His foot connected with a resounding thump. The force with which he moved carried him through the impact; Valz could almost see the impact of his boot spread across her face, but that was all. No pain was shown, no reaction, he may as well have been kicking a striking dummy for all the good it did him. He could see that clearly, the anger, the hate, the rage boiling in her eyes as she rolled away and reached down towards the ground.
Valz had time to regain his footing and come back into a defensive stance, arms up and out in front of him protecting his head before he realized what was coming for him. He heard it first, an indistinct whispering, whispers of the pain to come, voices reaching out for him. In less than an instant those voices exploded in a triumph of agony as a shadowy blackness wrapped around his right arm. The pain was intense, like being struck by a bucking horse. Blood immediately seeped down his arm, the warm stickiness collecting and dripping off his elbow. The voices he had heard were stronger now, no longer whispers, now shouts, as if he had been dropped into a busy market where everyone spoke a different language. He could only imagine what the pain would have been like had the whip found his throat.
Looking down at his arm he saw that he was connected to the vampire, her hand clutching a roiling, boiling mass of shadows that was connected to his forearm, tightening as he struggled. Locking eyes with hers the voices receded, all he heard and felt was hate, pure hate surging through the shadows from her to him. It pulsed along the whip like lightening. Struggling under the onslaught Valz never broke eye contact, trying, desperately to send that hate back into her, to deny the vampire the pleasure of tasting what little fear he had.
Valz was so wrapped up in his struggle that he almost forgot the woman he was trying to save. He knew she was still alive, he could see her moving in his peripheral vision.
An Unwelcome Reunion
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Valz Malar
- Citizen
- Posts: 94
- Joined: Mon Aug 07, 2006 5:03 am
- Race: Human
There. With a triumphant grin, Amira touched her fingertips to the hilt of the sword. The metal was disturbingly cold, only slightly tinged with the warmth of being held; if a human had clasped it just moments ago, it surely would have retained more heat. Shivering, she tugged the blade toward her with a bend of her fingers, flinching at the scrape of metal against stone.
Fearing that the vampire might have heard, she struggled to pull herself to her knees, lifting the sword as she did. Every muscle in her body, it seemed, protested as she lifted her torso from parallel to perpendicular with the ground, and her head spun with its new orientation. Quickly, with a grunt of effort, she spun around, swinging the sword with her.
As she spun, she saw with shock the horrific mass of shadows which seemed to tie Valz to the vampire, clutching him with sickening tenacity. Distracted by the sight, she didn't concentrate on where she swung the sword. She could only hope that it would connect with the vampire, perhaps its legs, either biting with its edge or slapping her with the brunt of the blade.
Perhaps it wasn't a very effective tactic. But she was doing something. Besides, she had a weapon now, and with that came renewed confidence.
Fearing that the vampire might have heard, she struggled to pull herself to her knees, lifting the sword as she did. Every muscle in her body, it seemed, protested as she lifted her torso from parallel to perpendicular with the ground, and her head spun with its new orientation. Quickly, with a grunt of effort, she spun around, swinging the sword with her.
As she spun, she saw with shock the horrific mass of shadows which seemed to tie Valz to the vampire, clutching him with sickening tenacity. Distracted by the sight, she didn't concentrate on where she swung the sword. She could only hope that it would connect with the vampire, perhaps its legs, either biting with its edge or slapping her with the brunt of the blade.
Perhaps it wasn't a very effective tactic. But she was doing something. Besides, she had a weapon now, and with that came renewed confidence.
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Jenica Sabiny
- Citizen
- Posts: 768
- Joined: Sun Feb 05, 2006 2:29 am
- Race: Vampire
She felt the lash wrap around his arm and grinned, a true grin which bared her fangs for display. She had him wrapped in her element, trapped in the writhing mass of night which succumbed to her will.
She was giddy.
Excited that her impulse reaction had worked, delighting in the shrieks of the shadows within her mind as they pumped their hate and rage into the man's flesh, she didn't hear the woman behind her. The vampire knew just what she wanted to do with this male - reel him in like a fish and gut him.
A moment later steel cut into the muscle of her thigh, burying itself directly above the back of her knee. The vampire howled with more rage than pain and let reflexes carry her actions once more. She heaved on her shadow-coil, thrusting her entire body into the movement and aiming to fling the man at the female who'd dared to attack her from behind.
She was giddy.
Excited that her impulse reaction had worked, delighting in the shrieks of the shadows within her mind as they pumped their hate and rage into the man's flesh, she didn't hear the woman behind her. The vampire knew just what she wanted to do with this male - reel him in like a fish and gut him.
