Rage. Blinding passionate rage overflowing through her being, spilling into the entity known as Valorius Malku. Thousands of shallow cuts produced by what remained unfiltered of the Dark Goddess of Chaos and Death, Sharay, lashed out at he who imprisoned her. She felt impotent, unable to find means of escape within this pure being of energy, this living scale of balance. It was her own fault though, and with Sharay, it was unclear who was more deserving of her wrath, Valorius or herself.

She was to blame for her downfall, for her defeat against the pathetic Winter Goddess called Elysia. It was not that Elysia was stronger than she. No, quite the contrary. It was the simple matter that Sharay was a Goddess, an eternal immortal being who used a mortal woman’s body in order to regenerate her physical form once more. Sharay, though a fan of mortals for she found them quite entertaining with their bloodthirsty nature and their secret desire to be ruled by those far greater in power than they, for all mortals appealed to her, she simply did not understand their workings.

Mortals, especially humans, were fragile creatures that required immense upkeep in order for them to function and more importantly, live. Trivial matters such as sustenance in the forms of food and water, and rest to the body were unimportant to Sharay for she required none of them.

However, in the case of Deanna DiCorvino, her most Beloved of all who served her, Sharay though quite able to resurrect the woman, had forgotten the simple matter of upkeep on Deanna’s body. What caused Elysia to defeat the Goddess so easily was that Deanna’s mortal body was far too weak to withstand Elysia’s will, and that alone was Sharay’s fault. She had not cared for it properly, and it was only the brief moments that Elijah Bluefield had been considerate enough to supply her with a fresh kill from time to time, Sharay had not truly considered the idea of providing sustenance to her human host.

There was also the matter of Sharay’s own shortcomings when it came to human emotions. A Goddess that chose to inhabit a mortal human, especially a woman, had to expect some residual side effects to affect her own psyche such as emotions. Whether petty or virtuous, hate or love, emotions had no business in the body of a Goddess of Chaos and Death, for those two aspects should have been all she required to drive her. Those two aspects were what fashioned Sharay, what fueled her. What she felt for Elijah and Deanna, even Delorah, however brief and filled with condition, it was enough to aid in her downfall. Sharay inspired fear and lust, violence and terror, but none of those aspects were necessary for her existence. They were simply amusement for her own nefarious devices. To her great surprise, while co-existing with Deanna for that brief time, she had discovered that it was not fear that had lured the woman in her devotions to the Goddess, but love and loyalty. Deanna had come to her on her own free will, and that fact alone had managed to touch a small part of the Goddess.

In the end, all were Sharay’s undoing. She felt her own imprisonment in the soul snare doll, something eventually she could have broken free of, if not by her own hand then by that of Blend. That backstabbing bastard was a follower of Tempesturo, the useless God’s Champion of all things, but Blend understood and respected the powerful force that was Chaos, and in that, Sharay could have manipulated him eventually using Chaos as a lure. She had not counted, however, on the energetic force that was Valorius Malku.

Time and time again Valorius had struck against Sharay’s essence, but for no other purpose than to filter her until she was reduced to her raw, primitive and dark state. Her true state of being. Each moment was a piece of herself lost until finally she found herself imprisoned in the being of pure energy, the balance that was Valorious. Whatever purpose he had in doing so went without care, for Sharay now found herself in another predicament. This being could not be swayed, could not be tempted, for he represented the way. He was neither chaotic or righteous, neither good nor bad. He simply was, and it infuriated the Goddess.

Sharay was not without her own devices, and it took a microsecond to figure out that despite his nature, which could not be eradicated for energy merely changed form to adapt, but it was always present, his essence was encased in its own prison of sorts, his own shell. The physical form, Valorius’ shell, was able to be hurt, was able to be destroyed. Find the weakness, expose it for what it was, and use it to your advantage. That was how Sharay came up with the solution to her ‘problem’.

Neverending, relentless in her pursuit for release, Sharay began her attack instantly. She unleashed the full force of her hate, her contempt, her rage. Unleashed it upon Valorious so that he too could experience the Goddess’ power, power which she counted on consuming him. He would suffer as she was suffering to some level, and with that knowledge, Valorius would either do one of two things: He could either end his suffering by freeing her, or continue to maintain his purpose by containing Sharay for whatever reasoning he deemed justifiable, and slowly but surely, his body would eventually decompose and destroy itself.

There was another factor in the mix, that of Ameerah Sultan, the female counterpart of Valorius. One could not exist without the other, but there was something different about Ameerah.

Through Valorius, Sharay had deciphered Ameerah, and knew she was a being of Chaos as well. Perhaps not to the extent of Sharay, but the woman had understood the nature of it. She was passionate and fiery as Sharay had witnessed during the encounter with the lycans. She could not be sure regarding Valorious if the man (if he could be called that) could feel love or hate, but the woman…oh yes. She was quite capable, and if Sharay was correct in her thinking, would be in a volatile rage concerning the abusive treatment on her partner. Perhaps despite her own chaotic nature, it would be Ameerah who would impose her will upon her other half enough to convince him that his attempt in containing Sharay was futile and pointless. As it was, Sharay understood that Ameerah’s bloodlust would not be something she would withhold should Sharay manage escape. This fact was something Sharay savored.

Sharay continued her attacks, undaunted and entirely without mercy. Valorius endured.

The question was, for how long?

The Timing Could Not Have Been Better, Or Worse Depending Upon Who Was Asked. Ameerah Had Left Their Isle To Go Travel Through Heruin's Mainland So As To Assess The Level Of Repair, Funding And Manpower That Would Be Needed To Bring The Scorched Lands Back From Desolation. True, Heruin Was Not To Be A Vacation Spot For Aleris Any Time Soon But Things Could Be Vastly Improved. As The New Ruler Of The Continent It Was Her Duty To See To The Preservation Of The Land, And It Was His Responsibility To See To Its Protection.

She Had Agreed That His Idea Of Bringing The Eternelle Lune Protectorate Was One Worth Exploring, So When She Had Left Their Island She Had Made A Rift For Him That Would Allow Him To Travel To Eternelle Lune. She Had Also Left Him A Vial Of Her Mixture Should The Need Arise For Him To Use It – And No Doubt It Would. The Struggling Evil Within Him Was Relentless. The More It Was Broken Down The More Fierce Its Resistance Became, Like A Wounded Animal That Could Sense Its Own End Approaching. With The Vial Tucked In His Pocket They Both Departed At The Same Time, Her Into Her Rift And Him Within His.

