Ipos looked over the campus with disdain. 'I've been trapped here for far too long.' He thought. 'I need to find a way out of this deal.' His wings twitched as he sat perched atop the clock tower. Glancing at the waning moon, he wished it were full. 'Like she'd help me.' He scoffed at himself. A small tingle ran through his wings. 'Finally.' Closing his eyes, he cleared his thoughts. The Elders' overwhelming power made things difficult, but slowly he narrowed in on a familiar wavelength; The aura of an old friend.

  ***

  A fine mist filled the clearing. He had not seen it look this gloomy in years. As usual, Damien kept his distance until his aura around Keshiema dissipated and she gained consciousness. This time, however, even after her senses awoke, he did not approach her. Something felt off. Someone else was in the dream. When Keshiema started talking to someone, he walked to the clearing's edge, just out of her mind's reach.

  "I know I wasn't supposed to come here." She said quietly. He looked around, but did not see anyone else. "But I miss you."

  The world around him rippled. The clearing disappeared and, in its place, a large peach-colored house appeared. Keshiema looked much younger now. She was no longer sitting on the ground; instead, she was on a thick branch high in an oak tree.

  He knew where he was instantly. It was the same reason the energy had felt off. He was in the past, within a long-buried memory. He closed his eyes, and when he opened them, he sat next to her, in a much younger body. He let her memory play out without taking control.

  "Kesh...it's not safe here." He scratched at his head in frustration. 'How old are you now? Seven...no, you just turned eight which would make me...'

  She looked up at him with big, gray eyes. "You keep saying that. But can't you protect me?"

  The words pierced his heart like a dagger. "You're not safe with me." He clarified. "I was here...to... with." he struggled to avoid details of the night her family died."I've made it so you've been hidden. I know you hate that orphanage. If you could tell me why, maybe I could-"

  "I just want to stay with you!" she shouted. He covered her mouth as a flock of birds took off in the distance.

  "Keshiema! You know better than to shout like that." He scolded her in a hushed tone. "I need to take you back now. Before anyone discovers you."

  "I'll just come find you again." She boasted.

  The ache in his heart grew tenfold. "I know you will. That's why I can't have you remembering any of this." He watched himself reach out his hand, covering her mark. The spell would keep her memories of him sealed away. The days they had spent playing and talking in that small area of forest would forever be masked. 'If you remember me, you'll be in danger.' He thought as she fell asleep in his arms. 'Those demons think you're dead and I want to keep it that way. The only way to do that is to keep my distance.'

  Keshiema's memory had ended, but Damien let himself relive the rest of the evening. He flew her back to the orphanage and climbed into her room through the unlocked window. As Damien tucked her back into bed, the older of the two humans she shared her room with sat up. 'Tobias was his name,' he thought as the boy stared at him. "You'd do best to forget about me," Damien whispered.

  Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

  After rubbing the sleep out of his eyes, Tobias raised an eyebrow. "That's a little difficult. She tells us about you constantly."

  Damien saw something odd behind Tobias's gaze, like a damaged mind ready to break. "She won't anymore, so please tell your sister not to bring it up."

  "You've erased her memories?" He asked, eyes wide

  Lowering his gaze to the floor, Damien answered solemnly, "I've only covered up the ones containing me. It's for her protection."

  "Then why don't you erase ours as well?" Tobias gestured towards his sleeping sister.

  "I don't think I need to. You want her to stay safe, don't you?" Tobias nodded silently. "Then just don't mention me."

  "I guess I can do that." The human had an air about him that Damien liked; a stubborn, protective attitude. He had been a good friend to Keshiema.

  'I suppose it's time to pass the torch.' He thought as he climbed out the window.

  The world rippled again, and Damien pondered as the clearing reappeared. The next day, Keshiema was brought to the Academy by the Hunter, Hiro, making Damien lose track of her for over a decade. He still wondered how Stolas had managed to hide her aura from him.

  Keshiema lay in the grass, staring up at the gray sky. "Why don't I remember you when I'm awake? Why don't I remember so many of my dreams at all lately?"

  "It was a spell, to hide your memories of me. It's for the best that you forget me."

  She sat up and glared at him. "Then why these visits? Don't you know messing with my dreams can hurt me?"

  "I miss you." The words felt like lead. Admitting to a weakness was never easy. "It's difficult for a Guardian to be away from their ward."

  She rose and stood toe-to-toe with him. "Then let me remember you! We can talk just like we used to."

  "It's not safe, Keshiema!" he turned away from her, unable to look her in the eye. "I need to bury that memory again. And I need you to forget this. Please don't resist."

  Knowing what was about to happen, she turned away, trying to run. He appeared in front of her and grabbed her by the shoulders. She screamed in agony as a fire tore through her entire body. "You won't remember this. Not even when you dream." Through all of the pain, a small piece of her understood. She had to stay away from him in the waking world. Somewhere out there was a threat that had destroyed her life once already.

  ***

  Rubbing his temples, Ipos groaned, "Damien, you fucking idiot." He had not wanted to hurt her, but that was all he ever seemed to do. Leaping from the clock tower, he glided to the ground. The campus was quiet. It was only 3 AM, and none of the early risers were awake yet. The only ones nearby should have been the Sentries, hidden throughout the campus. Sensing a disturbing aura hanging in the air, Ipos slowly walked towards the boys' dormitory. Faint footsteps clacked behind him, and as he walked faster, they kept pace. Launching into the air, he quickly turned around to see the shape of someone near where he had been. He dove and slammed into the stalker, knocking them down and pinning them to the ground. "Nergal!" he hissed, "Is there a reason you're following me?" Ipos gripped the demon’s throat, but could not force himself to harm him.

  "Of course there is," Nergal growled. "Now, get off of me so we can talk."

  Sneering, Ipos let the demon stand. "I am not interested in a conversation with the likes of you."

  "Well, that's too bad," Nergal said as he dusted himself off. "You know, you're heavy for a birdie." Ignoring the cheap insult, Ipos turned to walk away. "I still have a hold on you." The words stopped Ipos mid-step. "That's much better. Now, how is the hunt coming? Have you retrieved her blood yet?"

  "She isn't the one you want, Nergal." He turned back to face him.

  Nergal scoffed, "I've been watching you. The way you look at her. That is a gaze only a guardian can have. Would you rather I get a small sample of blood? Or would you rather I take it all myself? You could hide her from me, I suppose. But if you do, her destiny is to face the king. Just wait until he figures out who the Halfling is that's supposed to kill him. You know what he'll do to her if he finds out who her mother is."

  Ipos swung at Nergal without holding back. Nergal leapt away, narrowly missing a direct hit by Ipos's claws. Touching the welted streaks on his cheek, he frowned. "That is rather unacceptable behavior, Prince Ipos. I feel like you may need to be taught a lesson after that. Is she really worth protecting? I believe right now she's busy running around playing house with whichever Elder was willing to take a mutt." Laughing, Nergal faded away, his aura leaving a sickly stain in his place.