Hello loves! Here's the most recent chapter (: fair warning, things get just a tad bit dark here.

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VOID SOUL: INCUBUS

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The streets were dusted with snow as they always were near the mountain. Two pairs of boots scuffed across the road going into town. Auralie nuzzled her nose into her scarf as she walked hand in hand with William. He waddled as fast as he could to match her pace, his breathing stuffy. Snot ran down to his lips which he licked incessantly.

"Awwa,"

"Yea Will?"

"How many, how many snows are there?"

"Do you mean snowflakes?"

"Uhh, no, snows,"

"Like the stuff that's in the air?"

"No, snows! What are you sinking?" he opened his free hand in frustration. Auralie laughed, "Not funny!"

"Of course not. Well, you see there's so many snows that it's impossible to tell how many there— what are you doing?" her grip on his hand tightened as he pulled towards the nearest store.

Upon getting closer she saw a cardboard box outside, "You are so weird," she exhaled, Will always had a thing for boxes, he liked to collect them, put things inside them, stack them, anything he could think of. She let go of his hand and let him waddle on over.

Once he got closer he jump dropped to his knees and looked in, "Awwa! Come here!" he screeched.

"Coming Will,"

"Huwwy! Come on!" he ran back to her and pulled her hand as hard as he could, Auralie slowed down purposefully.

"But I feel so heavy," she said.

"Fow cwaps sake," he struggled, "Come on!"

"What?" she laughed, "Where did you hear that?"

"Hmph," Will sat down in front of the box again, eyes fixated on its contents. As she looked in a warm smile spread across her lips. Half a dozen kittens nestled together, climbing over each other and mewing, "Can we have them?"

"Oh, Will I'm not sure, we have to ask Momma and Dada first,"

"But day have no home," he squeaked, reaching out to pet them, "Don't worry, I'll be your momma," he whispered.

"I know sweetheart," she knelt on the back of her heels, "But if we take them now, and momma says no, then other people won't be able to take them home," she pondered for a few seconds, "How about we get them some food for the way back huh? And I'll leave my scarf so they can have a blanket,"

"Ok," he grumbled and stood up, holding out his hand, "Scawf please,"

"Yes Mr. Sassypants," she said, unwrapping her thick scarf. Cats were William's favorite animal because of their soft fur and innocent eyes.

"Sdlkjflflkds, slkjfoiew!"

"What?"

"Heshjgkdodjk,"

"Will, I can't he—," the ground opened below his feet, he looked at her with wild eyes and shouted out as he fell through, "Will!" she lunged, reaching for his hand. The ground closed up before she could save him. She looked around frantically, turning around she watched as the shops started to fall into the earth.

"Will!" she yelled as she scrambled to her feet. He'd disappeared. She picked up the box of kittens as pieces of the road started to fall away into darkness. She looked down at the box and screamed, dropping it. They were all dead, how long had they been dead?

"Wolves," she muttered under her breath.

Turning on the ball of her foot she ran in the opposite direction, she had to tell them what was happening, they had to get of there.

She looked over her shoulder and saw the night sky open and run across the horizon, turning the day to night. She looked forwards again as she fell under its shadow.

"How did I…?" tall trees stood around her dressed in black, moss drooped from their limbs like decaying flesh. She had to get home, something's not right, something's not right.

"Dad!" the word flew involuntarily from her mouth, causing startled birds to fly from their perch's. She ran. Jumbled words fell from her mouth without permission, some foreign, some familiar, both odd to the lips; the forest created a path for her. She trudged onwards, but it felt like she was sinking. She fought with the dense mud, it claimed her shoes with a loud suctioning noise. A line of bushes clustered before her.

"Daddy!" someone shrieked in the distance.

"Will?" She could feel the heavy weight of fear spreading through her body.

She struggled onwards and broke through the brush before her, finally able to walk normally. She started forwards into the clearing, tripping over a lump of fur. She pushed up to her arms, staring at the dirt below her. She got to her feet and saw she was alone, but it was too quiet. She looked behind her. Something large sat slumped over, silhouetted by the moonlight.

The wind blew fiercely, and she could hear chains rattling near the eclipsed beast. Then all was silent again.

"Hhhhh," breath brushed the back of her neck.

She spun around, but nothing was there.

