Ari looked at Kaval as he tugged him through the woods. It was day and the sun was high and shining in the clear blue sky. It was a stark contrast to the dark woods they were walking through. They had thick trunks combined with skinny branches looking more and more like arms and fingers as they walked through them. It unnerved Ari, but Kaval was there. However, he was a liar. It made traveling with him dangerous. He had not forgotten Kaval's words to him even when he was upset.

"You have gray eyes," Ari said almost as a whisper.

"I do."

"Like mine." Kaval nodded. "But darker."

"This is true," Kaval answered.

"Are the rest like you... ?"

"The rest?"

"Do not lie to me, Kaval."

Kaval dropped Ari's arm and turned to face him. His face wore no expression. Just a sense of amusement played in his eyes. It was like a game. All of this was like a game to him. No. Ari paused in his thoughts looking at how his hands clenched in and out of fists. Was it out of impatience or anger? Ari has never seen any of those emotions come from Kaval. It disturbed him. Had he hit a nerve?

"You are no guardian or whatever... I am not your master. I could never be... You are just weak right now and need blood. Mine, for whatever reason that may be."

"What reason that may be?" Kaval smirked. "Do not play dumb. You are what you are. Embrace it."

Ari swallowed dryly.

"After all, it was I who called to you and you heard me."

Kaval petted his head before cupping his face in his hands. "You are like me, but you are like them as well." Ari shook his hand from his head and backed away, but Kaval grabbed him forward and yanked him closer. "Koli tried to dispose of you before I got to you, but what a dumb thing she is. She must have forgotten... how we ate them all."

Ari's wide eyes met with Kaval's.

"No, I am not one of them as you said. I am something much more extraordinary. A Great, as they call us," Kaval whispered in his ear as his smile pressed onto Ari's skin. "But so are you."

Ari grabbed his hand in his causing Kaval to press a kiss to it.

"I quite like you... so do not fear me. Let nothing change between us. I will take care of you in her stead."

"Fear is not what I feel when I look at you. It is not what I see either. All I see is a liar and I feel nothing but disgust growing in the pits of my stomach when I look at you. How dare you speak of Auovin the way you have when the one thing he had not ever done you did."

"Ari... "

"I used to believe I did not know who to trust, but I know now. You are just like the rest. You are no different."

"Yes, I lied, but what difference would it have made?"

"I would not have treated you any differently. If you would have been honest... It is hard enough with everything as is, but you, Kaval, I expected more." Ari licked his lips as silence fell between them. "I do not need to be taken care of. What parents I had are gone now. I have one father unrelated by blood, but he is like blood to me regardless. I do not need your pity. I do not want it."

"Pity is not what I meant to give you."

Ari stared into his eyes. "What did you mean to give me?"

"The world. The world if you want it. The skies, the seas, even the very air if you would like it."

"I do not want it."

"No?"

"Because it will come at a price which I will not ever be willing to pay."

Kaval smiled widely then.

"Ylanan and Auovin... as well as my father had some part to play in you sleeping for all those years. And you know Auovin... "

Kaval twirled a piece of Ari's hair around his finger and nodded.

"But I am awake now. Do you know why?"

Ari took in a small gasp as he thought back to the dark place.

"You are... "

"The humans are our lessers, but so are they."

"What makes them lesser than us?"

"They are fickle things. Changing their position depending on the tide. It resulted in me sleeping for thousands and thousands of years. I do not trust them nor should you. We are all demons in their eyes, but they... the Blood demons... have one fatal flaw. Time and time again they bear their bare bellies to us because of it. The first time they showed it to us, they paid a grave price. What price shall this pay this time, I wonder."

Ari's eyes were wide, awaiting his answer. The tension was thick in the air but Kaval let it hang. He only smiled and moved away while dragging Ari behind him.

"What is it? Our names? Our true names?"

Kaval shook his head.

"What then?" Ari dug his fingers through to his skin until he stopped. "Tell me."

"There is no need. You have been with the humans for far too long and the blood demons have tainted your mind with fruitless thoughts, but with us... things will become clear. You will see everything as they are."

Ari's brows furrowed and followed obediently behind him. Kaval had numerous times to hurt Auovin if Auovin did the things he said he did... but he had not... Why?

"I told you there are two sides to every story. Let me tell you ours."

"Has Auovin slept with you too?"

Kaval covered his mouth. However, it was too late. A laugh escaped from Kaval. Soon it grew to raucous laughter. Kaval bent down and continued to chuckle making Ari draw his lips tight.

"Come again? Did he what? With me? Never. Never in your wildest dreams. What fantasies are concocting in that head of yours?" Kaval asked as he nudged Ari's head with his finger.

Ari's face flushed with embarrassment.

"Is that an appetizing thought to you?"

"No," Ari mumbled.

"I suppose I am a pretty thing... But, to you, Auovin is gorgeous, is he not? He is like the stars to you."

"... He is."

Kaval gave him a look but said no more.

"Where has he gone to?"

Kaval shrugged his shoulders.

"Tell me."

"Why would I know?"

"If you hurt him..."

"And what of the hurt he has done unto me?"

"That was then. This is now. When will this vicious cycle end? How much longer will you be at this?"

"Until one of us is dead, I suppose," Kaval said matter-of-factly.

"I do not want either of you to get hurt because of this ridiculous conflict--"

"Terrible? Yes, perhaps. Ridiculous? No. Never that."

Ari chewed on his lip. He outstretched his hand to reach Kaval's face. When he touched it, it had gotten Kaval's attention almost instantly.

"Even in all of this... I think you would be good friends."

Kaval pressed his hand against Ari's and smiled.

"There is nothing but goodness in you... That is what attracts us like moths to a burning flame... There is not enough room for both blood and great demons. One must go."

