My darkness is the chain that binds youMy seduction is the mist that hides you.Mortality and death combineAnd we will come to thee and thine.Nathaniel was silent as they made their way across the barren ground, interspersed by flurries of lush green and copses of trees that had once been mighty forests. There was still quite a lot of green; to most people, the woods would be large. But by the standards of old, they were small and a lot of the ancient trees were long gone to firewood.Even though it was vastly different, the memories still lingered and clawed at him as he moved.Lloyd watched his step carefully. Ivy weaved over and among the exposed roots, like snakes squeezing the life from them and making a hazard for anyone who walked there. The shadows seemed to loom in, fearing the rays of the sun but making him feel as if they were trying to box him in. As if they were alive and envious of his ability to love the daylight."It's so warm here, yet I'm cold," Lloyd said aloud,

The bubbling water turned from cloudy to a sickly green. It brought to Lloyd's mind the phlegm his late grandmother had coughed up when her lungs were slowly filling with fluid and infection. The only difference was it lacked streaks of red.The woman stirred it carefully, not phased by the colour, or by the harsh smell that stung Lloyd's nostrils as he breathed. He glanced at Nathaniel who was looking away, a slight frown of discomfort blighting his features. Whether that was the smell or the entire situation, Lloyd didn't know."You must allow this to ferment. Do not open it until the colours separate, even then, do not open it until you need." The woman said solemnly. "Something will be attracted to this and will be sealed inside. You will know when you must free it.""Something?" Lloyd peered closer, seeing only foul-looking water."A spirit. One of air and fire. It dwells in the dampness of the trees. Right now, they are weak. The damage to the earth has been great but now humans

"Get the sail down unless you want your guts tying the masts!"The sun was peeking from the ocean when Lloyd and Nathaniel returned. The first bloody lines trailed across the water like ivy, bleeding into the water and penetrating as deep as they could into the depths.The mist rose silently as soon as Lloyd's feet hit the deck and the gangplank was pulled in. He let out a sigh of relief, his eyes making out twisted fingers, the claws itching for the feel of flesh.He swore he heard a hiss of irritation as it sank down to embrace the hull, glowing eerily."I guess we got back just in time," Lloyd said to Nathaniel's retreating form after giving his orders. "I get the feeling it was looking forward to blood.""Aye," Nathaniel muttered something inaudible and headed down to his cabin. Lloyd paused before deciding to follow. He felt the crew staring at him, the eyes cold and cruel like those of a shark as it glided through the sea.God help him, he'd have preferred the quicker fate of t

"You failed them..."Nathaniel's voice was a whisper but in the solitude of the cabin, it was as clear as a preacher in the cathedral. All was silent outside. The ship drifted on a sea as still as a millpond. It was harder to tell where the water ended and the sky began.Above them, a full moon blinked lazily, surrounded by its harem of stars. No one had noticed the thin mist that was reaching up from the depths and winding about the hull. They were all below, seething with rage and disbelief as their fate registered. The sights they had seen only a few hours below were forever etched into memory.Only Nathaniel knew. And only he knew why it was there on such a fine night. He raked his hand through his hair and sat back. He trembled as he reached for the familiar bottle near him. But even the potent liquor did little to calm his nerves."They can't even mutiny," he muttered, swirling the rum in the base. "What good would it do 'em?"His eyes fell on his dagger. The blade glimmered

Despite Nathaniel's evident curiosity, Lloyd didn't elaborate on his thoughts."It isn't worth it yet," he said as he returned to the cabin. "I'm not sure of things myself yet. So, if I tried to explain anything, I'd look like a babbling idiot.""Seen plenty of 'em, lad," Nathaniel muttered, scouring the landscape. "But do as you want. I've things to deal with up here."Routine. The routine never altered, dead or alive, or something in-between. Lloyd's pace picked up as he headed down the steps and into the uncomfortable blanket of darkness. He swore he could hear whispers in the gloom and felt eyes, unseen but angry, watching him. "You don't scare me. You won't scare me," Lloyd hissed aloud, feeling somewhat foolish as he did so. "I didn't do shit to be here and I will be getting out of it, soul and all. And I will make sure some of your so-called prizes follow."He cringed. Feeling as though he was playing a part in The Exorcist. He'd never believed in all those things that went b