that's more comfortable for you. The most important thing about swordsmanship, before speed, is precision and accuracy. Once you fully ingrain the proper stances into your muscle memory, it makes building speed much more."

"Got it. And, if I may be honest," Esmeray grinned sheepishly, "it was a bit hard trying to keep up with you. You go so fast! I don't know how you do it."

Deimos blinked. A heat spread over his cheeks. "It… it's practice, that's all." He cleared his throat, straightening up. "And with us training together, you're sure to improve."

Esmeray smiled. "Wonderful." Shaking himself out, he returned to the first stance of the warm-up sets. "I'm ready."

"Alright. Make sure to focus on being smooth and precise."

Deimos observed Esmeray as he repeated the warm-up sets. He was noticeably slower than the previous round, but Deimos saw that his movement and accuracy had already improved. He looked much more visibly relaxed, and a hundred times more focused on himself and his performance, as opposed to keeping up with Deimos.

Deimos, seeing this almost instantaneous improvement, felt just the tiniest bit guilty. He should have predicted that Esmeray was not as fast as he was. He should have compensated for that. He paused in his watching of Esmeray, feeling a bit like a jerk.

"Well, I'll be sure not to repeat that mistake," He told himself.

"Deimos?" Esmeray's voice broke him out of his thoughts.

"Yes?"

Esmeray tilted his head. "Uh… I said how did I do? I finished the sets."

Deimos stared at him for a moment. "Oh shoot, I spaced out again." He cleared his throat, embarrassed. "Better. You were much more fluid and relaxed going from motion to motion. Your stance accuracy also improved."

"Really?" Esmeray's expression turned pleased. "Awesome! I wasn't expecting to improve so much so quickly!"

Deimos tapped his sword sheath, looking at the ground. "Ah, about that, that was partly my fault. I didn't take into account that most people can't keep up with my speed." Deimos rubbed the back of his neck. "Sorry…"

"Don't worry about it," Esmeray waved off his apology. "You and I have different skill levels. Mine is not where yours is. Don't apologize for that. That's why I'm training with you." Esmeray gave him a bright, good-natured smile.

Deimos blushed. He clenched his hand as his heartbeat suddenly got… faster? What was happening? "I'm… glad you understand." He was quiet for one more heartbeat, before taking a deep breath, returning to his business-like guise. "Let's move on to the single opponent battle sets. Take each position and hold it, so I can see how familiar you are with them."

"Yes, sir!" Esmeray whirled his sword around, cracking his knuckles and shaking out his fingers, before taking his stance and moving his sword into the first set.

At each set, Deimos would either nod for Esmeray to continue, for his form was excellent, or he would instruct Esmeray on what he needed to improve. Esmeray, after adjusting his form, would move to the next set, assessing whether or not it was right. As the training progressed, though, Esmeray found it harder and harder to understand Deimos' words. He would try adjusting his form, only to hear a chorus of 'no's from Deimos, telling him other way. Once again, Esmeray's brow knit with frustration, and his teeth started to show as he tried to perfect the sets.

"Lift your blade higher," Deimos instructed him patiently, "but don't bend your wrist so much."

"Like this?" Esmeray tried to straighten out his arm, but only worsened the bend in his wrist. "Is this right?"

"No," Deimos walked to Esmeray, stopping mere inches away from him. He lifted Esmeray's hand, running his fingers across it to straighten it out. "Like this."

Esmeray was quiet as Deimos adjusted his form, walking in circles around him. He felt his heartbeat speed up, and it took all of his self control to keep his eyes on his sword. He had to resist the urge to tense up when he felt Deimos' hands on his shoulders.

"Relax," Deimos pushed down on Esmeray's shoulders until they dropped. "You can't fight with tension in your shoulders. It restricts movement."

Esmeray was almost certain Deimos could feel the pounding of his heart. He cleared his throat. "You are… very knowledgeable about form, Deimos."

Deimos blinked. "I…" He froze when he realized his hands were still on Esmeray's shoulders. Swallowing, he whipped his hands to his side. "It takes practice, that's all. Once your mind registers that the form your making is the correct one, you won't even have to think about it. You'll just fall into the form."

Esmeray's mouth quirked. "Fall into it, huh…" He held his stance for one moment longer, before dropping it, exhaling. Only a few exercises into training, and his muscles were already becoming sore. The difference in the way he worked his muscles with archery training and the way he worked his muscles in swordsmanship training was more profound than he realized. "This isn't going to be a short process, is it?"

"Nope." Esmeray was shocked when Deimos smirked slyly at him. "It wouldn't be fun if it was easy, would it?"

Esmeray stared at him. "His smile…" He liked it. Could never explain how, or why, but he liked it. Esmeray grinned back. "No. No, it would not."

The rest of the training session was uneventful. The two moved from form polishing to light sparring. Deimos was careful to use only the moves Esmeray was familiar with, with only a few surprise ones he threw in. They practiced and practiced until the sun set, bathing the Silvergrove in its nighttime glow. Once the bioluminescent moss was visible, the two sheathed their swords and sat on the edge of the field, pouring over books of magic and dark magic.

"The spell I told you about yesterday went something like this," Esmeray held Deimos' notebook and quickly wrote down the spell. "I don't know how to say it out loud."

Deimos took the notebook, his eyes quickly scanning over Esmeray's neat handwriting.

'Seye reiht ekirts, thgil gnidnilb- A powerful blinding spell. The range of the spell's power is unknown, but any who are close enough are temporarily blinded by a flash of bright light. Uses the skin of a glow toad.'

Deimos' gaze lingered on the last part. "Aren't glow toads rare in Xadia nowadays?"

"Yeah, but they're more common along freshwater ponds and swamps." Esmeray yawned. "There are actually quite a few of them on the western portion of the continent. Probably how the dark mages were able to devise this spell."

Deimos shook his head. "I both admire and pity the creatures of magic who reside in the human kingdoms. They must live in constant fear of the dark mages."

Esmeray nodded in agreement. "Yeah. It must be a brutal life for them."

Both of them silently poured over Deimos' notes, reading over them and making sure the information was as accurate as it could be. They flipped through the books of dark magic many times, referring to it in an attempt to make sure they were not straying from fact. The crescent moon rose slowly into the sky, its magic weak, but present. Frogs and crickets sang, and moon moths flitted among the trees, soaking in the night air.

After an hour of quiet reading, writing, and debate over the magic spells, Deimos flipped his books shut.

"I think that marks the end of training." He declared. Esmeray stretched out his arms, yawning widely.

"Great." He stood up, shouldering his sword sheath strap across his chest. He waited as Deimos gathered all of his books, putting them in his bag and standing up. "Ready to get going?"

Deimos dipped his head. The two elves then set out, climbing back up the hills that surrounded the training field and returning to the village.

"That session was very informative." Esmeray commented as they strolled. He flicked one of his braids over his shoulder. "I could already feel myself improving. Thanks for meeting me, Deimos."

