|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Sat Mar 28, 2009 12:14 pm
You're not hungry.
*He smiled the words up at her, pulling back his cool, the wolf trotting away into the darkness to lay its head on the iced over pool of Ice's desire*
I dont want to overtax you raising power when we dont need to. You should rest today, read the books. Explore your power, alright?
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Mar 28, 2009 12:19 pm
Daegonna shook her head a bit. She wasn't hungry, though it was still pleasant to be with him. She nodded at his suggestion, and slid out from under him, heading for the library to find some books. She wasn't sure she wanted to exercise her power just yet, since she didn't have much of an idea of how to use it, beyond the basics for Animators. Plus, she didn't want to accidentally raise anything she oughtn't. That would probably anger either one of the twins, and she definitely didn't want to upset Bailey.
She grabbed a fur and wrapped it around herself as she left the room, nuzzling into it. WIthout Ice being with her, she tended to feel much colder, in this place.
She browsed along the shelves, only taking out one book at a time. She curled up in a chair to read, the heavy book resting on her lap, her legs tucked up under her, tail curled around her feet.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Mar 28, 2009 2:51 pm
Los Angeles, the city of angels. Strange, how Sieg felt about the city.
On one hand, this was the seat of the Anarch Free State. Proof that independant Cainites could take and hold territory from Sabbat and Camarilla alike, and govern themselves. True, the governing Anarchs had fallen upon each other like rival packs of wolves, but in general, the ideal had been maintained. At least, that was what Sieg had heard last.
It was to be to his great dismay that he discover that not all was what it had once been.
It took several nights of stalking the streets, feeding as he needed, to draw to his attention the nature of the natives. He knew that Cainites sometimes were difficult to find. Even the Anarchs knew something of upholding the Masquerade, and more importantly, they typically knew to be crafty, lest an aggrieved elder choose to prematurely end one's unlife. So Sieg was patient, casing the city like a thief would case his next heist.
He was sorely dissappointed in what he saw.
Cathayans. Damn oriental vampires, an extension of a body Sieg knew nothing about. Something known tentatively as the "New Promise Mandarinate".
This was not anticipated, nor desired. While there were Western Cainites present, this gaggle of Cathayans that seemed to have taken hold of the city more often than not seemed to have these former Anarchs under their thumbs.
This made Sieg feel a twinge of despair. The fire he was looking to kindle did not seem to be present. With his quest taking on the edges of an obsession, made to stave off the haunting night terrors that plagued his daily sleep, he knew he could not stop. But could he continue, if even this simple effort was thrown away?
It was difficult, to say the least, to maintain the objective viewpoint that the old Gangrel fed upon to maintain his vigor and purpose.
That was, at least, until the bullets started flying.
Sieg had stalked his nightly prey, and had left the poor soul anemic, but breathing, just outside his place of residence, when gunfire erupted nearby. Having been scavenging across the poorer sections of town, this was not a surprise, but for the proximity. The sounds of weapons was too close to ignore, and so the old Gangrel took to the back alleys and slunk along, chasing the shouts of the skirmish.
The first bullet to ricochet from his ribs had him snarling in anger, as he stumbled into a firefight.
Two groups of undead were shooting the hell out of each other, and doing a damn good job of leaving holes in the nearby buildings, too. It looked as though the larger pack had jumped the smaller, and the smaller was in near rout now. That left Sieg standing, with a sextet of pissed off, adrenaline-high Cainites now sighting him with their weapons.
So Sieg lifted his hands, holding them high to show he was unarmed. It didn't stop the next bullet from snapping his shoulder back, but the sudden fire in the joint was negligible compared to what he would do the gunman if he KEPT firing.
Fortunately, this was not to be the case, as he was slowly approached.
"Case 'im, Cheese."
One bearing an AK spoke, with a clear tone of authority. In response, a younger looking female stepped forward, and slipped past Sieg. Taking care to keep out of arms' reach, she patted the Gangrel down from behind, lest he try and make her into an unliving shield.
"He's clean."
"Alright. So what the ******** is a dipshit little hobo lick doing walking around my streets, eh?"
Sieg remained silent, when pressed with the question. He was staring intently at the middle aged individual, the glare fixed and penetrating.
"Aw ******** him, Taz. Just cap 'im and lets go."
