#serenitydusk

     Dusk had warned him about the garden. “Be mindul of where you step,”  she’d said. “The gardens are tended regulargly, but the further out you go, the more unruly they become.” From what he could see, this area hadn’t seen a set  of shears in quite some monthhs. “Do not stray too far,” she had continued, “lest you end up in the fae wilds.”

     The adolecsent normally heeded Dusk’s advice, but one look back at the castle...

When hearing that Dusk was making potions...who was Fidelis to decline? She would have to think of something...something good to use. Of course she would pull pranks. And of course...pranks are much more fun when you’re invisible. How much would it work with her demon friends? She won’t know until she tries.

serenitydusk

Dusk looked up at Jaqui with a sweet, yet mysterious smile on her face, “Ah, come to have your fortune told?”  She shuffled the cards a few times, then laid out four cards in a diamond shape.  She pointed to the first card and said, “This card is what your fortune revolves around.” and flipped it over.  It was the Devil reversed. “Your future shows a path to freedom. A chance at a new start.”

She pointed to the second card, “This card is your guide on what to do.”  Then she flipped it over.  It was the Hermit a card representing a search for truth and inner guidance.  “Trust yourself.” She pointed to the next card, “This card represents what you should avoid.” And flipped it over revealing the Queen of Swords reversed. “Do not allow yourself to grow bitter and cruel.” Finally she touched the last card, “This card represents your fate should you follow this path.”  Flipping it over to show the Three of Cups. “The end result, should you follow this path, is friendship, belonging and happiness.”  

“Feel free to check out one of the other stations, if you’d like.”  She hands him a crystal on a slender silver chain as a small memento.  

As he observed the reading, Jaqui felt as though he had already failed somewhat on his path to freedom. He had allowed himself to grow bitter over the years. But since meeting Ash and Dusk, he had grown at ease with them, and a growing sense of hope for his freedom. Now the card reading confirmed it.

“T-thank you, Dusk,” Jaqui said softly. Being somewhat of a shy kid, he carefully took the necklace. He was attracted by the way the light glinted off its surface, sending off sparkles from its surface. Perhaps it was his draconic nature that allowed him to see such beauty. He soon removed his antlers to put on the necklace.

“How do I look,” he asked, now modelling for Dusk.

               You quickly rush home afraid of what just happened, and what might happen next. Afraid Devlyn might come back. What happened to your nice simple life? For the rest of the day you are restless, you can’t stop thinking about Dark and Devlyn. He didn’t seem as evil as Dark made him out to be, well except the whole kidnapping. So many questions and no answers. Dark won’t tell you, he never has.

               As evening approaches Dark returns home. You rush up and embrace him with a bear hug and whisper, “I am happy you are here.” He gently pats you on the back before disentangling himself from you. He leads you to the table before getting himself some coffee and joining you.

               “Now what happened today.” He sips his coffee and asks, with a look like he is expecting some girl drama from your friends.

               As you start of you story he forgets his coffee, and his look goes from one of humor to one of anger. An anger like you haven’t seen from him before. “Why did you leave? I told you to stay here!” He growls.

               You weakly mutter, “I… I didn’t think it would be dangerous…”

               He slams his fist on the table, “You didn’t think!” He shakes his head slightly and composes himself, “Do you at least know where he took you to, so I can go finish this once and for all?”

               “All I know it was an old mansion in the middle of a waste land. Within in sight there was nothing to see except dead plants.” You respond.

              As you finish Dark hits the table again, this time cracking the table, “Damn that could anywhere. I must leave again, and this time do something right and stay inside until I return.” With that he stands, as he does you notice his knuckles are bleeding. Without another word he leaves you again, you have never seen him this way before.  This angry.

               You try to watch your shows on the television, however your mind keeps wandering to Dark, Devlyn, and all that has happened. Is Dark really who you think he is? Is Devlyn nice or evil? Why are you in the middle of this mess? So many questions but no answers.

           You slowly drift off to sleep and begin to dream. You look around the room you are in. It appears to be an old fashion torture room, with all the implements you would expect. There is only one door into the room and no windows, so you can’t tell where you are at, but you are sure you have never been here before and have never seen a room like this. There is currently only one occupant here. He is strange figure strapped to rack. He is shirtless, and you can see all the scars crisscrossing his back. He has a strange white and black lights dancing around his body.

               About this time the door to the room opens and a single individual enter. You don’t recognize his face, but you cringe from him because you sense he is truly an evil person. He has a blackness around him that oozes as if it was sludge. He walks up behind the person on the rack and retrieves a whip from his belt. “You know why I must do this. You are a failure.” With that the whip flicks across the individuals back, leaving a fresh sore. “You were supposed to kill them. Yet you failed again!” After each word the whip lashes the person back, never landing in the same place. After each stroke there is less white dancing around the person, and with the last stroke there is only blackness around the figure. During the whole event he mutters no sound and you would assume he was dead except his hands clench each time the whip lands.

           Even though you don’t know who is being whipped, you feel pity for them, and by the end you are screaming but no one can hear you. Finishing the person returns the whip to his belt and moves to whisper in the persons ear. “You are a failure. You are pitiful. If it wasn’t for me, you would be dead. Don’t disappoint me again. You owe me all you are.” The figure turns and leaves then.

               As the figure leaves the room, the bindings magically open and the prisoner falls to the ground. The first and only sound that you hear from him is a whimper as he lays on the floor with his back bleeding.

               You startle yourself awake, and smell a wonderful smell permeating the house. Wrapping yourself in a robe you head into the kitchen to find Dark there. What is going on? He has never cooked before, actually you didn’t even know he knew how to cook. As you enter he says, “You were sleeping when I came in, so I started breakfast. You were whimpering in your sleep. Is all well.?” He says with concern.

               You both take your plates of food and sit at the damaged table. As you eat you tell Dark about your dream and expect him to be angry again, instead he smiles. “Ah it seems your gift has finally awoken. It also seems my thoughts were correct, someone is behind Devlyn, controlling him.”

               “My gift?” You ask.

               “Yes, you are a far seer. You can see things that happen at other places. I am glad it finally manifested itself.” He says with happiness, like a kid at Christmas.

               “Wait, what are you talking about? Surely that wasn’t really happening?”

               “Yes, it did, and I have wished to do that to him so many times myself. As far as your gift it is a blessing, soon, with practice you might even be able to see distant people and place when you command it. Call in sick to work today, I think this occasion needs to be celebrated.”

H