The Four Broken Souls Of Atera.

by Sylif Daring Doo

Coping.

The sound of rapidly moving footsteps echoed through the empty halls, the dark corridors lit only by dying lights that barely illuminated themselves.

A shadow ran through the halls as fast as its feet could carry it, panicked breathing and gasps of fear were followed by rapid footsteps as the shadow turned a corner into a brighter hallway.

Seth looked over her shoulder and saw a tall shadow following her at a marching pace, it held no weapon, but it's intimidating figure made it far too menacing to confront.

"There is no point nor sense in running you foolish girl!" The shadow declared in a furious tone. "Come back to us and all will be forgiven!" It stated.

Seth looked ahead of her and continued running as fast as she could in a vain attempt to get away, she rounded a corner and the shadow appeared behind her, keeping up even without running. "You cannot escape me Seth, I will always catch you wherever you run." The shadow said.

Suddenly, two shadow hands appeared on each side of the hallway, the fingers became like talons as the one on the left extended to the end of the hall and then pulled back.

Seth immediately dodged to the right on instinct as her fear grew, she looked back and the shadow pulled back with its right arm.

She quickly moved to the left and soon reached a door, she burst through it and was suddenly falling. "Aaaaaaaahhh!"

Seth screamed as she fell, and when she landed she cried out as she felt an excruciating pain shoot through her legs, she tried to lift herself up when she heard something in front of her.

Looking up, she saw Ren, Alice, Syrin and Storm, Shade and Firefly ahead of her. "Help!" She cried out, but to her horror, no sound came out.

They all started to walk away and Seth tried to call out to them, but to no avail, a laugh rang in her ears and her eyes became as wide as saucers, she looked behind her and saw nothing.

"Poor poor Seth, all alone in a sea of gloom, her friends unable to sense her doom." A familiar voice said tauntingly.

Then came footsteps, they got louder and louder as they got closer. "It's pathetic really, you talk a big game, you have a reputation that warns people to stay away.....and now we see the truth."

Seth felt her fear skyrocket once she saw the owner of the voice, it was herself! but the copy had glowing teal eyes, and a psychotic grin on her face. "You are nothing......a frightened child afraid of her own shadow, a coward, unwilling to fight back." The copies voice had a strange echo to it, it leaned down and stared at Seth. "Your nothing more than a pet, you claim to not trust others but you ended up depending on three strangers for sanity." The copy then rose to its full height and grabbed something on its back.

Seth gasped in fear as the copy grabbed hold of an axe. "When I kill your girlfriend, I'll make sure to send her your regards." It held the axe up in the air. "Nighty night!" It swung down and Seth closed her eyes.

____*?*____

Seth screamed as she shot up in bed, sweat and tears drenched her fur, her breathing was ragged and panicked.

"Was it another nightmare?" Ren asked quietly as she gently hugged the rabbit.

Seth looked at the fox with fear in her eyes, she soon rested her head on Ren and she cleared her throat, she calmed her breathing down just enough to talk. "I.....I." She shivered. "Yea......I, I just." She rambled shakily.

Ren pulled away from the hug and looked into Seth's eyes, her pupils were tiny and her eyes wide in fear. "It's alright Seth." She said softly while gently rubbing the rabbits left ear. "You know you can tell me what's wrong." She whispered.

Seth took a few deep breaths while pushing Ren's hand away. "I......I'm not a pet, I'm not." She mumbled.

"Is that what this is about?" Ren asked, her tone was one of concern and confusion.

Turning her head, Seth looked at the fox and shook her head. "No.......I just, I don't want to talk about it right now." She replied.

Ren reached her hand out and pulled Seth close, lying her down. "H-hey! what are you doing?" Seth protested, but she didn't resist. "I'm trying to calm you down." The fox explained softly.

"You don't have to crush me to do it." Seth complained, but she didn't try to move. "Is it working?" Ren asked curiously.

Seth took a deep breath and rested her head on her pillow, it was damp from sweat and tears but better than nothing. "Yes." She admitted.

After a few minutes, Ren spoke. "Now, what's this about you being a pet?" She demanded answers, and from the tone in her voice, she wanted them now.

Seth sighed and shifted a little. "It's just.......your always taking charge, and, rubbing my ears kind of like I used to do with my old cat......." She trailed off.

Ren smiled and slowly rubbed the rabbits ear. "Hey, we established that I was the dominant one here, or did you forget that Sethy?" She whispered.

Seth flipped herself so that she was staring into Ren's blue eyes. "Who decided this?" She asked, not remembering the answer.

Ren winked and gave Seth a quick kiss. "You did Angel, but I haven't heard you complain before." She stated calmly.

Seth bit her lip. "Well......fine, you got me there." She admitted before closing her eyes.

The two lay in silence for several minutes, it seemed like neither would move......until Ren spoke. "Come on Seth, you need to get up, we need to clean up." She said.

