Aera glared furiously at the girl, but knew she was a dead end, so she rounded on the huge elf behind her. “Take me back.” Her hands flew up to untie her gloves, until she remembered Kentaro's trick with the ties. [i]Dammit[/i]. “Take me back now, Envy.” He shook he head and lifted a hand to her face, where blood spattered her skin. She reared her head, her mouth curled in anger. “Its not mine, Envy, please... “ Annoyed, she found she was crying again. “You can shadow walk, I know you can. [i]Stop shaking your head[/i]!” She threw herself at him, beating at his chest before he wrapped his large arms around her, immobilizing her. “Please, Envy.”

Suddenly, her palms itched and her scar tingled. Behind her, Arauka gasped and Aera felt a tension in Envy's arms before he released her. When she stepped back, she saw there was a Kartaian woman holding a blade to his throat, her long, scarred blue fingers tangled in his hair. She stood a few inches taller than him, clearing seven feet tall, her deep red eyes glaring at Aera while a wolfish smile spread across her lips. “[b]Hello, Enlor`Lei[/b].” She purred against Envy's ear. 
His nostrils flared. “[b]Vier'na.[/b]”
“Envy?” Aera asked, her brows pulled together, her own rage forgotten.
Envy put up his hand to tell her to go but hissed as the woman jerked and blade, drawing blood. “[b]Is this her?[/b]” Vier'na glared at Aera. “[b]The Raielwen you've fought so hard to hide from us? How beautiful she is. Fierce. And who is the little one?[/b]”

There was an odd sound and more Kartaiains appeared, black smoke and shadow wafting in the air around them. Now there were six of them in the chamber with them, and judging by the children's screams that echoed in the tunnels, more had appeared throughout. One, a burly male who was more scar than skin, stepped forward and put a large hand behind Arauka's neck and lifted her off the ground with ease. She screamed, clawing at his hand.
“[b]Stop![/b]” Aera shrieked. “[b]Let her go! She's just a child![/b]” She went to run forward but another Kartaian grabbed her by the elbow and yanked her still. 
Vier'na nodded and the one who held Arauka lowered his hand and squatted, pushing her to the ground. “[b]We made that mistake before, princess.[/b]” She leered at Aera. “[b]You were only a child, and how many of our fully grown warriors did you kill?[/b]”
The pale elf pointed to the girl. “[b]She doesn't have Kartai's Curse![/b]”
The tall woman grinned again. “[b]Answer the question.[/b]”
Aera let out a breath, frustrated. “[b]Three. I killed three.[/b]” She knew where this was going.
Vier'na smiled. “[b]All these years, we've been hunting you, and my dear brother here has been hiding you. But now we've found you, and you're coming with us.[/b]” Aera glared. “[b]We have spread all through city, and we can take it easily. We will kill everyone as soon as the sun sleeps. When the people of this city lower their heads to their pillows tonight, they will never rise again. Unless you agree to come with us.[/b]”

Aera's purple eyes rested on Envy, who was looking down at her, keeping his emotion from showing. Vier'na caught their look and sneered. “[b]Do you love her, Brother?[/b]”
A muscle in Envy's jaw flexed in his anger. “[b]Yes[/b].”
“[b]Good[/b].” In a flash she thrust a dark blue blade into his rib cage while she jammed the blade that was at his throat into his shoulder. He roared in agony and fell back while Aera and Arauka shouted in shock. “[b]Now the girl.[/b]”
The scarred Kartaian lifted Arauka again and she flailed and kicked to no avail, her eyes widening as he brought out a jagged blade that looked to be half bone, half rusted iron.
“[b]NO! Stop, please....[/b]” Aera's stomach twisted and she blinked tears away. “[b]I-I'll go. Please, I'll go with you, just don't hurt them. Don't hurt any of them.[/b]”
“Aera.....” Envy pushed himself up to sit, shaking his head. She ignored him. 
Vier'na walked over to Aera and took her chin in her blue fingers, looking her over. “[b]So you're the little wench that murdered my betrothed? My Ferân?[/b]” Aera shivered under her gaze, and the woman grinned. “[b]This will be fun.[/b]” She stepped away, releasing Aera. “[b]You heard her, Qualme. She's coming with us. Take her home[/b].”

The scarred Kartaian dropped Arauka, grinned a nasty smile and rushed forward, turning his blade around and jammed the jagged, sharp pommel into Aera's stomach. Before she could scream, his thick hand wrapped around her throat and they were gone in puff of smokey shadow. 

Envy growled and Arauka lept up, pulling a small blade from her hip. “No, dove!” But Vier'na reacted and swung her own bone blade, slicing the child up the middle. Arauka's scream echoed the tunnels and she fell on the ground, holding her stomach. Envy glared at Vier'na, who smiled sweetly at him, looking at the blood on her blade. “[b]Don't worry, Enlor`Lei.[/b]” She crouched before him. “[b]We'll take special care of her. We've hunted her for a long time, we won't let her go to waste.[/b]”
He roared and swung at her, only to find his arms swing through her, her image dissolved into smoke. They all vanished.

Envy gasped, wrenching the daggers from his body, his body shaking violently from the poison from the blue one. He crawled toward Arauka, who was crying on the ground in a pool of her blood, her small hands shaking. “Envy?” She sobbed.
He leaned over her and pressed their foreheads together. “I'm here, dove.” She was cold. His hand reached for her dropped blade, his other hand taking one of hers.
“I'm s-so sorry.” She shook, tears falling down her cheeks.
Envy shook his head, blinking back his own tears. “You did good, little dove. Look at me, I'm proud of you.” He lifted the blade over her and positioned it. 
Her face twisted in pain. “Wi-will you tell him t-t-that-”
He cut her off. “Sshh. I promise, I will. Look at me, baby girl.” He pushed on the blade and she jerked, gasping a final breath before her eyes unfocused and her grip on his hand relaxed.