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 Posted: Wed Jul 29, 2009 3:01 pm
As long as you're not a total a**, she should be fine. And ******** her, I didn't just haul you around town just to get bitched at for it. And ******** master. "Mum" is the more accurate term.
Iden shooed the two cats through the portal as best he could. Ever paranoid, he wasn't leaving until his charges were safe on the far end. Then, with the utmost in happiness to abandon the country, Iden was gone with the rest of them.
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Posted: Sun Aug 16, 2009 11:14 am
*How many weeks had it been?
Roan had left her home on a whim... no... on an order. That had been the FIRST part of what she had had to come to terms with.
The Grand High Poobah, the Matriarch, the Hellbitch... didnt hold all the strings anymore.
Not that she was entirely sad about this. An era was coming to an end, and to an end she had NEVER expected to live to see. An end she had planned for, but never DARED hope to be around to enjoy... and thus.. she didnt know HOW to enjoy it all.
And that was why she had taken Iden's words as an order. COmmitted herself, at LAST... to letting her work BE what it was. She had raised STRONG children, made the DeSeer name honourable and powerful again. MAde the world safer. And now... she didnt have to lead anymore. She didnt have to force her boys, her beloved boys, to do ANYTHING they didnt want to.
Letting go was hard. Boredom was worse. What was she supposed to DO with herself now?
That question had led her to meander back in time, through her own past almost, revisitng the key sights from her long, troubled and hard life.
At first, she had been angry. So deeply angry, in a way that was so old and familiar it was like a well worn coat, covering her in an armour so thick none could break it. But then she had remembered Iden's words. His request to her.
The first location she had visited, the Chasm, had caused her the most anger, and as yet she couldnt let that one go. Instead, she'd wandered to France, to the high court she had been part of, and then to the Fang, both places of enslavement for her.
Looking upon what was left of each... she had felt the anger seep away. She had outlived them, killed all who had harmed her, she had WON.
And now she felt empty. Thin. Depthless and without meaning.
Letting go was harder than she could ever have imagined. Each place she visited had changed her, worn her down, put pressure on body and psyche, sometimes in ways she couldnt fathom, all of it crafting who she was today, altering her very psche. And yet, as she walked back through time, the anger fell away, and instead... there was only the tears for a lost life, tears which had been supressed and hidden for 500 years, never acknowledged or allowed to flow... until now.
For two weeks, she wept for herself. For all she had lost by necessity and hardship, and for the innocence she had had to give up with it. She wept for the monster she went on to become and the choices she HAD to make. There was no regret - she had done what had to be done and the ends justified nearly all her means. No, her tears wsere simply those of a child, alone in the night, desperately wanting its mother. Tears of innocence robbed and a deep sadness too long repressed.
Exhausted after only a few hours each night, she would sleep the days away, dreams helping her mind to reconcile with her own past now that the floodgates were open.
Through all this time, she remained closed off from the world. With only the barest links to Iden, Corbin and Azrael kept intact, these woudl throb nightly as she touched them for reassurance before sleep, making sure to hide her grief.
This sabbatical was one she needed to make alone, or as near as nevermind.
As each location passed, she longed for Jan to catch her up, for the human friend and confidante she still loved to come and see that the girl he had once known had survived. Battered, bruised and irrevocabbly damaged in some ways... the human was still hiding within her, and finally showing itself again.
Jan did not catch her up until she reached Devon. Having had a lot of trouble getting to her, particulalry as she had moved countries so often and slept such a lot, it was in the English countryside he finally found his mistress, crouched over the barren remains of her old home, the ruins of the town deserted as always, the only sound the soft muffled cries of distress the Lady of the land gave as she cried for her past, her home, her family, all that was dead and gone.
Jan simply went to her, drew her childlike into his arms and together they sat beneath the moon and mourned as they should have centuries ago, and were only now free to do.
It hurt, but it healed. Somehow, she knew some part of her she didnt know she needed was healing. Jan made the process easier, and this night she did not sleep, but instead stayed in his arms right through to the next evening, the two murmuring soft recollections of their joyful youth to each other, bringing the ghosts the land bore back to the surface... and laying them to rest*
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Posted: Tue Aug 18, 2009 1:41 pm
*Nights passed slowly for the world weary Cainite. Here, she sought solitude, but as always she was sought out.
Two nights before she intended to leave Devon to wander some more, she and Jan were attacked.
Down by where the alter had once stood, the place of her death and rebirth, a small pack of Sabbat licks, better equipped than usual, had attacked.
Haemox rounds had been the order of the day, and though the five attackers had not been that hard to kill, there HAD been a difficulty.
She was highly allergic to haemox. Normally, she counteracted that by channelling Corbin's powers and blood within her body, using his resiliance to negate her own weakness.
But she was trying to kick that addiction - an addiction that had had her throwing up lungfuls of blood for the last three nights and shivering uncontrollably.
