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Music fills the night, drifting on cool breezes, flowing out from
Carpe Noctem like a cup that has runneth over. Winding its
thrumming fingers around passers by, brushing through the trees,
seeping into a nearby stronghold.
Within chaos has become near silence, the scent of blood and
ashes strong in the air. The place is not empty... far from it.
Within its walls move two elves with a human theif, one with a
mission his heart cannot let fail. Two Gangrel vie for position,
each following the darkness that leads their dead heart.
Unknown to all there lies one thought dead, in repose upon a bed
of satan, left by her goddess to finish that which was
interrupted. And in the night, cold and forgotten... lies a pile
of ash....
He woke to weakness in a small sterile room. Not the hotel then. Someplace else. A hospital? The elf started to sit up, but found that his movements would have to be limited by virtue of the IV-needle embedded in the back of his hand, pumping in nutrients.
"What?" He looked around the room, his gaze settling on two people sitting by his bed. Paladin. Marion.
"What am I doing in a hospital?" He rasped, voice harsh from disuse.
"Recovering. The amount of blood loss you suffered and the multiple injuries you had collected over the past few days was enough to get you in ER. We thought they might not admit you, but we had to take the chance." Marion looked drawn, sighing. "It's funny, but to the machines, elven blood's exactly like human one..."
Paladin stalked along the corridor to the ER carrying two steaming cups of coffee, as he approached Elyens bed he passed one over to Marion.
"How are you feeling old friend?" he asked the striped haired Elf.
I saw something strange and twould have let it be save that I twas calling to me, something twas calling to me, I looked to lady Gabrielle, I shook mine head and whispered softly,
"thee know thine path my lady...........may it bring thee the joy that thee so deserve..........."
I turned towards this strange, trail twas all I could name it and somehow it absorbed me into it's depths.
"Kellath," she spoke his name, bringing his eyes to meet the white orbs that passed for her own. "I have a boon to ask of thee Emerald Guardian, if you will grant it."
I gaze into those eyes like shards of diamond ice from mine home, I bow deeply before her and reach forth mine hand mine hand transcanding ethereal planes to gently hold her own and I lift it gently to mine lips softly offering mine caress of respect for who and what she twas and for every aspect of her being unknown to me, mine eyes never left her own as I rose and spoke softly,
"I shall aid thee my lady.........if such resides within mine power......"
"My charge is in need of a Guardian of your calibre Kellath, she lies in a death like state within the Manse of Rauldac. I cannot stay to protect her, and the Gangrel converge on her hiding spot even now."
I nod softly as I speak,
"I am a simple traveler my lady..............the title Emerald Guardian is one I fear I am unable to live up to..............but mine strength limited as it is..........I shall give to protect this one of thine choosing...."
She shifted slightly in the darkness, tilting her head to gaze upon him, "You bely your strength Kellath, it is greater than you speak of I think." She Stepped back, the darkness parting behind her to reveal the Amazon in repose, "I think you have met my Chosen before, watch over her now, guard her dark sleep from those who would disturb it."
"An'thaya......"
I whisper turning mine gaze back to she who summoned me.
"What has happened to her my lady that she now lays thusly........hovering it seems from the embrace of death......."
"Darkness and betrayal," what seemed almost sadness touched her gaze, "There will be much she does not remember when she wakes... but it must needs be so....and all will be well."
"I shall protect her my lady.........mine life shall be taken before another touches her.............until thee instruct otherwise..............."
I press mine hand to mine heart rose and bow deeply once more.
"Allow only her chosen soul mate to enter here, you will know him when he comes." She nodded solemly in recognition of his promise, and vanished into the darkness....
As she faded from veiw I turned to An'thaya, her features remained the same since last I had seen her if not more beautiful,
"An'thaya....."
I looked up seeing the Gangril the lady in white had spoken of, I leapt over An'thaya drawing mine swords Nightfire and Noria their blades flashing with emerald flame, the first that came fell just as quickly a foot shorter as something round rolled across the room.
"Come shadowchildren..........meet the light of hope........."
The words came unbidden from mine lips and yet I flashed among them revealing things within the body that should not be, within moments all twas silent save for the moaning of a single one who lay upon the ground, I stood above him and thrust once silencing him that he might suffer no more.
I stood over each and inscribed Runes of fire upon each burning their bodies away and sent them upon winds whispering softly,
"Thine path has't been traveled........rest now thine weary soul........."
I kneeled before An'thaya cleaning Noria and Nightfire before sliding their slender three foot long blades into their ebony sheaths. Looking once more to her I shook mine head as I awaited her love.
**Suriel walked down the street, reaching out silently with his mind just out of mere boredom. It was a suprise to find a familiar mind, although he didn't even try to enter it. Instead he found the careless thoughts of other people roaming about. He stopped and glanced up at the hospital on the other side of the street. Those thoughts were coming from there, and so was the presense of a certain elf he knew. Without hesitation he crossed the street, the black road empty save a few roaming homeless and two cops leaning against their car talking. He walked by them, watching their forms out of the corner of his eye. He heard what they were saying and frowned inwardly, not really knowing what to think.** "That character they just brought in...... he was a weird one. I can't believe they're caring for him." - "Yeah, and what about that hair? Man that's weird." **That was what he was afraid of. He walked through the brightly lit hall, his eyes twinging a bit at the light change. He stood in front of the information desk and rung the bell, the large woman in white slowly walking out of the back room to see what he wanted.** "Can I help you?" **Her voice was dull and sullen, obviously she didn't really WANT to help anybody. She looked at his white eyes for a few seconds before looking him over.** "What kinda freak show did you come out of?" **He sighed and cleared his thoughts.** I'm looking for a recent arrival....... an elven man by the name of Elyen. Can you tell me his room number?** "Figures, all you freaks tend to run together, don't you. You can just turn around and walk out that door, boy. We don't need anymore of your kind running around." **Suriel paused, looked down at the floor and shook his head, then looked back at her, his eyes swirling with red and grey.** Tell me where he is........ **His voice echoed in her mind and she stared wide eyed at him, the words coming involuntarily to her lips before she passed out and fell to the ground. He leaned over and looked over the desk and smirked. Humans were always making things more difficult than it had to be. His shadow fell on Elyen's bed, his form in the doorway. He had to wonder if he could heal an elf........ he hadn't done it in a long time, and he knew some elves couldn't be cured by another's magic. Anaisi don't use magic, he thought to himself for reassurance, Anaisi don't use magic. He gave a nod to the others in the room, then focused back on Elyen.** I thought it was you........ I brought you a message of sorts, and I think you'll be slightly interested to know....... I know where An'Thaya is.
Before Elyen could answer Paladin saw the shadow fall across the bed. Placing the coffee mug down the High Elf spun quickly to face the arrival, his gun in hand as he spun round. Paladin noted the eyes, milk white, definately not Human.
"Who are you, more to the point what are you and why are you here?" the warrior mage demanded of the figure in the doorway, gun aimed squarely at the chest, his finger lightly touching the trigger.
**Suriel only could stare at the elf in front of him. Evidently he'd never seen Anaisi before. He smirked as he cleared the red swirling in his eyes with a blink seeing the gun resting firmly against his chest.** Shoot if you want, but those things are useless against me. Besides, I'm a friend....... **He looked over the elf's shoulder to Elyen.** He and I met awhile back. I'm an Eternal. Humans would call me an angel in their tongue. **Suriel wanted to heat the gun up, just to mess with this guy, but he decided not to just for the sake of not being attacked or drawing needless attention from the doctors and nurses in the hall.** Are you going to put that away, now?
Paladin altered his vision to see the pattern of the stranger, he could tell that the new comer was definately not a race he had encountered before. He shrugged as he reholstered the gun.
"I'll take your word for now," he said, "but know this, if you're jerking us around just to get at him, I'll kill you where you stand," he added with sharp edge to his voice as he stepped to side allowing him to enter. The High Elf never took his eyes from the stranger, nor was his hand far from the gun.