A moment later steel cut into the muscle of her thigh, burying itself directly above the back of her knee. The vampire howled with more rage than pain and let reflexes carry her actions once more. She heaved on her shadow-coil, thrusting her entire body into the movement and aiming to fling the man at the female who'd dared to attack her from behind.
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Valz Malar
- Citizen
- Posts: 94
- Joined: Mon Aug 07, 2006 5:03 am
- Race: Human
Shadows clung to Valz like oil, oozing into his pores, he could almost smell them. The hate and anger that thrashed through his body was enough to make him naseous. Still, to break eye contact with the beast would be to admit defeat, in his own mind at least. If he could succeed in holding off the urge to look to the sky, to stare into the distance, to do anything other than look at the shadows engulfing his arm then he could beat this creature.
The woman was up! Behind the vampire she swayed on her knees, her sword arching through the air. Valz could see it was a wild strike but the fact that she was in the fight was more than enough to give him hope. The impact shocked him. He felt the sword bite into the vampire’s leg and he knew that although it was a wicked wound, knew that the vampire didn’t even flinch at the pain. He knew because a part of him felt the sword hit. He could feel the impact through the shadows. He felt, he knew that she was going to use the shadows to swing him around. The anger from the whip started to flex on his arm but instead of pulling him off balance the shadows tugged in the other direction. He didn’t have time to try to wrap his head around what was happening all he knew was that he wanted to get the vampire as off balance as he would’ve been had she flung him around. He felt like he was pushing against a wall, his muscles bulging under the shadows. Just when he thought that his arm and concentration would break the wall yielded. The anger and hate left the shadows, they were neither happy nor angry, just there. Quiet. Patient. Waiting. Empty and slack on his arm.
He didn’t know what had happened, and for the first time in his memory, Valz was terrified.
The woman was up! Behind the vampire she swayed on her knees, her sword arching through the air. Valz could see it was a wild strike but the fact that she was in the fight was more than enough to give him hope. The impact shocked him. He felt the sword bite into the vampire’s leg and he knew that although it was a wicked wound, knew that the vampire didn’t even flinch at the pain. He knew because a part of him felt the sword hit. He could feel the impact through the shadows. He felt, he knew that she was going to use the shadows to swing him around. The anger from the whip started to flex on his arm but instead of pulling him off balance the shadows tugged in the other direction. He didn’t have time to try to wrap his head around what was happening all he knew was that he wanted to get the vampire as off balance as he would’ve been had she flung him around. He felt like he was pushing against a wall, his muscles bulging under the shadows. Just when he thought that his arm and concentration would break the wall yielded. The anger and hate left the shadows, they were neither happy nor angry, just there. Quiet. Patient. Waiting. Empty and slack on his arm.
He didn’t know what had happened, and for the first time in his memory, Valz was terrified.
The only dirty fight is the fight you lose...
Amira yanked her sword away triumphantly, in an arc which would have thrown her off balance had she been standing. At that thought, she jammed the tip of the sword into the ground, using it as leverage to pull herself to her feet.
As she caught her balance, stumbling backwards slightly with light-headedness, she flicked her gaze to Valz, and to the thick tendril of shadow which held his arm. It was strange, the struggle which seemed to be taking place. Neither the vampire nor the man was moving in a way that could be taken as aggressive, and yet the muscles of the man's arm tensed under his flesh, flexing against the rope of shadows which, in turn, seemed to stiffen with effort.
And then the combative mood ended, the air seemed to lighten...something had changed, though she couldn't say what. Somehow, the balance had shifted.
Expectantly, she turned to the vampire, her sword held defensively across her chest, waiting.
As she caught her balance, stumbling backwards slightly with light-headedness, she flicked her gaze to Valz, and to the thick tendril of shadow which held his arm. It was strange, the struggle which seemed to be taking place. Neither the vampire nor the man was moving in a way that could be taken as aggressive, and yet the muscles of the man's arm tensed under his flesh, flexing against the rope of shadows which, in turn, seemed to stiffen with effort.
And then the combative mood ended, the air seemed to lighten...something had changed, though she couldn't say what. Somehow, the balance had shifted.
Expectantly, she turned to the vampire, her sword held defensively across her chest, waiting.
Huzzah.
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Jenica Sabiny
- Citizen
- Posts: 768
- Joined: Sun Feb 05, 2006 2:29 am
- Race: Vampire
Resistance. The male didn't move.
