The late noon sun settled behind the horizon, allowing darkness to reign as the night crept in.

Onyx resided in her hut, her eyes concentrating on the books and papers in front of her. After Venix had agreed to help her, they had both discussed the time to meet at the gate and went about their separate ways. The witch had left to confront her book of spells while the siphon had retreated to her hut to withdraw the scattered map of the Aysein castle she intended to infiltrate.

Onyx carefully drew through the outlines of the castle with one hand, the other resting on her rib where a large contusion had formed from Venix's jabs. Though it was healing, it was still tender to the touch now and then.

Her entire body was sore from the day's ruthless training exercises. Rheynoak spared them no mercy and Onyx refused to show any, a choice her body was regretting now.

Letting out a sigh, Onyx sat straight up, admiring her neat outlines on how to infiltrate through the front entrance. Her original plan had been to slip through the back but it was too heavily guarded and she had little patience to deal with mortals who had no business mingling in her business.

Pushing the plans outside, she lifted a leather-bound book in front of her, her fingers outlining the title on the front. The title, like every other word in the book, was written in Cryeins, the language of the mind siphons. It had long died since the disappearance of her kind a long time ago but Onyx had made it her mission to retain her native tongue, a goal she had succeeded in all her years of living.

The book had been hidden in the dark corner of the royal castle in the Kingdom of Jeradia and she had managed to trespass and filter through the volumes of books on the shelves until she had stumbled upon it, tucked away on the last shelf.

It was one of the few books that spoke of the war of Lake Kakarauri and it had found itself in the grasp of the mind siphon. A frustrated sigh escaped Onyx's lips, her fingers running through her hair as she squinted at the pages of symbols of words, trying her best to decipher what was sloppily written on the old, yellowed sheets.

Picking up a pen, she carefully began to decipher what was written on any available space on the outer edges of the pages. The siphon could feel a headache forming and the heat of her hut stuck to her skin as sweat ran down the bridge of her nose but she kept herself busy with the book.

Minutes turned into hours and the winds of the night rattled outside, shaking her little space but Onyx barely paid any attention, vigorously writing down the translated words, her words becoming more illegible as she kept writing.

A knock on her door brought her back to reality and the siphon looked up, setting down the book. A wave of relief washed over her, a smile on her face as she gathered her things in a neat pile on her bed before going to open the door, excited to show Venix what she had found.

However, what she was treated with was Rheynoak and Lucien standing by the door. All her excitement immediately vanished and a frown appeared on her face instead.

"Don't you have other people to bother?" she asked, folding her arms over her chest.

"You're my favorite person to bother, Onyx. You should know that by now" Rheynoak retorted, smirking at her. Onyx rolled her eyes, letting out a frustrated sigh.

"What do you two want?" she asked.

A simple look was shared between the two, Lucien nodding his head slowly at Rheynoak in respect.

"Just here to remind of of the rules. That gate has been locked with magic. No one can come in or go out" Lucien informed her in a gentle tone that Rheynoak was missing. "Breaking these rules results in serious consequences."

"I heard you the first time. There was no need to repeat it. I am not an imbecile" she said, narrowing her eyes at Lucien. "And besides, don't you have a fucking backbone? Do you always have to obey his orders?"

"He always obeys my orders. You are in no position to ask my right-hand man what he can and can not obey" Rheynoak interjected, taking a cautious step towards her.

"Was I talking to you?" Onyx pressed.

Rheynoak watched her with an intense glare, his eyes slowly gliding down to her waist, where Onyx was rubbing the sore on her ribs.

"Lucien, can you please excuse us? Onyx and I need some privacy" Rheynoak ordered, not bothering to wait for his companion's answer as he took a step towards Onyx.

Lucien nodded and silently walked away, his footsteps becoming fainter until Onyx could no longer hear it. When his silhouette was gone, Rheynoak turned to the siphon.

"What are you up to?" Rheynoak pondered, taking another step into her space. Onyx took a step back, staring up at his hulking figure.

"None of your business" she bit back, feeling her face grow warm as she held his stern gaze.

He huffed, amusement on his face. "Everything is my business. Especially you" he whispered.

His fingers lightly reached out to trace the length of her arm. Onyx stiffened as he traveled up and caressed her neck and cheek. "Am I bothering you?" he asked, resting his hand on the curve of her shoulder.

"You always bother me" the siphon hissed.