"Did I ask your opinion? No? Shaddup. C'mon, lets go 'fore the cops show. ******** him."
Berating the small latino man to his right, the AK bearing lick took a few steps back. With a soft "hmph" he turned, and started off in the opposite direction, gun held loosely in both hands.
This, naturally, left Sieg with both confusion, and a desire to pound someone's face in. He had been SHOT. That hurt. But, more importantly, he had stumbled upon a group of Cainites, honest to God western undead. So dumbstruck was he, that he withdrew to his haven, to consider this revelation.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2009 10:05 am
Daegonna read for the whole day, and the better part of the next. She left to eat, a few times, but then would go straight back to the library.
Midafternoon, on the second day, she decided to take a break. She was tired, and having trouble focusing. She headed back to her room, and laid down on the bed, thinking hard.
She hadn't found out anything super useful, but she at least had some sort of starting point. At last, she got up, and went to find Ice. She was wondering if he had any dead vampires or Cainites lying about. She wasn't quite sure how he'd react to the question, but he'd told her to explore her power.
She wandered into the main cavern, pausing as she always did to gaze at the statues. They were really creepy, mostly because a few of them looked exactly like her brothers. Plus, they watched her, quite literally, everywhere she went. She shivered. They seemed to be trying to tell her something. She felt certain that if she knew how to ask, they would speak to her.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2009 10:11 am
*Ice, when finally located, would turn up dripping wet just out of the shower. The reason why was obvious - he STILL smelled of blodo and death even after washing. Whatever it was he had killed this time, it had been big and bad enough to leave its scent on the Elder's skin.
That said, he was looking smug, a towel wrapped around his waist as he sauntered towards the kitchen, thus meeting Dae in a hallway. He nodded to her, smiled, and carried on walking, expecting her to follow and talk if it was him she was seeking as he was, as usual, starving*
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2009 10:17 am
Daegonna stood there staring at the statues, for a bit, then hurried after Ice.
"Have you got any dead things lying around?" She asked after a moment. "I want to try something." She explained.
"I haven't tried to raise more than one thing at a time, before, but I read about necromancers raising entire graveyards. I wanted to try, but I figured I'd start small. I don't know if I'll actually need a sacrifice or not... I still don't quite understand if ritual is necessary or not." She frowned. She really didn't know very much more than she had before, but now she was pretty sure she needed a teacher of some kind.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2009 10:24 am
Dead as in DEAD, or as in undead? I can do either. Hell, if you just want dead, I AM about to eat...
*Rubbing a second towel over his hair, which was once again long and soft, Ice carried on into the kitchen. In one wall was a door, one normally kept shut. It was to this Ice went. Dragging it open, Ice revealed a room full of... people. People restrained, cooled and basically asleep until such time as Ice desired them.
Dragging two 'victims' out, the ice bonds holding them vanishing under his will, he dumped both on the kitchen counter. While they lay there and moaned, wamrth SLOWLY coming back, he turned on the stove and set a large metal pan over the heat. Callously, he slit both of the men;s necks, collecting the subsequent spill of blood in a bowl, to transfer to the pan*
Cant STAND cold blood. Two dead enough for ya, or you want more?
*Ice dipped his finger into the pan like a child dipping his fingers in cake mix, then licked the blood off, purring*
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2009 10:32 am
"Actually, either dead or undead will work. I'd kind of like to experiment with both. If they're undead, I think I'd need them still kicking. I can raise most dead things, but I want to see what I can do to command the undead." It sounded a lot bolder than she felt.
She looked away as Ice tore into their throats. She could hear their hearts fluttering in panic and struggling to keep working even as their blood dribbled out of them. She shivered. She hated this kind of killing. If someone was attacking you, or threatening your loved ones, fine. She'd kill in a heartbeat, then. Revenge was acceptable too. She was still very troubled by killing for sustenance or amusement, though. The manner of death mattered a lot, to her. She preferred it quick, direct, and with no ******** about torturing them. Torture bothered her immensely.
She heard the hearts stop, and the last rasps of breath pass their lips. They were gone. The end.
"Two's fine." She said, wandering over to examine the corpses. She sounded all business now.
