In the depths of darkness is there really a way to scale the walls out? When it finally does swallow you whole… will the light even attempt to reach you? When are you really lost? Lost is such a subjective term to begin with… Just because you don’t know where you are or where you are going… doesn’t mean that’s not the place you want to be. Sometimes it’s the exact place you need to be to find out who you are or who you were meant to be.

What happens when that person you were meant to be is so deep into the darkness you have to drown to reach it. Two thousand years of drowning. So much blood. So many dead. So much shouting and not enough quiet. Then in an instant… it all goes silent. Is the shouting in her head? Celeste didn’t know the answer but she had thought maybe it had been Seraphina running her mouth again. The voices didn’t sound like her… It made her interest die a bit as she contemplated in this new silence what exactly it was she was hearing.

They were familiar voices but not completely remembered voices. The pits that she had thrown her memories in before lighting them on fire seemed oddly whole. It was distressing to say the least. Moving from her seat she moved over to the giant window that had been built into her alchemy study. She pulled the heavy curtains back and peeked outside to the gray skies, the empty courtyard, and in general the tossing ocean waves that were not so far off in the distance.

In these simple little moments she was reminded of where she came from, but she did not know her final destination. Honestly, it was almost too perfect the way things were. However, these shattered memories and the horrifying screams were filling her mind on this eve. Fingers combed through her long washed out pink hair. Vacant red eyes were glued onto the tossing waves now. She chewed on her lip if only for a moment before leaving her study. “I’m going out please inform my husband that I don’t know when I’ll be back.”

There had been pleading with her and she had looked back almost too casually. “I’m not going to get lost. I’ll be here in Parvpora just tell him not to worry.” But he would worry, because that was what he did when she was cryptic. There was almost a slam when she closed the manor door behind her. It took a little bit of nothing for her to form a portal to nothingness. Or rather that’s what she made it seem like. No one needed to know where she was going.

The summit of Zujiuchu never changed. In the two thousand years she had been living, it had never once wavered. Perhaps like grass the mountains grew or shrunk with time but she couldn’t tell. The summit was still losing its snow as she tracked through. Her bare feet leaving a trail as her dress whipped with the wind that came with the top of the mountain.

Aersiir, an explorer’s paradise. This place had been the eye of so many in the years since the mysterious disappearance of the inhabitants. A smile would have come to her lips if she had been in her ‘right’ mind. Instead red eyes looked over the crumbling buildings. The star statues and the moon statues were in generally good condition. She could see with the wind blowing that there were specks of rubble that would slowly come down from them. Aersiir architecture knew how to withstand time and the mountain.

Her eyes slid off to the side as she thought she had heard something in the deserted crumbling village. Who would have come to ruins at this time? During this time of the year? Her nose could still smell the blood that was rooted into the land. The blood of her family, the others who had betrayed her, and she thought she could smell the ashes of the only one who had a true grasping of who she had been. The corner of her lip twitched.

Why was she here? Why did she feel lost this time? It was frustrating the small woman as she balled her hands up and stood there in the center of the deadland.

As he had learned long ago, the thrill of a hunt never ceased once the chase was through. Nor was it when the satisfying sound of the prey’s heart faded into nothingness and gave away to silence. No, it was when the last few drops of crimson liquid flowed into his mouth and the husk was all that remained did he feel truly alive. Ironic it was that it was from the end of life that made the hunter feel like his was back. A large wolf of white stood among smaller, normal sized wolves that were ripped apart. They had been foolish to try and challenge him, even with their numbers to his lonesome. One of them did get a good shot at him; his own blood seeped from a gashing wound at the side of his face. Not that it mattered but it only made Nemesis’ need to destroy stronger. And more violent from the gruesome scene and he left them as they were close to the woodline and made the trek back home. Before he reached the door, he shifted and entered the manor. His nude form stained somewhat by blood of his own and his enemies and a servant was waiting near by and hand him a large damp cloth. Nemesis took it and started to clean him before he noticed that she was hesitant about something. “Where’s Celeste?” She slowly answered that she had departed from here and gated somewhere away before handing him his wares. Nemesis quickly got dressed and sighed. “And no exact location?” She shook her head and he waved her away in dismissal.
 
