The Pillars

A/N: Okie-day, for the record Maleah Haines does NOT grow up to be Umah. And you should know the usual disclaimer schtuff by now. Furthermore, I've NO idea where Coorhagen is in relation to the Pillars, so I'm gonna assume it's close for this story.

Eight years later, Kain had grown into a strong, good-looking little boy, inseparable from his older brother Benedetto. And they, in turn, were inseparable from the innkeeper's daughter, Maleah Haines. She was taller and more willowy than the other girls, and she acted more like a boy than a girl, had long black hair which her mother refused to let her cut, and large, expressive dark violet eyes.
"You know..." said Benedetto, "The Pillars are right over there..."
"What are you suggesting?" Kain said. He didn't really like to be around the Pillars. They made him nervous, for some reason.
"Let's go!" said Maleah.
"I don't know that we should..." said Kain softly.
"Aw, c'mon, Kain!" urged Maleah, "It'll be fun!"
"I personally don't see what's so fun about a bunch of old, falling apart pillars," Kain muttered. But he did go along anyways, not wanting to be thought a coward, especially not by Maleah.

"This way!" laughed Benedetto as the children ran down the path, Kain going at a slower pace than the rest. Kain had a horrible sense of foreboding about the Pillars, and frankly wished he was back home with his parents. But, as I've mentioned, he didn't want to be thought a coward by his brother and Maleah. When they reached the Pillars, they snuck around it, hoping for a glimpse of one of the Circle. Kain was starting to enjoy this, really, even laughing. Until he saw the Pillar of Balance, that is. He stared at it for a moment, then backed away, slowly, tripping on his feet and falling backwards. He would have hit his head if Benedetto hadn't caught him.
"What's wrong?" Maleah asked, running over to him and kneeling.
"I...don't...know..." Kain said softly, standing up.
"Maybe we should go home..." Benedetto said, putting an arm about his younger brother's shoulder.
"Is something wrong?" asked a very smooth, sneaky sounding voice. The children turned around.

Standing before them was a man clad in black, hooded, with a strange symbol on his forehead.
"You two...you're Lord Dante's children, aren't you?" he asked, pleasantly. Benedetto nodded.
"Why do all the Pillars look that way?" Maleah asked, not paying attention.
"Why?" the man inquired, and continued when Maleah nodded, "Because they are corrupted, because of Ariel's murder. Unless we find the new Balance Guardian, they'll stay corrrupted." The man went on to explain more about the Pillars, and when he was finished, sent the children merrily back to the manor at Coorhagen.
"That's him, Mortanius." murmured the man in black as another man appeared.
"Which one?" Mortanius said, watching the retreating children.
"The boy...the younger boy."
"Are you certain, Moebius?"
"Quite."