The vampire snarled and twisted her arm, wrapped a loop of the shadow-whip around her wrist for further stability, and tried to haul again. And again. And...
The male didn't budge. Instead, the shadows themselves writhed. Jenica felt the rage, hate and pain she fed them with evaporating, and for the first time in a long, long while, the shadows no longer felt like home to her. They felt alien, emotionless and cold - they were listening to something else. Someone else.
And then they were gone. The whip went lax in her grip, drained of any emotion she'd once fed into it. The voices, forever in her mind, were gone, replaced by a dull hum. They didn't titter, or giggle, or even whisper. There was nothing.
Home was gone.
The vampire's leg collapsed, then, as the metal was wrenched from within. She fell to one knee, staring in blatant shock at the useless whip she was attached to. She...and the male.
Another hissing snarl, and Jenica began clawing at the shadows surrounding her wrist, heedless of her own flesh as she tried to pry it off of her arm. The female behind her had bite once more - it was her sword that had dug into Jenica's leg - and here the vampire knelt, tethered to the male like a dog.
His terror was palpable as she clawed and scratched at her wrist, pushing up with her leg to try and stand once more, begin backing away. If she could only escape from this lank thing before he came to his senses...
She would worry about how another time.
The vampire snarled and twisted her arm, wrapped a loop of the shadow-whip around her wrist for further stability, and tried to haul again. And again. And...
The male didn't budge. Instead, the shadows themselves writhed. Jenica felt the rage, hate and pain she fed them with evaporating, and for the first time in a long, long while, the shadows no longer felt like home to her. They felt alien, emotionless and cold - they were listening to something else. Someone else.
And then they were gone. The whip went lax in her grip, drained of any emotion she'd once fed into it. The voices, forever in her mind, were gone, replaced by a dull hum. They didn't titter, or giggle, or even whisper. There was nothing.
Home was gone.
The vampire's leg collapsed, then, as the metal was wrenched from within. She fell to one knee, staring in blatant shock at the useless whip she was attached to. She...and the male.
Another hissing snarl, and Jenica began clawing at the shadows surrounding her wrist, heedless of her own flesh as she tried to pry it off of her arm. The female behind her had bite once more - it was her sword that had dug into Jenica's leg - and here the vampire knelt, tethered to the male like a dog.
His terror was palpable as she clawed and scratched at her wrist, pushing up with her leg to try and stand once more, begin backing away. If she could only escape from this lank thing before he came to his senses...
She would worry about how another time.
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Valz Malar
- Citizen
- Posts: 94
- Joined: Mon Aug 07, 2006 5:03 am
- Race: Human
It happened all at once, the thick tendril of shadows attached to his arm stopped fighting him and was simply there. He could feel the vampire through the shadows, not her anger, bloodlust, or rage, but simply her. He was able to breath easier, calmer even. The momentary fear he had felt was gone, replaced by his usual determination. Steeling himself for what was about to come, he watched the woman withdraw the sword from the vampires leg, watched her knee buckle and fold up under her body. With one last tug the vampire tried to pull him off balance but the shadows just quivered like a wet noodle at her command. On one level he felt her demand the shadows to topple him, but on another level he felt himself command them not to move him. Everything was happening so fast that he really couldn’t keep track of what was going on in his mind.
The woman waited expectantly behind the vampire, sword up-raised defensively. The beast was on a knee, desperately trying to get free of the other end of the whip. He could feel her thrashing about on it, tearing at her precious shadows. Capturing on that Valz grabbed the thick coil of dark that surrounded his arm and pushed it towards her. He couldn’t really tell if he actually pushed the shadow coil or if he just thought about pushing it in his mind, but either way he felt something, a tickle of response, and he knew that she was already off balance…
The woman waited expectantly behind the vampire, sword up-raised defensively. The beast was on a knee, desperately trying to get free of the other end of the whip. He could feel her thrashing about on it, tearing at her precious shadows. Capturing on that Valz grabbed the thick coil of dark that surrounded his arm and pushed it towards her. He couldn’t really tell if he actually pushed the shadow coil or if he just thought about pushing it in his mind, but either way he felt something, a tickle of response, and he knew that she was already off balance…
The only dirty fight is the fight you lose...
The vampire was falling, and in that instant, Amira was considering her options -- as she always did. One of these days, perhaps she would learn to act on instinct, to make split-second decisions. As it was, that seemed impossible.