It was out of the norm for his little wolf not to let him know where she would be heading. That meant that something was wrong and he pondered for a moment as to where she’d would go that she wouldn’t want to be followed. After sometime, he thought about her homeland, the place where he had found her so long ago. If anything, he would be sure that she was there. Likely because of the moon incident which plagued her ever since. Creating his own gate, the vaewolf took his leave and stepped onto the grounds that once belonged to the moon elves. The place held no memories for him other than Celeste nor did he wish to remember anything of it. A strong lesson in his life had been that one must move forward and never get caught up in the past. As much as he’d hoped she would follow the same concept, her situation made it nigh impossible to achieve and he couldn’t blame her for it.
 
It took little time for him to reach the remains of her home and sniffing her out, he was able to locate her. He knew that it still bothered her to some degree that she was forced to wipe out the traitors that had the audacity to once call themselves kin to her. Their betrayal only lead to their demise and her securing a spot by his side. Both of those events lead for the moon elves’ legacy to be lost forever. Still, he held no smile across his handsome face as he slowly approached. His footsteps were loud enough for her to sense and he barely slid right on by her as he moved further ahead. “It’s been a long time since we been on this region. How long has it been again?”
 
He turned around and gave her a inquisitive look, “What’s been eating at you this eve? I know that something’s wrong when you up and leave the house without warning.”

His voice didn’t surprise her. He had been worried about her a lot since the situation in Adeluna. Celeste was not a fragile flower that could be easily withered but she was fragile compared to most of the more advanced races. Her crimson eyes flickered over to him and she tilted her head. “Over two thousand years… I think.” It was almost a whisper as the answer left her lips.

Normally she would not dwell on this place but something was eating at her. Normally she could push the thought away but she considered herself a failure in many ways when it came to Nemesis. She did not dishonor the family, no, she had made it stronger alongside him. That was not where she failed him.

“I had a visitor while you were out,” it was abrupt but it wasn’t meant to cause concern. “It just has made a lot of things enter my head…” Her hand went to where her womb lie and her fingers twitched just a bit. “It does bother me you know… Sera might be alright with the fact that she doesn’t want to add to the number of the family but…” It was a hard subject for her.

Many times had her and Nemesis tried. It wasn’t that she couldn’t that wasn’t it. Often times her body was too frail to carry his much larger child. It was a taboo thing that they had tried. She had remembered being told the consequences of trying to carry a child from a larger species other than her own. It made her saddened. She had often lost the child after a few months and when she didn’t… When she was able to bring a child to term, it was too sickly and often plagued with something different. They lost many children trying to find a way around it and when she couldn’t take the number of losses, she just quit trying. “It makes me feel like a failure of a wife. I can’t even get the damn moon curse off of me. I can’t bare your child or even make a healthy one.”

Her fingers were shaking but she did not cry. “So today when our visitor came I was a bit taken back by her words.” She turned her crimson eyes up to her husband and frowned. “That she had something that could fix me. Those weren’t her words they are mine. It was the Draconis girl but what she had wasn’t from her but her mother.”

From the little pocket of her dress, she took out a small wooden box. Popping the lid open there was a tiny crystal vial inside. There was a bluish looking liquid sloshing about. “She had this. I don’t know what it is. I don’t dare try to figure it out, it’s so small that I don’t know… I don’t know if I tried to figure it out if it would waste it. The girl said that her mother gave her specific instructions to tell me that it was a shame that someone couldn’t know motherhood. The girl said she didn’t have a clue what her mother met and that she just assumed that I would know. That woman would know my problem… Wouldn’t she? That’s what she does? Why would she want to fix someone she doesn’t know?”

Her hands were shaky and she quickly shut the box before she dropped it. It was in Nemesis’s hands now. “Take it. I feel like I would break it and watch thousands of years of suffering flash back if I broke that vial. I just want to know what to do… so I came here to clear my thoughts. I don’t know why here. I don’t know why I was drawn here.” She ran her fingers through her hair and found a place to sit down. “It’s bad enough with the Moon Curse… but everything else that I can’t do for you… It makes me feel like I have failed you in some way. Maybe Sera was right all that time ago…” Maybe he shouldn't have kept her around. There were no more tears that she could find. They had been gone for centuries.