"What did I do… to deserve this," she spun around again and saw the form had taken shape, "I'm just a simple being…" it chuckled darkly, "Don't look down now, I'll—"

"Fix it I swear," her father said. She turned around once more and saw him, knife in hand.

"D-dad?" she stepped away.

"Don't move! You'll mess up my work," his voice disjointed into two distinctly different voices. Auralie looked at her feet and saw the strange, archaic drawings. She looked back to the form where a Vulcan lay chained and slaughtered. She was at the center. Raising the knife, her father slit his hands.

"Don't!" she yelled. But something dark clung to him. A pale, sickly hand reached out of from the darkness, removing the cloud that obscured its face. Its skin transparent white and scourged with vein's blacker than the ocean. Its empty eyes unnerved her as an evil smile cracked up into its cheeks and it began to twist her father's head.

"Help," he whispered, slamming his hands down and completing the ritual.

"Dad!" her body lurched forwards, stiff hands held her back.

"Hold still, Natsu!" they barked.

"Yea,"

"Help me hold her down,"

The leaves in the forest shifted in the wind and she could still see her father through the light of the circle. The Inanis whispered in his ear.

"Awwa?" William stepped timidly from behind a large boulder.

"Will?" tendrils of roots rose from the ground, wrapping around her feet, making their way to her shoulders.

"Auralie! C'mon, wake up!" more roots shot up from the ground, binding her arms, she fought against them; he was alive and he needed her now.

Her father yelled out in agony as the ritual started to take his arm. The Inanis whispered fervently in his ear, twisting his head in Will's direction.

"Dada!" he shrieked, taking one step forwards, one step back, unsure.

"Go back!" she tried to yell over the wind. Her father gripped the knife in his hand and made labored attempts to crawl to William.

"Da...Da?"

"NO!" she shrieked, pulling one arm free of the vines that held her back, "Get away from him! Will run! Will—!"

"AURALIE!"

Light flooded her eyes as the scene rapidly changed around her, but had to close them momentarily as her head spun. Something stung, she looked down at her shoulder, brow furrowed, lips folded. Someone held her shoulders steady while a needle was embedded in her arm, attached to a syringe that was pushing something into her. Her eyes felt sore from the light and she squinted to see her surroundings, pushing out a tear.

"Where am I?" she whispered in a daze.

Her eyes ran the length of the arms keeping her steady to the blurry figure before her.

"Natsu?" his image came into focus as she gazed over his face, there were bags under his eyes, a line of blood dripped out the corner of his lip down to his tightly locked jaw. A variety of hues pricked to the surface of his skin just above the jaw and her fist throbbed. Her hand shook as she looked down at the discoloration on her knuckles. She looked up quickly, searching his eyes, "Did I hurt you?" another tear came loose and she felt it fall down to her chin. His eyes hardened and after a moment he shook his head, letting go of her.

"She's all yours Porlyusica," he stood up, letting go of her shoulders and ran a hand over his jaw.

"You're dumping her on me?" the woman's voice was harsh.

"I just need some time," his voice was low and rough, "C'mon Happy," the cat she hadn't noticed until now looked at her with sad eyes and turned to go with Natsu reluctantly. The door closed softly on their way out.

"I hate humans," said Porlyusica, "I live all the way out here to get away from them but they still show up!" she huffed, moving around the room. Vials and potted plants were smattered here and there. I'm in a hut? Auralie thought absentmindedly.

"What happened?" Auralie said, wiping tears she didn't remember crying from her cheeks. She swung her feet onto the floor to stand and stared at her lap, "And what am I wearing?" she wondered to herself.

"Sit—" Porlyusica commanded, "You're wearing a muumuu because I couldn't administer medicine with all that armor, though it did save your life. And you're one to ask questions. I've had to see you twice in one week, the sight of you is starting to disgust me,"

"I'm sorry," Auralie said, "But please, I… I need to know what happened, did I hurt him?"

"Hhh," Porlyusica folded her arms over her chest and came to stand in front of her, "You punched him in the face, I thought that was fairly obvious," Auralie let her gaze fall to her feet as her throat throbbed.

"But why?"

"The hell if I know," she said, throwing up her hands.

