Welcome to Gaia! ::

Rae shrugged, if Sun wanted to be a snack that was his choice, besides she knew that she and Hono could only do so much to restore Maximos's energy until they figured out another way than the light line they already had established...

"Big eyeball people?" Hono and Rae asked at the same time so that Damion might feel like he was hearing things in stereo, with Hono behind him and Rae in front of him... and it should be obvious that they didn't really have a clue who he was talking about, they had both seen far too many odd things in the last few hours! xp

"Well as for Victor... he is the bad guy!" whee oh boy... that was likely a lot more simplistic of an answer than what her former team mate wanted, but Rae wasn't entirely certain that explaining Victor was something she should really try, it was a topic that she and Hono alike would rather pass off to Vahn sweatdrop too bad the blind bandit himself had decided to wander off with only the friendly giant as his companion....

And where was Sakura during all this noise and fervor?

What had she been doing between Asherah's unsociable loud introduction, the bunny and the salamander having a chat, the big man looming inside the door, any number of people filing into the Firebrand, including rather tall woman carrying a rather famished-looking man?

Well, she was nowhere to be found, although if one had asked they might hear from a patron or a dwarf that she had been seen heading out the front door to the beach.

[Totally late response, but whatever.]

Deitric just took a step back from the punch Jiro threw, moving himself pointedly out of range.

"We're done here," he stated flatly, turning away to walk into the Firebrand.

Huh.

Weren't those the people who'd been on the helicopter?

Deitric's detour to duke it out played out pretty well then, it seemed.

Sun looked slightly surprised.

"Huh, maybe it wasn't as bad as I thought."

It was only a shallow cut, enough to bleed but no real damage. Not even really long. He snorted and handed the knife back to Hono delicately, then licked the line of red, ordering two more drinks and answering the question from the guy next to him.

"The big eyes are Shades, not shadows precisely, but made of the same stuff. Victor, seems to be working with them in order to reset Gaia as a place that suits him, instead of everyone else."

When the woman mentioned "snacks" he wondered if everyone that had gotten on the helicopter had made it in one piece.

"He's gonna need some meat defrosting for him though,"

This was half spoken to one of the waiters, who nodded as if it were one of the usual dishes. Hell, it probably was.

"Don't look at me like that, Rae, I'd rather get a bit chewed then worry about being eaten whole."

Sun was still concerned as hell, and found explaining how he knew to be next to impossible. There were some things about certain people where you just knew. How else can you be whole and still look like you'd been lost in the desert?

"Who else have you brought?" He nodded up to the larger lady, who looked like she could break him in half, and tried not to stare, how do you avoid a chest like that when it was eye level?! Something about that just wasn't fair.

"I'm Sunstrike, by the way, welcome to open night!"

Shades. Damion tasted the word, mouthing it aloud. It seemed fitting, for such creatures to be called that, born outside of the light of day and of the natural order. " And Victor is....the big man we saw in Maximos's spell?" He said, mostly thinking aloud but it was sometimes best to do that because people would answer your question for you!

He turned alittle to smile down at Hono in greeting, before looking forward again. From what he could see, Maximos was going to be out of it for awhile, and he had the information he wanted for the time being, so there was no point in being here anymore, atleast for the moment. " Excuse me." Come to think of it....he was tired. He'd fought the landsharks, the damn infected people who had almost killed him, and then he'd gone running after the chopper. It was all catching up with him.

Where was the Vampire...he probably had a table.

And Indeed he did, off to the side it looked like, and so Damion would slip away towards Anuksu, intent on getting some info and maybe afew moments sleep.

If Lucind had caught Anuksu's eyes in that lingering moment, she would have noticed the sly wink he shot her. Such attractive company was a bit of a blessing, for hanging around undead for a few decades had begun to wear on his mind. To make this even better, he was fortunate that a few of the members in this particular group of company were far more attractive than what he had expected.

As he looked away from the girl, he noticed the approach of Damion. This of course held very little of his attention, but if this man wanted to sit and talk, far be it from Anuksu to turn away a good conversation. At least maybe this time, some remotely friendly words could be exchanged. Though until the man reached a far closer proximity, he would continue scanning the bar.