Nemesis couldn’t help but to tilt his head at her; Celeste was reserved and quiet but even so, he had never seen this side of her before. Frankly he was genuinely concerned over what was eating at her. Other than the moon crisis, there seem to be something much more deeper to her hidden pain. Slowly he turned fully towards her and inched his way into her personal space. “A visitor?” His eyes followed her body language as he pondered the thought of someone that may have hurt her. It would had meant certain death to disrespect his wives in any way. Nemesis waited to hear more about the visitor but then Celeste reached for her belly. He blinked and only as she was piecing together the words she wanted him to hear did he manage to spell out what was bothering her. Eyes lowered onto the ground as he knew that it was one pain that he couldn’t alleviate her of- she had wanted to children ever since they got together. It hadn’t bothered him to even consider that want before but with Sera’s…lack of desire towards being a mother, it had only made sense that Celeste and he would try. He was there for each time their efforts ended in failure but he had never considered her to be one. It was just one occurrence after another in which the child would not survive long enough inside her or they would be ill. It would be awhile before she gave up and they stopped. But now those old wounds were opened up again- why?
 
Nemesis draped his arm around her and lowered himself onto a knee. His face looked to her with a deep frown, “I never believed you to be such a thing, my little wolf.” He still didn’t know what any of this had to do with the visitor until she told him. Aaryona. What in the devil was she doing at their doorsteps? He would have asked but then she mentioned that the girl’s mother had something that could “fix” her and he stood back up. What was Angela scheming for this time? There was a wooden box taken from her person and he stared at the vial that was now between her fingers. It was so small and slender that any wrong move could result in it breaking. And yet it was to solve their problem? His arms crossed against his person tightly, “That’s Angela for you. I suppose she has something that lets her know these sort of things. I do know that there must be a price for this- she hardly does anything for free, if anything.” He still recalled the mirror she gave him and the promise to not mess with Raeguel. Not that he was bothered as much as to mess with his former self. Right now there were some bigger matters to deal with.
 
The box and its contents soon found themselves in his welcoming hands. “Celeste, your value exceeds that of just baring me children. If that had been my goal, we wouldn’t be having this conversation, no?” His voice was stern but only because he wasn’t liking the toll this situation had on her. “The Moon Curse will be solved at some point, and Sera was wrong back then. She hardly cared unlike now.” Nemesis fell back onto the ground in a seated position beside her, careful as to not drop the box so firmly grasped in his hand. “Still, I should have known that this was bothering you for as long as it had. Perhaps I have not been the ideal husband for you. Certainly had I been a moon elf, we wouldn’t have this problem.” For him, it didn’t matter but a child, an heir would have been helpful to have should anything happen to him. There had to be another to carry on the growing legacy.
 
“If there’s anything life had taught me, it’s this- do not focus on the “what ifs” and “maybes”, and seize the opportunity. Tell me, Celeste, do you really wish for this? Do you wish to have a child of mine?” He opened up the box and held the vial up to her, “If you really want it, then you have to take what you desire and make it yours. Whatever payment is necessary, then I will pay it.”

Nemesis came down to her level as he put an arm around her. She gave him a frown just as much as he gave one to her. “I know you didn’t… if you did it would have been so much harder to try and forgive myself for. No, this is something entirely of how I feel about myself.”

It was an old wound. Something that they had tried very early on and never got. She never got over it and sometimes her nightmares were plagued with the dying cries of her children. “What could she want from us for such a gift?” There were so many things that went through her mind and yet she didn’t know the woman enough to completely understand what she could have been going for. Still though… this gift that she offered was huge for Celeste.

Her crimson eyes watched the box now in his hands. “I know that, this is merely how I feel about myself… I feel like I have let you down in my own way. Constantly something is wrong with me.” It was hard to argue how frail she could be around those of their kind she was lucky to have age and wisdom on her side. She heard him plop down on the ground and yet she did not move and all she could do was watch him.

“You know how I am. Even if something is bothering me I don’t tend to show it… I don’t cry or whine. I deal with it and I lock it away in the back of my mind. I pour myself into my work and I don’t dwell on it. I get nightmares and cold sweats and that is maybe the only time you would know. It took you how long to get things out of me before? You not noticing… there was nothing to notice. I hide things too damn well for my own good.” She finally moved and pressed her lips to his forehead. “If you were a moon elf… You would be just as cursed as I am or dead.” She put her nose into his hair and closed her eyes for a few moments. “I like you the way you are. It is my body that is the problem.”