The Portal Opened In The Courtyard Of The Palace, And The Sheer Difference Between The 2 Realms Was Almost Immediate. From The Air, To The Sun, Even The Very Ground Under His Feet, It All Felt So Different. Eternelle Lune Was The Definition Of A “Perfect” World. Everything Designed And Maintained By His Parents. There Was No War, No Plague, No Famine Or Disorder. It Was Flawless. People Often Said There Was No Such Thing As A Perfect World. Such A Statement Was A Lie. There Had To Be At Least 1 Exception To Every Rule So As To 'Make' It A Rule. And As He Stood In The Courtyard For A Few Minutes Letting Himself Just Look Around And Take It All In He Finally Understood Why The Need To Venture From His Homeland Had Been So Strong. Nothing Would Ever Change. His Parents May Have Existed For Quite A Long Time And A World That Was Unchanging No Doubt Had Its Appeal, But He Having Only Been Around For 19 Years – There Were Experiences He Had To Have, And Obstacles He Had To Meet Before Being Content With Perfection.

The Palace Was Just That, Massive And Pristine. Guards He Passed On His Way Inside Offered Nods And Opened Doors For Him. Guards Such As They Existed Only At The Palace. The True Face Of Eternelle Lune's Defense Was The Protectorate. Their Barracks And Training Areas Were All Kept In The Sub-Floors Of The Palace. Many Sprawling Levels Reaching Deep Underground, Housing Thousands Of The Soldiers. Those Who Did Not Reside In The Palace Substructure Were Stationed In Strongholds Set All Across The World – But The Palace Was The Heart. It Was The Point Of Origin In Which All Orders Were Given. If One Needed To Reach The Entire Protectorate, It Was From Within The Palace Underground That Message Would Spread Across The Face Of The World Itself.

As He Moved Through The Palace He Couldn't Help Noticing How Quiet It Was. When He Was Younger And The de'Sade Were More Branched Out, There Were Always People About. Not Only Servants And Those Employed To The Palace, But Those Who Carried The Name 'deSade'. There Had Always Been Something Going On. And Now Those Who Had Once Called The Palace Home Were Gone, Off To Live Their Lives And Create Their Own Legacy. He Understood It. After All Wasn't He Doing The Same Thing? That Didn't Change The Fact It Was Almost Sad In A Way. But That Was The Nature Of Eternelle Lune. The World Itself May Never Change – But The People Who Inhabited It, They Were Another Matter All Together.

It Was A Walk He'd Made So Many Times That He Barely Needed To Pay Attention As He Passed Through The Main Hall And To The Great Staircase. Ascending The Steps And Taking Several Turns He Eventually Came Upon Another Stairway That Led To His Parents Chamber. A Hand Came Up To Knock, But Before It Ever Touched The Door He Heard His Mother's Voice From Inside.

”You 'can' just come in you know.”

She Knew He Was There – She Always Knew. Grinning To Himself As He Opened The Latch And Stepped Inside, He Saw His Mother Sitting In Her Chair Reading But Saw No Trace Of His Father. He Must Have Been Off Doing – Whatever It Was That Someone Like His Father Did When Not At Home. The Book In Her Hands Was Closed And She Stood Up, Moving To Him As He Approached Her. The Regal Woman Was Often Seen As Cold And Indifferent, But He Knew Her Differently. She Hugged Him And He Hugged Back, Muttering Over Her Shoulder;

”You're shrinking.”

She Lightly Slapped His Arm And Smiled At Him Before Stepping Back, Her Hands Resting On His Shoulders As She Seemed To Be Looking Him Over.

”It is good to see you, Valorius. You look...”

Her Eyebrow Raised Slightly As If She Saw Something Strange About Him. And Then It Looked As Though A Mix Of Concern And Anger Began To Come To Her Eyes.

”..well.”

Duvessa Knew What Was Happening, No Doubt She Could Sense If Not Outright See The Malevolent Essence Within Him. But Always Trusting Of Him She Didn't Question What He Was Doing Or Even Why He Was Doing It. Instead She Just Regained Her Smile And The Soft, Understanding Look To Her Eyes.

”What brings you here? Is everything fairing well in Aleris?”

The Young Prince Was Grateful She Didn't Pry. Honestly He Wouldn't Have Had An Answer To Give Her If She Had. It Was Just A Choice That He'd Made Because He Felt It Was Necessary. He Was Still Trying To Figure Out Why. Rather Than Dwell On That Matter He Instead Took Her Hands In His And Answered Her.

”We are doing well there. Ameerah was made ruler of one of the continents, and I've been appointed the leader of it's guard.”

”My. Who could have guessed?”

His Mother Grinned, And He Followed Suit.

”Yeah I know.”

”I am very proud of you both. There was never any doubt the two of you would go on to do incredible things. Whether it was here or elsewhere.”

Valorius Smiled And Nodded Humbly But He Was Soon Responding.

”We are trying to do something..but the world has had back to back wars. The first one cracked it, the second one has shattered it. Resources are at an all time low and most of the population is either dead, dying, or overwhelmed with the responsibilities they've had to take on. Which is the reason I'm here. I would like to...that is...I think it would be good if...”

His Mother Grinned And Remained Silent For A Moment Or 2, Letting Him Fumble Around A Bit Before Mercifully Finishing The Statement For Him.

”You want to use the protectorate. Bring them to Aleris and have them assist with reconstruction and possibly serve under you on the continent you've been set to protect?”

She Asked Coyly, Tilting Her Head As If To Exaggerate The 'Stab In The Dark' “Assumption” She'd Spoken. He Blinked Several Times Before Replying.

”Um..yes, exactly. How...”

”I have been empress a long time, Valorius. I have learned a thing or two. And I would have sought the same thing. You know the protectorate is yours to command. It always has been. Your command of them was never forfeited when you left, just placed on hold while you found your way in a world that requires your skills more.”

The Young Man Smiled And Nodded In Thanks.

”Thank you. I just trust them and their abilities more than a foreign army. I know what they can do..and I know they'll make things much easier for Aleris.”

Suddenly His Hands Clenched Around Hers And His Jaw Tightened. The Sensation Of Erosion From Within Was Coming Upon Him Again. The Last Vial He'd Taken Was Spent And He Knew He Would Need The Other Soon. Though He Didn't Want To Cut The Meeting Short, Time Was Not Something He Had To Spare. Not If He Was Going To Achieve Anything.