The fight could go on forever, she mused. After all, she'd killed the beast before -- or so she'd thought -- and yet it had awakened from "death" to continue the battle. The question was, was the monster slayable, or would this continue indefinitely? Well, no, it wouldn't, because tireless and immortal as the vampire might be, Amira was neither, and nor, she assumed, was Valz. Eventually, the beast would have to be the victor, at least if they continued in this way.
So it was time to turn the tides, to change the balance of power. It was time to stop reacting, and to make a decision which would shift the direction of this endless conflict. There had to be a way to overcome the monster, to win without focusing only on slaughtering it. There had to be an option...
The vampire was falling, and Amira alighted on an option which...well, perhaps it wouldn't work. But trying could only help them. In that instant, as the beast toppled over, Amira raised her sword, aiming the point at the beast's torso. In the split second before the monster hit the ground, she drove the blade downward, into, she hoped, flesh, and bone, and, ultimately, the ground beneath the body, pinning the beast.
The fight could go on forever, she mused. After all, she'd killed the beast before -- or so she'd thought -- and yet it had awakened from "death" to continue the battle. The question was, was the monster slayable, or would this continue indefinitely? Well, no, it wouldn't, because tireless and immortal as the vampire might be, Amira was neither, and nor, she assumed, was Valz. Eventually, the beast would have to be the victor, at least if they continued in this way.
So it was time to turn the tides, to change the balance of power. It was time to stop reacting, and to make a decision which would shift the direction of this endless conflict. There had to be a way to overcome the monster, to win without focusing only on slaughtering it. There had to be an option...
The vampire was falling, and Amira alighted on an option which...well, perhaps it wouldn't work. But trying could only help them. In that instant, as the beast toppled over, Amira raised her sword, aiming the point at the beast's torso. In the split second before the monster hit the ground, she drove the blade downward, into, she hoped, flesh, and bone, and, ultimately, the ground beneath the body, pinning the beast.
Huzzah.
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Jenica Sabiny
- Citizen
- Posts: 768
- Joined: Sun Feb 05, 2006 2:29 am
- Race: Vampire
The shadows pushed at her. Off-balance and struggling to tear the alien whip from her grasp, the vampire felt this betrayal down to the core of her belly, where the hunger lived. The hunger roiled and swayed, confused by what felt to it like a limb turning against the body. That the shadows could be so easily turned away...
As she fell back, the female's shadow fell over her, and the glint of metal alerted her to the woman's sword. Jenica was surprised when the sword ripped through her abdomen instead of her throat.
The force of the woman's thrust slammed the vampire into the ground harder than her own weight would have, and Jenica's head bounced off the pavement once before settling against the ground. It was odd, this feeling - not quite pain, for her sire's treatment had made everything else look small in comparison - but certainly uncomfortable. She strained and shifted, trying to untwist overextended muscles, but her body remained pinned. With her wrist still caught by the shadows which no longer obeyed, she was trapped between these two mortals.
It would not last forever. She was determined to regain control of her shadows, and once she did, these mortals would explode from the inside out as their own internal shadows pulled free of their carcasses. But until then...
Red eyes stared up at the human, but the vampire did not react. No fear, no panic or even frustration showed from her blank gaze. If the human wanted fear from this creature, she would need to try much, much harder.
But nonetheless, Jenica could not move...much.
As she fell back, the female's shadow fell over her, and the glint of metal alerted her to the woman's sword. Jenica was surprised when the sword ripped through her abdomen instead of her throat.
The force of the woman's thrust slammed the vampire into the ground harder than her own weight would have, and Jenica's head bounced off the pavement once before settling against the ground. It was odd, this feeling - not quite pain, for her sire's treatment had made everything else look small in comparison - but certainly uncomfortable. She strained and shifted, trying to untwist overextended muscles, but her body remained pinned. With her wrist still caught by the shadows which no longer obeyed, she was trapped between these two mortals.
It would not last forever. She was determined to regain control of her shadows, and once she did, these mortals would explode from the inside out as their own internal shadows pulled free of their carcasses. But until then...
Red eyes stared up at the human, but the vampire did not react. No fear, no panic or even frustration showed from her blank gaze. If the human wanted fear from this creature, she would need to try much, much harder.
But nonetheless, Jenica could not move...much.
