Neiva watched as the darkness spread through the walls and eventually through the tower, but there was nothing she could do. She heard the story he told, the story she knew well yet still could not know all that had taken place, for her ancestor had long ago been lost, and the true recounting of the tales of old was lost with her, for there remained only the tales told by those that knew only parts of the story, whispers of the terrible events that had taken place, but no account held all the truth, no account was complete, and even when all of these stories came together, there were pieces missing, because only those present knew the truth, and none of them were around to tell the tale.<br/><br/>Words were pointless now and none came to her as she watched the darkness spread until it consumed her and she was devoured by the darkness as it took in everything around it and pulled it inside, returning to the shell of the man, now consumed by darkness.<br/><br/>--<br/><br/>The words of the voice echoed in the mind of the young princess, he couldn't be saved and she shouldn't look on him with pity. Perhaps, but she would be remiss if she didn't try to find some other way. She couldn't abandon who she was and give up without trying. If there was no other way, or if the moment came when she had to face him and she had not found another way, she would not hesitate to do what must be done. She wouldn't jeopardize the entire world to save one man, but just because the whole world needed her help did not mean that she would forget the one man who also needed help. If her ancestor could find a way to rid herself of the darkness, why was this to be any different? If one being could be rid of the darkness, there must be a way to rid another of that same darkness, a way to contain it without putting it within another living being. If there was a way, she would find it. If there was not, she would do what must be done to protect not only her own people but also the others that called this world home.<br/><br/>Eira was jerked from her thoughts when a wall of darkness appeared before her, knocking her from her horse. She watched as the figure of darkness loomed over her and spoke to her, telling her that this was to be her end. She braced herself for what was to come, but even knowing she was only a child, too young to dream of defeating such a man, she stood anyways. She would not simply lie down and die. She wasn't afraid of him, of darkness, or of death. If she was to meet her end, it wouldn't be while lying on the ground simply waiting to be taken.<br/><br/>She felt an odd sensation when he grasped the crown of her head and the darkness began to spread. She fought inside not to give in to the darkness or to let it consume her and steal her soul. She couldn't die, she couldn't fail. The world depended on her survival. She willed the darkness not to take her, that her mind, body, and soul be protected from such a fate.<br/><br/>The darkness crept into her eyes, darkening her vision before creeping into her mind. She didn't know what was happening, but she didn't feel her life leaving her, but rather the darkness flowed from him into her, as though she were absorbing it. The man cried in agony as he fell to his knees demanding that she stop whatever she was doing and questioning what was going on. She couldn't stop it, she didn't know how because she didn't even know what was going on. She wasn't in control, it was as though her mind, her essence knew what to do to protect her, but she had no conscious control over it.<br/><br/>After several minutes the man fell to the ground motionless and she found herself gasping for breath. Her mind felt foggy and she struggled to hold onto her consciousness despite the darkness that clung to her mind. "Eirlys!" she called in a low voice, pulling herself onto the horse and urging her forward to carry her away from the man and this dark land. She held tight to the horse, fighting to remain conscious, but despite her best efforts that consciousness soon slipped away, darkness taking her vision as her mind plunged into a sleep so deep that even dreams could not pierce through into her mind, it was only darkness.