Finally she pulled back and she tilted her head as she looked at him. “You know that I do. You know that I always have from the moment Sera said she didn’t want to.” There was a fire in her eyes as he held the vial up to her. “I worry about this damning you… I can only imagine what she will ask of you… Or if she hurts you.” She doubted it but she shook her head. This Angela did not seem the type of person to hurt him but she didn’t know the goddess like Nemesis did. “All we can do is try I suppose.”

She took the small bottle and felt like she was going to break it as she popped the cork out of it. The small vial was the oddest looking thing. It didn’t look like there was even a drop in there. Was it that strong? She was worried about it falling out but soon she put it to her lips and drank it in. It felt so warm… It felt unnaturally warm. Her eyes looked dazed as they began to close and she looked tired.

“Take her home Nemesis. Sleep tonight. Tomorrow we discuss the deal.” It was almost like the goddess had been waiting for this moment. The message was clear as Celeste passed out and perfect wind caught her enough to blow her right into him. “Sleep.”

It was a pity that a devoted and loving wife such as Celeste wanted for one thing and it eluded her at each and every turn. It did pained him to see her in so much distress. He knew well of those nights whenever their efforts failed and he watched her at work for hours with no end. He knew of when she slumbered only to wake up in horror from whatever her mind had manifested in her dreams. It was a sad sight and he would do anything within his power to see that she could gain what she wanted. “I do not know. It’s hard to figure out what goes through her head at times. She is only of the few people I’ve encountered that I couldn’t read fully.” Whatever it was there, he had to tread carefully and have his eyes and ears open.
 
Her problems didn’t outweigh her talents and smarts, both of which that were essential to the family. It wasn’t like he wasn’t broken in some way; perhaps that also helped to have him so understanding and unwilling to toss her aside. Especially after all these years together, he wasn’t about to waste that time because of a few problems.
 
“I know. Still I should have sense that it hurt you more than what you let on. You can’t be too hard on yourself, it isn’t your fault, but that of fate’s. It has a cruel sense of humor, I know.” Despite their differences, Nemesis loved her for what she was and he was sure there was a way to rid her of the pain inside. Perhaps Angela’s little vial would be the key to it. All that remained was getting his wife to drink it if she pleased. A snide chuckle escaped his lips, “I know you did. I remember how excited you were when you wished for me to sire you a child. I have no worries over being damned- that has happened many times back in my former life. One more won’t break me. And she’s smart enough to know that I’m the last person she wants to start something with.” It was a subtle matter-of-fact, not that he wasn’t going to pull anything but she was smart enough not to push him into such boundaries because he would go along with it. He handed her the vial and watched as she undid the cork and drinked the bit of contents in it. “How do you fe…” He perked up as he noticed her eyes and how out of it she became. Nemesis sought to catch her as the words came into his ears. It sounded like Angela’s voice and he held onto Celeste's body as it went limp. He could still feel her in this world though so she had only lost consciousness. He looked around them but there was naught but themselves here. “Tomorrow…right.” Now having her in both arms, he picked her up and carried her away as a portal materialized that lead them directly to their bedroom. He settled her into the bed before undressing and climbed into it himself. Sleep was the last thing on his mind as every now and then he checked to make sure that she was stable.

It was the best sleep she had ever had. She was convinced. She woke up to Nemesis fast asleep and moved out of the bed silently as she rubbed her eyes. She was aching but she figured it was only because of the potion that she had so willingly ingested. Putting her feet down she prepared herself to slide off the tall bed like normal only to find herself able to reach already.

Had Nemesis moved the bed down so she was more in comfort? There was a puzzled look on her face but she was far too drowsy to really care at the moment as she stood up and padded her way across the hard marble floor. Opening closet she picked through the dresses and brought one to the mirror to look at herself in it as she always did.

When her crimson eyes met the reflection she dropped the dress. A screech left her lips as finally, she woke up completely. She began to hyperventilate for a few moments as she pushed her long hair back. She was grown! It was impossible but yet… Her mind slipped to the potion she had drunk. Was this the solution to their problems?

