• Kalina was sitting on the floor, her eyes looked down at her hands. A fire before her illuminated the red paint that stained her skin. She wasn't sure how she got soaked in red paint. She didn't even know where she was. All she remembered was that she was going to bed. She was wearing her sleeping gown, which was now stained. She wanted to go back to her bed. She needed sleep now more than ever. Her body was completely drained of energy. She couldn't move because she was too weak. Her arms hung limply from her shoulders, her hand lay on her lap. She could pass out any minute.

    "You did well, love." It was a man's voice. Kalina's eyes lifted from her hands. A tall dark figure was standing a few feet away from her. The fire behind him prevented Kalina from seeing his face. He moved a few steps forward. "Now it's your turn." He reached Kalina and knelt down in front of her. Now that he was closer Kalina could make out the features of his face. His eyes, his deep purple eyes, looked into hers triumphantly. His lips were twisted into a wicked smile. He was inhumanly beautiful. His eyes captured her gaze.

    His eyes sparked something in her mind. Something that made her remember. Remember all the scared faces, the dying screams, the lifeless bodies of her family, and blood. Her eyes fell to her hands, she was covered in blood. The blood of her people, the blood of her family. She looked up at the fire behind the man. She could see the faint outlines of roofs, windows, and bodies. There were bodies on the floor burning along with the houses. Her vision blurred. Silent tears poured from her eyes. How could she have done all this? She would never resort to bloodshed, no matter how much she hated the ways of Darxia.

    Darxia is the dark race that creates poisons, curses, and monsters. All the other kingdoms pay the Darxia for their creations. Kalina hated participating in creating poisons with her mother. Her older sister was the only person who knew of her deep resentment towards the Darxia's traditions. She always tried to convince Kalina to accept what she is, but Kalina refused to give into her sister's words. It just wasn't right to her, but she still wouldn't kill to stop it. Not ever.

    The man's wicked smile grew wider. "Ah, you remember." He clapped his hands together. "Quite impressive." Kalina looked back to the man kneeling before her. "You should be proud of yourself. No one can break the trance so easily." A rage consumed Kalina's body. Her exhaustion dissipated as adrenaline pumped through her veins. Her hand grabbed at the man's neck. She lifted him off the ground. "Who are you?" She growled at him.

    "Me?" He spoke clearly, as if he wasn't being held in the air by the neck. "You don't know me, love?" Kalina did not respond. He shifted his head so that the light of the fire hit the left side of his face. He had a tattoo that covered a nasty scar, on his left cheek. A black coiled snake, surrounded by black feathered wings. Kalina's free hand absently brushed her own tattoo on her neck. The tattoo was the mark of Darxia. It was used to mark the poisons and monsters that Darxia created, so that people will know who made it. The members of the royal family of Darxia are the only ones that have the mark embedded on their skin. One of the reasons for this is because no one else could take the pain of the marking process. Another reason is so that people would know not to mess with them, for all members of the royal family are extremely gifted in fighting and magic. Kalina studied the man's face again. His eyes, his tattoo, they were both proof that he was a Darxian. The scar was proof that he was, "Larius." Her voice was barely a whisper. The rage was replaced with confusion.

    Laruis' smile grew. "Your right, as always." He said playfully.

    "Why?" Kalina asked.

    "Why, indeed." Larius easily peeled Kailna's hand off his neck and fell on his feet. He slowly walked around her, like a predator circling it's prey. "Don't tell me you didn't feel it too." He told her. "The revulsion, the remorse." He stopped behind her, whispering in her ear. "I know you did."

    A sword of shadows materialized in Kalina's hand. She quickly turned around and aimed the blade at Larius' neck. Larius stopped her sword with his own. "You need to do better than that, love." Kalina pushed herself away from him. "You. Will. Pay."

    Larius bowed to her. "Let the fight begin."

    Kalina lunged at him. Larius blocked her with his sword. "Stop holding back!" Larius screamed at her. Kalina kicked him down and pierced his right shoulder with her sword. Larius laughed. "I was right, You felt it too. You obviously don't hate me for killing them." Kalina's rage grew. Her grip on her sword was so tight it would have snapped it in two if it weren't made of her shadows. Larius kicked Kalina back. He stood up and charged at her.

    The fight went on for hours. Both Kalina and Larius, expertly slashing and blocking each other. Both equally wounded. Kalina's gown was ripped at multiple places. Larius' suit was damaged as well. Neither of them were planning to stop. Though they were starting to lose their strength. Larius stopped the fight by pushing away from Kalina. They both stared at each other, breathing hard. The fire was now close to them, so close that Kalina was sweating from the heat. She was even more tired than before. Her legs felt like jello and she couldn't move anymore.

    Larius made a final move. He threw his sword into Kalina's chest. She gasped and fell to her knees. Larius walked up to her and drove the blade deeper. Kalina coughed up some blood. Larius chuckled. "Any last words?" He twisted the blade. Kalina clenched her jaw holding back her scream. Larius looked down at her coldly. "Well?" She was unable to talk. Every breath caused her pain. The poison Larius' sword was coated in was startig to take effect. She didn't have much time left. "Bu... In... Ell..." She muttered. Larius leaned closer to her. "What was that?"

    Kalina's hand shot at Larius' neck. She picked him up and glared at him. "I said..." She threw him into the fire with all the energy she had left. He screamed in agony as the flames licked his body. She watched his squirming figure. "Burn in hell."