221 : 37

"Let go of me!" Naya spits, snarling at the iron grip on her forearms as two men hold her steady, slowly dragging her down through the high stone archways of the council room, advancing steadily to where a select number of members were gathered.

There was a strange, out of place feeling to the room, where by before the golden glistening lights of spirit would illuminate the room, giving it a glow of warmth and life- the council room was now plunged into darkness and shadow, the only light coming from the rising moon whose light spilt into the room by the grand window in front of Naya.

Four figures stood before her, concealing the golden throne of Iuana, as they dressed all in black- their cloaks brushing against the floor. Naya could only recognise one of the two in the middle as Mr Bronwell, Emelia's father... but her mother, the Lady of Iuana wasn't present.

As she's escorted roughly to the middle of the room, Naya continues to struggle, fiercely trying to escape from the two men that have a tight hold on her wrists, twisting her body uncomfortably as they drag her forwards.

"Unhand me!" She demands, her voice strained as she continues to fight back.

As she passes the marbled detailing chiselled into the floor, marking the half way point to the throne, she's violently thrown to the ground, her jaw locking as she bares her teeth at the harsh impact. Before she's able to scramble to her feet, the two guards who had a hold of her before grab her wrists tightly, pulling them out behind her and then forcing their other hand to clamp down on her shoulder, pushing her upper body to fall forwards- almost as if she were bowing to the council members assembled, down on her knees.

"Miss James..."

Mr Bronwell takes a step forwards, his eyes a shade of silver as he lifts his chin up, his gaze fixated on where she knelt on the floor. As he was married to Emelia's mother, the Lady of Iuana, technically he was then the Lord- despite not being born into the title.. it was a role that was held in high esteem and that demanded respect, and yet Naya wasn't going to give him any.

"Why am I here?" She growls, her teeth still clenched as she glares at the people stood before her in their black ceremonial robes, golden detailing down the sleeves and the hem, "And where did you take Leah?"

"The mortal?" He asks nonchalantly, descending down the few steps to come within a few metres of Naya, his head still held high.

"Where is she!" Naya snaps, her patience wearing thin at the thought of these people touching her girlfriend- them having stolen into their coffee shop and abducted her.

Bronwell takes another few steps forwards, stopping right in front on Naya, "She is being held... much like you are now"

"I swear, if you hurt her-!"

"I don't think you're quite in the position to be threatening me" He muses, stopping before her with a smirk dancing on his lips, and oh how Naya wanted to do nothing more than to slap it off of his face.

Her eyes are filled with mirth as the man before her begins to circle around her body, the clicking of his shoes against the stone echoing, ringing in her ears. She waits until he comes round to her left, till she can see his black cloak from the corner of her eyes before she sucks in a desperate breath through her nose, trying to calm her anxious heart, "Why have you brought me here?"

The footsteps pause for a moment, before his voice cuts through the silence, "I have brought you here to help you see reason"

"Reason?" She repeats, confused at the crypticness of his response.

"Your mind has become weak..." He hisses, continuing in a circle until he arrives where he started, his cold eyes locked with Naya's, "You have allowed yourself to be corrupted-"

"I'll show you weak-!" Before Naya could even think of a move, there were two daggers pressed against her throat- their blades glistening threateningly.

A bitter laugh escapes passed his lips, the man lowering himself to the floor so that he can be eye level with the young hunter as he taunts, "Miss James if you don't stop struggling then I'm afraid you'll never see your precious mortal again"

Naya says nothing in response, holding back another growl as she watched Bronwell stand up, straightening his back.

"You came to the court a couple of moons ago..." He recounts slowly, turning his back to her to begin the ascend to the throne, throwing a look over his shoulder as he asks, "And you requested something that no Balletor had ever asked for before... Do you remember what that was?"

Naya nods her head, her voice but a whisper as she utters, "I asked to be mortal"

There's a collective murmur from the council members gathered at such a request, to which Naya all but rolls her eyes.

"And is that still something that you wish?" He asks, holding his hand up to silence those gathered behind him.