"Oh," Aura squeezed the hand that landed the blow and allowed the pain to spread through her tendons, "How did I get here?" she asked.

"You're telling me you don't remember running in front of a car?"

"I do. Is the – did the kitten—?"

"Yes, yes," Porlyusica waved away her question with the flick of a wrist, "That's seriously your—never mind, I forget I'm dealing with an illogical adolescent—" she muttered under her breath, "look, you've been in critical condition for a week; I had to keep you asleep another week on top of that so you wouldn't have the chance to undo my work as soon as you walked out the door,"

"I-I'm sorry, is there any way I could repay you?" Auralie asked timidly.

"Oh I don't know, how about you START TAKING CARE OF YOURSELF," Porlyusica snapped.

"Y-yes ma'am!" Aura twiddled her thumbs and stared at her lap.

"As for payment, one lock of hair should do it. You'll have to figure out how to repay Natsu on your own," an overwhelming feeling of anxiety sieged her, she owed Natsu big time. He was her saving grace and they both knew it. How on Earthland could she repay him?

"Yes ma'am," she said, "Do you have any scissors?"

"Yes, but I will cut the lock," Porlyusica went over to a side table and picked up a pair of sheers, then came to sit beside her on the twin sized bed, "I'll take the lock near the base of the neck where it's undamaged by the sun. Please lift your hair,"

Auralie did as she was told, gathering her thick hair and pulling it up in the manner you would a pony tail. Porlyusica let out a small gasp.

"What is it?" Auralie asked.

"Nothing, just holding in a sneeze,"

"Mm,"

XXX

Porlyusica had tucked her lock away into a curious black box and placed it in a cupboard with similar boxes. Her long robes swept along the floor as she hurried about.

"Is there anything I can help you with Miss?"

"Ha," she laughed, "I'm afraid you're a bit of a screw up dear. No, just sit there and wait for them to return,"

"I can leave now if you'd like,"

"So you can avoid awkward confrontation or so you can wander into trouble and be back on my door by morning?" she took out a book and laid it out on a table, "no thank you," she settled reading glasses on the bridge of her nose.

"I see," Aura said, she looked around the warm hut, hours had passed and she'd become desperately bored by the long laps of silence, "What book are you reading?"

"Vita et Mors, it's a language you wouldn't understand. Now let me read in peace,"

"Life and Death huh…" Auralie said absentmindedly. Porlyusica looked up from her book curiously.

"Quid agis?" she spoke slowly.

"I'm perfectly fine, you truly are an amazing healer. Why do you ask?"

"Surge super pedes tuos,"

"Uh, ok, do you need something?" Auralie asked, rising to her feet. Porlyusica just stared at her, "What is it?"

"When did you learn Latin?"

"Huh?"

"Did you not understand me? Quam discere Latin?"

"I…" when did she learn Latin? She checked out of their conversation as faded memories started to resurface. Nana Bunny, her late adopted grandmother from her childhood. Auralie was in her early teens when she passed, and her mother had made her stop seeing her, but she didn't remember why. A thought popped into her head and she blurted out, "Siccari totaliter!"

"That makes… zero sense,"

"But you understand it?"

"Yes, but again, it makes no sense,"

"What does it mean?" she clasped her hands together and came to the edge of the table. Porlyusica looked at her strangely.

"It means complete dry… does that mean something special to you?"

"Yes!" she beamed, "Oh, delens!" Porlyusica snickered.

"It either means erase or blotting—what's with you all of a sudden? Do I need to give you another shot?"

"N-no ma'am. Thank you ma'am!" she said pacing between the bed and the table, a smile plastered to her face.

"I don't like how happy you are, it's creepy, just sit down," said Porlyusica.

"Yes ma'am—oh, do you have any other books in Latin?" she added on shyly.

"No,"

"Oh, ok," she said lightheartedly and sat down on the edge of the bed, tracing the patterns on the muumuu she wore. Porlyusica sighed and stood, robes swishing behind her as she made her way to sit next to Auralie on the bed. She dropped the book in Aura's lap, "Ooph! It's heavier than I thought it'd be," she beamed.