The tribe leader smirked, closing the gap between them. "You did not utter those words when we once shared a bed" he teased. "You uttered anything but words."

This time, Onyx glared at him with disgust. She took a step forward, reaching up to grab him by the neck of his shirt. The tribe leader let out a surprised yelp as she brought his face close to hers.

Her eyes turned dark as she tightened her grip on his shirt. "Don't ever utter that to me ever again. It's a shame enough that I was foolish to share my body with you. Don't tempt me to gut your entrails and feed them to the desert maggots. I will gladly do so if you're interested."

"You're bold as you are reckless. A trait I still admire about you" the tribe leader whispered to her. "However, your empty threats don't scare me. You don't scare me."

"Do you want a repeat of what I did to you the last time you pushed me to my ends wits or would you rather keep the skin on your back again and your sanity intact?" Onyx asked.

Before the tribe leader could respond, another shadow arose behind him. "Step away from her. I don't feel like staining the floor with your blood."

Venix appeared alongside Rheynoak, her striking white hair tumbling down her back. Her face was a mask of hostility, her lips pulled into a frown.

Rheynoak watched the witch, turning his body to face her. A large frown sat on his face, his dark eyes watching her. "Didn't your parents teach you not to mingle in other people's problems?" he asked.

"And didn't your father teach you not to talk recklessly with that mouth of yours or did he abandon you too soon for you to be taught such life skills?"

Rheynoak's eyes flashed and in an instant, he had the witch by the throat and pinned up against the wall. Venix let out a hiss, her talons instinctively sinking into the skin of the hand around her neck.

"Watch your words around me. I don't like you enough as it is. Don't push me to the brink of killing you in front of the only person who tolerates you and burying you in a shallow grave next to your parents" Rheynoak threatened.

Venix let out a scream, attempting to scratch the tribe leader but he slammed her head against the wall, and she let out another pained wince.

Thinking quickly, Onyx grabbed her sword and wielded the weapon against the siphon's neck. "Let her go! Now!"

She pressed her sword into his skin and she saw the blood drool from his skin and slide underneath the collar of his shirt.

"You wouldn't dare" Rheynoak teased.

"Try me and you'll find out" Onyx pressed.

With a defeated sigh, the tribe leader let go of the witch, tossing her aside. Venix let out an exasperated sigh as she gathered her breath, pressing her hands into her chest.

The tribe leader turned to her, watching as she still wielded the sword at him, pressing the tip of her blade into his chest. "You would really carve my heart out?"

"Walk forward and your wish is my command," Onyx said. "Leave my residence. Now."

The tribe leader frowned and cursed at her but didn't say another word. Instead, he casted one last look toward Venix before storming out of her hut. Onyx waited until his silhouette disappeared before helping the witch back up.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

Venix nodded, brushing dust off her clothes. "I'm okay. Also, your floors are dusty" she commented.

The siphon laughed before closing her door. She slid her sword back into its sheath and slid it under her bed as Venix made herself comfortable on the bed.

"No time to talk about my dusty floor. We have a plan to put in action" Onyx reminded her, opening the book once more as she sat on the bed. The papers spilled from the pages, unfolding as they landed on the mattress.

"A plan that might fail" Venix warned, her eyes drifting to one of the papers. "Hopefully I will be able to pull through with the spell. You are traveling to Aysein correct?" she asked.

Onyx nodded, flipping through the pages, her eyes scanning over the old language written within. A confused expression crossed Venix's face, her lips pulled into a thin line.

"That's a three-hour ride from here. Six or eight if you are walking there. How will you get there?" the witch asked.

"I'm a Mind Siphon. What do you think?" Onyx retorted in a playful tone. "On my way here from Jeradia, I ran into a young couple stranded in the desert. All I had to do was simply threaten their lives with my sword and promise them immortality if they met me by the watering hole near the west dunes."

An impressed smile slipped on Venix's lips. "I taught you well" she whispered, her fingers reaching for the bottle of ink near Onyx's dresser. The siphon watched as she dipped her long nails into the dark liquid and circled something on a sheet of paper.

It was the village of Fritheris. Her rampage would be imminent.

"And what does the King of Aysein have that you so desperately thirst for?" the witch asked, blowing on her iron nails.

Onyx felt her lips curl into a wicked grin.

"Something that could cause his head. He was involved in the war that led to my parents abandoning me. He may know something about my past that I don't and I will find out."