Seth opened her eyes. "Make me." She challenged.

Ren grinned and moved her hand, she lightly tapped the base of the rabbit's right ear and Seth immediately shot up and got out of bed, she looked at Ren with irritation. "I've told you not to touch that!" She snapped, but she wasn't angry, just startled.

Ren got out of bed and winked at her girlfriend. "Not my fault you told me about rabbit mating rituals, you could have kept quiet." She pointed out.

"Whatever." Seth pouted as she leaned against the wall.

While Ren took the blanket and sheet as well as the pillow cases to be washed, Seth was left alone with her thoughts, as well as her fears. 'Just like before.' The taunting voice of her copy said.

Seth ears snapped up and she looked around frantically. 'You can say it as much as you like, but without taking the initiative? it's just empty words.' It stated, it's tone was calm.

The copy appeared on the bed, with a cocky smile and a knowing gaze. "Go away." Seth said, fear was clear in her voice.

"And why should i? after all, your too afraid to do anything, you radiate it so much that I'm shocked that the demon didn't say anything." The copy stated.

Seth shivered unconsciously, she clenched her fist before speaking. "Get out of my head, your just a hallucination." She stated, fear was still very present, but so was anger.

The copy laughed before standing and walking over to Seth. "You don't get it do you? I'm no hallucination, I'm you, the part of you that wants freedom, to stop being a coward." It chuckled. "One day, you'll let me in willingly, I just need to wait." It stated before vanishing.

Seth took a deep breath to help herself calm down, and she soon heard the door open. "Hey Seth, help me with the bedding will you?" Ren asked.

After helping Ren out with the bedding and getting it all set up, Seth sat down on the bed along with Ren. "I'm going to get the bedding washed now, afterwards I'm heading out for a while." Ren explained.

"Do you want me to pick anything up for you on the way back?" The fox asked.

Seth looked at her girlfriend for a moment before sighing. "Just.......just a sandwich or something." She replied.

Ren nodded and stood up. "You'll be on your own here until I get back, most likely." She stated.

Seth raised an eyebrow at the statement but didn't say anything, instead she stood and walked to the other side of the bed, she grabbed something and tossed it to Ren.

The fox rolled her eyes. "Alright Sethy, if your sure."

_______*Later.*_______

Karak walked up to the front door of the house, he had just gotten back and was looking froward to relaxing, he pulled out his key and unlocked the front door, he walked inside and closed the door.

"Anyone else here!?" He called out.

After a few moments of silence, Karak sighed and dropped his lunchbox on the counter and left his jacket on the coat rack, he then walked to his room and grabbed a change of clothes.

Karak set his change of clothes in the bathroom as a thought popped into his head. 'I should probably check on Seth.' He thought.

He walked to the door to Seth and Ren's room, he knocked on the door and got no reply after a few moments, he opened the door and peaked inside.

Karak spotted Seth's head lying on her pillow. "Go away." Seth's voice said.

"After everything I did for you Seth? I'm hurt." Karak replied.

Seth didn't face him when she spoke. "What do you want Karak?" She asked quietly.

"For one, when the others get back we are having dinner." The demon stated.

Seth sighed and shifted a little under the covers. "I'll.....be out in a bit." She replied.

If Karak was annoyed at Seth for not facing him, he didn't say anything, instead he headed for the bathroom and closed the door.

After seven minutes, Karak left the bathroom and walked to the living room, he looked around and immediately saw that Seth wasn't here, he sighed and walked to the kitchen, he quickly made himself a ham sandwich and began to eat, it took him a few minutes as he ate slowly.

Once he was done, Karak walked to the kitchen and quickly washed his hands, after he was done and dried his hands, he heard the door open. "Welcome back lovebirds." He said.

Shade looked at Karak as he walked in. "How do you always know who gets back?" He asked.

Karak looked over and grinned. "That's my secret." He replied as he leaned against the kitchen wall.

Alice looked around. "Is it just us?" She asked.

"Seth's in her room, everyone else is still out." The demon said as he walked to his room. "Try and get her out here, she needs to eat." He stated as he walked into his room and closed the door.

Alice stretched and looked at Shade. "I'm going to get a shower, got to work tomorrow." She said before walking to the hallway.

Shade sighed as she walked to the door to Seth and Ren's room, he knocked on the door, getting no reaction, he then opened the door and looked at Seth who shifted under the covers. "Seth, are you awake? because we are going to make food soon." He said.

"I'll be out in a bit." Seth replied as she shifted strangely under the covers.

Shade raised an eyebrow and walked to the bed. "Are you alright?" He asked.

Seth was about to speak when Shade pulled the covers off, revealing her hands bound behind her back. "AAHH!" She cried out, looking at him.

Shade let out a startled scream in return as he immediately ran out.