"You're welcome." Deimos looked away, feeling heat blossom on his cheeks. "It's never a burden to help others become who they are meant to be."

Esmeray whistled. "That's deep."

"Not really." Deimos sniffed. "I mean, we all have our parts to play, don't we?"

Esmeray paused. They had come to the crossroads where Esmeray's house was one way and Deimos' house was another. He was quiet for a minute, contemplating Deimos' words.

"Well, for what it's worth," Esmeray flashed Deimos a bright smile, "I'm glad we'll be playing our parts together. Same time tomorrow?"

Deimos was quiet. He looked into Esmeray's eyes, the pale, icy silver stark against his almost black skin. His mouth parted ever so slightly, Deimos had to search for the words amidst his star-struck mind.

"Yeah. Same time tomorrow."

The weeks seemed to blur together. Day after day, following their first training session, Esmeray and Deimos met at the edge of the training field. They trained their swordsmanship together, iron sharpening iron as Esmeray's skill continued to improve, little by little. Then, they would sit on the grass, and Esmeray would tell Deimos of the dark spells his mother encountered over her career.

Sometimes, the two were joined by Zira and Io. They would watch the frequent sparring sessions, yelling out encouragement to Esmeray, who was most often bested by the highly skilled Deimos. Though sometimes, on a rare day, Esmeray would surprise Deimos with an unseen sweep to the leg, which sent Deimos on his back, where he looked up to see Esmeray pointing his sword at his throat, panting, a triumphant gleam in his eye.

"Gotcha," He would tease, holding out his hand to help him up. From the sidelines, Zira and Io cheered for the archer.

"Impressive," Deimos would reply with a smirk, slipping into a battle stance once more. "Let's see if you can do it again."

When their training sessions concluded, they would walk back to the village together, chatting casually with each other, Zira, and Io. It was then, Deimos discovered, why Io had been so jealous of Deimos when he first planned the training sessions.

"I h-h-h-had s-something o-of a cr-cr-crush on him." he explained when Esmeray and Zira had gone to their homes.

"You liked him?" Deimos was shocked. "Like, like-liked him?"

Io visibly clenched his teeth. "W-w-well… n-not like-like… I d-d-don't really do l-l-like-like relationships, i-if you kn-kn-know what I m-m-m-mean. It's k-k-k-k-kind of… I w-w-w-wanted to b-b-be f-f-friends with h-him, b-b-because h-he was always n-n-nice to m-me. Wh-What would you c-c-call a f-f-friend crush?" He pondered out loud. "I d-d-don't kn-know…"

"A squish?" Deimos blurted suddenly. The thought escaped his mouth before he could stop it.

Io, however, was delighted. "A squish! A squ-squish! Exactly!" He laughed brightly. Deimos couldn't help but smile. Io's laughter was contagious. "Squish!"

Slowly, Deimos began not only connecting with Esmeray, but with his other friends as well. He visited Zira at her home after Estel got better, and spent a while reading to Estel Silvergrove legends while Zira watched with a smile on her face. He discovered Io had a passion for biology. He loved flowers of any kind, and he kept up a garden in his backyard, tending to it with love and care.

Slowly, but surely, Deimos was beginning to live.

Then, it arrived. The most anticipated celebration in Moonshadow elf culture. Only occurring once every three years, it was a night of beauty, magic, and miracles.

The Blue Moon Festival had arrived.

And Deimos couldn't be any less thrilled.

"Are you FREAKING KIDDING ME-"

"Deimos, you seriously need to cool it! We're in a public dressing room!"

"Oh, I'll cool it when my freaking hair just- no, sh- AAAAAAAAAAH!"

"Oh, d-d-dear…"

Zira, Io, and Deimos all met up in one of the Silvergrove dress shops to change before the festival. Zira needed help putting on her intricate robes, which Io was more than happy to oblige. Io needed help with figuring out how to weave the flowers he had picked into a crown, which Zira was an expert on. And Deimos…

"I swear to Avizandum, I am going to CUT MY STUPID HAIR!" He threw down the brush and hair bands in frustration, fuming. The waves of his hair stuck out every which way, making Deimos frown at his reflection in the mirror.

Behind him, Zira sighed heavily. "Deimos, you need to exercise a little patience, here. After I'm done, I'll help you out. Just give me a minute to finish putting my clasps in."

Deimos plopped down on the chair indignantly, baring his teeth in a snarl as he angrily swiped his mess of hair out of his face.

What would they know? Both Zira and Io had short hair. Zira had braiding experience, but Estel's hair was thin and straight. Deimos' hair was thick, layered, and out of control. He looked like he had wind blown at him from every angle at once.

In short: ugh.

"I don't know what you're planning on doing with my mess of hair, Zira, but I can tell you now it isn't going to work." Deimos grumbled. He picked up the brush and once again tried to pick through it to at least straighten it out. "I've seen you braid. Even with Estel's easy hair, you still struggle."

"Um, ouch?" Zira huffed, fluffing her bobbed hair, admiring the clasps of swirled metal. "I'm sure I can at least make it better off than it is right now, right?"

Deimos scoffed. "I sincerely doubt that." Just then, the brush snagged on a portion of his hair. "Oh, for the LOVE OF ALL XADIA-"

"Hey, is everything alright in here?" Deimos' eyes widened as a familiar voice asked from behind the curtain of the dressing room.

"Esmeray, is that you?" Zira watched the curtain.

"The one and only," he replied. "I heard yelling. You guys alright in there?"

"I am, so's Io, but Deimos is having a crisis because he can't get his hair to lie flat on his head."

"Oh, really?" Esmeray poked his head through the curtain. As usual, his hair was woven in hundreds of braids. Today, however, there blue, green, and deep purple colored threads braided through the braids in the front of his hair. Esmeray sucked in a small breath at the sight of Deimos' wild hair.

"You need some help, Deimos?"

Deimos scowled. Embarrassment ran from his head to his toes. He gripped the edges of the chair he sat on, refusing to meet Esmeray's eyes.

"I would…" He reluctantly spoke, "deeply appreciate some help."

Esmeray smiled. "As you wish." He stepped into the dressing room, fully revealing the clothing he had chosen for the festival.

A shoulderless midnight blue tunic hugged the top of his chest. The sleeves that attached to the sides flowed down his arms like rivers of night. The tunic was separated into layers, each one embroidered with white thread, as it approached his waist, until it gave way to his loose, silken pants, which rippled as he walked.

The entire dressing room was speechless as Esmeray walked in. Esmeray casually stood behind Deimos, and he gave a low whistle.

"You have quite the hair, Deimos, my friend," he commented. He looked it over, sometimes pulling his fingers through it.

"It's an embarrassment," Deimos clenched his teeth. "I don't know what you're gonna do, but don't be disappointed if it comes out a disaster."

"Hey, don't lose faith in me so quickly!" Esmeray beckoned Deimos for the brush. "One of my moms has super curly hair. It takes three bottles of smoothing cream and an immovable patience to tame it. When I was littler, I used to help my moms braid each other's hair. They taught me loads of styles, tips, and tricks. Where do you think I get my braids from? I got this." Esmeray cracked his knuckles. "I already know exactly what would suit you."

