Haven looked past the overly innocent expressions on all the birds. Perhaps looking wasn't the term he should use… he listened. Nix was up to something. Haven glanced around… even Beloved's tree was already gone… there was nothing… no clues.
Beloved wrapped her arms around her big snake's waist. She had to be convincing! So much they did ask!
Haven lifted Beloved onto his arm, closing his eyes to focus on her heart's song. "You have a request… how interesting." Haven wasn't sure if they were trying to hide their intentions under layers upon layers of praise, or if they were intentionally drawing attention to their requests. Dangerous, painful, scary, taint… so many negative emotions.
Beloved peeked through her fingers, "Nix is so tainted, his heart still so full… the best way to get rid of… is well… to use."
Ashton glanced around, looking anywhere but at the big snake. "The request is unreasonable, any others it would pain… but an understanding of protection… both we would gain."
Nix turned his attention to Haven, "To be honest Wind god, this is not something I should ask. But just this once… I want to attack."
Haven felt the air shift. Not just the air, the mana for miles around was stagnant. "You mean to… use then burn away all but your Ashton."
Nix half nodded, half shrugged. "I leave nothing to chance, no risk will I dare take. Even if with you Beloved, the bond still shallow… it I could break."
Haven knew breaking such a bond was nearly impossible but if anyone could do so… leaving Nix so corrupted by humanity, so full of taint was not a risk he wanted to take.
"You want to attack me?" Haven confirmed looking Nix in the eye.
Nix sighed, then tilted his head back and forth. "Perhaps not exactly, but wanting to want… so many enjoy… the chase… the attack. Just this once, on the other side I wish to enact."
Haven struggled to understand the jumbled mess that Nix's song had become… he wanted… to want to attack. Haven didn't need to understand the why, just the result. "Okay."
Nix grinned, such a straightforward god. Perhaps that's why he liked the wind god. Like Ru, they were straight forward, wanting to bypass all the complicated thoughts and skip to the action.
Beloved clutched Haven's neck, burying her face in his hair. Nix… was going to embrace Ashton's humanity. Ashton by all accounts was a good human, despite being used as a sacrifice, Ashton had been too young to truly understand the evils of the world. But even the youngest of humans understood greed. Greed for their mother's milk. Irritation from a soiled diaper.
Ashton had been young, but he'd been smart. Smart enough… to call on the gods. To make a bargain, strong enough to endure the addition of Nix's soul. To even now… survive. Ashton was a fighter… to channel such a foreign desire would draw all the taint to the surface.
Haven heard Beloved's misgivings about Ashton. A human who could pass for a beast of pride, while impressive was less intimidating than even an ant larva.
"How long will you attack?" Haven asked as he comfortingly pet Beloved.
"Really not so long, just until the end of a song." Nix promised resting his forehead against the wind gods stomach. "I will try to take her, let greed steer my goal, all the worst of humanity… from the darkest part of my soul."
Haven curled his tail. A song. He would be the first to be attacked by Nix… Haven glanced up at the sun, he wasn't so naïve. He had witnessed Ru's battle with the previous sun gods. From five, to one. Nix may not have attacked, but he had been more than just a shield.
Especially that final battle. Haven remembered clear as day, it wasn't Ru who siphoned the last sun god's mana. It wasn't Ru who defeated five of the nine apostles. Ru was strong yes, but not strong enough to endure even a single hit from the golden dragon sun god.
Nix had always been Ru's greatest support. Protecting, healing, creating rifts… enduring attacks no other could survive… if Nix were even a hundredth the warmonger Ru was, the world would be a very different place.
It was too dangerous for Nix to be influenced by humanity. Haven's eyes constricted as he drew himself to his full height. Towering over the dainty bird. "Then for a song, I will protect."
Nix gave a sweeping bao. "We live, we learn, to fight… to endure."
Haven watched as flames started to engulf Nix. Not the pretty silver red flames, nor the blood red flames. These flames were black with only the faintest traces of red. Haven watched as Nix grew, his black wings swallowing the light.
