Epica!

Ariel rose with a start. His head ached and felt a large lump when he raised his hand for a feel. He was in the snow, the tips of his hair had frozen. It had had began to snow lightly but his feast coat kept warm as it always did.

To preserve maximum warmth Ariel hugged himself and wondered if his magic coat could keep him alive. No, he wouldn't be allowed to die. There was still the deal that would preserve him. It had to. Ariel called out Mephisto's name but there was only silence. "You said take me anywhere!" he shouted at the silent forest. His legs strained and sore Ariel angrily stood. "HELP!" he screamed at the top of his lungs hoping that someone would hear.

Nothing.

He had to get back. There was a strong possibility that Helena too was in this forest. Alone and in the dark, who could she call for help in this dead forest. He pushed the horrible thought aside. The sky was dark; clouds slowly moved from right to left. Right on the left he saw it. A sparkle against dark sky poking out through a hole in the clouds.

The north star! They had left Salvo out the south exit, if he followed this star he'd find a way back. It was his best bet. Once in Salvo he could confront Mephisto and make him find Helena, if by then she wasn't found. No. He wouldn't think of it. If he didn't have his coat he would have never woken up. The snow would freeze and he would not be found until the spring. He couldn't think of Helena's fate or he'd be lost to despair.

Ariel began his trek. Making sure to memorize where the star had been before it disappeared again behind a wall of clouds. He trudged through the snow, making sure to keep himself as calm as possible. If he began to panic now the cold would surely take him; the cold was cunning and it was patient. No matter how bright the fire burned the cold would always stamp it out without a single hesitation.

No, the cold would not take him. He would not allow it. Thoughts of Helena and her fire filled his thoughts, urged him to continue. She burned brightly, the cold could not touch her not anytime soon. Anything associated with her would be consumed in her flames. Ariel was a part of her just as he was of her.

Ariel was determined on returning to Helena when he heard, in the far away distance behind him, the sound of explosions. In that direction he saw the sky illuminate with flashes of color. Fireworks. He was going in the wrong direction.

New bearings on hand Ariel redirected his way and trudged onwards.

It took him over an hour to get back where it had taken the horse minutes. The whole while the fireworks led him back in what he assumed to be a spectacular show that ended just as he neared the town. At the edge of Salvo, he knew exactly where he wanted to go; He wanted to find Mephisto.

Feeling sore and tired Ariel found stumbled exactly what he was looking for and has horrified. Arriving at carriage station he found Mephisto, but he wasn't alone. Helena stood by him as he showed her an old parchment that sly smile on his face. He offered her a pen but Helena still pondered.

Soreness aside Ariel rushed over just in time to hear Mephisto say, "You will not regret it." When he was close enough he yanked parchment out of his hands and tore it down the middle.

"Ariel!" she cried when she saw him and quickly wrapped him in a tight embrace. He buried his face in her hair overcome by the scent of smoke. "I thought the worst." she mumbled into his chest.

"I'm here." he soothed her but he felt small needles stinging his skin and he remembered how banged up he was.

"That felt unnecessary." Mephisto cut in irritated while gazing down at the thin paper cut on his palm.

"You swore!" Ariel accused holding Helena close as if that could stop Mephisto from doing anything he wanted to her. All he had against him was that deal and his word.

"I did."

"You lied." Ariel pulled away from her. There was no way he could allow Helena anywhere Mephisto. Only bad things would come to her if she was around the damned.

"You are too judgmental." Mephisto sighed. "I was only showing her the proud decades old pedigree of my horses." he looked down at the parchment, "which by the way you utterly destroyed."

"A pedigree?" Ariel breathed out. Sure enough there was half a hand drawn genealogy tree on the ripped parchment. A sketch of a black horse was done elegantly at the top .

"I wanted to take out a horse and go looking for you," Helena confessed putting and hand on his arm in reassurance. "He was the only horse breeder we'd come across, but he wouldn't give me one."