Esmeray took the brush and began smoothing out Deimos' waves. Holding the hair ties in his mouth, he separated his hair into three sections, taking time to brush out each one thoroughly. Zira and Io watched with rapt attention as he worked, twisting Deimos' hair into large braids. His fingers were quick and precise, and he held an expression of knit, but pleasant concentration.

Deimos closed his eyes as he felt Esmeray's fingers run across the top of his head. Esmeray was gentle and firm, not letting any strand of hair fall out of place. Deimos enjoyed the feeling of his hands in his hair. It felt… so nice.

After about ten minutes, Esmeray tied the last braid up. He fiddled with Deimos' hair for one moment longer, before stepping back, a smile on his face.

"Finished!" He announced. Deimos opened his eyes, his hand running down his hair in awe. "And, if I may say, I think I did an excellent job!"

Deimos' hair was braided in a long, central french braid. As it made its way down his head, smaller braids joined it from the sides of his head. At the base of Deimos' neck, it was all tied together to allow the rest of Deimos' hair to flow freely. Finally, at the front of Deimos' head, two small, long braids framed the sides of his face.

Deimos felt the hairstyle with awe. He looked in the mirror, viewing his hair from all the angles he could. Not a single strand was out of place. It was indeed marvelously done.

"Wow, that style looks great on you, Deimos!" Zira clapped her hands. "Well done, Esmeray! I was planning on just one braid, but you totally nailed it!"

"I-it l-l-l-looks r-really good!" Io complimented him with a smile. "Your m-m-moms t-taught you w-w-w-well."

Esmeray laughed brightly. "Heck yes, they did! No one beats my moms." He smiled widely at Deimos, who returned it with a smile of his own.

"Thank you, Esmeray."

Esmeray blinked. His face held a hint of surprise at the words. "Oh!" His smile returned. "You're very welcome, Deimos!"

Zira stood up in a flourish, dusting off her robes. "Well, now that everything's sorted out," she flashed the group a grin, "I'd say it's time to party!"

Esmeray and Io cheered, while Deimos merely smiled. Following Zira's lead, they emerged from the dress shop and followed the other elves to the festival field. Lunablooms aglow in the light of the moon, wisps floating quietly along, they made their way towards the biggest celebration in the Silvergrove. The Blue Moon Festival had begun.

The festival had now reached its height. The food had long since been eaten, and the excitement of the cheerful dances had faded away. Now, the soft music of the Dance of the Silver Moon echoed across the valley as the Moonshadow elves danced in the moonlight.

However, as most of the elves danced to the song, only two elves were not there. The music of the festival grew softer and softer as they strolled through the open field. There seemed to be nothing in a thousand miles except them. Just the two of them, alone under the moon in the endless sky.

Esmeray and Deimos walked in a comfortable silence. The moon moths flitted about, chittering as they basked in the light of the full moon. The ground was soft, the grass swaying in the warm breeze in mesmerizing waves. Esmeray and Deimos both felt the magic of the blue moon enriching their bodies. It truly was a night of beauty and magic.

The two elves stood under the stars, the distant festival sounds fading away. Deimos spared a glance at Esmeray. His tattoos glowed against his dark skin, his silver hair shining. Esmeray looked back, catching Deimos' eye. He smiled a little when Deimos quickly looked away.

"Here looks like a good place." He said. He sat down on the ground, propping himself on his arms. He patted the grass beside him. "Join me."

Deimos blinked. After a moment, he sat beside Esmeray. Esmeray smiled at him, before he looked skyward, to the stars. Deimos followed his gaze, staring at the heavens dotted with light. He breathed deeply, inhaling the scent of the pure night air. The tension pooled out of his shoulders, and he sighed contentedly.

"Much better, right?" Esmeray asked him, grinning.

"Indeed." Deimos hummed. "I always get so uncomfortable dancing with someone during the Dance of the Silver Moon. I don't why, I just… do."

"Hey, you're not the only one." Esmeray clicked his tongue. "I've always wanted to dance with someone I choose. And someone who chose me. I've just… never found the right person. And it feels so awkward to do it with someone I barely know. After all," He shot Deimos a grin, "we can't all be Zira and Alden, can we?"

Deimos groaned dramatically. As Deimos and Esmeray met up at the edge of the party, they had spotted Zira and Alden dancing together. As Deimos watched them, wide-eyed, he saw that they weren't dancing as friends. No. They were dancing as so much more. "Oh, don't even get me started on those two. All this time, and now they're together?!"

"It's cute!" Esmeray defended them, hiding a smile. "Even you have to admit it's so romantic for them to dance together for the first time underneath the blue moon."

"It's crazy, that's what it is." Deimos sniffed. "I never would have guessed Zira had it out for Alden this whole time. I mean, I thought she was just as focused as I was on becoming assassins! It's crazy."

Esmeray's smile faded. He gave Deimos a look. "Just as focused…?"

"I'm saying…" He waved his hands around, trying to express his emotions in gestures that made a fraction more sense than words. "Zira and I… we're opposites. She's a people person, I am… not. We couldn't be any more different. But I… I thought we both were set on becoming assassins. I thought we… had that in common."

Esmeray tilted his head. "Who's to say she can't do both?"

Deimos opened his mouth, but no words came out. He blinked several times. He had never thought about it like that before. Was it… was it possible to do both? His brow furrowed.

"I…" For once, Deimos was truly at a loss for words. In all of his training, he had never once considered it from that point of view. Esmeray chuckled a little, shaking his head at Deimos' silence.

"Man, the assassin instructors really let you have it, huh?" He looked back up to the stars. "You really thought that Zira was only focused on her future as a warrior."

Deimos was quiet. He could only gaze as Esmeray as he stared heavenward.

"There are more things in life than just your duty, you know." Deimos cocked his head. Esmeray's head rolled to the side to meet Deimos' gaze. "Despite what all the instructors tell you."

"You think so?" Deimos inquired.

"I know so." Esmeray laughed. "I mean, imagine a life where you live only to fill the role that the society you live in created for you. You may be content, perhaps even eager to fulfill that role, but in the end, it's like trying to fill a lake with a spoonful of water at a time. You live for your society, but not for yourself. It won't make you happy."

Deimos hummed in thought. His face was blank, but his eyes told Esmeray to continue.

"I mean, look at me," Esmeray gestured to himself. "I'm everything the Silvergrove wants me to be. I'm strong. I'm quick. I'm clever. I know exactly how I will serve my home, and I'll do it until the day I cannot do it anymore. But… I'm also so much more than that. I like to play with the Shadowpaw kittens when I have the chance. I like joking around with the other kids and playing with the younger ones. I like cooking with my moms."

"You tell stories as if you were there," Deimos murmured. "You are kind to those that others are not. You strive to better yourself."

Esmeray looked at Deimos. His expression was nothing short of awe. Deimos looked back, his face cool and sincere.