"I'll have to wait a couple days for the souls to leave." She mused aloud. "And I think I need a chicken or two...Or maybe something bigger..."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2009 10:44 am
*Ice just looked at her. Slowly, he extended a hand and held it towards the two bodies. There was a rush of wind, not felt, but astral. The vague colours of the soul, currently in still warm bodies, flickered and moved. Ice pulled. He didnt move an inch, but the wind was enough to choke the senses as he manifested his strength, frightening as it was. The two souls were torn from their bodies, drawn across the small space between them and Ice, who grabbed the colours in his fist, squezed, then made a throwing motion downwards. Then silence*
Be grateful I didnt eat them. One, I cant dow ith the extra memories and two, if you're going to res them, you'll need somerthing TO res.
*He turned back to the stove, waving his other hand offhandedly*
You'll find two of my statues in the living room. Their both cainite, you'll have to excuse that they look like Faye and Corbin. Those are the images I can most afford to spare though without having to go to AGAIN today. Dont worry - neither of them will understand what Ive done to their bodies so they wont attack you or anything. Probably wont even move. Anything else, princess?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2009 10:54 am
Daegonna jumped a bit as he reached past her, and....pulled the souls from the bodies. She sensed the rush of cold wind, and watched as the vague hues flickered and danced, while Ice exerted his great strength, and ripped them from their vessels. Daegonna shuddered.
She stared up at Ice. She hadn't known he could do that.
She had pretty firm beliefs about what should happen to souls after death, and that did not fit into the equation at all. She didn't address it, though.
Ice turned away from her, and she shivered again.
"That'll be quite enough to keep me busy." She mumbled. "Thank you."
She grabbed each body by the wrist, and with a firm tug, pulled them off the counter, and began dragging them into the main part of the chasm. It was awkward because of her small size, but she was far stronger than she looked, and didn't even break a sweat.
She stuck her head back into the kitchen.
"Where should I work?" She asked. "Should I take them back to my room, or what?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2009 10:57 am
Living room. Im used to fixing it up and theres more space. The only place bigger is my workshop, but thats a no go. I'll come watch in a moment.
*He stirred the vitae, clearly that was all he was waiting on. He really DID hate cold blood, then he'd wander down to the main room and curl up on his seat, comfortable amid the furs. Once he;d done so, he'd fade into the background, almost as if he wasnt there at all*
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2009 11:22 am
Daegonna dragged the two bodies into the living room, and laid them on their backs, hands folded over their chests. She then bit into her left wrist, and used her right hand to force the wound to stay open, and then used the blood to paint a circle on the floor. It was mostly to keep her power inside the circle, and other powers out. A razor thin ring of purple fire raced around the blood, inside the circle. Nothing spilled out, and she smiled a bit.
She had decided to experiment with not having any real sort of ritual. Just precautions. She then sat on the floor in front of the two bodies, and took a moment to center herself. She pushed all external distractions away, and made her way deep into her core, until she found that cold spot that allowed her to raise the dead. She'd never actually gone this deep into the mad mix of powers that roiled inside of her, which probably explained how she could be so ignorant of the depth of her power. She'd only ever drawn on the power that leaked up into the general mix. It was easy to distinguish from her 'living' magic because it was cold as a grave, and somehow tasted of death, of the mist in a cemetery, of battlefields covered in skeletons and rusting armour, of ruins of an ancient city. It was impossible to truly describe. But Ice had shown her where to find the source of that cold magic, and she followed the path he had taken two nights before.
She felt like she was standing at the foot of an open grave, but the grave itself was depthless, and full of something intangible, invisible, but definitely there. She drew as much of it as she could manage to into the rest of herself, and opened her eyes.
When she did, she could taste the same sort of energy in the bodies. She poured her power into both of them, and those two energies mixed, and blended, forming something similar, but new. It felt...natural. Easy.
She crawled forward, so she sat between the two bodies, and laid a hand on each chest. She knew, then, that they could get up, move around. So she bade them do just that. The power that filled them, running through their bodies like blood, was hers. Her power could only be commanded by her.
Their eyes snapped open, and they each moved a hand to rest upon hers. That startled her a bit. She drew back, and both men slowly sat up, watching her intently. She didn't speak. She stood, and they did too. She circled around them, staring curiously. On some level, a part of her mind was telling her that this was impossible. She had used no ritual, no real preparation, nothing. But another part of her calmly pointed out that those were necessities for Animators. That made perfect sense. She was a necromancer. Necromancers didn't need ritual to raise and command the dead.
