Howling wind, it roared on brutally this dank evening. Waves collided on the sable rocks of the sandy beach. The moon cast no light on to this night to outstretch the scene with a silver pale, it was covered by greedy clouds. The beach was cold. The sand and water drenched black. On a dimly lit tower a creature stood on holding tight to that mere light, everything else to her was darkness.
 Death a sweet sovereign embrace. It lulled her with a calm lullaby. Eyes closed, blocking out the only remaining light which was clutched within her small hand. She listened to the voice that called out to her. Repeating the same words over and over again in a rhythmic tone. It was almost as if it were brainwashing her, and those waves would do the washing. They would cleanse her of this life.
 A brackish taste from the mist of the waters filled her mouth as a strong wind went by. Her hair as dark as this terrible night flew by her cold cheeks pointing down at the waves like a finger. The light from the lantern went out as if some kind of death omen. It was her calling, Death calling, it was her time to proceed the lonely motorcade to the waves as Death's whispers had told.
 Clouds gathered in delight, a crowd rolling in ecstasy at the moment of her soul decision. Bunching too close together or maybe showing some emotion for this little pale creature on the rock tower they began to shed many pelting tears from their high balcony in the sky.
 The wind had heightened, but the rain remained straight. The young creature's black hair danced in this mixture of wetness and air. Through the many wet strands she opened her eyes, grey orbs stared off into the distance. Adjusting quickly to this vast darkness, she had become one with it.
 The watery abyss opened and closed many times. The voice of Death had gotten louder and louder as the waves shivered and crashed on slippery rocks below.
 A great city lay at her back, one she left behind her -- sleeping. Memories lost to her head. Not that she couldn't recollect, she just didn't want to remember them. So much pain, grief, blood, fire. The blackness in front of her was so inviting.
 Steel spheres concealed by thin lids of skin once more. The tower, the darkness, the whispers from Death, all taken away at this moment. Nothing existed. A tear emerged from one of the eyes down her mound of cheek, but she did not even feel it.
 A spiral occurred where everything dissolved, one foot stepped forward off the tall tower. The waves called high, but she was extremely mute to all. The abyss circled below ready to claim.
 Heat to cold, heartbeats ceased. Intoxicating moment, she breathed no more. Vertigo tingled and tasted her skin. Hallucination, illusions, everything was where it was, she was just merely blank, but was beginning to fall into the darkness, into Death's pleading call.
 Some warrior had stepped in, to heed off Vertigo, Death, the abyss, darkness. With a silver blade their throats were sliced. As great immortal beings, they just simply ran away like cowering animals back to whence they came.
 Eyes jutting open, the darkness not so black, but merely smokey grey. The moon made an appearance as the tip emerged again from its prison behind the clouds. Silver light on the beach, the sand no longer Death's playground, but the wandering lands of its castaways. A living underworld.
 Strong, warm hands gripped around the slender waist of the wan creature. If not struggling to be free, he would assume she was dead already or some kind of phantasm come to solidity.  But even though soaking wet, beneath the chill of the first layer of touch there was warmth beneath.
 Eyes set upon eyes, creature to creature, grey to green. He had let her easily turn around within his grip, but without doubt was not going to let go in fear she would want to embrace the lulling song of death again.
 Tone of voice had escaped her, or maybe it was Death who had stolen it to sing to coax her to these rocks. Standing in front of an inconceivable creature like him made her body turn to living stone. For him to even be touching her fascinated her, to save her.
 She could tell by the way he was dressed, adorned with fine clothing, rings, the way his hair was finely combed, how he smelled of beauteous temple incense he was definitely a nobleman from the city, maybe even a foreigner.
 Even still, for his kind, to be bothered with hers, not to sit back in amusement watch her listen to the drums and voice of Death as it sung for her to throw herself off this tower to the water and rocks below.
 "Please, sir," She spoke in a soft voice. "Let me go."
 He looked upon the wet girl with pity. He removed his dark green cloak and wrapped it around her. "Let me take you to the Inn where I am staying at. You will catch your death of cold staying out here, but it seems, that is what you were trying to catch, Death."
 She looked down in slight embarrassment. She wasn't sure why. But even though he had placed his cloak around her small fragile body and state of being, he did not remove his other hand from her waist.
 "Sir, remove yourself from me." Her voice became a little more harsh.
 He shook his head in disagreement. "I can't have your life on my conscious Madame."
 "You do not know me." She said rudely. "Or why I want death to come to me. Believe me, my death or life should not be on your conscious Sir."
 "Are you a criminal?"
 "No."
