Looking at the map, Talalvera spotted the landmark to the path toward Lyreville, the smallest of the three towns on the map. Getting off the bike, she had to hike up a tall hill and through many thorny bushes before reaching the town itself, making her wonder what these residents would look like. After the last, she wasn't sure what was real anymore. Eventually reaching the top, she found herself in front of a wall of mist, flashes of lightning coursing through it. Hesitantly, she pushed forward through the mist and found herself in a small-town square, the buildings looking worn down and ghostly. Each window had a single candle glowing from the inside, while the moonlight cast shadows on the ground. She heard the screeching of an owl, and was frightened as it flew by her, "May I ask who you are?"

Whipping her head around, Talavera came face to face with what appeared to be a woman, but she had a large pair of black feathered wings, "What-"

"Who are you?"

"I'm Michelle Talavera, I came from Raventhorne."

"Ah, the visitor from the main lands, who wishes to find out whom the great darkness is."

"The what?"

"You do not know of the Great Darkness? The Great Darkness sees all, knows all, but is never seen until the time is right."

"I don't understand."

"Then come with me." The woman led her to a small house, and allowed her inside, "Please, sit."

She watched as the woman put a cast iron pot of coffee on over the stove, the fire heating the metal and warming the brew, "What is this place?"

"A place where those thrown from heaven and hell can serve under a being greater than the deities of the world they come from, and forage their own paths. A home for future gods that will eventually move on to rule worlds of their own."

The statement shook her, "What do you mean?"

The woman stared at her, and removed the mask, revealing a pale face, "This place was born upon the birth of twins, one who was deemed a beast at birth, and the other who drew in helpless men to drink their blood…."

Romania 1932[RO1] ….

The infants wailed as their mother ran, she could not bare to look at the monster she had just given birth to, and did not wish for her parents to find out that she had given birth to a demon's children. She had no regrets in breaking her chastity, or spending the night with a demon from another world so that she would not have to work for the rest of her life, but feared what would happen to her now. Looking back, she slowed her run and went inside her home to her husband, who was asleep on the bed. There was only one thing to do now….

Amazon Rainforest 1950….

Zara looked at her brother, who was lazily hanging from a tree, "Oh come now, can't you have a little fun?" she wiped the blood from her mouth, "Don't you get hungry?"

He opened his eyes slowly, and stared at her, "I have people to do my work for me."

"Unless it comes to deals, then you move faster than a bullet." She tossed back at him, "Lazy bones you are."

"And you're a bloodsucker," He poked her in the ribs with a skeletal finger, "but you're still iron deficient."

She glared at him, her eyes turning crimson from the soft baby blue, then fading back. Letting out a hearty laugh, she slapped his hand away, "I love you, Zachariah."

"Uh-huh." He used his tail to hang directly above her, "I love you too sister, we're all each other's got, at least when we're out here."

"True, unless the siblings come to visit."

"Meh, you're more so the one who interacts with them than me, you really need to find someone, I've got more men than I can handle."

"That's your prerogative."

"Fair point, but still, I'll do my thing, you do yours."

"Okay." She finished draining the corpse, "I'm off, stay safe."

"I'm not moving from here."

Agnes wandered through the area, slashing vines away with her machete as her brother did the same, "How could we have crashed here, George?"

"I do not believe Father expected a lightning thunderstorm, Agnes, let's just focus on getting out of this jungle. Things happen, it's only a small problem."

She glared at him, after all he had done to her, she had forgiven him. Even after all of that, he still acted as if he was above her and still refused to accept that he had done something wrong. "Fine, at least we brought these tools."

"Yes, that is-" He suddenly stopped, "Look."

"Oh, what is it-"

She turned to her brother but stopped when she saw that there was a woman there, dressed rather scantily, but she appeared healthy and friendly, "Hello, are you two lost?"

Agnes scanned over her, as she noticed her brother was infatuated. The woman had dark skin and black hair, but her eyes were a stormy blue that seemed to shimmer in the light. Keeping her guard up, she made eye contact with the woman, "We are lost, do you know how to get out?"

