About 400 years before:

  "You are quite brilliant, Vio..."

A nod to peer upwards. A solemn expression was written on the man in the baroque leather seat. A flash in his soft blue eyes, and then a short grin at the stretch of his cheeks. "Well... it is an interesting philosophy." His slender hand moved from the opened book to move back his long blonde hair. "There is a collection. I am surprised you never looked into it..." His eyes lingered behind the background of the domed library. "...especially with your own collection of..."

A short scoff, and a drop of the hovering man's hand. His hand landed on the page of the book, and the page turned. "Well, yes... I have a grand collection of these things; although, I never found some of these topics fascinating." A sigh and a drop of his shoulders. "I thought it would be meaningless to not gather many of these books, but... skimming through many... seemed to be of minuscule human quarrel. Literature. Griping literature of despair that did not pertain to me."

A scrunch at the blonde's face—raised brows of question. "You have no interest in literature?"

"What is there to it? It is nothing more than anguish. Pitiful human pain... Humans spouting about their own misfortune for others to read. It is worthless material."

A draw of breath from the blonde, and he moved away in his seat. "Well, it is a form of expression. I believe it is a natural form of communication... for others to relate to. Although, I..." A shift in the blonde's gaze, swarming to a dark corner... Another foreboding section of the daunting library. Hollow and lonely in the dim light. "...see what you mean."

A pause of silence with tucked lips. Empty grasp of conversation. A deep thoughtful moment... until the standing individual gestured, raising his cold-resonating voice. "What do you value most about living, Vio?"

A sharp turn—the blonde's hair dressing over his shoulders. "What do I value most about living?" he repeated with cautiousness. His eyes narrowed, and his lips firmed to analyze the other man. Menace... in those aquatic seas. A glow of eyes. "Well, living..." he started, anchoring his head to lower. "There is the experience. Living life... to its fullest... and getting the most out of it. Every moment of it would be precious."

"Life is short." the man bit off vaguely—his eyes fixating, transfixing. His head cocked, slipping his violet bangs over his eyes.

"There is meaning." the blonde finished sharply. "Yes, there is little in terms of human life, but that is what makes life more... captivating. There is one moment for everything. Death is inevitable, so... the best way to live life is... for the experience."

"Have you..." A pause at his lips, but then a tilt in his aquatic eyes. "Well, have you considered... what it would be like... to live forever?" His hands faltered over the smooth, wooden table. "Live forever... If experience were so important, you could experience everything, yes?"

A firm at the blonde's lip. "I think the experience is more of... cherishing the little time." The blonde commented. "If one lived forever, what meaning would there be if... time was endless? Life might as well become dry."

A rough sigh, and a short pace from the tall individual. "You could do more. There is no reason for attaching feeling. It is for what you could... I suppose... achieve in living."

"Then..." A cold, monotonous draw of the blonde's voice. "What do you, yourself... get out of immortality?"

A strange expression curled on the tall individual's face. A paused, blank gaze enraptured by the blonde's sudden words... striking a bizarre thought. Oh, he remembers. "Well, I... that is the thing. I do not understand the concept of life, so I asked your opinion." His aquatic eyes swirled and engulfed as he took a step closer to the blonde. "One unique trait about you, Vio, is... you are the only human I... am unable to read. For most humans, I am capable of reading thoughts... but I cannot predict you. I do not sense your fear, either." A pause, and a fixed study. Those aquatic eyes narrowed. "It makes me wonder whether or not you are... simply detached from human tendencies, or you are... deliberately hiding your emotions from me. It makes you untrustworthy."

A short scoff and a soft smile fazed on the blonde. "I respect you, Shadow. You have my trust. We are friends." A bizarre linger in the blonde's eyes. Deceit? Honesty? There was nothing to tell. A short and sweet expression. Maybe he was trustworthy? Devious?

Shadow impulsively grabbed the blonde's shoulders, squeezing him. "Then, what is it? Do you like being human?"

A fuss at the blonde's brows. "Well, being human is the most natural for me."

"But, would you not rather... Would you rather not being human?! You—you would function well... You have the capabilities of being powerful. If you are truly detached from human tendencies, you would be so powerful even if... you were half human!"

A broadened look of lunacy swarmed at the tall individual's aquatic eyes—in juxtaposition to the blonde's neutral, rested face. "Although, that requires you to take my soul. Equivalent exchange, correct? You take my soul and make something of it?"