”Mother..I...I'm sorry but I...

”Need to go. I know. It's alright. We will talk more when you are less...burdened.”

Her Eyes Showed That Anger Again. Though It Wasn't Directed At Him. It Seemed To Pass Through Him To Something Else, Something Not Welcome. Her Gaze Was Quick To Soften As She Leaned In And Kissed His Cheek.

”Be safe, Valorius. Take care of yourself. And give my love to Ameerah.”

He Smiled At Her As Best He Could Given How He Felt, And Despite Not Wanting To Leave So Abruptly He Did In Fact Make A Hasty Exit From The Chamber. The Moment The Door Closed Behind Him He Reached Into His Coat And Pulled The Vial From His Pocket. Just As The Stopper Was Pulled Free, Another Sudden -Rush- Of That Destructive Sensation Passed Through Him. The Rush So Immediate That His Right Hand Had Crushed The Vial In Response Before He Was Even Aware It Had Clenched. The Emerald Liquid Fell To The Rug Beneath His Feet Along With Shattered Glass, And As His Pained Eyes Fell To It – They Took On A New Depth. One Of Anger.

”Alright. I have had enough of this. You want to play this game? Let's play. This ends now.”

The Pain Was Intense, But Not As Intense As The Anger And Frustration. He Moved With Purpose From His Parents Chamber And Began Heading Down The Stairs, Altering His Destination From The Sub-Levels To Another Area Of The Palace. Before He Left Eternelle Lune He Would Need To Address The Protectorate, But Before That Happened There Was Someone Else Who Had To Be Educated. And There Was No Better Place For A Mad Goddess's Education Than Eternelle Lune...

More Specifically, The Nexus Chamber.

She would not stop.

She would never stop.

She would continue to be relentless, merciless, determined.

She would be free.

He fought.

He had a strength that was admirable, if she cared to admire it that is.

He would fail.

Or so she thought.

Onward she persevered, fighting against Valorius. Eventually he would weaken. Eventually he would break. Eventually he would not be able to take the pain any longer.

The weak spot.

Find it. Corrupt it. Turn it to your advantage.

The physical form.

Exploit it.

He knew he was weakening. He struggled through the pain despite it all.

Foolishness.

Bravery.

Stupidity.

She did not care.

Endless torment.

Endless destruction.

Break the body. Find her freedom.

She took pleasure in his pain.

She tormented him with words that only he would hear, speaking to him for the very first time.

I can make it stop. I can ease your suffering. All you have to do is give in to me.

She did not bother to wait for a response.

The assault continued.

She screamed her frustration, her rage, her pain. Hundreds of thousands of needles that pricked against his skin, his senses.

It was madness.

Pain so intense, she could feel how it affected Valorius. How it hurt him.

Good.

She was succeeding.

Then another sensation took over Valorius.

Confusion passed through Sharay.

Anger. Determination. Purpose.

He fought through it all, every last bit she threw at him.

”Alright. I have had enough of this. You want to play this game? Let's play. This ends now.”

This gave her pause for thought.

This is no game, Valorius.

This is the reality that you shall learn.

You cannot win, Valorius.

Why do you waste your time, trying?

Why do you waste your time with me?

I am nothing to you.

Free me.

She did not fear.

She inspired fear. She inspired terror.

He seemed so sure.

She would test his resolve.

Nexxus Chamber.

Sharay did not know what this was.

She would find out.

Just As She Would Deem His Strength Admirable Had She Had The Mind To Do So, He Too Would Have Had To Respect Her Tenacity If Not For The Fact He Knew She Had No Other Choice But To Fight Against Him.

Give In To Her. The Very Idea Went Against Who He Was. Call It Stubborn, Call It Uncompromising, But His Will Was Indomitable. When He Set Himself On A Path There Was No Deviation, No Change Of Course. For Better Or Worse He Had To See His Choices To The End, And That Had Nothing To Do With Energy Inside Him And Everything To Do With Who He Was As A Person.

It Seemed Sharay Didn't View Him As A Person. Honestly He Didn't Know What She Viewed Him As Nor Did He Care. All He Cared About Was Bringing The Situation With Her To Its Final Outcome – Whatever That Might Be. She Fought Him Every Step, She Tore And Screamed At Him From Within, Trying Both Pain And Suggestion To Achieve Her Goal. He Could Have Argued With Her, And Given Enough Time He Could Probably Have Discovered A Way To Inflict Pain Upon Her, But That Would Get Him Nowhere. Instead He Had A Much More Practical Idea In Mind. An Idea That Took A Considerable Amount Of Focus To Keep Locked Away So As To Not Be Felt Or Discovered By Her.

It Wasn't An Incredibly Long Walk From His Parents Chamber To The Nexus, But Because Of How She Was Raging Inside Him Coupled With The Fact That The Vial Ameerah Had Given Him Was Destroyed, It Made For Slow Going. Every Now And Then He Reached A Hand Out To Brace Against A Wall To Help Push Himself Along. Down Hallways, Down Stairs, Until Finally They Were Entering The Main Hall Of The Palace Again. But Instead Of Exiting Through The Main Doors, He Headed For The Grand Staircase. Beneath It Was What Looked To Be A Metallic Looking Door. There Was No Knob, No Latch, Just A Smooth Metallic Surface That Moved As Though It Had A Texture Like Mercury. And It Was In Front Of That Door He Paused, Finally Saying Something To Her Out Loud.

”You're right. This isn't a game. A game entails both sides have an equal chance of coming out on top. And you have none.”

His Words Weren't Threatening Or Venomous Like Hers Had Been. The Only Tone In Them Was One Of Certainty. Before She Had Her Chance To Respond He Was Stepping Forward, Passing Through The 'Door' As If It Were More A Membrane Than A Solid Object. But Once He Was Inside There Was No Other Side To The Entrance, Merely An Infinite Plain Of White. There Was Nothing Around Him, He Stood On Absolutely Nothing, And Yet He Stood. For A Moment Or 2 He Glanced Around Before Speaking Again; Only This Time It Was Not Verbally, It Was Internally.