She;d been strong and ignored the lure of Corbin, the very link, and she wasnt going to let the hard effort go to waste now. She would NOT call on him. To that end, she;d ended up with a sliced up body, disorientated briefly and Jan had been shot in the shoulder.
With the skirmish over, a new development had shown itself. Her hair had changed once again - where once it had been red, then white.. now jet black was added to the mix, with highlights of oily red in the messy length. Almost as if in response to her moods and abilities, her hair shimmered and changed colours. A curiosity, and nothing more.
Helping Jan up, the two sought a room in the local village of Croyde, where Roan slept off her injuries.
The next night... they would travel onwards.*
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Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2009 10:43 am
Eva Tyler ::Eva nodded silently and stood up, leaving the mansion. She swiftly summoned her mount, assuming the DeSeer's must have some form of transportation of their own and rode away form the mansion and Durem, due went towards a large empty field in which she not sensed any other dead. Waiting for them would be a cow, tethered to a post in the ground and her bag of paraphernalia, not that she'd need it now::
The air shrieked, for a moment, then split open, spilling Daegonna and Yoachi from it. Daegonna landed on her feet, nimble as a cat, and straightened.
Those odd blue eyes roved over her surroundings, her mind reaching out for the dead, any dead, particularly any she might accidentally raise if things spilled over a bit.
Nothing.
Good.
There was a cow tethered there already, and Daegonna wasted no time.
All she'd brought was a black bowl, hewn from some sort of black crystal, and a knife made of the same stuff. The blade was cruelly hooked and curved, with barbs along the inside of the blade. The bowl was deep, deep enough to hold as much blood as she needed.
"If you'd like to set up the remains, I can start the circle." Daegonna said to Eva. Out of respect for the woman, she would let Eva handle her husband's remains, and she'd do the dirty work.
Daegonna moved to the cow. She held out a hand for it, and gently coaxed it forward. The cow took a step forward, closer to the softly crooning girl, then another, until she reached the end of the rope. She stretched her head forward, straining against the rope, and Daegonna gently patted her head, still murmuring softly. The knife ripped through the cow's nicely exposed throat in a heartbeat. The cow let out a wet, gurgling bellow, and Daegonna dropped the knife to grab it, straining to hold the weight up so the blood spilled into the bowl beneath her outstretched neck.
Soon it was full, and Daegonna gently laid the dead animal down, and set to work drawing the circle around the remains. Daegonna used an odd mix of necromancy and arcane warding. The finished product was a large circle, with a much smaller circle inside it, just touching the edge, and another outside, just touching the outer edge. Inside the largest circle was a smaller one, running right alongside it. The circle outside was for Eva, and the inner one for Yoachi. That way if Yoachi needed to enter the circle to help Daegonna, he could without breaking it and freeing a revenant. It also allowed Eva to be a part of the ritual, though she would not actually be working. It was an oddly kind exception for Daegonna, who was obviously touched by the woman's plight.
Once she was done, she stepped to the center of the circle, and used the last of the blood to paint a sigil over her heart, and another on her forehead.
"Eva, if you could stand there, and Yoh, you can stand there." She pointed to their respective spaces. "Eva, this way your energy is a part of the ritual, but it won't interfere with mine. Yoachi, you're sheilded, for the most part. I don't really know what would happen if my power latches onto you, but...I'd rather not find out tonight." Daegonna said.
Then she let the full brunt of her power spill out of her, as if her body were just a cracked and broken vessel that could no longer hold anything in it anymore.
Eva would understand, then, why Daegonna had not wanted her inside the circle. The nature of her energy changed, in this situation, drawing on every other kind of energy in the area, as if her power wasn't sure there was enough of it for the job - for any job. It coaxed power from everything in the area, including the bowl and the knife. They dulled, turning a waxy grey, and then crumbled away, the blessings and charms on them completely drained. Daegonna had forgotten to remove the black-stoned ring that allowed her to travel through the shadowplane, and she cursed colourfully as she realized her mistake. It seemed to age centuries in the span of a few seconds, and soon, she just had a rusted band around her finger. She sighed, and moved to the edge of the circle. She walked it again, this time painting in her own blood, speaking the words that would make the space hers.
Then she moved to the body, and began calling back the soul of the necromancer.
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Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2009 10:57 am
:: Eva nodded to Daegonna as the girl arrived. Sliding from her mount, she dismissed the reanimated equine and went to the open space. Placing the femur Daegonna had handled on the ground, she opened the satchel that hung at her side and simply spilled the rest of the bones to the floor, then took the skull from a second bag and placed it on top. ::
Well now. Time for you to put some effort in my love. Go on.
:: A spark of Eva's power flickered around her, and into the bones. They slid and slithered over each other, settling into the right positions, the skull settling last, a brief flicker of icey blue light showing in the eye sockets before it dimmed, and the bones fell dormant.