I'm really sorry about all that, you mean so much more Maximos. You deserve a better quality nightmare.

Maximos seemed entirely unamused. His arms folded across his chest, his eyes off to the side, not even giving the shadow god his attention. Maximos sat at one end of a very large banquet table, Nocturne sat at the opposite end. Between them set atop the table where a thousand different meals, enough to put even Walter to shame. And servants that seemed to read Maximos' thoughts bringing him fresh plates of whatever caught his glance.

Why are you being so friendly?

He said, twirling a fork in his fingers. Nocturne smiled, and adjusted his table setting.

I only wish to make amends for my bad form. Nothing more. You bested me in a Nightmare. I reward you with a sweet dream.

Maximos' eyes rolled.

You'll excuse me for questioning the validity of that statement.

He said, testing a sample bite of meat.

Arent you hungry? Doesnt it feel better? The proof is in the pudding boy, and do try it, the pudding is delicious.

At which point a servitor slid a bowl of pudding up beside Maximos.

This is all fake.

Maximos said, setting down his fork, and sliding the pudding away.

Says who? I have many powers, who is to say my dreams cannot become real?

It wasnt that he trusted Nocturne. No, it was that all Maximos could feel inside himself was this burning hunger. And here was all this food! Delicious, scrumptious food! He could barely resist, and began to eat. Bite after bite, plate after plate, filling the ravenous pit that was his stomach. Until he was full, and resumed twirling his fork, turning to the every patient, and silent Nocturne.

So after this, its all nightmares is it?

Nocturne grinned. The room seemed to grow dimmer, leaving his face cast in shadow, save for his teeth.

No....after this...you wake up into a nightmare.

The fork slipped free, Maximos' eyes widened as if a building had just been placed on his shoulders allowing the fork to fall with what might have been a thunder clap against the silence.

You've been gorging yourself while that lovely Raven lady heals you. Her energies pulling your body to heal, digging at its reserves...when you awake your stomach expects to be full but it will be very far from it.

Maximos moved to open his mouth, only to hear a gurgling as loud as a lions roar. His hands clutching his stomach in agony, stealing his words.

The tease will only make the hunger more ferocious, and the frenzy that much worse.

He could feel them, his mouth ached and burned as his teeth elongated and sharpened themselves. Fangs. A mouth full of them. His arm swept across the table, knocking of placements.

Grk-graaah!

He exclaimed, beholding his reflection in the glassy table surface. Fanged mouth, black soulless eyes, blood dripping from his lips as his teeth nicked his tongue. His stomach an empty hollow grave begging to be filled with fresh...flesh.

Tch-tch. No manners.

Erk-!

He tried to speak, could not. His mouth would open only to devour. And he couldnt rist that. Not again.

Cinnamon and blood have a certain kind of satisfying flavour, dont they?

--

In Reality.

Rae being closest to Maximos would notice as he began to stir the moment red began to drip from Sunstrike's arm. There was a sound, a grinding sound. It was like a mixture of bones creaking and blades sliding against each other.

And then his eyes opened.

They were black, an empty. Immediately followed by his lips peeling back to reveal teeth, sharp and pointy as any monster from any nightmare. But twice as real. Surely, it was Maximos who awoken, in body. But in soul, in mind, it was another beast entirely. A hunger, a primal frenzy from the depths of his Arian flesh.

Kill the innocent...

He smelled blood. And he smelled snacks.



His right hand snapped up with wicked speed. His body was after all restored, it just needed fuel. It needed meat. But more than all of that, it simply needed. Nothing else mattered.

With all the primal strength of crazed fanaticism Maximos burst off the counter. Whipping around, onto his feet, and dragging the arm up to his mouth. It opened, looking akin to a shark, insanity in his hollow eyes.

If anyone planned to stop him. They had better have aimed to kill him. But Sunstrike knew exactly what was going to happen. Why else cut ones self? He placed himself in the jaws of the beast.

And the jaws of the beast clamped down.