~Before we begin, I'll at least let you know where you are. And that is -nowhere-. There is no linear time, no absolute space, for all intents and purposes as far as the Omniverse is concerned..we are completely off the grid.~

He Began Walking Despite How Difficult It Had Become. Still Glancing To The All Around Nothingness, The Emerald Glow Of His Iris' Intensified. The Nexus Responded To The Energy Which Crafted It, The Essence Of His Family. There Was No Need To Speak, It Responded To Will Alone. And The Immediate Nature Of That Response Was Realized As The Entirety Of The Chamber Went From Endless Nothing To A Place And Time They Would Both Recognize. They Were Back At The Castle Within Grand City, Standing In The Courtyard As Fires Still Burned And Destruction Lay All Around -- As If The Battle Were Still Happening. But There Were No Bodies, No Warriors Shouting Or Clashing Swords. The World Itself Though Seemed Identical Right Down To The Scent Of Blood And Death On The Air.

~I choose this place, this time, because it was the last moment you had to see your plan through. As shit a plan as it was...it was still a plan, and I want you to be somewhere familiar. Besides..we never had a chance to directly confront one another, and with so much going on there was no time to interact. That ends now.~

The Leather Glove Which Covered His Left Hand Peeled Back As If It Had Articulation And Revealed His Left Limb. He Gave No Warning Of His Intent As He Plunged That Hand Directly Into His Own Chest, His Emerald Digits Phasing Through His Flesh As He Gripped At Her Essence Within Him. She Was Not Bonded To Him, Merely Housed Inside Of Him, And Given Her Desire To Be Free It Wasn't Incredibly Difficult To 'Pull' Her From Within And Cast Her Energy Before Him. The Essence He Withdrew Was Black, But As He Released It Into The Chamber A Physical 'Frame' Was Soon Surrounding The Energy. Dark Hair, Solid Black Eyes, A Smooth, Placid Flesh Without Flaw. It Was Dressed In A Casual Gown That Was Also Black In Color – Simple Yet Befitting The Malevolence It Surrounded. The First Thing She Would Have Noticed Was That He Held Nothing Of Her Back, That Is He Didn't 'Short' Her. She Was Given Her Full Mentality, Her Full 'Power' As It Were.

He Offered Her A Few Moments To Adjust To Having A Physical Form Again, Even Allowed Her To Quickly Take In Her Surroundings. No Doubt She Was Searching For A Way To Escape. As She Did So, He Was Already Unfastening His Coat From The Collar Down While His Glove Returned Over His Hand. To Avoid Any Pointless Ideas She May Have Had, He Spoke To Her While He Began Unstrapping His Sleeve From His Coat.

”There is no way in or out of the Nexus unless assisted by a member of my family. The energy signature required to enter, exit, or control the chamber is the energy of my line. Think of the chamber as a locked box..and I am the key. So no, you cannot get out. Now that that is out of the way...let me get to the point. I didn't bring you here to sight see.”

He Removed His Coat And Tossed It To The Ground Behind Him, But He Kept His Sleeve On His Left Arm For Reasons Only He Knew. The Shirt He'd Been Wearing Had Come Off With The Coat, It Too Having Metallic Fastens In Front That He'd Undone. She Could See His Skin, And Having Inhabited His Body For So Long It Was Easy To See That The Energy Which Comprised His Arm Had Spread Further Than Normal. It Was Now Reaching Well Along His Right Pectoral And Down Through His Upper Abdomen. It Showed The Price His Body Had Been Paying Ever Since Taking Her Hate Within Him. Standing Several Feet Before Her He Sighed Softly As His Hands Ran Back Through His Stark Black Hair.

”You're strong..I'd be lying if I said you weren't. You're also not stupid..you wouldn't have reached as far as you did if you were an idiot. You had control, you had power...and yet, somehow, you still failed. You failed to take over Aleris, you failed to rule its people, you failed Elijah...you failed Deanna..you failed your 'children'. The only thing you seemed to succeed at...was finding ways to fuck up.”

A Soft Laugh Came From Him As He Shook His Head. The Hatred In Her Was Almost Palpable, And He Was Taunting It. Taking A Step Closer, He Kept His Eyes On Her Own, Seeming To Almost Enjoy Her Rile.

”All that anger, all that power, all that blah blah blah..and you STILL ended up a prisoner to a nineteen year old young man. I can't even begin to imagine how embarrassing that must be for you. Well..I'm just really getting tired of watching you come up short in EVERY aspect of your existence. Honestly, I don't know at what point to stop considering you a Goddess. But, I will make you a deal. If you can physically bring me to my knees...I'll release you. Not only will I let you go, I'll even give you a NEW body. Not a used up, weak shell like that Deanna girl you dug up. An actual body that belongs to you."

Again, He Took Another Step Towards Her. "The natural laws of the universe have been set here...gravity, air, density, it is all identical to the outside world. But because I don't have the patience to watch you 'magician-flail' the air and send a bunch of...rage-tentacles out at me, you're going to have to use the flesh and bone I've given you. Don't worry..the body is every bit as strong as the energy inside it. The question is..are you willing to get your hands dirty?”

”Or are you only dangerous when there's others to put in the work for you?” He Was Well Aware Of What He Was Doing, And That Was The Point. But The Way He Was Expressing Himself, The Tone He Had Taken On – It Seemed Like He Was Quite Serious About What He Was Saying. After All She Had Been Tormenting Him For Weeks, And It Was Time She Knew He Was Capable Of The Same. ”Since we're in my house and you are a guest..I'll even offer the courtesy of letting you have the first attack.”

A Method For Every Madness.

Strangely she ceased her attacks upon him as he explained exactly where they were, what the Nexxus Chamber consisted of. She was hardly the fool, and if Valorius brought her here, to this land of Nowhere, to this illusion world controlled by him, she would pay attention to each and every word spoken. He spoke casually to her as she lie housed inside, as if they were two acquaintances about to meet face to face for the first time over tea, in an effort to get to know each other better. How endearing.

Freedom, or rather Valorius’ version of it. She felt his fingers wrapped tightly around her essence as he pulled her from his form, and she would admit only to herself that the effect was startling. She had not been prepared for it, though she had longed for nothing but it from the moment she was filtered and imprisoned. A ripple went through her new physical form, and Sharay through her head back and let out a long awaited sigh. Vanity would not prevent her from admiring Valorius’ handiwork. A finely arched dark brow rose as she examined herself from the crown of her head to the tips of her bare toes. Valorius rambled on and on about how there was no escape, some analogy of a box and key, and although Sharay was paying attention to him, she was rather grudgingly impressed by how close Valorius came to her original form.

