Mitch let out a sigh as they all scattered around to rest at Oryn's insistence. He was growing increasingly weary with every day that passed and still they had yet to reach the veil. Avriel remained weak, and while the fae tried to keep him juiced up on magic, they had to be careful where they pulled their energy from as they were surrounded by dark and shadow magic that sometimes had a mind of its own. The human slowed their progress drastically, but he would never leave him behind no matter how much Orion attempted to convince him otherwise.

He glanced over Oryn, his own heart nearly skipping a beat when he saw the adoring smiles the fae and her human shared. Her eyes had become an intermittent dance of color but every time her gaze found Avriel, every time she heard his voice or even thought about him they would glitter a brilliant gold and remain so until she became distracted. The thought took him back to the days when his own had begun their transition and the terrifying and overwhelming feeling of falling.

The memories took hold of his heart again, an invisible magnetic force tugging sharply at the edges just trying to get him closer to where it wanted to be. If he could he'd set off at a full run and never stop until he'd either found himself back in Scott's arms or collapsed in complete exhaustion. The slow progress, the constant danger and need to remain on full alert... it was wearing heavily on all of them.

He regarded the human who had sprawled out on the ground, back resting against the trunk of a small, red tree. He couldn't fault his heart. He knew the man was still recovering, weak and a little muddled, but still he was pushing forward at a grueling pace. He would more than likely never stop if Oryn didn't force him to rest. Part of him was happy for his friend and the love and connection she obviously felt for the human but the other part knew all too well the pain and heartbreak that awaited her. It didn't really matter what he said anymore. Her heart was close to making a final decision and once it did there was no changing it. He just hoped that she made better decisions than he had.

He closed his eyes, thinking of his love and wondering if he missed him in the same way his own heart yearned for his human. He had to blink away tears as he silently split off from the group. He just needed a few moments alone.

~~~~~

Scott took a deep breath, holding it and slowly releasing it before repeating the process. He'd never really paid too much attention to the navy door before but this time he focused on the matte paint, the sanded dips and edges... anything to keep from actually turning the doorknob and facing some of his most precious memories.

He reached out to place his palm against the cold surface, exhaling another shaky breath. He knew he had to face it, to conquer this seemingly impossible hurdle if he was ever to move on but that was the one thing he was most afraid of. He didn't want to move on. He didn't want to move past it or forget or anything that meant letting go of Mitch. He wasn't ready to admit to himself that Mitch wasn't coming back. He wasn't ready to accept that his best friend had chosen to abandon him for a world that wasn't his own. He just wasn't ready to be left behind. He wasn't ready to admit that he was alone.

He took another deep breath, holding it until his chest ached. He slowly released it as he finally closed his fingers around the knob and turned.

~~~~~

"Next time I decide it's a fun idea to go on a quest, please slap some sense into me," Avi yawned as he shifted to get into a more comfortable position.

Oryn just stared at her hands in confusion before looking back at him. "I do not think I understand."

Just seeing the bright gold in her eyes made Avi's heart get up and dance. He was in so deep it was ridiculous.

"I do not want to slap you, Avriel."

He laughed and took her petite hand in his own. "I know. It's a figure of speech. I know... humans and our languages are weird."

"It is hard to understand at times, but you always help me so it is alright." She shifted to sit next to him and tensed slightly when he released her hand to wrap his arm around her shoulders, pulling her against his warm body. It took barely a moment for her to relax into it and just enjoy the contact.

He slid his hand down her arm to her fingers and laced his own between them. It didn't take long before he could feel the flow of magic, the borrowed energy she was feeding him. "If something I do makes you uncomfortable please tell me."

She looked up at him with an answering smile. "I do not feel uncomfortable. Quite the opposite. You make a very good pillow, Avriel."

He kissed her forehead, the corners of his eyes crinkling with happiness. "Only for you."

They were pulled from their happy little bubble as another voice broke the almost serene quiet. Avi found it strange that Orion could still speak Illyrian when he wanted and the magic would not translate it. His best guess was that the fae used his own magic to mask his words, words Avi probably already knew the general gist of anyway.

Oryn burrowed just a bit closer to him in response to whatever Orion directed her way and he tightened his embrace just a bit.

"You have already stated your position on the matter. There is nothing further to discuss." Oryn dipped her head, resting her cheek against Avi's shoulder.

He wished that things didn't have to be that way. He didn't want to be on Orion's bad side, or come between brother and sister but he didn't know any other way around it. He didn't agree with Orion but he understood his reservations. He and Oryn were two different species. They were from two very different universes or maybe even dimensions. The odds were completely stacked against them, but what Orion didn't seem to understand was that it didn't matter. The heart wants what it wants and his heart was fully invested in the perfect woman tucked against him.

He lost track of the obviously heated conversation between the siblings until Oryn lifted from his arms and approached her brother, a concerned expression creasing her brow.

"I understand that you want what is best for me. I also know that you are simply trying to protect me but Avriel is far from the evil monster you choose to see him as."

