"Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster."
The wood creaked and crackled in the fireplace, tossing shadows upon the wall as the singular occupant of the study sat, slouched in a chair by the window. A brown and white cat slept peacefully in the woman's lap, softly purring as her bandaged hands stroked over the creature's fur.
Her eyes focused on the few clouds that lazily made their way across the moon and starlit sky. A breath escaped her body, slow and easy. An inhale and then an exhale as she continued to stare out into the night, her eyes squinting a bit before she slowly pushed herself up from the chair, going to place the still sleeping feline into her spot. The woman padded further into the study and moved to sit before the fire. Her legs crossed over each other as she sat before the blaze, lowering her head.
Shifting herself into a more kneeling like position, she pressed her forehead to the edge of the fireplace. Closing her eyes tightly, she covered her head with her hands, fingers entangling with her curls.
"Cower all you like. Plead all you desire. You've reached the end of the line. You won't leave this place alive."
Her own words from many months ago echoed inside her head as she clenched her eyes tighter and dug her nails into her scalp.
"You… Monster…"
"You killed him?"
"For you. For you, I would do anything."
"THINK OF ME KIDS, PLEASE!"
The voices of the past, both recent and not, roared and hissed inside her skull. The last few phrases were followed by the sound of bones cracking and snapping. Her fingers clenched further into her hair as she bent her head closer to the fire.
Flames licked upwards upon the logs and sparked gently as she curled inwards, fists moving from her hair to clasp her ears firmly.
"You are a saint, honestly."
"Am I a monster?"
"Of course you aren't, not at all."
"You do more than enough, I want you to remember that."
Just as the hissing and roaring of the voices began, they ceased. What followed was the whispers and gentle murmurs of voices of recent days and weeks. The voices of those she cared for more than anything in the world.
The words they spoke slowly eased her whole being as she dropped her hands from her ears and placed her hands on the floor beside her. Slowly, she rose from where she knelt and breathed in a deep breath. Inhale, and then exhale.
Floorboards creaked behind her as another entered the room. The woman turned and stared into the pale eyes of the elderly Isldar man.
"Come. I am ready."
"I believe I am as well."
The two returned to the floor, sitting before the blazing fire. The woman closed her eyes firmly and began to move her lips, soft words escaping her slightly parted lips as she rested her hands on her knees. After a few moments of the murmuring, she leaned forth and rested her forehead against her companion's. The male reached forth and gently set his hands upon her shoulders as she placed her hands upon either side of his head.
Closing her mouth firmly, she concentrated, remaining silent as the change occurred. It was a rapid change as curls changed from a deep brown to those of pale blonde and sure enough, as her hands dropped from the side of the male's head, her eyes shifted and opened to reveal eyes of no longer sapphire, but those of brilliant silver.
