Under The Rose

By lady Demon

The Fox and the Catman had gone out at the urging of the Starbearer.

He had sensed someone but was unable to pinpoint where this person

was or even who it was. He knew the keen senses of the Catman and

Fox would make it possible for them to find whomever it was.

Something had disturbed his dream and he had lay awake for a few

hours before going to wake the Fox and the Catman. The Catman hadn't

been happy about the summons, but the Fox simply shrugged and headed

out into the night, leaving the Starbearer to wait for their return.

"What is it Starbearer?" asked the Demon as he entered the room.

"I sensed someone…something that had woken me from my sleep. I've

sent Catman and the Fox to find him," said the Starbearer. The Demon

sighed.

"It is not a man," said the Demon. "It…is a woman," he said. The

Starbearer stared at him for a moment, wondering how the Demon could

possibly know when it was the Starbearer himself who read minds and

emotions.

"How do you know?" he asked as he tried to read the Demon's

thoughts. As usual, the Demon had a shield up to his mental probes.

"She came to me in a vision two nights ago," he said.

"And why didn't you tell the rest of us about this?" asked the

Starbearer.

"Tell the rest of us about what?" asked Celestial as he came in and

sat down. The Demon sighed.

"I had a vision of a woman," he said.

"You're always dreaming of women," snickered the Celestial.

"This was no dream…it was a vision," said the Demon with a growl.

"What happened in the vision?" asked the Starbearer.

"I could see her face…and that was all. It was not clear," replied

the Demon evasively.

Running through the deep undergrowth, Sharianna cursed as branches

and brambles dug into her bare flesh. The sound of pounding hooves

was right behind her and she knew that if she turned to look, they

would catch her. The darkness made it impossible to see exactly

where she was going as she continued to run blindly through the

woods.

She came to a clearing and found herself surrounded be three men on

horseback. She stopped, knowing there was no way for her to escape.

She was a good fighter…but not good enough to defeat three men armed

with swords. She knew she couldn't win, but she wasn't going to go

down without a fight.

One of the men dismounted and approached her. She backed up until

she was pinned against a large tree. He leered down at her.

"Blackwell will be quite pleased with you," he said reaching out to

touch her reddish blonde locks. She tried to pull away but the solid

tree behind her prevented it.

"Tell Blackwell he can go to hell," she snarled, summoning up her

courage. The man laughed and grabbed her by the wrist.

"Let's go," he said starting to drag her toward his horse.

"Let go of her," said a voice from the darkness. The other two men

on horseback spun around to survey the darkness.

"What is she to you?" asked the man holding her. He was not about to

let his prize get away.

"That isn't your concern," said a second voice from the other side

of

the clearing. "Release her," said the voice.

"What will you do if I don't?" he asked. Someone stepped into the

clearing and the light from the moon shone down on his face. He was

massive, standing close to eight feet tall, the catlike features of

his face making it obvious who he was.

"I think you already know the answer to that question," said the

Catman. The other man stepped into the light, his fox-like features

now plainly visible.

"Elder," said the man. He immediately released Sharianna's arm and

hurried to his horse. Mounting quickly the three men rode off into

the darkness. Sharianna stood staring at the two Elder before her.

Her knees were weak and she felt them give out as she sank into

oblivion.

"I guess we scared her," said the Fox sheepishly. The Catman

shrugged.

"I guess so," he said.

"I think this is who we're looking," said the Fox.

"What makes you say that?" said the Catman.

"I can feel it," said the Fox. The Catman shook his head and rolled

his eyes. He picked up the unconscious woman and they headed back to

the Citadel.

The Starbearer heard the door opened and turned to see the Catman

and

Fox returning, the Catman carrying a woman. The Starbearer turned to

the Demon.

"It's her," he said. "What happened?"

"She was being chased by some of Blackwell's men. We stopped them

from taking her but when she saw us, she fainted," said the Catman.

"I'd faint too if I came face to face with you guys in the middle of

the night," said the Celestial with a cackle.

"Take her to the guest chambers and have one of the girls check on

her. I'll be there soon. I must speak with the Starbearer," said

the Demon. The Celestial watched as the Catman and the Fox took the

girl to the guest chambers. "Alone," said the Demon, pinning the

Celestial with a stern gaze. The Celestial sighed and got up,

leaving the two Elder alone.