Blood would immediately squirt from the bite wound, though initial Sunstrike was granted freedom from any pain. The teeth were so sharp, and would cut as cleanly as a scalpel, slicing skin without trauma. Arteries, muscle tissue, They sunk into it all the same. Clamping down like a rabid pit bull, blood oozing down his cheeks.

...And you will sooner or later come to guilt, and with it you will come to impotence and finally despair.

The flavor was Ecstasy. Sunstrike knew that. He had the magically delicious blood after all. Maximos paused, then released the initial chunk of flesh having crushed it to a small size he opened his mouth biting large and deeper, enveloping more.

You may think you are too ruthless and too cold for such. You may feel superior to human beings and excuse your predatory excesses on the ground that you do but seek the necessary blood for your own life.

But it won't work in the long run.

His head slid left and then right, sinews and veins popping. This was what Sunstrike offered this was what he would receive. In the back of his mind the voice echoed, but resounded off the roar of his belly and was lost.

In the long run, you will come to know that you are more human than monster.

His teeth stopped. His hands quivered, shaking in place, fingernails dug into skin in wet furrows from both bite marks and nail cuts. Maximos' head shook, not thrashing, not attempting to rip the flesh from Sunstrikes arm, but quivering, almost twitching. His eyes were furious, but seemed to calm, staring hollowly forward, taking it all in.

He knew this taste. This texture. The feel of teeth sunk into this sort of matter.

But more importantly. Maximos knew something other than hunger. His eyes squeezed shut. His fingers slowly, as if resisted by solid concrete, began to release the death hold they had on the godlings arm.

All that is noble in you derives from your humanity, and your enhanced nature can only lead you to value humans all the more.

His eyes opened. Not black, but mismatched. White and black eyes staring at Sunstrike, likely now in great pain. And at the blood smeared across his nose. His lips repealed, his teeth opened and began to pull back slowly. As he tried...very...very...very hard, to wish this was another nightmare. That he had not done this. That he had not become this again.

You'll come to pity those you slay....

GRRRAAAAAAH!!

He roared. It was less a human noise and more something from a bad dream. A monster. A growl from someplace deep and dark Maximos did not like to induldge. He shoved Sunstrike's arm back, shoving his head away, pain on his face.

...even the most unredeemable...

His breaths were short gasps, his hands shook, blood poured from his open mouth past blood stained fangs. The frenzy was still strong. He needed food. But he could not give in. Rae might remember her own thoughts...



...Because if any psychic channel was still open, that will was raging against a hunger larger than any animal should have to face. This was teh will of a world. On Aria the planets life force was kept moving by the individuals on it. If one let itself go, it did not carry its wieght and the planet suffered. Thus the frenzy. He looked at Sunstrike with mixed emotions no thought able to be spared from the war within. Was it anger? Betrayal? Pleasure? Thanks?



Maybe it was said before he woke up. Maybe it was said during his attack. Maybe it was just said. Either way it just sunk in. Maximos thrashed around, arms swinging wildy at anyone who even thought of reaching out to knock their limbs away.

DONT TOUCH ME!

...and you will come to love humans so desperately that....

His hand whipped out across the table grabbing a bowl of bear nuts, and some unfinished craps under his left arm. And he shoved his way past whoever was before him. Fury on his face, blood staining his shirt, mouth, teeth, breath...it was all he could taste.

He made his way fiercely for the door munching handfuls. He wasnt a vampire, he was a carnivore...But he regarded the resident vampire with a "Cross me and its over" glare before pushing past the Firebrands entrance.

Was he an ungrateful b*****d? No. Maximos needed to be away from people, until he was safe. He couldnt hurt them. He couldnt be that person any more. Masuf had taught him better, trained him to be more, and at the dearest price. He could not be the destroyer, he had learned so hard to control this. It was the voice of an old friend and teacher that haunted him even as he made a sharp turn and slumped against the outer wall of the tavern.

...there will be nights when hunger will seem far preferable to you than the blood repast.

Dull crunches echoed out, as he forced down what lesser supplements he had stolen. He'd make for the garbage cans next. As long as it didnt have blood. Cinnamon was lost...Masuf was all he tasted. The sight of the dying man was all he saw. His last words all he heard.