The siphon closed the book, tucking it into her lap. "Even if I have to kill him."

Midnight was nearing as Onyx strolled next to Venix on the quiet tribe ground, her long dark cloak flowing to her ankles, concealing the sharpened sword that was strapped to her hips.

In her hand, she held the leather-bound book, a cluster of papers marking the page she needed the most for her long trip. Casting a look over to the witch, Onyx couldn't help but notice how her violet eyes shined brightly even underneath the dark shade of the night.

"Are you sure you want to do this? I don't want to drain you of your powers, especially since you will be feeding soon" Onyx suggested, reaching down to touch the head of her sword. "I can always siphon the magic out of the gate if needed."

"No. I want to do it" Venix interjected, her violet eyes fixed on the brooding gate as they approached it cautiously. A wisp of white hair fell loose from her braid, whispering past her lips.

The gate was tall and dark, made of the purest gold, and intertwined with the powers of two siphons combined to create the ultimate guard. It seemed indestructible, a still monster in the night.

Breathing in sharply, Onyx watched silently as Venix quietly approached the gate, her fingers brushing past one of the gold bars. Her touch seemed to aggravate the magic of the gate, a slight tremble shaking the bars of the gate.

Venix set both hands on the bars of the gate. Another tremble shook the gate and Onyx inhaled a sharp breath, her hands gripping the head of the sword.

"Spiritusinferni, utsacrificetmihierumpere ex vinculisuires" Venix chanted, her eyes slipping shut. Her hand fell from the bars, her fingers curled inwards as if she was summoning the spirits of the underworld herself.

"Spiritusinferni, utsacrificetmihierumpere ex vinculisuires" she continued to chant. Onyx watched in amazement and fear as the magic shook the witch's body once again, her knees wobbling as she fell to the floor.

Venix's hands were shaking, the strands of her hair falling in her mouth as she continued to chant the spell. Onyx could see her shaking in pain even as she tried to push forward, a trail of blood falling from her nose.

The siphon winced, feeling her chest concave at the pain her friend must be feeling.

Their kind was known for destruction, not creation and she knew this was killing Venix from the inside out.

"Spiritusinferni, utsacrificetmihierumpere ex vinculisuires" Venix practically winced through locked teeth, her skin turning a blistering red as the pain overtook her body.

"Venix, stop! You don't have to! Please just stop!" Onyx pleaded, seeing how the spell was slowly stripping Venix of her strength. Her hands were shaking, the blood from her nose now dripping onto her hands.

"No. I must keep going. I'm almost there" Venix protested, groaning painfully as her nails dug deep into the palm of her hands.

In the distance, the faint sound of a footstep could be heard, growing closer towards them. The voices weren't quite clear but it was enough to tell Onyx that they were going to get caught if the gate didn't open soon.

"Someone is coming, Venix! Please just stop!" Onyx hissed, stepping forward to settle her hands on her friend's shoulder. Something about that touch seemed to anger the lingering magic, a painful force pushing her back into the rocks.

"Spiritusinferni, utsacrificetmihierumpere ex vinculisuires." As Venix whispered the last chant of her spell, something seemed to crack in the air.

With a painful warrior cry, Venix fell to the floor, blood coating her hands and nose. The gate groaned, standing still for a few moments before it finally gave in and opened. The lingering scent of magic shook Onyx's body, her nails digging into the shallow ground.

The footsteps were drawing closer and the voices became clear. Panic set deep into the pit of Onyx's stomach and she grabbed Venix's hand and rushed them out the gate.

She continued to run until they were behind a dune. Venix fell to the floor once again, crawling to the nearby rocks. "How far is Fritheris once again?" she asked.

"Too far for you to travel to in this state. Go to Cthandru. It's only an hour from here and it has a similar population to Fritheris. A smaller population but they will satisfy you."

"Thank you. Now go and be careful. Make me proud" Venix ordered.

The siphon stood for a moment, contemplating whether to leave or not. However, Venix's head peered from the rocks and her violet eyes were dark as she commanded once more "Go. Just go."

Onyx nodded, reaching over and patting Venix's head. The witch groaned but a weary smile pulled on her lips.

"Good luck. Love you" the siphon said.

"You too" the witch replied. "Love you too."

Chanting a silent plea to the sky, Onyx focused her eyes on the barren desert, on the long road ahead of her. The dunes casted shadows on the slick sand, the sky above rumbling.

