It was just after midnight, so she was crowded on all sides by men and women far gone into their drinks, laughing too loudly, their voices clamouring and bouncing at counterpoints to the music. She felt the damp heat of too many bodies at her back, but her face was cooled by the breeze that swept down the street in front of her. Though there was a drink in front of her, she was sober; alone she sat in the wash of sticky, thumping merriment, feeling thoughtful. She felt the thrum of other Fey close by and thought little of it, until she noticed the tall figure climbing off the bus.
In one smooth motion Niveus slid from her seat and back into the crowd, immersing herself in the noise and sweat. It was a close call, but if he had noticed her, she would know. He seemed pre-occupied, which suited her just fine. Was that her heart she could feel, thudding against her chest? It had been so long since she'd seen him, that she had forgotten how much he frightened her. A vision came to her, flowing across her mind from some hidden depth.
An emerald field, crowned by a sky awash with the pastel shades of twilight, spread out below the ridge she was standing on. Shining armour glittered and flashed as swords and pikes met in a terrible, beautiful song of death. And with the song, was the dance; the deadly graceful waltz of each individual battle between soldiers, entrancing her, calling her forth into the frenzied mass... But something wasn't right. She stopped, turning to look over her shoulder. Solaris was behind her, his eyes fixed on the battle, and tears were streaming down his dirty cheeks. His broad shoulders heaved with great sobs, his face twisting with anguish, and Niveus frowned.
"You wanted this, Solaris! You wanted this too!" Finally he tore his eyes away from the grisly tableau.
"Not like this," he choked. "Not at this price!" Niveus was about to speak when she saw three figures coming up behind Solaris. She drew her sword, but there was no strength in her arms and her head felt full of water; slowly, trembling with strain, her arm was lowered.
"You were supposed to hold the Laws in your heart, Noontime King. You were supposed to keep the Balance. This is the price you pay." Dusk stood before them, his armour dented and darkened with splashes of drying green blood.
With him stood Dawn, the other Keeper of Laws, and looming behind them, head and shoulders above their already tall frames, stood the Gate Man.
"And you," Dusk's fury was cold as it curled around Niveus, binding her in place, "you broke the Laws to further your own selfish ends. You violated our most sacred trust. There is only one way to repair the damage you and your kin have wreaked upon us." Solaris merely slumped down, sobbing brokenly, but Niveus struggled against her invisible bonds, realising at last what the Gate Man must be for.
"No!" He stepped forward, blinding light snaking from his body, wrapping around Solaris, ensnaring Niveus though she fought wildly, flowing down the ridge to encircle their doomed army...
Abruptly, Niveus blinked and returned to the present. The music flowed back into her, and she realised she had broken out in a cold sweat. It had been mere moments, a simple brush with Dusk's presence... but it was enough to chill her to the bone. What was Dusk doing there anyway?Unconsciously, one finger traced the lines of the crow on her hand. She felt the pressure rising... but that could be fixed. She swept onto the dance floor, swaying her perfect hips to the beat of the song. It didn't take long for a young man to join her, and she whispered suggestively in his ear. She would fill his head with her pain until she could plunge back into nothingness and wash away the sharp reminder of her exile.
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