Sharay remained utterly silent as she turned to view her ‘surroundings’, a slight tightening of her jaw as she was reminded of her failures. Perhaps Valorius was expecting her to full on attack him, to come at him with everything she had. Perhaps she would have, but curiosity got the better of Sharay, and she chose to bide her time. As difficult as it was not to wrench his pretty head from his body, Sharay was interested in his proposal. She folded her arms over her breasts and watched as he began removing parts of his clothing. Onyx eyes heated with appreciation and lust, and a wide smile formed upon full lips. He was young and healthy, and quite appealing. Her gaze lingered on his torso, quite obviously her eyes lowered below his waist for a few moments. Her smile widened as she surveyed the damage that had spread throughout his body. Her doing.

Naturally at that moment he chose to insult her, to degrade her, and she knew it was only because the boy wanted her to react. Did he believe her to be a stupid mortal? She was a Goddess, and she had not gotten so far in the ages she had been created by acting nothing more than the impulsive, irrational being each time she was enraged. He continued his mindless chatter, taunting her, willing her to rise to his bait. She felt the coils of rage and hate encircle her, fill her, wanting to break every bone in his body. Wanting to slash at him until his blood pooled at her feet. Wanting him to whimper and beg for her to stop. Sharay demonstrated the excellent control that she had by regarding him with a cool level look. When he had finally finished his little speech, was when the Goddess finally reacted.

Her smile in place, she began circling him, allowing one perfectly shaped pale hand to travel across his back, her nails lightly raking against his skin. “Boy,” she began as she finally came to stand before him once again. “Are we not past these games?” She folded her arms across her breasts once more, knowing that males could not resist drawing their attention to that region of the female body, especially when one possessed ample assets as she did. “You brought me here to what, educate me? To teach me a lesson? To have me repent for my ‘wicked ways’?” Her laughter was rich and sultry. “You wish to fight me to see what? Who has the most endurance? Who is stronger? Who will win at this foolishness?” Sharay shook her head, a cloud of midnight splaying over her shoulders. “I have a counter-offer I would like you to listen to.”

Her touch was gentle as she began smoothing the dark hair from his brow. “Valorius, why do you do this? You gain nothing out of bringing me here, keeping me imprisoned inside of you, though I will admit…,” her smile transformed into a wicked grin. “I do rather enjoy being inside of you. You truly are a fascinating being.” Her hand lowered to stroke his face. “All sorts of interesting thoughts, ideas, and concerns flutter through that head of yours. Such a busy mind for such a young thing. You are quite the determined creature, aren’t you? So stubborn and strong willed.” Sharay paused then, leaning forward to cup his face so that she might draw him closer to her, her lips hovering over his. “So sweet.” Her tongue darted out to lap at his lower lip, chuckling as she drew away. To his credit, he did not push her away, but he did not encourage her either. She had not expected him to.

“Valorius, you know nothing of what it means to be truly free. To live as you were meant to, without hesitation, without guilt, without burden or cause to fear.” She was not sure if she was catching his attention or if he was hell bent on this lesson he wished to demonstrate to her, but Sharay figured nothing ventured, nothing gained. She was quite the fan of twisting a situation in her favor. “Your other half, Ameerah, she does. I rather like that girl. She has spunk, and no restraint. That sort of unbridled passion my dear boy, is where you come into play.” She sighed then, adopting a rather pitying look. “Does it not bother you that the only reason you even exist is to keep Ameerah in line? That she is loved beyond compare while you, Valorius, you are simply there ensure she does not lose control?” She tsk’d. “Such a shame, really. Such a waste, for you have lived such the sheltered life as nothing more than a servant to Ameerah, to those who created you. You are a slave, can you not understand that?”

Sharay lowered her hand, careful not to touch over any form of Valorius that was not covered in flesh or clothing. Her grin widened as her hand slid lower to rest lightly upon his groin, stroking him. “I’d much rather have you on your knees for far more pleasurable purposes, but if you insist upon giving me first strike…,” Her features transformed then into something harder, colder as she squeezed painfully, knowing how men reacted and weakened to such pressure when applied to their most prized possessions. Her other hand gripped Valorius by the throat, her nails tearing into his skin, drawing blood and with a snarl, she threw him away from he, discarding him as if he were nothing more than a useless toy she lost interest in. He did remained on his feet, which she was oddly pleased with, but there was no denying that he suffered. She expected retaliation, but while Valorius was coping with the intense agony delivered by Sharay, she spoke again in a casual manner, as if she had done nothing wrong.

“I have no intention in hurting you Valorius, in fact, I rather like you. I think you and I could be good friends. Hence my counter-offer.” She beamed another beautiful smile at him as she flicked blood from her fingernails. “You wished to teach me a lesson, to school me, but I feel it is you who need schooling, boy. Free me. Let me show you exactly how delicious living in my world can be, free of rules and of guilt. Free of restraint. Allow yourself to enjoy such pleasures, Valorius dear and I promise you, you will thank me.” She allowed her words to sink in, her smile seductive. “I might even share you with Ameerah, if you wish, but I’d prefer to have you all to myself for a little while. I need a new companion in my bed and by my side. I would be most kind to you, Valorius.” Sharay’s words dripped pure honey. “I am a Goddess of many, many talents, Valorius, and I am offering them to you. Do not deny you have no desire to taste of my flesh, boy.”

The Goddess was not so naïve to believe that he would even consider her generous offer, much less accept them. She fully expected him to scorn her, the martyr that he was. It would take more than Sharay’s words to sway him away from Ameerah, and although Sharay would do anything to gain release upon the realm, she was also, in an odd way, a woman of her word. “We can be enemies, Valorius, or we can be extremely close friends. Such a tough call, for I do love to see people writing in agony, pleasure or pain by my loving hand.”

"Fight me or fuck me, boy. I’d rather it be the latter. I'll allow you that choice, Valorius, but do not mistake my kindness for weakness. Regardless of how you choose, you will free me." Those obsidian pools of darkness glittered dangerously, focusing on Valorius as she watched and waited.

She Had A Lot Of Assumptions, None Of Which Were Correct. He Didn't Think She Was An Idiot. In Fact Quite The Opposite, He Knew She Was Intelligent Which Was Why He Had Told Her Aloud That She Was Not Stupid. She Assumed He Was Baiting Her To Attack Him. While It Was True He Was Baiting Her – It Wasn't So That She Would Strike Out Against Him. It Was For A Much More Productive Reason.

