Moved I am, amidst her purity, A victim I need to be
On Niflheim, I have walked with shut eyes, but apparitions of her made me see
Nigh are my hands from her existence, so rare a moment that,
If my mortal coil be cut now, ecstatic I d still be
Kingdom come portrayed in a diverse atmosphere, empowered by one
A lady deity blanketed my ears from the AziF, in such a manner that nobody can.

Kinetic drama of epic proportions raped my soul, and I adore her
I thirst for her like an addiction, bathe in the embrace of her unworldly sweet poison;
Everything took a halt, my majestic Junoesque Goddess is within me
Radiating full-blown bliss occupies the emptiness in utmost reverie
Unspoken tongues of the arcane bestowed upon my feet while I float in ecstasy
Looking into her eyes peeled my humanity and took me beyond the beyond
Forbidden earthly yet not forsaken for who could utter what s divine and what s cursed?

Probing the holiness of sincerity, I plunged to the unknown where even the gods feared to pierce
Roses bloom in her mouth like the stars above when the beauty of darkness has devoured the light
Eden reborn before my eyes how I defy death to be caged in her arms perpetually
Yet my goddess has a cherubim and a god that could condemn my soul
Savor the aroma of paradise in my hands before it vanish
Love so precious, so ethereal so magnetic, so eccentric that I gave in and remorseful I am not
Eternity is void without this moment, without this event, for it is mortality displayed
Raise me up once more my goddess, for you are the reason why I still breath

She floated on her own ocean of tears while unknowingly transfiguring the desert. Her body transilluminated by an uncertain source, peacefully lies at the surface of the "water". With eyes shut, her thoughts glided in depts she never dared to explore then.

Was it all too late? She silently asked, still weeping, her eyes depicting waterfalls. It was daytime yet there was no sign of light from anywhere except for one unknown source which serves like a spotlight upon her withered, lying existence. Time stood still, so it seems, for her. Her consciousness was on a celestial journey that she, herself, cannot tell when it will end. But did she really want to cease it all?

The continous, bizarre absence of enough light never seemed to bother her oh so "peaceful" moment, which words alone cannot define. It's like taking the 18th breath of the merkaba meditiation, leading one into the 4th dimention-a world of spirits, but including the scars and wounds.

The streams of tears from her still sewn eyes veiled the half of her face, deepening the water wherein, for hours her body was nailed. From atop, her solemn solitude was reminiscent of the crucifixion scene at Calvary, only without the theives, yet the atmosphere of both scenes was precisely locked. And he had the key, but not the only key, for the other is hidden within her deeply engraved craving for utopia. A tool that would expose her into becoming what she really is.

Deep into her coma-like trance, her higher self softly spoke to her in tonguesthat were foreign to immortality. Though her ears were walled from the three-dimensional plane around her, those words were audible, crystal cler like the product of her weeping that created the body of water that embraced her during that moment, enough to pierce her thoughts amidst her when-will-it-end sleep.

The caress of her tears tickling her whole body as she was calmly being swayed by the "waves" that she unconsciously made, was not enough to murder the voice of her inner self, repeatedly whispering "you got to have fins to learn how to swim". Not because of her young age and for the loss of her sanity, her head rang in circles. Largely because of her anima holding her by the neck, she wanted to break the chains that bind herself from facing all of her fears, but she thought that would only open a path leading to disarray, so she gave in to the voices she was hearing. And she was right, though still giving birth to the crystal-like fluid flooding her eyes.

At that time, memories of him was unexpectedly eclipsed by the halo of strength that occuied the space which was supposed to be reserved for the possibility of her setting eyes on him again. Trully depite the initial picture of him not coming back, she wished that somehow, their paths would again cross. Even if she perfectly knew that she cannot tell exactly what to do when the time finally comes, nor if that time of seing him anew woul become a reality. For destiny is cruel and they were just toys waiting for it to take its course.

