Snippet #2217305

Ayala's eyes snapped open. She wasn't sure how much time had passed, only that she'd been sleeping for quite a while... and that she'd made up her mind. She needed to talk to someone and she knew exactly whom. Sitting up she glanced around the room and counted the candles she had. "Five..." she mumbled and began to smile, "perfect..." she stood up and blew them out, then picked them all up. Although it was dark Ayala could still see, at least after a short while. She pulled out a dagger from her pocket and cut into her arm with it, smiling as she saw the blood started to pour out of the wound she had created. Dipping her finger into the blood and kneeling down on the floor she started painting a pentagon on the floor. When she was done she placed the five candles into it, one in each peak of the star, and then sat down in the middle of the pentagon. Ayala shut her eyes and started chanting.

About five minutes later the floor under her vanished and she fell through it, into the realm of the dead. By then she was exhausted, as such travels are dangerous and complicated. She didn't know for sure if she would ever return, but then again, did it really matter? Who would want her alive anyways? Who cared anyways? No one did, so she wouldn't either. With a low duns she hit the dry, gray, ground of the realm.

Ayala glanced around, slowly standing up and brushing some gray dirt off her skirt. The sun was darkish purple and the ground was like a gray dessert. Some places of it had a slight shade of blue. Dead trees were scatted here and there, making everything look even more dead than the place probably actually was. Well, everything in there was dead, of course. Everything but she. High up on the sky was a big, silver, intimidating moon, glaring down at the landscape beneath it. Ayala bit her lip as she walked, looking slightly nervous. She had only ever visited the realm of the dead (or purgatory in other words) once before and then she'd barely gotten out at all. She was somewhat scared indeed.

She didn't stop walking until she spotted a man standing by a small pond with black water. The water was probably clear, but it was so deep the water became black. She watched the long haired figure nervously, hoping he wouldn't mind her talking to him for a while. His hair was long, reaching to right beneath his shoulder blades and he was wearing a black cloak. She could only see one of his hands, and it was almost so pale it was white.

"Greetings, sister of my beloved," the man said in a strange voice without even turning around. He was gazing down at something in his arms and Ayala had a feeling she knew what or who it was. She hesitated before answering. "Hello, Noctis..." she said softly and bowed her head in respect for the demon. He didn't look at her but she knew he could see her. "You have come here for help, because you regret what you have done, right?" he asked softly, finally turning around. He was a handsome man with the most wonderful of smiles. In his arms he had a little infant boy with eyes the same color of the brightest of blue crystals and his hair raven black like his fathers. He was sleeping His red eyes locked on Ayala's pale and thin little figure and one of those smiles tugged the corners of his lips. She returned a slight smile an and then sighed softly. "Yes... and I believe you already know what I did?" Ayala asked wearily, looking down with a depressed expression. "Hmm," Noctis said thoughtfully before he turned around and gazed back at he water in the pond. He flicked his hand and the scene of Sepiroth with Cassandra appeared. The part where they kissed. A soft but sad smile flashed across the demons lips as he watched them, "Yes," Noctis finally said after a while, "but I don't understand why you're coming to me..." he didn't take his eyes off Sepiroth and Cassandra. Ayala's lips twitched slightly as she stepped up beside him and scuffed her feet. "I'm not sure," she admitted, "I just need to talk to someone..." her voice grew slightly fainter and weaker as tears started rolling down her pale cheeks. "You miss him, don't you?" Ayala asked softly after another while of silence, wiping her tears and pulling herself together. Noctis nodded his head distantly. "More than you could ever imagine..." he agreed softly, sadly. Then he was the one to hesitate. "I made sure I would go here to purgatory... not only to get my son, but also for the reason that I simply... I know I cannot go to heaven, because of what I am. But I was never bad enough to be sent directly to hell... so purgatory was the last option. I came here in hope to return one day... but now I'm not sure I should. Maybe I shall finally give up, let father have my soul and get over with it..." he said d softly. Ayala bit her lip as she listened to him. "Why?" she asked softly. Noctis gestured towards the scene in the pond. "Without him I have no reason to live, and if I returned I would not have the right to want to have him back... He has to move on, and that is exactly what he is doing right now. I don't have any right to interfere..." She nodded her head slightly. "I see..." Ayala muttered and looked distant.

After another long moment of silence Noctis suddenly surprised Ayala by carefully putting his arms around her and pulling her into a hug. "If you want to cry," he whispered softly, holding her close, "then cry..." When she heard his words she suddenly couldn't hold it back any longer. She burst into tears, letting him hold her and gently stroke her long, wavy but messy blond hair. Quietly he started humming, the same lullaby Zoroark had used for Kraus and the song his older sister used to sing for him and his twin when they were young and could not sleep. Oh, sometimes he missed the warmth of Rebekah's arm and her so beautiful voice. He was a good singer as well, but not many beat Rebekah.