"What is it Demon?" asked the Starbearer. The Demon stood with his

back to the Starbearer, staring out the window into the night.

"She is a Champion," he said.

"What? She has no markings," said the Starbearer. "All Champions

possess the markings of one of the Elder…she had none," he said. The

Demon turned to face him.

"She does…" said the Demon.

***

Sharianna awoke to feel soft sheets beneath her tired body…thick

blankets wrapped her in a cocoon of warmth. She slowly opened her

eyes to gaze around the strange room she was in. She carefully sat

up and was startled by movement in the corner.

"Good, you're awake," said the woman as she approached. "They were

worried about you."

"Where am I?" asked Sharianna, terrified that Blackwell's men had

taken her.

"You're in the Citadel of the Elder," she replied. "They will be

pleased that you are awake," she said. "I am Tiara," she offered.

"Why am I here?" asked Sharianna. Tiara smiled.

"The Elder will explain that to you. Are you hungry?" she asked.

Sharianna thought for a moment.

"Yes," she replied. "Thank you," she said. Tiara smiled and left

the room leaving Sharianna alone with her thoughts.

The Citadel of the Elder? She remembered being chased by Blackwell's

men and then the Catman and Fox appearing…but that was it. She had

passed out and they had obviously brought her here. A knock on the

door startled her. She quickly lay down and pretended to be asleep.

The door opened and she heard someone walking toward her with heavy

footsteps.

"You can stop pretending you're asleep. I know you aren't," said the

deep voice. She opened her eyes and looked into the face of the

Demon. Terrified she sat up, pulling the blankets up around

her. "You have nothing to be afraid of. We will not hurt you," he

said, trying to reassure her.

He took a moment to examine her features. She was just as she had

appeared in his vision. Her long reddish blonde hair and ice blue

eyes just as he knew they would be. She was beautiful and nothing

like he would have expected in a Champion.

"Why were those men chasing you Sharianna?" he asked and she gasped.

How had he known her name?

"How do you know my name?" she asked. The Demon smiled.

"There are many things I know…but you did not answer my question,"

he

said.

"Blackwell's men were after me," she said hugging her knees to her

chest.

"I see. Well, you are safe now and you have nothing to fear from the

Elder. We mean you no harm," he said.

"I have to leave," she said. The Demon chuckled.

"You can't," he said.

"Why not? If I have nothing to fear, that means I'm not a prisoner,"

she said angrily. The Demon sighed.

"You can't leave because you have a duty to perform," he said.

"What kind of duty?" she asked warily. The Demon laughed.

"Not the kind of duty you're thinking. You are a Champion," he said.

"A what?" she asked.

"A Champion. It was not by accident that you came to us…though the

circumstances by which you came to us would certainly make one think

it was," he said. "We must go see the other Elder," he said taking

her arm gently and leading her out the door and down the long

corridor.

Sharianna tried to remain calm. This couldn't be happening to her.

A Champion? It couldn't be possible. She was just an ordinary

person.

They reached a large ornate wooden door and the Demon opened it and

led her inside. The other four Elder were sitting around a table and

their conversation stopped when Sharianna and the Demon entered the

room.

"This is our Champion?" asked the Catman.

"Yes," said the Demon.

"But she has no markings…all Champions have the markings of one of

the Elder," said the Fox.

"Remove your shirt," he said to Sharianna.

"Go to hell," she snarled pulling away from him and putting as much

distance between her and the Demon as possible. The Demon sighed.

He walked over to her and grabbed her wrist, pulling her before the

other Elder. She protested but couldn't break his grip and gasped

when she felt the back of her shirt being lifted. The collective

gasp from the Elder made her stop struggling.

The Starbearer stared at the girl's back in disbelief. There, as

plain as day were the five symbols of the Elder. She had no facial

markings…but she bore the markings of all five Elder.

"When did you get that?" he asked and Sharianna turned to face the

five.

"I've had it all my life. As far as I know, I was born with it," she

said. The Celestial turned to the other four.

"She bears the markings of all five of us…this has never happened

before," he said. The Demon smiled.

"We finally have a way of defeating Blackwell once and for all," he

said. "She is the key."