"I do, but it's getting late, how about I give you a place to rest and we can figure it out in the morning."

"I suppose." Agnes sheathed her machete and followed the woman while her brother followed, seemingly lost all common sense as his clothes were being caught on everything. Then suddenly, she was grabbed from above, "What the Hell?!"

She found herself facing some kind of hairy creature, realizing that it was likely an unknown species, she pulled out her camera. The flash seemed to startle it and she realized that she was falling, only for it to catch her again, and take the camera, "No pictures."

She glared at the creature, even though it had no eyes, only empty sockets. When she realized that the hands holding her were only one, her blood ran cold, it hit her that this thing very well could be sapient; and it was clearly aware of what she had been doing, "What are you?"

It didn't respond, and instead began moving through the trees at a high speed, soon arriving at a small area clear of any vegetation. At first, she thought it was just dirt, but as the creature released and they fell, she realized they were falling into a giant pit. Her whole body shook when they landed, although it didn't seem to shake the creature in any way, shape, or form, the thing didn't even flinch. Struggling to get out of its grip, she stopped when she realized they were in a cave system of some sort, and there was a rather rancid smell. "Keep struggling, or asking questions, and I will trap you down here. Trust me, you won't die, but you'll be miserable for the rest of your life."

"Please, anything, I'll do anything you want."

It looked at her, "Stop calling me an it. The only reason I saved you is because I'd rather my sister not get sick by draining your blood. It's clear you have some anomaly in you, I can sense it. Aside from that, you would suffer a painful death by her hand, she likes to play with her food."

"S-s-sister? Food?" panic settled in and she began to struggle again, but stopped when he turned back to her, "I don't understand."

"You wouldn't. But your brother likely will not survive my sister feeding from him, but you, you will stay with me."

Agnes gulped; she didn't like the sound of this one bit.

After a few days, Agnes's back was killing her, he hadn't let her sleep anywhere but under his own coat. She had finally gotten a good look at him, and realized that he was literally just a skeleton with some fur and skin. There was no heartbeat, but somehow, he was still alive, and surviving out here. His sister clearly was insane, and was clearly playing George for a fool, seducing him and slowly draining the life out of her brother. It was difficult to watch, as he grew weaker and weaker each day, completely unaware of the weakness and blinded by the desire to please. Dropping to her knees, she pounded her fists on the stone floor, "Why!"

"So, this is the child that was saved…." She felt something wipe the tears from her cheek, "But you have been kept in the dark…"

She froze, and looked up, only to see a dark, and terrifying face. Quickly, she backed away into a wall, "What do you want?!"

The woman did not move, and only stared at her, a single orb glowing from her eye. "You fear them."

"Of course, I do, I've been watching my brother die bit by bit!"

"Yes, I suppose that may be true, an unfortunate event." The woman helped her up, and pulled another handkerchief made of black fabric from her pocket, "Let us go and speak in private."

"Okay, but wh-" Agnes followed, but the woman was gone as she entered a room that appeared to be lit by a large fireplace, but the flames glowed blue. She was mesmerized by the flame, and reached out to feel the heat, but accidentally burned herself. Instantly, the world began to spin, and she fell to the ground.

She opened her eyes back up, and was terrified at where she found herself. There were skeletons covering the walls, their silent screams forever shown as roots and vines trapped them to the rocky walls, and dark flowers bloomed on the dangerous looking plants. There in the room, stood a single individual, a woman with amber eyes, "Let us play a game." She said, "A game where I can test to see if you are fit to join our ranks…"

"I beg your pardon?"

You should know, Lassie, even at eighteen you have traveled far. Many men have tried to court you, but you fear that yer ailment will make them break their vows."

"Ailment? I don't know what you're talking about."

"Aye, you do, but it is difficult for you to accept. Zachariah seems to be interested in you, so I need to figure out why Lassie. He may have told you it was to protect you, but me brother has never rescued someone from his sister, even though you are the first woman to appear in tehri lair."

"What is he?"

"Play my game and I'll answer yer questions."

"Fine, what is your game?"

