Voss
Warrior
Confidence is not 'They will like me'. Confidence is I'll be fine if they don't.
Posts: 1,068
Pack Status: New Dawn, Other
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Post by Voss on Nov 23, 2020 12:44:00 GMT -5
Warning: Explicit and Gore
( Thea ) The night was void of the three moons above making it darker than most nights. The orbs of light only thing making it bright in the area as the rain crashed down leaving the soil beneath the huddled masses' feet. They were huddled inside a fenced-in area, all the while more were being shoved inside by men in armor. A man stood beneath a tent watching from a distance with another." Look, son. Our lives will be much better once we convince them to feed us. " He would point over the area explaining something to him. The young man was busy watching the last group being shoved inside. A man would come up to them garnering the King's attention quickly." Celestine, the last of them have been rounded up. The four other fenced-in areas are full. He made a motion to the large areas behind this one. Them not being far from the shore, the rain slowed and finally fizzled out. It left the huddled masses shaking among each other. The man would smile at him." Good. " Was all he said till he pushed past him heading for the corralled people. " Now Crevan you have to make sure you make them fear you. Otherwise, they balk at being caroled like chattel. " For the Most part, Crevan was ignoring his father as the man had no respect for him. Half the time the man babbled he would ignore him. Though when he used him as a practice dummy he paid close attention, he vowed to end that torment once he learned all he could from in that aspect. Now his father was going into each fenced-in area checking those on the inside. Most would cower low or kneel weeping. Those families did not fight them after the first roundup. Though when the man got to those that had been taken at night from their homes unaware. They had shackled them in their sleep, they fought them still. To make a point he would run his blade through them laughing maniacally. His son watched but took no joy in the death of these people. Celestine would leave a few wanting to move on to the next lot. "Kneel to me, you bastards!" He shouted laughing and most did not because they were shocked at what they had and others charged him as if they could take him down without their magic. A thin young woman stood behind a group of men and a few women hiding from the gaze of the king. When he turned to them with an evil smile they charged him only to be sliced apart like fruit. The woman would scream that her husband had been slaughtered, her scream was cut off. The blade of Celestine's sword was through her neck as he watched her grab at her throat as he lifted her off the ground a little. He flung the woman moving quickly in a flash towards the girl who had fallen to her knees. The whole lot of them had done so. "Father!" Crevan shouted watching his father freeze and lower his sword." They are kneeling. They are all kneeling before you." He said sounding tired of the show. Celestine would straighten and let out a laugh." You are right son. I should leave some alive so we may eat." He said it as a joke as he left the area. Crevan briefly looked back seeing the young woman crying over the death of her family. "Let us go, boy. I have a thirst for some ale and your mother." Crevan made a face of disgust." I could have gone without knowing that." He mumbled as his father grabbed him and made a big show of jostling him. He would move to stop to pick up a few things he left at the awning." Do not wait up boy." He vanished into nothing, Crevan grit his teeth far after the man had left. He felt no need to return home to supply himself with booze. Instead, he stood taking in the scent of death and fear." Men!! Bring yourselves around." He said loudly as the soldiers that were there gathered." Remove the corpses and burn them to ash." He had not wanted them to cause filth among the living. He would head inside the tent to take his armor off and perhaps change out of the wet clothes he was wearing from the rain before. The people would scatter as the men moved the bodies to pile and set afire with blood wine. After that was done the men fanned out to stay guard around the fencing of barbed wire. Crevan had stripped to nothing shaking as he dried himself the air warm but the wet that clung to him let a chill from the outside brush is buck bare skin. He was sifting through fresh clothes as he slipped on a pair of trousers before sitting at the desk. He would sigh writing down the accounts he had witnessed of his father keeping a record of his descent into madness. Seeing how his mother had not been around for a while he assumed the man had been possessed by the throne itself. He had no idea what was going on as his brother had been close to Liana a lot more lately. Not letting her out of his sight for a moment, he seemed to think that Father had been putting her on the throne even though Celestine had not stepped down yet. He would bring his hands to his face rubbing them hard with frustration and exhaustion of nights without sleep when he had been pushed past his limit already. The drills where his father would wake him with hot pokers or charcoal embers. He would perk up a little hearing something as he jumped up ready to run outside to defend what his father called theirs. However, he set his blade down slowly not noticing he had picked it up. It was a sad voice singing in a language he did not understand, he would slowly move to the entrance to look down into the fenced-in area. The woman he had spared by drawing his father's attention was belting out a song as she still kneeled in the mud, those around her weeping as they watched their families burn in the white-hot fire of blood wine. The light hitting his face as he stared at the young woman mesmerized by her for the moment as she sang. He would eventually turn and head for the bed inside the tent so he could finally sleep.
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Post by Thea on Nov 23, 2020 15:00:09 GMT -5
Three longboats sat in the water, still and near invisible in the moonless night. In each boat sat a small huddle of beings, watching with sickened stomachs and roiling anger at what little they saw on the shore land they were fixing to storm.
Edraele sat with her elbows on her knees, soaked to the bone from the rain they traveled through to get here. They were probably going to be sick afterward, that she knew. But the rain helped in masking their scents. The mud they would wipe on their faces would hide their features. The rain would't help with keeping silent as they rescued the witches, no. But Edraele had another plan for that.
The Phais were a race of beings that didn't have very solid bodies. They were more like ... spirits, capable of magic and were connected in some form or fashion to the ground. However, they didn't eat, sleep, or feel anything. When Edraele's grandfather and others like him first called Veneifri home, they made quick friendships with the Phais. They fought together against the vampires, driving them out from the conquered land and declaring their independence from King Celestine's rule.