As she pierced deeply on devouring al thoughts about him, a mysterious flux embodied the water, turning a portion of it into red. Stil unaware of what was happening to her ocean of tears at that moment, the piece of paradise within her continued to embrace her. Then suddenly, the rain fell, so it seems, causing her peace to break, with the windows of her face still closed. The "rain" touched her entirety, and she felt that it was unusually warm. She was rather fascinated and her journey to the unknown was ceased as the warm liquid fell to her closed lips. She was able to taste the rain and to her bewilderment, it tasted like blood! Slowly, she paved the way to her sight and opened the source of tears that depicted the waterfalls. The weeping ended finally, after a long spell.

As she opened her eyes, a figure from the sky greeted her sight. Her sight was deeply pegged to that figure, so deeply occupied, that she never noticed that her once crystal-clear ocean of tears surrounding her was turned into a huge pool of blood. She was clad in an all-white dress by then, wet but free from the bloodstains, just pure cleansing white.

The calm red waterwas suddenly disturbed by a wavelike splash from beneath her. She felt a m movement at her back as she was still looking at the figure. It was from her. Before she could turn her eyes to see what it was, she was elevated from the red ocean. To her awe, she grew six wings, each as twice as big as her. She was a seraphim!

Her wings swiftly flew her towards that figure from the sky. From her distance, she could hardly see what it was. Just a silhouette giving birth to the "red rain" that she tasted which broke her long serenity.

With an unknown acceleration, she drew nearer the figure, slowly molding its very existence to her sight. She cant figure why, but its magnetism to her was tremendous, like a mother to a child. Alas the figure was revealed, she stared at it with heart pounding eagernes. She can't resist touching it, so she did. With both hands, she held its bleeding heart like holding her own fragile hourglass of life. The figure was wounded. Weak. Dying. Her hands never left its heart, as if it served as a life support to a timed mortal. She closely froze all her sight to the figure, winked not even once, as the warm blood of the figure gloved her tiny, soft hands. As she looked fixedly at the figure, she could actually feel it breath upon her and despite its abominable outer shell, she could see that once, the figure was of great beauty.

But its beauty was stabbed by all those wounds caused by rather strange mutation. Nevertheless, it never escaped her deep gaze. She could clearly see everything almost like a goddess of omniscience-know everything, see everything. The red water below them got thicker as the figure's blood fell like rain on a stormy night. Its blood blanketed her earlier tears.

At the Omega of the figure's breath came words. The figure spoke to her without opening its mouth but she heard it and touched her soul. "Worthy, I am not...worthy, I am not..." Her eyes, again became watery but her inner self held back her tears as the lifeless figure floated with her in the sky.

Shivering, her left hand reached for the figure's hand which held a bloody fabric garment. She took it and wrapped it around her, as if it was a mortal hugging her tightly. It was her shawl.

Her right hand was still on the figure's wounded heart when her fingers found its way to a ring embedded on the figure's heart. ENgraved in the ring were bold letters that spelled out her name. She gently wore the ring that bore her name on it. It shone like the stars at a midnight sky. It was hers by destiny. She perfectly knew it for the lifeless figure by her side was he whom she loved.

His horns were broken and he suffered numerous wounds. He was a fiend, a bleeding fiend, with a heart trying to discontinue his mutation for the sake of his devotion to her. Yes, he loved her too, though she wasn't fully aware.

A fiend. A seraphim. But then again, did she trully love him? Or just his mystery?

Birds serenaded. The sun revealed its face. A bow of seven colors exalted the ether. And she screamed in silence.

The moon painted the night sky with beauty as he, the vespertine soul gazed upon a kindred spirit through a colorful screen. The darkness of the lunar scene outside gave birth to the stars that, somehow, provided the moon company like offspring to a lovely mother, that stars put a smile on the moon s face which made it spell-bindingly eye-catching. His eyes looked through the screen as if it is a window leading to a dimension beyond human imagination, though at that particular moment, thoughts of her existence was as foreign as the dead tongues that humanity s first beings spoke. Nevertheless, she touched him deeply in a manner so indefinable. He then spoke to her his mind s reflections and she responded that made him eagerly fascinated to gain more knowledge about her, the kindred spirit. They are, after all, both children of the night, and that, somehow, made sense.