Taking that as a sign, Onyx took a step and ran.

The desert was crawling with unwanted creatures as Onyx headed west toward her destination. Midnight had fallen upon the sky, the lilac sky now a sheet of darkness stretched out.

The crawling of the desert maggots was heard as they drilled holes into the dunes to create a shelter.

Focusing her eyes on the barred road ahead of her, Onyx walked across the sandy path. A chilly wind ran up her spine, her dark cloak dancing in the wind.

Her mind kept drifting off to Venix, the pain in her eyes as she chanted the spell, the way her body shook when the bond between her and the powers of the gate blended, and the crack she heard when the spell finally snapped.

The crimson blood on Venix's hand was a reminder of what Onyx put her through, the excruciating pain she suffered through. Onyx herself knew the amount of pain Venix had put herself through to execute such a spell. After all, BloodBones and their spells were made to destroy not to aid and something like this surely depleted her energy.

Onyx could have helped. She should have helped.

It should have been her who should have suffered through the pain. A small part of Onyx  almost felt guilty, the screams of her friend suffering forever embedded in her mind.

Almost.

A huge part of her was rather relieved that Venix was the one to suffer through the pain and not her. While the afflicting pain was usually no big deal for her, Onyx didn't have the energy nor time to siphon the magic out of the gate.

Nearing a dune next to a waterhole, Onyx sighed in relief when she saw a young human couple standing next to the dune. They looked scared and hungry, their clothes dirty and their hair matted.

"I'm here. Do you have a carriage?" she asked, not even bothering with a hello. The young couple shook, startled at her voice. The girl looked up to meet Onyx's eyes, her grey eyes resembling morning fog.

"Y-yes ma'am. We have everything. The carriage and some food and water that we stole from a sleeping merchant a few hours back" the girl uttered, her eyes sliding to her lover who gently caressed her shoulder.

"Good. We should get going" Onyx muttered, drawing her cloak closer to her shoulders. "The Kingdom of Aysein is a long three-hour ride" she informed, casting her eyes towards the old carriage they bought.

"The Kingdom of Aysein? We were never informed about that" the male protested, taking a bold step towards the young siphon. Onyx scoffed at his bold attempt, casting her eyes on his clenched fist.

"Do you want immortality or would you rather slowly die out here and have your flesh feasted on by the desert maggots?" Onyx simply retorted back, raising an eyebrow in a questioning manner. "The choice is yours."

The small girl whimpered, catching the attention of their lover. She spoke to him in a foreign language that Onyx didn't quite understand, only knowing a few words they uttered to each other.

The man was practically screaming while the woman gently stroked his arm, her voice calming and soft even in their rough foreign tongues. The man swatted her hand, pushing her away.

The siphon watched as the woman stumbled but never fell, instead fixing the fallen scarf around her neck. Onyx could make out the bruises on her neck as she adjusted the scarf.

Anger began to steep in the pit of her stomach. "I don't have all day. So either you give me a ride to Aysein and get your reward or you die."

Neither of them seemed scared nor shocked but confused. Finally, after minutes passed, the woman nodded. "Okay. We will get you to Aysein."

A satisfied smile tilted on Onyx's lips as she watched the man slowly agree. "Please, step in" he announced, walking over to the carriage.

Onyx followed, her footsteps light and careful as she approached. The carriage was worn on the inside but warm and large for three people. The horse strapped to the front neighed softly, tugging on its reigns.

"What are your names?" Onyx asked as she opened the carriage, her boots scraping the sides. The young couple exchanged glances again, the woman's eyes darting to the head of Onyx's sword that peeked from her cloak.

"I'm Maryibel and he's Siron" the girl whispered, running her fingers through her dry hair. "We're from the Kingdom of Ojaru. We got stranded after the Festival of the Five Flames" she informed.

"I didn't ask for your life story. Let's start the journey" Onyx instructed sitting in the carriage. Without a word, Maryibel and Siron exchanged looks once more and nodded.

With quiet movement, Maryibel pulled herself into the carriage and sat across from Onyx, crossing her legs over. Siron climbed into the coachman seat in the front, pulling on the horse's reins.

The horse neighed, kicking its hoofs against the sand before it started moving at a rather medium pace, the carriage swaying as it did so.

Onyx pulled out the leather book she kept clasped in her hand, opening it to the pages she needed the most. From the corner of her eye, she noticed the way Maryibel studied her, her curious eyes trailing down Onyx's dark appearance.

