Hallowed Kaline (1) (MANUSCRIPT)

Issue # 44 Finding Solace Pt. 2 (END)

        Ashka de'Navra put his hand up close to his face. Yeah. A new life. For all of us. Away from Zarkadda. From now on, we lead ourselves. I never really enjoyed that guy's directing anyway. His golden eyes crossed over to Iona, a young girl he had had tucked away in his dreams for a very long time. Ashka had slept every night, knowing Iona stood to exist as the lady of his unknown affections. Long unknown. 
       Her pink hair and soft petite body coupled to create an irresistible girl, fully slender with no extremities. Her maid uniform bundled some, the shoulders ruffling near the top. It gave her the perfect contrast. She garnered the attire of a little maiden, yet her hair fell thick and mature. Her young voice vibrated a rebellious yet innocent echo. Ashka felt a sense of warmth every time he stood by her presence. 
       "Well, it looks like we're very far away from all of... them." Temuri de'Navra crossed his arms, flipping up his platinum blond bangs. "Braggar won't be messing with us anymore. He's completely subservient to 'Zar'. It's sad, really. I feel like, without Zarkadda, that poor muscle-man won't have any purpose to his life." 
       Nahum shook his head with soft measure, his white glasses fixed. "Indeed. Perhaps one could say that Zarkadda was just chasing after his own fragile sense of purpose, in the end. Oh, what a sad pair they both are." 

       Temuri winked, sinking his bare feet into a shore of sand. "So, this is how it ends. Us four go off and make our own way. By the way, Ashka, thanks for bringin' us to a beach!" 
       Ashka closed his eyes briefly, then snapped his fingers to produce a playing card from thin air. "I've always wanted to go to the beach, you know! Us de'Navra have been nomadic ever since the Great Flood, and have also been quite fearful of the bodies of water."
        "I haven't been afraid! Your exposition is invalid, my dude." Temuri laughed with a haughty tightening. "I fuckin' love the beach. Maybe I can find some hot babes around here, yeah?" 
       "Well," Ashka furled his lips. "I guess that just makes me, then. I've always been suspicious of these bodies of water potentially coming up and taking back the land like they once did all those years ago. It's a bit silly when you think about it. It's been too many years, and centuries, for this old fear of mine to have sustained for so long." 
       Nahum turned to Ashka from Temuri, his arms out by his sides. "Say, is that maybe the real reason why you descended to this quaint little spot? To be one with your greatest fear?" The butler-esque figure chortled in his Posh accent. 
       "Yeah, you caught me, Nahum. Perhaps we should go for a swim!" Ashka nodded. 
       "But I don't have any... swimming gear." Nahum shrugged his shoulders, his right arm going up beside his head. 
        "Are you forgetting, dear friend? We're de'Navra. Magic and mana." Ashka shook his head and clapped. From beneath his hands, linens and folded clothes appeared. Flopping onto the sandy knoll, swimming clothes and a rose bikini flapped about. 
        Nahum's eyes widened. "Is that-"
        "Oh my." Ashka's chestnut face blossomed a blush. "I'm sorry about that. My mind wasn't c- clear." 
        "What's that supposed to mean? Were you expecting my little Iona to. dress in that?" Nahum pointed down to the tiny lingerie-esque beach-wear. 
        "Um. Well. Uh. No?" Ashka shrugged. "I wasn't, really." 
        "It's fine. Nahum, you know, I really should just put the facade away. I'm not a little girl anymore." Iona shrugged. "I've kept this form for so long, using my mana- The energy we produce as part-faeries, which gives us the ability to manifest the wishes of our minds into reality. But I'm a grown woman now. I'm no longer the girl you once protected." 
       Slowly, Iona's legs grew taller and the fibers of her muscles gained tone. Her arms stretched and her maid uniform re-laced itself with a darker red tint. A light rose button-up shirt flapped about, the top collar open. Her once bubblier face began to narrow out, the baby fat falling back into itself to form a more chiseled look. 
      Her chin dimpled out as her tan skin gained a few dark freckles on her hands. Her light pink hair folded and refolded to form a spikier and shorter look. Frilly. Highlights of chocolaty brown had begun to scar throughout her rosy colored locks. 
        Nahum took off his glasses, his yellow gaze growing. "I kn- know. A part of me has always known. I guess I just never wanted it to go away, you understand." 
       Temuri looked over to his Posh ally, hands dipping into his pockets as cologne doused his entire figure from head, to pukka-shell necklace, and to toe. "You know, Nahum, I'm not sure now is the best time to tell you this but... I've sensed another one of our essences traveling this world." 
       Nahum shook his head. "Indeed I have to agree with there, Temuri. Now wasn't the best time to tell me. It feels like one thing after the other. Regardless, I feel her essence, too." His head went up to the sky, the clouded sun staring back at him. Sekranna Lee, you've returned to us. How will you come to make it in this modern world? 
       "So, if I want to wear a scandalous bikini, I think I have the right." A new and somewhat lower voice echoed out of Iona's matured mouth. 
       Ashka blushed. "Well, I do apologize Iona, as that did come from my naughty mind and all." 
       Iona chortled. "Ashka, maybe I want to be the center of your affections now. Ever thought of that?" 
      Ashka tipped his top-hat off and smirked. "I'm awfully flattered, miss." 
     Temuri took in a deep breath as he ripped off his blue button-up long-sleeve. "I can't wait to start this new life, enjoying all the modern amenities of Earth. Who knows what'll happen to me? Living as a de'Navra was fun while it lasted, but I wanna try and blend in with all these sexy human babes! I mean, after all, my name is Temuri. It means 'Iron'. Iron is the ultimate manifestation of modernity in this world, and so am I! HAHAHA! Ha! Ha. Uh. Um." Looking around, he saw Ashka and Iona kissing each other as Nahum looked over the ocean with a bothered visage. "Oh my! Right then. I guess I'll stop giving this monologue. No one is... listening. Um- Aw, cheer up, Nahum! It's gonna be alright, buddy."