"Tell him why." Mephisto instructed. Ariel plucked the two sheets of parchment from the snow. He put the two halves together the tree was stared back at him with a series of odd horse names written in elegant calligraphy.

"The fireworks were starting. The horses are skittish, easily spooked." she said lowly realizing in hindsight how ludicrous her demand seemed to be at the time. There were no spare horses, most had gone up the hill. None would return until after the fireworks. As evidenced by the carriage in pieces and the put down horse, they were dangerous when spooked, to themselves and everyone around.

Ariel turned it over the ripped parchment. Small, small words covered the parchment top to bottom along with a line at the bottom.

"This one though, she's a stubborn one. Pestered me all the whole while. Couldn't have her injured now bucking bronco now could we. I was only looking out for her best interests and yours Ariel."

The first line read of a proof of purchase. "My best interests?" Ariel asked showing him the back of the parchment. "What were you selling?" he tossed the halves back on the snow. There would be no time to read each sentence word for word.

"A horse, if it would get me in that instant." Helena responded curtly for Mephisto. Ariel couldn't believe that she would defend him. They were never supposed to meet, never. "You were out there Ariel alone and lost. I wasn't about to sit around and do nothing!"

Ariel was angry, yet he didn't understand at who. They stood before him and only misery could be the result. It was coming, and he felt it; he had been the catalyst.

"To summarize, she wanted a horse, you are one of the most paranoid of men and I remain ever loyal and honest. . . " he ended with a incredulous laugh. "Not that I don't want to stand around in blazing cold with the two of you, but I sense the two of you have things to sort out as do I. It is the end of the night after all."

One more night, it had come and gone. The festival was over. The carriages were returning and people retreating to the comforts of their temporary beds. They'd leave in the morning.

Mephisto sauntered off and disappeared amongst the returning clamor. "Lets go, I'm tired." Helena didn't protest and followed him silently.

They reached his apartment and he entered wordlessly. The window had been replaced but the vase they had dropped earlier had been piled neatly against the wall and the bed done with the many pillows filed high. The day clung on to him heavily and he found the warmth of his new apartment most welcome. He let himself fall on the sofa, suddenly very tired and worn.

"Are you angry?" Helena asked lightly sitting down next to him. He turned towards her, she had removed her coat and tossed it carelessly on the foot stool.

"No." He was only angry at himself for allowing this to happen. "I'm very tired."

"Hmm." Helena came closer, laid her head on his shoulder, and Ariel wrapped his arm around her. Still burning in the fire place the false flames had finally began to dim, embers licked upwards towards the chimney.

One more night. . . In the morning all of this will be gone. What will happen then? Now was the moment to decide what would happen next. He decided then she could never see Mephisto again, his deal Ariel wouldn't stop him from damning her just as he had done to him. Ariel was fine being damned; but it was not a choice he wanted her to make.

She was something so pure and raw he couldn't describe it. She was life, and Mephisto emptiness. Oil on water, unyielding and incompatible. How could he expect them to be anything other than what they were? If Mephisto ever gained any leverage over Helena he was sure to use it against her and Helena would never stop loving him. It was an inevitable confrontation. One would eventually break the other, the question left was: when?

Never, Ariel told himself; he would make the choice for her even if caused her pain. It was better than losing a part of herself, better than being damned. They still had what was left of the night.

Ariel turned to her, she looked up at him content. He kissed her long and deeply knowing it was it. Helena responded quicker than he thought she would as if she had been waiting all this time. She all but jumped on him, grinding her hips against his. His heavy coat quickly grew unbearably hot so he did his best to shrug it off. His side stung, but he didn't care.

"I thought you were tired." she breathed out between kisses. Wrapping her arms around his neck she pulled his lips against hers. He kept his hands on her waist.

"Not for this." he uttered when Helena pulled away. He ran his hands up and down her back feeling her smooth skin under her shirt. He moved away from her lips kissing the soft skin over her collar bone only stopping when he felt her tugging his shirt up.