Naya watches the interaction with careful eyes, nodding her head as she answers decisively, "I do"

"Even if it would bring dishonour to you?" He questions, "If it would banish you from our lands forevermore..."

Naya nods her head again, never being more certain of anything in her life, "I wish to become mortal and to live my days with Leah by my side in the mortal realm"

Bronwell hums at that, stalking back to where the three other members were gathered. Holding his hands out in front of himself, he parts the members so that they stand aside, allowing him to bypass them and gain access to the throne. When he reaches his destination, he turns around, chin tilted upwards as he sits on the throne like he owns it, like it's his to sit on.

"Your power is special, Naya James..." He announces, his voice booming through the hall, "It's strong... it would be an awful waste... and therefore we cannot let you recklessly throw it away"

"If you do not let me.." Naya starts, a fire in her heart, "I will find a way to grant me my wish by myself, regardless of what I have to do"

Bronwell watches Naya with curious eyes for a moment, before he raises his hand and beckons the guards forward with two of his fingers. A yelp slips its way passed Naya's lips as she's forcefully pulled to her feet once again and pushed forwards, them then dropping her on the steps that led up to where Bronwell was sat.

"Leave us" He insists, waving his hand above his head. One of the council members goes to speak up but they're quickly silenced, "I said, leave us..."

Confused, the guards back away from Naya, sharing a bewildered look as they walk backwards a couple of steps, waiting for the council members to make their way to the door before they followed suit.

Naya, still splayed across the stone steps, turns her head to watch them go, a hollowing feeling settling in her stomach as she then turns her gaze back to the 'Lord'.

"As you know Miss James, you are a pure-born Balletor, you were born into this life, your family have served this cause for decades, and that previous power of your ancestors courses through your veins and gives you the strength that you need to complete your missions" He explains, leaning back into the throne, as he looks down at the young hunter, an addled expression on her face. She was confused as to why he was explaining her heritage for she knew it well herself.

"Some Balletors, instead of being born, are blessed, they were chosen for this role... and although they train and they learn and they become strong warriors... they don't have the power that those who are born with the magic have"

Those who were born versus those who were blessed...

It was something that was brought up in their training a lot- despite the two groups training seemingly in harmony there were always two different sets of expectations, a deep underlying riff and competition between the two that were pushed by the elders, as oppose to the younger hunters themselves.

Personally, Naya didn't buy too much into such labels. She knew many great warriors who had been blessed instead of born, one of which being Ronan. A promising individual that had grown to surpass the regular standard of those blessed so much so that he had been betrothed to the Lady's daughter.

Those beliefs- although still enforced by the elders, were old.

It was a dated mindset and so from Bronwell mentioning it, Naya only grew more suspicious.

What did this have to do with her? With Leah?

"If we let you become mortal... all that power will be lost..." He utters, leaning forwards in his chair, "You know why we collect spirits don't you... we collect them because it is our duty to guide the dead onto their next life, a life in our realm, be it free or enslaved, and with the more spirits we harvest, the more our kind flourish..."

For every spirit a Balletor collected, their own power, their own drive is fuelled- they become stronger...

"You're a born Balletor, and you're a skilled warrior... therefore I will not just turn you mortal" He decides sharply, pushing himself up from his seat so that he is once again towering over the younger hunter, "But I am open to bargain with you"

"Bargain?"

What could he possibly bargain?

Bronwell brings his hand up to his chin, humming tacitly as he takes a step forwards, "I will not just give your powers up... and so a trade"

"What trade?" Naya asks reluctantly, wary of what he's about to propose.

"You will continue to collect spirits, to continue your work as a Balletor" He decides, and Naya goes to retort, however all words vanish from the tip of her tongue in the next moment, "But only for a year more"

"One year?" She parrots, her forehead creasing as she tries to understand what that means, "What will happen after that?"

Bronwell shrugs, his tone lighter than before as he promises, "I will return your mortal to you, and you two may descend upon the human realm and stay there- cutting off any contact with Iuana and everyone in it"

Tempting... very tempting... but for her to accept such a deal, there must be a heavy price to pay.