"Can I help you?" Onyx asked, looking up to meet the poor woman's gaze. Maryibel jumped a little, frightened by the unusual gentleness her voice carried. Shaking her head, Maryibel uttered under her breath.

"What are you?" she asked, her eyes making contact with Onyx once more. "What kind of creature are you?"

Onyx raised a brow at her bold question, knowing any other mortal would be frightened out of their mind if they knew they were sitting just mere inches away from a Mind Siphon.

But Maryibel didn't seem to care, a small smile appearing on her lips.

Onyx would have smiled back to appear friendly. She would have even said something nice to Maryibel for once.

But right now, her mind was wandering somewhere else. So instead, the siphon asked, "Curious bruises you have around your neck. How did you get those?"

Maryibel jumped at the question, her smoky eyes now wide and glassy. She passed a tentative gaze towards Siron who didn't seem to be paying attention but they both knew that wasn't true.

"Living in impoverished villages is very dangerous. People will do anything and everything when there is no anarchy," she whispered.

Onyx hummed, rolling her eyes towards Siron once again before nodding. "There is no one more wicked than men," she said, her gaze moving back to the book in her hand. "They might be worse than me."

It was still dark when the carriage arrived in a garden that was near the castle grounds. They were shrouded by tall bushes that hid them, the faint glow of the moonlight illuminating a path to the castle. The kingdom was quiet, the starless night looking down upon them.

Sighing in satisfaction, Onyx opened the door of the carriage, her leather boots stepping onto leaves as she welcomed the cold night. The wind rattled past her, the material of her cloak dancing with it.

Her eyes looked around the garden, noticing how the petals wilted in the dark shade of the night. A peaceful atmosphere surrounded the entire kingdom, not a discarded bone to be seen.

Maryibel stepped out next, her tiny frame wandering around the garden as she took in the scenery. Siron hopped off the seat, tying the reins of the horse on a nearby branch hanging from a tree.

"Okay, we're here. The castle of Aysein" Siron announced, standing next to Maryibel as he said so. Onyx nodded, quite pleased with the effort the two put in to bring her to her destination.

"I see. Thank you. I must be on my way." With that, Onyx turned to the castle, a smirk slipping on her lips. "You better get going. The guards always check the garden premises on their rotations" she warned, taking a few steps towards the castle.

"Wait. You promised us a reward."

The harsh voice stopped Onyx in her tracks, her body turning as she faced the young couple again. Maryibel wore a mask of terror on her young face as she stared at her lover.

Siron's face was contorted into anger, his hands balled into a tightly closed fist. "You promised us immortality. We slaved across a hot desert for three hours just to bring you here" Siron continued through tightly clenched teeth.

Onyx raised her brows.

He was quite the opposite of Maryibel.

"Okay," Onyx cooed, smiling. "I'll give you your reward."

Taking a step towards Siron, she focused her magic on him, seizing his entire body in her mental grip. He gasped for air, feeling the way her magic constricted his throat to swell shut.

With a swift move of her hand, Onyx grasped him by the neck, lifting him off his feet. Maryibel gasped, her hands flying to her chest as she watched Siron fight for freedom in Onyx's deathly grip.

"Please just let him go" Maryibel pleaded, clasping her hands together. "We won't tell anyone just let him go."

Onyx stared at the girl with curious eyes, noticing the bruises she had around her neck and on her hands. Maryibel didn't look sick and the bruises were too large to be a disease.

"You've been torturing this poor woman, haven't you? Beating her with your hands" she hissed at him.

He opened his mouth to speak but Onyx forced it shut again, already knowing the truth. "There is nothing I hate more than terrible, insufferable men who use their strength for evil. You insufferable excuse of a life" she hissed at him.

She turned to Maryibel. "Has he been hurting you?" she asked.

The woman swallowed harshly, curling her hands towards her chest. "He's a good man who has made bad mistakes. Please, spare him. I love him" she begged.

"Love him?" Onyx scoffed, shaking her head as she turned her attention back to Siron. "How can you love him?"

Maryibel didn't respond but she didn't need to.

Onyx knew she would be doing both of them a favor.

"As you wish."

With one move, she pulled out her sword and drove it into Siron's heart, hearing the clean sound of the blade ripping through his skin. Maryibel gasped, falling to her knees as Siron's body fell out of Onyx's mental grip and collapsed to the floor.