Once the shirt was gone Ariel moved to kiss her again, but she held him down. "You're hurt." she frowned. He followed her gaze to his side where he saw a dark purple bruise forming on his side.

"It's nothing," he reassured her leaning in for another kiss but Helena jabbed her hand on the center of the bruise making him wince in pain.

"Nothing, you say?" Helena repeated with a raised eyebrow resting on his lap.

"Maybe something," he said the sting ebbing away. "Nothing severe." Her eyes looked gray in the dimming light. They moved up from his side and stopped at just under his face.

"I gave you this one. . ." she whispered lowly as brought two fingers to the the base of his neck which was surprisingly tender. It had to have been her in the buggy, the stones had done their worst on his back. "Why are you laughing!"

"It's just. . funny. ." he said with a small grin. He couldn't help himself. She had marked him! Helena had marked him. There was an bitter irony in it all.

"You've lost it." she told him with a gentle smile.

"Possibly. . " he said growing serious again. She complied as he hugged her, bringing her against him.

"Maybe not." she said against his bare chest before he laid her down on the couch. He moved over her, spotted her hands resting by her head, and found it too easy to put his over hers, holding them down. His side only bothered him a little.

"I could give you one as well." he said. Helena's attention snapped up her trapped hands up to him, her blue eyes livid.

"You can try," she scoffed before Ariel kissed her again. It didn't last long before began moving down her jawline. He found the perfect spot right just shy of the collar of her camisole when he felt Helena arch up against his him and her legs fidgeting unable to stand still.

He kissed her just as she had done to him. Slowly and soft kisses at first then steadily growing harder. Had he done this before? Maybe, never with the intent. How long was he supposed to keep at it? The whole while Helena squirmed and tried to twist her hands away from his grasp. Eventually she managed to wrap a leg around him.

"You're terrible." she huffed and Ariel smiled against her skin giving up. He removed his hands out of hers. She didn't move and stared back at him a fierce determination growing in her eyes. Then she said it, those words cutting through like razor blades. "I love you."

Ariel paused, she had said them before but now they carried a heaviness, a vision of a life he could never have. The pit of stomach grew uneasy then he chose to ignore her comment. Just this one night things had to go perfectly. In the morning the charade would be over. Or maybe it was already over and delusion told him to extend it as long as possible.

He leaned in again, but Helena put her hand on his chest keeping him at bay. "Ariel I love you." she repeated firmly. Frozen above her, he couldn't bring himself to say them and she pushed him off her. The fire burned in the fireplace, brighter now, changing moods and its flames licking the stone walls that held it back.

"I'm not very experienced when it comes to couples or any thing of that sort," she said as she sat up, "but I'm sure you have to say it back."

How did the fire go brighter? No one had added more wood. It grew faint then strong right before his eyes like it had a mind of it's own. The stone walls that encased it were covered in black soot. It did not have a worry, it burned bright only to fade away. That was it's existence but it would never know; all things fade eventually.

"Ariel look at me!" she forced him to look her by putting her hand on his check and yanking it in her direction. "Say it back." there was something in her voice, strained and frail, something in her eyes that made his heart heavy.

Helena's hand lingered on his cheek, her thumb slowly rubbing the tip of his lips tempting the words out of him. "I've told you I loved you so many times waiting for you to say it back. I need," she paused taking a deep breath. "I need to hear you say it."

They couldn't emerge, hidden in the deepest ocean in his consciousness. They were there, but he wouldn't bring them forth. It would only make things worse so he pushed them them down deeper farther than any thought of his. There were many things before them, a future where he was capable of anything.

"Love means nothing to me if there is a higher place to be."

Her trembling hand dropped like leaf in the wind, drifting ever slowly to her side. She didn't move, didn't say a word. Short jagged breaths made her chest heave as a river of thoughts flooded her head.

"I never promised anything."

It was one fluid movement like the strike of a viper. She was on her feet, but he didn't see it, didn't feel it there was only a loud crack. The pain came after, sharper than the blade that nearly pierced his heart years ago.

