[h3][color=ed1c24][b]TRIGGER WARNING: VERY VIOLENT AFTER THE FLASHBACK. IF YOU ARE SENSITIVE TO VIOLENCE ESP WITH CHILDREN, PLEASE STOP AFTER THE FLASHBACK IF YOU CHOOSE TO READ.[/b][/color][/h3] [center][img]https://i.imgur.com/pH2Aivs.png[/img][/center] [color=A63AB7]Time:[/color]Evening [color=A63AB7]Location:[/color]A tiny settlement along the road nearby River Kingdom [color=A63AB7]Interaction:[/color][@Tae] [center][img]https://i.imgur.com/N1WeLRn.png[/img][/center] Helio grinned at her expression, taking amusement in her little act. He winked at her as she touched his chest. [color=92278f]”What if you tickle my fancy? Shouldn’t I do you?[/color]He retorted playfully, but let her walk away. He raised a brow to her statement about wanting her sister to owe her. Dramatically he reached around in the air as if grappling for the kiss then tapped his lips. [color=92278f]”You got it, sweetheart!”[/color]He watched her leave then turned to go on his way. He spent some time flying along the river, but he didn’t end up finding the rest of the bodies. Considering they never reported back, he knew they were somewhere in there most likely. He gave up on the task and flew over to sit on the thick tree branch of a large tree that overlooked the area. It was some ways from the main area of the River Kingdom, but there were very small settlements scattered all over the area. His view overlooked a group of maybe four homes and a little shop that was along the main road. There were sparse amounts of winding street lamps that looked like thin tree trunks with balls of light wrapped up in branches at the top of it. A dim, blue light emitted from the ball. He took some time to sit there, leaned against the trunk, looking down at this road beneath him. A carriage or two passed in the time, horses galloping. Risa’s face flashed in his mind as he recalled her always asking to go in a horse carriage as a child and he smirked. She hadn’t expected to see him alive at all. He had to wonder if she had forgotten him. His smirk faded as a hazy [hider=memory surfaced]. [center][color=AC5FFB]” You’re leaving!?”[/color][/center] The Millinia family had been eating dinner, in their formalwear. Elyna had cooked some meat, a rare treat in their home. A soft, yellow tablecloth had covered the table. All sorts of little bread and sides could be found across the entire span of it. Most were Helio’s favorite foods. A small chandelier hung over the table. The evening had been quiet and they had discussed Helio’s graduation from school and his good marks. The topic of Helio leaving for the fairy militia had been tip-toed around until it couldn’t be. Risa had stood up and outburst as soon as Cedar made the mistake of asking Helio if he had started packing his things. Being only five years of age, she stood up on the chair and was face to face with Helio while he was seated. In a frilly dress and her hair in braids, she stared at him completely heartbroken. [color=92278f]” Well..”[/color] Helio knew this was going to be hard. His eyes slid sideways to look at his parents, who had also hesitated. Elyna stood up and came over to Risa’s chair to try to maneuver her back into her seat and quietly comfort her, but Risa wasn’t having it. [color=AC5FFB]”How long are you going away?”[/color]She asked. [color=lightgray]”He will be away for quite some time, Risa, but I’m sure he’ll come to visit you. It’s what all boys his age have to do. His duty is to protect our kingdom.”[/color] Cedar answered sternly, which caused his wife to cry out his name in astonishment. He exhaled and rolled his eyes, [color=lightgray]” There’s no sense lying to the child. She must come to understand the way we do things.”[/color] She stared at Helio with a quivering lip before she hopped off her chair and went bounding into her bedroom. Helio received a look from Elyna and he sighed. She wanted him to go talk to her obviously. Little Risa adored him and they knew she’d take it hard. He got up and followed after her. She had her face planted into the side of her bed while still standing up. He smirked, raising a brow, and moved over to sit beside her. He gently patted his fist on the back of her head, [color=92278f]” Knock, knock. Anyone home?”[/color] Risa cried into the pillow in response. Her words were muffled. He petted her hair, [color=92278f]” Risa, you know I’ll visit you.”[/color] When she didn’t pick up her head, he picked her up and sat her at his side beside him to hug her. She sniffled and folded her arms, avoiding his gaze. [color=AC5FFB]” You’re not gonna play with me anymore!”[/color] [color=92278f]” I will! I promise! Risa, okay? I’ll come back whenever I can. I have to get big and tough so I can protect our family and so I can protect you.”[/color]Helio pinched her cheek, [color=92278f]” I’m your big brother. It’s my job to keep you safe. I want to make sure I’m strong and fast enough to scare all your boyfriends away.”[/color] Risa furrowed her brows. [color=AC5FFB]” But I want a boyfriend. You have to stay here or I won’t be safe. I’ll get one right now if you don’t.”[/color] He laughed, [color=92278f]”No. No boyfriends.”[/color]He told her. [color=92278f]” I promise I’ll come to visit as soon as I can. And when I do, I’ll even take you on an adventure. You’re my partner in crime, remember?”