The connection did not cease. Furthermore, it became intense and rewarding and he treasured it so preciously like a fragile heart that can decide dramatically the fate of one s life. The lovelier it became.The underworld is not new to him, he frequent the place for he is Hades friend. But the aura of her did not escape him and he feeds on it magnificently like the thirst for water after a painful drought.He embraced it as if it was the last thing to cling on to on a crumbling world. How can someone who s an underworld dweller be mesmerized by such light? The mystery is so blissful and nurturing.

A gathering of kindred spirits came.His eagerness was so heightened, so amplified.He was talking to her as if he knew her ages ago, the ancient times. But his eagerness took its toll he was shutdown by himself.He waited for days for that moment to come the moment he could finally meet her in the flesh and gaze upon her, not in the manner of just a reflection flashed through a screen.He was shattered; he collapsed for killing himself like he always does. The moment was blown away into tiny pieces but she was ecstatic for she had set eyes on yet another old soul like her, but not him who fed on her intensely. He was broken when he opened his eyes after his death, while there she was having the time of her life. How ironic could it get? Heaven and hell.

Fortunately, his death did not last that long, for another gathering spawned and he cannot afford this to go into waste like the last time.He needed to see her no matter what it takes and no tragedy could stop him from doing just that, even the loss of breath.So he prepared himself for the great opportunity offered upon him. The intense eagerness is still there, he knew it for he felt it like a raging ache. How pathetic it may sound to humanity, but he became a stranger s captive, a slave to an unknown entity. Nothing like it.Then came the historic meeting, he was alone and she was too, though they came there for different personal reasons she, wanting to talk to another soul; he, needing to meet her it was perfect in a way. He saw her and the gods smiled. He ceased breathing for a moment as she approached him but for some reason, he did not show it, for he did not want to reveal it at that particular instance, like the secrecy that binds the vampire race. They talked to each other like there was no tomorrow and it felt so stunning. So real, so pure, so sincere and that is something to hold on to, divinity made flesh. In a world of lies and deception, that moment was godly.He spoke his heart and soul and she listened deeply, she spoke her heart and soul and he listened deeply, the kind of treasure that will make the deaf and the mute regret their fate considerably. It is something, it really is. He never felt like that for a very long spell and he shivered like hell, in a very stimulating manner. She made him laugh, an honest laugh and he thought that was so special. Yes, it is special indeed, so very special for strangers to talk to each other with such depth and substance. He adored it adored her.He was reborn in a different yet distinct way, so like a once beautiful angel of the ether who revolted from the structured frame that everybody else embrace. The rebirth, yes, the radical change that is so forbidden in the eyes of the majority. Fearless, he is, for everything seems nothing to him, everything seems to be absurd except for the thought, the need, for him to be with her at that very moment. For him, that was heaven within a grasp, a piece of paradise in his hands.And so it is. Yet, inevitably, the moment had to be put to an end, leaving him breathless still but incredibly euphoric.

The absence made his heart go fonder, for he was talking to her even in his deepest sleep.He cannot shield himself from the irresistible hands of the soul that enslaved him beautifully. So he thought it would be rather very foolish if he will not follow his desire of laying eyes upon her once more. And destiny was unexpectedly generous for it smiled at him gracefully, the smile of Mona Lisa as captured by Da Vinci, subtle yet very meaningful. That, came upon him like death, very unforeseen, and for this reason, made it even more sweeter than it already is. Her being faced with momentary solitude was extended and it became precious to him for it also meant an extension of time being with her. His heart pounded like footsteps of dinosaurs running after a prey, the excitement crawled upon him anew and he could not be less grateful.He had laid eyes at her again but this time it redefined the meaning of intensity and took it to a characteristic of extreme degree. Now he looked at her in a different level, transcending words to describe it for there is none, no words could ever describe what he was feeling and it was pure, pure like the consciousness and innocence of an infant child. He tried to chamber what he was feeling, tried so hard but he could not hold it that long for it was too enormous and his heart will burst eventually. And it did, gave in, the brimstone and fire of hell is cold in comparison with the flame that stood gloriously amidst the two souls that harmoniously bonded. The energy was so gigantic and so consuming the embrace, the touching of the source of sound and words, the slow opening and closing of the windows of souls, the warmth of the blood when pressed on skin, the locked hands of compassion, the scent of the air when deeply breathing. Everything was in its proper place, like an assembled puzzle, each one is needed, it cannot be solved when a cog is missing, all are vital. Perfection has its own way and that moment is one. He cannot deny it, even she, for he sees it through her eyes the way she looked through his eyes. They both clearly saw sincerity and deep serenity in each other s arms.