They helped each other still, coexisting symbiotically. Humans didn't have magic - the Phais didn't have corporeal functions. Humans, it turns out, were really easy to inhabit. Soon, humans became known as Vessels for the Phais; the Phais were able to enjoy physical comforts, while the humans possessed magic.
It couldn't last for long, however. With the Phais not being able to part from the land they inhabited without the use of a Vessel - and without the use of the Phais's magics - there had to be something that could be done so that this mission, like a few others before it, went according to plan.
In each boat, below false floorboards, was a bowl of lush, fertile soil from Veneifri. With those bowls there the Phais that came with Edraele and her comrades sat with them, eyes wide in horror as they heard the screams that echoed all the way out here.
They sat like that, night cloaking them in shadows, until the fires were lit and the scent of charred flesh and death carried out to them. Then those that could rowed to shore.
**
Before they got to shore, the Phais slipped into the bodies of their comrades as easily as if they were putting a coat on. Edraele's Phais was especially talented with illusion, so she used that ability to cast an extra layer of invisibility along the boat and those that were in it. Under the guise, she pulled out a couple throwing knives from where they hid along her body, crouched on the balls of her feet. Her boat hit shore first - since she and a few others were trained in stealth, they went in to take out the guards that watched the shores before the other boats could arrive.
Vallanor, another Vessel like herself, closed his eyes and breathed in deep at her silent command. It was like with his inhale he took all sound from the air. When they splashed out of the boat and trudged through the sand, there was no noise of it. They made quick work of the vampires that watched the ocean. It had taken all of two minutes to slash throats or stab backs, any scream that had been loosed from their mouths inaudible.
It had helped that there was someone singing. Haunting as it was, it helped to keep the Veneifrians' arrival on the down-low.
The other boats hit shore shortly after those that came on the first dragged the bodies of the slain closer to the water, and everyone jumped out as quietly as they could because Vallanor's ability only reached so far. This was a problem that they ran into before, so she knew that of the fifteen that came, not all of them could save those that were trapped much like their parents and grandparents had been.
Three of the first boat's riders stayed, leaving Edraele and Vallanor to take each a team of five.
Edraele's team went to the first fenced in area, watching their steps now that they didn't have Vallanor to take the sound from their movements. Vallanor's, without Edraele's ability to cloak them, wiped their faces and other exposed flesh with mud so as to make sure beyond a shadow of a doubt that they would not be scented out like prey and that if the vampires were alerted to them, they could not make out their features.
At Edraele's sharp hand gesture, one woman came forward, bald-headed and with a crazed look in her eye. Her hands pressed against the metal of the fence. Edraele watched patiently for a few moments, then smiled in triumph when the fence started to melt.
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Voss
Warrior
Confidence is not 'They will like me'. Confidence is I'll be fine if they don't.
Posts: 1,068
Pack Status: New Dawn, Other
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Post by Voss on Nov 23, 2020 16:30:49 GMT -5
Those before them went down without much fight and the few that did try to call out. It was a slow burn of a heal, they did not possess the quick healing as the bloodlines of pure. The others that guarded the front were clueless as the huddled mass masked the scent for now of the humans. The night was perfect for sneaking past the lower bloodlines as they did not have special abilities as the pure did. A boy took notice of their rescue as he gained the ones in the same pen attention.
The men turning cloak the escape of the women first, they pushed through the melted wire not caring if it burned them or scratched them as they filed out of the pen a four hundred thick. Others taking notice some would call out for them Veneifri to help them. The other pens full of witches had a shift in smell as the despair of hope-filled them. The woman would stand from kneeling in the mud seeing most crowding the back of the pen-like structures pushing each other as if they had found a way out.
The noise was attracting attention to the guards she noticed turning she would sing out once more stopping those that were trying to clamber for help. She would entice the vampires as well with her singing as she moved towards the front trying to draw them in as her golden eyes glowed like a melted bar. " I am the one..." They seemed to be not able to look away as she sang. She held out her arms even shackled she seemed to glow with some sort of power. She would raise her hands as she slid into the mud to her knees slamming her fists down on a rock shattering the pin in the shackles as they fell from her wrists.
In her language, she would shout some words throwing her hands out as lighting would strike down bursting the vampire to ash. Others would start to yell as they charged the gate trying to pry it open as more lighting crashed as she kept screaming the command over and over again. The gate would swing up with a charred vampire hanging off it as she ran out of the front looking for any more vampires. As she ran out Crevan would appear behind her hoisting her up and covering her mouth so she could no longer shout her power word, his strength kept her from casting finger wise as well.
~*~
Celestine roamed the thrown room with a roaring fire in its large fireplace two chains hanging off each side of it one currently having a witch attached to it by a collar around her neck. He sipped his drink." You comfy?" Her eyes were venomous. As she stared at him her eyes narrowed." It would more comfortable if you joined me." She said splaying her hands across the furs. " You disobeyed me by warning your fellow witches of our arrival. I...I can not let you go unpunished." He said with a chuckle as he crouched before her." Now can I fae." She would smile all sassy like before spitting in his face. before she would lay back on the furs." Well then I should earn one shouldn't I." She said with a fierce growl.
He chuckled throwing the glass in the fire before wiping her spit away," Now you have earned a beating." She would snap her jaws at him making a woofing noise." That is nothing you hit like a girl." She whispered. He would kick her in her ribs hard cracking one as the wind went out of her. He sighed crouching down closer to her this time as he whispered in her ear very low." What was that Fae?" She would wheeze and bite him on the thigh. Which only made him laugh as he pets her hair.
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Post by Thea on Nov 23, 2020 18:54:01 GMT -5
Edraele knew that once they figured out they were being saved, the witches would cause a ruckus.