Eva stood back to watch Daegonna's preparations, eyes wide in absolute suprise as she watched her mix arcana with standard preparations, but it was as nothing tp her shock when the girl put forth her own power. Even with a circle between them, she felt the awesome potential, watched the tools of the trade fall apart under the influx and the land react.
Then, she turned hungry eyes to her husband's remains.::
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Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2009 11:02 am
*Yoachi came ot rest awkwardly after travelling with Dae, his serpentine tail slithering about for purchase as he took his bearings, hissing in fluent serpentine, steam and gurgles accompanying his complaints as he flicked his head.
Slithering across to his position as Dae took the cow's life, he grinned with a hard bony muzzle full of razor teeth*
If you arent gonna finish with that, can I have it when we're done? Im STARVING. The master's practically starved me through over work..
*The master, as usual, meant Corbin. Regardless, Yoachi let Dae set her circle, nodded his understanding, then spread all four of his arms as Dae began the rite in earnest. Dark dark power, almost unfathomable due to its source, swelled to his webbed hands, purple-black glyphs lighting on each scaly palm as he reinforced her circle from the outside - he too had NO desire to feel Daegonna;s power crashing over him tonight. For all he weilded necromancy as a sledgehammer these days, he was also weak to it, as a member of the undead. Keenly, he watched Dae's every move, letting the feel of her power, behind a barrier as it was, roll over his senses*
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Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2009 11:11 am
Yoachi's question made her chuckle dryly.
"Sure. I'm not gonna eat it." She quipped. She knew her brothers worked hard, and Corbin saw to it that that included Yoachi. She and Corbin weren't close, they barely saw each other, let alone spoke, and she mused to herself that perhaps that was a good thing.
Daegonna turned her full focus on the body. Her power had filled the warded circle like a bowl, and Daegonna willed all of it to one single task now. The swirling mists and flames of her energy condensed as her power shrank in on itself, and streamed through her and into the bones that lay before her.
She called to his soul, his heart, his mind. She did not command him, she did not summon him. You don't summon people like him. Rather, she sort of invited him.
And he obliged.
For all that she was powerful, she was barely powerful enough. It took everything she had to call something so ancient and so mind-blowingly strong. But once he had chosen to come, come he did. His presence roared through her mind like too much electricity in too weak a conduit, and rather than slowly creeping back together, his body exploded into regrowth. The bones knit themselves back together at each joint, tissue blossomed and grew like sickly pale pink and white mold, or lichen, then thickened, billowing outward. Veins and sinews slithered and quested to settle into their places, and skin spilled like water over the whole package.
"Talk fast." Was all Daegonna could manage through her gritted teeth. Once she'd brought him to the circle, it got a bit easier, but maintaining the flow of power was a strain.
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Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2009 12:02 pm
Wonderful. Cos this... this right here is going to make me even hungrier. Ever heard a naga's belly rumble? It's like a tornado going over head.
*Yoachi muttered away to himself, and did so for one reason. Dae may not be of the blood per se, and that made what he was about ot do harder, but she WAS of the name, and in magic... belief was 90% of the battle and EVERY DeSeer believed in the name.
Through it, one DeSeer to another, Yoachi passed on his power, helping Dae stabilise her work, inserting the energy carefully, like a tiny tube through the inner circle between himself and her. He whistled lowly as then caught the full weight of power in the raised zombie*
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Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2009 12:11 pm
Zavious....
::Eva started forward as her husband emerged. Tall, strong, immensley powerful, even raisd with power such as Daegonna's, he'd force what form he took, staying somewhat skeletal yet clothed in gaping and open robes of the finest quality. In his right hand he held a set of scales, the left bore an old staff made of something very dark, like obsidian.::
Why have you called me? Have I not made it clear enough I want no more to do with the living?
You still havent told me where my son is.
Our son, and no. I havent.
Zavious...
I refuse. YOU didnt raise me, and Im not inclined to answer. I'll give you credit though. You found someone strong enough to make me answer, but I'll be AGAIN damned if this...
:: The lich paused and peered at Daegonna, gesturing faintly ::
Well, you ARE a mixed one... regardless. Some snip of a girl and her pet lizard will not make me give you anything my dear wife. Leave me to my sleep.
::The sorcerer then urned his head ot regard Daegonna, a WORLD of power in his glowing blue eyes::
You, girl. Lay me to rest. I have no desire to linger in this world.
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Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2009 12:28 pm
Daegonna didn't push his form. He could wear whatever state of rot he damn well chose. She didn't really care.
The girl watched the interaction with curiosity, but couldn't spare the attention to wonder too much right now. Maintaining her link with the world of the dead was difficult, like holding a heavy door open against a viciously strong wind.
