The lupine woke up in a strange building, in a strange bed. But a familiar voice pierced his ears.

"Thank god you're finally awake. I was beginning to believe that you were dead…" Safira said softly.

He lifted off the blanket, but immediately put it back over himself. "Where are my clothes?" he asked.

"They were filthy and full of blood so I washed them. They're right there on the chair over there." Safira said.

"Could I have them please?"

Safira got up and grabbed his clothing. She gave them to him. Alekai got out of bed, still covered by the blanket, put on his trousers then dropped the blanket onto the floor. Safira left him to dress himself as she heard someone knocking on the door.

She opened the door. Her brother was standing in front of her.

"Hey Safira,"

"Hi."

"Everyone is heading down to the tavern. You should come."

"I might go. If I'm feeling up to it that is." She said. "Why is everyone going though?"

"Goro is dead. Everyone is celebrating."

"I figured as much."

Alekai walked up behind Safira. Her brothers' eyes became fixated on Alekai.

"You are the one that killed Goro. I thank you."

"It became a matter of life and death. And it wasn't my time to die. It won't be for years to come. I could also feel that he would have killed Safira as well."

"Are you up to a night of drinking Alekai?"

"I don't really drink, and I need to continue my journey."

"You can't spend just one night in a town?" Safira asked. She looked into his eyes.

"I guess I can spend one night here."

"Will I see you guys at the tavern?"

"Its possible." said Safira.

"Okay. Well, see you later." Safira's brother walked away from the house.

Safira shut the door. "Would you like to go out tonight? It won't just be to go out drinking. We could go for a walk on the trails in the forest nearby."

"Sure. I wouldn't mind going for a walk and taking my mind off of things."

"When do you want to leave?"

"Whenever you're ready to leave."

"I'll be maybe ten minutes if you don't mind waiting."

"No, I don't mind. I'm going wait outside for you."

"Okay."

Alekai went outside and sat on the steps. He stared up at the stars in the night sky until Safira came out and sat down next to him.

"Walk or tavern. Make your decision."

"Walk." He said as he got up. He noticed a patch of some sort on her face.

"What?" she was puzzled as to what he was looking at. He pointed to the patch. "Oh. I accidentally opened a cut from earlier."

"Could I've have a look at the cut?"

Safira removed the patch. Alekai lightly dragged his claw around the cut, then, slid his index and middle finger across it. When his fingers slid off of her face the gash sealed up. It looked as though there was never even a scratch.

"How did you do that?"

"I was born with the gift to heal, but I can also strip someone of their life just by touching them."

"That must be a horrible burden to carry."

"It is. And there are days where I wish I would fall off a cliff or get thrown off a bridge."

Safira hugged him. "Why would you want that when you have the gift of life? Why focus on the death when you can help so many people?"

"I first, had shown that I was a mix of Thanatos and his sisters the Keres. Thanatos, God of non-violent death." Alekai said letting go of Safira. "His touch was gentle, likened to that of his twin brother, Hypnos which is the God of sleep. Violent death was the domain of Thanatos' blood-craving sisters, the Keres, spirits of slaughter and disease as you saw with Goro. But as a few years had passed, I had shown traits of Aceso the Goddess of healing and curing. Of my race, every 10,000 years when every galaxy aligns, one is born with the abilities of life and death." Alekai answered.

"So what does that mean?"

"The one born with the gift of life and death brings the apocalypse."

"I don't believe that you could Alekai. Though you may have your different ways of dealing with people…well…assholes anyway. You seem like a very kind hearted man." She stood in front of him holding her hand out. "How about that walk now?"

Alekai smiled as he looked into her azure eyes. He grabbed her hand and she helped him up. They started walking towards the edge of town. Alekai and Safira walked down a cleared path for what felt like just a few minutes.

"Where are we going?" Alekai asked.

"You'll see. It's just a little further."

"Okay."

5 minutes after she said that they were at a little campsite. Safira opened the makeshift door that opened into the mountain side. Torches lit up the area. There was a bed a fireplace and a table with chairs. The two didn't realize that they had been holding hands until they went to sit at the table. They pulled their hands away and chuckled. Alekai grabbed a torch from the wall and lit the fireplace before sitting down.

The two didn't talk. They just looked around, at each other and the bed. An hour had passed in silence before Safira got up and headed towards the stairs.

"Do you want to see why I brought you here?"

"Sure."

"Then follow me." She put her hand out towards him. Alekai got up and gripped her hand gently. The two went upstairs. A Hemisphere of ice protected the two of them from the falling snow, and gave them a clear view at the stars above. "Lay down." Alekai did as she said. "Now close your eyes." He did. Safira stripped down to nothing. She kneeled at his feet. "Keep your eyes closed, and sit up." He did so. She grabbed his hands and placed them on her hips. "Open them." Safira whispered. Alekai didn't open his eyes. He leaned in and kissed her. She pulled him on top of her as she lay down on her back.

Later Alekai lifted her off the ground. He carried her down the stairs and placed her on the bed. He sat on the bed next to her, stroking her hair. He exhaled then stood up slowly as to not wake her up. "I know you want me to stay, but I can't." he whispered. "Maybe if it weren't now. Just maybe…maybe it could be different."

The lupine, reached out for his clothes. A loud noise came from above making him instinctively look upwards. As soon as he laid eyes on the roof, he heard a loud crack. The naked white wolf jumped on top of her shouting an indistinctive language. He turtled over her, and everything went black.