There was so many of them that she wouldn’t have been able to cloak them with her illusion. She knew that too.
Both were calculated risks.
As she still cloaked her team, she watched the witches nearly knock Nesta, the one whose Phais had a pyromaniac personality, over in their haste to get free. Nesta moved out of the way just in time, however, cursing as she did so. “Do they even know where they are going?”
“Lead them there, and see if you can’t get some of those shackles off,” Edraele said, then looked to Denashi, the Phais within him causing his eyes to be reflective. “You go with. Freeze anything that hinders your path to the boats.”
Once they nodded their acceptance of her command, Edraele retracted her power from them, then moved like they had the wind for feet to the next pen-structure. Nesta pulled a woman and the man from the stampede so that she could start letting them loose from the suppression spell they were under. Denashi ran quickly to lead the witches, hands open and ready for the vampires.
Vallanor’s team did not have the luxury of invisibility. However, the lack of sound that they had was advantageous because that meant they didn’t have to worry about being loud. They were quick to break into the first pen they came to; Finnas was a Vessel for a Phais whose power lent him superhuman strength. It didn’t take much for him to rip the lock from the door of the pen and open the door for the witches.
Vallanor pointed to Trin, the Vessel whose Phais allowed him to use animalistic claws and teeth as weapons, then to the direction of the boats as if to signify that he should lead the victims to the boats. Trin smiled in response, running on all fours in a gross interpretation of a beast to do as was told. Then he looked to Ulsef, looking like he was near death, and motioned the same.
Ulsef pulled a man aside, able to speak since Vallanor rescinded his protection. “Lift your hands out, quickly,” he said in a rasp, and when he did he blew onto the joints of the shackles. His breath seemed to have sped up the oxidation process of the metal, making it easy to break with no need for Finnas’s strength.
By the time each team went to their second pen, now down to three, there was lightening coming down and another wave of witches seeking freedom. Edraele cursed once, knowing that this wasn’t a part of her plan. But she recovered, looking to Inswel, her voice capable to make most anything to do her will.
“You do not have to ask,” Inswel said, voice sultry. Then she ran, the chaos of tonight masking her until she got to the group the Woman With the Lightning (as anyone of her comrades who survived the mission would call her) freed.
Edraele looked to her only teammate left, a young boy of 17 who looked green in the face but had a determined expression. His Phais had changed the biological makeup of his skin and nails, making them nearly indestructible and his nails capable to cut through anything. “As soon as we get to the fourth pen, slash the wire big enough for them to get through. Then lead them with confidence. You are their hope.”
“And if I get caught?”
“You still have that capsule hidden in your cheek?” At his nod, she gave him a smile - a quick one because they were still running to the second pen. “Do not let them take you alive. Fight for your life and theirs. And if you die on the sword, you die with honor. Death is a better alternative to slavery.”
When they made it to the pen, Edraele watched the Woman With the Lightning, a stern expression on her face. She had to admit, she was rather impressed with what she was seeing. But the woman’s mistake was when she did not run after she let her people free. She had fire in her eyes, a hunger for justice that Edraele felt herself even tonight.
The Lightning Woman’s capture was a no brainer. All of the Phais and Veneifrians that came tonight knew that there was a chance they wouldn’t save all of them, even if they were willing to die trying. Their mission was “get as many as you can, and if you get caught swallow the capsule”. (The Phais inside them would have been fine without them.) It wasn’t “confront the vampires for one single person.”
She would know; she was the one to write the mission brief.
But she felt a compulsion to help the Woman With the Lightning.
She turn to the boy, a snarl on her face. “Senka. I am going to see where the vampire took the witch that was helping us. Tell Vallanor and the others that if I’m not back by the time the last witch gets on a boat, leave without me.”
“But Your Highness-“
“Do as I say, boy!”
And he did, leaving Edraele still cloaked in invisibility to follow the vampire and the Lightning Woman.
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Voss
Warrior
Confidence is not 'They will like me'. Confidence is I'll be fine if they don't.
Posts: 1,068
Pack Status: New Dawn, Other
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Post by Voss on Nov 24, 2020 15:32:14 GMT -5
The witches would turn their attention to those directing them seeming to calm slightly. The instruction for the removal of the shackles was clear. Each witch quick about getting free and in turn helping with anything that might be needed like defense or the escape of others.
The vampires that had been downed with blades were healed and slowly getting back up. A witch would kick one of them in the face before lighting him on fire with a spell. Though something happened where the flame disappeared before the vampire used a spell to knock the group back. Several would pile on top of them trying to make it difficult to cast magic.
~*~
Aranel growled as she bites down on him as he tried to move her away, his face seemed unaffected by what should cause him pain. It was as though she could see in his eyes, it seemed he had a tolerance for the pain. They had not moved far from the pens, he had dragged her to the Tent where he shoved her from himself. She turned on him shouting a spelling word and nothing came out.
"What have you done to my magic?" She said and he could not help but smile a little shaking his head." I did nothing. It is a gift from someone." He pointed to something hanging from the side of the tent. " It suppresses magic in total. Meaning You or I can't use it." He said his face going stoic once more. " I can not allow you all to leave. " She was about to retort something before she frowned.
" What do you mean you can't let us all go?" she held anger still but she was not blind to the fact he had been the one that had stayed his father's blade. " I mean that if I let you all go he will fight to end each line among you." She shifted on her feet looking around his tent the pain of her family still fresh.
" I will stay behind and I am sure I can find a few more that will want to help me." He watched her cautiously. She was planning on getting revenge as soon as she could do so. "Besides I doubt we will get far if we all leave..." She said softly. She figured they had brought suppressors much like this one when they had come for them.
