It was a dark place, as dark as she could find. Farrah locked herself away. Not one person could ever describe the maelstrom of emotions she had churning. The perfect storm erupted inside her and she laid down as though to die, if grace could gift her such luxury. Her torment was to face it alive, all of it, unending with no resistance. Life as she knew it ended before her devilled eyes, her justice faltered and in the sly hands of the game master, she had no winning play. She was to damn herself, or everyone else. Her mercy damned her, her vengeance damned her, her heart damned her and penance left across the hills with ten men who would damn themselves with success or failure either way. Her homeland damned her and soon haven would damn her too. Hatred breed parasites in them all. Trauma, fear, anger, doubt, these were the emotions on the surface. She was void, cold, and laid motionless. Much worse emotions churned beneath the skin.

Talia worried. Her friend always had a way of being over dramatic. All she could do was comfort Farrah. Talia left for a moment, and Farrah fell into a nightmare, alone. When Talia returned, Farrah had shed her shell, she turned to face her only solace with frightened cold sweat tears. Quaking.“I brought you this.” Talia announced, revealing a sum of cloth much larger than she could ever carry alone. Farrah heard someone else, but they soon went away. Talia pulled the hemmed fabric over and placed it next to Farrah who did the rest. Talia returned to Farrah who took her into her wings. They stayed there for hours, Farrah finally opening up to Talia about how she felt in the moment for the first time. Talia soon understood, and immature herself, she hardly had the right answers to say. Though they were aged, they were just two kids out to take on the world with a tilted handicap against them.

Eventually Farrah left the tree roots which she hid in, groveling in the blackened soil. She was filthy, looking ridden with disease and deaths row. Inside she was still torn but managed to pick herself back up from the gallows. She wasn't ready to take on the world quite yet, but surely enough Farrah was recovering from her fit.

By dusk Greg returned to find her sitting in silence. She had been stewing on what to do. He approached cautiously with a heavy heart. Farrah finally noticed him and turned suddenly. Her face lit up, saddened. He knelt down, caressing her cheek. “You don't look much better bud.” Talia intervened, seeming concerned.

“It's not as relevant as my love is.”

“She's fine. We've been trying to figure out wh...” Talia was cut off

Farrah continued “I can speak...” She was sheepish at first but continued her thought. “The damage is done.”

“I'd hate to break your perseverance but I'm not really ready to put this behind me.” Greg admitted

Farrah started to understand more, he too was holding in some sorrow. “I want to apologize”

“There isn't anything to apologize for... What is done is done, right?” He answered solemnly

“Then what is wrong?”

Greg looked away. “I'm not really the best for this.”

“What do you need to say? Just say it. I'm okay now.” Farrah fret.

He couldn't find the words. “Alright.” His vision veered, stumped, he sat down. “Those men sure don't like you do they?...”

“No...”

“That's a real shame you know. You are a good girl.”

Farrah bit herself grumpily “I don't feel it...”

“I can imagine...”

“They wouldn't be here if not for me. Or my dad.”

“I kind of figured that much, ain't much we can do now though.” The two sat together, stirring their thoughts.

“Are, are you sure that you still want to be around me?” Farrah asked.

Greg bit himself, choking inside. “I'm not really sure actually.” He said plucking the grass from the ground, and then dissecting it. “It ain't that I don't love it but I'm a little on edge, and you are going to have to leave.”

“Why?” Farrah returned, broken. A tear now skimming her cheek.

“Those guys who said they were going to bring the royal army got away. Three men were brave enough to voyage out into the shadows but returned a little while ago. Those men were serious.”

“So it's too late...”

Greg nodded. “I don't want to see you hurt... But...”

“You know, if I never came by, Leanna would probably still be alive.”

“Probably... I don't know how they found you but yeah.”

Greg furiously began tearing grass out of it's roots.

“I'm pretty sure it had to do with my outburst in the tower. They said a dead man lead them here.”

“Dead men don't tell tales when their dead.”

“No... They don't. Can you forgive me?” Farrah asked, preparing herself to dig into her wrists even more.

“I don't know!” He shouted. “It's not something that is so simple.” He threw the grass down and got up. He was far to agitated to keep his calm. The heavy heart sank through his chest and pounded the cold ground below.

“So, you are one of those that take a while to let things sink in, huh?” Talia mentioned.

“Why would you ask that?” Greg shot out.

“Just that... You're a lot like me then...” Talia replied, sympathetically.

Greg swallowed a pit, turning away. “We need to take a break for a while so we can recollect ourselves.” Talia nodded, as Farrah however did not. She saw him walk frustrated, her own problems drifted away. She could only think about his. He turned around after slowing down and said. “You have a few days before they should arrive, where are you going to go? Have you thought about it at all? You can't take on an army that is looking for you.”

Farrah returned her composure, “Yeah... I was afraid that those men would get away so I was planning on leaving here.”

“To where?” Greg asked, begging to know

“Homeland...”

“What could that accomplish?” Greg cried. “You are just as wanted there too.”

Farrah returned to herself, looking over the pond. “I was planning on racing them back and stopping them.”

Greg shook his head. “How do you plan on doing that? You are just throwing yourself away.”

“If I don't, then they will come here and change your way of life. Any other magpies will be no more. It's all my fault, it's the only thing I can do to make good on this.”

“Maybe they won't come...” Gregory deluded himself.

“Really?” Talia butted in.

Greg turned back to leave. “I wish I could help you but I really don't know what to even do anymore.”

“Greg.” Talia consoled, “Your girlfriend needs your help, you can help stop this.”

“I... I still don't know how I feel, alright. I'm... Scared. I'm not even sure if I trust anyone. All of this is hard on me too.”

“If you change your mind, you don't have a lot of time.” Talia informed

“We'll be flying through the night.” Farrah added. Still not sure she was even worth the effort for Greg to devote himself to. “If you don't come with me... I'll understand. I won't hold it against you.”

He wanted to speak but he would only repeat himself. Torn at both ends, he left without another word. No “I love you.” No “I think we should leave each other.” No closure.

They saw him leave into the distance and returned to their plan. Farrah, absent minded. She cleaned herself off in the chill evening waters and headed for the edge of Haven's shoreline.

She stood upon the cliff where she entered, remembering the path here and took one final look behind her. The trees stood as silent as the stone, not a creature moved, no one there to send her off. She felt unwelcome, the sad reality aiding her self doubt. “This is it Farrah,” Talia spoke. “If you are really sure about this, I am behind you all the way.” Farrah nodded. It was time to return home. She had plenty of time flying in order to sort things out. She took her grace, and tipped off the edge taking her wings to the tides.

Farrah made a distance ahead before being caught in the eyes of someone very familiar. She flew away, still visible, skimming the surface of the shadow down's ocean of mist. She got away and though still able and ready, he couldn't bare himself to follow. Greg arrived to send her off. He wasn't sure whether he could will himself to leave, he hoped that when he got there that he might have made up his mind and kiss her off but he was too late. When he arrived only his body knew, and it knew well that he was not strong enough to endure. He cried out softly, but echoed a loud roar that pierced the fog. Farrah did not respond. To her, she feared the mighty distorted howl that reached her was Matilda. She flew faster. If anything, if she was around, Matilda would have been distracted away from Farrah. The majestic black bird disappeared. His love gone in the distance, his chance dissipating in the abyss. This was his closure, it hurt as he knew he could never give himself to her as she did for him. He felt unworthy, whether true or not, he cried there. His love lost in the same mists that brought her to him.