Part 2

Sharianna stood, listening to the Elder talking, trying to figure

out

how she had been swept up into this nightmare and wondering when she

would wake up. It was obvious that the Celestial and the Catman

didn't believe what the Demon was saying, but the Fox and the

Starbearer did. She could sense their emotions and catch hints of

thoughts from everyone but the Demon. He had his thoughts shielded

quite securely.

"Why don't we let her talk?" said the Starbearer gesturing toward

Sharianna. She stood dumbfounded for a moment.

"I don't know what you expect me to say," she said looking at each

one in turn. "I'm no Champion…I'm just a woman," she said.

"A Champion must be trained," said the Fox. "You will be trained."

"What if I don't want to be trained?" she asked, wondering what they

would say. The Catman was obviously surprised that anyone would

refuse the duty of Champion and Sharianna had to hide her smile at

the indignant outrage in his thoughts.

"You have no choice," said the Demon. "It was decided before your

birth that you would come to us to be trained as a Champion," he

said.

"I don't want to be a Champion," she said, wondering just what they

would do to her if she refused.

"You would refuse the honor of being a Champion?" demanded the

Catman

angrily. "We should have let Blackwell's men have you," he snarled

and stormed from the room.

"You cannot refuse," said the Demon, towering over her.

"Why not? It's my life and I choose NOT to be a Champion," she said

defiantly. He grabbed her arm in a vice-like grip.

"//Demon, she is taunting us. She knows she has no choice…she is

playing a game,//" came the Starbearer's voice in the Demon's mind.

The Demon glared down at her.

"//Little girl, I would advise you not to play these kinds of games

with me again//," he said in her mind causing her to gasp in

surprise. His eyes pierced her soul and she knew it would be unwise

to anger the Demon further. "Your training begins tomorrow," said

the Demon letting go of her arm. "Celestial, take her to her room,"

he said dismissing her with a wave of his hand.

The Celestial appeared next to her, took hold of her arm and they

were gone in a flash of silver stars. A moment later they appeared

in the room she had woken in. He let go of her arm.

"I wouldn't make the Demon too mad," said Celestial.

"Why not? It's kinda fun," she said with a smirk.

"Look kid, I know you're not thrilled to be here but it's your

destiny. You can't change that. Fulfill that destiny and help rid

the world of Blackwell forever," he said before disappearing in a

flash of stars.

Sharianna immediately tried the door and was surprised to find it

unlocked. She opened it quietly and stepped out into the dark

hallway. Glancing around she tried to figure out which way was the

way out. After a moment's contemplation she headed down the hallway

and soon found herself at a doorway leading out of the Citadel. She

stepped out into the cool night air and began to run.

She didn't ask to be a Champion. She didn't want the responsibility…

being afraid she would fail. She ran blindly, not caring where she

ended up.

The Demon burst into the room, startling the Starbearer and the

woman

he was with. The Starbearer calmly pulled the blankets over the

woman and glared at the Demon.

"She's gone," said the Demon.

"I know… She will be back," he said.

"We should have locked her in the room," said the Demon.

"Do you think that would have prevented her from escaping?" asked

the

Starbearer. The Demon was surprised at his statement. Could she

have gotten out of a locked room? "Think about it…there's a very

good chance she possesses all of our powers."

"I guess I didn't think about that," said the Demon.

"She will be back. She is scared, but she will be back," said the

Starbearer. The Demon sighed.

"I hope you're right," he said walking out.

Sharianna ran until her legs and lungs hurt before stopping to lean

against a tree. She turned in the direction from which she had come

and could easily see the Citadel. By know they knew she was gone.

Why didn't they just teleport her back? The Celestial's words echoed

in her head. Fulfill that destiny and help rid the world of

Blackwell forever. The words echoed over and over. Could she really

help get rid of Blackwell?

She knew the Demon would be angry, but in her heart she knew she had

to face him and the rest of the Elder. She couldn't let others

suffer the way she had under Blackwell's tyranny. She turned around

and began to head back to the Citadel.

"She has returned," said the Fox. He had followed her through the

woods, keeping an eye on her. The Starbearer smiled at the Demon who

rolled his eyes and growled.

"Let her go back to her room and rest. We will talk with her in the

morning," said the Starbearer heading back to his room.

