Chapter 3: Thanatos' Forest

It was past midnight until Kyia was finally able to sneak out of headquarters. For some strange reason, everyone had picked the night of the full moon to stay up to the late hours of the night, training, reading, and practicing spells. Kyia waited until she was sure no one would be missing her and she left for the forest a ten minute walk from their residence. When Kyia arrived at the edge of the Tranquil Forest, she felt as if she had arrived at her home away from home. As an elf, Kyia loved all things in nature, as well as all things magical; this forest was both.

As Kyia walked in to the Forest, she took in the surroundings by the pale white light of the full moon still directly overhead. Tall, amazingly green trees towered over Kyia in semi-neat rows, and bright shimmery specks floated around the trees, giving the forest an obvious magical feel. Kyia walked through the forest for a couple of minutes until she came to a small clearing in the trees. A small crystal clear pond took up a large chunk of the clearing, the rest by the log of a fallen tree that had been fashioned into something of a bench. It was here Kyia took a seat, crossed her legs and sighed. She let her bare feet touch the surface of the cool water, putting herself into a relaxed state. As she remembered what she had come here to do, her heart fell a little. Figuring she might as well get it over with, she whistled lightly and called out into the trees; “Thanatos? Are you there?”

There was a pause, and then a light breeze started to flow through the forest. The sound of a cloak swishing came from right beside Kyia, and she turned as the wind got stronger. Standing beside her was a tall, thin figure dressed from head to toe in a black travelling cloak. As the wind started to die down, Kyia stood up and faced the figure, feeling a chill go up her spine.

“Kyia,” the tall figure said, nodding his cloaked head at her. His voice sounded cold and merciless. “To what do I owe the honour of your visit?”

Kyia gulped, suddenly wishing she had not come to the forest at this time. “Well... Thanatos...” Kyia considered simply telling him that she had come to say hello but remembered the predicament at hand and worked up the courage to ask him about it. “... The truth is that something... unexpected has happened that I really wanted your advice on.”

The figure paused for a second, and then sat down on the fallen log. He removed his hood. He had short, spiky black hair, an extremely pale face and bloodshot black eyes. Kyia thought she could see the tips of Thanatos’ fangs protruding from his mouth just a little. “Of course, Kyia. I shall help you however I can. My many, many years of experience lie at your disposal.”

Kyia blinked. That was a little easier than she had expected. Not daring to waste her good fortune, Kyia took a deep breath and began. “Well... you remember the interest everyone took in the Demon Trials you told us about? We all decided that we should kill off all the participants, one-by-one.”

“Indeed?” Thanatos said, as though he was being informed of this for the thousandth time. “Well, how is it working out for you?”

Kyia swallowed hard again. “Well, I was supposed to go and slay the first demon. But when I got there, someone had just beaten me to it.” Kyia paused. Would Thanatos even believe what she had to say next?

Thanatos sensed her nerves. “And, my dear?” He continued, bloodshot eyes gazing up at her momentarily.

“And...” Kyia could hide it no longer. “I think it was Raevynn.”

Thanatos thought for a moment, and stood up. “Interesting,” he said simply, joining his fingers. “I would take this to mean that Raevynn is, indeed, alive?” When Kyia nodded in confirmation, he continued, “I expect you’re worried of her intentions.”

Kyia sighed. “Calla seems to think it’s all some sort of trap. I don’t know why,” Kyia looked at her feet, voice started to quiver just slightly. “After everything we’ve been through together, there’s no way that Raevynn...”

Thanatos took a step closer to Kyia. “You need to learn to stop kidding yourself Kyia. Three years ago you told me exactly the same thing; that after everything you and Raevynn had been through, you understood her and knew that she would not dare disobey a direct order and attack the Demon Lord single handed. And look where we are, again, three years later.”

Kyia stood there, speechless. He was right, of course; Kyia had a problem of sometimes reaching a verdict just a tad prematurely; the incident three years ago was one of those times.

Thanatos sighed a reluctant sigh. “The best course, of action, I think,” Thanatos started, laying a hand gently on Kyia’s shoulder. “... Is to find a way to talk with Raevynn. But just you, Kyia. I think you are right in the fact that there were things Raevynn could tell you, because you have suffered much, like her...” Thanatos’ voice trailed off, as if recalling the dreadful suffering both Raevynn and Kyia had faced. “Some things in your past... connect you and Raevynn, more than anyone else, even Amon.”

Kyia blinked. Something about all this seemed contradicting. “But you said that Raevynn may not be seeking our friendship, but our heads, maybe severed from our bodies-”

“There is not a doubt in my mind that Raevynn would not seek to harm you, Kyia,” Thanatos uttered, removing his hand from Kyia’s shoulder. “I am sure that, if you do not say something she could take the wrong way-”

“-Which I have been known to do,” Kyia muttered miserably.

“-Nevertheless, she is no doubt bursting to say something, anything about that day so long ago,” Thanatos said, turning to sit back on the log. “Just listen carefully to what she has to say, give her the news she wants to hear, and whatever you do, don’t mention-”

“Thanatos?” A voice called out through the forest. Kyia recognized it to be female, familiar, could it possibly be...? Thanatos had the same reaction, but did not take this to be a good thing. He stood up again and turned, shocked, to face Kyia.

“Hide!” he hissed, pointing her to a thick growth of trees. “If you will not leave, then hide, but listen at your own peril! Not even I can fathom what this meeting could be about...” Dismissing Kyia’s very existence, he turned to face the sound of the voice. “Raevynn?” he called, trying very hard to sound very surprised.