"It can't be that easy" She states, and although it's only brief, she sees the corners of his mouth twitch upwards in a smirk.

"I will grant you that..." He promises returning to back to the throne, "If you succeed"

"Succeed?"

Curious. She's curious by what he means...

"I will give you the life that you desire, if you are able to capture one hundred spirits"

And that's when Naya pursues her lips.

A quest to capture one hundred spirits in a mere twelve months, alone.

She's certain it has never been done before, not with the way that Bronwell is currently smirking down at her. And so here in lies the question, why would she take such a deal? Why when the risk was too great?

"And what if I don't?" She voices, only to have him chuckle darkly.

"By demanding such a request in front of the court, I will have no choice but to make an example of you" He calmly shrugs his shoulder once again, knowing that he's in complete control of the situation, knowing that the outcome that he wants is secure, "Your spirit and your mortal's spirit, will belong to me"

Naya has to physically restrain herself from gasping, her eyes blown wide as she understands just what's at stake. Both hers and Leah's souls... captured, tortured...

"You'd wish for me to gamble away Leah's fate?" She questions, suddenly beginning to feel numb.

"She's as good as dead if you don't comply"

Why?

Why Leah's?

"Take mine then" Naya bargains, "If I fail take my spirit, but not hers, return her back to her home and just take mine"

But Bronwell just tuts, "Now that's not my deal"

"Why are you doing this?" She whispers, her mind conflicted as she tries to come to terms with her impossible circumstance.

How could he even take away her spirit? Could a Balletor capture another Balletor's spirit?

She knows what they'd do to Leah... as she's only a mortal, they'll kill her... they'll kill her mercilessly, turn her into one of those creatures and then take her spirit.

"Because you have no idea of the greater powers at play"

Naya bites her lip so hard that she fears she's pierced the skin, a warm metallic taste on the tip of her tongue. She didn't have a choice, to save Leah, she had to accept the deal.

"If I capture one hundred spirits... we'll both be free?"

"I will set you free" He nods, drawing out his words as he clasps his hands before him, something unrecognisable in his eyes.

As soon as the promise is uttered there's a subtle tingle that makes it's way down Naya's spine, it feels much like a prickle with how it turns her skin warm at the stinging sensation, burrowing under her skin to set her heart alight.

Her mind feels heavy with all the thoughts occupying it- with a prominent mumbling that begins to grow louder, and yet, she couldn't make out what it was saying to her, 'don't trust them so blindly'

Shaking her head, focusing on the deal in front of her, Naya purses her lips, "Do I have your word?"

'Don't listen' The voice pleads desperately, 'They're not to be trusted, don't do it!'

And yet Naya hears nothing.

"But of course"

Bronwell extends out his hand, still leaning back into the throne as he waits for Naya to make a move, to grab a hold of his hand.

She knew that this deal wasn't favourable, she knew that the odds were against her... but what else could she do?

She had promised Leah that she would return to her, that she would do any and everything to bring her back.

She had a duty to fulfil that promise, and she wasn't going to let Leah suffer such a horrible fate if there was even a minuscule chance that she could save her.

Leah had a future ahead of her, she had dreams... and Naya wasn't about to let her go.