**Suriel squinted one eye and nodded.** Sure. **Of course he wanted to tell him that if he had really wanted Elyen in the first place none of them would be living right now...... but he decided not to spit the welcome back, even if it was a cold one. He walked to the bed and leaned over, looking Elyen over.** Tough luck, kid. Who did this to you? That Darian character? **There was a big plus every now and then when you were Anaisi....... and this was one of those moments.** I think I can heal you, but you'll still be a little weak. Anyway, about An'Thaya..... I know where she is. She's in Rauldac's manse........ the top-most chambre. From what I gather she's being looked after, but I'm not sure what'd happen if Darian went to find her or use her against you. **Suriel's eyes filled with concern, a pale blue taking over the white. This was going to be a difficult journey.**
Very well, Gabrielle. I accept. Let us go to this castle and gather the ashes. She begins walking away and I follow. "I'll take you to the place," she says to me. Very well. We walk towards the castle, keeping to our own thoughts at first, planning the future events . . . .
Standing below the balcony I look up. It's a good ways up. I pick Gabrielle up and unfurl my wings. Raising them, I then beat them down furiously again and again, lifting us up into the air and towards the balcony. I push us away from it and fly over it, so the wind of my wings will not scatter the ashes. Then, I stop altogether and fall to the platform. I set down the lady and keep an eye on the door, keeping an eye out for the traitorous vampire Darian.
I had moved steadily around the area that An'thaya lay inscribing Runes upon the ground creating shields that could keep even a god away, the Runes kept even the air out forcing me to generate it mineself through use of yet other Runes but twas difficult as the air remained thin but I breathed it practicedly that I twould not become weak from lack of air, the shields were strong indeed but the one thing of them was that each shield would withstand till five beings had perished against it, with five Rune nets twould take some time, magic could not unfold it or shatter it for mine magic was too alien.
I resumed mine kneeling position upon both knees mine back straight as I kept mine senses alert for even the sound of dust scraping the floor for nothing would get through those shields that surrounded us even through the floor in a perfect sphere without mine knowledge.
A fear I had was that Elyen or another of good heart would not see them in time and be caught by the magic, I shook my head and traced further Runes careful with the detail needed until it was complete, around me glowed the Rune Nets and any of good heart would see them, twas in a manner like mine veil of shadows save that those Runes would kill.
I had laid mine Sir'ling set beside me on mine right Noria and Nightfire creating a cross road with their sheaths upon mine back, Key lay in mine lap the long serated edge arching back as Nightfire and Noria did save they did not hold the serated edge or the slightly larger head.
I twas prepared as best I could for the time being and now could only wait.
Odd things were afoot in the land of man, Chez felt the cool touch of the White Witch as he stepped through the portal from Inligh. Bits of information formed a tangled web in the Changelings mind, An'Thaya's death, Rauldac's topor... the death of the Dark Rose. The dissappearance of a certain High Elf turned Gangrel. Change was in the air, the past torn, irrepably rended. He was a being of memory, light, and truth. What others forgot, he would always remember.... though it be painful to do so.
The White Witch had bidden him to keep her secrets, to keep from Thaya the truth of her past. And so he would, for the truth could only destroy her. She would never know she had ever loved another then Elyen. Most Amazon's took more than one bondmate, but she was more than Amazon, and her fate lay with Elyen now... only one true love for Princess An'Thaya D'riel.
Lost in these thoughts Chez slipped his dark sunglasses on to hide his liquid gold eyes. He would help where he could, the Vampires could not harm him, he was a living shield for the others. Of course, if the Gangrel ever discovered the secret of his essence he would become a prime target, but as it was, they desired only blood. Looking up at the stark white exterior of the hospital he sighed, these humans... they had developed a taste for ugly architecture.
The nurse on duty looked a bit shaken, the Changeling wondered what had happened to make her so. She looked him up and down briefly, then barked out a room number and hastened away. He could only assume it was Elyen's room number... apparently others had arrived before him.
The others proved to be Marion the theif, Lord Paladin High Elf, and an Eternal. Chez had never met the later, but new what he was immeadiately. Without a word he stepped in, trying to judge the expression on Elyen's face... shock? A mix of disbelief and pain? What had the eternal said to induce such a reaction?
'An'Thaya', the High Elf thought as he heard the name mentioned, it tugged at him. He vaguely remembered a red haired Amazon Queen for centuries past. Before he could ask a question Paladin's ears picked up the approach of another so he turned to greet the stranger, his hand slipping into his jacket to the butt of his gun. The High Elf looked at the tall man that appeared, something in the back of his mind gnawed at him. A memory fragment told the High Elf he knew this man, but the name eluded him.
"Greetings, old friend," the High Elf said carefully - trying to cover up his lost memory as he drew his hand away from the sidearm.
The elf blinked at Suriel. Oh, he recognized the Eternal alright. What he didn't understand was what Suriel was doing in the hospital. The guy didn't look too beat up. But angels didn't get hurt like that. Maybe Suriel was there to collect him...
Fatalistic thinking like that is gonna get you killed, elf. He laughed, or tried to, laughter burbling up as choking coughs.
"'Thaya?" He frowned, not certain if he heard the name right, or if Suriel was playing a cruel joke on him. "I know where she lies as well, Suriel." He smiled bitterly, remembering. "In the arms of the White Witch."
Vaguely, through the haze of memories, he registered Chez's appearance. "Chez? What are you doing here?"
**Suriel shook his head and frowned as he noticed how bad Elyen really was. He let his eyes go pure blue willingly, hovering his hands over the elf's body, feeling the injuries out.** No, friend. She's not with her Goddess. **He spoke softly, kindly, trying to ease the blow just a little. If he didn't handle this carefully the poor boy could end up in shock. He barely noticed the Changeling enter the room, had it not been for the strong presense the tall one had.** I might not be from the same theological branch, but I still have my conections. An'Thaya is alive, and under the protection of another creatrue, for how long I don't know. **He closed his eyes and spoke a few words in his native tongue, light beginning to glow around his hands as the wounds started to close at the Eternal's touch. The problem with Anaisi is when they heal someone that fast, the person can feel it itching, sometimes burning. He hoped to dull the pain and take it into himself the best he could, but few Anaisi could take the complete suffering of another and live. He whispered softly to the others.** He needs more blood.........
Elyen said the name 'Chez', and a chord in the deepest recesses of the High Elf's mind jarred, but that was stalled when the conversation switched back to the one called An'Thaya.
"Where is she?" the High Elf demanded, he knew that she was known to him, a friend to him, but little else could he remember. Paladin knew however, once a friend always a friend, and if she was in any form of danger he had to help her.
A many faceted question.... Chez slid his sunglasses off, stuffing them into his shirt pocket. His golden eyes glowed softly in sympathy for the his friend. He looked to the Eternal, Elyen's question would have to wait until he had the capacity to understand the answer. Instead, the Changeling sought an answer to Suriel's statement... "He needs more blood."
"Elven blood is hard to come across in this dimension," he turned his gaze on Paladin, "I take it you are a match? Can you supply more blood than you already have?" He assumed Paladin had been the doner, the doctors wouldn't have given Elyen human blood. If they had, it was no wonder he was so weak. The only other match for the elf had dissappeared on the back of a motorcycle some time ago.
**Just like always, the poor elf always ended up in something that wasn't meant to be. He'd been walking down the sidewalk in front on this big building..... a hospital for what he'd gathered....... and then he saw the policemen. Now usually in this part of the world humans weren't so forgiving with those with pointy ears, so Railen thought it best to just walk by them and hope they didn't see him. They were busy talking, so he figured he had a pretty good chance.....** Humans aren't the brightest bunch on the tree. **Right when he thought he was home free one of them shouted out and Railen stopped dead in his tracks.** "Hey you! If you're looking for your friend he's in there." **He didn't like the way he put that and guessed it was another elf he was talking about, but he noticed the officer pointing up to the big building.** An elf in a human hospital? Here? In this part of the world? Gods, he must have a death wish. **Well he couldn't just let a fellow elven-type suffer in this crummy place, so he walked in and looked around, the nurse at the desk just turned around and ran screaming through the door behind the desk. Railen just blinked.** Do I smell? Do I have something on my face? What? **It wasn't long before another woman came out and told him a room number. He didn't argue. He might as well go and see who it was. When he got there the door was blocked by a strangely familiar big body.** Chez?