The Demon went back to his room and stood before the massive fire

burning in the ancient stone hearth. There in the flickering flames

he could see her creeping back into the Citadel and back to the room

she had been given. She sat heavily on the edge of the bed before

undressing.

The Demon watched her clothes slip to the floor, her naked body just

visible in the dim light of her room. She stretched before walking

to the window to peer out at the night. His dark eyes feasted on her

body and he groaned, feeling his body responding to what his mind

was

seeing. He could never have her unless she willingly gave herself to

him. With a growl he banished the vision from the flames and turned

away.

Sharianna thankfully pulled the warm blankets over her tired body

and

was soon fast asleep. It had been a long day, a strange day and she

knew that this was only the beginning.

Part 3

Sharianna awoke the next morning to a knock on her door. She sat up

as the door slowly swung open and Tiara entered the room carrying a

tray laden with food. She set it down and sat down next to

Sharianna.

"How do you feel?" she asked.

"I haven't slept that well in a long time," she said stretching.

"I've brought you some breakfast. You must be hungry," she said.

"Starving!" said Sharianna. Tiara set the tray on the bed and

Sharianna eagerly began to eat. The food was delicious! There was a

little bit of everything…fruits, breads, even some sort of meat. She

quickly devoured most of it, sighing with satisfaction when she

could

eat no more.

"I have brought you some new clothes. You are to begin your training

today," she said taking the tray and walking toward the door. "Bathe

and dress quickly. The Elder will be sending for you soon," she said

before walking out.

Sharianna set the tray on the table next to the bed and went into

the

bathing room. She stood before the large tub, amazed that she would

be given such luxuries if she were a student of the Elder. She

undressed and stepped into the warm water.

After thoroughly cleaning up, she stepped from the water and dried

off. She dressed in the loose fitting shirt, form-fitting leggings

and boots and opened the door to leave her room. Tiara was waiting

for her in the hallway to escort her to the Elder.

The Demon paced the room, impatiently waiting for Sharianna. He

didn't noticed the amused looks passing between the Celestial and

the

Catman and it wasn't until the Starbearer sighed that he even

acknowledged that there were others in the room.

"Demon, you're going to wear a path in the floor," said the

Starbearer with a smile.

"Where is she?" asked the Demon of no one in particular.

"She is coming. Be patient," he said. A moment later there was a

knock on the massive door and it slowly swung open to admit Tiara

and

Sharianna.

"Did you sleep well?" asked the Fox.

"Yes, I did," replied Sharianna, deciding it would be best if she

didn't tell them about her late night run. Maybe they didn't know.

"Good. You will need to be well-rested for your training," said the

Demon brusquely.

"Where do I begin?" she asked, her gaze settling on each of the

Elder.

"You will begin your training with me," said the Starbearer. "Each

of us will take part in your training. Are you ready to begin?" he

asked.

"As ready as I will ever be," she replied and the Starbearer smiled.

Over the next couple of weeks, Sharianna's days were filled with

casting spells, reading thoughts and emotions and physical training.

The Celestial taught her the ways of white magic and sorcery as well

as teaching her the art of teleportation.

The Starbearer taught her to read minds and to manipulate thoughts

and behavior simply by willing it to happen. Sharianna had no

trouble reading the Starbearer's thoughts, or the Celestial's, the

Fox's or the Catman's. The only one whose thoughts remained

unreadable were the Demon's. He kept his thoughts and emotions

carefully blocked from her and, from what she could tell, the

Starbearer too.

The Catman and the Fox taught her physical prowess and hand to hand

combat, stealth in movement and attack. All skills she would

eventually need and use.

The Demon taught her the use of weapons and the arts of battle with

a

weapon. He told her it wasn't just slash and chop. It was an art

form, one that he was a master of. He also began teaching her the

basics of dark magic. The use of fire and dark spells were touched

upon.

Sharianna was beginning to feel like she was finally achieving some

sort of progress with her training. She no longer received the

lengthy lectures the Catman loved to give on the need for stealth

and

the Demon no longer yelled at her to try harder, fight harder or

move

faster.

She actually looked forward to her training sessions…especially with

the Demon. She would make up reasons to extend the training sessions

beyond the point of exhaustion at times. She couldn't explain why,

but she felt drawn to him but kept the feelings buried. She didn't

want him to find out.

