“Who are you?” a calm voice asked from the darkness.   “Isleen Amara Krugle Balatro - Blessed by Death, Daughter of Love and Dreams, Charge of ” but before she could continue, electricity ran through her restraints through her body. She growled with a loud, wet snarl. Isleen lunged towards the voice until her shackles snapped her back. The lycan fell back, hitting the wall and causing the metal to cut into her wrists. The wounds did not heal which caused more anxiety for the girl. Her heavy breathing was the only sound echoed in the air. The only source of light was a single, small window high on the wall. Even if she had been free of the silver chains, there was no way she could jump that high or get through a hole so small. For a moment, she allowed herself the fantasy of a rescue but then pushed it away. Nothing was more dangerous than hope. If Isleen had no idea where she was or who had taken her, much less why, there was no point in thinking someone else might. Slowly, time ticked on. The captor would come back with the same, simple question. And again, she thrashed and clung to her name. She fought against the cuffs to no avail before the stillness filled the air once again. Isleen watched the night return to day from the window but eventually her host stopped coming daily. Her black, wild hair was matted with sweat and tears had stained her cheeks. The lycan curled up on the floor but the scent of dried blood on her forearms made her nauseous. Her meals, which were slim at best, also became scarce. The wolf began to lose touch with time. The weight of the silence began to crush her will and the hunger made her dizzy and weak. The next time the voice greeted her, the girl still gave her full name and title but withheld her lineage. There would be less electricity but nothing else changed. A sliver of hope filled her heart but the fatigue quickly washed away the light. There was no savior coming. There was no reprieve from the pain. There was simply her perceived privilege causing her suffering.One morning, she felt arms wrapped around her on the floor. A smile pulled her lips open as his scent washed over her. Isleen snapped up and the fantasy dissipated. Isleen cursed Fate for allowing such a cruel dream to creep into her thoughts. She was still stuck on this endless loop. When the voice stopped coming, Isleen accepted she would rot in the cell until Death brought her home. “Who are you?” the voice asked sending a chill up her spine. Isleen wetted her lips and swallowed hard. “Isleen,” she whispered. She braced for another jolt to course through her body. “And?” it replied for the first time. Isleen became paralyzed with fear, not knowing what to say. “You are nothing. You mean nothing. That life is gone. That girl is dead.” Isleen paused before blurting out, “Okay!” The voice, however, said nothing. Isleen began to softly sob as the words sunk into her soul. It wasn’t until the girl began to repeat them to herself that the voice visited again. “I am Isleen. I am nothing. I mean nothing,” she muttered before the cuffs fell open. She scoffed as a mixture of relief and disbelief slammed into her. The wolf rubbed her wounds before slowly rising to her feet. Her entire body screamed at the movement, causing her to lean against the wall. With a deep breath, she pushed herself forward and found a door. Frantically, she followed the scent of fresh air to find a break in the labyrinth that seemed to only hold her. The moment her feet touched grass, she fell to her knees. Immediately her body began to shift into her wolf form. She screamed more than any other shift as her injuries reformed in a distorted position. The red wolf sniffed herself for a moment before bursting forward and running through the tree line. Her feet could not get away from there fast enough. Soon she had to stop and began to sniff around for a safe hideaway. Her mismatched eyes spotted a fallen tree and decided that would do. She pried herself in between the limbs and pressed her body against the trunk in the tightest ball possible. Isleen did not hope. She did not pray. She simply slept.

Breakfast had been less than satisfactory, but Ethan had to admit that his selection of taverns was subpar. Normally, he did not take such long treks away from his usual cities since having come to Revaliir. There was nothing for him in this world that fully held his attention. A couple of times his interest was piqued, but the vampire hybrid could not hold his thoughts from the past. Daily he would let his mind trail back to the days when he was with those of his true heart. Ethan growled at himself as he brushed away the ache that always loomed around him. There was no going back, and the hope of anyone returning here was too much to tolerate.