_______*Later.*______

Seth sat in an awkward silence in the living room with Shade, neither of them said a word to each other, and they avoided looking at each other completely.

Alice and Karak has heard the commotion, but once both of the roommates said it was fine, and convinced them, they returned to what they were doing.

Soon though, Seth looked at Shade, he was nervously twiddling his fingers and sneaking glances, he noticed she was looking at him and looked at her. "So......um, awkward." He said.

Seth said nothing at first, but she then looked at his left arm and saw a silver bracelet with a rabbit insignia. "When did you and Alice realize you liked each other?" She questioned.

Shade blinked, not expecting the question, but he answered anyway. "It was a week after we moved here that we became friends, and about five days before you woke up we became serious." He stated.

"Kind of quick huh?" Seth asked.

Shade nodded. "Yea, I said that too.....but everybody has their own pace, this just so happens to be our pace." He replied.

Seth rubbed her eyes. "Let me ask you something, did anyone explain rabbit courting rituals to you?" She asked.

Shade blinked as he gave the rabbit a confused look. "No?.......is it important? does Alice follow them?" He questioned.

"In order, damn it, yes, and not to the traditional level." Seth started. "First off, while I don't follow them at all, Alice follows some of them, for one.....sharing a hot bath is one, it's seen as a sign of intimacy, which is why she acted the way she did earlier." She explained.

"Another thing is your bracelets." Seth continued. "Who got them exactly?" She asked quickly.

Shade pointed at himself and Seth sighed. "Bracelets are a special accessory for rabbits, the kind of material changes the meaning, for instance, a mother or father would get their child a gold bracelet, and siblings would give copper ones......but silver ones? those are signs of love, and are usually given as engagement gifts or declarations of love." She chuckled at Shade's wide eyes. "Bet you didn't expect something so small to mean so much huh?" Seth teased. "So why did you get them?" She wondered.

"It was.....the day before you woke up, all of us except for Ren were at a festival, Alice suggested that we get something to remember the night by, and I picked these up, one with the rabbit insignia, and one with a wolf insignia." Shade explained.

"What was her reaction?" Seth asked curiously.

Shade relaxed his arms and leaned back. "She didn't say anything......but she was obviously happy." He said.

After a few minutes of silence, Shade spoke. "What's with the ears?" He asked.

Seth looked at him, knowing he was referring to Alice's reaction to her ear being touched. "That's the only tradition that I halfway follow, but since neither me or Alice followed it really, we used it differently." She said. "Normally one lover would rub the others ear as a show of affection and care, but when I fiddle with one of her ears, it's basically telling her that I'm either in pain, or I need some space." She explained.

"And if she touches your ear?" Shade wondered.

Seth shrugged. "When we were kids its was her way of asking for something, but now it's more of the, 'I'm in trouble and I need help'." She replied.

"It doesn't help that Ren loves teasing me with the sensitive parts of my ears, it's nice at first, but it gets awkward quick." The rabbit shuddered.

Seth leaned back and the room was quiet once more, and then after a moment, Shade spoke. "So why were you so angry at me again?" He wondered.

Seth rolled her eyes before closing them. "Your going out with my sister, I'm just being protective." She replied.

Shade then stood up and walked over to Seth. "Sorry I didn't tell you, I thought Ren filled you in." He said, holding his hand out.

Seth just lowered Shade's hand with her own. "Just don't go hurting her intentionally." She said as she closed her eyes, trying to get some rest.

Shade walked back to the chair and sat down, he was silent as he sat in deep thought, he remained like this for a long while, even when he got up and made food.

_______*later that day, 12:01 AM*_______

Karak walked into the living room and sat down in his chair, he reclined back and sat in complete silence, the house was quiet, everyone was asleep by now, the house was dark as there was no lights on, he laid back and closed his eyes.

Without looking or opening his eyes he spoke. "Trouble sleeping Sethy?" He asked quietly.

In the dark corner of the living room, was Seth sitting quietly, and to Karak she shined with fear and worry. "Yea." The rabbit replied.

"Why are you afraid? there's nothing here to be scared about." Karak wondered, opening his eyes.

Seth quietly sighed. "It's nothing......just my mind playing tricks on me." She replied, but she almost jumped out of her skin when a loud thunderbolt struck somewhere near the house, shaking the building.

Karak looked at Seth. "Whether you like it or not Seth, the voices in your head are part of you now, even when you recover from the withdrawal symptoms, and the loss of demon blood, you will never be rid of the voices until you confront your fear, I've dealt with it before, so trust me on this." He stated.

"I trust you alright, but i can't confront anything in my condition." The rabbit said before darting away and into her room after more lightning struck.

Karak shook his head. "I hope she recovers easier than i did." He muttered to himself.

Author's Note:

I wanted this chapter to focus more on Seth coming face to face with the problems ahead of her, including her own madness and fears.