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Valz Malar
- Citizen
- Posts: 94
- Joined: Mon Aug 07, 2006 5:03 am
- Race: Human
The quickness with which the woman moved was shocking. One moment she was crouching defensively and the vampire was falling, then, like a bolt of lightning from a storm she was up, slamming her sword into the vampire’s belly. Valz actually saw the dirty, pallid flesh of the vampire part and kiss the sides of the blade as it pierced the skin. The vampire’s head crashed into the street with a hollow thump, and he heard the sword puncture through the vampire’s core and hit the street. In that instance Valz dropped (not even knowing how) the coil of shadows, which began to dissipate as soon as he stopped thinking about them and swiveled his head looking for his sword. With the beast prone, it would be a matter of one strong stroke to separate its head from its body. Two quick steps away from the vampire and he was reaching down, grasping its plain leather wrapped hilt.
The only dirty fight is the fight you lose...
"Wait."
The word rasped out in a voice she hardly recognize, a voice strained by adrenaline and pain. Amira looked up, locking eyes with the man, and cleared her throat before repeating herself.
"Wait."
It was then that she looked down at the vampire, her own eyes narrowing at the crimson ones which stared back at her. Viciously, she twisted the blade, driving it further down. "Now," she heaved. "Listen."
She only hoped the blade would hold the monster down. Her gaze flickered to Valz, then back to the beast; could he, perhaps, use the strange control he'd seemed to have over the shadows to help her pin the vampire?
For now, the blade would have to do; she didn't want to ask for help, for fear of showing weakness before the beast. If it became necessary, she was sure the man would act.
"Listen," she said again, as though each reiteration gave her words more power, her will more strength. "This ends. Now."
She probably looked foolish, telling the man to wait, to restrain himself from decapitating the monster. But she knew. She remembered the horrific revelation that the monster, the dead monster, was still alive in her kitchen, worse for wear, but resistent to death in a way no mortal ever was. Perhaps, then, Amira could not kill the predator, at least not in a traditional way. Perhaps a battle would inevitably end in defeat. But outright slaughter was not the only option.
"Leave me alone," she whispered, bearing down on the sword again. "I am tired of running, tired of fighting you, and I won't let it go on any longer. I will not be your prey. I will not be part of your sickening game. I want you gone."
The words meant nothing. There was no promise the beast could make that Amira could trust, and no reason to believe that the vampire would make any such promise. But they had to be said.
There had to be a way.
"Leave me alone, or I swear, I'll leave you here to rot," she spat, the viciousness behind the words clear in her voice and her eyes. "I swear by the gods, if you do not give me a way to know...to know that you're no longer a threat -- forever -- I will make sure you waste away, right here. Right here -- and you just see if someone comes and saves you. Who'd want to unpin a beast, especially one that should by all rights be dead? No one will help you." Perhaps the monster could not die; perhaps it would live forever. But it would not do so in any proximity to her. And it would do so in pain.
"Give me a way." The words were not pleading; they demanded, commanded. They had to. Don't show weakness. Don't show your hand. Let the beast think that you are in absolute control. You are. You are.
"This ends. Now."
The word rasped out in a voice she hardly recognize, a voice strained by adrenaline and pain. Amira looked up, locking eyes with the man, and cleared her throat before repeating herself.
"Wait."
It was then that she looked down at the vampire, her own eyes narrowing at the crimson ones which stared back at her. Viciously, she twisted the blade, driving it further down. "Now," she heaved. "Listen."
She only hoped the blade would hold the monster down. Her gaze flickered to Valz, then back to the beast; could he, perhaps, use the strange control he'd seemed to have over the shadows to help her pin the vampire?
For now, the blade would have to do; she didn't want to ask for help, for fear of showing weakness before the beast. If it became necessary, she was sure the man would act.
"Listen," she said again, as though each reiteration gave her words more power, her will more strength. "This ends. Now."
She probably looked foolish, telling the man to wait, to restrain himself from decapitating the monster. But she knew. She remembered the horrific revelation that the monster, the dead monster, was still alive in her kitchen, worse for wear, but resistent to death in a way no mortal ever was. Perhaps, then, Amira could not kill the predator, at least not in a traditional way. Perhaps a battle would inevitably end in defeat. But outright slaughter was not the only option.
"Leave me alone," she whispered, bearing down on the sword again. "I am tired of running, tired of fighting you, and I won't let it go on any longer. I will not be your prey. I will not be part of your sickening game. I want you gone."
The words meant nothing. There was no promise the beast could make that Amira could trust, and no reason to believe that the vampire would make any such promise. But they had to be said.
There had to be a way.