At his side in a rather ordinary sheath was his newly acquired sword. It had been ‘abandoned’ by the previous owner, and Ethan could not bring himself to allow it to be left alone. The sapphire blade held a great deal of promise for future encounters that needed a bit of more bite. He pushed his cloak from away of his arms to allow for freer motion. There was no destination in mind for the walk that he was taking. There was no reason for him to leave the sanctuary that had been set up in his little home that was hidden away. All there was, was a pull. Ethan had not felt anything that felt like a drive in a long time. Since it had been such a while, he decided to follow that instinct and let it push him to wherever it willed.

He stood at the crest of a small hill in the road to look out to see if there was anything of significance in the area; there was nothing. Trees dotted the landscape on the gloomy day. There wasn’t much to what he saw even though he could smell the Umbral Depths nearby. The scent smelled the same as those of the Depths back in DaeLuin where he had once been held captive. It had been ages since then, but it still brought back dark memories.

Ethan made his way into the longer grass. Another scent came to his senses that made him stop immediately. Brows knit together as he attempted to decipher the scent. Memories came flooding back to him that had been attempted to be put away. Hand resting on this sword hilt he ran towards the origin of the scent to find a black wolf curled in a tight ball within the protective roots of a tree. He could not help but fall to his knees while looking upon the creature.

Each strand of fur looked familiar. He continued to just stare as the wolf slept. Ethan dared not to reach out and touch her out of fear that the illusion before his crimson eyes would disappear again. This time, there was the scent that his imagination could not quite get down. ”By the blood…Isleen?” His voice was soft, and too hopeful.

[It will get better, promise!]

Her ragged breath would become quieter and even. Occasionally Isleen would wake from her slumber with panicked eyes. All she wanted to do was run, but her body simply wouldn’t allow it. However, the protection of the roots brought her comfort and eventually she felt the need to sleep again. She exhaled slowly and closed her eyes once more. 

Heavy eyelids lifted to see a rainbow of colors in the horizon as the sun began to rise. An ache made her stomach cringe. Her dark nose twitched to see if she could smell anything nearby. Cautiously she emerged from her safety then rubbed the side of her face along the roots. Her body ached from the movement. She leaned forward with a whimper and back with another. The muscles screamed at her before relaxing. Isleen walked forward with a small limp. Her front legs had not fully healed from the silver cuffs. Her face pursed with confusion. She leaned down to smell her wounds and wondered if she had been poisoned. Gingerly, the black wolf licked the affected area. 

Slowly she walked forward before deciding that the hunger was less important. The wolf ducked her head back down and crawled back into her spot. Frankly, Isleen was scared. She wasn’t sure if she was on an island or if she could get away from the dungeons through land. It didn’t help that he sense of direction was thrown off. Nothing about this place felt right or familiar. When she had been in the cell, she tried to remember how or when she was captured but simply could not. It seemed less important now that she was free from her confines. The thought of safety once she was stronger was enough to let the wolf fall back asleep once more. 

A male’s voice drifted into the darkness of her semi-conscious state. The words wrapped around her thoughts with a warm, comforting embrace. Once Isleen registered the words and heard her name, she snapped awake. The wolf attempted to back up further into the tree. With raised hackles and fur puffed out, she growled at the figure in front of her. The wolf quickly realized that while the roots did provide protection, she was also stuck. The man, however, was on his knees and unthreatening despite the large sword. She lifted her lips and growled once again but with more confidence. If he thought he was going to lure her out and bring her back, he was sadly mistaken. Isleen quickly decided she would die before being captive again. Her piercing grey gaze met his crimson orbs with hostility. She desperately needed him to move out of her way.

The hybrid felt himself all but shake. He stayed upon his knees while staring in disbelief that the wolf growling at him was the one who he had thought had been lost to him for eternity. Ethan had dared not hope or to deeply dream of having her back. Yet, there she was baring her fangs at him. Even the stance that her wolven form took was familiar to him. Eye contact was not broken as his fingers worked to loosen the belt and sheath at his waist. Sword and scabbard clattered to the grass at his side. He retained the eye contact even as he pushed the sword away from him in an effort to show that he did not mean any hostility.

”Isleen? Please tell me you are in there. Remember me…” Ethan knew that his voice was beginning to crack just as his heart was. The vampire half-breed inhaled sharply in an attempt to bring some sense of composure. There were those that had come to Revaliir with a great deal of confusion or a lack of memory. Ethan had been fortunate to not have dealt with either one of those afflictions. Somehow, he had arrived unmarred from the transfer; there was still no clues as to how he had come to the new land. Thankfully, the vampire had a tendency to find himself amongst a new crowd in order for select a well-earned meal. Whom or what was responsible for his survival were unknown. At this point, Ethan did not care.