[/color] She hugged him and buried her face. [color=AC5FFB]” I am not letting you go.”[/color] Her words were once again muffled into his shirt. Helio hugged her, [color=92278f]” You don’t need to. I’ll always be here for you, Risa.”[/color] [/hider] The memory was viciously yanked from his mind before it could continue any longer, the voices distorting. Pain. Guilt. Confusion… Drowning-... Drowning in the dark. [color=92278f][i]Where am I?[/i][/color] Helio gripped his head as his ears began to ring and conflicting flashes of memories and emotions overwhelmed him for a moment. He saw a watery, black fluid around him. The feeling of glass beneath his fingertips as he tried to reach forward. A large, black demon. Umber. Then there was the agony. [color=92278f][i]I hurt my own sister? Why? Why? Why? Why?![/i][/color] He suddenly screamed out into the night, a guttural scream of pain. But then, that seemed to be enough. He buried his head for a moment until a feeling of numbness came over him. Detangling his fingers from his hair, he let go of his head and lifted it up. A few chuckles escaped his lips. At that moment, it was as if he heard his own laughter from a distance as he got to his feet. A thought formed in his mind, spoken in pure loathing. [color=92278f][i]I hope she’s writhing in agony.[/i][/color] Helio glanced at the palm of his hand and watched a black sphere form in it. He watched it for a moment, the flecks of dark energy hopping off it and the active movement of the material. His wings had the same little flecks of matter coming off them. They fluttered as he took flight. He tore his gaze from the orb but kept it in his hand as he made his way over to the settlement he had seen. He landed on the ground in front of it. The windows of the little fairy huts were darkened and the village was quiet. They were all asleep for the most part. He watched as a young woman emerged from one of the homes with a child and sat on a rocking chair on her porch. She pulled the small child into her arms and began to rock him in her arms as she hummed. Her hair was a shade of pink. Helio watched with a dead, cold expression. He moved over and finally hurled the dark matter into her and the child. They both cried out and fell off the chair. She crawled back into the house with the child in hand as fast as she could, pulling the door shut behind her. Roots began to grow out of the ground that only grew in size and began to easily tower over the house. They began to grip the house like a hand had reached out from the ground and grabbed it with its fingers. Screams rang out. The lights flickered on in the houses and fairies began to peek out. Helio felt like he was watching himself move from a seat at this point. He might have felt rage at the moment but he wasn’t sure if he ever felt anything. Helio looked up at one of the fairies peering out their windows, launching a thorny shadow covered vine from the ground into the skull of the fairy before dragging them out of the window onto the ground. The body lied still before a flower burst from the chest and erupted into a mass of wriggling vines. The stench of death and rot began to fill the air and a corpse flower, moving on vines like legs, rose from the earth and began to head towards another house. Manipulating and growing a corpse flower was an ability that only dark fairies could yield in comparison to the other fairies due to the mix of being able to wield both umbrakinesis and chlorokinesis. Aklenroth specifically taught him of this ability, but probably did not have in mind for him to go wreak havoc on innocents with it. Helio turned back to the house he was crushing before and pumped masses of dark energy into the vines coating the house in a shadow before squeezing his hand bringing the house down onto its base. He laughed with insanity as fairies tried to escape their homes pointing towards them. The corpse flower moved closer grabbing and lashing at them repeatedly before dragging them into itself. Distracted in terror, a small fairy child bumped into Helio begging and pleading for help. He looked down at the child, meeting her eyes before she began to choke on something. She gripped her own neck in distress. Helio smiled as two shadowy hands emerged from her mouth tearing her jaws and flesh of her face apart. The snapping of bones echoed in the nearby area as the little girl dropped lifelessly at his feet. Helio then stepped on her skull feeling it crunch under his boot. Helio glanced at the corpse flower. He decided he had enough of the ugly thing. He hurled it into the third house. It loudly crashed into the front wall. Nearby screams made him of the fairies as they ran into the woods, made him turn, and have vines shoot out of the ground beneath them, catching them by their ankles. In honor of Dionaea, he decided to kill them all in a similar fashion. After all, he had known Dionaea since a young child, it was only natural he should honor her death by making more art in her name. He raised his arms, letting vines plunge into their bodies from all directions slowly and painfully. Blood splattered the grass beneath them. Helio smiled wickedly, admiring the silence. He turned to stare at the village. His rage felt satiated, but he had one thing he needed to do before he took his leave. Once that was all said and done, it was time to prepare for his morning coronation.