"I…" Esmeray looked away, a blush on his cheeks. "Yeah, I'm those things, too, I guess." He pursed his lips. "And the same goes for you, too."

Deimos's eyes widened. He pointed a finger at himself. "Me?"

"Yeah." Esmeray looked at the stars again. "You're highly skilled, that's true. You're dead set on becoming the leader of the assassins, the protectors of the peace of Xadia. You're dedicated, willing, and capable of achieving all that… but you're also capable of so much more."

Deimos was quiet.

"You're…" Esmeray continued softly, "smart. Strong. You hold tradition in high esteem, and you know right from wrong. You were also willing to help me get better at swordsmanship… you were so patient with me, in ways no one has ever treated me. You make me feel like I can just be… me. Not this star child that will forever be the talk of the Silvergrove, but just… me."

Deimos was quiet. Esmeray avoided his gaze, feeling his heart accelerate in his chest.

"Shootshootshootshootshoot, I overdid it by a mile." Esmeray felt the blush on his cheeks grow until he felt like his whole face was warm. "Ahhhhhhhh, I am such an idiot! Too soon, too soon, too soon-"

Esmeray twitched when he felt a hand cover his own. His head whipped around to see that Deimos had moved closer. His mouth opened as the rising moon brought out the color of Deimos' eyes in a way he had never seen before. They no longer looked like clouds of dust. No. Instead, they were the clouds that rained softly on the forest, that nurtured the soil and made the plants open their leaves. The kind of clouds that still let the sun shine through them. The clouds that were almost alive.

Esmeray met Deimos' gaze. His heart still fluttered in his chest, but it felt different. He dared to move his fingers, weaving them through Deimos'. Deimos didn't break eye contact. He only stared.

"I've… never really thought about what I want to do with my life," Deimos murmured. His brow furrowed slightly. "I've just wanted to serve Xadia. That's all I ever wanted… until now."

Esmeray breathed slowly. "Oh really?"

Deimos hummed. "The thing is… I don't know what else my life can be. All I've known is my duty. I'm not sure what more there could be to my life."

Esmeray tilted his head ever so slightly. A small smile graced his lips, his icy silver eyes never leaving Deimos' gray ones.

"Could you…" Deimos leaned forward, their breath fluttering across each other's faces like the touches of butterfly wings, "show me?"

Esmeray already knew the answer. His eyes fluttering shut, he closed the distance between them, connecting their lips in a sweet kiss.

Sixteen Years Later…

"You have all your bedding packed, right?"

"Yes."

"And you restocked your arrows? Got your bow inspected?"

"Yes…"

"And you have enough clothing to last you three months?"

Esmeray sighed. "Yes, Deimos. I have enough to last me well through a year, if I'm careful."

Deimos scanned over Esmeray's packing list again, subdued. "Just making sure." He mumbled, clenching the paper slightly.

Esmeray stared at the back of Deimos' head. His hair was still so messy. Long, uneven waves that were only tame within the confines of braids. He smiled, feeling soft inside. Dropping his bag onto their bed, he wrapped his hands around Deimos' waist.

"Hey," Esmeray rested his chin on Deimos' shoulder, "talk to me, my stormcloud. Why are you so worried?"

"I'm not worried," Deimos denied half-heartedly. He leaned his head against Esmeray's, sighing. "I just…" He searched for a good way to voice his feelings. "It… it's not easy when you're away."

Esmeray gave Deimos a look, his eyes filled with concern. "Why? You've never been like this when I've had to leave."

Deimos was silent. He stared into space, not meeting Esmeray's worried eyes. After a moment of internal conflict, Deimos turned around and hugged his beloved.

"... The truth is…" Deimos looked away, a strange look on his face. "I… have something to give you."

Esmeray tilted his head. "Oh?" Deimos nodded his head.

"Yeah," he scratched the back of his neck, looking uncharacteristically uncomfortable. "Can we… sit down for this?"

Esmeray searched Deimos' face. "Um… sure." Esmeray wasn't sure if he liked the vibe Deimos was giving off. It reminded him of when he was a little boy, and he had unknowingly done something bad, and his moms looked at him and said "Esmeray, we need to talk".

Both of the elves sat down on the bed. Esmeray's heart was beating nervously in his chest. He leaned against Deimos' shoulder for support. He was hyper aware of everything around him. His breathing, the songbirds outside the windows, the rapid beating of his heart, and Deimos' touch. There was a heavy air of foreboding between them, and Esmeray couldn't stand it.

"What…" Esmeray broke the silence, "did you… want to-"

"We're still secret, right?" Deimos blurted out. "No one knows about us…?"

Esmeray's eyes widened. "I- yes, of course." Ever since their relationship began, Deimos insisted to keep it private from everyone. Though it disappointed Esmeray, just a little, he knew that dating publicly would make Deimos really uncomfortable. He had kept the secret of their relationship, only close and affectionate with him behind closed doors. The only other person who knew was Avizandum, the Dragon King, after the letters that had been sent to the Borderguard bot mixed up, Avizandum accidentally ending up with Deimos' letter to Esmeray. Esmeray had panicked, thinking he had just broken the bond of trust he had worked so hard to forge between himself and Deimos, but Deimos was understanding. He was quite embarrassed, to say the least, especially since the person who found out was the king of the dragons of all people, but Avizandum merely chuckled.

"Don't worry," He had said in his deep, rumbling voice, "I will keep your secret. Privacy is one of the most important parts of trust. It will be a cold day at The Border if I ever betray that trust."

Deimos was quiet. His hand unconsciously found Esmeray's, intertwining their fingers. Esmeray swallowed thickly as Deimos reached within the fold of his robes.

"Deimos…" Esmeray bit his lip. He couldn't take this any longer. "If there is something you want to tell me, then just tell-" Deimos opened his palm. Esmeray's eyes widened "-me…"

Two rings sat in Deimos' hand. Striking purple gemstones, nestled in a nest of thousands of tiny metal wires, which all interwove to form the rings. The rings were strung through thin but strong chain necklaces. Esmeray's mouth dropped open as he stared at the jewels. Deimos clenched his hand that was still folded into Esmeray's.

"They're… promise rings." Deimos whispered. "They've been long overdue. I… I know how hard it is for you to keep us a secret, and I've… not made decisions I should have." Deimos took a deep breath. "So… I wanted to give you these… to tell you that we don't have to hide anymore."

Esmeray was speechless. He couldn't tear his eyes away from the beautiful rings that lay in Deimos' palm. Slowly, as if he was afraid they were mirages, he reached out and touched one of the rings. He felt a shiver go up his arm as he sensed the magic aura around the gemstones. Moon opals. They were moon opals.

"Deimos…" Esmeray finally looked up to meet his eyes. Deimos set his jaw, expecting to find every emotion on Esmeray's face, but his eyes widened at Esmeray's smile. "Really? You mean it?"