She watched the man before his facial features giving off as if he heard something behind him in the short distance. She would let the ire in her fizzle out, she had assumed he was going to kill her would have when he first got a hold of her. The fire close to the fences was still blazing white-hot as the bones started to turn to ash among each other. The light making figures or trees dance along the wall of the tent.
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Post by Thea on Nov 25, 2020 20:50:20 GMT -5
Edraele wove in and out of the chaos, hand on the hilt of the blade she had at her side. With every step she took, and with every breath she breathed, she berated herself from straying from the plan.
She wasn't just teasing Death. It was more than tempting, too. Edraele mocked Death in the face. She and her team can take down lesser vampires, sure. But from what she could tell simply by the profile of the vampire alone, it was a more prominent figure in the vampire culture. Edraele was confident in her fighting skills, yes. But she was ill-equipped tonight. She had pieces of leather armor on her forearms and shins, branded with the seal of Veneifri, which happened to be her family's coat-of-arms. But other than that, she didn't have her protective gear or her shield. Was she scared of Death? No, yet that didn't mean she was ready for it either.
She had to live just long enough to see her brother get crowned.
Stupid, stupid, stupid, she thought to herself.
It was too late for her to turn back now.
Edraele's father was more of a logical person, someone whose risk-taking skills were not the best. He blamed his wife, of course lovingly, for instilling good morale into them that they would actually want to help those that are suffering at the same hands the Veneifrians had since before his father's reign. But with that desire came risks. And her father didn't want to take that risk.
It was Edraele, the middle child, who finally convinced him that it was worth it. It was worth it to help those that are like them because they are good people. They understand and empathize, and they were more than capable to help them. In the end, they would have allies. It doesn't hurt to mock Celestine either, who would be furious at the fact that a weak sub-species like humans had the audacity to storm in and steal what was to be his next feeding supply. Plus it gives the message on a global scale that Veneifri was not a country to be trifled with.
To a lesser extent, Edraele guessed that she represented her country at that moment, for whom she had pride for.
She had come up the side of the tent, the fire's proximity causing her to sweat at the nape of her neck and the smell of charring death causing her nose hairs to singe. It was a disgusting smell, but she pushed through it, breathing shallowly through her mouth as she approached closer to the tent flap.
Edraele slowed to a stop, one hand at the small of her back where a throwing knife was hidden while the other reached for the flap, face grim. There were no screams or growls, at least none that she could tell. All she could hear was the fire and the yells of spell words and the effects of them. She didn't know what she was expecting, so she didn't give herself time to wonder.
Edraele's eyes spotted their target as soon as she whipped open the flap, and in one fluid motion threw the knife without thinking about it.
***
The three Veneifrians who opted to stay behind had trained to be stealthy, yes. But there was no stealth as they threw themselves into the fray. Giri, a beast of a man, was able to move faster than the speed of sound, did his best to pull the vampires off that decided to dog-pile the first wave of witches that came to the long boats. Despite his best efforts to break the clog, the process was slow going.
Brindle's ability disintegrate her body into shadow was advantageous, morphing back into a solid form just behind a vampire to once again slash his throat. It was obvious the weapons that they had taken were not prepped properly before the storm. But that didn't stop Brindle as she jumped on the back of one vampire to get to his neck.
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Voss
Warrior
Confidence is not 'They will like me'. Confidence is I'll be fine if they don't.
Posts: 1,068
Pack Status: New Dawn, Other
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Post by Voss on Nov 26, 2020 19:53:47 GMT -5
Crevan had seen someone's shadow along the tent wall on the outside, so he was not surprised by the flap opening. The draw of his blade in a swift motion turning to deflect the knife. He stared at the woman before him, his eyes catching the symbol on her armor. He remained still before the witch behind him, he stared down at the Veneifri. He was not going to give chase of her if he needn't do so.
"You, Veneifri, has chosen a very dangerous game to play. " He remained ready for an attack, the witch behind him would lean to the side to see who had come to her rescue. She saw a woman standing against the large beast of a man, her size comparison to him was shocking. She saw that the woman was not short but not as tall as him, she had was small compared to the woman even.
Crevan's eyes never went from the Veneifri taking in her whole being, he was prepared to do battle with her if she so willed it. " Nice to meet you my savor My name is Aranel." She said, her voice sounded genuinely pleased to see someone there to help her people out of this mess. He figured she was to stall him from stopping the escape of the witches.
The sound of a growl behind the woman was loud and the size of the wolf was fairly large. The sound coming directly below her shoulder blade. His companion weighed the option of helping his Master or taking out those on the beach. He chose his Master. He was panting from the heat of the fire his tongue lolling out of his head before licking his chops.
~*~
The witches that were not helping remove shackles had filed into the boats leaving spaces for those that had rowed here. It was not even half of the large crowd and all three boats were filled.
The vampires that had regained themselves were once down again from the group of saviors. In the distance, dust flew from what would be most likely horses for the transfer of groups. It was for housing and the set of rules for them.
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Post by Thea on Nov 27, 2020 12:23:56 GMT -5
By the gods, he was huge.
That’s what she was thinking as she pulled her blade out. He had to be at least seven feet tall. And upon closer inspection, she saw that he had the eyes of the royal family. Purple-and-platinum eyes stared her down; she dared not breathe as he took in her forearm and shin pieces, wondering if he knew who she was. Because she knew him. He had to be Prince Crevan. Her father had met him on the battlefield before, when they were still fighting for independence. He was a beast, her father recalled, near fiendish with blades.
He had respect for the vampire, swordsman-to-swordsman, soldier-to-soldier. But Edraele couldn’t think of why anyone would respect those that oppress and murder.