His bones cracked as he hit the hard ground, the punctual, calculated motions of Onyx's blade too quick to memorize The tip of the sword came raining down on Siron's neck, black blood oozing out of his neck as his head rolled off.

Maryibel ran to her lover's decapitated head, her soft sobs the only haunting sound that rang out through the garden. "Siron" she whispered, her fingers pushing his hair out of his dead eyes.

"Why?" Maryibel asked, her vulnerable eyes meeting Onyx's still frame.

Onyx bit her lip, the familiar warmth of guilt pulsing in her chest. She looked down at her blood-stained blade, running a finger through it.

It was still warm.

It may have been wrong but it had to be done.

Stooping down to Maryibel's hunched frame, Onyx reached out to grab her hand. The young woman stared into the siphon's eyes, her fingers trembling when the cold, metallic feeling of magic touched her skin.

"We both know he didn't deserve to live. You deserve better" Onyx uttered to her, her grip tightening around her fragile hand.

"I don't want to live without him. If you take him, you take me too" she stated, shaking her head. She pointed to the blade, raising it to her throat. "Take me too. It's the least you can do."

Onyx stared at her, speechless at her request. She observed the long blade to her neck and Maryibel's pleading eyes, her eyes flickering between the two.

Finally, she stood up, taking a deep breath. "I don't want to," she uttered, shaking her head. "You've done nothing to deserve death."

"I don't care. Kill me. Make it quick and painless" Maryibel pleaded.

"I don't want to" Onyx repeated, wiping the blade on her pants. "But if it's a happy ending you want, it's a happy ending you'll get."

And with that, the siphon raised her sword once more and let it fall.

Maryibel didn't scream as the sword ripped through her throat. The slick blade twisted through the woman's neck as Onyx slowly pulled it out, running the tip of the sword through Maryibel's neck.

Her head rolled down on the soft grass next to Siron's.

With a sigh, Onyx stooped down and dragged Maryibel's body until she was embraced in the rose bushes not too far away from them. She rested her in between the bushes and whispered a prayer to her before she sheathed her sword away and left for the castle.

The long corridor of the castle was dark and lonely as Onyx wandered through the halls, her hand resting on the head of her blood-soaked sword.

Getting through the castle gates wasn't as hard as she had thought.

The Aysein castle was supposed to be one of the more heavily guarded places in the mortal realms.

But their idea of being heavily guarded was just humorous to Onyx.

Weaving through the guard's minds was nothing to her and shattering everything within their head was no sweat off her back.

Watching the way their heads crushed inward as the blood pooled from their eyes, their bodies dropping dead to her feet was more entertaining than she had predicted.

The ones that pleaded for life were her favorite. Their screams of death were much more delightful.

And now she was wandering the halls of the castle, whistling a tune to herself as she cleaned her blade on her cloak.

Her footsteps echoed down the hallway, her ears picking up on the slight sound of candles crackling down the hall. A musky scent filled the hallway as Onyx approached the dining hall, her sword neatly sliding into the strap at her hips.

The guards outside took notice of her, pointing their sharpened spears. But before they could approach her, the siphon had already entered their minds and disintegrated every thought until they were nothing.

Silently, they fell to the floor, blood pooling from their eyes and ears.

Stepping over their bodies, Onyx approached the door and the large dining hall cracked open at her presence. The tiny slit allowed her to see a blazing fireplace casting shadows on the dark wall and a wooden table that was mostly barren.

With a swift motion of her fingers, the doors silently opened and the siphon slipped into the shadows of the dining hall. Her eyes immediately fell upon the king sitting in a velvet chair. He was a tall, tan, and mildly muscular man with a full beard and a heavy crown that sat on his sandy brown hair.

He was quite handsome, his slim fingers flipping through the pages of the book in front of him. A glass of wine sat in front of him, his hooded eyes concentrated on the fine print of the pages.

"What's a handsome man like you doing sitting alone?" the siphon asked, appearing behind him.

The king looked up to see the siphon in behind him, a smile on her face, and a hand resting on his shoulders. "King Ferdin of Aysein. It's a pleasure to finally meet you."

"Who are you?" he asked, nearly jumping out of his seat. "And how did you get in here? My guards are outside and highly trained."

"Not for long and if that's what you call highly trained, you need new strategies. It's a bit messy outside" she whispered, taking a seat beside him. "And think of me as a friend of the queen. I must be a popular topic amongst your dinner conversations."