"When are you going to tell her?" asked the Starbearer as he and the

Demon strode through the hallways of the Citadel.

"Tell her what?" asked the Demon, avoiding eye contact with the

Starbearer.

"Tell her what her quest is. She has a right to know," said the

Starbearer.

"So you tell her," growled the Demon.

"She is really your student. It is not my place to tell her," said

the Starbearer.

"I will tell her," said the Demon.

"When?" asked the Starbearer taking the Demon's arm and making him

stop.

"Soon," replied the Demon. "I will tell her soon."

"I know you care for her," said the Starbearer. He had never been

able to read the Demon's thoughts, but his actions spoke louder than

any words could. The Demon was avoiding sending her on her quest,

knowing there was a chance she would not come back.

"No more than I would any student or Champion," replied the Demon

evasively. The Starbearer fixed him with a penetrating gaze.

"You and I both know it's deeper than that," said the Starbearer.

"So, there is nothing wrong with it," protested the Demon.

"I know that. But you must tell her about the quest. You can't

continue to delay it," he said.

"Someone will die," snarled the Demon suddenly and the Starbearer

stared at him for a moment.

"Who?" asked the Starbearer but the Demon didn't answer. The

Starbearer knew he would get nothing out of the Demon. "You must

tell her of the quest," he said and the Demon sighed.

"I will tell her tonight," said the Demon.

Part 4

Sharianna was surprised at the summons to join the Elder for dinner

and quickly made her way to the dining room. When the doors opened,

she was surprised to find only the Demon there waiting for her.

"Where are the others?" she asked.

"It is just you and I tonight," he replied motioning for her to sit

opposite him. She sat down and nervously rearranged her silverware.

She had only been alone with the Demon during training

sessions…never

in a casual setting such as this. She didn't know what to say.

Dinner was accomplished in almost complete silence, making Sharianna

wonder what would happen next. She was surprised when the Demon

stood and walked to her. He took her hand and pulled her to her

feet.

No matter how many times she looked into his eyes, the Demon still

intimidated her, yet his hand on her cheek was gentle and kind. He

caressed her cheek with the back of his large hand and she couldn't

help but lean into his tender touch.

His finger softly caressed her lips and she suddenly felt his other

arm around her, pulling her against his armored body. The cold of

his armor and the spikes of his codpiece were surprising but not

unpleasant. His massive hand cupped her chin causing her to look up

at him. His dark eyes were softer now and filled with desire.

Sharianna knew what he wanted because she wanted the same thing…but

she was unsure whether it was permissible. His lips descended on

hers, taking her breath away as she felt the fire rushing through

her

blood. When he pulled away, her knees felt weak.

"Should we be doing this?" she asked, her voice nothing more than a

ragged whisper.

"Do you give yourself to me willingly?" he asked, his own voice a

ragged growl that sent shivers of desire through her body.

"Yes," she whispered and the Demon smiled before picking her up and

carrying her from the dining room to his bedchamber. He closed and

locked the door behind them before setting her carefully on his bed.

He sat down on the bed and leaned down to kiss her, his lips

devouring hers.

The Demon began to remove his clothes, pieces of armor clattering to

the floor loudly, followed by the rest of his clothing until he wore

nothing. He reached down and began to undress Sharianna, taking his

time, savoring each part of her as it was revealed to him. When she

was as naked as he was, he lay down next to her, kissing her

passionately.

Sharianna's hands began to explore the Demon's body, hesitantly at

first. She had never been with a man before and she was nervous.

She wasn't scared because she knew he would never hurt her, but she

wondered how she would compare to other women.

The Demon's tongue parted her lips and explored her mouth and she

moaned. Sharianna teased his with her own tongue and he smiled. He

nibbled on her neck and shoulder before finding her sensitive nipple

with his agile tongue. She moaned softly and arched up under him,

tangling her fingers in his hair.

The Demon grinned up at Sharianna as he moved lower, eager to taste

her sweetness. He parted her thighs and slowly teased her sensitive

flesh with his tongue. Sharianna gasped and the Demon chuckled.

"You like that?" he asked.

"Yes," she replied, her voice a hoarse whisper.