Deimos blinked at the soft delight. His heart squeezed with both endearment and guilt. He knew that he had been holding back for too long. Their long distance relationship, he had feared, would become too strained. For so long, he was convinced that Esmeray would call it off. In the stolen days when Esmeray would return, Deimos would search the shops in the Silvergrove, staring at the rings, the necklaces, and most of all, the horn clasps. He just couldn't bring himself to ask.

But now, he felt ridiculous. Esmeray loved him. And so did Deimos. No matter what, their love would always be there. Deimos dared to let a smile lift his face. He held Esmeray's hand, swirling his thumb over the top of it.

"Then…" He lifted the rings, "may I?"

Esmeray smiled. He bowed his head as Deimos lifted the chain over his head, over his elegant curving horns. The ring nestled comfortably below Esmeray's collarbone. Esmeray reached up and touched it, awed at the craftsmanship of the intricate metalwork. His heart soared.

"So…" Deimos said as he put on his own ring, tucking it safely beneath the fabric of his tunic. "Are we… going to tell the others?"

Esmeray thought for a moment. "I think… it's best if we wait until I return." Esmeray turned the ring over between his fingers. He smiled as he looked at it. "It'll be easier to tell everyone then… for both of us."

Deimos nodded. Inwardly, he sighed with relief. He was dreading having to spend three months dealing with the others gushing over his 'secret romance'. He shuddered at the thought. It was likely still going to happen, but hopefully, Esmeray would be by his side.

"It wasn't as hard as you think it was, you know," Esmeray mentioned. "Keeping us a secret."

Deimos raised a skeptical eyebrow. "Really? I always thought…"

"Well, sure, I was a little miffed we couldn't do all the normal couple stuff, like hold hands while we walked through the village, but I know you always tried your best to make up for it. I mean," Esmeray gestured to Deimos' house. "We live together. When it's just the two of us, you're so open about us. I get to see the side of you no one else gets to see." Esmeray leaned against Deimos. "So it never bothered me. You just weren't comfortable with how the others might react to us. I understand."

Deimos let out a rare chuckle. "Well… sooner or later you have to accept the inevitable. I always knew that one day I would want to let everyone know you're mine."

Esmeray smiled, a warmth on his cheeks. He gazed into Deimos' eyes. They were such a lovely gray. A gray he saw nowhere else but in Deimos' eyes. He loved that gray.

"I love you." He said. Deimos smiled. He cupped Esmeray's head and kissed him, long and slow. When their lips finally parted, Deimos pressed his forehead against Esmeray's, his hand lingering.

"I will await your return, my love." Deimos whispered, closing his eyes as he pressed another kiss to Esmeray's forehead. "Be strong for me."

Esmeray sighed softly. He leaned against Deimos' chest, relishing these precious moments they had together. Three months seemed like three eternities when it was away from Deimos. But Esmeray would bear it gladly, knowing that Deimos would be waiting for him. Then, together, they will let the world see their love for the very first time.

Ten Days Later…

"Where in Xadia is he?" Deimos tossed his hair irritably over his shoulder as he marched through the Silvergrove. "Why is he late? He's never late!"

It was close to midnight, and the crescent moon smiled in the sky, like it was chuckling at Deimos' irritation. The twilight had just faded into night, and only the first few croaking songs of the frogs could be heard. It was still quite early, as many of the Moonshadow elves had not yet retired to bed, but it was well past the normal time where Deimos would train one of his best students.

Deimos frowned deeply as he made his way through the Silvergrove to the forge of the weaponsmasters. The ring around his neck bumped against his chest, like it was reminding him it was still there. That it still held his promise. Deimos pressed lips together, before shaking the thought from his head.

"When he returns," Deimos promised himself. "When he returns from The Border in a few weeks, I'll do it. I'll ask him." What Esmeray didn't know when he departed for The Border, was that not only did Deimos plan to finally tell the Silvergrove of their relationship, he planned to kneel before him and ask for his hand in marriage. It made Deimos' heart flutter at the thought. After years and years and years, he'll finally ask the big question. In a way, it made him feel almost nervous. What would Esmeray say…?

"Well, I'll find out soon enough." Deimos huffed a breath as he climbed up the steps to the top of the cliff. "For now, I'll need to discipline my student. A hope Jormun and Chila give him a thorough scolding for his tardiness. It is unbecoming of a future assassin."

As Deimos arrived at the top of the staircase, however, he heard a sound. He tilted his head in confusion as he identified it. Crying.

"Who…?" Then, he saw him. Deimos' eyes caught on the hunched figure that sat on the steps that led to the doors of the forge. Their hands were folded around their knees, their head tucked down. Despite being so curled in on themself, a jerking sob could still be heard.

Deimos watched the elf for one moment longer, then sighed. He knew exactly who it was. "Sensitive boy. It's been a week since the Borderguard left. You're fourteen. You need to be stronger than this." Coming to a stop beside the boy's hunched body, Deimos tapped his shoulder twice.

"Stop crying, Ethari. It's unbecoming of you…" Deimos trailed off when the young boy looked up.

Heavy tears of sorrow poured from his eyes. His lip trembled as he struggled not to make any sound. Deimos was dumbstruck. He had never seen Ethari like this. Sure, sometimes he cried a bit when Zira and Alden left to return to The Border, but he always wiped his eyes and continued with his life. He certainly didn't curl into a ball and be late for training.

This time, though, it was different. There wasn't the longing for his parents in his eyes. There was a heavy, heavy grief.

"Have you heard?" Ethari's voice was raspy and despairing.

A cold weight settled into Deimos' heart. "Heard… what?"

Ethari was silent. He sniffed and wiped off his eyes. Standing up on unsteady legs, he wiped the tears from his cheeks, making way for the new ones that flowed from his eyes. Reaching within his clothes, he brought out a roll of paper attached to a deep blue shadowhawk. Deimos was silent as he took it from Ethari's hands.

"This came in a few hours ago." Ethari told Deimos as he unraveled the parchment, his heart pounding with dread. "From the Dragon King." Ethari watched sadly as Deimos' gray eyes widened with shock as he read.

Chila and Jormun, Weaponsmasters of the Silvergrove,

It is with a heavy heart that I inform you that the Borderguard is no more. During the most recent new moon, we were attacked by human forces of an unknown kingdom. While most of them were soldiers, which the elves handled well, one was a dark mage. The elves of the Borderguard fought valiantly to defend our home, but in the end, your son Alden and his wife Zira were among those who did not survive. I will eternally regret not arriving in time to save them. My deepest condolences to you and your grandson for this heavy loss.

Avizandum, King of the Dragons

Deimos stared at the final word, speechless. Zira and Alden were… killed?

"W… were they the only ones?" He whispered. He grabbed Ethari's shoulder, shaking him. "How many?! How many were killed?!"

Ethari didn't protest. He only stared back, hollow-eyed. "All of them."

Deimos heart plummeted.

"What…?"

More tears leaked from Ethari's eyes. His breath hitched, his hands clenching his scarf. "Lady Luna also received a shadowhawk. Grandmother and Grandfather went to her to see what her letter said. None of the Borderguard could stand up to the dark mage's magic. He killed them all."