She Went On And On In A-Typical “Dark Goddess” Fashion. First Came Arrogance, Then Came Bargaining Followed By Praise, Then As If Following Some By The Numbers Script That All So Called “Evil Beings” Were Meant To Use She Went On To Try And Re-Direct Focus Upon Him And His Assumed Ignorance Of Who And What He Was. One Could Almost Set A Watch With How She Attempted To 'Sway' Him. And All The While He Said Nothing, He Only Allowed Her To Speak And Yes, Close The Distance Between Them.

Aware Of Her Efforts Or Not He Did Indeed Roam His Eyes Over Her Figure. Why Wouldn't He? She Was Attractive, And Nothing Done Or Said Took Away From That Fact. When She Touched His Face He Still Did Not Move Or Speak, And When Her Hand Lowered To Grip His Length Through The Fabric Of His Pants His Body Still Didn't Flinch. It Was A Pleasing Enough Sensation, One His Body Responded To Regardless Of Personal Thoughts Or Perception. It Would Have Been Deceitful To Say That Even The Sudden Grip Of His Throat Wasn't An Enjoyable Sensation In Its Own Way. But...She Had Been Playing A Continuously 'False' Note Throughout Her Entire Performance. One That Couldn't Be Ignored Even If The Ears Listening Were Ignorant To The Entire 'Tune'.

Boy. She Used The Word Over And Over Again As If It Were A Verbal Hand Meant To Slap His Face. Every Time It Slipped From Her Mouth It Taunted At Something Within Him, Teased It, Mocked It. Now, He Was Not The 'Alpha Male' Type, He Was Not So Petty That A Cheap Denouncement Of His Masculinity Was Enough To Bring Out His Ire, So That Wasn't The Reason The Word Effected Him So. It Was The Fact That He Had Never Been A 'Boy'. Yes He Had Been Born As Typically A Child Is, He Was An Infant That Developed Into A Young Man. But Never Had He Been Shown Or Offered The Life Of A 'Boy'. His Training Had Begun Days After His Existence Had. And It Was That Training, When She Used His Throat To Shove Him Forward, That Made Him Able To Take The Pain Without A Sound And Stumble Back A Few Steps Before Catching Himself.

She Finished Her Little Speech And Then Stood There Watching Him, Obviously Waiting For Him To Make The Next Move. There Were So Many Forces Urging Him To Act, And They All Seemed In Agreement. The Drive To Order Pushed For Him To Just Bring Her Back Within Himself And Finish The Process Of Breaking Her Down So That Her Raw Energy Could Be Used To Sustain Him. The Absence In Him Demanded That He Abolish Her. And Yet He Didn't Want To Do Either. There Had To Be A 3rd Option. He Was Not 'Pure Energy', Energy Was Just A Part Of Him. He Had Thoughts And Feelings – He Was No Slave, He Was Free. And In That Moment Of Emotional Maelstrom The Nexus Responded....

The Aleris' Castle And All The Created World Surrounding Them Vanished Into Nothing And Left Only The Infinitesimal White Plain. At First He Blinked A Few Times, Knowing He Hadn't Done It. And The Sudden Look Of Confusion On Sharay's Face Showed She Too Had No Idea What Had Happened. Before A Word Could Be Spoken By Either Of Them A Trio Of Images Appeared. Asty And Nax Stood Shoulder To Shoulder In Front Of A Stone Table That An Infant Was Sitting On. It Didn't Take Long To Recognize The Infant Was Him, The Emerald Left Arm A Dead Giveaway.

”Valorius, my son, stand up.”

Asty Spoke And The Infant Looked Up, Attempting To Stand But Falling Back On Its Rear. It Tried Again, And Once More It Fell. Its Kneecaps Hadn't Ossified Yet So It Lacked The Ability To Stand. Blinking The Child Continued To Try.

”Valorius. Stand NOW.”

The Child's Eyes Turned To Nax Who Spoke Much More Commanding Than Asty Had. In Response To The Sudden Command The Left Limb Flared Brightly And The Infant Attempted To Stand. This Time It Succeeded. Its Knees Had Instantly Ossified In Response To A Perceived Necessity. In Short, It Had Been Told To Stand -Now-, So It Did. Asty Smiled Warmly While Nax Nodded.

”Do you understand my son? Your body is a unique construct. A fusing of two opposites. Not just positive and negative..but matter and energy. By all natural law, your very existence should be an impossibility..”

Nax Continued Just As Asty Finished, Like There Was No Break In The Statement.

”..and yet you exist, just as I do. But where as I was an essence first, given a shape later. You were brought into being in a universally natural way. An unnatural thing created naturally. Because of this..you will never belong truly anywhere. There exists no place where you would be considered common. Those of purely organic origin will see the energy in you as unstable and something to be cautious of....”

”..and those with an origin of energy will see your physical nature as weak. A weakness they will try to exploit for their own gain. None more so than those who call themselves Gods. It is for this reason Nax and I have decided that your development should occur just as the solidification of your knees has. Through necessity. To understand and respect something you must first need it. If it is just given than there will never be appreciation, and inevitably it will be taken for granted. A man given a home knows not of the labor, the blood and the sweat required to build that home. And when it one day falls apart he is back where he began. Unlike the man...should you collapse, you will not be all that suffers....”

Valorius Watched On, Not Certain If What He Saw Was Memory Or Something Else. Sharay Remained In His Peripheral Vision But Was Otherwise Temporarily Ignored As He Saw Nax And Asty Step Closer To The Child. Closer To Him.

”...Over the beginning years of your life it will be taught to you that you were born for no greater reason than to protect Ameerah. You will have years of confusion, uncertainty, doubt, and a sensation of having no real place in the world. The reason for this is because we have given you access to only one half of the essence that makes you what you are. Until the other half has need to be accessed...that sensation will be there. You will be driven to bring order and stability without any true understanding why. And then one day...you will encounter something...”

At That Moment Both Asty And Nax Looked From The Infant To Sharay. His Fathers Were Not Truly There, He Would Be Able To Feel It If They Were. These Were Imprints, Something From The Past That His Own Mind Was Creating. A Subconscious Memory Being Accessed Perhaps. And Yet Through Time, Through All Chance And Probability They Knew Where To Look Because Their Glowing Eyes Seemed To Focus On The Dark Goddess Herself.

”...something that does not respond to order. Something that responds only to hate. Something that knows no order beyond its own twisted perception of it. In the wake of this the drive in you will try to force your hand, the energy within has no perception, no personality. It can only do what it does..no more, no less. Just as a God might. Should you resist that urge, the drive to order will also attempt to use the locked away part of your essence to further influence you. No doubt you feel it. Both halves wanting the same thing...for completely different reasons. And should you still resist, you will find yourself lost. Instinct will begin to drive you mad as you wage a war within yourself. A war between two sides can wage eternal if both sides are evenly matched. The positive and negative within you are perfectly equal. Thus...”