Setting her lips into a thin line, her eyes narrowing dangerously at Bronwell, Naya reaches out, sliding her palm into his and giving it a tight squeeze.

~~~

"I-I'm sorry, miss?"

Naya's head whips round to her left, breaking herself from her trance as the young girl stood in front of her, coffee stained apron hanging from her neck, nervously shifts her weight from one foot to the other as she waits for Naya to respond.

She looks no older than sixteen, and her polished fingernails tap repeatedly against the jug in her hands as she refuses to make eye contact.

"Do you... want anything to drink?"

The hunter smiles bitterly, remembering that those same words were some of the first ones said to her from Leah, right in this exact coffee shop.

She had thought that coming back here, escaping her burden would help put her mind at rest, if only for a few hours before she embarked on another quest... but alas she was mistaken.

The soft jazz that filtered through the shop, the annoyingly plump cushions... that one brick wall that still wasn't painted... all of it reminds her of Leah.

And that's what she had wanted, she wanted to be reminded of all their good times together- how Naya would drop by here when Leah was on her shift, watching her work diligently with the afternoon rain pouring down outside, setting the soundtrack for the rest of their afternoon together.

She remembers how Leah would smile over at her from behind the counter, how they'd exchange a few words between customers, and later on, once Naya had stumbled her way through a nervous love confession, how Leah kissed her softly, whispering how it was about time.

However instead of being reminded of their warm, happy memories, the rain and the cold outside only amplified her sorrowful mind, prompting her to get back to Arlen and try and decode where the next few spirit sightings are.

Naya shakes her head politely, her hand coming to rest in her pocket where her fingers brushed up against her crystal, "I should get going.."

As she rose from her chair, rolling her eyes as the cushion fell onto the floor, Naya is reminded of her recent injury as when she takes a step forward to push the chair in before reaching down to get the cushion, there's a sharp pain that shoots up her leg, causing her to let out an involuntary hiss.

The serving girl looks mildly tense and Naya can see that she's debating whether she should turn on her heel to serve somebody else or if she should ask if Naya is okay.

Before she comes to a conclusion, Naya grits her teeth as she forces out a smile, returning the cushion to the chair before she takes her leave, hobbling out of the café that had become like a second home to her over the past months.

Stepping out onto the cobbled, uneven English streets just seemed to add salt to her wound as she squeezed her eyes shut, sucking in a shallow breath. Arlen had told her that whilst her leg takes the time it needs to heal then she should lay low, take a couple of days off from hunting so that when she returns, she'll be strong enough to fight.

Of course, faced with the realisation that being confined to their hut would mean that Naya would be cooped up with Arlen all day every day, the hunter quickly muttered something of an excuse to leave for the day, claiming that she just needed some time alone to think.

There was one thing above all others that had been plaguing Naya's mind, ever since the battle with the spirit in the ancient ruins, ever since she heard Leah's voice.

'Don't trust them so blindly'

Naya let out a deep sigh as she ran a hand through her raven hair- it was all so confusing, what did Leah mean by that?

Naya thought about mentioning it to Arlen, but he had already been wary of the quest from the beginning when he went to seek Naya out and so her telling him about Leah's warning, would do no more than only give reason to his doubts.

Also when she had told Arlen about Ronan returning to Iuana as Emelia suspected something about where he had been, he had started acting rather strange. She herself knows that it is dangerous for Emelia to get too suspicious, especially given who her parents are, but something about the way Arlen was acting tells her that something else was bothering him about that information.

If so many days go by without her being allowed to hunt then maybe she'll entertain the thought of questioning him about it but until she had reached that level of boredom, she decided that she'd lay off.

She also thought about telling Ronan- which shocked her immensely- however her new partner hadn't been back for a couple of weeks at this point, she hadn't seen his face in so long. She knew that he was staying away for her own good, but she needed help if she was going to meet her target within the seven or so months that she had left.

221 days...

That's all she had.

Sighing, Naya thrusts her other hand inside her jacket pocket, shielding her hands from the cold. Arlen had given her the next location, the Southern Sea- but she had promised him before he had told her, that she would wait for Ronan before investigating, although now she was starting to regret that promise.

Naya continues down the long, pebbled street, skilfully weaving in and out of other pedestrians who carelessly cross in front of her- if she wasn't so preoccupied, she probably would've cursed someone.

As she passes by familiar shop fronts, clothing stores and colourful candy ones, it's almost as though she feels a presence next to her, their arm linked with hers as she goes on her way. It brings a smile to her face.

Whenever they'd go out, even if it was just for a walk around Leah's campus- they'd link arms, or at least link pinky fingers, swaying their joined hands back and forth as they went, a light blush settling on Naya's cheeks at the foreign feeling that would erupt in her stomach at the action.

On the weekends Naya remembers how Leah would pack them some food and drag them onto one of the many buses that passed through, not a destination in sight as they just rid the bus until they saw somewhere that looked new and exciting- secure in the knowledge that Naya could just portal them back if they ended up too lost to find their way back.

She missed those days... she missed Leah.

And so with a deep breath, Naya closed her eyes, coming to a conclusion that she's been avoiding ever since that treacherous day.

She couldn't hide any longer... she had to go and visit her girlfriend.