The Demon once again began teasing and tasting her and she couldn't

help but writhe in ecstasy. His large hands cupped her breasts, his

thumbs teasing her nipples and she gasped again. She tasted so sweet

to him and he knew he wouldn't be able to wait much longer to have

her.

The Demon climbed up her body and claimed her lips in another

breath-

taking kiss. She could taste herself on his ebony lips and moaned.

He parted her thighs with his hips and slowly slid himself into her

hot wetness.

Sharianna cried out in pain and pleasure as he entered her. The

Demon kissed her hard, smothering her cries as he slid all the way

into her. Her cries of pain quickly turned to cries of ecstasy as he

began to thrust into her. She wrapped her legs around his waist and

looked into his eyes.

Never before had she felt anything like what she was feeling now. It

was incredible! The Demon's soft nibbles and gentle bites on her

neck, shoulders and nipples drove her wild while his slow,

deliberate

thrusts drove her crazy.

The Demon knew she was nearing an orgasm. Her skin was flushed and

her cries and moans coming louder with each thrust. He began to

thrust harder and faster and groaned as he felt her tighten around

him.

Their combined release caused the shield blocking the Demon's

thoughts to drop and Sharianna could easily feel what he was

thinking

and immediately knew what her quest was to be.

"Why hadn't you told me?" she asked looking into his deep brown eyes

as she tried to catch her breath. The Demon looked at her in

surprise for a moment.

"If you know about the quest, then you know why I didn't tell you,"

he said, a touch of sadness in his voice.

"You're afraid I won't come back," she said and he nodded.

"You are no longer just a student to me," he said. "I have never let

anyone into my heart as well as my thoughts as I have you," he said.

"Do you feel I am ready for this quest?" she asked, her eyes never

leaving his.

"Yes, I do," he replied.

"Then I will return," she said with a smile. She kissed him

passionately before resting her head on his chest as he pulled her

body tightly against his. She smiled, knowing finally what it was

like to be loved. It wasn't long before she fell asleep.

The Demon lay awake for a while, thinking about what was to come. He

didn't know exactly when his vision would come true…but he knew it

would sooner or later and that saddened him. Eventually exhaustion

took over and he fell asleep.

Their peaceful sleep was interrupted by a flash of light in the

room. Sharianna sat up and gasped when she realized who it was in

the Demon's bedchamber. The Demon seemed as surprised as she was

when he saw the lone dark figure standing beside the bed.

"Well, well, well…isn't this cozy," he said.

"Blackwell…" snarled the Demon.

"I'm sure you're wondering how I got in here," said

Blackwell. "Unfortunately, you won't live to hear the answer," he

said drawing a sword and running it through the Demon's unprotected

middle.

"NO!!!" screamed Sharianna as she watched the blood pour from the

wound onto the bed. He reached down and pulled the sword from his

body, dropping it. He started to get up and collapsed on the bed.

The Demon's eyes flared red before fading.

Sharianna lept from the bed, her anger over-riding her good

judgement. She let loose with a blast from her hands which seemed to

startle Blackwell.

"You're stronger than I realized," he said. "I'll be back for you

little one," he said before disappearing in a ball of flames.

Sharianna stood there for a second before hurrying back to the bed

where the Demon lay motionless.

"Please wake up," she said shaking him. A moment later, the door

burst open and the other four Elder came into the room. "Please

don't die," she said putting her head down on his chest. She could

no longer hear a heart beat.

"What happened?" demanded the Catman. Sharianna was sobbing

uncontrollably.

"Blackwell," said the Celestial.

"He's dead," she cried, his blood soaking her. "Because of me, he's

dead," she sobbed. The Starbearer took her into his arms.

"It's not your fault," he said trying to calm her.

"If we hadn't have made love, he wouldn't have been caught off

guard," she said, angry at herself for letting the one man she loved

get killed. "If it hadn't been for me…"

"He knew he was going to die," said the Starbearer.

"What?" asked the Fox.

"He knew he was going to die… He said someone would die but wouldn't

tell me who," said the Starbearer. He had thought the Demon had

meant her. Never in a million years did he think it would be the

Demon…or that it would happen in his own bed chamber.

"How did Blackwell get in here?" asked the Catman.

