Gently he closes the door to the Nightmare Guardian's room and with a slow turn he makes his way towards his wing of the palace. The medical wing. His little slice of this world granted him as not only his place of work but also his home. That little place where he spends his days saving lives and helping the next generation grow and learn to keep not only their own lives, but their patients as well. He knows that every time one of his workers vanishes from sight, off to go to the human realm to aid their side in a skirmish, or when it's time for the big battle, that he may never see them again, and that always saddens and terrifies the fox tailed minion. Every time he prays that they will come back to him.

But despite all this worry, all this care, all this fear he's had over the years for his people, for the ones under his care and tutelage, he feels no shame in thinking that, right now? He has never been so worried for a patient in his life, and this one isn't even his. This patient has caused more deaths to his comrades and those of his realm than any other of his kind, and Crios, the man charged with keeping all those people alive, is now in knots over the man who's spent much of his life known as the greatest butcher of their time. He doesn't know that the one from before is worse, the Guardian before him murdering with a smile and a song in her heart, but that doesn't matter now.

His tired body makes it's way slowly to his office, this small reprieve where his own Guardian is being a good boy and not running off and injuring himself again his only moment to simply sit, and breath, something he hasn't had time for in days. Passing through the patient area he gives the present medics a small nod and a hollow smile, wanting them to keep up their spirits despite his own fatigued appearance. A certain set of eyes follow him closer than the others, a sparkle behind them that goes unseen by the exhausted boss man and with a sigh, he slips into his small room, closing the door behind him. [i]'I just need a minute. Just a few minutes, to breath, and, and. . .'[/i] 

His back comes to rest against the door, his tail wrapping around his waist almost like it's trying to hold him, and with a light groan he slides down the length of the wood at his back and comes to rest at it's base. He's taken his own shot, he's no longer overly frantic and tainted, but through his own over working of himself and the constant bombardment of stress and worry above and beyond over the past few weeks finally hits him and with a shuddering breath he begins to cry softly. The tears fall silently down his cheeks, neither hurt nor sad, simply the cathartic release of just a bit of all that has happened to him that has piled on to his soul since before the Nightmare Guardian arrived. His breathing is slow, and if not on orders from Harper he would be perfectly content to just pass out, right here, right now, but as it is, he can't, so instead he just breaths, hoping it will be enough to make it through the trials to come.

~*~*~*~*~

He's blind, he can't see anything, but he knows he's not sleeping as his entire body feels like it's on fire. There is no feeling in his sleep nothing, and no pain his he and Enasi's place. No, he's awake, but he can't see, only feel. Tight manacles, they cut into his wrists, keeping his arms tight behind his back, one atop the other. His feet are bound, likewise in metal, and on his face he can feel something hard and tight pressing over his eyes, adding to the pain of everything else that is happening. He lets out a faint hiss, it's that feeling again, something piercing his skin, burning his insides with whatever it is. The pain is blinding and even without the device covering his eyes he knows, he knows this pain would be enough to darken his eyes. Enough to take the world from him. . .

He longs for release, for anything, for some sort of change to signal that something new will happen. Blows fall every once in a while, and he's sure there's some sort of frustration coming from those around him. The flavor almost feels like disappointment, as if he's not responding the way they want him to, and in the furthest recesses of his mind he feels a very faint satisfaction that he's able to keep them from what they desire. He has no fear of death, nor does he long for it. He can endure, he does this for a living, causing pain and fear and sorrow, no one will every make this master of the craft crack, especially not with such foolish and simplistic attempts. He's fine. He will wait. His will escape, and they, will pay.

~*~*~*~*~

And hour passes and still no Crios. Rasha, while glad that Inui seems to be falling asleep at last, worries that he will not be able to keep his lord from leaving once it happens. He knows Enasi must stay, and he has to go, to help find those responsible, but he doesn't know what to do. Curling over and over Inui's chest, trying to keep him awake for just a little longer, he glances at his Guardian from behind his tail ever so often to make sure he doesn't catch on to what the little dream is doing. [i]'Being atop Inui is making me a little sick, his body leaking negative energy like a sieve, but. . . .But I need Crios back. I need him to keep Enasi here so I can go. I have to hunt, I have to look! Master cotton tail is relying on me, expecting me to actually do something productive, and, and it's for my idol! I. . .I can't let him down!'[/i] He keeps his panic under control, despite the fact that it keeps growing, and continues to gently keep the nightmare minion awake while keeping an eye on his Guardian.