The woman pulled out three cups, and a bracelet made of sapphire, "Tell me what cup the bracelet is under, answer correct and we'll talk."

Agnes hated this game, but kept an eye on the cup that had covered the piece of jewelry, and nearly lost track of it, but managed to choose the right one, "Alright, now talk."

"Aye, but first let me get you something better to wear, you must be mighty uncomfortable in the clothes yer wearing now."

She watched as the woman disappeared, and brought back another dressed in green, "I see what you mean. Hello, you must be Agnes."

Nodding, she allowed the woman to measure her, then sat back down, "She should have yer garment ready by the time you go, what are yer questions?"

"What are you? What is he? What is this place? Why is my brother going to die? How can I get out? What-"

Suddenly, a dark shape appeared, and Agnes recognized the single glowing eye, "Let me speak with her, I believe it to be best that she hears it from me."

The amber-eyed woman shrugged, and walked off and the shadow woman removed her hood, revealing a terrifying gaze. She went over to the wall, and plucked a bloom from it, "Let us start with the first. They are incarnations of the deepest desires, and evils that humanity, and many other races consider irredeemable." She brought the flower over, and it transformed into a dark bird, "However, Zara has her own path to take, and I don't believe it be best for you to leave. I cannot trust that you will not reveal him to the world, so you will stay here."

"Why, I don't want that, I promise, I won't tell anyone!"

The woman leaned forward, and placed a hand on the ground, the spot where her fingertips touched turning black while veins from her skin moved across the ground toward Agnes, "Unfortunately, it is not you who has committed betrayal, but you will be the one to pay for it. Do not worry," the black bird flew off of her hand and landed on Agnes's shoulder, "It won't hurt long."

Meanwhile George pulled the wooden stake out of the woman's chest, it was fortunate he'd heard stories about how to kill her kind, and now had proof that they existed. Although he was weak, he'd still managed to overcome her while she was sleeping, using the sun to weaken her. He made sure to use his canteen to fill with her blood, as it was rumored to make you immortal, and immune to any disease. Suddenly, he heard a roaring of a car engine, and rushed out, "I'm here!"

The group seemed surprised, "We've been looking for you for about a week now! Is your sister still out here?"

He felt badly, and concerned for Agnes, but needed to get away before he was devoured by beasts, "She didn't make it…"

Looking into the woman's eyes, Talavera knew that there was a darkness behind them, it was evident behind the deep blue gaze. "Desperation does that to people."

"Perhaps, but it was no need for his sister to pay such a heavy price, nor for a woman who was just trying to survive to lose her life." She went and served the coffee, "I don't have any sugar."

"It's fine, I don't need any." She took a sip, "But I have a feeling that what you told me isn't the entire story."

"No, it is not. For you see, after he escaped, things went well for some time, until…."

It had been several years, and George had returned to the jungle, as guilt for leaving Agnes there had eaten away at him for many years. Speaking with local tribes, he heard about the beast that he'd seen in the trees, and found his way to the place they had crashed all those years ago. He heard a shuffling in the brush and found himself staring face to face with a familiar face. Agnes had changed, her hair much longer now and in dreadlocks decorated with gold and silver, while she wore a garment that was made to move. Her eyes were wary, but became angry the moment she saw him, and was gone. Shaking his head, he tried to comprehend what he had just seen, had it been a hallucination?

Suddenly a gust of wind threw him to the ground, and he looked up to see the beast in the trees, but also his sister. A gigantic pair of dark wings were outspread from her back, and the feathers were sharp as razorblades. His blood ran cold as she smiled, revealing fangs, "Do you remember, George? I had to pay for your actions, does that sound familiar?"

He stared up at her, and realized that she had not been impacted by the sickness she had been deemed to die from as an infant, seeming healthier than she had before. His sister now appeared dangerous to him, not the meek girl he remembered from when they were children. "I was going to get out of this forest, I would have slayed that beast too if I could have."

"Oh really?" she smiled as he stiffened when something climbed up his neck, and slipped under his skin.

The shadows began to twist, transforming into a reflective sphere that played the thoughts of his mind, "What is this?!"