"I don't know," said the Starbearer.

"The Elder can't die!" she screamed. "You're supposed to be

Immortal!"

"We never grow old and die…and mortal man cannot kill us. But a

sword, tempered by the fire that created us can kill us," said the

Celestial.

"Then I will find that bastard and kill him with my bare hands," she

snarled pulling her clothes on quickly. She grabbed the Demon's

sword and strapped it over her back.

"You can't just run after Blackwell! You're angry and you're not

thinking straight," said the Fox.

"You're damn right I'm angry and I AM going after Blackwell," she

snarled.

The Starbearer hit her with a beam from his eye to knock her out and

was shocked when it had no effect on her. She was now stronger than

they were.

"You can't stop me," she said sticking out her thumb and teleporting

out of the room. The remaining four stared at one another in

complete surprise.

"What now?" asked the Celestial.

"Now, we wait," said the Starbearer.

He looked to the body of the Demon and felt a terrible sadness in

his

heart. How long had the Elder been together? He had lost track over

the eons and never in any of that time did he think that one of them

would be killed. They had found a true Champion and he knew in his

heart that she would defeat Blackwell…but what a price they had

paid. He tried to convince himself that it was worth it, but he

wasn't having much luck.

Sharianna appeared before the gate of Blackwell's castle. Her face

and hands were still covered in the Demon's blood and she stood

there

for a moment. She had found love, and in the blink of an eye it was

gone. He never even had a chance to fight back. He should have died

in a battle, fighting…not lying in his bed, unarmed and unprotected.

She felt the tears and bit them back. She wasn't going to let

Blackwell win. She would get her revenge and avenge the Demon and

the Elder.

"Come face me coward!" she screamed at the closed gate. "I know

you're in there!"

The gate slowly opened and she started in. She realized that

Blackwell would expect her to be so angry she would act irrationally

so she took a deep breath and calmed herself. She thought back on

all the training the Elder had given her and cleared her mind of all

anger or pain. This would be a battle she wasn't going to lose.

Part 5

The main door to the castle was open and she slowly stepped inside,

turning when the door suddenly slammed behind her. She was alone

now. This was her battle to fight and she would NOT be defeated.

A lone dark figure descended the stairs and she stood where she was,

scared to death, but determined not to back away. Blackwell

approached her and smiled down at her.

"I knew it wouldn't take you long to come after me," he said.

Sharianna said nothing. She was trying to contain her anger and knew

if she started talking, she would lose control. "You are much

stronger than the other Champions the Elder have trained. It's not

surprising the Demon would take you for his own," he said.

"He loved me," she said through her tightly reigned anger.

"Loved you? Why would he love you?" he asked.

"I don't know. But you took him away from me, and for that you're

going to pay with your life," she said and Blackwell began to laugh.

"You are welcome to try, but you will fail just as all the others

have," he said as Sharianna drew her sword. It was heavy…heavier

than any weapon she had used in her training. The sword had belonged

to the Demon so was proportioned to him. "That's a large sword for

such a little girl," he said and Sharianna swung at him.

Blackwell easily ducked out of range of her sword, taunting her with

gesture and word. Her anger built as he continued to play with her,

hoping to wear her out. Her strength was great, but after wielding

the Demon's sword for a while she was beginning to tire.

Sharianna was surprised when she felt a searing pain in her right

arm. She looked to see a large cut from the sword Blackwell now

carried. He grinned at her and she raced at him, swinging with all

her might. He easily ducked her blade and kicked her, sending her

crashing into the stone wall.

Sharianna could feel the blood running down her face from a gash on

her forehead but she was determined not to give up. Blackwell rushed

at her and she quickly stuck out her thumb, teleporting to the other

side of the room. If she couldn't out match him with her sword, she

would use all of her powers. She could sense his surprise at her

teleportation and allowed herself to smile.

"You are full of surprises aren't you?" he said. A moment later he

was right next to her and before she could teleport away, he had

caught her leg with his blade. Lightning flowed from her fingers,

striking Blackwell and knocking him back a few feet.

A ball of flames came at her and she dodged, narrowly escaping it as

she rolled to safety. She tried to get to her feet but was surprised

by Blackwell standing over her, his foot firmly planted on her

throat.

