Dari: You are so lazy.

Silver Daemon: Yes I am.

Daemon Hart Inc. Presents:
Stellar Rayne
By Silver Daemon

Chapter 5: Mornings Never Turn Out Right

Later that evening, Remus had a fire going and Skye was helping Black Wind with her bandages. Black Wind’s wings, however, were a controversial matter.
“Uh…” Skye muttered as she held the cloth strip out and tried to figure out how to do it without mummifying the wings. “I think that this one dislocated.” Remus got up, brushing his hands off on his pants.
“I’ll get it,” he said. Black Wind stood.
“No, I have it,” she said, placing a hand on her wing joint. Skye yelped.
“Ooh, don’t!” she squealed. Remus was about to open his mouth when there was a sickening popping noise and Black Wind sat back down. Skye’s face had turned a light green color.
“That is disgusting,” she said from behind clasped hands. Black Wind shrugged.
“Go get some dinner, princess. I can finish on my own.” Skye, at the mere mention of food, ran behind a tree on the other side of the fire. Remus sighed.
“You could try to be a bit more tactful,” he said. Black Wind shrugged, taking a wing in her hands and licking away the blood. Remus felt his stomach lurched and he looked away. After a few moments, there was a small breath of wind at his back and he turned to see Dari sitting there, the headband covering her left eye. She gave a small sigh.
“I should’ve waited,” she muttered. “That was a powerful blast of free energy. I shouldn’t have overexerted myself after so long.” Remus sat cross legged near her, handing her a strip of meat. Dari shook her head.
“Not hungry,” she muttered. Remus shrugged.
“Alright. Now that you seem to be better, I want you to answer a few questions.” Dari sighed and leaned her head back against the tree trunk.
“Who was that elf?” Remus asked, glancing over to where Skye walked back into the clearing. She sat down next to Dari, her eyes roaming over the girl to check for any missed cuts. Dari gazed into the fire listlessly, her mind clearly elsewhere.
“What’s it to you?” Dari asked after a time, hardly moving. Remus clenched his fists.
“That elf burned my town. She killed my sister.” Dari spared a glance at him, her violet eye flashing.
“Explain.” Remus sighed and looked into the fire.
“Ten years ago, Nunhrit was attacked by Death Walkers and the Dark Hoard. Their leader was a Dark Elf with a purple blade. They destroyed everything and killed everyone. I survived because I fought well. The elf thought I should die, but the rest of the army allowed me to live. I was nine and I was using my father’s sword. They overpowered me, but I thought I could still save the village.” He slammed his fist into the ground.
“That’s terrible,” Skye said softly, her eyes watering. Dari was still staring into the fire.
“That was Nanu, the new leader of the Dark Hoard,” she said tonelessly. “She was brought on just after I disappeared and has been a disgrace ever since. She’s been trying to get into Keran’s good books, but she can never match up to the standard he wants.” Skye frowned.
“Why not? I thought she was an elf. She can’t be that bad of a fighter.” Dari didn’t move.
“It’s because she’s only elf,” she said slowly. “That’s why she tries so hard. It’s what makes her fail so badly.” Skye blinked.
“Then,” she asked slowly, “what are you, Dari?” The girl didn’t answer, her eye fixed on the crackling flames.

The morning dawned early with a heavy mist on the ground and no morning song from the forest birds. Dari had already been awake for several hours before Skye and Remus finally started to stir. She spared them a glance before turning to stare out of the trees towards the fields.
“The mist is thick,” Remus said.
“Bad tidings await us,” Dari replied, walking back to the ashes of the night’s fire and collecting the supplies Remus had brought from town. Skye rubbed her eyes sleepily and stood up, stretching. Once she saw all the work Dari was doing, considering that one arm was in a temporary sling, she shook her head.
“Dari, sit down,” she ordered. “I’ll do it.” Dari replied by stopping her work, removing the sling, and proceeded to use both arms. Skye glared at Dari until the mercenary had finished. Dari stared at her for a long moment before sighing.
“Princess, I am used to this. I heal quickly. You needn’t worry yourself about what I do or my well being.” Skye continued to favor Dari with a dark look until Remus placed himself between them.
“Now ladies,” he said sharply, “we need to be nice to one another and not fight until we get the princess wherever she’s going.” Dari glared at him.
“What do you mean ‘we’?” she asked. Remus shrugged.
“Well, I need to stay by you to find out about this Nanu person. Besides,” he said, turning to kiss the back of Skye’s hand, “I never leave a pretty lady unassisted.” Skye giggled and blushed while Dari rolled her eye.
“Oh Phoenix above, spare me,” she groaned, slinging the pack of supplies over her shoulder. “Come on. We need to find a ship for her Highness.” Skye frowned as she and Remus followed the bad tempered warrior.
“I was thinking about going to Licha Temple,” she said thoughtfully. “But now that you said that the Dark King has the Black Scripts, I don’t think that’d be safe anymore.”
“Damn straight,” Dari grunted. Skye rubbed her nose as she thought.
“Maybe I need to go some place else. Somewhere where I could be right in the open but never be found.” Remus nodded.
“It sounds like you want Tarengar,” he said wisely. “The Mountain Village.” Skye snapped her fingers.
“Exactly!” she said excitedly. “The city under the mountain! No matter what, Keran would never find me there! It’s so big and labyrinthine and there are so many people. I could be right next to him and he wouldn’t know!” Dari nodded.
“Wise choice, highness,” she grumbled. “Now please, shut up so my head can cease its throbbing.” Skye quieted with a pout. Remus coughed, and he made it sound awfully like “tactless”. Dari glared at him.
“Who asked you!?” Skye sighed inwardly as Remus and Dari began to argue again. Dari was definitely not a morning person.

The entire city reeked of unease upon entrance. There were scattered rumors of two beings that had sprung from hell battling in the field the day past and everyone was on edge. Dari glanced around, her face clearly showing her own apprehension.
“Nanu won’t rest until I’m dead,” she murmured. “I think I may know what her next move will be.” Remus was about to ask what until a woman cried out, “Look at the sky!” Dari’s head snapped up and she growled. Above the city, a familiar black cloud floated with a rider.
“Nanu,” Dari breathed. She turned to Remus and Skye.
“Remus!” Dari barked. “Take Skye and find a ship. I’ll catch up!”
“Why?!” Remus demanded. A fireball landed a few yards away, sending the nearby car into an exploding mass of flames.
“That’s why! Go!” Remus hesitated, but the look on Dari’s face was such a pure hatred that he quickly grabbed Skye’s arm and hauled her towards the port. By now, several homes were on fire and Dari immediately jerked her headband up. The black mist slowly began to creep up and she surrendered her mind to the icy oblivion.

Remus: Okay, do I say it now?

Skye: Yep.

Remus: Review!!