The 2 Of Them Shifted Their Eyes From Sharay To Him. His Own Eyes Widened In Response. Were They Really Looking At Him? Or Where Probability Told Them He Would Be All Those Years Ago?

”..you will be the deciding factor in which side holds dominion. Positive? Negative? Neither? You were not brought into being simply to be Ameerah's guard dog. Ameerah is quite capable of defending herself. She has had much time to learn self preservation. It was she who was there as protector all along. To prevent you from choosing a path prematurely and making whatever world you were in suffer for it. But, if you are seeing this echo of me..than the energies I utilized to build this chamber recognize you are ready to make that choice. All that remains is understanding it. To understand it...you first need to understand yourself. Now...”

The 2 Moved Towards Him And Stopped A Few Feet Away, Still Shoulder To Shoulder. And In Unison, They Both Spoke.

”Who are you?”
”Who are you?”

The Young Prince Thought To Himself A Moment. A Simple Enough Question..A Simple Enough Answer. ”I am Valorius de'Sa.....I am Valorius Malku.” The de'Sade Was His Family Name. He Would Always Be A Part Of That Family. But It Was Not -Who- He Was. For A Moment There Was No Response, But Then Asty Spoke.

”Who are your peers?”

This Time There Was No Hesitation. He Responded As His Instinct Guided Him To.

”I have no peers. There are none who exist like me. I am alone.”

Again, Momentary Silence Soon Followed By Nax Speaking.

”Who are your enemies?”

Valorius Turned His Eyes To Sharay. She Had Said They Could Be Friends Or Enemies. He Thought A Moment Before Looking Back Towards His Fathers.

”I have no enemies. I see from both sides. I can identify with all things..but I cannot be identified with them.”

Silence For A 3rd Time, Longer Than Before. But Once Again The 2 Of Them Spoke.

”If you are not a peer...” ”...and you are not an enemy..” Both Then Spoke Together;

”...what are you?”
”...what are you?”

Looking Himself Over, Looking To Sharay, Looking To His Sleeve Covered Left Arm He Seemed To Be Searching For The Answer. And Then He Brought That Left Hand Up, Curling His Fingers Into A Fist And Tensing The Leather.

”I am...a new paradigm. I am..antithesis. I am Nemesis.”

The Instant The Words Left His Mouth The Images Of His Fathers And The Infant Faded Away, The Sleeve Over His Left Arm Fell Off Of It Like A Liquid – Dripping Up Into Nothingness. It Was Like A Door That Had Always Been Locked In Him Was Suddenly Thrown Open. A Door He'd Been Able To Just Barely Peer Beneath Several Times In His Life. The Emerald Limb Of His Had Darkened A Bit, No Longer Mostly Translucent. There Was Now A Jade Glow Instead. The Arcs That Had Surged Over The Limb For His Entire Life Were No Longer Present. There Was Only A Low Level Hum Like That Of Electricity. The Internal Change Was Not A Visual Thing, But For Him – His Entire Perspective Had Been Altered. The Drive In Him, The Urging From His Essence Was Gone. All That Was Inside Was His Own Thoughts – His Own Feelings. And At That Moment What He Felt Most Was Uncompromising. Slowly, So Slowly His Head Turned Towards Sharay.

”Fight you...or fuck you. Well, Sharay....I'd say you're FUCKED.”

The Nexus Chamber Was A Perfect Vacuum. No Matter Existed Within It, Only Energy. But Like All Energy Conduits It Had No Way To Distinguish Between What Energy To Use And Not To Use. So Whether The Energy Was Positive Or Negative Meant Nothing, It All Had Use. The Entire Time They Had Been There Sharay Was The Only Foreign Energy Signature Present, And Since There Was No Point In The Nexus Drawing Upon Itself (i.e. Valorius) It Drew Upon Her – More Specifically, Her Hate. In The Emotional World Hate Was The “Quick Burn Fuel”. It Burned Hot And Hard, But It Also Burned Fast, Very Fast, And As Such It Was Quickly Spent. It Either Burned Itself Out Or Consumed To Where It Destroyed The Point Of Origin. With No Outside Source To Draw From, No Chaos, No Anger, She Had Nothing To Replace That Energy With. And Since She No Longer Had A Human Body With Human Emotions There Was No Way To Replenish The Hate She Had Been Burning Off And 'Feeding' To The Chamber. Even Though The “Exchange” Between Himself And The Subconscious Memory Projection Of His Fathers Had Only Taken A Few Minutes, The Difference In Sharay Was Easily Visible. She Was Still Incredibly Furious – But Her “Godly” Level Of Hate Was Being Siphoned.

He Walked Over To Her, And In Her Eyes The Uncertainty And Confusion Showed Through. She Backed Away A Step Or Two, Seeming As If She Wanted To Speak But Not Quite Sure What To Say. What She Had Seen Between Himself And His Fathers Obviously Didn't Make Much Sense, And Neither Did The Young Man. As He Drew Closer She Tried To Back Up Only To Find A Table Had Suddenly Appeared At Waist Level. She Gripped It And He Reached Out For Her.

She Spoke With A Start, Bringing Her Hands Up To Try Pushing At His Chest. ”Don't! Don't touch me! I will not go b..” His Hands Had Dipped, Cupping The Backs Of Her Thighs Just Beneath Her Backside With His Index Fingers Resting On The Beginning Swell Of Her Ass And Pulling Her Legs Out From Under Her So They Pressed Intimately To Either Side Of His Waist. But, What Was More, He Was Touching Her With His Bare Left Hand And Yet – Nothing Had Happened. Somehow He Had Known Things Were Different Now. Not Because Of Anything The Chamber Did, But Because The Essence Was No Longer In Conflict With The Physical. Energy And Matter Were Now Truly Joined Which Meant He Had Full Control. He Held Her There A Moment And Looked Her In Her Face. It Wasn't A Seductive Or Arrogant Look, But It Was Unquestionably Certain.

”I don't need to -fuck- you to be your friend. And I never had any intention of fighting you...the purpose was just to get that anger in you to bubble as much as possible to the surface..and it did. The chamber has been doing the rest ever since I brought you inside. It's connected to the hate now...and in a few minutes, it'll be gone. You'll be who and what you were before mortal feelings influenced the immortal ones.”