"Leave me alone, or I swear, I'll leave you here to rot," she spat, the viciousness behind the words clear in her voice and her eyes. "I swear by the gods, if you do not give me a way to know...to know that you're no longer a threat -- forever -- I will make sure you waste away, right here. Right here -- and you just see if someone comes and saves you. Who'd want to unpin a beast, especially one that should by all rights be dead? No one will help you." Perhaps the monster could not die; perhaps it would live forever. But it would not do so in any proximity to her. And it would do so in pain.
"Give me a way." The words were not pleading; they demanded, commanded. They had to. Don't show weakness. Don't show your hand. Let the beast think that you are in absolute control. You are. You are.
"This ends. Now."
Huzzah.
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Jenica Sabiny
- Citizen
- Posts: 768
- Joined: Sun Feb 05, 2006 2:29 am
- Race: Vampire
As the human female persuaded the male to wait, the pain began to build within Jenica's belly. It had been small at first, hardly there. Easily ignored or dismissed. But now, as time passed and passed and her damaged body realized that a recently healed area was once again laid bare, the vampire's eyes crinkled in a moment's pain.
When the human twisted the sword, agony shuddered through her strong enough to produce a small wince.
This human was winning.
Another twist, and the female began to speak - and Jenica found herself a inclined to listen. The pain centered in her abdomen where the hunger dwelt, and she wanted it to go away. The only way to do so was to make the female remove the sword - easily done with shadow play. But the shadows still felt foreign and unreal to her, inclined to listen to another voice. She knew that if she tried to use them and the male interceded...the shadows would follow his will.
The thought left her cranky and annoyed in a way that even the metal chunk splaying her on the ground could not. She was bitter and bore nothing but ill will toward the male - but she was pinned and unable to do anything about this anger.
At the moment.
As the female spoke, she pushed down on the sword once more, and Jenica felt the blade slide a bit lower, pinning her more firmly against the earth. The injury would heal, as it had before, but the inability to move was a problem. The female thought to leave her there to rot, and perhaps that would be a torment of its own - but it would never happen. Death would come with the merry sunlight as it pranced its way along the alley. She would not survive another day.
The struggle raged within the vampire's instincts as her self-ingrained desire to die and her instinctual desire to live warred with each other for supremacy. She had made a deal before, ages ago, to save what qualified at least as a mentor, if not friend. Now she would need to make the same decision for herself - and half of her did not want to live beyond this very moment, much less the day.
But the other half, the stronger and angrier half, wanted the chance to live on. It wanted the chance to take vengeance upon the shadows for their betrayal - to take vengeance upon the man who had ripped them away from her - and to kill the vampire who governed this city. It was her hate and rage which bouyed up to the surface of her mind to make her decision for her. If she hated enough, just enough - she could live on.
She did.
The red glazed eyes stared on at the female as she spoke, begging for a way for this to end. The female had spared her life a second time, this could not be ignored - for although the female didn't know, Jenica would remain very dead without her head attached to her body. But in a way, the female had also saved them both, for Jenica would have fought long and hard to keep her head firmly upon her shoulders. And would have relished gutting the male.
Who had saved whom?
Lips parted, and the lungs filled with effort as her body shifted around the steel within her belly. Access the cords, push the air through. Speak.
"An oath."
The vampire's voice was coarse as the idea came. She'd done it before; it was nothing, in the end.
"With blood."
When the human twisted the sword, agony shuddered through her strong enough to produce a small wince.
This human was winning.
Another twist, and the female began to speak - and Jenica found herself a inclined to listen. The pain centered in her abdomen where the hunger dwelt, and she wanted it to go away. The only way to do so was to make the female remove the sword - easily done with shadow play. But the shadows still felt foreign and unreal to her, inclined to listen to another voice. She knew that if she tried to use them and the male interceded...the shadows would follow his will.
The thought left her cranky and annoyed in a way that even the metal chunk splaying her on the ground could not. She was bitter and bore nothing but ill will toward the male - but she was pinned and unable to do anything about this anger.
At the moment.
As the female spoke, she pushed down on the sword once more, and Jenica felt the blade slide a bit lower, pinning her more firmly against the earth. The injury would heal, as it had before, but the inability to move was a problem. The female thought to leave her there to rot, and perhaps that would be a torment of its own - but it would never happen. Death would come with the merry sunlight as it pranced its way along the alley. She would not survive another day.
The struggle raged within the vampire's instincts as her self-ingrained desire to die and her instinctual desire to live warred with each other for supremacy. She had made a deal before, ages ago, to save what qualified at least as a mentor, if not friend. Now she would need to make the same decision for herself - and half of her did not want to live beyond this very moment, much less the day.
