Ethereal

~Charlotte~

"Why does the Koreask laugh?" Tennin asked, looking perplexedly at Marcie. Marcie shrugged, her eyes just as confused.

"Blasphemers" I managed to gasp through giggles. 

At that, Marcie started to giggle, and before you knew it the two of us were rolling on the floor laughing. 

"Stop this nonsense!" I heard Tennin shout. He stomped his foot like a toddler would. Which only made us laugh harder. Finally our laughter subsided into small hiccups. 

"The Koreask does not have time for this ridiculous behavior" Tennin remarked 

"It's Charlotte" I said taking a deep breath. "Just Charlotte" 

"Hmm, but your not just Charlotte." Said a voice "Not anymore"

Both Marcie and I jumped up and looked around, startled. 

A young man stepped out of the shadows. He looked to be about thirty but his eyes appeared so much older. The weight of the universe rested in those eyes. They were cold, blue in color, and stood out against his dull black hair.

At his entrance a unified sir erupted from the room. Even the little girl added her voice.

"Who are you?" I asked

"Not Relevant."

"Sooo cliche" Marcie muttered

I coughed to suppress a laugh, but Tennin caught it and flashed me a warning look. I composed myself, turning back to the man. To some surprise I saw amusement playing about in his eyes and realized that Mr. Tall dark and Sinister must have caught Marcie's remark too. 

"Why are you here?" I asked looking directly at him.

"For you of course. The order put me in charge of your affairs."

"Pardon?"

"I will be looking after you" He raised his voice and spoke slowly.

Fantastic, I thought People here are just as arrogant as they are back home.

"Of course, not me directly. I haven't got the time, that will be Tennin's job." I looked at the boy, who stood straight, face expressionless.

"This whole squadron will be with you at all times. Now you will be escorted to your chambers."

"I still don't understand exactly what it is you want from me,"

"No, you don't" He said indifferently. He turned to Tennin "Go on then"

"Follow me" Tennin said

"What about me?" Marcie asked

"She is my concern. You are someone else's assignment. You will be transported somewhere else."

The redhead that brought her here reached for her, but she jumped out of the way.

"Oh no." I said raising my voice "No, no, no. No way in hell! You kid napped us. You took us here. And there is no way we are going to be separated. We don't even belong here! I'm not going anywhere without her. I refuse"

Tennin grabbed my arm and began to hall me away, but I yanked it away from him and sat down, crossing my arms and hardening my face. I looked the man straight in the eye.

"No."

Marcie came over and joined me on the floor slipping her arm through mine so that they were linked. We stared at the man unblinkingly. Did he scare me? Beyond words. Was I about to let that show? Hell no.

Amusement returned to his eyes and he laughed slightly

"Fine. She can go with you, it is of no consequence to me. But listen to this love,"

 He walked over to me, his shoes clicking softly on the stone floor. "You hold lives in your hands. If you try to escape, or run and you succeed, this squadron will be executed, and their deaths will be no ones fault but your own."

Then he turned and began to walk away

"Oh and girl," he said not stopping to look back.

"That bug that is on your shoulder, be careful they can be dangerous." I looked quizzically at Marcie, and then  I saw it. It looked like the glow bugs we had seen in the tunnel but smaller.

She glanced sheepishly at me, but made no reply to the shadow man, as I had decided to call him. And that is what he was. Because as I looked back to where he should have been, he wasn't there. He had disappeared, melted back into the Shadows.

"Come on Koreask." Tennin said taking my arm and pulling me in the opposite direction of the Shadow Man.

I didn't resist this time, but instead allowed him to lead me away. Marcie and I were surrounded on all sides, but as I looked back through the men, I saw the little girl still seated at the post. And when she raised a hand to push her hair from her eyes, I noticed for the first time the chain that bound her to it. However just as I was about to call out to her, we turned a corner and she was gone.