As Nix's body solidified, his eyes, belly, wings and tail tips were blood red. The rest of his body was made of black flames, drawing all the taint to the surface. As whisps escaped, anything unfortunate enough to touch the black embers rotted away.
Haven grew to match Nix's challenge. Hearing the gradual change of Nix's heart song change from gentle, coaxing high notes to… this dark, depressive, almost enraged state. He would see, with his own eyes, the possibilities of if Nix lost control.
Haven ignored all the prying eyes. It would seem, he was not the only who wanted to see with their own eyes. Glancing over the small flock huddling together, Nix was allowing an audience.
Haven didn't stop to wonder where the instrumentals were coming from. The striking of the drum passed through his body like a physical blow. Haven launched himself into the air, tucking Beloved under his mane feathers. Before Nix could follow, Haven whipped his tail at the still growing bird.
The flames disappeared just as his tail made contact. Haven hissed, mane flaring as Nix appeared before him. Nix's voice sounded like it came from the deepest abyss, while his tone was almost amused.
I don't think you understand
Not a request, this I demand
I'm in control, you kneel, you bao
Trying to take one that is mine
Foolhardiness, death is what you risk
Haven sped past the bird of dark flames. His goal wasn't to kill Nix, no, he needed to protect Beloved. Keep her close, prove, that he was worthy to be her first protector.
Haven didn't believe for one moment that if Nix or Ru found him lacking, they would leave Beloved in his care. No, if Nix could break their bond, he had to be useful. So useful, that even Ru would not consider breaking the bond an option.
The taunting call sounded like Nix was whispering in his ear. Haven felt the wind, knowing he'd already left Nix in the dust, still, that meant nothing. Not for beings of their power.
Your lives? Dare risk it?
Your lives, is death worth it?
Taking what's mine?
Haven opened his own rift to avoid the oncoming Nix. Only to have it rested from his control. Haven shrank his body, taking an immediate nose dive to avoid the talons made of black flames.
It seemed like not matter how he flew, dodged, or even rolled away, Nix was always just a feather's tip away. Nix's voice haunting his every movement.
She is mine, until the end of time
She is mine, her heart, her love, all mine
I'm in control
Her body, her soul
Our song, born in blood
Under the moon, nothing but my love
Haven didn't flinch as Nix dove into him. His talon catching the base of his wing, ripping it free without even losing momentum. Haven tucked his body around Beloved as her white flames engulfed him. Already healing, growing a new wing before his heart finished another beat.
Dare to covet, I'll rip you apart
Nix came speeding from beneath them, covered in Haven's blood.
Dare to covet, I'll bathe in your blood
So if you dare, dare you to step up
Nix passed them, flying just far enough to block the path. Haven channeled his own fire, coating his feathers in the brilliant white flames. Haven didn't back down, crashing into Nix, crushing his body until the flames burst. Only for the black flames to taint his own fire. Haven whipped his body, sending the reforming mass hurtling toward the ground.
His reprieve didn't last long. Nix was racking his talons down Haven's back. With each exchange Nix's voice gradually took on a more sinister tone.
There's no debate, she is mine
From first breath, until the end of time
Think I'm a chain, from me to be free
Only for me does she exist, covet at your own risk
Dare to defy? Dare lay claim to what is mine?
Haven was forced to retreat, otherwise Nix would have hit Beloved. Or rather, caught Beloved in his talons. Which was no doubt his goal. Nix halted his assault long enough to taunt them.
Your lives, dare you risk it?
Their lives, dare you risk them?
You were made, to be mine
Haven hissed, coiling his body as Nix turned his full attention on Beloved. Beloved who was peeking through his bloodied feathers to watch Nix.
Haven redoubled his effort to cover his body in white flames. He needed time to learn to wield them, time he didn't have.
