Earth and Shadow (read desc)

A step into the past

I smiled. I didn't like asking him to stay behind, but I knew it was the only way to make sure he wouldn't get attacked while I was gone.
"Thanks, I appreciate it."
"It's no problem, I have no plans anyways." He shrugged.
"Want to go now?" I asked.
"Sure, as long as its not breakfast time. I don't want to be Blaise's next victim."
I laughed.
"No kidding, but I think she has her heart set out on poisoning me."
"She better not or she has another thing coming." The change was so quick, I barely caught it. He went back to being happy again, as if nothing happened. I wondered if I saw it at all, or if it was just my imagination acting up. Eh, it's probably nothing.
"Either way it's alright, poison doesn't affect me. Venom does. I mean, I can't really taste, I don't need to eat, and I don't think I have any organs either. Except maybe lungs."
"Still, she shouldn't do that."
"She's insane." I said simply.
He smiled, "No kidding."
"Anyway, shall we take our leave?"
He nodded, "Yes we shall."
We teleported back to the house. Blaise was busy shouting at Scratch, and neither of them noticed our intrusion.
"Seriously what kind of lame excuse is that!?"
"Oh I'm sorry, maybe next time I'll get more- Seriously Blaise what do you expect me to say?? I bought thirty a week ago!"
Rain hid behind me. I sighed and cleared my throat.
"Am I interrupting something?"
"Sort of. That doofus ate the last chocolate bar."
"I didn't know it was the last one," Scratch complained.
"But you still didn't share!"
"I don't need to share its a freaking chocolate bar!"
"And what do you MEAN you bought thirty chocolate bars last week!? Like seriously HOW MANY-"
"Enough." I massaged my temples, "All your arguing is giving me a headache."
I continued, "Besides we've got a guest you idiots. And I don't want you arguing the whole time I'm gone."
They both went quiet. Scratch said, surprised "Oh."
"Wait your leaving?" Blaise asked.
"Just for a hour or so. I heard of a place where there might be a artifact, but it's not for certain. Either way its near one of my old hideouts and I'll be damned if anyone finds it and takes it over. Now you two behave and look after Rain. Scratch you cook tonight, and Blaise I'll get you some more chocolate bars later."
"That's reasonable," Scratch said.
Blaise pumped her fist, "YES! Chocolate!"
"If Rain gets hurt you get hurt understand?"
"Aw I'm sure he'll be fine with us," Blaise smiled.
"Yeah."
"Good," I faced Rain. "Like I said I'll be gone for a hour or so, and I might not be able to get back in time if your in trouble, so stick with these two until I'm back ok?"
He nodded, looking worried. "Got it, be safe please."
I bent down and kissed his forehead.
"I'll try."
"Good luck!" Scratch called before I vanished.

