So then. The game board had finally been swiped clean, no more pawns, turrets.... knights... or king... or queen. That sharade of a game had finally come to an end as it was expected to. It had not been without pain, despair absolutely drowned in insecurity and practically sisters with insanity herself... No. Nothing of the old that had molded Kris now remained and to a certain extent, he had anticipated all of it in an inviting thought. Yes, most of us invite change, few can handle it when it's drastic. His was complete. Like dying... and waking up the next morning like you had just been born. Ah, but if only it were that easy... The past always... always has it's claws dug so deep into present and future that every move you make you are reminded of moments that had been, beautiful or intense, and that shall not be¬ ever again. So then. One is left with nothing, except for the knowledge of having lost everything and, nonetheless, with vague and intangible promises of the future. But really... all we ever have in the end... is the now... and the dead shells of our memories... with the hope that life may actually spring from the inside again. But it never does. Hope is the mother of all bitches and abominations... she is the last and most certain executioner and in the end, she always draws our last breath from us all.

Kris, leaving behind his old form and putting on the new without a glance back was about to learn all about prices. Nothing, absolutely nothing, in this world is free. If one has the illusion that it is, one will pay threefold the price. Unforgiving, yes. Ruthless, yes. But the most hurtful part of all.... true.

The whisper of the real Kris lingered on Ferr's lips, repeating itself to infinite. Travelling across all the spiral of existence, invoking the power and knowledge of time and all for this one, now finite, Aym. The wounds on the skin of Ferr's chest had nearly stopped shedding their bleeding tears down his abdomen. Aym was kneeling in front of him still, his arms wrapped around his guide's waste, cheek pressed against the skin. He enjoyed the warmth and enjoying the last beautiful aftertastes of the blood. One moment along with one soon to be memory suspended into eternity... if only that were possible for the sane as well.

... Aym got up to his feet once more, standing surging with power in front of Ferr, his left arm still around his waist. Curving the corners of his lips, a smile so dark and knowing that once the two were looking into each other's eyes, projecting each other into one another, it was clear who was master now and who was the slave. Who had a purpose ahead and who had served his purpose.  

Aym's clawed hands plunged into Ferr's chest with ease, immediately soaking Ferr's lower body with blood. The claws wrapped around with care around Ferr's beating heart, tenderly waiting for his goodbye. Ferr gasped and smiled in the most heavenly way to his counterpart, brushing the tips of his finger against Aym's cheek ever so gently. In a moment, Ferr leaned into Aym a little more, Aym's claws closing in on the beating essence and in a smooth yet rapid gesture, he ripped the still struggling heart out of his chest. The carnal shell of Ferr dropped to the floor white still the heart beat. Aym closed his lips on it, kissing it, taking the last drops on blood into him and finally paying the price for all he had become, by will or otherwise.


Alone.