She felt herself stumble back just a bit. The dress she had been wearing was unusually tight against her… She should have noticed. She had to bet she was at least five foot seven now. Her hair didn’t come to the floor anymore… Her bust! She moved her hair and looked at its now ample state. Her rear! She peeked behind and found herself blushing now completely. Everything about her was grown like time had never stopped for her. Even her face had gotten older. She looked more sultry than before but she was still very lithe, she had elvish blood after all.

Her red eyes went to Nemesis. “She made me grow… Also… I can’t get this dress off.” It was too tight now. Her head felt light and she felt like her blood was rushing all over the place as she stumbled just a bit from the shock of everything.

There was a knock at the door and Celeste was hesitant. “Lord and Lady, you have a guest here for you.” Her eyes looked wildly back at Nemesis. This gift… was it truly real?

For hours to seeming no end, Nemesis watched his beloved slumber in an unnatural rest. He was still unsure as to what the contents of the vial had done to her other than knock her out. Had it been merely a trick by the goddess in some way or fashion then his rage would be known. But Angela had been a clever, if not cunning and scheming woman at times, and she knew how well revered in violence and vengeance he was. So he suspected that there was more to whatever it was she gave them than met the eye. Still, he couldn't help but to worry for her, especially after everything she had been through.

Sleep threatened his desire to watch over her and by the climax of the night, he could feel himself slipping but still wanting to keep awake. Perhaps it wasn't the best thing to keep away for nights beforehand working on his portraits after all. The vaewolf felt the end of nightfall and yet he fell into his own slumber. It was undoubtedly not as refreshing as one could hope for and it was obvious from the movement of the bed that Celeste had stirred awake and gotten off the bed. With that to cease his chaotic mind, Nemesis simply rolled to his side and allowed himself to fall further into the darkness. 

It was only after he heard her scream did he jolt himself up and looked towards her direction. For a moment he stared at the woman that was in his quarters. At first he swore his eyes were playing tricks on her as he could smell Celeste alright but this was not the same person. He couldn't help but to hear her voice stumbling from her. It was unreal as his eyes explored her body. "Ce…Ce…Celeste?" If his jaw could, it would have fell through the bed and onto the floor. He had always found her mind attractive and alluring but she now possessed a form that even the angels could be envious over. He hurried off the bed, nearly stumbling off and went over to her. Going behind her, his hand went and tore the dress she wore into two so that she could slip right out of it.

"Made you grow…" He couldn't help but to mimic her words; what sort of ploy was this? He turned to heard one of the servants address them and he went to get dressed. "It looks like it, Celeste. You…are stunning…" He couldn't tear his eyes away from her- he knew elves to be fairly pretty but this was just…he never expected this… "Might have to steal something from Serafina but we must hurry to see who's waiting for us" Nemesis pondered if it was the Mother or her daughter that would be meeting with them. He didn't very well believe in coincidences. 

Their relationship had always been on loving the knowledge side of their selves. Sure her husband was handsome and she adored him for it but on her side, not much could be loved about a child’s body. He was stuttering towards her as the blush deepened on her face. He had never looked at her like that before. Sure he looked at her with love and want but it was surely different than this.

Elves were beautiful and Moon Elves even more with the way their skin dazzled like silver flecks and their pale washed out hair. He had almost stumbled as he came over to her. His fingers were quick as they had always been as he released her from her clothes. She wiggled her hips, something she wasn’t used to, and got the rest of the fabric off now.

“Thank… you…” It made her blush even more. He left her side now as they went to get dressed. She moved over to Sera’s stuff and frowned as her bust still wasn’t as big as her sister wife. Still she would have to get used that she wouldn’t measure up to Sera in everything. Though she was still in quite the shock about it all.

It was ill fitting but she pulled on the dress, which Sera never wore anyways… for as long as it had been in the woman’s possession. Moving with Nemesis they went out into the parlor room to see their guests. She had never seen Aaryona so much in discomfort as she was when sitting next to her mother. Her mother was ripe with confidence and beauty. Maybe it was living in her mother’s shadow that made the girl so uncomfortable.