"My queen is on a voyage and I have surely never heard of you," he said. "I'll repeat. What is your name?"

"My name does not matter, dear king" Onyx reiterated. "But what you can offer me does. I just have a few questions to ask and I shall be on my way. No blood spilled and I'll leave your kingdom, never to return unless I see it fit."

"You reek of immortal magic." he sneered. "You smell filthy."

"Says the one whose entire kingdom smells of dirt and blood. Wash your people before you insult mine" the siphon whispered.

The king held her gaze, his hand curling into a fist but he faltered, nodding his head. The king pushed his chair out and walked over to the wine case. He browsed through the bottles before settling on an opaque black bottle, coming back with another glass in his hand.

The siphon watched him carefully as he poured the wine into the glass before pushing it her way. "The finest wine brewed from the Aysein wine cellars."

Onyx offered him a tight-lipped smile. "I don't drink foreign wine, especially from mortals."

"You break into my home, kill my guards, and slip into my dining hall without so much as a sound. I trust that not even wine could kill you and if you please, you could kill me without a sound" the king said nonchalantly.

The siphon looked down at the glass, sniffing it but nothing more.

"What do you want?" he asked.

"The battle at Lake Kakarauri. What do you know about it?" she asked.

The king furrows his brows. "It was a century and a half ago. The kingdom of Crojesian was destroyed into pieces, no thanks to you filthy immortals. That day, the mortals mourned one of their greatest kingdoms fall, alongside their rulers."

"Do you know anyone who participated in the war?" she asked.

"My great-grandfather was on the front lines fighting. I have only heard of the stories from my parents. I know nothing more" he whispered.

"Who were the immortals on the other side?" the siphon pressed.

The king squinted at her, his eyes drinking her in. They fell upon her face, down to her neck and hands. He kept his gaze there for a moment before meeting her eyes once again.

He held his gaze with her and something flashed before his face. It was a quick emotion, too quick for the siphon to decipher but she knew it was not friendly.

Taking a sip of his wine, the king sighed. "Eshara and Aries Kaslibieth-Talgran. Their kingdom was the final ground of the war. They died amidst the chaos and have been left on those grounds since. I don't know much about them. Just that they were immortal beings, emperor and empress of their kingdom, and just as quickly as they rose, they fell along with their kingdom."

"Were there any survivors? Children maybe?" the siphon pressed.

"Heavens no. No children were present in that war but the towns in Crojesian were raided weeks in advance and children were a part of the bodies ravaged from the ruins. Others were enslaved, sold, and Gods knows what else. I wouldn't be surprised if others were hidden. All I know is that this war served as the end of Mind Siphons. No other mind siphons have been born since and the existing ones have since gone into hiding."

Onyx frowned, deliberating on her next thoughts. As she sat at the dining table, looking at the glass of wine, the king got up and went to the other end of the room where a large bookcase engulfed the wall.

Letting out a sigh, the siphon took a sip of the wine, savoring the sweet flavor as the king returned to the table. In his hands was a midnight blue leather-bound book. On the front was the title "The Battle of Fire and Light."

"This book goes into great detail about the war. It's vivid, chaotic, and dark but whatever questions you have about it should be answered in this book" the king whispered.

With a sigh, Onyx nodded, bowing her head. "Thank you" she whispered, standing up. "You have been of great help. Your innocence has spared you your life."

"I should be thanking you," King Ferdin said, standing up as well as he led her to the door.

A smile was on his lips.

"You were a wonderful dinner guest despite killing my guards and quite vulnerable for an immortal. It's a shame this night has to come to an end."

The siphon furrowed her brows in confusion but then pain met her body and she let out a stricken breath as she felt the smooth body of a cold, steel blade slide into her stomach.

"I spent the entire night wondering where I had seen you before. You look so familiar" he whispered, twisting the blade in her stomach.

Onyx groaned again, pressing a hand against her stomach. "And then it hit me. Your eyes gave it away. They look so much like theirs. My mother always told me you were dead but looking at you now, I realize the story left something out."

This time, the king ripped out the blade and Onyx doubled over, blood streaming through her fingers. "It left you alive. You're not supposed to be alive."

The siphon let out a scream as she felt her hot blood pulsate out of her body. She bent over in pain, her other hand letting go of the book and resting on her leg. She could sense King Ferdin's body hovering over hers, a sick smile stretched across his face.