“This is no game I play, vampire,” Edraele said coolly, though in the back of her mind she cursed herself once more - this time not being prepared for the thorn in her hastily made plan to rescue the Lightning Woman. There was something that stripped her Phais of its magic. On the outside, she tilted her chin up, meeting Crevan’s stare with her golden gaze, not giving him the satisfaction of knowing that she was terrible with improvisation. Though on the inside, she and the Phais were uncomfortable to say the least. “You are the ones that believe this is a game, and these witches are but your playthings.”
She took a glance at Aranel when she popped her head out from behind the vampire, then had to do another take. It was uncanny, the resemblance between the two. It was like looking at a reflection. Or her twin.
The word “savior” curdled her stomach; all of a sudden she realized again why she was here. But she felt the need to correct Aranel. To tell her that she was no savior, and neither were her fellow Veneifrians. They were equals. Brothers and sisters of oppression, and the Veneifrians came not to save them really. But to aid them.
She could not say that though, because just as soon as Aranel spoke a chill crawled up her back at the hound’s growl. The hot breath seared her skin through her tunic. Yet she dared not turn around. Instead, she stayed her ground, her blade in a firm-enough grip as she gave Aranel a feral smile. “You may call me Eddie.”
Then she looked back at Crevan, that feral smile dropping and her eyes narrowing. “Release her,” she commanded.
***
Nesta and Denashi made it through with the help of their comrades, sweat beading their brow but smiles of triumph on their faces when they saw the group they helped rescue get on the boats. Followed afterward was Trin and Ulsef. What was left of their group filled up the first boat, causing Trin and Ulsef to split so that Trin, along with Nesta and Denashi, could help row the boats. “Whoever is able to, grab an oar! Row on my count!” Denashi yelled, feeling his Phais separate with ease from him.
Vallanor had seen to the last group of witches, bringing up the rear as he scooped a child into his arms. At the sound of hooves, he snarled. Fresh vampires, and probably stronger too.
“Faster!” He demanded to the group in front of him. “Faster, faster! Go go go!”
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Voss
Warrior
Confidence is not 'They will like me'. Confidence is I'll be fine if they don't.
Posts: 1,068
Pack Status: New Dawn, Other
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Post by Voss on Nov 27, 2020 16:55:57 GMT -5
As Crevan took in the girl's reaction to him looking over her gear, something made a grin come to his lips showing his fangs. Though it would quickly disappear upon her saying something. He took a deep breath standing stock still his bare chest rising and falling slowly.
"You do. What do you call those toothpicks you threw at me?" He motioned to her daggers on the ground. " That butter knife you hold in your hands." At the mention of them being playthings he eyes slowly started to be filled with the crimson color that came before bloodshed. " I do not play with my food." He whispered to her it sounding deep as a growl.
Aranel tensed upon seeing the woman being flanked by a giant wolf. She had never seen one so big, she would take a step behind Crevan to hide from the wolf's sight. " It is nice to meet you, Eddie." She said her voice sounding close to a whisper.
Crevan would hear her demand and remain like the mountains still and without movement. He seemed to ignore her command not showing any emotion as to whether to command had angered him or not.
~*~
If there were missing people for the oars the witches would file into the seats the men rowing as hard as they could. timing the strokes to match the rest of the group. It left many still onshore. The dust cloud from coming closer would eventually stop. A man with dark hair was accompanied by what seemed to be elite steel-clad warriors.
When he stepped off the horse he would see the pens empty," To arms!" The clad warriors would move from the horses to the ground before charging the shores to gather the escaped. The dark-haired man would walk up to the back of the wolf gently running his hand across the back of him, the wolf looking at him with a glare of disapproval.
The man would chuckle moving from the front seeing the pile of ash that was now burning out. Seeing the blood in the pens he would let out a sucking noise before blowing air out of his mouth. "Well, this has gone to pure shit. " He would move along the side to blow those that might flee back towards the inland.
The witches would try and scatter as the vampires that came in were taking them down without killing them. " Stop your running one of them shouted as one of the witches was close lined. The dark-haired man would hold up his hands. " Just stop. I mean you no harm. " Some would try and bolt past him. His trindles would make quick work of them. " Stop!" They would crouch down as if they expected to be slaughtered.
" I mean you no harm. I am here to transfer you to your new homes. " He would sigh hearing the wailing among them. " I am not my Father, I do not wish to kill you. I wish to bring you forward. Where you can explore your magics. You pairing with a vampire. So that your true potential can be found."
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Post by Thea on Nov 27, 2020 21:07:50 GMT -5
Edraele actually took offense at his remark of "toothpicks" and the "butter knife" that she had. Had she been fully prepared to take on a vampire of his caliber? No, but - not to sound prideful - she was light on her feet. He had reach, but she had maneuverability. He could skewer her at exactly the right moment, but she could give him one hell of an inconvenience before he did - if he did.
He was a mountain, but she can be an earthquake.
Edraele stepped forward with her right foot to gain some distance from the wolf, then with the left stepped to the side. Aranel's position behind Crevan was not ideal. In hindsight it looked more like he was shielding her from any possible danger, including her. At the current moment, however, he was hindering Edraele from her goal.
Inside her cheek was a tablet, much like Senka's and Finnas's and Inswel's, crushed and pressed from the poisonous roots of the pudwort herb. The tablet was coated with a thin layer of a mucus-like membrane, impenetrable by the dissolving tendencies of saliva. In order for one to feel the near-immediate results, it would take but a swift tongue movement to but the tablet between her teeth and bite down.
Edraele knew that this was a moment where she teetered between life and death. Life clung to her, begging for her to yield and leave Aranel to her fate. Life had the face of her father and brother, two of the most beloved people in her life. If she yielded, and gracefully bowed out, would they let her go? Life seemed to think so. Life seemed to hope so.