Deimos' hands fell to his sides. "No…" No. It… it wasn't true. It couldn't be true. Deimos' breathing quickened as he took a few steps back. He wound his hands around his ring, clutching it tightly. No, it couldn't be true. Esmeray… he couldn't be dead. He couldn't be…

Ethari watched Deimos, a sad concern in his eyes for his teacher. "I'm… really sorry, Deimos…"

"No," Deimos shook his head. "No, it has to be a mistake." "He can't… he can't…" Deimos jerked his head furiously. "Esmeray can't be gone… he can't be…"

A screech broke up his sentence. Deimos and Ethari looked up to the sky to see a shadowed form swoop down from the clouds. Deimos squinted for a moment, before his gray eyes widened when he realized that the smoking form was a dark blue shadowhawk.

The shadowhawk screeched again as its flapping wings made the air toss Deimos' hair. It hovered in front of Deimos, watching him with its glowing blue eyes. It chirped as Deimos numbly held out his hand, alighting down on the tips of his fingers.

As soon as it fully closed its wings, the shadowhawk turned from a smoking bird back into an arrow. A deep blue one, same as the one Ethari held, with a piece of parchment tied around the shaft.

With trembling fingers, Deimos untied the parchment from the arrow, turning the paper in his hands to see the seal of the Dragon King. Feeling like his heart was in his throat, Deimos broke the seal, painfully slow as he unraveled the letter.

As he read the scrawling letters, his hands shaking, even Deimos couldn't hold back a choked cry.

Deimos, Leader of the Moonshadow Elf Assassins,

It is with a heavy heart that I must tell you, tragedy has struck. On the night of the new moon, a dark mage and several soldiers of an unknown kingdom attempted to cross into Xadia. Esmeray, as well as the other elves of the Silvergrove, dove into battle to protect our home. Though he fought strong and true, fending off the soldiers, he and the Borderguard could not stand up against the foul dark mage. It will forevermore be one of my greatest regrets that I did not arrive in time to save him. I have nothing to offer, accept my solace and sympathy for you.

Avizandum, King of the Dragons

Three Days Ago…

"Humans! On the Xadian side, near the Twisted Talons!" Esmeray yelled. Nocking an arrow, he pulled back and shot one of the human soldiers clean through his chest armor. As he nocked another, Io, Alden, Zira, and the rest of the Borderguard elves rushed forward from behind him, shouting war cries as they charged into battle.

"Where's Avizandum?!" Esmeray shouted to Aelia, the leader of the Borderguard, as she jumped into place beside him, shooting her own flame-tipped arrows and avoiding the oncoming fire from the human archers.

"Still patrolling the southern portion of The Border!" She yelled back. "We're on our own until he arrives!" Cursing as an arrow glanced off her golden headdress, she raised her fingers and drew a flaming symbol in the air. She uttered the incantation, and pillars of fire erupted around the humans, searing their armor and setting their clothes alight. Esmeray grabbed three arrows out of his quiver, and shot them all out towards the soldiers. He swore when only one of them found its mark in a soldier's leg.

"Sunfire elves! Regroup to me!" Aelia ordered. She launched herself into the fray, whirling her bow. "Esmeray, watch your friends' backs!"

"Yes ma'am!" Braids flying, Esmeray leaped off of the crag of rock he was using as cover and landed squarely on the shoulders of a human soldier. The woman let out a cry as she buckled under Esmeray's weight, then went limp when Esmeray plunged his dagger through her neck.

Standing up, he used his bow to parry an attack from another soldier before Io fell on him, his spear easily piercing through his back. Esmeray nodded to Io, before they stood back to back and fended off the attacks from the remaining soldiers.

"I c-c-count tw-twenty!" Io yelled to Esmeray. "S-s-s-seven down, s-s-seven at least sl-slightly wounded!"

"On your right!" Esmeray frantically nocked an arrow and shot one of the soldiers point blank through their eye. Io whirled his spear and parried a soldier who attempted to strike Esmeray's exposed back. Esmeray moved to shoot Io a grin of thanks, but his eyes widened in horror when his sight caught on the scene behind him.

"Alden!" Esmeray shouted. Alden was fending off three soldiers, a deep wound in his left shoulder, which hung limp at his side. His other arm moved frantically, swinging his sword as he was forced against the cliffside, near the river of lava. Zira was fighting only a few yards away from him, locked in combat with two human soldiers as she and one of the Sunfire elf warriors struggled to land a hit. Her eyes momentarily locked onto Esmeray's, desperation in her gaze.

"Help him!"

Esmeray dug through his quiver before pulling out one of his special arrows. The sky rune engraved on the shaft glowed as he nocked it and pulled back.

"Figit Sagitta Nubibus!" He screamed the incantation. The arrow pulsed with magic as he loosed it. Whistling through the air, the arrow zipped unnaturally sideways, shooting clean through all three of the soldier's heads. The soldiers crumbled to the ground as the arrow embedded itself in the lava, hissing as it sunk below the boiling waves.

"I'm not getting that back, that's for sure." Esmeray mused to himself as he and Io continued to fight off the human soldiers, gradually pushing them backwards to the lava river. Zira had finally managed to throw off the two soldiers she had been fighting with, and she rushed to Alden's side. Dropping her swords, she tore off a length of cloth from her tunic and wrapped it around her husband's shoulder, stemming the blood flow. She and Alden exchanged frantic words as the fighting continued. Io had run to aid a Skywing elf whose wing had been broken. As Esmeray looked around, his confidence lifted as he realized only a few humans remained standing. The battle was nearly over.

"Sretnuh ykoms niaga esir, nellaf fo hsa." The words sent a shiver down Esmeray's spine. He whipped toward the husken voice, only to be knocked to the ground by a creature he didn't recognize. He sucked in a breath as he struggled to hold back the animal's snout, its smoking teeth trying to shred his face.

"Incoming!" He heard Aelia yell. More of the shadow creatures bounded towards the elves, teeth bared and roaring. The sounds of screaming and fighting faded from his ears as Esmeray struggled to hold the creature. Its smoking body somehow pinned him to the ground, yet was completely gaseous when he tried to hit it. The only part he could hold was its gnashing mouth.

Esmeray's heart stopped when the creature tried to gouge his throat with its claws. Its large paw caught onto the necklace where he wore his moon opal ring. "Oh no, you don't!" Pushing his forearm up against the creature's throat, he used all of his strength to heave it off, scrambling on the ground to his feet. The smoke creature growled, stalking towards him as he held out his dagger.

"Zira!" He spared a glance to the voice. Esmeray watched as Alden fell onto his back, another one of the smoke creatures sinking its teeth into his wounded shoulder. Alden grit his teeth against the pain, using his free hand to try to peel its teeth off his body. Zira dashed to Alden's side, crying out his name helplessly…

Just as a tendril of shadow shot through their hearts.