A furrow at those violent brows, and a snarl with the clench of the individual's teeth. His hands loosened on the blonde, and he stepped away. "Your soul is nothing. It is the linkage to you being human. What is there to lose?" A parted, twisted smile unhinged from the man's face. "Besides, you are already a traitor to humanity... spending time with me in the midst of a war. You are brave."

A rolling thought shifted the blonde's gaze. His eyes dropped, and his lips quivered. "Is... Well... What is his name? Dark? Is that his formal name?"

"Dark?" The man's eyes narrowed—bewildered by the blonde's question. "His name is only Dark. He does not have a surname. What about him?"

The blonde straightened his sitting position, leaning close to analyze the man. "He is half human, correct? Did you collect his soul?"

The man pouted his lips and sucked his air through his teeth. "Dark never had a soul. His exchange was different." he answered carefully, attempting to interpret the blonde's body language. There was no meaning he could find for the blonde's question. Why the hell would he be... questioning this? "His original 'soul'... came from a woman. His body... from another man. The only human substance about Dark is his body, and his physical heart. Other than that, he is original. His blood is purely demonic, and he has no relations to the forms before him. He is unique." His arms folded contemptuously. "Although, that is not how I hope to transform you. Your body and soul are... perfect."

The blonde's finger edged the flaky pages of the opened book. "So... what would occur for me... if I allow you to take my soul?"

A moment of silence. The tall individual tapped his concealed lips to interpret the blonde once more, but what more was there to his vacant expression. "Well, you would be separated from your soul. It would be mine, and I would be able to use that piece of you to give you powers. The stronger your soul is, the stronger your powers will be..." A lick at his lips as he mesmerized on the blonde, reflecting on the abyss. "You have keen intellect, substantial willpower, and perfect form, so... I am certain you would have incredible strength and division of power. Nothing comparable to Dark."

"Yes... but, what do you believe I would experience if it is the literal rip of my soul from my body?" The blonde interrupted, ignoring the man's extended comments. "Would it be painless? Death-like?"

"Oh, well..." His aquatic eyes rolled—annoyed. "I..." A short chuckle released. "I do not do this activity often, but, I... I suppose you would feel exhausted... and maybe detached from feeling anything human, but... I believe you already are that way, Vio."

The blonde bobbed his head in thought—his eyes screening the edges of the library, diverting from the tall man. "Well, it certainly is an intriguing process... I could never imagine how the soul separating could scientifically..."

Breaking the blonde's thought, the man struck at the blonde viciously to the blonde's surprise, grappling him by his wrists and holding his hands above his head. "WON'T YOU LET ME DO IT?!" he screamed. "WON'T YOU LET ME DO IT, PLEASE?!"

The blonde's face numbed—his hands straining. "I... well, I was not—"

"YOU COULD SEE IT AS A SCIENCE EXPERIMENT! IF YOU REALLY WANT TO... I... I COULD DO IT, VIO..." he twitched.

A cool composure kept on the blonde, however. "Well, yes... but, it is a... heavy decision... I do not exactly..."

A door creaked. Swung open and slammed against the wall, drawing their attention. Shadow—his expression cooled, emotionless, and he dropped Vio's wrists gently to Vio's lap as he came to fixate towards the entrance. His expression smothered, and he straightened his tall figure to peer.

His lips parted. "Dark," he greeted monotonously, tilting his head to sharpen his stance. "What is this?"

A slimmed, cloaked man afoot at the entrance. Pale complexion; cold, scarlet eyes. His face: shrouded by black fringe and stained with crimson blood at his cheek. A pitched whimper and scream to his side. A tight grip on a woman clamped in his slender hands. A brunette woman in a scrambling panic; although, there was no release from his strong hold.

A heavy step forward, dragging the woman's heels. A flat expression on his face—no feeling of concern or remorse out of pity of the distraught woman. "I found her wandering the corridors," he muttered.

"Is that so...?" Shadow awed, swaying his movement towards the cloaked man and the brunette. His hand fell gracefully to the brunette, holding her hair, and with a sly smile, he stole her wrists. Tugging her close, the woman cried a scream and Shadow attempted to comfort her. Squeezing her wrist and lifting her chin, he caressed her lovingly. "Are you... lost, darling?" he whispered sweetly. A façade in his expression.