Death beckoned her by way of the pudwort tablet, offering her honor and peace knowing that at least she tried to aid the Lightning Woman and those of her kind. Knowing that tonight wasn't a complete bust because by this time the ships should be leaving shore with what witches they could save.
She made no move to conceal the tablet as she scooped it up from her cheek and maneuvered it to rest between her front teeth and bottom. Her upper lip lifted in a snarl of contempt, her blade switching from one hand to the other so that the blade was between her and Crevan and her free hand out as if to stay the beast that was in the doorway.
Her chest tightened, hearing the goings-on outside of a shift-change and the witches crying out. She could just imagine the Veneifrians that stayed behind to help being caught along with them, doing just as she had done with their own pudwort tablets. Not giving the vampires an edge of a chance for capture.
Edraele took her moment then, as Max was momentarily distracted by whoever was on the other side of the tent to move forward quickly and strike, a fire in her eyes as her saber came upward.
She would not go down without a fight.
***
Ulsef, Inswel, and the fifteenth Veneifrian Khatar took up the second boat, Ulsef and Inswel separating from their Phais to needlessly take up oars. Khatar was still being used as the Vessel he was, making quick work of letting the sail down and blowing into it. He had created a gust of wind from his own breath, carrying not as many witches as the first boat but still a pretty decent size.
There was only one boat left.
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Voss
Warrior
Confidence is not 'They will like me'. Confidence is I'll be fine if they don't.
Posts: 1,068
Pack Status: New Dawn, Other
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Post by Voss on Nov 28, 2020 14:44:18 GMT -5
(let me know if must change anything)
Crevan would let her come at him to strike him, as the blood dug into him he would snatch her up by her throat pressing his thumb into a pressure point to make her open her mouth. Snatching the pill from her taking it to examine it before he throws it on the ground and crushed it under his heel. Crimson blood slipped from the wound slowly moving down his chest. He would slowly set her down, his breath shallow yet calm. He did not let go of her throat as he squeezed." My father put me in an iron maiden where the device pierced my flesh. He did that when I was eight." He told her the mildest form of torture he was subjected to as a child. " I do not break so easily. You best drive it deeper and a few more times if you want to start to make a dent."
Aranel looked as if she was shocked by what he had said. She was speechless for that moment until she would grab onto his arm looking up at him. "Please I said I would stay already. " She whispered looking to Edraele then back at him. He shook his head," Someone will have to answer for all of this.." He knew that at least Celestine would want to know who had lost him half his feeding stock on the first night of their arrival.
Crevan himself was curious if they had been following them in the ships for days? He put that out of his mind for now he would have plenty of time to get the information he wanted to know and more. Aranel looked to 'Eddie' as if to say sorry, she noticed the wolf now sat staring at the Veneifri woman. His head cocked as if he wondered if she would become his new toy. His tail thumped on the floor. " Go max you are too big to be inside the tent." The wolf-dog let out a whining growl before Crevan would point outside the tent. Max moved out with a yawning howl before running towards Damien with a snarl.
~*~
The last boat was filling up fast with women and children and few men, the women were pushed to the seats in the back to help row if no other could. They had used those trying to flee as a distraction from the incoming vampires to row away. They seemed to wait for those that had comet o help them escape.
Damien was wearing a magic suppressor as those that tried to lash out could not they would all move to kneel to him. He would smile a brilliant smile as he would move to one helping them up off their feet." No need for that. All we want is a symbiotic life. We both can help each other." He said rubbing that person's shoulders gently." I will see a chance for you all. I am not here to hurt you." He would say making them stand. " I ask that you file in a line so we may get you towards the city it will take a very long while though. " He had just arrived early morning at the first fort outpost before heading this way.
The guards would be wary of the witches even with the magic suppression amulet. They would begin to go through the lot most of them were men. Only a few women were left behind by those escaping into the night. Damien was not in a rush to charge the shore, his brother and he did not need the full thousands of them. His father had wanted to selectively breed them for a better quality of blood. Now Damien thought that they would have fewer options and have to breed them with inferior stock until they could retrieve more of them.
Damien thought he should hide some of the leftover women in case his father wanted to slaughter more even though they could not afford to at the moment, he was growing tired of the old man's reign but currently, he did not feel he had enough power to overthrow him. And he knew his brother would not do so for their mother's sake, unaware of where she might be currently. He had been hiding her from them saying she needed rest yet they did not sense her nearby.
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Post by Thea on Nov 28, 2020 20:26:04 GMT -5
Edraele did not get to enjoy the fact that her blade struck true. It seemed that no sooner her blade met bare flesh that he had her feet dangling. She made a horrible hurk noise as he wrapped his fingers around her throat, and her eyes went wide when she felt her mouth open without her say so.
Her tongue, which had caught the tablet instinctively, seemed to hold it out for Crevan as if an offering. While she struggled, she watched Crevan examine the white tablet with horror in her eyes. Darkness crept at her vision, her hands went numb, causing her to drop her blade with a dull clang. With hands free, she wrapped them around his hand, clawing at his fingers in a desperate attempt for him to let go - at least loosen up so that she could breathe.
She felt that it was her heart that shattered under his heel and not the tablet, eyes widening in shock. He had taken her peace. Her honor. "No," she had intended to yell, but could only rasp out, which was a waste of breath, she knew. Her ears were ringing, and it was getting harder and harder to fight his grip. Soon, she stopped fighting all together, holding onto his wrist in an attempt now to alleviate the pressure she would have felt if she just let him hold her by her throat.