But the other half, the stronger and angrier half, wanted the chance to live on. It wanted the chance to take vengeance upon the shadows for their betrayal - to take vengeance upon the man who had ripped them away from her - and to kill the vampire who governed this city. It was her hate and rage which bouyed up to the surface of her mind to make her decision for her. If she hated enough, just enough - she could live on.
She did.
The red glazed eyes stared on at the female as she spoke, begging for a way for this to end. The female had spared her life a second time, this could not be ignored - for although the female didn't know, Jenica would remain very dead without her head attached to her body. But in a way, the female had also saved them both, for Jenica would have fought long and hard to keep her head firmly upon her shoulders. And would have relished gutting the male.
Who had saved whom?
Lips parted, and the lungs filled with effort as her body shifted around the steel within her belly. Access the cords, push the air through. Speak.
"An oath."
The vampire's voice was coarse as the idea came. She'd done it before; it was nothing, in the end.
"With blood."
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Valz Malar
- Citizen
- Posts: 94
- Joined: Mon Aug 07, 2006 5:03 am
- Race: Human
Animus felt right in his hand, gripping it’s rough wrapped hilt made Valz feel whole. It was as if wielding his sword was what he was born to do, his destiny, his mission, his purpose, and he would fulfill that purpose tonight.
The woman before him was grinding her blade into the vampire, leaning down upon it, when she looked at Valz and ordered him to wait. It was not a question or a plea, it was a demand, and he heeded it, out of obedience to spoken authority or some other idea he knew not why, but he obeyed none the less. As the words tumbled from her lips, sweat dripping from her head onto the sword she drove deeper with each word, he stood dumbfounded. She was trying to reason with a beast. They had won, it would take him a heartbeat to lift his sword and bring it crashing down into the neck of the prostrate bitch. Sure, she might struggle as the blow came down, requiring a second strike to remove her head, but Valz was confident that would end the battle. And now this little woman standing before him told him no? Mercy has its time and place, dealing with a creature such as this was not it. Valz had more sympathy for a rabid dog that needed to be put down. He felt himself ready to strike out, woman be damned but the rasping, grating voice of the vampire stopped him cold,
“An oath.”
“With blood.”
There was a distinct pause between each phrase. The voice was hollow, dead, and lifeless. The worst part of the statement was the false hope it provided. This was a creature from hell, whatever pact was made with it would backfire and cause more pain, the false hope it extended with it’s offer only would prolong the agony of life.
Valz stood where he was at, addressing the woman in front of him, totally focused on her, ignoring the vampire a few feet away,
“Are you mad?” Spittle flew with the accusation from his mouth. Valz was sweating, tired, and angry that the beast was still alive. “This thing will be the death of us, oath or no. It doesn’t care for our notions of honor….IT WILL KILL US. Better it than me or you.”
This insanity was draining him quicker than any fight ever had, his chest heaved with the exertion of trying to get through to this woman in front of him, his breath was labored, and his hair stood on end at what he heard. This was madness.
The woman before him was grinding her blade into the vampire, leaning down upon it, when she looked at Valz and ordered him to wait. It was not a question or a plea, it was a demand, and he heeded it, out of obedience to spoken authority or some other idea he knew not why, but he obeyed none the less. As the words tumbled from her lips, sweat dripping from her head onto the sword she drove deeper with each word, he stood dumbfounded. She was trying to reason with a beast. They had won, it would take him a heartbeat to lift his sword and bring it crashing down into the neck of the prostrate bitch. Sure, she might struggle as the blow came down, requiring a second strike to remove her head, but Valz was confident that would end the battle. And now this little woman standing before him told him no? Mercy has its time and place, dealing with a creature such as this was not it. Valz had more sympathy for a rabid dog that needed to be put down. He felt himself ready to strike out, woman be damned but the rasping, grating voice of the vampire stopped him cold,
“An oath.”
“With blood.”
There was a distinct pause between each phrase. The voice was hollow, dead, and lifeless. The worst part of the statement was the false hope it provided. This was a creature from hell, whatever pact was made with it would backfire and cause more pain, the false hope it extended with it’s offer only would prolong the agony of life.
Valz stood where he was at, addressing the woman in front of him, totally focused on her, ignoring the vampire a few feet away,
“Are you mad?” Spittle flew with the accusation from his mouth. Valz was sweating, tired, and angry that the beast was still alive. “This thing will be the death of us, oath or no. It doesn’t care for our notions of honor….IT WILL KILL US. Better it than me or you.”