Helena turned away holding her hand like it was in pain. He didn't know what so say; other than her breaths she didn't move. Moving away from the couch, Ariel slowly walked up to her and gently wrapped her his arms around her. She didn't pull away, not even when he placed a single solemn kiss on the side of her neck. She was shaking.

"We have tonight." he whispered in her ear. She flinched at the words.

"Just tonight." she uttered back. Suddenly she yanked herself away from him. He let her go; like losing a part of himself. She glared back at him. "What happens after tonight Ariel?"

"I will be gone tomorrow noon." he told her having made up his mind on the spot. He would cut her out of his life if it meant getting her out of reach of Mephisto.

"Then thank the lord we have still have tonight!" she snapped wrapping her arms around her lower body. "I'm curious, this whole time, you knew it would come to this. Yet you still made me believe that you and I. . ." Her gaze fell to the floor full of shattered dreams.

"I deluded myself into thinking it could be otherwise." he finally admitted miserably. It was Helena or Mephisto, not both and he had already made a deal with one. How he wished Helena had stumbled into his life sooner, but if it Mephisto's doings that gave him the confidence and independence from somma. Without him Helena would have come along a very different man. A lost and broken man; one that he was ashamed of. "Sometimes we all must alter paths we planned."

"You're leaving me, and not telling me why?" cut in visibly distressed in front of him. She could never know, his story was one he wasn't proud of. He wanted her to remember him fondly for the time they spent together.

"Believe me, I do this for you." he reached out to her feeling the need to soothe her, put her at ease someway but she slapped his hand away.

"Don't you touch me." she growled, her voice empty. There had been music in her voice once, he had made it vanish.

"Helena. . ." her eyes darted to him and made him stop. They were so blue. He stood close to her now.

"What other rubbish are you going to tell me now." she cut him off. "Get away!" she brought her hands to his bare chest to push him away but he had anticipated it and caught her wrists before they shoved him away. Helena didn't move but only said, "Let go."

"No. Not yet."

Ariel pulled her into a tight embrace, her hands fell to her sides she; didn't fight him. The horror of making a mistake began to fill every part him. How could he ever let her go? He buried his face in her hair, the scent of smoke and gunpowder permeated into his nostrils. It would have been the perfect moment to say the words, but he didn't.

"Let go of me." her voice croaked. "Let go." she raised her hands up, Ariel pulled her closer nuzzling his face onto her shoulder.

"No. . ." he breathed out. He'd made a mistake, he couldn't let her go. Anything after her frightened him terribly. There had to be a way to keep them separate.

"Let go of me!" she said starting to push against him. There was nothing he could do it was inevitable, it had to end this way. "GET OFF!" she shouted pushing him away with all her might.

A small table behind him enabled to regain his balance. A glass ashtray fell off the side from the force. He saw her and he regretted everything.

Hands trembling, eyebrows knotted together, and tears streamed down her face. He had lived her all her childhood and he had never seen her cry. As children she would lash out when she was hurt, breaking things hitting people. Now she stood before, him tears flowing, and he was the cause of it.

"I'm sorry." he breathed out barely audible.

"Damn you Ariel." Helena cursed through gritted teeth before inhaling sharply. Her voice sent chills down his spine chasing every word away. He couldn't look at her any more too ashamed to have hurt her so much. "Damn you for doing this to me again."

She finally moved from her place by the dresser. It was Ariel now who froze up, consumed with guilt and regret. It had to be done, he told himself rationally. Yet it didn't make it any less painful. She walked past him, a hurried movement in her step. She didn't even look at him as she passed by. His shame trapped his eyes to the floor.

How long would she hate him for this? She could hold a grudge but he doubted she would hold one against him. She'd forgive him in time. It thought came to him that maybe someday she would move on and forget him. He hoped not, he would never forget her and held on to the thought that maybe someday, somehow they'd reunite.

The sound of the door being slammed shut jolted him from his thoughts. Helena was gone.

Instinctually he ran to the door ready to give chase and ask for forgiveness. Just leave things be. he told himself when his hand touched knob. He stopped and rested his forehead against the hard wood of the door.