Having ignored Crevan's words about the Iron Maiden, she didn't ignore the fact that Aranel was trying to plead with the vampire. Foolish, Edraele thought in the back of her mind, feeling her Phais coming to the forefront, but she appreciated the sentiment. Lullah was a gentle Phais; in her mind's eye she saw Lullah bringing Edraele into her lap, wrapping her leafy arms around the Veneifrian's body and rocking her gently as her mother did when she was younger. Lullah could not bring her peace or honor like the tablet would have, but when it was evident that Edraele was caught, Lullah brought her comfort.
By the time she was released from his hold, she was on the verge of blacking out. He had set her down on her feet, but she couldn't stand but for a few seconds before she fell to her hands and knees, coughing so hard it sounded like she was trying to regurgitate her lungs. Bruises started to form, ugly and brown in the shape of fingers. This is the least of what she would get, that she knew. Right then, however, as she tried desperately to breathe, she did not care.
Right now, she was alive. By default, Life had won. Edraele didn't think that the vampires would give her anything that she could kill herself with, and with her blade on the other side of Crevan, she wasn't sure if she could reach it without him noticing in her weakened state.
She knew she had to try.
As Crevan busied himself with Max, sending the hound away, she turned her body ever so slightly to the right, reaching out with her hand to her blade. Her middle finger just barely grazed it before Lullah slammed Edraele with a mental shove, taking over her body just enough to ball Edraele's hand into a fist.
What are you doin? Edraele demanded, anger and hatred for vampire kind making her words forceful.
Helping you to survive, was the answer. And with that, Lullah curled Edraele's body into a fetal position, tucking her chin to protect her vital organs. Without you, there is no way for me to go home, and I will be no more.
***
Vallanor, still carrying the child, knew that those that had been caught by the new wave of vampires were a lost cause. He grunted, half in disgust and half in despair, trying not to gawk and ogle as the lead vampire claimed to want a symbiotic life with the witches whose families were slaughtered. Instead, he kept running, legs starting to ache and lungs starting to burn, until he made it to the shore.
The group that he helped Finnas shepherd to the shore had thinned considerably. When the boats were in sight, they knew what to do. He couldn't quite keep the triumph and happiness from his voice as he commanded the witches to jump in, then his comrades Brindle and Giri, who had opted to stay until the last boat was filled.
He let the mother of the boy take him from his arms as he looked back. Vallanor searched for any stragglers, but when none did, he looked among the sea of heads to count how many Veneifrians that were left were on the last boat.
"Giri, Brindle, Finnas, Senka- Senka!"
The boy looked up, still looking a little green. Vallanor wasn't sure if it was because of his Phais or because this was his first mission. "Yes, Lord?"
"Where is the Princess?"
"She told me to say if she wasn't back by the time the last boat left to leave her."
Vallanor had a hard time comprehending the boy's words, narrowing his eyes as he helped Finnas push the boat off the shore. "She did what?"
"She ran to help the Woman With the Lightning! She had been captured by the vampire in the tent, and Her Highness went to help her."
Of course she would. Of fucking course she would.
And now, as the boat cut through the water to catch up with the other two, Vallanor knew that the country would be in mourning for the loss of Edraele of House Oriven, who would have died a hero in her country's eyes.
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Voss
Warrior
Confidence is not 'They will like me'. Confidence is I'll be fine if they don't.
Posts: 1,068
Pack Status: New Dawn, Other
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Post by Voss on Dec 1, 2020 20:11:51 GMT -5
Aranel slowly moved to Eddie putting her hand on her shoulder," Are you alright?"She whispered to the young woman. Crevan looked at them both before letting out a sigh. " Stay in the tent until I know who all is here." That was all he said.
He made his way out with an ax for chopping wood. His bare chest felt the cold as the skin tightened. He moved towards his brother at a steady pace. " Is father or any of his men here?" He asked him in a low tone as he reached him. Damien would turn to look at him." No Crevan. Only my men are here." Crevan would nod.
Crevan motioned for him to follow him quickly back to the tent. The Brothers walked together shoulder to shoulder," Were you in your skivvies when this happened?" The shorter one asked.
Crevan looked down before making a face." I ...It doesn't matter." Damien would grab his shoulder. " Father will not like what has happened. We are down by a lot. Most of the women are gone."
Aranel looked around for the amulet or item that was causing her magic to fizzle out and not work. She caught it out of the corner out of her eye. She reached down, grabbed the dagger Eddie had stabbed the prince.
She tossed it at the artifact. The item dropped from the wall of the tent and shattered. She looked around as if she was thinking of lighting out the tent. Instead, Aranel staid put next to Eddie. She thought he might have injured her.
~*~
Those that were running with Vallanor ran with their breath heaving heavily. When they reached the longship, they would crowd on one taking the child to sit into the planks.
The masses huddled against each other, the strong men rowing fiercely after the push-off. The air over the ocean was frigid and full of the thick fog of breath.
Those that sat on the planks wept as silenced as possible. Once in a great while, a sob would come from the women. The shock among them had worn off the men.
They now looked as if they were ready for a fight. In the same breath, their bodies looked weary from the struggle and cold. Most of the children had been save during and now were clinging to their mothers.
The child that had been the last to be rescued moved to the back of the ship. Climbing the ornamental end to stare at the disappearing shore. The child motioned with his hands as if painting a symbol in the air. A memory never to be forgotten.
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Post by Thea on Dec 2, 2020 19:59:36 GMT -5
To say that Edraele was angry was an understatement.
From her eyes, she saw the floor, Crevan moving away, and Aranel moving to her side. She felt her body curled up on the ground, struggling to breathe, weapons forgotten. Smelled the scent of fire and death and blood. Heard the witches that were caught, the vampires rounding them up.
But she wasn't in charge of it.