Angela turned and smiled to them. “Oh, Celeste… That dress looks awful on you.” She clapped her hands and the dress seemed to shift into a more elvish design. Even the colors changed to a more midnight blue with gold accents. It fit her rather well and her now long legs had a slit they could come through. Celeste whirled about as she looked at it. “Are you adjusting well?”

“It’s… weird and my body hurts.”

Angela pulled out a bottle and tossed it to Nemesis. “Rub that on her limbs. Adraejen put that on me when I was killed and brought back as a child. Works wonders for growing pains.” Angela looked like she had taken over just a bit as a servant brought her tea and she went about pouring some cups. “I wasn’t sure if you would take the vial so I had to make an impromptu trip to see you all. Aaryona has been housing me in her house for the time being.” Aaryona looked up and bowed her head just a bit. “Now, there are rules to this new body.” Angela looked up at Nemesis but then her eyes went to Celeste.

“On the night of the monthly full moon, you will shift back to your former self unless pregnant. The twin full moons are responsible for this shift. If you were in a larger body you would be in an endless amount of pain worse than your small body. However, since I was unable to make the potion work with the yearly full moon… and we don’t want you stuck in your small body for a full month… so one day and night cycle won’t harm you at all. However, if you are pregnant on these nights you will lose your magic instead. It renders the full moon’s harm against you on the night of the twin pointless. I’ve tried to find ways around it but in Parvpora my magic isn’t as strong. I relied solely on the medicinal properties of my plants for this potion.”

Aaryona looked up. “Why do you want me here?” It was abrupt and Angela smiled.

“Because nothing is free… and I didn’t think it could be solved without you being here. The price for my help in this situation… has to do with Aaryona being in Kurayo. I can’t help her over here if something goes wrong. I’m the Mother after all… I worry about her. She may be grown but here in Kurayo she’s still a child.” She sipped on the tea. “Will you listen to my proposal Nemesis?”

Had this potion or whatever was in the vial truly changed her? Nemesis knew not what would come from this any further but he was concerned if this would prove to have a negative outcome for her. While he was fancying her new form, he pondered what she thought about all of this. For example, they would surely have to get her a new wardrobe for starters. As gorgeous as she was naked, he was sure that she’d prefer clothing that fit her. He studied her and noticed that she was rather bashful towards him. Had he never paid her such attention before? Nemesis loved her deeply and it never occurred to him before that he had found her mind to be her most attractive asset. While she was very petite, it hadn’t bothered him. But this was a side he had never dared to dream of. He was very impulsive at times and her change happened as soon as he had Sera’s blessing towards the idea. If he had waited until she fully matured, then…

He waited for her to find something that she could fit into and while the dress wasn’t a perfect fit, it at least covered her enough and they went downstairs to be greeted by both Angela and her daughter. The lord of the manor watched with a keen eye a predator would use when inspecting its prey. Why was he not too surprised by their arrival?  At least the goddess had granted her another favor by altering the dress to suit her form. “And pray tell what do we owe the pleasure of this visit?” It wasn’t so much that he didn’t know, but rather have the situation explained to his own ears. While he figured that Angela would have a reason to be here, he was more curious as to while Aaryona was about. He wasn’t blind to her doing in Kurayo as of late and while he had fun tormenting her big bad wolf friend, he hadn’t so much as to lift a finger at them.

He caught the bottle she threw at him and looked to it as she explained it was for the pains Celeste were feeling from this. Of course he would do this in a more private setting between the two of them. He tucked it into his pocket and stroked Celeste’s hair gently as if to try and calm her. These rules more or less made sense to him as he interpreted the situation they were in. Given Parvpora and how the Gods worked, it only made sense that she couldn’t completely cure her ailment here and they didn’t wish to live in Canelux either. Still it sounded like a fairly good plan to at least help Celeste carry a child up to full term. Perhaps even more children than they thought. Of course Nemesis was waiting for the point of her visit- which was what was the deal they’d have to make with the devil herself. He stood stoically and looked towards her daughter as she questioned her presence here as well.

Crossing his arms, he was starting to figure out what she was suggesting as it came to be. His eyes shifted to Celeste, knowing that this was likely the best shot she could have for getting the one thing she would desire above all. As much as he loathed babysitting, he would do just about anything for his wives. “Which is?”