*My bare feet touched the coolness of the balcony floor and I looked down at the ashes with a frown. I had never seen the result of the sun burning before... and it was hard to imagine that what I saw before me could be the beautiful Rose. With a cautious glance around I knelt down, pulling out an old-fashioned clay jar just big enough for the task. I needed to be carefull at this stage... if I lost enough ashes, it might be impossible to bring her back. I thought back to the new and strange powers I had experienced with Kellaeth. I could still feel something within me as I thought of Rose, thought of how I began to love her. My heart within my chest began to feel warmth and I held my hand over the ashes and closed mine eyes. There was a small blast of wind that flaired my hair out as the ashes spiralled up in a small tornado, finally gathering in an almost liquid-looking pool below my hand. I raised the jar and carefully guided the precious material into it, quickly replacing the lid and breathing for the first time since the heat began. I looked up at Lothar and nodded, hearing something in the other room. Placing the jar out of sight I stood next to my new partner, ready for anything to come.*
"I..." Elyen frowned, looking from Suriel, to Paladin, to Chezlar, to Marion, and back to Suriel again. He tried to ignore the itch spreading through his body along the mangled veins, and focused his gaze on the bag of blood seeping strength back into him.
"Honestly, I'll be fine." Elyen flashed a smile at his friends. "Nothing a little sleep won't help." The elf looked at the bag. From what he knew of human operations, the doctor would be in to see if he needed more blood in a while, the bag being three-quarters empty.
I can't take more blood from the humans. They need it more than I do... Elyen frowned, trying to remember if detaching the tube from his hand would do more harm than good... One will never know if one never tries.
Words that could be applied to his Situation as well. The elf sighed inwardly, then made up his mind. Reaching over decisively, he braced himself against the sting. Then he tugged the needle out, leaving blood spurting from the needle, trailing macabre splashes across the white sheets. The elf clapped a hand over his bleeding hand, and frantically looked around for binding to staunch the blood flow.
"I'm alright," he murmured under his breath as he swung his legs over the side of the bed and fought vertigo. Words meant to reassure both his friends and himself. Still clasping his hand to his chest, the elf looked up through sunken eyes at the Eternal.
"Take me to her."
Was this death? The Amazon was aware, she had been award for quite some time. The familiar touch of the White Witch had been there in the beginning, always comforting, reassuring her chosen. An'Thaya had watched as Galain left, spirited away by the Outrider. She had cried out to him, begged him not to leave her here alone in the darkness.
Elyen.. she had watched him endure things that would have killed a human. The light that had been in his eyes had vanished, replaced by a hopelessness... and anger. After a time he had left also... born away by helping hands.
For awhile she had been alone, and then her Goddess had returned to her, "It is time for you Spirit to return Ad'rish, time for you to forget the darkness. You are of the light, you must walk within it once more." The Amazon had resisted, "To forget the darkness is to forget those I have loved!," she shook her head, "I cannot return without that which Darian has stolen."
"That is for Elyen to reclaim, his alone to restore to you Ad'rish," the Goddess bade her to follow, "The price you pay for life is to forget your time with Galain and what it has cost you." The Amazon had stood her ground, a love that had lasted centuries was not so easy to forsake... yet life was offered, and Elyen....
In the end she had followed the will of her Goddess, returned to her earthly form to wait in silence. She was aware of Kellath... but only just.... she barely new him, but trusted him to protect her when she could do nothing. Now there was just the waiting.... and the empty places in her mind where another love had once walked....
Paladin put a firm hand on the other Elf's shoulder, locking his eyes on the others.
"Not in that state Elyen," he said firmly. "Let me look first," the Elf Lord said as he started to see down into the pattern that made up one of his oldest friends. The Elf locked the state of Elyens pattern in his minds, even as he started to visualise the repaired pattern, then began the slow process of altering the first to match the second. taking care not to cause Elyen more injury.
"How's that feel?" he asked a few minutes later, once he had done all he could.
Loud arguing sounded in the hall as a nurse tried to stop a young woman from leaving.
"Miss! Please, you have to wait for the doctor to come in! It will only be a few minutes."
"Hah. You said that nearly an hour ago! Look, I'm fine, and I want to leave. You really can't stop me from walking out of my own free will can you?" Replied a pale woman with ebony hair.
Turning, she stood facing the nurse impatience showing through her usually calm exterior. "I really don't see any reason for me to stay here when I feel just fine."
"Miss, please, don't cause a scene. . .we just want to make sure that there's no internal bleeding or anything."
As her burgundy cape settled about her shoulders covering her long black dress, Ceria pulled her white cane in to its folds. "I am tired, bored, and above all, hungry, therefore I'm going to leave and find someplace to stay and get some food before all the hotels close."
Having finished, Ceria turned again and headed towards the exit, sweeping her cane ahead of her to warn her of anything blocking her path.
Hope is a strange entity. Fragile as new-spun thread, yet strong as adamantine steel. Its birth and death could span centuries, or a mere moment. Hope is a healer. Hope is a killer. Hope is always by you, and Hope is always gone. Hope is a strange entity.
Elyen nodded once as Paladin drew away. They had to move, and now. Move, or risk losing hope. His gaze rested on the window. The flamboyant elf of old would have leapt from the bed and sprung out the window, somersaulting onto the street below. The old Elyen would have recovered in an eyeblink, and have cracked a joke the second he opened his eyes.
Looks like Darian did get what he wanted after all.
Defeatist thinking never got anyone anywhere, so he pushed the thought aside and stood up, a hand resting on Paladin's shoulder, patting it once. "Now, someone's got to do a little way-finding." He didn't know the route to the hospital from Rauldac's manse, and so he didn't know the way back. Paladin and Marion would have to lead the way, Suriel taking over once they reach the mansion.
A stray thought ambled into his mind. Hmm, why do I not want to know how they managed to check me in...? The elf looked at his two worried friends and smiled lopsidedly. "Quit frowning like that. You might get wrinkles."
Chez had been about to tell Elyen the reason for his presence there, when something smacked him in the back of the leg. Turning he found himself looking down on a pale, dark haired, blind woman. "Can I offer assistance Mi'lady?," he inquired as he dodged another swing of her cane...
Swinging her cane back around to rest it in front of her, Ceria snorted. "Yeah. You can get outa my way. I've got things to do."
Sighing inwardly Ceria took in the voices of those in the background. She had turned the right direction to get to the exit hadn't she?
Startled by her demeanor... Chezlar stepped back, "My apologies Mi'lady, I did not mean to hinder your way." A smile quirked the corner of his mouth, for a small woman she had great spirit. He suddenly remembered his mission, "If you will excuse me, I have matters to attend to also."
Turning back into the room he strode across the the edge of the bed, "I think it would be wise if you accepted a transfusion from either Paladin here, or Railen. You cannot help An'Thaya if you are weak... and going to An'Thaya now will not help her either. There is something you must do first, accept a transfusion and I will reveal to you the secret with which I was sent." He hated being cryptic with a friend, but he had no choice, Elyen was notoriously stubborn.
**He listened quietly at first, then waited through an unusually awkward silence before stepping foreward.** I'll give my blood. Anything for an uh...... old friend. **Railen tried to smile as he looked from face to face, but with the situation running grimmer by the minute he felt a little out of place with his cheery disposition, so he cleared his throat and nodded.** Yes, well....... shall we get on with it, then? **Railen offered Elyen a seat next to the bed and looked around, searching.** Now, who knows how to do this, eh? Times a-waisting.
Elyen looked across the bed at Chezlar, cradling his newly-healed hand close to his chest. He heard the concern behind his old friend's voice, but he also heard the threat. Do as I say, or I will not help you. Moments stretched into awkward silence as he looked into the changeling's golden eyes, measuring, considering. Then, low enough to disappear into the silence, he spoke.
"You have never bargained with me before, Chezlar of the Royal House of Inligh. Why now?"
The elf was aware of his weakened state, his diminished vitality because of the diluted blood running through his veins. But this was not the first time human blood played substitute for his elven own. Centuries spent alone in a human world saw to that. Given time, he could regain his strength, the blood slowly being incorporated, recycled and replenished by the body's circulatory system. In the meantime, he knew ways to counter his diminished capabilities.
The elf looked over at Railen. "I... am honoured by your sacrifice, Railen. But I... I don't know... I'm not sure about this transfusion thing. An... She's been alive all this time, and I need to get to her. I can't waste time." Softly, he added almost to himself, "I can't fail again."
