I felt my rump fall back through the wilted branches of the willow, the light touch of the sun gracing my haunches. It did not burn my flesh there. It was simply my face that seemed to melt from my flesh. Ever since the day I had been cursed with the burned flesh I had not been able to stand the light upon my scars. It was as if I was being lit again. My banner swished in confusion as I continued to back away from the beast and the sunlight that he brought with him.

The strands caught the pillars of whatever creature was behind me, but I was sure that whatever it was that was at my rear was not nearly as destructive as the beast that was in front of me. Again, he demanded that I make it stop, whatever 'it' was. I didn't know what to tell him. What was I doing to him? He was the one letting the light in, blinding me, burning me. I stepped farther into the darkness, and the last of the light rays were finally beyond my reach, the sensitive flesh across my face beginning to simmer, though no smell reached my nares other than the old memory of my charred being.

Some part of my mind, the part that was rational, the part that knew I was healed knew that the sun was not burning me over again, but the memory and pain was too great, and I refused to believe that I could be whole and be seen in the light without pain occurring. Even if that meant that others would believe me mad, hallucinating, or dangerous. Perhaps it was better that way.

There was a shake below my daggers, and I couldn't quite tell if it had been caused by the beast. I was aware that he had made contact with the ground, but could it really have been enough to cause me to sway back and forth. My pillars were unsteady for a moment, the way my cranium was still trying to right itself after tossing about in panic. I nearly fell down myself, but I managed to keep myself upright by digging my daggers into the ground. The world stopped spinning, the pain was subsiding and I could finally think straight.

Anger welled in me as the beast spoke again. "Done what?" I hissed at him in smoked tones, wishing that I could cause harm to this beast as I opened my orbs once more to face him. My one audit was aware there was another creature behind me, but I would deal with this brute first. "I didn't do a damned thing! You were the one that let the light in!" I scowled at him with both my brown orb and my clouded red one, seeing him clearly with one side and with a pale red hue overlay with the other. At least I was back in the shadows and I could be protected from the sun.