How Isleen had been able to come to Revaliir, he cared all the while he did not. She was there…even if it were to lash her teeth at him. Ethan’s features softened as he sunk further to the ground. Hands on the earth he looked at the wolf with a threat of tears to fall. The same fire that burned in her was still there now, even if it was directed at him.

The question was how to get through to the wolf that felt he was a current threat. A quick breath was taken as he pushed his body to make the change. It had not been done since his last run with Isleen all that time ago. The first time he had altered his form had been difficult and under great stress. This time, he had to remember what it felt like to not be upon two legs. It had hurt him to even think about changing without her to be beside him.

Surprisingly, the change had been quick. Two legged form was replaced with that of a four legged one covered in a mix of gray and brown fur. Ethan stretch the taut muscles in an attempt to remember what it felt like to be in that particular form. He shook from side to side to feel the muscles in his back ripple across the new skeleton structure. Finally, his crimson orbs glanced up again to see the black wolf. He took a few steps back to give the femme room, though not enough that she could get away if she decided to run. Ethan was not about to lose her again. ”Isleen. Try to remember me. It’s Ethan. Ethan Blackbird, cousin to Kiba Balatro. Teu. Do you remember? By the blood, please tell me you remember.” His tail wagged slightly though low as his hopes were circling.

The rust colored wolf was never an alpha in title but she also wasn't submissive due to her raising. Her birth parents were not a factor during the majority of her life. Instead, she was raised in a Pack environment by her godparents with various wolf races. They still had rituals and ran together frequently both for exercise and to hunt. Like many strong willed children, she struggled to follow orders at times unless her father, Kiba, used his influence on her to force the point. Fortunately, that was a rare occurrence. Kiba had another daughter. Teu was the kinder, gentler of the two sisters but this allowed Isleen to share something special with him. Both of the girls had their roles within the Pack and the Guild. Eventually, Isleen would be blessed by Death and thus forced to truly break away to forge her own path while Teu excelled in her roles.

Isleen’s instincts to run were overwhelming. However, with this man blocking her, it looked like she was going to have to fight before her body was truly healed. Her red tail was fully tucked under her cream belly with her back arched. Her shoulders were lowered slightly to prepare to jump forward at him with her teeth bared. Her silver eyes broke his gaze and narrowed at his movements. She swallowed hard when the sword slid away from him. The wolf didn't understand what he was doing or why. She had made it as clear as possible that she would attack him if he didn't move. Why wasn't he moving? She met his gaze and growled lowly again. He may have been disarmed but he was still being disobedient, challenging her by staying in place and making direct eye contact.

Then he said her name again. Her posture softened slightly but her fur was still standing straight up. She inhaled deeply. Isleen’s heart ached as her mind was certain this was a cruel trick. Her captor clearly had more sadistic games in store for her. And yet, a seed of doubt began to grow within her. His crimson eyes held the same passion she remembered as his scent continued to blend with hers. Was it possible? Of course - but hope and love were luxuries she couldn’t afford until she was far away from the dungeons that held her.

Isleen felt the air shift around them as magic wafted. Her tail unfurrowed but remained low and cautious. Her head tilted slightly as she watched him shift. A multicolored wolf replaced where the man had been kneeling. She knew that wolf. The dark wolf blinked slowly to make sure her eyes were not deceiving her as he stretched in his new form. Isleen carefully eased out from her protective corner. She heard him again and suddenly a whine of realization and excitement escaped her. “Ethan?” she questioned with an eager tone. The black wolf neared him with dangerous optimism. Her nose danced along him, breathing deeply as she circled him. “Ethan!” she said again, this time with confidence and joy. She used her nose to poke him before kissing his face. Her tail waved side to side, fighting back tears of relief and joy.

She eased away from him for a moment to meet his gaze once more. “I’m so sorry,” she sighed, feeling foolish for snarling at him for so long. She should’ve known. “I love you,” she quickly blurted out. When their relationship had evolved, the girl had still be guarded. It wasn’t until the day a demon tortured her nearly to death causing Ethan to shift to his form for the first time that she had ever said those three words out loud to him. In this moment, Isleen could not wait. She didn’t have the strength to hold in her feelings.