The zombies, her zombies, wandered about, looking around the room, and at her, with great curiosity. They didn't seem to know they were dead. She was grateful for that. It was difficult to explain to the dead that they couldn't go back home.
She didn't command them to do anything, just silently and carefully observed their actions.
One of the two caught a glimpse of the other's throat. He lifted a hand towards his own neck, as if remembering it had been hurt. Daegonna's eyes widened, and without thinking, she reached out to touch the gaping wet wound, and sort of smoothed the skin downwards like putty. Power raced down her arm, through her fingertips, and she simply focused on the memory of their once smooth skin. When she drew back, she was shocked to see that the skin looked flawless. She'd healed both of their wounds. Her mouth hung open, and her eyes were wide. But he knew that he was dead, then. Both of them did. The other was clutching his throat, and whimpering.
"It's just a dream! It's just a dream!" He whispered it over and over.
Daegonna felt the fear and confusion of both zombies, and quite suddenly, she didn't want to deal with it.
She sank to the floor, and they followed. They laid back down, and folded their hands. Daegonna very quickly drew the remainder of her power back out of them, and willed them to be at peace. She laid them to rest, and then scrambled to the far side of the circle. one shaking hand pressed to her forehead. She was breathing hard. She'd exercised power she didn't know she had, and done a lot more than she had thought she could. It was like using a muscle you've never used before. It was hard work, and left her exhausted.
"Holy ********." She whispered breathlessly.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2009 11:27 am
Beyond holy ********, princess. You raised them so they forgot they were murdered. A murdered man usually rises and seeks out its murderer first and foremost. Had you held them much longer... I would have been their target.
*His eyes, should she look at him, were strange, almost conflicted. As if he knew, without the circle there, he;d have felt her power too.
He sipped from the steaming cup of blood he held, the pitched nestled between his legs, and waited to see what she would do next. Across the room, the two 'statues' he had promised were laying on the floor, making small mewling noises from throats that were not their own*
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2009 11:39 am
Daegonna carefully smudged out a bit of the circle, and stepped through it. She was still shaking, winded. She wasn't at all used to using that much of her necromancy. She'd done it accidentally with Ice, but she wasn't sure how much she'd used, then.
She sat outside the ring, thinking hard for several long minutes. She was overwhelmed by the revelations of how much power she had, and how she could use it. She was frightened, too. Being such a powerful necromancer with so little training was outright dangerous. She didn't know what to do about that, really. A prickle of irritation ran through her, as the statues continued mewling and whimpering.
"Shut up!" She snapped. Power cracked across the room like a whip.
They shut up.
Her eyes widened, again, and guilt flooded her. Then she sighed, and got up, and crossed the room to sit between the two bodies. She stroked their foreheads, and spoke softly, absentmindedly switching back and forth between English and French. She willed a sense of calm into both men, until their eyes were no longer flooded with fear and pain. It wasn't that she had changed how they felt, or what they thought about, but more like she'd administered a sedative. She drew on the warm part of her power, and slowly, very carefully, let heat seep into their bodies, warming them, freeing them up. They didn't move much, but they did scoot closer to her, like children clinging to their mother's apron strings. She got to her feet, and willed them to follow. From inside their heads, she could sense that neither of them were anywhere near the same amount of power Ice had. She was certain, then, that Ice probably could have broken her grip on him. But that was a puzzle for another time. She led both the undead back to the ring, and sealed it once they were inside.
Then she realized that Ice, having faded into the background, unnoticed, had been right there when she accidentally lashed out with her power. She turned to look at Ice, concern on her face.
She had not really noticed him, so perhaps her power hadn't either....
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2009 12:18 pm
*The Beast Prince was splayed over his throne, the pitcher forgotten so it had fallen and spilled a gory red stain down his legs, turning blue fur ruby.
His eyes were black from edge to edge, lined with stars as he gazed at her, following her every move as if there was some invisible string from his eyes to the center of her chest.
He had not spoken because she had ordered ALL around her to shut up. Yes, he COULD have broken that minor and unmeant hold, but as it felt pleasurable to him, why bother?
His expression said it all. He hadnt been lying when he had described her power as 'wanting' him. Right now, he looked like it had had its way with him, making him seem both so much worse, and yet so much more beautiful than usual*
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