Edraele was a passenger in her own body, feeling the floating sensation she was used to. Being a Vessel meant sharing your body with the Phais, though. Not being overtaken. Lullah, no matter her intentions, had violated the pact between human and Phais. Without Edraele's explicit permission, Lullah commandeered her body with no intention on giving up the controls.
Not to mention the fact that Edraele now looked weak. After one throat squeeze and she was down just like that? Curled up in the fetal position at her enemy's feet with the person she intended to save on her knees asking if she was all right. If Lullah hadn't had taken over then, both human and Phais would have been dead, she would inevitably concede to that logic. That did not mean that Lullah had to make Edraele seem weak.
Most Vessels, when inhabited, showed signs of harboring a Phais. There were a few that didn't; Edraele was one of them. No one was quite sure why, but Edraele's guess for her experience was that Lullah was an illusionist Phais. That was the only thing she could think of. On the outside, she did not look like she was overtaken. She looked like she crumpled like leaves at the first breath of Winter.
Lullah! Edraele screeched to the Phais. Let go of my body!
But Lullah did not, instead opting to slowly rise to a sitting position to look at Aranel after Crevan left. Inhumanly, she tilted her head to the side and looked at the witch curiously. There hadn't been an answer to Aranel's concerned question. Lullah had figured that the bruises that were starting to form around the princess's neck was answer enough. Rather, she stated softly, "You look like her."
The four words came out as if two voices were speaking in tandem, one of them hoarse but obviously Edraele's. The other was Lullah's, a soft whimsy sound that was more breath than voice. "Or maybe, she looks like you. Strange."
Lullah! Give me control! Edraele demanded once more, with each word becoming more and more forced. If her words were physical they would have been pushed through clenched teeth. As Aranel looked for the amulet, Lullah finally answered Edraele: "I cannot do that." She spoke out loud, which to any stranger might be weird. "You aim to relieve yourself of the physical plane, which would leave me with no Vessel."
Edraele was silent for a minute, which was enough time for Aranel to have destroyed the trinket. Lullah felt her magic rise up again, like the ocean at high tide. Lullah couldn't help but smile.
I will not ... relieve myself of the physical plane. I vow to you. Now let me have control over my own body.
"I do not think that is wise, still."
And why not?!
"We are at the mercy of the vampires, if you cannot see," Lullah said not unkindly. Edraele's eyes were unfocused as Vessel and Phais spoke to one another. "Your saber tongue might be the death of us if I return to passivity."
Lullah stopped speaking then, feeling the burning pain of her Vessel's throat. She grimaced as soon as she stopped, one callused hand rubbing her throat as if to ease it.
I felt the magic return, Edraele said, her words soft, cajoling. Use it to cloak us and Aranel. Hurry, before he returns. We can run. Find a boat to take us back to Veneifri. Anything. Lullah, please.
The Phais only shook her Vessel's head.
At least stand, Edraele conceded, words bitter as bark. And gather my weapons.
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Voss
Warrior
Confidence is not 'They will like me'. Confidence is I'll be fine if they don't.
Posts: 1,068
Pack Status: New Dawn, Other
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Post by Voss on Dec 5, 2020 9:15:16 GMT -5
Aranel had been genuinely concerned about the woman's injuries. Her worry took a back seat after she sat up and her head tilted as if possessed. Her question going unanswered was the least of her problems at the moment. It made her jump when the woman finally did speak. A frown with a sadness tinging it came to her face. " Who?" She asked. The blaze that had been near the tent had died to embers and ash, leaving no bright light against the tent wall.
When she spoke as if having another conversation with someone not seen, each utterance gave Aranel pause. When the woman fell silent again after the breaking of the amulet, she would stand. She had seen seers speak to themselves before she believed that perhaps it was a spirit. She had not understood now why she had been shocked. If she knew nothing of the Veneifri, this was the first time of hearing about one or seeing. Aranel looked up when someone entered the tent. Her body shivered at the sight of the shorter man staring at her and the Veneifri.
Damien stared at the two of them for a moment before seeing the amulet gone. He, however, did not make it seem like he noticed, stepping around the women would go and take a seat. It was in a chair that looked as if made of wood and deer antlers. Slowly he tugged his fingers out of the glove with his fang, setting the pair in his lap when he finished. "Valient Veneifri, I Damien Aloysius Velcrest, am glad that you still raid our shores." He waited for a moment watching the woman of youth.
He had little speakings with the Vessels of the phais other than the king. By chance, it was only after his father had declared truce when he had found another food source among the streets. The same streets they lorded over, witches were a new taste. One they had never drunk from before. He had tasted a Veneifri without a phais.
It lacked the flavor of the vibrant witches. Now when a phais inhabited the vessel, it gave it a unique taste, rivaling their new food source at a close second. He sighed softly. He laid the gloves across his knee, stroking the leather. " Is she broken?" Crevan, standing in the flap of the tent doorway. Shrugged his shoulders." I did squeeze very hard." Aranel glared at them." Stop speaking as if she is not here or I." Damiens eyes shot to the woman who had spoken outright to him. Aranel recoiled slightly at the quick gesture. Though when he smiled, she felt her insides crawl. Her seeing his fangs freshly red from the feeding of blood. He would run his tongue across them." Do not fear this, it is not a witch. "He motioned to his teeth. " I had a cat. " He had not drained it merely drank from the feline. The city had been empty of Veneifri for some time.
The guard of Damien herded the masses towards the city. The group slowly moved as if defeated, finding no joy in the long walk to what they perceived as death. It would take the group weeks, if not months, to cross the land on foot in who knows what weather. The guards did not shove or yell at them. They moved in silence, the mud and breathing being the most noise they would make.
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