You are still mine, until the end of time
You are still mine, your heart, your love, only mine
Nix had lost all interest in him. Now only targeting Beloved. Haven had opened more than a dozen rifts, opening another the moment Nix rested control. His movements loosing the finess for which Nix was known. Now Nix was little more than a brawler, ripping through Haven's defenses, and his body in his efforts to snatch Beloved away. His song becoming darker, angrier with each failed attempt.
I saved you
I protected you
Our song born in blood
Haven smacked Nix away, Beloved now drenched in his blood. Channeling her mana into healing his massive body. Not even she could keep up with the sheer amount of damage Nix wrought.
Under the moon, killed for your love
Dare to resist? There is no escape
Dare to protest? Then chains I'll make
Black flames spread out from every injury, linking together to form hundreds of chains. Haven put a burst of his white flame, destroying most, but not all the black flames. Most, wasn't enough as they quickly grew out. Forming together, tangling his body, reaching for Beloved.
Not even in death, chained, there is no escape
From the moment eyes met, entwined our fates!
Entwined our fates
Beloved, there is no escape
There is no escape
Haven put another burst of white flame, searing his own injuries as he destroyed more black chains. Distance, he needed distance away from Nix. So long as Ashton was bound by his oaths, Nix could not leave the empire.
Even if Nix forced the issue, he would have to keep a rift open, connected to the empire at all time. Haven glanced at the dragonkin. He could use them as a distraction…
Haven barely dodged a black flame arrow. No, he needed to protect. Focusing his white flames around Beloved, Haven sent more than five dozen tornadoes at the oncoming Nix.
Beloved, you are mine
From the beginning, till end times
No need to struggle, don't need fight
You've always been mine
You'll always be mine
This and the next life
Created to be mine
Haven was as tightly coiled as his injured body would allow. Nix had ripped through his left wing through his body. The instant before impact, Beloved had channeled her mana through Haven, causing his body to become nothing but mana… and wind. That instant of being one with his element, being a breeze gave him another way to protect Beloved.
It had happened so fast Haven had barely registered how Beloved had done it. Now, to see if he could do so under his own power.
Beloved you are mine
Beloved for all times
If you aren't mine
You need not exist
Not a threat, just simply is
Haven lost control of his mana for less than a heartbeat… Did Nix… no, that had to be the humanity speaking. Destroying what they could not have. Haven had to focus. It was clear the song was coming to an end. One way or another, he would endure. Because no matter what, Beloved was now his.
Beloved if you won't be mine
Beloved you need not exist
This is a demand, not a request
If they dare to covet, lives at risk
Haven screeched as his body was engulfed in the black flame. Nix had used the rifts to slice through his body in more than a hundred places. Beloved's white flames quickly reconnecting his mana then healing his flesh.
Haven could feel the hot tears. They burned hotter than Nix's fire as they fell on his flesh. His bloodied, mangled flesh.
Dare to covet, I'll their limbs I'll rip
Haven could only coil himself around Beloved, protecting her in his white flames. If he gave full vent to his abilities, he could fend Nix off… but he would injure Beloved.
Dare to covet, I'll bathe in their blood
Nix shot down like a meteor, ripping away both of Haven's wings.
Dare to covet… no one left to stand up.
Haven wrapped Beloved in the center of his coils as he fell. Nix pausing just long enough to meet Haven's eyes before he shot toward them once again.
Haven… wasn't a protector. He was a silent stalker, one who killed before his victims even saw him coming. Protecting was… so hard… Haven barely had time to blink before Beloved was shotting up to meet Nix head on!
Haven forcefully used the white flames to heal himself. Most likely doing more damage than actually healing as he chased after Beloved.
Nix's eyes narrowed as he continued to attack.
Haven could only watch as Beloved opened her arms, as if to catch the diving Nix. She would be no more of an obstacle than a butterfly catching a hawk… she would be torn apart! Haven glared as he opened his mouth to catch both birds! He couldn't let Nix destroy her flame!
The wind picked up, striking at Nix from all directions.
Haven was knocked back as Beloved made contact with Nix.