"No need to cry, however. I'll finish the job."

Just as he grabbed a handful of her hair, Onyx spun around and slashed him across the face with the dagger she had tucked under the pocket of her pants. He screamed, covering his face but he didn't back down.

Instead, he pushed her into the wall and reached into her sheath, pulling her sword now. Without another word, he turned around and ran through the door, his footsteps echoing down the hall.

Her sword. Her only birthright

This time, Onyx saw red. He would pay.

Pushing past the pain, the siphon ran through the open doors and down the dark hallways.

Onyx could distinctly hear the heavy footsteps of the terrified king, his heart pounding deep within his chest and his breath coming out rush and ragged.

The pain was now radiating up her arm and down her leg but Onyx continued, taking a sharp turn to see the fleeing king run with her sword in one hand and a hand pressed his face. The blood from his wound stained the floors, creating a path for her to follow.

Onyx pushed her legs to run faster than ever, her eyes slipping shut as she neared the king, waiting for the impact she anticipated.

Her mind knew before her body did, the crashing impact of her body falling on top of King Ferdin drawing her back to reality. King Ferdin was beneath her, holding her sword.

The dagger she had was long abandoned on the floor, the pale moonlight glinting on the blade. "Tell me what you know or I'll pluck your eyes out."

A dark chuckle left his lips, his grey eyes meeting hers as he struggled to get up. Her knees were pressed on either side of his body, her hands holding his wrist tightly. There was no way he could escape, especially as he was choking on his blood as he spoke.

"You were supposed to die. No wonder your parents abandoned you. Look what you have become" he hissed at her, his face slowly losing its color.

Onyx scoffed, her grip crushing his bones underneath his skin.

She should have killed him right there. Sliced off his head and threw it into the gutter.

But she wasn't just going to kill him. Not yet.

"Suit yourself."

Loosening her grip on his wrist, Onyx gently placed both of her hands against his head, focusing all her magic on King Ferdin's mind. Her eyes slipped close, her siphoning powers narrowed down to the king. His painful screams were music to her ears as she let herself relax and travel through his mind.

In his twisted mind, he was scared that he would die today. His fear left a tangy metallic taste in her mouth that she savored, like a warm soup on a cold night.

She passed through his emotions as she marched through his memories. He had no barriers or walls and soon enough a memory materialized within Onyx's vision.

Her blood froze within her body, watching the memory as the king's screams faded in the background.

It was a blur of swords clashing and blood spilling, bodies fallen defeated, and decapitated on the ground. A fire was starting, burning all the fallen warriors as the war raged on. A huge castle stood in the distance, warriors streaming in with their swords held high.

Onyx watched on, King Ferdin's memory skipping over. The memory faded away, leaving Onyx to stand alone in his mind until another memory materialized. The skies were grey, the sounds of swords clashing and bodies burning long gone.

The ground was littered with bodies, bones, and blood piled on top of one another. There were screams, like that of a child crying but no memory accompanied the sound.

And just like that, the memory began to vanish and the link between the king's mind and Onyx became weaker. The memory faded into nothing but a foggy blur, and the connection between King Ferdin's mind and Onyx was disconnected.

The loose tether sent her back to reality, her eyes snapping open. Her body was still frozen, her blood growing cold as her eyes looked around her surroundings. Bleak walls, thick curtains, and a dying king beneath her.

She was still in the Castle of Aysein.

Her constricting chest was finally able to breathe, her knees shaking. Her gaze landed on King Ferdin, dark blood dripping from his lips as he spat and gurgled and choked on his blood.

Onyx breathed out a sigh of resentment, pushing herself off the floor with her arms as she stood up on her shaking legs. King Ferdin reached out with a pale hand, his grey eyes dimming to nothing but white dots.

She watched as the veins on her arm glowed white as his life essence slipped into her body, shaking her body with a new sense of power.

There was no way to save the king as she looked down at him.

He was half-dead. His skin was pale and his eyes dilated to nothing but black pits. The blood continued to pour from his lips, a river of blood dripping down the front of his red cloak.

Smiling, Onyx stooped down and grabbed her sword from the floor. The sharp blade of the crafted sword winked at her underneath the moonlight that spilled from the open windows of the corridor.

Raising her sword high, she looked down at the King of Aysein and smiled wickedly.

"Long live the king."

And with that, the blade of her sword rained down on his neck.