"Why is that? Forgive one another. There is already so much hate between the humans and demons. Why must there be between us?"

"I do not know... The more I am around you... I do not know. The others will not see it this way as I will not."

"I like you," Ari murmured. "As strange as you are... I do like you."

"I like you too."

"But I care for Auovin as well. I will not ever do a thing to hurt him. I could never."

"You cannot have both things and expect nothing to go wrong. I assure you, nothing good will come from us becoming friends. Blood has already been shed. The hurt has been done."

Ari's eyes lowered to the ground.

"I smell another blood demon nearby. I will let you go with him."

"I thought... "

"As I said before, nothing will come from us being near one another. I will kill him or he will kill me. Nothing in between."

"... That is sad."

Kaval gave him a small smile. "If you still wish to know our story, go to the mountain. I will be there, as well as some others... "

"I would like to know it still. I want to meet the others. I cannot ignore some other part of me because of this."

Ari tried to approach closer, but Kaval pushed him to the ground and dodged something buzzing passed them. It dagger sank into the trunk of the tree. When another whizzed by, Kaval pushed Ari back to the ground. The small knife pierced through Kaval's arm. Ari could smell his blood. Kaval rose just as a blond stream of hair swept passed Ari's face. The scent of Cyrus instantly made it to his nose.

Ari pushed Cyrus off of Kaval before Cyrus could push the blade through to Kaval's throat. Cyrus drew blood but not deep enough to cause serious harm. Before Ari could get a good handle on Kaval, Kaval grabbed a handful of Cyrus' hair and pulled him down to the ground.

Kaval took a blade from out of the trunk of the tree. He tried to stab it through Cyrus' throat. Cyrus rolled away. Kaval's face connected with Cyrus' elbow. It took all of Ari's strength to pry Kaval from Cyrus'grasp. When Ari finally pried them away from one another, they were dirty and their hair was disheveled covered with leaves. Cyrus wiped the blood coming down from his lip as Kaval wiped his nose.

"Enough, Cyrus, Kaval! Cyrus, he is a friend. He has helped me and means me no harm." Cyrus' eyes softened at his words, but his eyes stayed fixated on Kaval despite what words Ari uttered.

Ari wanted to rush over to Cyrus, but he did not want to make Kaval feel some kind of way because of it. Instead, Cyrus came to him and brought him into a tight embrace. Ari returned it, burying his face into his chest as he did. He missed the smell of mint and the small hint of honey that was always present. It had been so long since he had last seen him. Ari began to think the worst.

"You are well?" Cyrus asked looking Ari over. Ari smiled and nodded. He wanted to kiss Cyrus' lips. These feelings came much faster and more easily than it did with Auovin for some reason. There was no hesitation to show his love to Cyrus as there was Auovin due to fear of being rejected or unwanted. With Cyrus, everything was clear. Ari knew where he stood.

"You are well," Cyrus sighed out still hugging him.

"Kaval would not do a thing to harm me. I am like him as I am like you, after all... "

Cyrus separated from Ari and looked at him.

"I am sure he was not very receptive to you, or any one of them for the matter, hm?" Kaval asked already knowing the answer to that question.

Cyrus narrowed his eyes. Before he could walk over to him, Ari pulled him back and walked to Kaval instead. Ari gave him a hug and whispered words Ari only wanted Kaval to hear. When he looked back to Kaval, Kaval only frowned.

"There is where you must go. Do not bring any of your tagalongs. It will not end well if you do," Kaval said.

Kaval walked deeper into the woods leaving Cyrus and Ari to themselves. Ari fumbled with his hands looking from where Kaval once stood to Cyrus in slow easy movements. What could he do, but stay out of it? If he involved himself Ari was sure he was going to end up hurting one of them. Ari could feel it in his bones.

"Why are you here, Ari?"

"Why are you here?" Ari asked back.

Cyrus combed through his hair with his hands not wanting to make eye contact with him all of a sudden.

"Where have you been?"

"Do not think ill of me." Cyrus brushed some loose strands of Ari's hair away from his face. "Your hair has grown... It needs to be cut."

"That does not matter. Auovin is--"

Cyrus bent down and kissed him, causing Ari to fill with so much want. No, rather the want he had been muscling down rose to the surface, overflowing almost.

"And your lips... They are dry," Cyrus noted as he ran a thumb across Ari's bottom lip.

Ari wet his lips and stared into Cyrus' green ones. He was the same as he always was, but there was some great sadness found in them that Ari could not help but empathize with. As best as he tried to hide it, Ari saw it all. It seemed to ricochet off his own emotions hidden behind a mask he had been wearing up until now.

"... I suppose the lies must stop now," Cyrus said.

"I know he was being dishonest with me. I know he meant to use me to put the Greats back to sleep... but I woke one, and I am bonded to one just as I am to you and Auovin... because I am one. Did he mean to dispose of me after he was through? You meant to keep me away from him because of that... Is that not right?"

"I am loyal to him... " There was apprehension in his eyes as Cyrus spoke those words.

"To love him hopelessly wishing, wanting him to change, but he never will. Neither of them will. Is that not right?" Ari uttered.

Cyrus only stared in response.

"I would be a fool to love a man such as him and befriend another who is just as manipulative and cunning," Ari murmured. "And to be an even bigger fool to believe the words of a demon who despises him and one who tried to use me. I am no fool." Ari looked up at Cyrus. "They both want one thing and that is to rid this place of humans or to subjugate them and I cannot allow that. Eradicating one another's kind... I cannot allow that either. Yet, it seems like I can do nothing but watch with the helplessness of a child because my heart is torn. It is in pieces--"

Ari's eyes swelled with tears as he hiccuped.

"--at what terrible role I must play in all of this chaos."