~~~

Much like the last time Naya visited Iuana she was faced with two chambers, however this time instead of going into the first chamber, she turns right- approaching the dark chamber, left to the shadows.

She makes quick work of the stone steps, afraid that if she slowed down then her shaky legs would only turn her around, carrying her back up to the surface.

She did feel immense guilt for how things have played out... but instead of running from it, she should be owning up to that responsibility, she should've done that from the start.

With her body trembling, Naya follows the passage down the steps, just stopping at the bottom one for a moment, before she forces herself to lift up her head, tears immediately springing to her eyes at what's before her.

There's a rectangular stone table that lies in the middle of the room, decorated by gold patterns around the base, strange marking that Naya recognises as Iuana's ancient language. The runes are presumably there to maintain the sleeping enchantment of which the room is bound to- as Naya herself can feel her eyelids grow heavy from only being in there for a mere minute.

Suspended in the air, her body floating just above the stone table is Leah- her long flowing hair framing her face as the halo of purest gold, shining like that of the pale moon, as even under some hypnotism she looked ethereal.

Stopping in front of the long stone table, Naya can't help but swat gently at the sapphire blue butterflies that are surrounding her girlfriend, fluttering so carelessly around her body. They stubbornly only move upwards, hovering above the two and Naya knows that as soon as she leaves then they'll return back to where they were before.

She'd like to think that they were looking out for Leah- protecting her against anyone that would venture down here, but they're probably just curious beings... much like Leah herself. It was a bittersweet parallel.

Naya tries to reach out and touch her girlfriend's arm, yearning to feel the touch of her soft skin once again, to feel the warmth that radiated from her- her mind circling back to those summer evenings where they would lie down on the grassy riverbank by Leah's university accommodation, hidden from the world by the tall reeds and the sporadic wildflowers. Once the sun began to set and rich hues of reds, oranges, golds ignited the sky, Leah would lean back against Naya, eyes closed as she threw her head back against the hunter's chest, humming softly with the way that the warm breeze greeted them, comforted by the faint kisses pressed from her temple and down the side of her neck.

There would be butterflies and other wildlife there too that would also pay them a visit- but Naya would never be looking at them, too transfixed on the girl tucked happily into her side.

Some evenings when they were huddled together, hiding from the rest of the world, Naya would sit and watch Leah sketch, she'd watch on in awe as the mortal would mindlessly draw flowers, writing little notes on the corners of her book for Naya to discover later on when she'd look through the sketchbook, thinking that Leah was fast asleep.

She had such a skill for drawing, and Naya made sure to remind her of it every chance she got- absolutely spellbound by the creations formed on her pages, faceless portraits influenced by the elements, the leaves beneath her very feet- petals purposefully littering her canvas.

She drew because it was a creative outlet to put her mind to rest- to convey whatever thoughts were plaguing her mind... and she had hoped that one day, her works would help others find solace, to help them find inspiration for their own release.

It was in those moments that Naya would pull Leah close, muttering old songs of her people as to ease her girlfriend's mind, to tell her how fortunate she was to have entered that coffee shop by chance, to be here with Leah now...

On the days where Leah had little to no classes, or when the weekends finally rolled around, they would both revisit that café- the place where Naya spilled her drink and Leah couldn't stop smiling over at the clueless stranger, something magnetic about her that caused the mortal to come and sit next to her once her shift had ended, sharing names and stories as until night falls upon them and the café is all but empty, the keys sitting snug in Leah's apron pocket.

Naya didn't know what it was about Leah... but from the moment that she saw her, she knew... she knew that she had stumbled upon something, a feeling, that she didn't want to lose- that she couldn't lose.

Everything about the mortal was fascinating, and as they got to know each other over the weeks that followed, Naya finding the time between her quests to portal down to the human realm and go on makeshift coffee dates and wanders in the park, she found herself falling for the art student with the kindest eyes, and the biggest heart...