The moment. Time stood still, they wounded it.

Seems like forever. Two nights. The moment.The world ceased. The moment, that is all there is. That is the only thing that matters.

Utopian loveliness poured upon their feet. He deeply adores her more than his life. And she knew it. Vespertine souls and kindred spirits, they are both.

PART ONE

The night sky fills with shadows, hiding the stars and slowly encasing the moon in a black box. As the darkmuse walks slowly through the murky forest of dispair and emptiness, she comes upon a wounded warrior singing his requiem to the world. .His voice caught her attention, so she closed her eyes...stood still... and listened. What an odd moment it was...she had walked this forest for ages and yet she wonders what a mortal was doing there and how was it that he crossed her path. For it was known that in the forest of despair and emptiness it was a rarity that anyone would cross the path of the darkmuse. If anyone did, they would wither and die. He leaned against the tree, blood on his hands and dagger, barely showing his face for it was covered with a silver mask, on his body you would see the scars of former battles. But amidst all the blood and scars, he seemed numb to the pain. Did he sense her presence?  Did he know she was there? He continued to sing like no one was watching. And as she listened...out of nowhere her angelic voice rose in a chorus to his song sending thousands of ravens in flight into the deepness of the night.

Suddenly the moon revealed itself and thin rays of light seeped through the thick forest like white lasers. Slowly he removed his mask, his sweat-drenched hair splayed over his face like black veins crossing his eyes caging it behind them. A sudden silence ....and nothing stirred. She just stood there listening...but because the song ceased, she opened her eyes and found him there by the tree staring at her. He held out his hand and she slowly approached the wounded warrior. Sitting by his side against the tree on the damp soil. At that moment he felt a sudden ease, and he spoke to her and she listened to his battles, listened to his victories and defeat and pictured every story in her mind. In return she spoke to him telling him of her wanderings and other encounters in her long journey to existence. The exchange of words was so subtle...so sincere. It was magical because she had never encountered such with a mortal. She could tell that his heart was pure. maybe that was the reason why he did not wither and die at the sight of her, the powers that engulfed that forest for the first time seemed reverse and did not bring death upon him but rather new life. But at that moment he seemed consumed and so she left him alone for awhile to rest. She hid him under the leaves with a special spell to conceal his presence, for it was forbidden by the gods to keep a mortal alive in that forest. And thus they had to part ways.

When she came back to that spot, she removed the spell of the concealing leaves afraid to find him dead. But no....his wounds were healed, the scars were clean and a certain glow was in the windows to his soul. She was overjoyed that the wrath of the gods did not strike him dead. It was a different feeling really....for she had always been cold as ice, but suddenly with his presence, warmth bathed her heart and new blood flowed through her veins. She was ecstatic and wanted to hear more of his adventures, and once again under the pale glow of the moon they sat on the soil exchanging words filling each others emptiness. Time passed and like some supernatural force embraced them a connection was made. And without words the messages went through and they need not speak another word. Like magic... fire blazed and  filled their surroundings. And they were brought to an altered state of consciousness. Into another world...into another dimension they didn't know existed. With hands clasped, they looked  at each other's eyes seeing their reflection on the very gems that the soul had to offer. The source of words finally touched...good and evil, warmth and cold, sorrow and joy, pain and pleasure...all the opposing forces of nature were suddenly mixed in a rough whirlwind sending them to different vistas.  Was this their death? But no...for they were not in heaven nor were they in hell, it felt like they were in heaven but in its twisted form... the flames consumed them and  they became one. But they did not die....the fire did not die completely either. Warmth filled the skin and a small flame continued to burn in their hearts which served as a different light , It served as a key, revealing the hidden paths of the forest that were never seen before. It seemed magical,  illusions of doors and pathways flashing like the northern lights in the sky. The darkmuse herself was bewildered by such visions for they were visions that she had never seen before and in her long wandering in the forest she never knew that such paths existed.