 "Then why on earth would you want to condemn you spirit to such a black abyss? What could have possibly happen to you?" He spoke so softly, so warmly.
 She almost wanted to answer his voice. It was hypnotizing like the heat of the sun in the darkness of night, lined with the horizon of the sun. She shook her head coming back to her reality, she remembered her place, and it was not among his kind. Any words she spoke would not be for her, it would be for his heat, his glory, his benefit only.
 In that moment of wait, he was only prepared for her words, and not for actions. She quickly removed his hand from her waist and made her way away from the edge of the tower back towards the horrible city.
 "Are you going to answer me Madame?" He said following her in haste.
 She gritted her teeth. She was well aware he was going to follow her, but it did not take full effect on her until it took actual existence.
 "No." She sincerely said, returning to her simple soft tone.
 "Then please, at least come with me to the Inn where I am staying this evening. You could have something to eat, some fresh clothing, somewhere to sleep without being seen by anyone unwanted."
 She continued walking without answering. He grasped her small hand in his to stop her pace. She stopped and looked at him. Trapped, eyes caught her in their web much like a sadistic spider. His other hand slid up and prowled its way up to her face and stroked it lightly.
 "Please, Madame, I am only trying to help. I can tell you are in some kind of trouble."
 His hands were so warm, hideously like his voice. She could not resist, she agreed.

 Footsteps were heavy as they went on. As they got closer to the light, the horrid glow of the city, like the glow from a bog. He had stopped her, and turned her towards him. She was shaking, limb and teeth, but not from the cold air that was carried on the wind, but the memories that were bubbling their way to the surface of her mind of this place.
 He tightened the dark emerald cloak around her and placed hood to shelter her head like a dark cobra. The shadows sheltered her face save for her delicate chin. He grasped her hand once again, the warmth returning in her skin, guarding her as they continued through the gate.
 Tall figures stood, with evil eyes staring deep into her. She grasped his arm and held it tightly.  Colossal men made of stone, sentinels who carried large metal swords that could come down on them at any moment leaving their bodies as stains on the paved stone road.
 They saw through her with their marble eyes, they knew all along what she was trying to escape from, and now she was foolishly returning with this man with the voice of the sun.
 "Turn around, run, make it sporting for us." One of them seemed to speak to her.
 But he kept walking, and he had her, because she had gripped his arm, and as if conjoined, she went wherever he went. Into the city. Rock moved, smirks shifted into stone of the gate guards.
 
 The inn was not that far from where the gate was planted in the city's design. He naturally took her in as a nobleman would take a noblewoman. Behind the cloak, no one could see the drenched black hair, the tattered clothing, and the terrified electric eyes of a poor young woman with a tortured mind.
 The innkeeper said nothing, but nodded his head as the two entered the dimly lit room of the main office. He was busy going over his books, a candle with many wax drippings sat next to him casting shadows on his well wrinkled face making him seem as a frightful old goblin dangling over his stolen treasures.
 He asked the old man to send a servant to his room with some warm water for a bath. Slightly annoyed was the innkeeper's expression, his attention being taken away from his precious moneys. Although he nodded and said there would be one up there shortly.
 The two made their way up the even darker stairs only lit by few candles. Enough for the eyes to grasp light and know where to lead the body.

 As they got up the stairway they turned left to a narrow hallway, even darker than the stairs and office. Which led them both to a red oak door, the last door on that narrow hallway. He took a gold key from his pocket, it shimmered in the faint candle's glow as he put it in the hole. He turned the key and the knob, the door creaked open, filling the room and the opening of the hallway with that hideous sound.
 The room within, with its four surrounding walls that cradled it together was completely dark. He grabbed a candle that was standing on a table outside his door and brought it in the room. She slowly followed him, as he was lighting candles around the room illuminating a small world of light for them. After he was done, he placed the candle back in its place outside his door and closed it.
 "I have to ask you something." She said, removing the hood from her head.
 He glanced over her way without moving his head. "Yes?"
 "How could you possibly trust me? You asked if I were a criminal, I said no, and you took my word as it was."
 "I could feel you weren't a bad person... but bad things have happened to you."
 Her eye contact lowered from his and to the ground. She simply nodded her head.
 "I could feel," He hesitated. "I could see such terrible things in your eyes."
 "What? How could--"
 Words were stifled, a soft knock on the red oak door, cut with many tears of its previous guests. It was the servant girl with the bath water.
 The soaked raven haired girl quickly concealed her face with the hood of the cloak again before the servant girl entered the well lit room. She did not want to be seen by anyone. She didn't know where any one of her past had gone to since she had escaped this place, and she didn't want to chance to find the bad ones.