Inwardly he had to admit that there was still hesitation to making a shift into his wolven form. There was little experience with it as well as he knew little of how to fully control the form. Despite his internal concern, Ethan would do whatever was necessary for Isleen. She had been the only one to encourage him turn. Each move made was made that more important as he attempted to prove his existence to the other wolf. Much had occurred between them over the years. He had watched her grow into a strong young woman. She had a personality that had not been found in any other. Ethan had only ever wanted her, and yet fate had torn them apart. The wolf took a cautious step forward as his internal struggle continued to push him. Desperately, the hybrid wished to hold her close to him.

The vampire knew that he would do just about anything to get her memory to return. Let her see me. This repeated in his head almost constantly as if it would help. He watched her carefully still with his crimson orbs. Tail swished behind him slowly as he watched the shift in her stance. Watching the red wolf come out of her hiding spot gave a sense of hope that was almost too much to bear. Ethan liked his maw just as the other wolf repeated his name. He could not hold back the wagging of his tail in excitement. ”It is me,” he reassured.

Her investigation of him pushed him to stay still. If he went with his instincts he would have pinned the femme to the ground and keep her in his grasp until the end of time. Once Ethan felt confident enough to hold himself in check, the brute allowed himself to nuzzle her back. Her scent immediately made all of his will leave his mind. ”By the blood, Isleen. You have been brought back to me. I don’t know how, but I really don’t care. I can’t believe you are really here.” Ethan nuzzled his face against her to use his neck to hold her against him. The warmth she radiated told him that her presence was the truth. ”I love you,” he responded. ”Simply and fully.”

There was little else he could say to her. She had been everything that had filled his head since the transition to Revallir. The death of DaeLuin had been brutal and final. Void had taken everything from the vampire hybrid. Ethan shook his head to put the thought of the pain and darkness out of his mind in order to focus on the blessing that was there. Playfully, the larger wolf pulled the femme to the ground so she lay upon him while he was upon his back. He looked up at her with legs cradling each side of her face. ”You are just as I remember. How are you here? I don’t want to know, but at the same time I want to know what or who I should be thanking for bringing you back to my life.” Ethan placed kisses along her jawline, cheek and neck. He never wanted to let her go from his sight ever again.

She watched him carefully. His movements were not fluid and natural as they should have been. Frankly, the girl preferred her wolf form. It seemed less fragile despite being unable to cast magic. Isleen enjoyed the purity of this state. There were basic needs and instincts to satisfy them. The taste of a fresh rabbit in between her jaws fulfilled her hunger far better than any prepared meal. The scents in the air were far more captivating, her lungs expanded to fully take them in. She could not enjoy the full color spectrum but the trade off of being able to see even better in the dark. When she cared enough to think of her birth parents, the dark haired girl wondered about how her lycan father felt about her vampire mother's attributes as well as vice versa. She longed to meet them both and compare her strengthens and weaknesses with theirs. As far as Isleen knew, she was the only one of her kind. The Balatro family had their own wolf lineage but it wasn't the same. The night that Ethan shifted into his wolf form for the first time selfishly made her happy. The conditions that brought out the beast obviously were not ideal but the fact he too shared both lines made her less alone. He had been her partner in life in more ways than one; the transformation simply sealed the fact he was her solace when the darkness was too much.

She could feel the relief wash over both of them as he reassured her. The red wolf nodded. Hearing those three little words come from his lips so effortlessly filled the the crevices of her soul with warmth. As she pressed in against him, she nuzzled her scent as much as she could. Isleen's movements were still pained but her focus was on getting him to relax. "You haven't shifted recently, have you?" she questioned with a pointed gaze. It wasn't unlike him to get so wrapped in a task that he would forget to eat. Considering he preferred his other form, she could imagine it never even occurred to him to run with four legs every once in a while.