"ZIRA! ALDEN!" Esmeray cried out. The two crumbled to the ground, lifeless. Instantly, the shadow creature dissolved into smoke. A scream grabbed Esmeray's attention. It was Io, who was still fighting with his own smoke creature. Another tendril of darkness shot out and stabbed Io through his head. Io seized up, his eyes widening, before he too collapsed.

Esmeray's heart felt like it was being crushed by an avalanche. Shaking his head in disbelief, he turned back to the smoke creature, whose growling only grew louder as it got closer to him. Its hollow, lifeless eyes stared back. The creature's hind legs tensed up, and it leaped.

"Sagitta Ignis!" Esmeray ducked as an arrow of fire ripped through the smoke creature in midair. Screaming, the creature hit the ground and vanished in a puff of smoke. Esmeray gasped as Aelia, headdress gone, both horns broken, rushed to his side. Panting and bleeding from a thousand cuts, she met Esmeray's eyes.

"How many-?"

"Just me." It pained Esmeray to say it. "I'm the only one still alive."

Aelia's lips pressed into a thin line. "As am I." Though her voice was hard, he could tell she was holding back tears. "Do not give up, Esmeray. We must endure."

A sinister laugh suddenly filled the air. Both elves whipped around, holding their weapons out. After a heartbeat as the laughter ceased, a cloaked figure emerged from behind the cliffs into the open.

Esmeray gripped his dagger as he beheld what he assumed was the dark mage. He was dressed in all dark clothing, and he held a long, silver staff in one hand, and to both the elves' shock, a primal stone in the other.

"I'm afraid you will not win this battle today," the cold voice told them. "All of your warriors are dead. You cannot hope to best me."

Gritting her teeth, Aelia held her sunforge blade and charged at him, all the raw fury of her loss in her scream. The dark mage only stood still as he waited for her to come. For a moment, Esmeray dared to hope.

Then, the dark mage side-stepped her. Aelia, her eyes widening as she realized her mistake, tried to turn around to face the mage. Quick as a snake, the dark mage drew a rune in the air, summoning lightning from the primal stone. "FULMINUS!" Thrusting out his arm, he cast lightning straight into Aeilia's chest.

Esmeray's heart stopped. "NO!"

Aelia shrieked in agony as she went flying across the ground, her armor smoking and her tunic burning. So great was the force of the dark mage's lightning, she slid all the way across the jagged cliff face…

Straight over the edge, where her screams were replaced by the loud hissing of lava as it engulfed her body.

"YOU SICK MONSTER!" Esmeray's voice was raw. Tears stinging the corners of his eyes, he clenched the hilt of his dagger, readying to rush the dark mage and shove him over the edge, where he could meet the same fate as his fallen friend.

Before he was able to move even one step, the dark mage brandished his primal stone. Faster than he had ever seen, he drew another rune in the air. Esmeray could feel the air grow cold as he spoke the incantation.

"Aspiro Frigis!"

Instantly, Esmeray's entire lower body was encased in giant spikes of ice. Esmeray gasped sharply as the frigid temperature of the ice shot through his thin clothing. He writhed within the ice, trying to work his arms free, but to no avail. Panting, he faced the dark mage, a neutral defiance covering over his face.

"Now…" The dark mage spoke. He dusted off his robes and pulled on the cuffs of his sleeves. Putting the primal stone within the folds of his cloak, he stalked towards Esmeray. "It's just me… and you."

Esmeray glared as the mage looked him up and down. Putting an arm behind his back, the dark mage continued to speak to him in his grotesquely businesslike tone.

"You are a Moonshadow elf, are you not?"

"Tidebound, actually," Esmeray shook his braids away from his face. "I just don't have my fins with me at the moment."

The dark mage narrowed his unseen eyes. "I suggest you stop talking, elf."

Esmeray smirked savagely. The dark mage circled around him slowly, like a shark around a wounded fish. "You are the only one of the elves still alive." He continued, "If you cooperate… perhaps it will stay that way."

Esmeray barked a laugh. "Cooperate? As if we are business partners?! In what world do you live in, human?!"

The dark mage's lip curled. "I don't suggest being so bold in your position." The dark mage lowered his head to Esmeray's face. "It won't end well for you."

Esmeray lifted his chin in defiance. "Come closer, I dare you." He thought venomously.

"I am looking for the location of an ancient site of magic that has been abandoned in the western continent." The dark mage told him. "It once held and may still hold powerful magic that would be of great use to the humans, so tell me, elf: where is the moon nexus."

So that was what he was after. Esmeray's eyes narrowed. Though he had almost no idea of the exact location of the moon nexus, the most powerful source of moon magic, he knew that it was within the human kingdom of Katolis, on the peak of a mountain. Esmeray knew, that even with that one shred of knowledge, the human mage would most certainly find it.

"Even if I knew," Esmeray spoke lowly, "what makes you think I would tell you?"

"You do know," the dark mage growled. "I know you know. Even if it does not reside in Xadia, you elves would still know the location of a site of magic as precious as the moon nexus. So tell me," the dark mage slammed his staff on the ground, "where is it?!"

"I will never help you." Esmeray snarled.

"If you do not give me the location of the nexus, I will dispose of you."

Esmeray laughed, causing the mage to blink in surprise. "Fool. I am already dead."

The dark mage's unseen eyes searched the elf's face, staring at his intricate tattoos and icy white eyes. He watched the emotion in Esmeray's eyes, until his gaze caught on something that hung around his neck.

"Oh? What's this?" The mage grabbed Esmeray's necklace. With one sharp yank, he broke the chain off of Esmeray's neck and held it in his fingers.

"HOW DARE YOU?!" Esmeray snarled. He writhed in his prison of ice, wishing he could get just one arm free to take back his ring, his ring. "Vile human!"

"You can bark and struggle all you want, elf. You'll never escape." The dark mage sighed. He turned the ring over in his hands. "Moon opal. Good for spells. Quite a rare find." He pocketed Esmeray's ring. Esmeray wished that the burning fire of rage inside of him could melt the ice encasing him.

"Typical of you filthy humans," He spat. He glared daggers at the mage. "Always stealing what isn't yours. You take and take and take, your hunger for more never satisfied."

The mage looked at him. Through his cloak, Esmeray caught a glimpse of his eyes. They were gray, like Deimos', but a much duller, grimey shade. The thought of Deimos made Esmeray's spirit strengthen. He turned and turned his arms in the ice, trying to slowly work his limbs free.

"Well, wouldn't you know about that, elf?" He dusted off the purple gem of his strange silver staff. "You elves have everything. Magic, prosperity, everything you could ever ask for, all at your fingertips. You have everything, and you guard it jealously, never willing to help those in need."

"You think we always did?!" Esmeray growled. "We used to live in peace! Though it was against the better judgement of the elves, you humans were gifted the knowledge of magic by the unicorns thousands of years ago! But you were not content, and you began to kill the very creatures who gave you magic! You wiped them out with no regard for the consequences! The justice you received was well deserved!"