 "Just put the water in the tub please and you may excuse yourself, when we are finished you will be called." He said in a diplomatic voice. It wasn't as warm as his usual tone.
 The servant did as she was told, and left the two alone, as the red oak door swung it made the terrible creaking noise, and then a shuffle as it stuck to the wall as it shut.
 He went towards the young woman and removed his cloak from her body.
 "Don't worry, no one will see you now." He smiled, his voice returned to its usual tone. "Clean yourself, and you will feel a lot better."
 He walked over to a corner of the room and sat down in a large green chair. He fittled with the things on a dresser table next to him. His long dark hair covered the majority of his face, but his thin eyebrows and strong chin covered lightly with a beard could be seen behind the river of hair.
 She stood there for a moment, curious, just watching him putting together his pipe. It was only when he had lit it she was brought back again.
 He kept his glance away from her and focused on other things on the dresser table. Nervously she removed her clothing and placed herself into the bath water. Not until her body was fully concealed by the rim of the bathtub did she speak.
 "What is your name? I didn't realize until now, I didn't even know your name."
 He smiled, still keeping his gaze to the dresser. "Norake."
 "Sometimes I wish I had forgotten my name, but never could. I'm Lilia."
 "That is a beautiful name, why would you ever want to forget it?"
 She took in a deep breath. "Because of the people who knew it."
 "I am curious, because of what I felt, what happened to you Lilia? I know it was terrible. So terrible, that this person, or possibly people need to be put away for such crimes."
 "I don't want to talk about it." She said staring into the water. "You couldn't possibly know anything."
 "I know, well actually feel, more than you think." He said as a smile slightly curled to his lips.
 She darted a cold stare over to him. He darted his eyes slowly up at her through his hair, taking a puff from his pipe.
 Lilia sank further down into the bathtub, just to make sure nothing could possibly be exposed to this man. A larger smile marked upon his lips, then quickly disappeared as words began to filter behind them.
 "I have the strongest feeling that whatever happened to you is the same type thing that happened to my wife."
 "You keep on saying, feel instead of think, or correcting yourself with feel. What do you mean by that? How do you feel these things?"
 He moved his head into her direction, his hair falling from his face to reveal it. The thin eyebrows relaxed on his forehead as his jaw shifted underneath the layers of skin. He stared deep into what he could see of her outline.
 "I think you know what I mean. I feel you know." He said. "But as I've come across, most people don't believe anything until they've outright heard it. I have this unusual ability to know what people are feeling. Not thinking, or reading minds, but feeling, their emotions."
 Norake immediately felt fear from Lilia, but it was not about him, it was being in his company. She wanted to leap from the bathtub and escape again, but she had nowhere to go, and she couldn't possibly go without any clothes, that would draw the attention she absolutely did not want from this city.
 "Please, don't be afraid. I understand perfectly you don't want anyone to know what you experienced, but I promise you, this conversation will not leave these walls."
 Lilia emerged herself into the water, letting it completely blanket her skin. The bubbles expelled from her nostrils and made their way to the surface. Burning flickered inside her chest as she held her breath.
 Moments went by without her surfacing. Finally in one big gust of splash she came up. She stared at Norake as he stared at her. He did not move from the place he was sitting nor did he look the slightest bit concerned for her welfare when she was under the water for so long.
 "Testing me?" He said with amusement in his voice.
 Lilia blushed slightly and nodded her head.
 "You believe me now?"
 "As much as I'll allow myself to."
 "Meaning you don't but you'll be open to my belief that I know what you feel?"
 She nodded again.
 "That's all fair to me. As long as you are open to the idea."
 
 Lilia closed her eyes and leaned on the edge of the metal bathtub. It sucked in the heat from the water and felt so nice against her sore back. She knew behind the closed lids he was staring at her. She wasn't aware whether she was exposed at all or not, but she really didn't care at this moment.
 She had an assumption of why he was staring at her. He was waiting to hear her terrible tale. Why she hated this city so much and why she was so willing to take her own life because of it.
 A grey eye peeked open to meet with the green ones still staring. Her skin bare to the air began to chill as little bumps developed on them.
 "You still want to hear my story, don't you?" She said.
 "Yes, I want to know if what happened to my wife is happening to others."
 "Why?" She raised an eyebrow as the other eye peered open.
 "I am out to stop what is happening."
 "I doubt what happened to me has happened to others, but if there is a chance there is, I would like to see it dealt with."
 She slinked her way down, to cover the exposed flesh and to get more conformable.
 "This is going to be a long story, I hope you are up for it."