I sat down, patiently waiting for Nightmare to come back. I made little flowers appear and idly fiddled with them, content. I smiled at Blaise and Scratch.
"Hello!"
"Hey Rain." Scratch smiled, "You can do whatever you like here. We have tv, some books you can read, hmm... Oh hey since it's not lunch yet perhaps I can show you my book collection."
"What's a tv? and books?"
He smiled, excited.
"Let me show you."
He lead me to his room, and I beheld a large bookcase. It was entirely filled with musty old books, all of them thick and quite intimidating. He pulled out a dark blue book with weathered edges from many uses. Runes were written along the spine and cover of the book, as well as a unfamiliar language underneath.
"Coool! What does it say?"
He looked at it, "'The legends of the moonlight era,' its a bunch of stories about our races long long ago. Nightmares story is in here somewhere, I remember. It's a sad one unfortunately. He told a few details to us once, and I managed to trace what he said to history. While history is not correct, and happens to be quite glorified and vague, it's still the closest to knowing what truly happened long ago. Nobody knows EXACTLY what happened besides the people who were there, such as Nightmare, but it's still quite wonderful reading about it."
He sounded really intelligent, and I could tell by his words he was pretty passionate about reading. I could tell that while he might appear young, he was beyond his years when it came to knowledge. But what he said about Nightmares story.. It intrigued me. Maybe I was being snoopy, but I was curious about his past. He always seemed so misunderstood, so distant, and so MYSTERIOUS I just want to know more.
So I asked, "Nightmares story? That sounds cool. Can you read it to me?"
He nodded, "Of course, now listen closely and I shall tell you." He cleared his throat, and I leaned in to catch his words.
"8000 years ago, in a small city outside of the ancient lands the angels once lived, a woman came. She was carrying a bundle in her arms, wrapped in dark clothe, and from there the famed story began. She was a noblewoman by right of birth, but unlike most nobles, she was the purest soul you could ever find. She always helped the poor, and every man with his marbles still intact knew she was a true beauty."
"But," he continued, "She carried with her a dark, dark, secret. She had left a year ago to recover a weapon from the demons, but as well as the weapon she had retrieved a baby."
It must be Nightmares parents, I thought. Enraptured, I kept listening, looking at the yellow pages of the book as he read them aloud.
"Noone questioned it until a hundred years later, when he was a child, for the baby was a boy. She had kept him inside for years until she finally let him  play with the other kids. But as he stepped out, excited to see the world, the world was not excited for him. For he was a hybrid, half demon, half angel, with no other blood in him. He was a gray angel, the third one in history. Gray angels were known for their powers, their ability to mix both light and dark magic with incredible balance. They were known as the mortal version of ying and yang, the border between both rivalling worlds."
He snapped his fingers and made a glass of water appear. He sipped it a bit and continued on.
"Back then, the angels were at war with the demons. Even talking to the other was considered frowned upon, and having a child was considered evil and traitorous to both sides. But noone could prove that he was half demon, and so the woman was spared. The boy grew up by himself, no other children willing to keep him company. But he did not mind, he who was dark and light, for why should he? His power kept growing, and whether he willed it or not it scared those around him. Fear of the unnatural, the powerful, surrounded him like a shroud."
  "One day, on his 15th birthday, his uncle found the charges and put his mother to death with it. Noone is sure what happened then, but it was said that the boy lost a bit of his sanity. For after that day his magic grew ever stronger... Only his darkside was more unpredictable then his light. Ensnared by thoughts of revenge, the youth plotted to kill his uncle and avenge his poor late mother, but the opportunity never arose. After several years, once he had turned 17, he had found the opportunity to finally do her justice, although a terrible one."
"He stole the scythe whos name cannot be pronounced except by its master, and made his escape into the woods. His uncle sent many a soldier after him, but they all died or simply couldn't find him. His uncle grew ever more nervous, surrounding himself with guards. And hence was the beginning of the dark reaper. A few weeks after his escape, he returned to the city in the dead of night and murdered his uncle in his bed. His cousin offered to grant him shelter, and he agreed, but in the night even his cousin betrayed him, slipping poison into his drink. But he did not survive either, slain by the cursed blade."
"At this point, wanted posters had been put up for the boys capture and/or death. Everyone knew who he was, and noone would offer him shelter. For Abaddon halfbreed was a fickle sort, feared by many. And so he ran. He ran night and day, slipping into regions where none travelled alone. Occasionally he would pass through a town or city to get supplies, but never longer then a night. Then, one day, a young angel by the name of Nico found him and attempted to kill him. But the Dark Reaper could not be bested. However instead of killing him he allowed Nico to live, for unknown reasons, and they became partners in crime."
Nico... A sneaking suspicion swirled in my mind. Scratch continued speaking, and eagerly I listened.
"Not much was known about Nico, besides he came from a poor region and his magic was quite average. However, if not for his healing magics, they both would have been killed many times. Nico was Abaddons healer, friend, and rumoured lover. They both knew they would be killed on sight, but neither one of them turned themselves in. For a few years nothing seemed to happen to the pair, but as word spread of their misdeeds their fame grew. They were known as Scythe and Dagger, and they killed any foe stupid enough to challenge them."
"Then, one day, karma struck. A group of knights found the pair and while they tried to escape, managed to fatally wound Nico. The dark reaper, not having the ability to heal, lost him. Thinking he was dead, he destroyed himself with magic, leaving behind shards of his once crystal heart. The guards accounts say that they watched as the Crystal turned black, darker then the night itself, and from then on no-one heard of the dark reaper again."
Tears rolled down my cheeks. Nightmare... He really went through all that..? "That's so sad..."
"I know... I told you so. Want me to continue?"
"Y-Yeah." I wiped my tears on my sleeve.
He nodded and turned to the book again, but he did place a wing around me in comfort.
"Nico, in the few seconds he had left to live, was healed by a guard who happened to have healing magic. When Nico awoke and learned of his companions fate, he tried to kill the guards. However since his power was not destructive like Reapers, he could not win. They took him back to the kingdom and locked him up, hoping to slip some secrets from his mind, but it was useless. Nico was too filled with grief to obey the guards"
"In the dead of night Nico vanished, escaping with a fellow inmate. He stole a amulet known as Svordinal, 'life bringer', and escaped into the night. The amulet was rumoured to give one immortality and power, but it was a demons tool, and hence had a demons curse. The last known account was that Nico was under the demon queen, Lidia's, reign. Although no-one can be certain he his alive or if the accounts were true. The end."
He shut the book and placed it on his lap, tracing the edges of the runes with a finger.
"I don't think Nightmare knows that last part, and I'm not planning on telling him. If he found out who knows what he'll do. Anyways, that's Nightmares past. He didn't live a good life, and he certainly never forgotten it."
"I remember him telling me some of it, but I never imagined..."
"Once I caught him drinking at 5 in the morning. He was in a really bad mood then, and it appeared he did that regularily what with all our alcohol disappearing. I mean, if you had to live forever and were put through THAT it would make sense why he drank. Either way, since you've been visiting he's been a lot better"
"That's good I guess..." I was still digesting what I heard, thinking on it. So Nightmare lost his family, had no friends to call his own, and lost the one he cared most for... No wonder he was so distant. I knew as soon as I met him something was dark about him, something off, but I never thought it was this bad. I hope he's alright... Is that why he wanted to protect me...?
"Yeah, you make him happy, so just keep doing what your doing. Who knows? He might finally get over his past."
I looked up and smiled, hopeful.
"I hope he does. I don't like seeing him hurt."