The elf turned to Chezlar again, but saw the stranger watching him over Suriel's shoulder, a dark form. His eyes flickered, shutters closing over his inner turmoil even as he triggered the human seeming.
Never again.
Ceria was a bit sheepish about having snapped at the man, she really was, but she just wasn't in the mood to talk, she needed air. Once she had managed to find her way outside, not that the air was very good out there, she found herself in a park eventually.
Not finding any kind of trail, Ceria just wandered through the trees and grass. The air was just a little cool and she quickly calmed down and found a tree to lean against while she sat and listened to the night.
Marion had zoned out once again, wondering how she could have been all through that stupid manse and not seen An'Thaya. Well, they'd seen the ashes, hadn't they? As a human, she didn't take all that quickly to matters of magic and mysticism, although she was getting quite good at it thanks to years and years of being involved with them. The resurrection thing was new to her though.
And then she realized what was going on between Paladin and the Armani-clad fellow. "Hey," she yelled, flying to her feet, her hand almost magnetically drawn to her whip. "Both of you, put the guns away. We really could do without the attention right now. Got it?" Dark eyes traveled from elf to Italian and back again as she waited.
Rhianna let her part elven blood pull her to the hospital. Her dagger throbbed at her hip, warning her there was danger here. Down a corridor she saw the flash of a weapon being drawn and cursed.
Shela aran, tie the weapon,
Desha nara, bind it tight
Shela aran, hide them both
Desha nara, out of sight.
As soon as the thought of the spell left her, Rhianna felt like she had been punched in the stomach, her magic coming back and hitting her off guard.
Well well, this place dont work with magic... should be fun...
Suddenly the High Elf stumbled back a little, catching the bed to keep from falling over.
"What the..." he hissed, but he knew. Someone had tried binding him, not a thing tried in over seven hundred years and then the last attempt had failed as well. Then as now the Elf had felt the force and then as now he knew the caster would feel a small backwash from the spell. Paladin pushed himself back up shaking his head to remove the dizziness that the attempted spell had caused.
Chez watched the confrontation....with an air of unconcern, turning once again to address Elyen's question. "I have no wish to see you die," he responded simply, "You cannot go up against Darian in your current state, and you must retrieve that which was taken from you before the Amazon may be ressurected." He paused, great golden eyes unblinking, "And their is something you must agree to before her life is restored. Secrets build and destroy, but so do truths, and in her case, the truth will be her undoing."
I gazed down at An'thaya's still features, the moments seemed to pass like years as I waited for Elyen to come. I clutched my side where a Vampire had bitten me when a group of them had managed to topple me. I had dealt with them and their charred forms still lay about the ground as I strode away from An'thaya and reweaved the Runes to shield us.
I was not concerned about the wound save that the creatures maddened bite had managed to cause enough pain that my change was coming. I had barely been enough and so my change was slowly coming, the scarline along my forearms and face had split and my armor pulsed through it more with each moment.
It was like a throbing vine coursing with eletrical flames with my blood trickling about it's edges. My wounds were healing as my body did save around my change and I felt the pulse of my change take place in my eyes where inflamed with emerald flames.
Elyen looked at Chezlar. "And what do you suggest for me to do?" He looked out the window.
"Whatever it is, we have to hurry. I've lost so much time just by being here."
Now that that little situation was diffused... Marion smiled at Paladin and took her leave of him, making her way over to Elyen and Chezlar. She only caught the last bit about hurrying. "Just tell me what to do," she said, grinning. There was no way she was going to be left out of this. She wouldn't loose another friend to this place.
Realizeing the elf was not about to give in...Chez paused for a moment. "If you are not willing to take the transfusion that is your decision," he looked over his shoulder at Marion, a helpless expression on his face. "I can only offer my aide and my sword when we arrive at Rauldac's Manse." Stepping away from the bed he gestured towards the door, "Shall we begin our quest?"
Rhianna's eyes narrowed as the elf unconcernedly aimed the gun at her shoulder.
I wouldn't, if I were you. Rhianna said, feeling the dagger at her side jump excitedly. The last person that tried that died, and I mean you no harm.
Instead she stood and watched an obviously blood-lessened elf try to rise from a hospital bed.
The innocent, small part of her that wished to heal without prejudice cried out... but was silenced by the more sensible part of her which decided it would be more prudent to hide as much of her talents as possible.
For now...
Elyen looked steadily at Chezlar, then shook his head minutely. "We go now. Discharging shouldn't take too long." The elf's lip stretched slowly, a smile that didn't quite finish. He walked past his bed, out of the room, then towards the door, not checking to see if the others followed him.
Glamourie on, they couldn't see him. He smiled without humour, turning on his heels just outside the hospital to check that the others were following him.
Sometimes, it was good being a sidhe.
Chez followed Elyen out of the room. The elf was determined, and the Changeling couldn't blame him... his beloved stood a chance of returning to the living, who wouldn't be eager to make it happen.
Paladin shook his head again to clear it as he holstered his gun and barged out after the other two.
"Marion, coming?" he asked over his shoulder as he broke into a run to catch them. They were waiting outside as he got through the door. Placing a cigarette in his mouth he looked from one to the other as he lit it. The flickering flame casting small dancing shadows on his Elen features. "Now where old friends?" he said flatly as he exhaled a cloud of blue acrid smoke.
"Where to?" Elyen turned around, then frowned at the cigarette. Th elf never liked the particular odour that accompanied the cigarette. But he shrugged, believing that others had other ways to deal with problems.
"We go to the Gangrel Mansion, I think." He frowned. The bond between Amazon and Elf had faded over the "death", and he wasn't so sure anymore... but something told him to go back....
Marion bolted out the door and after the others. "Of course I'm coming," she declared, grinning mischieviously. "Breaking and entering? I'm your thief."
Lacking the undecisiveness of the others.... Chezlar whistled for a cab. When it stopped he slid his sunglasses on and bent to talk to the driver. "Get in," he instructed the others, but lay a hand on Suriel's shoulder. "We will meet you there." The Changeling didn't fit well in a cab, besides the fact that they both stood out in public, he and the angel had other means of transporation that was indeed a tad bit quicker. Opening the back door of the cab for Marion he smiled, "Mi'lady, your carriage awaits."
Elyen raised an eyebrow at the cab. Where to? Oh, the vampire's mansion that you humans seem to miss a lot. He bit on his tongue and swallowed the comment though, willing to concede this small fight to Chezlar.
Fight? When did it become a fight?
Marion took the front seat, then gave street directions. He sat behind, looking out the window and brooding.
Perched on a spire.... Chezlar watched for the cab, it should have been here by now. Looking across at Suriel he raised an inquisitive eyebrow, should they go look for it? Just then the cab rounded the curb and pulled up at the gates...
I was kneeling, trembling furiously, my bodies change had completed and my thirty foot wings like those of a great dragon, my body was covered in a substance that looked like liquidfied bone that had been poured over me in a certain pattern.
I resembled now a demon the only evidances of what I had been previously, were the braids that still chimed with movement and the wind, my face remained the same save the color of my skin had changed and my eyes now were flaming orbs of emerald.
My clawed hands flexed as if eager for someone to come, my Rune Rage had been invoked by battle and so now that was what I was orianted on, to fight, and I would do so.
'Elyen' I thought within my shell of death, 'Hurry' I only hoped that I would be able to stop from killing him and the others with him for I knew magic even that of gods could not touch me in this form.
Marion stepped out of the cab, hoping she hadn't hurt anyone's feelings by declining the backseat and sitting up front. After all, she had spent quite some time sleeping outside the manse waiting for sign of certain friends...
"So what's the plan," she asked after the cab zoomed away, its driver left unpaid and ignorant to the fact. "Last time I was here I just sorta walked in, but I don't think we'll be doing that this time."
Rhianna whispered a few quick, quiet words of a long dead magick a lone mage had taught her... the power of transformation.
Slowly, in the quiet back alley she had chosen she assumed the form of a snowy white owl and followed the cab, making note to stay out of the way of the changeling and his companion.
As she flew silently, Rhianna began to question her actions. Her gut had only failed her once before... but this made her wonder if it was about to fail again...
As they pulled up to the mansion a feeling she knew all too well flowed all over her.
The power of attraction to the kind of creature that lived in the building had almost killed her once. She had killed him... and most of her soul.
