Death's Embrace

"Has he made any other movements?" Drear asked one morning as he walked by to the kitchen. I studied the charts of the world pinned to the wall. They were very much like the one on that table I had seen in that very strange place. That last place I had seen Jeton. They tracked things and changed, just like a computer screen would...

"No. He's still in Moscow." I frowned. "What's he still doing there?" I muttered more to myself.

"Don't ask me." Drear nudged me and handed me a bowl of cereal he brought for me. He sat back in a chair to eat his own food while I continued to ponder Shymal's strange behavior. What was there in Moscow? Why did he seem to be waiting for something? Was it us?

"Lea, you need to eat, love." Drear said after several minutes.

"Huh? What? Oh." I mumbled and sat down. "Sorry, got lost in thought. What?" I asked as Drear looked down into his cereal bowl, trying to hide a wide smile. "Believe it or not, I do actually think!" I laughed, misunderstanding him.

He looked up with me, "I know you do."

"So-"

"And that's just one of the many things I love about you."

I blinked waiting for the words to sink in, then smiled slightly. Drear just watched me before turning back to his cereal. "We'll just have to keep watch on him."

As if on cue, a sudden wave of revolted horror washed over me. I dropped the spoon. It clattered to the table with a resounding clink.

"Lea-"

"Drear. Drear he's doing something very- bad." I whispered, getting paler by the second. Drear was completely still hand as he waited for me to explain.

"Love?" he whispered, peering down into my face when I said nothing.

"We have to go- NOW!" I jumped to my feet. Drear stood in one swift, graceful movement.

"Lea!" he pulled me back to him as I tried to walk out the door in my frantic state. "What's-wrong-exactly?"

I shook my head, not wishing to dwell on the terrible deed Shymal had just done. I wrapped my hand around his arm and dematerialized with him, taking him through that pathway of light towards a very dark, grim end. We stepped out into Moscow.

"Lea, just tell me what's going on."

I stared over Drear's shoulder, not wishing to believe what I saw. Drear turned to see what it was before straightening up to his full height. It was Shymal, true enough, but that wasn't what the two of us had issues with. My friend Paul stood next to him, watching me.

"You should be dead!" Drear whispered, slightly shocked.

"Shymal figured out how to bring him back." I stared at Paul in disbelief. The Paul who had been one of my best friends. I could tell him anything. I had been very sad when I learned of his untimely death. Even sadder when I learned that I was techniqually supposed to be with him, not Drear- though I had another developing issue there as well.

"Didn't expect to see me, did you?" Paul smirked. That was different. Paul never smirked.

"Paul?" I asked, not really recognizing the arrogantly smug face that stared back at me. His green eyes flashed with jealousy when Drear wrapped a protective arm around my waist, pulling his sword out at the same time.

"Drear, don't." I whispered, my eyes still on Paul. Drear lowered his sword slightly, but did not put it away.

The four of us stood there in the screaming silence as the winter winds of Moscow blew small flakes of icy snow about us. The sky was a deep grey-blue, the roads were muddy from the small layer of snow mixed with dirt, and the houses were quiet as if awaiting with baited breath.

I finally spoke, "You should not have listened to him, Paul."

Paul laughed a cruel, heartless laugh. This was no Paul of mine. He was different.

"What have you done to him?" I hissed, looking over at Shymal. Shymal wore an amused grin as he eyed Drear's arm wrapped around me. His eyes flashed dark malice as they met mine.

"Take her." Shymal said just as the wind howled about us. Drear stepped in front of me, blocking Paul. No. This was a nightmare! Paul smirked, dematerializing into the snow only to reappear to my side. I dematerialized out and across the street. I stepped out onto the pavement and found Paul yanking me into him.

"Let g-" but my words were cut off as his lips met mine. Cold and unfeeling, filled with nothing but lust and greed. I shoved him off, but he had me again in no time.

"Drear!" I struggled. I caught a glimpse of Drear locked in combat with Shymal. Paul wrapped his arm about me, pinning me to him now with such force I was sure I would have bruises later.

"Lea?" Drear looked around and lost his edge in the battle. Shymal pressed the advantage and unleashed a series of vicious attacks causing Drear's sword to fling out of his hands. Shymal then shot a blast of some strange energy at Drear; I couldn't tell what it was. It wasn't light, yet it was not shadow. It was the unprecedented power. Who was this guy!?

"Drear!" I shouted as he was slammed against the wall of a grey, stone house. He slid down, eyes closed slightly. I struggled frantically against Paul as Shymal bent down slowly to pick up Drear's sword.

"NO!" I hit, kicked, and scratched my way out of Paul's grasp. I ran toward Drear as Shymal got ever closer. No, no, no!!! I dematerialized and stepped out, skidding to a hault in between the two. Paul joined Shymal as they stood before me, ready to go through me to get to Drear (or so I thought).

"Lea?" I heard Drear whisper my name from behind me, but I could not turn. I could not lose sight of Shymal or Paul for one second. The consequences would be dire.

"You will not touch him." I said in a calm, quiet voice. I almost didn't recognize it, for I felt completely opposite of how it sounded. Shymal laughed lightly; Paul glared daggers at Drear.

"You think I want to kill him?" Shymal laughed again. "No Lea, not now. Hmmm," Shymal studied Drear briefly as he glanced up at me, "I think it is time then."

I frowned warily, "Time for what?"

His dark eyes met mine and I understood. He was going to take me. Take me away from him and probably use me in some sick plot to torment Drear. Well, not if I could help it!

"You are a fool, Shymal." my voice rang with strength. His face contorted, not liking my words.

"You think you stand a chance against me?" he asked in a dangerously low voice.

I chuckled slightly, stepping back and grabbing Drear's arm in one sudden movement, so fast they did not have time to react. Less than a second later, we were gone.

The manor. If we could just get there, we might be able to hold out against them. I focused on my new destination, but seemed to hit something. We stumbled out of the light and fell into the tall grasses blowing around in the gentle, cool breeze of twilight.

"Lea?" Drear groaned and forced himself up to look at me. "They blocked it, didn't they?" I nodded.

"We need to get out of here, fast!" I held out my hand to him. He looked at it for a second, then took it in his.

We struggled to our feet, all the while looking around for a sign of Shymal or Paul. We dematerialized out.

"Where to?" I asked as we traveled through a strange array of white lights and consuming shadows, forever linked so long as we were.

"Anywhere." Drear sighed wearily. That strange energy blast had taken a lot out of him.

"Drear?" I asked as we stepped out at a random location.

"Ya?" he turned slightly to me.

"I'm sorry you have to do this for me." I said quietly, as I pulled him down the cobblestone street.

"Lea!" his astounded voice made my eyes lift up to meet his; the warm golden flecks seemed to spring to life amidst the brown hues. "I would go to the ends of the earth for you!"

"Way to be sappy." I thought unhappily, but I did not let him see. Instead, i turned a kind smile on him. He was all I had in this world...