He Sat Her Down On The Table, Setting His Hands Beside Her Knees On The Edge As He Looked At Her Face. ”I Didn't do what I've done to cure you of anything or because I thought you were wicked. I've seen people do a lot worse for a lot less. I did it because...well...who says there has to be a reason? You can love, you can care, I've seen it and felt it. Whether or not the human body had anything to do with that means nothing. If all you were was evil, death and chaos than no outside emotions human or otherwise would've made a difference. So the question shouldn't be why am I trying so hard to learn more about those unknown parts of you. The question should be..why aren't you?”

He Waited For An Answer But After A Few Seconds Of Silence He Smirked A Bit.

”My eyes are up -here-.”

Sharay was never one to admit when weakness overtook her, but presently she utterly confused and quite unsure of how to handle the current situation she was in. She sat upon the table Valorius placed her on, choosing silence as her weapon as he spoke and she reflected upon all that had taken place.

The rather peculiar and unexpected scene between Valorius and what appeared to be his father (fathers?) or family members of some sort was mind blowing enough for Sharay. At first she had been alarmed that they had been manifested by Valorius to be intended for her. It wasn’t long before Sharay had come to realize that they were not there for her, but rather Valorius. It would appear that despite all of his efforts to educate Sharay, it was he who learned some rather profound bits of insight regarding himself in the Nexus Chamber.

When it was all said and done and Valorius had turned upon her to reach for her after the transformation on his being had taken place was when Sharay had panicked. It was at the moment that the Goddess truly felt fear, that the realization her days had been numbered hit her full force in the face. Prior to that moment, nothing Valorius had done or shown her had truly made sense, but it was the way he carried himself with such surety, such clarity that had the Goddess fear for her own existence. She would -not- go back. Not now. Not ever, and she had begun to protest when the unexpected happened.

He had not harmed her, merely incited fear within her and she wasn’t even positive he had meant to do so. The table had appeared out of nowhere and it was on that, that Valorius had lifted her as if she weighed nothing and set her down upon it. A cry formed in her throat when she felt his left hand against her thigh, but when nothing happened, nothing nefarious at least, Sharay had to stare in wonderment. It was then that Valorius gave his explanation for his course of actions. Sharay, in the compromising position she was in, could have fought against him. The thought did occur to her, but strangely she decided to hear his words. Truly hear them.

Insight. Her own insight offered to her by Valorius. She regarded him with angry and wary onyx orbs as he spoke, and when Sharay had full understanding of what was taking place within her and the Chamber, she felt herself grow very still as she contemplated his words. The chaos that churned inside of Sharay had not dissipated by any means, but the storm that had once raged was calmer now. Quiet. Such a range of tumultuous emotions that crashed loudly and violently inside of her head, her soul had not vanished so much as they were now muted. Still lingering, but cleaner now, the way they were supposed to be. They were her own, not the hundreds of thousands of others that had affected her. So much human emotion over such an extended and vast time period had clouded Sharay, in fact warped and twisted her. Not that she had been cleansed by Valorius and the Nexus Chamber, she was simply restored.

It was a strange feeling, and no doubt Valorius would notice the befuddled look, the crease in her brow as Sharay processed it all, marveled at it. It had been ages since she had felt uncorrupted. Actually if she had to admit it to herself, she couldn’t recall the last time she wasn’t affected by the extended and various ranges of mortal emotions. The effect of the filtering was startling, but not unpleasant. Not at all. It seemed she could ‘breathe’ again, and so she did, but nothing would change the Goddess of who or what she was truly meant to be.

“My eyes are up-here-.”

The Goddess of Chaos and Death blinked and lifted her gaze to meet his. It took her a second or two to realize what he was referring to. Had she been staring at him, or rather a certain area of his body? It was indeed quite possible, though it hadn’t occurred to her she was doing so. Now that it was mentioned, Sharay deliberately allowed her eyes to drop, a slight curl of her lips indicated she admired and appreciated the view before meeting his eyes once more. She shrugged her shoulders and offered no apologies. He was a man after all and in rather close proximity, and Sharay was far from dead.

Moments ticked by before the Goddess chose to speak, her voice oddly lacking the venom it was usually laced with. “It would appear you have accomplished your goal, Valorius.” Perhaps she owed him a bit of gratitude, but if he was waiting for her to show her appreciation, none would be forthcoming. Sharay did not operate like that.

She searched his face for any signs of treachery, and when none was found, her head cocked to the side in consideration. “Now the only question remains is- What will you do with me?” Sharay thought it to be an honest question, and she had in fact considered a few options for herself.

“I suppose the most obvious would be to store me inside of you once more, but let us be honest here,” Sharay offered a wicked smile. “I’m not willing to go back, and I think we would much prefer if it was the other way around, don’t you? You’d fit nicely I believe, and we would enjoy that so much more.” Her grin widened as the mental imagine flashed in her head. Lust could wait though as Sharay was now negotiating for her own future. “Setting me free upon the realm of Aleris once more I suppose, out of the question,” she mused. “Though I would think it would prove a rather wasted effort considering I would not be welcomed with open arms.” She sighed then. “Pity really, for those mortals worship such useless deities.”

Sharay shifted upon the table as she readied herself for her final option, one that she found most appealing. “You could release me on the honor system, Valorius. I could flutter around from one world to another until I find one that is appealing to me, and deserving of a Goddess such as I. I much prefer this option, as I am sure you are aware, only…,” Sharay regarded him in all seriousness as she lifted her hands from the table top glide lightly down his forearms. “I offer you to come with me, Valorius. Despite all, I find myself fond of you, and believe you would make a suitable consort. You could rule a world or worlds, whichever, with me, though I do not see that lasting long for I am not privy to sharing.” There was a devious gleam in her eyes as she ran her hands down to settle upon his hips. “In any case, I would keep you as a companion if nothing else. I’m sure you could find many ways to amuse me, and in return Valorius, I would be very, very good to you.”

In spite of her offer, Sharay knew that Valorius would turn her down if for nothing else than his counterpart Ameerah. He would not leave her behind, and Sharay was fully aware of this. That simple fact she admired, even as she envied Ameerah. That sort of loyalty could never be bought, bribed or swayed. With this knowledge though, one had to wonder if Sharay truly wanted him by her side, or was it all empty flattery intent on convincing Valorius that she was deserving of her freedom.