As choked her as she was pulled  to the ground. The wolf shook her head playfully. She rubbed her cheek against him. " When did I see you last?" Isleen asked with a strained tone. Her breathing shortened as anxiety crept in. She huffed, trying to push back the panic. However, her skin began to crawl as she tried to remember anything. There was one simple truth that she felt was self evident; she was nothing. Looking at Ethan, she did not deserve him. He had been there for every major milestone and what had she offered him in return? Nothing. A pang of sadness and regret disturbed the joy. 

"Where exactly is here?" she asked with some hesitation. The wolf had not explored too many lands in her short life time but this place didn't ring any bells in her mind. She glanced towards the dungeon and then back at him. "That way - is that where you were tortured as a boy"? Isleen wondered if perhaps there was a correlation with the abuse she endured and his own. It would not have been terribly surprising. He had belonged to a guild of miscreants and vagabonds shrouded in deceit while her upbringing was in another guild primary composed of heroes and healers. All of that was prior to her serving the God of Death. That being said, she couldn't think of a reason why she deserved that treatment now.  Something wasn't adding up. The rust colored wolf propped her to front legs up as her tail waggled.

The hybrid realized there was a bit of pain in his joints as he moved only in the slightest. Ethan knew that he should have changed more often and sooner. Yet, he had been unable to bring himself to change his form without Isleen at his side. Many years had passed in his life time where he had been unable to tap into is inner wolf. Resentment had built up to the point of hatred towards his family. They had been a great Pack known throughout DaeLuin, and revered by some cultures beyond that of them having deities lofted within it. No, the diowolves were powerful creatures that had few rivals. Yet, he had no capability to tap into it until Isleen’s situation had pushed him into the change. Ethan had wished for that change, and yet even though he had accomplished it…the vampire mix did not use it after the loss of his other half.

Ethan titled his angular head to the side as he watched her press up against him. His maw held a small smile as he considered the question. ”That is correct,” he replied simply. Crimson gaze was still soft while looking upon her red fur against him. He could hardly believe that she had been returned to him. ”I couldn’t bring myself to do it without you.” The answer was truthful. Ethan did not want to hold anything back now that they were finally together again. Prior lives had been shadowed by doubt with their positions and feelings. He had wished that he had admitted everything sooner, and would not allow things to go unspoken again.

He chuckled lightly as she rubbed her cheek against him. The diowolf revealed in the scent that belonged to her. Ethan put a paw upon her back as she asked the question. For a moment he allowed his gaze to look into the distance as he attempted to formulate an answer. {b]”I don’t have the exact time, my heart. It has been some interval. DaeLuin fell into the Void, and I am not sure. Some came over immediately and it seems as if others were in some sort of stasis to transfer later. I have been here for a year, as far as I can remember.” His paw pet the top of her head as he leaned forward to lick her cheek gently.

His head tilted to the side as he attempted to comprise an answer. ”This world is called Revaliir. It is a land ruled by deities as DaeLuin had once been. World Tree presides over all, which makes me wonder how many more worlds are like this and our old one.” When she asked the question of his boyhood trauma, Ethan noticeably flinched. He had not thought about it in depth for a long while, but her memory had been correct. ”Yes. It was similar in many ways. I was used in underground fighting pits under duress. It was where I learned of my unique talent though.” Ethan shifted to allow Isleen to move freely. As he looked at her, he noticed the wear on her form that made him clench his teeth. ”Isleen, what happened?” He moved forward and began to lick at her neck and moved along her shoulder blade line.

The comment that he couldn't shift without her should have made Isleen's heart warm. Instead she scoffed at him. Though he had not been able to shift himself, he had been around wolf races enough to know that it was a physical need, no different than satisfying hunger or bathing. "You musn't go so long again," she growled softly. "Promise me, no matter what, Ethan Blackbird, promise me," the rust colored wolf added with a softer tone. "We do not know what the ramifications would be." The girl heard horror stories of shifters that became caught mid-transformation and eventually died because the two forms clashed against one another in an effort to live. There was a chance since his wolf form was relatively new compared to his long lifespan that Ethan did not have such things to worry about. However, her heart couldn't bare to think of him like that. She also refused to allow her death, real or not, to be the reason he deprived himself of something so necessary and natural. They never spoke of sex but she was sure he had not kept himself from others. This, in her eyes, was no different. 

