Earth and Shadow (read desc)

Mind Breaker

"I'm sorry I'm trying to be as gentle as I can."
"I-it's fine."
I had used up the entire roll of bandages so I had to get more and keep wrapping him up. Blaise kept watch, making sure no-one attacked.
"Soooo," she said, "You going on another 'mini quest' anytime soon Nightmare?"
"Shut up. This was the only time I got caught."
"Well you should've been more careful, I mean, look at yourself."
I finished the last bandage, "I'm done."
Nightmare grunted and sat up.
"T-thanks Rain."
He made his scythe appear and used it to stand up. I stood up as well, ready in case he should fall over.
"So why is the queen after your scythe?" Blaise casually asked.
"Why do you think? Even before I got it, it was known to be powerful and deadly. The person before me was known as one of the most feared demons for his time."
"Wait- WHY do you have it then?"
He smirked. "It called to me."
He started walking away, using his scythe for support. Blaise picked up Scratch and muttered.
"What a load of bullcrap.."
I followed along behind. As we walked I noticed something odd... Nightmares aura seemed visible. I could see faint black shadows swirling around him. It encompassed his scythe as well, looking quite intimidating.
Blaise pointed to him, "Woah, Nightmare, I can see your aura."
"I-I know. I'm using the last reserves of my power to keep going, it's going to give me an aura."
"...I feel like we should carry you or something. As strong as you are, and I know your quite powerful, everyone has a limit."
"I'm undead, Blaise, I'll survive. If I were you I'd worry more over Scratch right now."
I smiled and came up behind Nightmare. I picked him up, "Oki let's go."
"But I'm.. Nevermind."
Blaise grinned.
"Ha! That's what I thought."
I giggled. He was heavier then expected, but then again I wasn't as weak as I appeared.
"Okay let's go." I smiled.
We walked for awhile. A few demons attacked us every once in awhile, but they were dispatched with no difficulty. Finally, after who knows how long, we emerged to the demon gate. It looked like a ginormous portal, and as we passed through, Nightmare closed his eyes, passed out.
"Dammit. Hey, wake up." Blaise nudged him but he stayed asleep.
"Leave him be."
"Fine, but we might need him, he knows this area better then us." As I looked around I could see huge hills as far as the eye could see. There were a few dead trees sticking out of the soil, but it was mostly dominated by strange bright green grass.
"Something seems fishy here.. Eh let's just rest up a bit until Scratch and Nightmare wake up. Besides, I always wanted to sleep under the stars, so this is perfect." She smiled.
"Okay, that's fine." I set Nightmare down in the grass. Blaise did the same with Scratch then started making a campfire.
I noticed Scratch was still injured so I started to bandage him up as well. Blaise sat down and took a deep breathe of the fresh air, looking up at the sky.
"I'm glad we're out of there though. It's SOO much nicer here then in the demon world. I have no idea how Scratch could live there all those years. Speaking of, once he wakes up I'm going to chew him out for getting himself stabbed. For a smart guy he's such an idiot sometimes, putting himself in front of the queen like that." She shook her head.
"Now that I've been in your land for a little bit I'm starting to see that some of it is fvcked up."
She smirked, "no kidding. Probably not as messed up as yours, but there are some parts that are DEFINETLY fvcked up. The demons seem to be the main problem. Every few thousand years they try and take over the world or some shit. The powerful demons are always greedy bastards, I mean, even angels have our wicked side but they seem to like it."
"The queen is a good example though" she continued, "She literally kidnapped nightmare just to torture him for stuff she doesn't even need."
"Why hasn't anyone, I don't know, killed her. Somebody needs to stop her."
"Because she's immortal, duh. Anyone who sits on that blasted throne gains immortality and amazing power, until someone challenges them to a duel. If the challenger wins they get the throne. However, for all of her greatness, she has no immortality outside of her realm. She can die both on this land and in the angel's skylands. if she dies Alex will probably fight her for the throne and win. Usually the heirs become the next ruler."
I sighed, "So stupid..."
"Yeah, it's dumb. In the angel lands its a bit more difficult to gain ranks. It mostly depends on your ability, legacy, and inheritance. As well as lineage. My mom was a tailor, my dad a soldier. After he... left... I followed in his footsteps and became what I am now. A tracker slash soldier slash whatever."
She poked at the flames and sighed, "Much good it did me, there are no more angels, because we don't have a society anymore. So my rank is basically useless. What a life huh. What. A. Life."