"Now you will die just as the Demon did…afraid," he said. Sharianna

panicked and began struggling just before her anger flared and she

took her own fear and sadness and projected it into Blackwell's

mind. He doubled over, grabbing his head.

"All the anger and hate you have been the cause of will now be the

cause of your death," she said focusing her thoughts on her anger

and

sadness over the Demon's death. She could feel the pain Blackwell

was feeling and turned it back on him, causing him to fall to his

knees. "You killed him, and now you die," she said taking the sword

and bringing it down in one swift motion, taking his head off.

She stared unemotionally at the stunned expression in Blackwell's

lifeless eyes before turning and walking away.

Sharianna returned to the Citadel, bloody, exhausted but victorious.

She dragged the Demon's sword behind her as she walked up the steps,

too tired to teleport. The Fox ran to her as she collapsed inside

the doors.

"Take me to the Demon," she pleaded.

"Sharianna, he's dead," said the Fox.

"I know that. Take me to him," she said.

"Sharianna…" he started.

"NOW!" she screamed and the Fox obediently picked her up and carried

her to the Demon's bedchamber. Nothing had been touched since she

left. The Fox set her down and she walked over to the bed and

climbed onto it. She brushed the hair out of his face, his skin cold

under her bloodied hand. The tears came freely now and she didn't

try to stop them.

"I would gladly give up everything that I have that you might still

be alive," she said, running her hand over the wound. "I love you,"

she said.

"Sharianna, there's nothing you can do," said the Starbearer. "He

must return to the flames." Sharianna sat there for a moment before

getting up and leaving the room.

"Has the fire been prepared?" asked the Starbearer and the Catman

nodded. "Tonight we will send him back to the flames from which he

came," said the Starbearer.

The body of the Demon in full armor was carried to the water's edge

and placed upon the boat. The four remaining Elder stood at the

water's edge, the sadness in their hearts overpowering the joy they

should be feeling at the defeat of Blackwell. The Catman lit the

fire and the boat slowly made its way out into the water. The bright

flames lit the night but couldn't chase the darkness from their

hearts.

Sharianna watched from the window in her room. She saw the Four

gathered on the shore and knew that they were feeling an even

greater

loss that she was. How long had the Elder known one another? She

couldn't savor her victory because she felt that, in some way, she

had failed. The Demon wasn't supposed to die. She was…she was

expendable…he wasn't.

She watched until the boat disappeared beneath the waves and then

made her way to his bedchamber. The bloodied sheets had been removed

and she slowly climbed into the bed. A fire burned in the vast

hearth in the room and she stared into it for a few minutes.

Exhaustion finally took over and she soon fell asleep.

Part 6 Finale

Sharianna awoke to a sound in the room but wasn't sure what it was.

She sat up and looked around, trying to figure out what it was that

had woken her. A log settled in the fireplace and she figured that

was what had woken her. She was just about to lay back down when

another log moved in the fire. Suddenly a large dark figure rose out

of the embers and stepped out of the fire and into the room.

Sharianna could hardly believe her eyes. She rushed to him, throwing

her arms around him and capturing his ebony lips in a heart-stopping

kiss.

"Demon! You've come back to me," she cried as he held her tightly to

his body. She looked into his eyes and saw the sadness. "What?" she

asked.

"I am dead," he said. "Nothing can bring me back, but you will take

my place on the Council of Elders," he said.

"What?" she asked incredulously.

"You will replace me. You are now an Elder. It is your duty to

judge and mete out justice now," he said caressing the side of her

face. She felt the tears well up in her eyes.

"I love you," she said. "I don't want you to go…"

"And I love you and always will, but I must go," he said letting go

of her.

"I'll never see you again," she sobbed, burying her face against his

chest.

"I will see you in your dreams," he said. "There we will always be

together."

Sharianna sat up in bed, looking around the empty room. She was

alone in the room, the fire having died out hours ago. She got up

and went to the bathroom, startled when she saw her reflection in

the

mirror. She now bore facial markings in a pattern resembling that of

a hawk. She was truly an Elder now. She smiled at her reflection.

"I will not let you down," she said to the Demon before returning to

bed.

She would miss him terribly, but he had told her she would see him

in

her dreams. She would always have a part of him in her.

The End.