Balance of Light

Whispering and Lost Chapters

   "What?" Fleur asked, mouth hanging open. Lithium leaned up against a tree, unwilling to repeat his sentence.

   "Karine has Nyxium under her control." Richard said quietly, hands shaking. Fleur put her hand over her mouth, and for a second Richard thought she might cry.

"I can't believe we let something like that happen," Lithium whispered. "He's our best ally, and Karine's worst enemy. We are royally screwed on so many levels."

The silence that followed was an empty voice, absent of even the smallest flicker of hope. Lithium slid down the trunk of the tree and practically collapsed on the ground, covering his head with his arms.

"Fine," Fleur spoke up, her voice suddenly cleared of any weakness. Both Richard and Lithium looked up at her in surprise. "If she wants to play like that, we'll take her down with all of the mercy she's shown us."

Richards eyes widened. She couldn't believe that soft spoken, pacifist Fleur was capable of possessing such an iron will.

"You're right," Lithium nodded, standing up tall. "I can't stand around and complain, we have a job to do."

Richard smiled, the spark of determination that started with Fleur passing around the small group.

"We need to survey they plan and make any adjustments needed," Fleur commanded, taking the roll Nyxium usually took as leader. "And speed up the process as much as possible. We can't give Karine any extra time to figure out our plan."

"The wedding is in a week," Richard recounted, thinking back to what her father discussed during dinner. "And he approved me inviting you, and he won't mind Fleur coming."

"And I've been doing my homework," Fleur nodded. "What Nyxium proposed is more than probable. It's a genius plan if we can work together."

   "We can do this guys," Richard encouraged her two friends, proudly smiling. "Nyxium too much of a genius to make the plan depend on him."

   "Let's be honest though," Lithium said with a bittersweet smile. "This was always Team Nyxium."

   And, miles away, as if he had heard them, Nyxium smiled.

   'Why am I happy?' Nyxium asked himself in a daze. He felt like his mind had just awoken from a deep sleep and was still adjusting to the process of thought.

   "Come on Nyxium, dear," Karine smiled as she led him down a hallway. He obeyed, quickening his pace to match hers. 

   'What was I doing?' He asked himself, feeling as though he had forgotten something. It was as if his body had years of experience, but his mind was the newcomer.

   Every syllable he spoke tasted like candy that he had to toss around his mouth to get the feel for, and every color had its own personality. Everything was so... vibrant.

   Karine looked behind her to see Nyxium following quickly, with a small smile on his face. Her heart melted, remembering the last time he had smiled at her.

   Nyxium was a wonderful dancer, and an even better kisser. Why he tolerated that scum of a primordial was beyond her.

   "Here we are," She whispered to herself, opening the hotel door. The room was in an abandoned hotel, although Karine forced some some demons to fix up a few areas.

   No matter how much she hated it, she had to leave Nyxium here. He wasn't like a puppy Karine could keep at the foot of her bed, he was a handsome man who would be a distraction. Karine had a week to wait before she would initiate her plan, after that wedding.

   "I need you to stay in here, darling," Karine commanded, motioning to the room. There was only a bed, a small bathroom, and a bookshelf with a few books, but it was fine.

   Nyxium obeyed with hesitating and stood in the room. Karine loved having people around her who were whispered- they were always so willing to obey.

   "Goodbye Lady Karine," Nyxium waved, smiling. Karine leaned up against the doorway, sad she had to leave.

   "Goodbye, my Nyx," She whispered.

The Lost Chapter

The scene was set- two beings of great power mere feet away from each other amid a sea of raging emotion. To some, it was a romance. To some, it was a war.

Lithium, looking defeated, walked out the door, worrying for his friend. Why Karine would insist on a private conversation between her and Nyxium was beyond his knowledge, but he was not one to interject if Nyxium agreed.

"What do you want, Karine?" Nyxium asked, crossing his arms once Lithium left the skating rink. He was surprised, to say the least, when Karine pulled him in for kiss.

"Hey!" She cried when he pulled away.
"That was centuries ago!" He defended. "And you broke it off. I'm not interested."

"But Nyx, I miss being with you. You were so poetic and artistic." She pleaded. "You saw beauty in everything... even me, of all people." She was given her response in a violent slap.

"Don't call me Nyx." He growled, sounding as threatening as she had moments earlier. "You lost that privilege when you tried to wipe me from existence."

"I'm sorry," She apologized, although Nyxium's gaze was stone cold and he didn't look too forgiving. "I'm so, so sorry. Nobody has ever loved me, Nyx. I just want someone to love me like you did."

"Shut up," He growled. "Shut the hell up."

The scene looked odd from a distance, a middle aged rich woman conferring with what looked to be a teenager, but for centuries the same pair had stood like this, sometimes enemies, sometimes friends, sometimes much more.

"I'll stop my plan!" She cried, desperately. "If you date me again, I'll stop my plan."

"No," He refused, although he felt slightly guilty. The chance to stop her plans, which were always deadly, for such a small price seemed tempting. But he would rather take his chances than sacrifice his dignity.

"Fine!" She spit, voice full of venom. "But you'll regret your decision."

"Sure," He replied, disbelieving. He turned around, and Karine called to him one last time before he left.

"I promise you, if you leave right now-" Nyxium walked out, slamming the door behind him. Karine was left in the rink, alone. Her nails were digging into her palm, and blood was dripping on the ground. Her breathing was ragged, and her eyes were flashing like miniature flames.

"I swear, you will be mine," She growled, glaring out of the door. "I. Swear."