Resuming her form out of sight she waited. If needed... she would follow the Elf named Elyen...
If not...
Darian growled as he paced the length of his rooms. Lothar was missing, Gabrielle was missing. The Gangrel he had sent after them had been useless offal, returning with nothing more than rumours spread among the general public. He wanted them alive, ready to be manacled and tortured. Especially Gabrielle. That whore who betrays their Sire... He could feel their treacherous plots in his bones.
The Gangrel had much on his mind. Another thing weighed heavy. For the past few days, a presence tinged the manse's aura with a strange half-light. The presence emanated from an upper room, lying in disuse. Dust lay on the door's handle. The Prince had sent ghouls up to investigate, had gone up himself, and every time, he had been repelled by some strange force. He came close to ripping the corridors to pieces in his frustration.
And now...
Now there were those elven fools back for more punishment. This time with a winged idiot, and a fellow with height disorder. Darian sneered. Did they truly think to overcome him on his own grounds?
The Gangrel called for his appointed guards, ghouls and lesser vampires who knew the halls of this manse more intimately then they knew their lost souls. "Guard these halls," he told them. "Take out the strangers."
The vampires would prefer capturing their victims, so they can partake in elven blood. But they were not above the use of a sniper rifle or two...
Elyen looked up at the tower. He could feel something there, right at the top. "No, we're not going to climb over the gates. We're going to wait till mid-noon, then walk through the gates. I refuse to expend excess energy. The vampires will be weaker in the afternoon, when the sun is brightest."
As the others waited below... Chezlar spiraled up into the sunlight... "The manse seems a bit gloomy don't you think?," he grinned at Suriel. Without waiting for a response he alit on a window ledge. The heavy wooden shutters and been drawn closed for the day, but they could not withstand the inhuman strength of a Changeling. Ripping them free of their hinges he tossed them aside, grinning slightly as several lesser Gangrel within squealed and ran for cover. "Lighten up!," his golden eyes twinkled with amusement. (Yes, the Changeling actually has a rather sick sense of humour) Springing away from the ledge he headed for another....
Marion looked down at her watch and frowned when she realized it read six forty-five. Blasted thing was only good twice a day.
"Hey Chez," the theif called as she leapt up on the gate. "Go easy on 'em, okay?" Yes, Marion had heard what Elyen proposed, but she wanted to stretch, and the best way to do that was to climb up and down a gate a few times.
My head rose and I bared my fanged teeth that riveled any vampires canines. I heard something, screams of pain, as well as the sound of wood being broken, I stretched my wings to their full length hunching over and roared from the depths of my beastial rage.
I did not leave the chamber, if the sounds were of Elyen coming then this was the time I need be here the most, Darian might make an attempt to come through my barriers once more.
If he tried to do so they would kill him, but if he had learned from his past experiences with the use of his chyldren then he could use of their bodies to break the five layers of my shield.
If that occured I would have to fight him myself, he was powerful I knew, one of the elder Vampires and thus with powers unknown to basic knowledge and often even to in depth knowledge.
But I knew that even if I could not kill him, that I could stop him from touching An'thaya should that be a part of his plains. I had done something to the coffer that she lay within, something I could not do to the shields, but would kill anyone who touched it, save Elyen
Just lighting up their lives a bit... Chez assured Marion as he zipped by the gate. The light streaming through the windows drove the lesser Gangrel deeper into the mansion, and hopefully out of their path. At the next window one was brave enough to attack, sinking his fangs into the Changelings arm. He was rewarded with a mouth full of silicon, Chez's base form. Recoiling it hissed and attacked again, with destain the Changeling grabbed the unfortunate creature and dragged it into the light. The sunlight struck and Chez let go, quickly diving out of the way to avoid the spray of dust. "I hate vampires," he muttered to himself, "Nasty critters."
He winced as Chezlar "lit up" the vampires' lives. He wasn't sure if he wanted to take out the entire gangrel clan. After all, his score was with a certain princeling.
"Marion, nevermind. I expect that it's fine that we walk in now. Chezlar seems to be doing a pretty efficient job."
Marion's sense of humor wasn't sick, or twisted, it was just spawned from her small problems with attention span. The thief leapt down from the gate and bounded towards the manse, her whip as yet left at her belt so she didn't trip.
She had a score to settle with these vampires. They'd taken two of her best friends, driven another insane, and indirectly caused the suicide of her oldest companion. And if Marion had her way, she'd settle it with a smile on her face.
Chezlar paused and hovered for a moment...giving Elyen a rather sheepish look, so he was alittle gung ho. Watching Marion he deduced he wasn't the only one, spinning down the the earth he watched her approach. "Allow me," he kicked the door open for the chargeing theif and bowed, "After you Mi'lady
From deep within the crypt comes a silent scream.
A scream that rises and falls like waves crashing upon the rocky shore.
Marion nodded her thanks to the changeling and uncoiled her whip. "Shall we," asked, raising an eyebrow to her old friend. The thief charged the first gangrel she saw, lashing out with her whip. There weren't enough vampires in this manse for her to take her full revenge on, but those she could get to would do for now.
Chez paused long enough... to make sure Elyen was following, then entered the shadowy confines of the manse. He knocked out another window, stepping back as the nearest Gangrel burst into flame. "Nasty," he observed, "Horrible way to go." He wondered for a moment what Marion was going to kill the vampires with... a whip wasn't exactly an effective stake. But, knowing the theif he was sure she would compensate somehow. He concentrated on guarding Elyen, the elf was An'Thaya's only hope at this point, no one else could penetrate the sheilds taht protected the Amazon.
As they moved toward the manse Paladin drew his dagger and passed it to Marion.
"You might need this old friend," he said to her with a cigarette bobbing up and down with each word. Continuing on to the huge building the Elf Lord drew his gun and sword. As they moved through the house Paladins sword flashed in the dim light. As one flamed near Chez another came to close to the High Elf. In a long sweeping arc the sword bit through the Vampires neck, the head flying off spraying reddish-black ichor as it went. The body, blood spraying from the neck turned black and fell to the floor with a dull thud.
Within her dreamless state An'Thaya was aware, senseing her protector and the change he was enduring. Her spirit brushed past him, reassureing, all would be well. Winding down dark corridors, past the chill of the Gangrels, past the shuffleing blood slaves.... Elyen
Amidst the battle below she found him, touched the bond that still vibrated in the aftermath of her death. The tattoo on his arm grew warm as she slipped closer to his awareness, an barely seen flicker in the perifial of his vision. Melda... this way.... Whispering to him through the bond she led him towards Darian and the jewel he had stolen....
Elyen had followed in Chezlar's wake, looking for smashed furniture, holding a gun before him. He needed to find... ah, there it was! Quickly, he stooped to pick up what appears to be a leg off a broken chair. Then he smiled grimly and charged behind Chezlar, guarding the changeling's back, even as the changeling tried to protect him.
Come to the nice stake, vampies...
Then he heard the call, and he blinked for a moment, allowing a particular vamp to kick his shin, bringing him to one knee. An'Thaya? The elf suppressed a groan of pain and pushed himself to his feet, bringing the stake up along with him. The vamp reeled back, impaled on the wood. Elyen shook his head sharply, as if to clear it. Then he followed the summons.
Running, not caring if he got caught by the vampires or not, the elf broke away from the main group and followed where half of his soul called for him.
Marion caught the dagger, sticking it into her belt with some degree of difficulty. After all, she had a vampire ensnared on the end of her whip. She reached towards the small of her back and removed a sharp pointy wooden stake. "I'm not entirely stupid," she muttered, mentally yelling insults at everyone who'd second guessed her. She also made a point to use her personal dagger within the next few minutes, just to prove a point.
It's not all hack and slash, she thought, jamming the stake through the vampire's breast. Style is important too. She left the dead undead *bwink?* behind and reached into her side-pouch for another stake.
An'Thaya's spirit led Elyen on through the manse.. she slowed a bit, not wanting to leave the others too far behind. She would not blindly lead him into something he could not handle. "Rest a moment Melda, you need the others to reach me." As she paused she reached out with another part of her self, questing for the tear that had been part of her for so long. She felt the cold presence of Darian, the jewel was on his person.