An incoherent stutter of fear from the brunette. Shock, confusion... desperate pleas for mercy. A jerking struggle to escape. A violent gash at her forehead.

Gentle, cold hands. Shadow squeezed her cheeks, observing her soft face. He grinned. "Did he hurt you? I am so sorry... You are safe now, though. He cannot hurt you." His eyes narrowed, and a devious smirk twitched on him. "What is your name, love?"

The blonde looked away, ignoring the scene in strange thought. His arms folded in discomfort, and he avoided eye contact with the wailing woman. His eyes swarmed the floor, and his thoughts traced... until a growling voice alerted him.

"Vio...!" Shadow seethed—his tone dramatically changing aggressively.

A fidget at Vio's tight lips. "Yes... Shadow?" he heeded, glancing up.

"Well?!" he snapped, pulling at the brunette's hand and hair. "This is your CHANCE to show your true loyalty to me! What should we do to her? Should we spare her, or... end her suffering?"

Flatness to Vio's face. His eyes kept still, analyzing the woman's fright. After Shadow's words of murder, another scream and gasp from the woman. She demanded to leave. Vio remained silent, however. His teeth clenched beneath his lips, and they stuck without a part. He... had to... say something, though.

Shadow was impatient, however. He had his doubts. "What is wrong, Vio? Can you make a decision...?" he asked with a sneer. "She is also... a very..." His sight shifted, gazing over the brunette as a whole. "A very fine-looking lass."

Vio refused to meet the brunette eye-to-eye. He gave a sigh, rolling his eyes back to Shadow. "I believe it is solely her choice... on what she wants. I cannot make that decision for her, and neither can you."

"COWARD!" Shadow screamed, dragging the brunette over by her hair like a ragdoll. "YOU ARE A COWARD!"

Vio bit down at his tongue in quiet anguish, and his shoulders tensed. He exhaled a pained thought and stood from his seat, tucking the chair in with careful watch of Shadow's aquatic glow. "No... I am not... I am only judging that this lass is innocent. I have no means for killing or having any concerning actions against this woman because... I believe that she is of no harm." His shoulders shrugged. "She is not a threat. Why shed blood?"

An entertained chuckle tickled out Shadow. "Merely because she is innocent?"

"Shadow... it is unnecessary." Vio muttered. "I believe she won't tell a soul, anyway."

Disgust scrunched Shadow, flushing anger across him. "What... is wrong with you?" An aggravated smile, and he stole out a dagger, slitting the throat of the brunette. Broken feeling. Her body was tossed to the side as a meaningless being. Empty void of feeling. An unearthed, ragged laugh roughed out of Shadow. "You go out of your way to betray humans... but you still have an effort in protecting them?!"

Vio's expression remained restrained. His hand pressed against the other, and a deep breath drew from him. "I am not a traitor. I am not protecting anyone."

An exasperated scoff from Shadow. His aquatic eyes blazed, and he flew towards Vio, thrusting his fingers against the blonde's chest to push him against a bookshelf. "Keep telling yourself that! You will end up burned at the stake!"

A curling grimace at Vio. His brows fussed, and he quietly lifted his body up away from the bookshelf. "The same could happen to you... Although, you seem a little obsessed with the terms of my life."

"How can I believe you? How do I trust you? If you do not risk your life... how will I know that you would not rat me out?!" His iron strength clenched at Vio's chin, pressing deep at his jaw. "That girl could have been a messenger...! A ruse against me. Do you understand?!"

"Oh, I am aware..." Vio sustained his composure.

"Then next time... do not hesitate. I know you have it in you... Your hands are not clean, Vio!" His hand slid down the blonde's throat, leaving a bruise at his lip. "You worry me. I know you are... proficient at lying. You make it difficult to believe your words."

A short, crazed chuckle rose behind Shadow. It heaved a moment and then died. The cloaked man dropped his hood from his head and lingered behind, approaching. "Just kill him, Shadow." he spat, dragging a bloodied sword on the ground. "Slice his neck if you are worried about him disobeying you."

Shadow paused a moment—his eyes twitching—intact with Vio's soft blue eyes. Mesmerized for a moment in indistinguishable disgust. Vio was quite vacant in his expression. Light bubble of scorn in his eyes... A careful study analyzing Shadow.

Shadow's lips firmed, and his words uttered finally. "You are... very strange. Easy to hate, but..." His eyes narrowed. "...too brilliant. You should not be human."