The grandeur landscapes are extremely emitting so much loveliness that he didn't even want to move an eyelash. They both had virgin eyes to this unknown magical sight before them. No one knew if it were the gods who created such or has the place been there all along but was just hidden in secrecy and waiting for the appropriate beings to unravel it. But that didn't matter for it seemed that everything was in front of them, laid freely, waiting for their senses to explore. Who could ever resist or ignore such lights and beauty?  She suddenly danced elegantly through the winds, circling in subtle motions like a ballerina as he watched her with eagerness. Each movement of the darkmuse did not escape his eyes, she was floating like an ascending angel and her hands were like butterflies in flight. He was entranced. Her dancing built up magnificently for she was feeling and listening to an odd-timed music that she seemed to be enjoying-his fluctuating heartbeat. He was somehow paralyzed by the euphoric moment, he could not move a limb but it felt like he was floating with her, blown away with every sway. She then slowly moved closer to him, rotating and revolving around him like she was casting a spell amidst his amazement. He gave in to whatever the spell was for it was because he wanted to be consumed by her, he would undoubtedly accept it with both hands widely opened-a willing victim he would be just for her.

For the longest time, words failed to escape their lips but they were talking to each other's souls through their glances and movements. Still dancing gracefully to the rhythm of his breathing and heartbeat, she held him in her arms as if she owned all the fragility of the world and he was as fascinated as a newborn, staring deeply into her. She was his shield. He has had every adventure there is; tucked under his belt but none compared to the one he was experiencing that instance. The elegance was filling him up with inexplicable bliss as if it would make him lose his breath and mind due to the swelling happiness blanketing him all over. It was like he now knew how angels actually dance and he thought he loved it, in fact, he did.

She continuously moved with the wind as she held his hands in pure intimacy, gently walking her fingers through his palms, his arms, his back, his hair, his lips, his eyes, his face, walking her fingers through him. They made the doves and lovebirds envy their dance in flight. He never wanted to stop everything that was happening, he could go on through all eternity just holding and embracing and being as close as he could be to her soul, never grasping any thought of regretting anything about it. Because to him, it was everything, it was all there was, all that matters, other than her beside him, there was none, nothing existed. Not even the honor brought by triumphs of the grandest battles that the warrior fought in different ages could come nigh to the priceless treasure that his hands was holding at that very moment-her. She was the missing vital cog of his existence that he was unconsciously searching for in lifetimes, he never knew what he was looking for until that very moment that she found him in the woods. In her, he found the preciousness that no kingdom and wealth could ever offer him, not even eternity itself could ever match, he would even betray immortality if it is given to him without her.

The darkmuse was singing and dancing and smiling, an indication that she was enjoying and cherishing the time that she and the warrior were having. He could sense that she was as well experiencing a scene that was truly foreign and primordial to her. Both of them were into such ecstasy that their dance in flight lasted for centuries, locked in an embrace as close as their souls and as tight as their skins. It has been said that centuries had passed yet to them it felt that it did not, time stood still and was frozen before them. The sun never showed its face but their surrounding did not lack any light for the flames in their hearts were ablaze and were suffice to light up everything around them, including the moon which glowed extremely like it never glowed before. They have given birth to a new world-their own world.