When he addressed her, Daegonna was inclined to obey. Her usual question was about the Iron Queen, but she was not about to ask it of this man. It was often dangerous asking the dead about Persephone, and Daegonna knew when it was just plain stupid. That'd be now. So she didn't.
Instead, she asked something else.
"Before you go, I would like to ask something of you." She said. Her tone made it clear that it wasn't an order, more of a curious request. She hoped he would humour her.
"Will you tell me of your death?"
Daegonna had gotten the impression that this was not the first time he'd been bothered since he died. She could not compel him to tell them where the missing son was, and she wouldn't even try. She wouldn't ask why he refused to answer, either. She knew by their interaction that she was not going to be able to help.
Her question was simultaneously a stupidly common one, and an odd one. It was common in that most people asked the reanimated what it was like to die. It was odd that a necromancer should bother, particularly one like Daegonna.
Zavious could probably tell that she had had a close brush with Persephone, most powerful undead could, even if they were only temporarily reanimated.
"I understand it was a rival who killed you, but how did it happen? How was your son taken, and by whom?"
She was wondering how someone as strong as he fell. Of course, the powerful were not above fatal flaws or mistakes, and in the world of competing magics, the game was always deadly.
Perhaps his explanation of his death would give Daegonna a better idea of how to help Eva find their son. She knew she wasn't getting the full story, and that bothered her.
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Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2009 12:38 pm
I was murdered, in the middle of a spell. My idiotic son came to watch and forgot to put back up the wards around our house. He then fell ASLEEP whil I was working.
A... rival.. got in and was able to finish his issue with me while I was distracted controlling a horde of newly risen. Im pleased to say he soon learned why meddling in such affairs was unwise.
Ever since, my rest has been disturbed by my dear wife, looking for our son. I really have no desire to help. I have answered your question necromancer, now lay me before I decide to test your power and lick the taste of the Iron Queen from you.
:: Eva stood outside Daegonna's circle and growled, realising the girl was not going to even TRY and compel her husband to answer. Her wings spread and she hammered on the circle with fists that shouldnt have connected and should have been rebuffed... but werent. Anger flashed in her eyes, aimed mostly at her husband as she struck at the ward between her and Zavious ::
Bad enough you are gone from me, WHY will you not give me our son back?! ZAVIOUS!
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Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2009 12:40 pm
Dae, Im dropping the link.
*Yoh gave her warning seconds before he stopped feeding her power and undulated swiftly to where Eva struck at Dae's circle. Two of his powerful arms grabbed her around the waist, a third restrained her arms, her wings in his face, and the fourth reached up to grab her throat, holding her as he moved backwards, preventing the Erinyes from entering the cirle*
Lay the old git before this gets any worse...
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Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2009 12:51 pm
Daegonna noted the way he said 'rival' but didn't dare ask more questions. She would have to ask Eva...
Who was flipping out. Daegonna didn't blame her, really, but she was not being helpful.
Daegonna obliged the lich, laying him to rest as quickly and carefully as she could
"I am sorry for disturbing your rest." She murmured.
She trusted Yoh to keep the Erinyes at bay long enough for her to lay him to rest, and snag a piece of bone. She had an idea. It could be a very bad idea, but it was the first one to come to her mind. It was a simple plan, more straightforward and old school than she generally was, but it had merit.
Hopefully, Zavious would not mind if she took a splinter of bone. It wouldn't bother his rest, but some people are funny about handing out their remains. She'd wait until he was laid to rest to try, though.
After she finished, she collapsed, utterly spent.
"Eva," she began wearily "If you will calm the ******** down, I have a suggestion. It's not perfect, but...It's something, at least."
Daegonna was shivering, her body temperature having dropped significantly, and her power was entirely spent. She was too tired to even stand on her own.
"I'm a sorceress as well as a necromancer, so I have a little experience with divination, and where that experience ends, I have contacts who specialize in it. I can give you the information for a seer who might be able to help you, if you bring the right payment."
Daegonna was having trouble focusing her eyes on the furious winged woman, but she made a valiant effort.
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Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2009 12:55 pm
I MAY consider it, if you get your scaly lizard monstrosity OFF ME!
:: Eva continued struggling against Yoachi's hold, flexing her powerful wing muscles, but finding his grip of FOUR arms almost impossible to break. Slowly but surely, heat started buildingin the Planar woman, her eyes taking on an unholy red, especially as her husband was now gone. Brute strength fuelled her as she tried to reach down and grab the whip at her waist. Woe betide the naga if she got hold of it ::
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Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2009 12:58 pm
OH no.... YOU calm down FIRST, then I'll put you down.
*The elf acted lik ethe lizard everyone kept calling him and squeezed his muscles tighter and tighter by millimeters, crushing Eva to his chest, while his fourth hand started tightening on her throat. He'd crush her into unconsciousness before he let her take up a weapon.*
Unless Dae says otherwise. Daegonna?
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