When it felt her presence the tear warmed against the vampires skin, the magic of the White Witch coming to life. With its own will it reached out, compelling him to take it to the breast on which it had rested for centuries....
I turned my head as I felt something brush me and I knew suddenly what was happening but I struggled not to rush forward to aid in the oncoming party, 'No I cannot.....she bid me to remain here till he came.....'
I remained there standing quietly as I gazed down at An'thaya's features which seemed to hold a growing life and I yearned to further aid in returning her to the splender of her life.
I felt helpless, what if Elyen should be attacked and killed, then my vigle would be for naught, and yet if I left and her body left unguarded the undead within this mansion could spirit away her body or destroy it.
I drew Noria, the mate not just in its creation to Nightfire, but the soul within the was the wife to the soul that lay within Nightfire, its makers, husband in wife who shared a craft and dedicated their life to those two blades creation, and became part of them.
'Noria......' I spoke to her, 'Go to Elyen.....aid him in this quest for his love.....protect him as you have protected me........' I released her and for a moment she floated before me singing to her love before they agreed and she vanished.
'Don't worry Nightfire.........she shall return.......I promise....' Nightfire had fallen silent when she had gone, I felt my change fading and once more stood with my cloak bellowing about me in a strong breeze.
The Elf Lord swung his sword with devasting accuracy, even as his gun was dispencing hot lead with an degree of success. Through the melee Paladin was aware of Elyens departure.
"Shit," he cursed. "Marion, Chez, follow me, Elyen is off on his own," Paladin hollared as he cut and shot his way to the door. Through the house the Elen followed the striped haired Elf, covering his back, pausing once to change the clips in his gun.
"Elyen, wait," Paladin called after the other. "It's not safe here," he called as he beheaded a Gangrel who had tried to get the drop on him from a side corridor he passed.
"Elyen's off on his own!" Marion caught Paladin's call above the melee and dispatched her latest playmate quickly before taking off after Paladin.
"Oh balls," the thief muttered, fishing for a stake as she ran. She didn't have that many left, and when she ran out...well, she'd burn that bridge after she crossed it.
Chez followed along behind Elyen, he wondered where the High Elf was getting the energy, in the hospital he had looked like he was on deaths doorstep.... here he looked like he was possessed by the devil. A particularily fiesty Gangrel got his teeth into the Changeling and he found himself having to resort to his sword, "They get tougher as we get closer to our destination," he observed, "Perhaps it would be wise to slow down a bit." Elyen didn't seem to hear him though, he was looking at something Chez couldn't see. He had a good idea what it was though...
The Elens normally sapphire blue eyes were now steel grey, his jaw clenched as he fought for every foot trying to got to the other Elf. Paladins sword, and and clothes were covered in the befouled black blood of the Vampires. Behind the three of them was a swathe of blackened corpses, their blood soaking the carpet, Human, Elf, Changeling and clothing. The Elfs was down to one clip for his gun as well and still the foul host of Gangrel literally poured down on them. Swords flashed, heads and limbs flew off, the blood went everywhere, but with each one that went down they drew near to Elyen, albeit slowly.
Everything seemed to be drenched in the same black-red color as Marion stopped with her back to the wall to catch her breath. She'd not lost all that much blood, after all, she'd only allowed two or three of the gangrel to get within arm's reach without being "properly restrained" by her whip, but she was still getting tired.
"Bloody hell," she panted, stepping away from the wall to dodge an attack from an oncoming vampiress. "Where do they keep coming from?" The thief reached into her satchel for a stake and blinked in horror- it was empty. The gangrel came at her again and Marion dealt her a swift kick to the chest, drawing Paladin's dagger from the small of her back and taking her own in her left hand. Her whip, for the present, was draped around her neck.
This can't be good, she thought, dispatching the vampiress. Marion looked around and then jogged down the hall to meet her next challenge. By Hermes I'm tired...
Elyen was too quiet...and the vampires too numerous. Chez took mental tally of his companions, noteing that Marion was tireing. Catching up to the stripe haired elf he nudged him slightly as he knocked a vampire to the side. "Elyen? We should hurry." Exchangeing a worried glance with Paladin he changed his grip on his sword, "They are developing a blood lust." Chez wondered briefly why there had to a full moon when they entered a vampires lair... always the worst circumstances.
Paladin cleaved the legs off yet another attacking Gangrel, catching the look in Chez's eye, he nodded as he put his last round into a Vampire heading there way. With the gun now useless the Elf returned it to it's holster before running a Gangrel through the heart and savagely moving the blade to the side, ripping through the side of the body and slicing through the arm. The Elen Lord was tiring fast abd the attackers were coming thicker. From a side corridor Paladin saw five more in a group.
"How many of the bastards of are there?" he growled as he released a bolt of fire from his free hand, incinerating them instantly. "Chez, we have got to get out of here, before we are all dead," the Elf said to the tall changeling.
Marion panted quietly and groaned when still more gangrel made their appearance. "And what are we supposed to do," she asked, rising back to her full height, "leave him here?"
Paladins clip was empty, Marion was tired, and Elyen seemed to have entered a walking dream state. The majority of the vamps were coming from behind, they had entered fast and bypassed alot of open space. Chez looked around the room for viable options, furniture was scarce, but there was a heavy door ahead. "Through there," he pointed ahead, watching as the others moved towards it. He hefted his sword, glanceing down at it for a moment... it was rather heavy. Reaching into the satchel at his waist he dipped into the gold powder that had been a gift from the WhiteWitch.
He annointed the blade as he backed towards the door, hefting the steel for weight again... it was featherlight. He pressed the hilt into Marion's hand, "Here, you'll find this more effective." He didn't give her a chance to answer, Elyen and Paladin had already reached the other side of the door, and the Changeling propelled the human woman through. He looked her in the eye as he grabbed the double set of doors and began to draw them closed between them, "Run," the tone in his voice was flat, "Get Elyen to An'Thaya." The doors slammed shut and the bar slid into place....
"Thank-" Marion began to say when Chez pushed her through the door and shut it behind her. "-you." She stared at the heavy door for a moment and then felt someone pulling on her sleeve. The gesture did its work and the thief turned and began running.
Please Gods, she prayed as she made her way down the corridor. I know I don't often turn your way, but...keep him safe.
Paladin heard the door slam and spun round. Marion had Chez's sword but where was he.
"Chez," Paladin yelled pounding the door uselessly. "Damn it," he growled. Shaking his head he turned to the thief. "Let's get moving, maybe he's going to try and buy us some time," he said. "I'll cover our backs," the Elf added as he shifted his blade from hand to hand.
Elyen felt himself propelled into a room, but he shook his head and walked slightly to the left. "Not this way," he said softly. There was some place... above. Up. To the left, there's a catch...
He ran his hand, felt a catch, triggered it... revealing stairs.
"Here we go." He smiled grimly and began his climb up. "C'mon. They're up there waiting..."
Darian frowned, not entirely sure why he felt this compulsion to visit that accursed tower again. The prince had dismissed the arrival of the suicidal elf and his friends, choosing instead to visit the site of his frustration for the past week or so. For the first time in two days, the vampire was visiting the room again, curious to know. Accompanied by flunkies, he tread past darkened corridors.
He rounded the corridor, then stopped, letting surprise colour sharp features for an instant before smiling to himself.
The elf stood at the other end of the corridor, looking worse than when he had left. Tenacity can be so over-rated... thought the vampire as he drew his sword.
Darkness and light in the same corridor, both creatures that felt pain they could not express. One because he could not, the other because he would not. The Jewel now vibrated with its siren song, filling the vampires fevered mind with nothing but its irrisistable lure. An'Thaya hovered just behind Elyen... it was time... moveing forward she lay incoporeal hands on her bondmate, infuseing him with her strength, her love, her presence fireing the bond, searing through the pathways of his mind. The tattoo on Elyen's right bicep flared in the semi-darkness Melda... all that I am is yours...
Chez barely heard Paladin pounding on the door, his golden eyes were fixed on the Gangrel closeing in on him. "Goddess be with you," he whispered under his breath when the pounding stopped. "Lets play," he said a bit louder as the first vampire bared its fangs, "Come on, right here," he pointed to his neck, "Hungry?" He remained absolutely still as the creature lunged at him, burying its fangs in the Changelings neck. He let the pain fire his pseudo nerves, released the anger he kept pent up in his soul.... these were the times that the Chezlar within was released, the dark creature kept at bay with logic and iron will.