Leah was patient with her. She knew that there was something the hunter couldn't tell her, and so she didn't push, she didn't pry when Naya was stressed with business back in Iuana. When she had had a long day, Leah just took her hands in her own, rubbing the pads of her thumbs gently over the back's of Naya's hands as she kissed her knuckles tenderly.

Naya shouldn't have told Leah about Iuana or about who she was... but over the course of a couple of weeks the hunter felt this overwhelming desire to open up to her, to share all of her secrets, her thoughts and feelings... she wanted to be honest with Leah, and she wanted their relationship to be built on trust and to continue to blossom, and so she did.

She started off slow, she started off by telling Leah that although it may take time, eventually she will reveal her background, the far off land that she comes from, her secret profession, everything... promising to take it steady so that she doesn't shock her.

And she didn't regret it, not one bit... when she made the decision that she wanted to stay with Leah, leaving every other day just being too much for her, they both talked about what would happen. How once Leah finished art school, they'd find a little place to rent, how Naya could get a job at their café until she finds what she wants to pursue, how they'd probably struggle, like most broke students do, but how they'd be happy together.

From that moment she knew that a mortal life with Leah would be greatly more fulfilling than a thousand lifetimes without her, a constant never-ending cycle of honour and duty paling in comparison.

Reaching out for Leah's hand once again, desperate to just touch her like she used to, something akin to a shock runs from Naya's fingers and down her arm, causing her to rip her hand away immediately... could it be some type of forcefield?

Upon instinct she tries again, and this time, much like before as soon as her fingertips get too close to the sleeping beauty, a sharp sensation shoots up Naya's arm, leaving the young hunter to grit her teeth in pain.

It wasn't so much physical pain that she felt, but more that with looking at Leah lying only but a step away from her, she was as far away as she'd ever been. It was torturous being able to see her but not to touch her, for her to be so close and yet out of reach.

Closing her eyes, feeling defeated and once again cold, Naya takes a step backwards as she bites her bottom lip to stop it from wobbling.

"Thanks..." Naya whispers, not wanting to disturb Leah's peace by raising her voice too much, "Thanks for... helping me at the ruins... telling me to use the glass, thanks for looking out for me..."

She knows that without Leah's help, the outcome of the battle would probably have been very different, and then they would've potentially both have been lost. Sighing, Naya smiles bitterly, 'even now you're still looking out for me, even after I got you into this mess...'

Naya wants nothing more than to just reach out, to comb her fingers through her girlfriend's golden hair, much like he's done a thousand times before... staring into her deep, honey brown eyes as they exchange promises of forever.

Truthfully... she doesn't know if she'll ever get to do that again... if she'll ever be with Leah again...

She knew that her time was running out, and that ultimately if she wanted even a chance for Leah to wake up again then she couldn't wait forever... She had promised Arlen that she wouldn't venture to the Southern Sea alone, and thinking about breaking that promise didn't feel right in her soul, but she had also promised to save Leah, to fulfil the bargain and to set her free... and without knowing where or how long Ronan will be, Naya saw no other choice...

The past few months with Leah had been the most freeing months of Naya's life... she had been taught so much and her eyes had been opened to so many new emotions, suddenly everything started to make sense, it all fell into place... she was in love.

'I'm going to go to Southern Sea I'm going to capture one hundred spirits and I'm going to set you free... I'm going to fulfil my promise to you if it's the last thing I do... I promise you that, Leah...'

She's going to set Leah free... so that she can return to her own world, to her education, to her passions and she's going to become one of the biggest artists of the modern world, to change lives just like she hoped she would... she'll accomplish all of that because it's what she deserves, it's what she's capable of.

She'll do all of that... whether Naya is there standing next to her, or looking down upon her.

"Thank you..." Naya murmurs, sucking in a deep breath as she feels something upon her skin, a singular tear falling down her face, leaving a stained path as it goes, "For opening my eyes, for teaching me what it truly meant to be alive... Thank you, for falling in love with me..."