"At least you have useful talents."
"Eh, I can read peoples minds, change emotions, track people, and stick people with my spear. That's basically all I can do, besides simple magic."
"Well that's way more then growing and healing plants," I pointed out.
"Hey I like your ability, it's cool. Wanna see mine?"
"Sure!" I started getting more cheerful as my curiosity grew once again. She smiled and closed her eyes. I felt a faint whisper against my consciousness, and I got some goosebumps. Distracted, I looked at Nightmare, and smiled. He looked so peaceful..
"Your thinking... That Nightmare is hot af and that my powers are cool. Was I correct?"
My face went hot instantly. "Yes," I mumbled reluctantly.
She giggled, "I've still got it. Hmmm now your embarrassed that I know your secret crush on nightmare, and I can also tell your worried for that big idiot, and you wish you had my magic because it's amazing."
I nodded.
"All true."
She opened her eyes and grinned at me.. Except her eyes were different.
"Your eyes are- Glowing white."
"I KNOW ALL AND SEE ALL! FEAR ME." She laughed, and I laughed too. After a moment, still giggling, she said, "Juuust kidding of course. That's my magic at work. You know how when Nightmare uses his magic his hands glow black? Welp my eyes glow white."
"The fact you can see what I'm thinking scares me but it's cool at the same time." I confessed.
"I know right? With this ability I can also sense where someone is or where they went. It's like leaving a trail of breadcrumbs for me to follow. Which is why I love it."
"It sounds useful, hey can I show you something?"
Her eyes stopped glowing and she nodded, "Sure!"
I smiled. I dipped my hand into the fire and mumbled something under my breathe. When I took it out a little fire lizard was in the palm of my hand. Blaise's eyes sparkled.
"Woah! That's so cool! Awwww the lizards SO CUTE!!"
I set the lizard down, and it crawled right up to Blaise. She rubbed its head with a finger, petting it. After a moment she said.
"Man, I wonder what Solus would think of this."
I had no idea who Solus was, but I didn't question it.
"Of this whole situation?"
"Yeah, I mean, it all seems crazy yet natural. Nightmare getting captured, the queen going nuts. And also the fact you have AMAZING powers. Oh shoot that reminds me, Scratch's bandages need to get changed."
"Well I have enough left for him."
"Then let's heal this sucker. I have some experience bandaging if you need some help."
I started unbandaging him, gently peeling off the now red linen.
"That's fine I got it, I used to heal people in war. Some of their wounds were worse then this."
"I grew up in a war. I was young then, but I still remember some of it. I actually fought in the war too. I was about.. Hmm... 5 in angel years. It was pretty crazy."
"How long are angel years?"
"Well, one year is usually about 60 or 80 regular years. Our lives are slower, and we mature at our own pace. All angels are immortal. And.. Well.. We're the only immortal race. Even scratch is mortal. Even nightmare before he became immortal. it's a very low chance that a angel hybrid will gain our long lives. But an angel can still die from a wound or magic. And, well, that's why my kinds basically extinct. Cause of greed from younger races."
"It's kind of the same thing in Lysteria too."
"Yeah... It seems nowhere is safe anymore. If we have cousins across the seas I hope they fare better then our situation."
"Heh yeah... But for us it was basically normal. When life was created it was our 'job"
"That's kind of a sucky job, no offense. Now, my kind can rebuild itself. We are capable of it. But the demons took something from us, and now no more angels can be born without them living normal lives. Meaning, they will be mortal."
"That sounds disappointing."
"Yeah. It's our homeland. We were born there for centuries. In fact, ANYONE who's born there gains immortality. But when the demons stormed it they corrupted the land. Thousands upon thousands of angels died. Their death marks have also ruined the land. Now every time an angel goes there we weaken, and get sick."
Nightmare frowned in his sleep, a little bit of shadow curling up from his hand. Blaise paused.
"Hm? What's going on with him?"
I turned around and looked at Nightmare, "I don't know."
I went over to him. Blaise touched his wrist and closed her eyes. Suddenly she recoiled and looked away from me, hiding her expression.
"What's up?"
"His mind... Its a lot darker then I expected. I just had a brush with his magic, that's all... And well... I don't know what I expected. I only caught a glimpse before his magic kicked me out but he's definitely going through some sort of nightmare."
"Awe, poor Nightmare." I held his hand, trying to comfort him in his sleep.