"Your memories of what happened with my sister." The beast suddenly appeared, bony claws tapping on the stone floors, and sat back on its haunches. "You are a liar, and yet abandoned your sister as well, has the guilt finally caught up to you?"

"You should be kept in a zoo for or some kind of lab for study!" George shouted, "And I was defending myself."

"Then let us see what truly occurred." it growled, "Should you be telling the truth, we will release you with no harm, but should you be lying…."

He struggled at the darkness invaded his memory, searching for answers and the images passing across the sphere, forcing him to relive every moment as it passed. His sister stood there, staring at him, smirking as their childhood played out before them. There were the memories of how he had used her, forced her to break up with boyfriends, terminated a teen pregnancy. Blackmailing her into doing his work, and everything he did not want to do, but also the gravest and most irredeemable of his actions. During their isolation as teens, he had forced her to please him, as he hadn't had access to any other female. The graphic images passed the screen and he began to struggle as the beast clearly became angry and tense, clearly disgusted by such actions.

But once the memories of the forest were revealed, he began to panic, he had revealed to the beast's sister that he had planned the crash. Having poisoned his father with a deadly dose of cyanide, he had planned to find the beast and force it to give him appeal to any woman without doing any of the work for it. It terrified him when he saw anger grow prevalent in his sister's eyes, and the sheer disgust as she heard the discussions he'd had with Zara. Unlike what he'd told to the public, Zara had taken interest in him, as she believed they shared a common interest, and he'd willingly allowed her to drink from him. In return for that he'd learned her story, and she had allowed him to live, but he had planned the betrayal from the beginning. The earsplitting scream Zara had released echoed off the walls, making his ears ring as her spirit almost seemed to return to haunt him, and several visages of her seemed to appear.

The room suddenly disappeared, and he found himself floating in a dark void where many spirits of women he had used and murdered to prevent discovery of his discretions seemed to be nearby. They all began to taunt him, and lunged while they passed through his body, forcing him to remember what he had done. Their shrieks shook him, and the coldness of their passing though him began to freeze his body, the sweat on his skin becoming ice crystals that began to spread and cover his body, forming an icy coffin that he could not break from. He crashed his fists against the walls, but anytime he did so, sharp spines tore away at his skin. Suddenly dark flowers grew around him, their aroma filling the small space, causing him to grow sleepy. As the box shattered, he found himself paralyzed, while the flowers roots wrapped around his body. "Help me!"

Agnes approached him, her eyes cold, and unfeeling. "Why?"

"Because I am your brother?"

"After what you did to me?" she asked, "Even though they did an unthinkable act to me, they have become more of a family to me than you ever were."

"Freak!" he shouted, and tried to pull away the roots trapping him, "I should have never come back here!"

"Indeed, you should not have." The beast looked down at him, "But you will have one thing that you always wanted, but eventually may wish for it to end, for it won't be as you imagined. You will be immortal, but you will wander the streets, swooned by women who wish to have you. But you will only be able to submit, and will experience the horrors and pain that your sister did as a youth; you will understand what you have done…"

As the woman finished, there was a loud shriek outside, hen cheers. "What was that?"

"He's home," AS she rose, the wall fell and a large shape walked in and placed the wall back in, "as are the children."

Three smaller shapes got off the back of the larger one, and ran up to the woman. The children were skeletal, but had wings just like the woman, but had no eyes and sported long tails like the beast, "We got an A's on our tests!"

"We'll have to celebrate." She hugged them, then looked to the larger shadow that had stepped out into the light, "What do you suggest we do, Zachariah?"

The beast seemed to smile, "Take them to visit their aunt."

As they all disappeared into a dark smoke, Talavera panicked, she was alone in a stranger's home. Pulling out the map, she realized something, there were three towns, one on each corner of the island, with the small hut in which the old woman lived in the center. To her, it was frightening as it could mean something, and that the woman had not told her all she knew. Rushing from the house, she ran toward the woods, hoping to find a path to the center of the forest. For if she did, it could be the only way to get the answers she needed.


Please Read and Review, any suggestions of how to flesh out the story are welcome!