"Open it, tell me how much you know,"

"Yes ma'am," she ran her fingers over the book, the leather had a surprisingly smooth feel, for such an old object. The pages fell open in her hand like they were begging to be read, and there was just a hint of foxing towards the edges of the pages. A faint musty scent touched her nostrils as she flipped through the pages, picking a spot at random, "Lux et Tenebrae," she read aloud, the room grew light but then fell into a complete darkness.

"Interesting… say lux, quickly now," Porlyusica instructed.

"Lux," the room lit up as Natsu and Happy suddenly appeared in the doorway, "Eep!" they both yelped and Auralie shut the book quickly.

"You look like you've seen a ghost," said Natsu.

"Aye," Happy agreed.

"Nonsense, now take her away from here before I go insane," said Porlyusica, taking the book from Auralie and putting it back in its place.

"Right, let's go," said Natsu gruffly. Auralie nodded and stood, walking over to Natsu and Happy as they headed back out the door.

"Auralie," Porlyusica spoke as the door was about to shut.

"Yes ma'am,"

"You might want to take Ms. Scarlet's suit back to her," she said placing the armor in her arms, "And I think this goes without saying, but you should be careful about your choice of language,"

"Did you swear?" said Happy, lighting on Aura's shoulder.

"No, of course I didn't," she said to Happy, then returned her attention to Porlyusica, "Is there anything else ma'am?"

"No, now be gone," she said.

"Ma'am?"

"What,"

"I just wanted to let you to know I had a really nice—" her nose was two inches from the door when it was slammed in her face.

"Tch, I told you she didn't like people,"

"I'm sure she's lovely once you get to know her, she kind of reminds me of my Nana," a smile tugged at the corner of her lips before falling flat as she turned around, "How's your jaw?" she asked timidly, it took everything she had to not hide behind the armor.

"Mm?" he threw a glance in her direction, raising an eyebrow, "It's fine, and it was more of a slap than a punch,"

"No, it was definitely a—oomph!" Natsu clasped his hand over Happy's mouth.

"Are you sure?" she flexed her hand again, letting the pain well up.

"Does it look like I'm hurt?"

"No, it's just—"

"What, do you need proof?" he turned around, she felt the heat rise to her cheeks as the snow that crunched under his shoes brought him closer, "See anything?" he asked turning the cheek she'd stricken towards her. Erza's armor was slick and started to slip through her arms.

"N-no," she said clambering to get a grip. Natsu eyes flicked to the armor, then again to her face. A snow shed breeze sent goosebumps down her arms and legs as Natsu took off his scarf and wrapped it gently around her neck. She blushed under its warmth and familiar scent.

"Gimme that," he said, reaching out to take Erza's armor.

"But," she gripped the armor a little tighter.

"No but's. Now come on, let's get off Porlyusica's property before she chases us off with a broom."

"Mm," she agreed, his hand brushed her arm as he lifted the armor out of her grasp. Happy jumped off her shoulder and into her arms as they began the journey back.

XXX

There wasn't much talking as they walked, just a strange tension. Aura's feet were numb from being barefoot for so long in the snow and her teeth had started to chatter.

"It's been s-s-snowing a lot huh?" said Auralie, observing the blanket of snow over Magnolia.

"Aye!" said Happy, flying out of her arms and all too happy the silence had been broken, "The guild had a snow ball fight while you were out. Oh! And don't worry we returned the kitten to Mrs. Peebles for you! I can't wait till you—mmgh," Natsu clasped his hand over Happy's mouth.

"Happy," he warned. Aura smiled, she missed their banter.

"Natsu, Happy?"

"Yea?"—"Aye?" they said in unison.

"I just wanted to thank you, for everything," she said and knew her cheeks must be red, "t-to be completely honest, I'd probably have died long ago if it wasn't for your help," she folded her arms over her stomach. Natsu and Happy looked at each other.

"Yeah uh, don't mention it," Natsu said, the lightest shade of pink dusted his cheeks and he looked away. Happy flew back to her arms.

"Aye, Aura!" said Happy with a mischievous look in his eyes, "there's something we wanna show you, come on!"

"What is it?" she asked.

"It's a—"

"Happy!"

XXX

Whew, that was a long chapter! I hope everyone liked it (: I'm also hoping its length will make up for lost time (x tell me, was it a little too dark at the beginning? Anyways, have a lovely day/night and I'll try to update within the next couple weeks!

~Atrevici out!~