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Vae mused over her existence as she tore into her chest, fingers closing around her heart. She remembered almost nothing about herself beyond the scraps of memories that she had regained throughout the past few days. She didn't even know who she was--or what her true name was--but it seemed like it was too late for that. She had already come this far, and she had no choice but to see it to the end.

Heart in hand, she offered it to Pride. She didn't know what would become of it, or what exactly she was contributing to, but it had been the most tantalizing of the three. She didn't want to harm all those who had defied her, and neither did she feel an extreme hunger for knowledge. No, she just wanted not to be forgotten after she faded. It was just too sad for no one to recall your existence. Vae had fought, she had existed, she had lived--she hoped that someone would remember that, at least.

But it was done and over with. She had passed her heart on, feeling decidedly empty. When she glanced down at herself, she realized that she was disappearing, and her mind was quickly fade with it. The memories she had made here and that she had just recovered were breaking away, one piece at a time. Eventually, she'd just be an empty shell, and then even that would dissolve away.

Resigning herself to her fate, she let out one last breath and closed her eyes, lips curled upwards in a faint smile.

There was nothing left but to move forward. The way behind was bared, lingering was nothing but sorrow and confusion. She had to move forward, there was no other option.

Hurting was important. That's what they'd said. She wasn't sure she believed them, but at least she had something to sacrifice now.

The crush of leaves beneath her feet was a soft, brittle sound as she stepped forward, hand still pressed over the mutli-colored swirling glow of her heart, and she pressed her lips into a thin line as her jaw clenched. She'd broken down already, she would not do it again.

She had thought that memories would bring her answers, but they had only brought pain. Pain and more questions she didn't even begin to know where to look for answers.

Knowledge had always been the goal, so it was Creation she went to.

Digging fingers into her chest hurt, but there was no going back. No stopping. She forced those thin fingers into her chest, and the sinister snick/snick of scissors echoed as a memory in her ear.

"Don't worry. It only hurts once."

Lies. All lies. It hurt as she dug at her own chest, and it hurt as she tore out the softly glowing core; her heart.

She heard it now, voices calling, bodies rushing. A name on the wind as they raced towards her. Faint and unclear, but getting closer. It was too late though, too late to take back what she'd done. Too late for so many things.

Holding it in her hands she she stared down, then took an unsteady step, then another. The rustling of leaves around her feet growing louder as everything around her seemed to dim and fade.

Darkness came, and she fell forward. Gone before she hit the ground.

She didn't want to be this way.

Why had she turned out wrong? What had happened? Why was she so angry? She was fading, yes, but that was the way she wanted it to be now.

She didn't want to be this way.

If she could just stop existing that would have been for the best. Nothing but a fragment, a figment, a thought that lingered for less than a second. To truly be gone - maybe that was the only wish she'd ever really had.

It was warm when she woke up, but it was always warm. It was a jungle. Mouth stretches into a grin as she slides out of bed. Her feet brush against the floor before she ties up her sandals and she wipes the wrinkles out of her clothes. She hums, mimicking the exact twittering of the birds that nested in the trees just like her, just like her clan. Giggling, she leans out her window to admire the bright blue sky outside. Bright blue. Just like her. Just like her wings.

"I didn't know you had a piano, Decebal." she commented as she ran her hands over the top of the fine instrument, touching a few keys before wincing. "A badly tuned Piano, if I might add."

The vampire laughed at his desk. "Well, I don't play it, ***. You were the only one who ever wanted to touch it. Don't you remember?"

She looked at her hands, flexing her fingers. She had always heard the call of the piano, hadn't she? She smiled briefly before she sat down, touching every key and wincing. Her fingers started once, then stopped. Then again. Then stopped.

"Okay, first things first...." It took her about ten minutes to properly tune the piano - how Decebal had managed to run it into ruin was beyond her, but never the less once she was able to play more than five keys without wincing, she seemed more inclined to play.

"What are you going to play for me, ***?" Decebal asked. She smiled, saying nothing as her fingers began to play

She loved him, that much she couldn't deny...but her affection for him was platonic, like a cherished best friend. Although she had been unable to return his feelings, *** did promise him one thing: that she would never see him as anything less than someone who she cared deeply about. No matter what happened, if he ever needed someone to listen or a comforting presence, she would always be there to help.

She had promised to protect Gale, and that would never change.

He hated everyone by default. Two nice young ladies were fighting by his side, and all he could manage were cruel words and sassy remarks. He felt like every fibre of his being could only lash out, never accepting anybody inside, not even giving them the chance.

He called the shorter one a b***h, and she looked angry.. or was it really anger. He was hurting her, simply because he didn't want to give them a chance to hurt him first. "You don't have to say it a*****e. I already know, you know. Why do you think I'm so goddamn alone all the time?!" She mouthed off in response, "Cause yer a whiny b***h?" he replied swiftly back, almost feeling good with every insult he dished out. "Oh look, go make friends with that." He gestured to one of the many small shadows they were fighting.

A slender black-haired woman seemed a tad put off, "****, you should try um. Being nicer. I mean.. really." **** said a simple No in response----