"Enough!" The mage slammed his staff onto the ground. "I have no more time to waste here. The Dragon King will be arriving soon, so tell me: where is the moon nexus?!"

Esmeray only glared at him. It gave him a grim satisfaction when he sensed the mage grow more and more angry.

"WHERE IS IT?!" He demanded. "TELL ME, OR I'LL KILL YOU!"

Esmeray laughed. The mage clenched his teeth when Esmeray met his eyes. "I told you, I am already dead. Your threats mean nothing to me."

The mage made a sound of frustration. He reached within his robes, pulling out a small object. His eyes flashed from under his hood when he saw shock flicker across the elf's face as he recognized the object.

"If you will not give me the information I need," the mage held out the bandage-wrapped gray paw, "you have no use to me."

"Htaerb eht laets."

A glowing white hand rose from the paw. It instantly flew to Esmeray, plunging down his throat. His eyes widened when it pulled out a glowing pale sphere, returning to the mage's hand. Esmeray's breath quickened, and his eyes widened even further when he realized that no matter how hard he breathed, he couldn't get air into his lungs.

He gasped like a fish out of water, stopping his struggling to focus in vain on trying to breathe. The mage watched on silently as Esmeray struggled to breathe, his hand clenched around the weasel paw that held the elf's breath.

"I will return it to you," the mage said casually. Esmeray glared at him, his teeth bared as he forced empty air into his lungs. "If you tell me where the nexus is, I will let you live. You tell me, I leave you here, and we can both return to our homes."

Dark circles swam in Esmeray's vision. He slumped against the ice, his gasps growing weaker and weaker. The survival instinct in his mind was screaming at him to agree. To tell the mage what he wanted to know, so he could live. So he could go home, where Deimos was waiting.

Deimos…

Esmeray looked up weakly to the mage. The mage raised an unseen eyebrow as Esmeray's mouth moved, trying to form words.

"Hm?" The mage stepped closer. "Are you going to tell me?"

Esmeray panted. Gathering up the last of his fading strength, he stared coldly at the dark mage.

"If… you think… I would… tell you… and go home… to face… my beloved… after… endangering… our entire… home…" Esmeray paused, trying one last time to raise his head to meet the rage-filled eyes of the mage, "you… are… sorely… mistaken."

The mage's lip curled. His gray eyes narrowed cruelly. "Then you are of no use to me." The mage crushed the weasel paw in his hands, Esmeray's breath vanishing. Esmeray slumped against the ice, his vision turning glassy and blurry. With a wave of his hand, the mage shattered the ice. Esmeray fell to the ground, unmoving as he stared up one last time at the dark mage.

"You obstinate creature," the mage lowered his unseen face to Esmeray. "What will your beloved think of you when they hear you could have chosen to live?"

Esmeray managed an airy chuckle. "He'd be proud of me," He thought as his world went dark. "Proud that I never gave in to you.

"Deimos… I'm sorry it had to end this way. I hope you will live on without me. I love you."

Esmeray breathed one last time, and was still.

Deimos was quiet as the living history spell vanished into the air. He clenched his hand, which held his broken opal ring. He stared down where Esmeray's body lay. Wrapped softly in silken fabric, lain on a cushion, he looked as if he was simply asleep. Even his mouth was still slightly parted, as he always slept.

A deep, rumbling voice heaved a great sign. "A true warrior." Avizandum lowered his great head, looking sadly at the bodies of the elves who had died fighting to protect The Border. "As all of these elves were."

Deimos was the first to arrive to retrieve Esmeray's body. In his grief, he had wondered how someone like his Esmeray would perish in a battle like this. Taking his ring, he crushed it in his hands and performed a living history spell. Now…

He felt numb.

Avizandum shook his head at the death before him. "These elves could have been saved. I was not vigilant. I allowed the humans to come here and to steal their lives away." He breathed a cloud of electricity. "Never again. Never again."

Deimos broke out of his trance. He looked up to Avizandum. "Never…?"

"Never again will there be a Borderguard." Avizandum growled. "From now on, I alone will patrol The Border. Never again will I endanger the lives of the people of Xadia."

"But… this mage killed them with dark magic…" Deimos swallowed thickly. "What if he returns…?"

Avizandum lowered his head to Deimos, blinking a great yellow eye at him. "Then I will obliterate his soul from existence. And I will do it a hundred thousand times again."

Deimos was silent. He stared at the body of his Esmeray. Lying not far from him were Alden and Zira, a deep blue blanket thrown over their chests to hide their bloodstained tunics. Io's body was completely covered. His body was badly mutilated, and it was unfit for the eyes of the living. Aelia, the Sunfire elf, leader of the Borderguard, had no body to retrieve. The others…

Deimos closed his eyes. Avizandum sighed again. He lowered his snout to Deimos, ever so gently nudging his shoulder.

"I will leave you to mourn." He told him. He turned around, careful to step lightly. He lifted his wings, the air whooshing as he prepared to fly. Deimos said nothing as Avizandum took off, making his undone hair swirl around his head as Avizandum flew south.

There, he stood. Staring at the body of Esmeray. His hands trembled at his sides as he knelt down next to the body.

"He looks… so peaceful." Deimos thought numbly. "As if he could just wake up… and look up at me… and smile…" Reaching out, Deimos lay a hand on Esmeray's palm. His heart shattered when he felt no warmth.

Even when they were surrounded by the boiling river of lava… his lifeless body was so, so cold.

"You were so brave…" Deimos thought. His lower lip trembled as he grasped Esmeray's cold hand. "Even in the face of death… you laughed. You were unyielding. You took up your duty to Xadia… and you fulfilled it to the end…"

Folding his arms over his head, Deimos rested his head on Esmeray's chest, tears burning hot trails down his cheeks. "Why why why why why why why did it have to be like this? Why did you have to be taken from me? Why was this the way you had to fulfill your duty? Why?"

He didn't know. His breath hitched painfully, his thoughts becoming nothing more than flashes of sorrow. Deimos sobbed against his beloved's chest. The broken shards of the moon opal ring slipped from his fingers and fell to the ground. Curling into a tight ball, Deimos quietly cried as his heart finally gave out.

Esmeray, the love of his life, was gone.

"Never again," Deimos' heart was stone. "I will never again love. Never again, will I allow my emotions to destroy me. Never again."

Deimos clenched his teeth. He slumped against the ground, his head against Esmeray's chest, no longer hearing the beat of his heart.

"Never again."

One of the hardest lessons to learn of all: not every story has a happy ending.

No one ever knew about Deimos and Esmeray. Ethari always thought that Deimos blamed Zira's feelings for her death, but in reality, he blamed his own feelings for how much the loss of Esmeray destroyed him. I never thought I would really dig this far into Deimos' character, but now…

He may still be a villain… but even he once had love in his heart.

Next week, I shall be returning to our favorite couple! I have so much story left to tell! Preferably in smaller chapter sizes, because man, this chapter was brutal.

As always, see you soon, my readers!

~TheMistDragon