This insanity was draining him quicker than any fight ever had, his chest heaved with the exertion of trying to get through to this woman in front of him, his breath was labored, and his hair stood on end at what he heard. This was madness.
The only dirty fight is the fight you lose...
Amira looked up at Valz, scowling. "Excuse me, but you don't know what you're talking about," she said, firmly. "You haven't dealt with this...thing." She smirked down at the vampire, unsure whether the disdain in her expression was directed at the beast or the man. "You're trying to approach things too rationally, and rationality is not what's going to keep us alive."
"Call me mad if you like, but this whole situation is mad. The beast is mad, this game is mad -- it's all insanity, and I'm sick of fighting it." She laughed dryly. "Sometimes you have to battle fire with fire."
"...A blood oath, then?" She tapped her fingers against the hilt of her sword, as if this were a casual encounter, nothing out of the ordinary. "The gentleman here seems to think that an oath wouldn't be sufficient to keep you from killing us, and I have to admit, I see reason in his argument. Not that reason means anything, now, but... How, precisely, would this oath work? How can I be sure that you won't break it?"
Amira knew nothing of blood oaths, of whether they had any real power, of what it took to break them. She agreed with Valz, though; the monster could not be trusted. The difference was that she knew -- she knew the beast couldn't be killed by normal means, that the man's sword might not be enough to save them. She knew it was going to take an act of madness to get them out of this. So be it.
"If you can guarantee that it will keep me alive...I'm willing to listen."
"Call me mad if you like, but this whole situation is mad. The beast is mad, this game is mad -- it's all insanity, and I'm sick of fighting it." She laughed dryly. "Sometimes you have to battle fire with fire."
"...A blood oath, then?" She tapped her fingers against the hilt of her sword, as if this were a casual encounter, nothing out of the ordinary. "The gentleman here seems to think that an oath wouldn't be sufficient to keep you from killing us, and I have to admit, I see reason in his argument. Not that reason means anything, now, but... How, precisely, would this oath work? How can I be sure that you won't break it?"
Amira knew nothing of blood oaths, of whether they had any real power, of what it took to break them. She agreed with Valz, though; the monster could not be trusted. The difference was that she knew -- she knew the beast couldn't be killed by normal means, that the man's sword might not be enough to save them. She knew it was going to take an act of madness to get them out of this. So be it.
"If you can guarantee that it will keep me alive...I'm willing to listen."
Huzzah.
-
Jenica Sabiny
- Citizen
- Posts: 768
- Joined: Sun Feb 05, 2006 2:29 am
- Race: Vampire
Again, the male was correct - this was pure insanity. This woman was completely, horrifyingly insane, or painfully naive. Either way worked to the vampire's benefit, and she wasn't about to educate the creature.
Jenica understood the male's desperation. He knew that leaving her alone would eventually mean one of the three standing here would die - for although she may honor her oath to the human female, the male would be under no such protection. Jenica wanted him dead. And perhaps someday she would have her wish.
The pain had dulled once more to a gentle ache as her body became accustomed to the metal cutting through. She was not optimistic about how it would feel when the female finally removed the sword. She tried not to think about this impending moment.
"Simple."
Her throat ached and her voice crackled. Her world was perpetual agony in one way or another; what would being bound to this human hurt?
"Combine blood. Like...blood sisters."
Some human thing, this last bit. She thought the female would understand with this comparison. She lifted her hand, the one which had been captured by the male's shadows, and raked her palm along the blade jutting from her belly, deep enough that the blood ran freely and the injury wouldn't heal within seconds. In silence, she raised her gaze and the hand to the female, offering the bloody palm in a handshake that was anything but civil.
Jenica understood the male's desperation. He knew that leaving her alone would eventually mean one of the three standing here would die - for although she may honor her oath to the human female, the male would be under no such protection. Jenica wanted him dead. And perhaps someday she would have her wish.
The pain had dulled once more to a gentle ache as her body became accustomed to the metal cutting through. She was not optimistic about how it would feel when the female finally removed the sword. She tried not to think about this impending moment.
"Simple."
Her throat ached and her voice crackled. Her world was perpetual agony in one way or another; what would being bound to this human hurt?
"Combine blood. Like...blood sisters."
Some human thing, this last bit. She thought the female would understand with this comparison. She lifted her hand, the one which had been captured by the male's shadows, and raked her palm along the blade jutting from her belly, deep enough that the blood ran freely and the injury wouldn't heal within seconds. In silence, she raised her gaze and the hand to the female, offering the bloody palm in a handshake that was anything but civil.