As the dark wolf began to explain, her a pit sank into her stomach. She could see Ethan searching for the right words. "The Void? After a war, no doubt," she questioned softly as she reach back into her mind as far as possible."A year isn't so bad," she replied but a slight crack in her voice gave away her pain. She leaned into his kiss and touch before new thoughts plagued her mind. "What of our family? Teu? Thanatos had chosen her last I remember. And father? Mother?" Isleen's heart raced as she wondered who else had transferred verses who else transferred. "Any trace of Neveah?" she added, thinking of her birth mother for the first time in a long while. At that moment, family was family. The rest simply didn't matter.

She mulled over the thought that this place, though similar, was not Daeluin. The idea that Revaliir also had two moons, a World Tree, and many gods felt surprising. Her world had felt so unique and special until then. Isleen felt awful seeing Ethan flinch. "I only ask in case that was the same place, I am sorry. I did not mean to hurt you," she murmured. She heard his question but the words would not come forward. The rust colored wolf rose and began to pace side to side. Her gaze darted all around, looking anywhere but at him. "I can't - I can't stay here," she replied. She looked up to the horizon. "We need to go. How do we leave?" Isleen quickly added. Her nose went to the ground, searching for a scent that would lead her away. It had been foolish to try but she couldn't help herself. The wolf looked back towards where she knew the pits remained.Is someone there? Are we being watched? We need to go. Go now. "Ethan," she whimpered. She had so many new questions about this place and where she stood within it but there was one thing she knew to be certain, this place would kill her if they remained. She stood with an alert posture but felt ready to break into a quick sprint at a moment's notice. 

”I heard that,” he muttered at her with an eye roll. The diowolf laughed softly, but he understood how Isleen felt on the subject. Ethan had craved his wolven form since he had been a child. The rest of his family had the ability to freely change whenever they desired. Ethan had been left to dwell as a two legger as his vampiric goddess mother did while watching his twin sister run alongside their father. Anger had built up in him to the point of leaving the family to find somewhere that would accept him. Azrail had done that, but it had also further distanced him from the ability to change. Isleen lived for the change as it was a part of who she was on the daily basis. He knew little of the consequences that concerned her. ”I will make an effort to do better. There has not been a pull towards it, but also there has not been an exposure to other wolves while you have been….not with me.” Crimson orbs searched the rust wolf’s features, but was met with concern. He leaned over with his maw to place a kiss upon her cheek.

”We don’t know what triggered it. The World Tree was weak after all that had happened. Even with the new gods that had taken mantel, the Tree had not stabilized as we had hoped. It could not protect us. From there….I don’t know how I got here. From rumors, more have been streaming in; time has been lost to them and even some memories. I have not witnessed it myself, but the rumors run thick in the taverns.” Ethan adjusted his long legs that began to look more like fidgeting. He was becoming more aware of the lack of familiarity with the form he was in. The hybrid rolled his eyes at himself, but quickly attention was brought to the panicking Isleen. ”Hold on. Just relax.” The older wolf leaned up to give his full attention and look in her eyes. ”I have not heard any news, but I will admit that I was not looking. I could not allow myself the hope. The loss of everyone once was almost enough to make me lose my mind. To attempt to search and then never have a full answer…I couldn’t handle it. Now that I know you are here, we can start searching for all of them. I can risk the hope that Teu and the children are alive here on Revaliir.” He was surprised to hear Isleen ask about Neveah, but he was glad to hear it. Nev had been a powerful element on Daeluin. He had met her prior and had admired her greatly as had Azrail.

”We can look together to see if there is any sign.” There was a quick shake of his head with a light smile on his maw in response to her apology. ”Unnecessary. I don’t think of it often. Any questions you have I will always answer.” Gaze narrowed as the rust wolf stood up in order to pace. Anxiety was expressed not only in words but in body language. Ethan pushed up from the ground to stand a short distance as her anxiety continued to grow. ”We will leave now. No one will hurt you,” he reassured. The larger wolf braced his shoulder against her’s to maneuver her towards the path that lead back to the town. ”Food and some rest will do you well.” His voice was gentle as he urged her to move further away from the depths. ”Fresh mutton sound appealing? Or something even fresher?” This time his tone had a hint of playfulness to it as he made effort to turn her attention to something else.