The change was painfull, it was not a form he had ever let his companions see, dark winged, spiked and clawed, the monster within. The tide turned, the hungry snarls of the Gangrel turning to shrieks of terror as the dark side of the Changeling let loose...
Marion scrambled after Elyen, stepping up behind him just as Darian drew his sword. "Now isn't this lovely," she thought, noting the flunkies by Darian's side. Something twinged in the back of the thief's head when she scrutinized Darian himself- the two'd had a run in earlier...
But it wouldn't be repeated. Marion no longer saw Darian in that light. Now there was only hatred towards him for the souls he'd cast to the wind. She held Chezlar's sword warningly, her eyes almost as dark as her hair with anger.
Chez sat huddled in a corner. The remains of the Gangrel lay scattered about him, a gory spectacle in the flickering torch light. Gold silicon leaked from several gashes in the Changelings humanoid form, his whole being pulseing oddly in golden waves. He needed to rest, but for now he was too weak for a portal, never mind lifting the bar on the door. He couldn't take his natural form here, his liquid self would flow to thin. With the last of his will he called to Ranara....
Ranara stepped through the blue light of the portal, the smell of death assaulting her nostrils as she entered the corpse riddled room in the manse. She picked her way over the slain Gangrel to her brothers side, a look of concern on her face when she saw how badly he was wounded. "Chezlar? What were you thinking?," a certain amount of distress in her voice was a tell tale sign of her alarm. "You gave into the darkness?"
He said nothing in response, his hulking form slumped against the wall, a sheen of gold liquid sparkled in an odd mimickery of sweat on his skin. "Let me help," her hands glimmered gold and she moved to touch him, but he shook his head. "No... let me rest, do not waste your energy." He was in no condition to fight, but Ranara did not wish to stress him further. "We have to get you somewhere so you can take liquid form," she said gently. With some effort she lifted the bar from the door, then returned to collect her brother.
His considerable height proved a problem when she tried to support him, she made some adjustments to her own form and helped him through the door. "Where are the others?," she asked, but a crashing sound from above answered the question for her. "In here," they entered one of the opulent bedrooms and she left him near the door while she made sure the room was clear. Finding the bathroom she put in the plug and led him forward.
He hesitated, looking back towards the door, "It is up to Elyen now," she urged him forward, "Its alright, I'll watch over you now." She watched as he stepped onto the cold bottom of the tub, he gave her one last look before his form broke apart, a swirl of gold mist before it turned to liquid and filled the tub. "Rest well little brother," she murmured, and turned to watch the door.
Darian sneered as the woman drew a magicked sword. Seeing their leader not retreating, the other gangrel paused in their flight and hesitatingly drew their more tangible weapons: swords, guns, daggers. Darian searched the party and smiled as he caught the eye of the stripe-haired elf.
"Come here, my dear elf."
Elyen met the Gangrel's eyes squarely, filled with a strangely welcome energy. He smiled grimly in reply, drawing a sword in answer. "My pleasure."
And when they crossed swords, there was only Light.
Marion stood off to the side, wondering wether her job in this particular situation was to confront the opposing flunkies or to stand off to the side as the gangrel and elf dueled. If one of those lessers made any move to interfere, they could kiss their sweet heads goodbye.
Fate has a funny way of dealing with things, and Paladin was needed elsewhere. Usually it was Marion who was bumped around through time and place, but this time the bubble took Paladin. Once moment he stood at Elyen's side, the next he flickered into nothing. The side of light was quickly loseing its pawns.
Marion's head snapped to the side when she saw Paladin disappear out of the corner of her eye. Usually that was her job. This left her with a clan of gangrel, a missing changeling prince, and one stripey haired elf on a quest to save an Amazon Princess.
"Well, I've seen worse odds," the thief murmered, tossing Chez's sword into her other hand and back again. When was something-anything going to happen?
Ranara watched as the glow of Chez's essence grew stronger, it wasn't long before he started to move again, a billowing cloud of mist that rose up in a swirling tornado until her brother stood before her. He still looked tired, but the sense of urgency on his face told her there would be no detering him. She shook her head, but prepared to follow him anyway. "Where is your sword?," she asked quietly, "You never travel without it."
"Its protecting a friend," he stepped out of the tub, shimmering several times before settingly into his humanoid form. "The fates have taken Paladin, the others will be needing my help." He moved out into the hall, Ranara close behind him, she suprised him by taking out several Gangrel in the hall. Violence was not her way, but there was an obvious distaste in her eyes as she dispatched of them.
Chez stopped and waved her forward as they came upon the others, "The Gangrel is Darian," he whispered, "Rauldac's first son, get Elyen to the door. It is protected by wards we cannot cross, he is the only one who may enter safely." He paused, "Did you bring what I asked?" She nodded and produced another sword, "Our Fathers sword, use it well." He nodded, grasping the hilt with a solemn expression, then moved into the shadows. Ranara moved forward behind Elyen and nodded, ready to move the elf when necessary.
The Changeling stepped out of the shadows behind Darian, the tip of his blade firm between the Gangrels shoulderblades. "Care to dance?"
Marion woke from her reverie when Chez re-entered and confronted Darian. She began advancing on the other gangrel in the room. "Mornin' boys...sleep well?" It wasn't terribly clever. It wasn't even correct, but she needed something to say.
As Darian turned to face Chezlar she moved into action, spinning Elyen around she caught his eyes, "Only you can breach the wards Elyen Ilander, touch the door and it will open for you." Spurring him into action she fairly shoved him towards the door, "Time grows short, soon it may be to late for the chosen of Arminiea, go!"
Elyen frowned at the sudden propulsion. Now that he was unready for. But he recognized Ranara, and nodded, believing her. He glanced up, noticing Darian busy with another pressing matter.
Then he smiled grimly and opened the door.
"Cowards approach from behind, changeling." Darian spat out as he stiffened, stepping forward slowly, then spun, ducked, and nudged the tip of the blade out of the way.
The vampire stepped out of the changeling's reach, and smiled. "Let's dance."
Marion danced to the side, her eyes darting from one vampire to the other as she tried to anticipate their next moves. She'd fought more than one person at a time before, but seldom with a sword and never against seemingly tireless gangrel.
"By crikey," the thief panted, parrying one blade and kicking the other gangrel in the stomach. "Don't you boys ever die?" Marion growled in agitation and spun neatly lopping off one of the vampires' head. "Now, my pasty friend, it's just you and me." The corner of her mouth turned up slightly. She would carve her revenge out of this one...and slowly.
The Changelings golden eyes stared unblinking at the Gangrel, reflecting only saddness, "Only cowards cling to life when the light has long since left them," he said softly, "How many more will you resign to your fate Darian? How many like Rose, innocents that love without fear of consequence." He raised his sword point again, "You cannot even admit that you loved her, and you call me a coward?" He hated the words as the left him, but being a messenger was never easy, "Strike at me if you will, but it is not me that you hate."
"You think it's easier to die?" He hissed as the two adversaries circled each other, testing their limits. "Give me one reason to die. One."
"I'd rather be alive, and see her still, than dead and never see her again." He remarked bitterly, remembering the lost ashes.
Chez's eyes lost their hard edge, Darian's words telling him what he wanted to hear. The Gangrel Prince wasn't so far gone that he didn't know what he had lost in his Rose. He stopped dead in his tracks, "You could go now, have your freedom now the Rauldac is gone, why don't you go?" Elyen had passed the wards by this time, there was no urgency, Darian could not reach the elf if he wanted too. So the Changeling satisfied his curiousity.
"I don't suppose you have heard of duty," Darian sneered, throwing out the word before he could catch himself. The gangrel growled, angry with himself, then lunged forward.
"Enough talk!"
Marion swung Chez's sword counterclockwise, effectively lopping off her opponent's head and dispatching him from this world. The thief heard Darian snarl and leap at the changeling and whirled about.
"Dirty dealing gangrel bastard," she muttered, narrowing her eyes. Marion stayed back, though. Getting involved would only complicate things and result in more bloodshed then necessary.