Realizing she had little time left before Raevynn appeared here, Kyia dived into the growth of trees, mumbling spells in the elfin language to cause the trees to become even more overgrown with moss, vines and leaves. The downside to this was, of course, that she could no longer see what going on. Scanning the branches of the nearby trees, Kyia found what she was looking for; an owl perched in a tree facing the scene. Mumbling a few more words in the ancient language, the owl’s eyes became Kyia’s as she suddenly had a bird’s-eye view of the clearing below; Thanatos was standing calmly facing the figure in the purple travelling cloak that Kyia had seen the day before. The only difference was that this time her hood was down; it was indeed Raevynn, though not quite as Kyia remembered her. Raevynn’s hair, red as always, had finally hung perfectly straight; a feat she was unable to manage as long as Kyia knew her. Her eyes were a darker purple than Kyia could ever remember, and held a much more menacing look than before. The biggest difference almost made Kyia gasp; the scar thrown across Raevynn’s face was completely visible in the dark. Realizing that she was missing the start of their conversation, Kyia concentrated her borrowed eyes on the scene below and listened.

“...how I survived is not important right now, Thanatos,” Raevynn said, shaking her head in disagreement. She sat down on the log, almost as if she had been defeated. “What is important is that I need to talk to you.”

“Very well, Raevynn,” Thanatos gave her a very slight bow. “I shall not ask details of you until you are ready to speak. Now then, how may I be of assistance?”

Raevynn paused for a moment, struggling for words. “What do you know... about the Demon Trials?”

Shock coursed through Kyia, almost causing her to lose her balance. Raevynn knew of these trials as well? From where? And why was she asking Thanatos about them?

“I know enough,” Thanatos replied, unshaken. “More than most, but not quite as much as the demon lords themselves. Why do you ask?”

Again, Raevynn paused before she spoke. Kyia had never seen Raevynn struggling so much to find words. “This is why I have come to you tonight, old friend. I have been invited to participate in these trials.”

Again, Kyia almost fell over due to shock. Raevynn, invited to become the very thing her old friends were killing off? Was Calla right, and Raevynn was so obsessed with revenge that she would join the very people she hated? As Kyia turned her attention back to the conversation in front of her, Thanatos started to speak.

“Should I ask how you have come to be in contact with the lords not unlike the one you yourself felled three years ago?”

“Mercenary work,” Raevynn said, regaining some of the balance and confidence that Kyia had remembered in her. “It’s a good way to keep in shape and make a living.”

Thanatos nodded. “Understandable. The Demon Lords have a certain affiliation to power. If they can befriend it, they will. So, what would you like to know about the Trials you have been asked to participate in?”

Again, Raevynn paused. Kyia wished that Raevynn would stop being nervous and just answer the questions... the suspense was killing Kyia! So much that she was about to yell something out in protest. Luckily, though, Raevynn spoke. “How exactly do they work? I still don’t really know. And... I also want to ask you what you think of my participation.”

Thanatos sat down with a sigh. “Well, as I said, I am not the best person to ask this to. I’m assuming you know the bare skeleton of the deal? Demons compete; the last one standing is the winner?” Raevynn nodded simply, urging Thanatos to continue. “It is a truly barbaric example of the demon’s philosophy of ‘survival of the fittest’, but I suppose it is effective. But I digress. The demons selected are from every tribe; Beast, Bird, Sea, Succubi, and Tainted demons. One could refer to this as a test of each tribe’s strength. There is, apparently, an initiation ritual, but that varies with tribe.”

Raevynn continued to look right at Thanatos, face set and unaffected by all he said. “What would the ritual be for the Beast Tribe?”

“The Beast? Ah, that one I know of. You must best a fellow demon in single combat. And by that, I mean kill him.”

Raevynn shrugged. “Sounds easy enough. But you haven’t answered my other question.”

“About what I think of you participating?” Thanatos stood up and began pacing the clearing. His eyes drifted up to the owl sitting in the tree branches. Kyia was glad, too; she was bursting with protests, which he could probably see by the look on the owl’s face. Tell her it’s a stupid idea, Kyia thought. Tell her that we all want you to come back, so we can all be a family again. Instead, he said, “Personally, I think this could be good. You could turn around the way the demons currently approach things... make them a little more peaceful. Stop them from killing for pleasure.”

Raevynn stood up and turned Thanatos around to face her. “You know I didn’t exactly mean that. What about...” Raevynn looked over in the direction of the place she had comfortably lived three years ago. “...What about-“

Thanatos genuinely looked confused. “Your friends? Or your revenge?”

Raevynn sighed. “I suppose you could say both. I told you Thanatos, I would explain but it’s a long story and-“ Raevynn’s hand gestured to the sky; the faintest hue of orange was dancing on the horizon. “-Your time is starting to run out.”

Thanatos laughed coldly. “Ah. So you can see that I am still ailed by my... affliction.”

Raevynn smiled. It was a broad smile, and Kyia could see contained in it the person she had once known. “You and Kyia both, I’m sure.” While Kyia blushed, Raevynn started to leave, but turned around for a moment. “It was good to see you again, Thanatos.”

“Good to see you alive,” Thanatos raised a skeletal hand and waved to Raevynn. Without another word, Raevynn had disappeared into the trees. As soon as Thanatos wagered Raevynn was out of earshot, he called out, “Are you going to come out now?”

Kyia was already emerging from the overgrowth, expression of shock still plain on her face. “...She’s in league with the Demon Lords.”

Thanatos nodded. “It would certainly seem that way. You should think about going home soon. The sun doesn’t always agree with you.”

Kyia still stared blankly at the place Raevynn stood only moments ago. She didn’t really hear Thanatos. She was too busy thinking. If Raevynn was working for the Demon Lords, no matter what circumstances, she was their enemy. And if Raevynn was their enemy... “...We’ll have to kill her,” Kyia said aloud.

Thanatos took Kyia in a deep embrace. “Yes,” he said, patting her shoulder gently. “You probably will.”