Every thought of Helena and Mephisto crossed his mind, along with every possibility of something terrible happening by the association. He would change her, mold her into a twisted shadow of her former self. Even if this happened to himself, Ariel would eliminated the choice for her. It was something he'd agreed to with his soul but his was already tarnished to begin with.

A simple door had been the barrier that had stopped him from going after her that night. He banged on it once blaming it for being so intrusive.

He was painfully aware of the soreness that lingered at his on his neck. Lightly the placed his fingers over the spot. The slightest touch made it ache. He remembered why he had laughed when she had pointed out the mark; he had already made the choice to sever any connection between her and Mephisto, even if it meant never seeing her again, yet for a few days he'd have a constant reminder of his decision. Those would be the hardest.

He turned to face his apartment but didn't move away; his back rested against the door. The path could not longer been seen. Uncertainty filled his thoughts. What happens now?

From where he stood he could see the doorway to the dining room where the mahogany chairs where perfectly alined just beyond sight. The covers on his bed by the window had been done back neatly hiding away it's secrets. Shining faintly orange in front of the fire; the white pelt.

She existed here. Her memory was in this place.

Ariel rubbed his temples with the palm of his hands then brought them down over his mouth. There was moisture on face. When did this happen? he thought solemnly before rubbing it away. He had to get away.

"If you can be hear me." he said pushing himself off the door a sudden resolve washing over him. "I want you here now!" There was an uncomfortable silence, too silent to be real. The fire flickered in the chimney. "Mephisto!" he screamed into the silence. It was quiet and he was unsure of it had worked - it failed him in the forest.

There was a knock on the door.

The first reaction he came up with was hesitance. It could easily have been just another unlikely coincidence. He walked over and opened the door.

"You look absolutely terrible." Mephisto said eyeing the nasty bruise at his side before inviting himself inside. Ariel shut the door behind him. "Here." he said turning sharply.

Ariel walked onto his outstretched hand. Mephisto's touch left him paralyzed. Cold and unnatural, water seemed to ripple from it. The cold sensation spread outwards from his chest toward every limb filling him with its numb eerie feeling. The feeling suddenly receded, like some kind of suction, when Mephsto's removed his hand.

Ariel felt energized. Looking down, the bruise had vanished along with any and every and scrape he sustained during the tumble. "Can't have you looking like some kind of victim."

"I want to leave this place." Ariel said firmly not forgetting his resolve.

"Tomorrow, I'll send-"

"No. Now." He couldn't wait. If she returned before noon he would hold her close and never let her go. Worst of all, he would tell her to stay, to never leave his side. All this pain would be for nothing.

Mephisto paused trying to figure out the puzzle in front of him. He had to comply to Ariel's wishes for now. He'd figure out what had transpired before he arrived in any matter. It wouldn't hurt him to wait just that much longer.

"Very well." He walked to the door again. Ariel stepped aside to let him pass. He paused at the door and asked; "Where to?"

"Surprise me." Ariel muttered. He didn't care where they went.

"A man of risk, we will accomplish great things you and I." he said before opening the door again.

Just beyond the threshold of the door Ariel saw green. Green like he hadn't seen in years. Vines and herbs growing strong under the light of he burning sun. Brown tree trucks stretched up high before palm leaves sprouted from their tops. Warm air and grains of light colored sand hit his face.

"After you." Mephisto told him waving a hand over the threshold. Ariel stepped forward stopping shy of the threshold.

"Don't bring me back here again." He didn't want to think of this place again. All of it had to be erased from memory. It would be painful once he was gone.

"You have my word." he swore again. Ariel frowned wondering how good that would do him but regardless walked onwards towards the sun. He could be anyone now, do anything. Challenging the sun didn't seem so hard with angel by his side. Mephisto had not lied. Ariel would do great things with Mephisto by his side. He owed her that much.

Just before the door shut behind him he raised his hand to his neck expecting to feel that ache. There was none.