Chez was all to familiar with the word, and had dealt with its heavy burden for thousands of years before Darian even existed. Spinning out of the Gangrels way he hefted his fathers sword, his eyes flickered to Ranara as he deflected his oponents blade. Chez was forbidden to kill a Gangrel so high up in the heirarchy, so another plan was in order.
Sometimes you have to cheat alittle, even when you are on the side of light. It was merely his job to disarm him, which wasn't proveing easy. His blade grazed Darian's shoulder, the enchanted blade burning a line of fire along the vampires skin. He had angered him at least, the first step, his concentration was degraded by anger. Distraction was the name of the game...
Ranara caught the look from her brother, he had the Gangrel suitably distracted and it was time for her to do the bidding of the fates. She still felt unprepared, and deeply disturbed by what she had to do. Steeling herself she came up behind Darian swiftly, her body began to shimmer intensely as she approached, becoming almost mist like. The Gangrel Prince went rigid as the Changeling stepped into him, rendering him helpless as her body became one with his. As he became lost in an intense wave of pleasure the Princess did what needed to be done, Darian's hand dissappeared into his coat, pulling out the small golden tear that was their goal.
The Guardian was sent away as the Goddess returned, she wished to oversee the ressurection of her chosen one herself. The Messengers were doing what fate decreed, Elyen stood on the threshold, all was falling into place. Standing above An'Thaya she look upon her, eyes filled with unbound love for the child of light. "Ad'rish... someday you will understand why all of this had to be. I am sorry." A ghostly white hand rose, white magic flowing out from her like a wave and the door swung open. In the doorframe stood Elyen, haggared and worn... but a light came to his eyes as he saw his beloved again, although she still appeared lifeless, there was hope on the horizon. The White Witch smiled, something she never did, "And though lovers be lost... love shall not...death shall have no dominion."
Elyen couldn't believe what lay before him. After so long, after believing her death, after their suicidal run against the vampires, he finds her...
"An'Thaya..." he breathed as he made his way slowly towards the bier where the inert body of the Amazon lay. He blinked, clearing the burning in his eyes. She looked frozen in time, perfect. He placed the Changeling's sword beside her. As in a trance, the elf reached out one hand and touched a cold cheek.
Then, on impulse, he leaned over and kissed her on her lips, wishing that magic still blessed.
Darian snarled as his betraying hand held out the artifact. His body not his own, the vampire pulled against the Changeling invader's cold grasp. He hissed past controlled lips, "Cowards... relying on magic."
Chezlar reached out and touched the tear, an awed expression on his face... "Not magic," he collected the small gold drop that had been shed so long ago, the tear of a goddess. "We rely on love," he didn't bother looking at Darian as he moved away, "It would do you good to remember that." He approached the doorway, the jewel in his hand glowing brighter the closer he came. At the threshold it spiraled out of his grasp, pulseing with a life of its own as Elyen's lips touched An'Thaya's. It floated above their heads as the Goddess watched over them, then plunged down to ignite the Amazon's heart....
The darkness spoke her name, where there was only cold space there came warmth. Her body convulsed as her lungs drew breath, lips seared by the heat of her beloved, as if life came from him, and him alone. Something between a sigh and a sob escaped her lips, caught between the pain of limbs unused to long, and the emotion in the kiss he pressed upon her lips. Emerald eyes blinked open, tears streaming freely in love and agony. Elyen...
Marion leaned on the sword, watching the scene in silence. She didn't notice it, but she held her breath from the moment the golden tear appeared to the moment when An'Thaya drew her first breath. A wave of relief washed over her, and her muscles loosened slightly. As far as Marion was concerned, they'd won, and light had triumphed over dark. A happy ending to her part of the saga.
"I hate to be the wet rag here," Marion said, speaking loud enough for Chez to hear her, but not enough for her voice to carry to Elyen and An'Thaya. "But what do we do with him?" She jerked a thumb over at Darian. Somewhere in the back of her mind, something pleaded to beat him, but that desire was quickly quashed.
He couldn't breathe, the tears were in the way. "An'Thaya," he took in a breath, smiling because if he didn't his heart would explode. Carefully, as if she was made of spun glass, he gathered the Amazon into his arms and just held her. Gods, love...
He couldn't breathe, the pain was in the way. Darian watched as the elf was reunited with his love. Back from the dead, he grit his teeth, found that he was able to move. Quickly, as though ashamed, he pushed away the small part of him that wished the saccharine pair could have been him and... Forget it, Princeling. Your due in death. You brought it on yourself, he berated himself.
I did not.
Turning on his heels, he fled from the room.
Coward.
She had no idea where she was, only that Elyen was there, he was holding her like she had been gone forever... had she been? To weak to even return his embrace she tried to make sense of what was going on, of the empty places in her mind that should have contained... someone... something. She wanted to go home, she felt disoriented and frightened, she needed the jungle to calm her mind.
She had no wish to leave Elyen's embrace though either... Take me home Melda... please? She could see Chez in the doorway, she had no idea why he was here, but he could open a portal. Her breath came out in a heavy sigh, lungs burning as if she hadn't used them in ages. Elyen
Elyen heard 'Thaya though she could not speak, and he nodded. Turning, he found Chezlar at the door. "Please, Chez, could you portal us home?"
Darian felt a searing pain at his back as the changeling that was Ranara pulled out. He would not stay, though they might want to detain him. He had to leave. Determination pushed past the pain as he pulled away.
He had to leave.
Chez crossed the threshold of the room and smiled down at An'Thaya, her need to go home was only natural, her ordeal had been long one. He opened the portal near Elyen and stepped back as the Elf gathered the Amazon into his arms. Looking through the portal Chez could see the small hut in the jungle the Amazon called home when she needed to be at peace. "Till we meet again," Chez nodded to Elyen and turned to leave the room. The fates were calling again, and he had somewhere to be....
Happy endings always made Marion feel better, until she was left standing alone in the shadows. Elyen and An'Thaya were gone, portaled to gods knew where, and Chezlar was on his way out. After all that had happened, was this the way it would end, with her simply standing there and waiting for something to happen?
"Hey, wait up," she called after the changeling, jogging in his direction.
His brain had gone somewhere, what with the Fates yammering on in his ear. Marion's voice drowned them out however, and he turned to look at the thief. The thought occured to him that he should offer to portal her out with him, there were still Gangrel around... "Need a lift," he grinned, his ears going slightly red. He had known the theif a long time, and had hidden his feelings for her quite well. Although he had probably made them quite clear when he had handed his sword over to her.. it was an extension of himself after all.
"A lift?" Marion raised her eyebrow curiously. She wasn't blind, she'd noticed the red tinge his ears had taken on, but that only made her palms grow a bit clammy. "You, ah, you forgot your sword." Nervously clearing her throat, Marion offered over the blade. "It's good weapon."
Chez's eyes flickered down to the sword, reaching out he lifted it gently from her grasp and slid it into its sheath on his back. "Its serves me well," he smiled, "I thought we should portal out together, the place is still crawling with Gangrel." The fates still tugged at him, but he shrugged them off. "Is there any place in particular you wanted to go?"
Dishevled raven hair bounced back and forth as Marion chuckled quietly. "It doesn't matter with me. As long as I can get three squares a day and at least three hours of sleep a night, I'm good to go. You really don't have to worry about me though, if you're in a hurry to be somewhere." Nervous amber eyes stared down at the floor, trying not to meet Chezlar's gaze.
"I always worry about you... er... my friends," he ammended quickly, golden eyes whirling as they flickered away. "Its still dangerous here, the Fates can wait awhile. They do have eternity after all." With a nervous smile he opened a portal in front of them, "Phoenix Ashes ok?"
The thief blinked for a moment and considered the offer. There was a promise of good food, good companionship, no end of drinks to be had...and she wouldn't have to wait for the spin cycle to end there. "Sure. Why not?" After a brief pause she looked up at the changeling. "I'll buy you a drink...just to make up for the ride, mind you."
Chez chuckles and bowed at the waist, "After you M'lady, and its a deal." He waited for her to step into the portal, taking a last look behind him to make sure Elyen and An'Thaya had made it safely through theirs. He briefly wondered what his future had in store... then he turned back and followed Marion.
The two disappeared through the portal and it closed behind them, leaving the hall empty. So many lives had been stirred, and more than one destroyed, and all that remained were shadows and echos.
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