He wanted to pay attention, to maybe jump in and defend himself but without the added support of Oryn's magic exhaustion was finally catching up with him. His lids began to feel heavy and slowly he fell into a dreamless sleep.

~~~~

Mitch could still hear his friends arguing in the distance as he found a nice little spot to think. He knelt at the edge of a small stream and removed his sword from its scabbard. He slid the blade into the clear water and began to clean the dried remains of previous enemies from his weapon. The shadow lands and forests of Penumbra were full of a heaviness that kept them all on edge and the mundane task and the sound of the running water helped to soothe him if only a little.

Soon the sword was pristine and he pulled out the dagger, Illandir. It showed no sign of battle but he went through the motions anyway. He was so immersed in his thoughts that when a strange image appeared in the water it took him a moment to realize just what was happening. When he'd dipped the blade into the water a vision of his bondmate was reflected there on the rippling surface.

He quickly pulled the dagger out of the water, the image immediately disappearing. He stumbled backwards, his reflexes failing as he fell to his bottom. His eyes fixed on the seemingly normal body of water as he tried to calm the sudden stampede in his chest. He looked around and listened for any sign of immediate danger lest he get completely distracted. It took a few deep breaths but eventually he moved forward and the sharp blade was sliding beneath the surface once more.

It was as if he were a bird perched atop one of the wooden rafters of Scott's art studio. The fingers of his free hand itched to reach out, to try and touch the image there in the water, but they just curled into his palm instead. He watched his love stand there, unmoving for the longest time. He looked so incredibly lost that he just wanted to reach out and hold him in his arms, to kiss his face and tell him that everything would be alright soon. He wanted to be there to take care of him, to protect him from this sadness... to love him.

It was only when Scott took a step forward, fingers reaching out to touch... that he realized the man was staring at the painting they'd created in that short day they had spent together.

"Oh, Scott..." He barely recognized his own voice, the whisper echoing in his own ears. He could do nothing but watch as his love fell to his knees, his arm still stretched upward to keep his fingers connected to their shared creation. He couldn't hear him, but the shake of those broad shoulders sent a sharp pain through his own chest.

"I swear to you I will find you again, Love. I swear."

~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~

The memories of sweet words whispered in his ear, the gentle slide of fingers on skin... the love and happiness reflecting back at him in those brilliant golden eyes... it was all too much. He'd known that returning to the studio wouldn't be painless but no matter how prepared he'd tried to be, he found that he wasn't at all.

There were too many conflicting emotions. His thoughts were a swirling vortex of hurt and fear, grief and mourning. There was hope in there somewhere but it was merely a tiny grain of sand in a vast ever-changing ocean. There was a tingling beneath the skin where the golden symbol still remained unchanged, but he knew it was all in his head. He just wanted to feel him, to know that he hadn't been forgotten. He knew the presence he felt was nothing more than his own mind trying to give him what he wanted but all it did was make it worse.

He lost control of the storm raging inside of him and anger was the first to escape. He pushed at the base of the heavy easel, sending it and the canvas toppling backwards and across the floor. He rose to his feet, arms moving to send brushes, jars and paint tubes and anything nearby flying. He ripped open drawers until he found the razor he was looking for and made his way over to the drying rack.

Painting after painting ended up in various corners of the room... reduced to ruins of colorful tattered canvas and wood.

He was manic, breath uneven and vision blurred as he destroyed hours and hours worth of work, but he couldn't stop himself... until he laid eyes on his favorite painting, the one he was most proud of. He thought back to the day Kirstie tried her best to convince him to sell it to her, but even when parted from his memories, he could never let him go.

It was like a bucket of ice water being dumped over his head as he pulled the giant canvas from the rack and propped it against one of the wooden taborets. He reached out to touch, tracing the line of his jaw and up to those sad silver eyes. Those eyes melted away the anger until all that was left was sadness and pain. A wail echoed in the large room, and he found himself once again on his knees. His throat ached, body a weak vessel for a devastated heart. He soon joined the remains of his paintings, laid out on the floor.. a ruin of a man too heavy with grief to lift his head.

~~~~

How could she be so ignorant!?

Orion stomped through the brush, his head a muddled mess of anger. His foolish sister just refused to listen to reason and her stubbornness was quickly becoming tiresome.

That human...

The sudden surge of anger slowly blacked out his eyes liked spilled ink and the immensity of it pounded a furious rhythm in his head. It was his fault. All of it! Something had to be done. He wouldn't just stand idly by while that ... creature.. contaminated his sister's heart.

It would be so easy. It would take a mere moment of distraction. End him before he can end Oryn. Save us.

He shook his head, the thoughts eating their way through him. He loathed the human and his exploitation of his naive sister but did he deserve to die?

Yes! Kill him before he kills her.. before he kills the prince... before he kills you.

He wouldn't kill her.. would he?

He will brings others. The humans will swarm and infect our lands. They will take everything and kill us all. Do as you must!

He wiped at the slight sheen of sweat beading at his brow. His normally cool skin was warm, but he didn't dwell on the matter. He had more important things to think about. Things like how to destroy a monster.

End him.