He endlessly looked into her eyes as if there was nothing to see other than those two gorgeously sparkling stars painted on her ever charming, subtle face. She could melt him with a single glance in any given instance without even trying. The power of her eyes to him is as dramatic as the sun seemingly kisses the abyss of the vast ocean. Words were of no vitality to them as they trade stares, copulated with a mystery that only the two of them could possibly comprehend. They pierced each other's souls with wordless spears of adoration and respect so even without moving a lip, the warrior knew that she loves him dearly and deeply like he loves her with all amount of breath in his body. It seemed that nothing could go wrong and nothing or no one could stop them from continuing to thread the gateways of twisted firmamental nirvana.

Their lips united another time, still as passionate as the very first time they touched, or maybe even a hundred times more passionate as their tongues lost sanity. Both of their hands became explorers of pungent desires freely waiting to be unveiled like wild beings, hungry and thirsty. They ripped each other's outer shells apart to give way for their inner beings--their souls made love timelessly and intensely amidst the skies and the winds. The fire in their hearts grew more madly and they glow in unison above the swaying grass in the woods as the moon closed its eyes in shyness. The warmth of Aphrodite's daggers drained their floating bodies as it continued to follow the motion of the winds. And they became a fragment of each other's existence, just one blood flowed through their veins. So prominent and enormous they became that even space and time could not hold them. Twin souls they truly are and they are one even in ancient times.

Still holding each other tightly yet full of care, his eyes were suddenly flooded in tears. Tears of overflowing gladness and fear and amazement. It fell down to the ground like a raging rain, making even the dead flowers bloom. The gladness and amazement need not to be explained, but the fear was brought about by the fact that all that he treasures the most might go away eventually like an anathema. As if in every long, dark cave that he had fought in, whenever he finally sees the light, it seemed that it moves away from him and he cannot understand why. He had died a thousand deaths amidst his battles of the old for his scars and wounds tell her so. He tried to eclipse the tears but to no avail, it kept raining. The moon wept with him.  Because now, he treasures her so much, she is his light. And that explains the fear.

The harmony of their beating hearts came to an alarming pace for one lagged the other, the synchronicity was halted because a lacuna in the rhythm was formed. And it was his heartbeat. In an effort of trying to revitalize his dwindling heartbeat, the darkmuse, fully aware of what was happening, drew a breath from her very soul and kissed him. Yet very strangely, he continued to lose strength after gaining only a few precious lovely seconds, after she had given him the consecrated breath. He still sees her, with his half-opened eyes, he looked through her with all his devotion and adoration, even in that moment when the underworld was so nigh to him. She could not comprehend why he was still slowly losing the harmony of his heartbeat when she gave him the kiss of life. Could it be that her powers was then taking its toll on him finally and making him wither? She asked herself. Then after an almost unbearable moment of losing all hope, voices came upon them from nowhere-finally the gods spoke in unison.

"Forbidden is this doing but upon seeing that thou and the warrior haveth the purity of hearts and cleanliness of souls, thou art given a choice that no other gods hath given any other creation before. After the flame in the warrior's heart die down, thou art given the powers of giving half of the flame in thine own heart for him to live and thou and the warrior art given the blessing of being together for the remainder of thine lives. But in consequence, thou art condemned of all wealth of the forest, and of the forest itself, that for many ages thou hath given life and hath lived in and hath guarded. Thereafter, there will be no turning back." The words of the gods echoed to the darkmuse like pristine waters. It made her shiver.

The darkmuse loves the forest and its wealth, and maybe no one could feel otherwise because it offers everything one could possibly need. And she adores the warrior so much that she wanted to save him at the same time, she could not bear the thought of losing him and give birth to a new scar, a new wound, a new death. But the warrior embraced her with all his remaining strength as if  leaving a mark that through the firmament and the abyss, he will always love her like no other. His heartbeat weakened every second that elapsed and finally ceased as the flame in his heart became little and went out with resistance. The half part of the surrounding dimmed.

And now, in her palms, engraved the key to his life and his death.

PART TWO

Suddenly all turned dark. The clouds covered the sky and thunder roared like angry beasts in the heavens. Rain started to fall, and the tears started to fall from her eyes creating another river in the carved landscape of her abode. For at that moment the darkmuse felt torn and knew not what she should do.

Truly in her heart she loved the warrior. As he lay upon her arms, she could see his heavy breathing and she was seeing the flame in his heart slowly die, though at that moment she could still feel the tight grip of his hands on her arms and the warrior just stared at her with eyes wide open, watery and sparkling, gems like ebony staring at her so deeply the tears fell like rain, dripping from her eyes like running water on a river she was seeing him die right before her arms. And time was running out before she could save him. Was she to let him die or was she to offer the flame of her heart for his sustenance.

The gods looked upon her. She screamed in agony. Looking high above, as the rain drenched the two lovers in the center of the forest. I love him . oh how I love him . I would rather die than live a lifetime without him!!! Oh my lord, forgive my defiance, I love this forest and I am truly grateful to you for making me the guardian of this paradise. But if my beloved shall die here and now, I d rather surrender my soul and join him in the dark abyss of death!!! And I choose to be with him through all eternity. I care not if I lose my status as the high guardian of this forest. Banish me if you will!!!

And with those words she placed her hand on her chest and suddenly the flame of her heart like a shining orb shone on her palm. She placed this orb on the warrior s chest. And she bent down to kiss him. And she gave him another sacred breath. The warrior absorbed it like a pouring drought. Shining like a flowing river down his mouth. And like a dance of fiery white and blue light they both glowed like the moon on the moss covered landscape of the forest. With her last breath, she whispered in his ear. I love you my most beloved nothing or no one will take you away from me. And she fainted.

And so it was done the darkmuse has given half of the flame in her heart. The warrior stood up and carried her away to his realm.

She woke up a few moments later. As she opened her eyes, she saw the lovely face of her most beloved warrior looking upon her and his hands stroking her hair. It felt like ages of sleep and yet the warrior was by her side waiting for her to wake up. She drew a deep breath and they both embraced like there was no tomorrow.

Then he whispered in her ear... Why?...why do this? Do you really want to leave the forest? Did you do this out of pity?

And the darkmuse cried, No my beloved... t was not pity... cant you see that I love you and I cannot bear you being apart from me. True, the forest meant a lot but you mean more to me than all the riches and the sustenance that forest had to offer. You are my sustenance... you are my life... You...you are the missing cog of my very existence.

And they embraced once more the source of words uniting in a kiss so warm and tender rubbing cheeks and feeling the warm intense breathing each one not wanting to let go as tears of joy fell from their eyes. That very moment felt like time has stopped once more and once again they were lost in the world of their own.

After the silence and after what seemed to be an eternity of heavenly bliss the warrior could not help but ask, What of the gods? Will they not punish you for your defiance? What of your throne? Will you leave it to rust amongst the leaves?

And the darkmuse looked into his eyes with deep sincerity and said, My most beloved I will have to go back. I have left my precious cherub and he wanders that forest and I will need to take him with me after his duties are fulfilled. Worry not of the gods for I have my ways of dealing with them I have made my choice and I am ready for the consequences. Worry not of my throne for it is of no value now and I no longer seek to remain in that forest. But there are some things that need to be taken care of that I will need to go back

I understand my beloved a part of me dies every time our souls tend to set apart and I am composing myself as always and I keep on understanding because I love you so. I know we are still prisoners of something in a way but my faith in you will never falter and I long for the day when both our souls can fly free to the heavens above.

And she whispered in his ear, My faith in you also will never die and I have the same longing as yours. And I have faith in us. I know deep in my heart that you and I can make wonders and can prove to the world that with love all things are possible.

Time was ticking and the darkmuse had to leave the warriors side and enter the forest of darkness and despair. The warrior took the liberty of taking her to the gates but that was as far as he could go. They parted with an embrace and with a kiss the warrior standing by the gates as the darkmuse disappeared behind the trees.

As the darkmuse entered the redwood hall she found the high god of the forest Ebdanel sitting on his throne in silence as he watched her walk towards him.