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Re: Burning Epiphanies

Subject: Re: Burning Epiphanies
by KTC on 2008/2/5 3:04:12

Rhen woke up with a blazing headache. Her head pounding, she groaned when there was a knock on the door. The sound painfully reverberated through her skull while she somehow made it to the door and ripped it open.

Gripping her head, she growled, "Before you say anything, Lars, just do something about my head."

"By the Gods Rhen, what were you doing?" Lars exclaimed as he conjured up a spell.

"What does it look like? Seemed a good idea at the time."

"Didn't look like it worked...there that should do it."

Feeling the pounding disappear and her body returning to some semblance of normality, Rhen breathed a sigh of relief. Now able to think clearly she allowed Lars to come in. "So what brings you here?"

"You're welcome. I'm here because I'm worried about you...."

Rhen closed the door quietly with a soft click. Both were looking at that innocent looking bottle on the table. The woman sighed before slouching in a chair. "I don't need you're concern Lars."

"But I worry nonetheless. Why were you drinking?"

The warrior stiffened. "Just stress." She muttered, not quite meeting his eyes. Lars looked doubtful but stayed silent.

"Seriously, it's just stress..."

Lars nodded sitting himself in a seat. The two looked at each other before averting their eyes. Rhen muttered, "Blasted bottle, can't believe I got drunk. I'll never do that again."

Shaking his head, Lars grinned. "Well, now you know better."

"Oh shut it Lars. How's you're head?"

Lars tapped his head as he answered arrogantly, "Just fine, healing spell worked out nicely."

"Ah.."

Looking concern, the mage asked tentatively, "Rhen..has.. she came by yet?"

"..... No...not recently..."

"Well, did you find out who those men were?"

Rhen nodded before standing up and retrieving a blood stained scroll. Tossing it down on the table, she answered tiredly, "Apparently they were hired by that Lord." Staying far away from the bottle, she grabbed a mug and poured herself water.

The mage gingerly opened the scroll. "Wow, she was only worth 4000gold? Thought she was worth more."

Rhen didn't look amused. "Lars.."

"Alright, now we know their motive, but that leaves... her."

Feeling suddenly irritated by the mage's avoidance of using Teijal's name, Rhen snapped, "Lars, Teijal's name is not a taboo. "

Lars rubbed his head as he pointed out, "Yes, but you weren't used as a hammer on an anvil."

Rhen glared at him causing the man to squirm.

Lars put his hands up. "Okay okay, I get it. I don't want to fight with you Rhen."

The other sighed. "I don't want to fight either." Slumping down in the chair with her head in hands, she muttered, "Too many things happened. Not enough time to process."

Nervously, Lars twiddled with his thumbs as he inquired, "Rhen...have you thought about..."

The human sighed softly before answering,"....I need time."

After the mage left, Rhen leaned against the closed door and breathed. She felt suffocated and escaped to the garden. It was always her sanctuary when the world seemed to pressure her from every side. The warrior shuddered when she noticed her sword still laying on the ground. Nearing if slowly as if it would bite her, she cautiously lifted the blade and slipped it quickly back into its scabbard.

The human ran a hand through her hair as she sat on a lonely rock and turned her eyes upward toward the sky.

It was a dark night The human frowned as the memories rose up. When we met for the first time

She remembered Teijal's face where there was not a trace of faint humor, only pure madness and anger. She didn't recognize the vampire at all. Who was she? The human frowned; Rhen really didn't know anything about the vampire. Her heart suddenly ached painfully causing the human to grip her chest. Slowly the sharp pain faded to a dull hurt. The human dropped her head into hear hands and cursed loud enough to scare the birds in the trees.

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Teijal stalked around her house like a caged animal. Her hands fisting then releasing rhythmically to her pacing.

After leaving Rhen's house, Teijal caught a griffin and twisted it's neck. While draining it, her mind idly wondered how sweet Rhen's blood would be. Was it as sweet as an elf? Or maybe more bitter like an orc's? Suddenly an impulse crashed into her sending her down to her knees. Her fangs unsheathe as the image of Rhen's slender neck flashed through her skull. Blood on her claws, Teijal crushed the carcass while her eyes glowed. kill Kill KILL.

Teijal slammed her fist into the wall smashing a large hole. She didn't notice the blood sluggishly dripping from her wounds as she stood there, staring blankly at the wall. Closing her eyes, she leaned forward and placed her forehead on the wall.

Eventually, she stood away from the wall, a harden look in the eyes. Turning, she headed to the Church to escape her current prison.

It wasn't a place to worship but a place of sanctuary for all vampires. Teijal entered the building and breathed in the cold air. Intimidating statues stood guard on all sides while huge dreary drapes covered the windows. Inside the dark building, she relished it all. Sitting down on one of the chairs, Teijal relaxed. Closing her eyes, Teijal leaned back in the chair and emptied her mind.

She could almost hear the Elder's voice. Remember Teijal, your Beast doesn't control you. You control It.

Taking the words to heart, she looked deep into herself. Navigating a maze of pathways that she only knew, she traveled into where her black heart laid.

There! She could see it! The Beast had wrapped itself tightly around her heart. A fog of shadows, its claws caress her heart while whispering sweet lies. Its jaws grinned, sensing an opening. It only needed to wait for the weakling to succumb to its influences.

Teijal ran and grabbed the parasite ripping it away from her heart. Startled, the thing tore itself away from her hands and landed on its feet, crouched. Snarling, the creature charged at Teijal with its blood soaked claws.

Catching the hands before it ripped out her face, Teijal quickly threw it far away from her before jumping back. Slamming her fist onto the ground, she growled out, "Final Embrace!" Suddenly dark tendrils shot out from the ground and wrapped themselves around the beast trapping it. The creature howled before being gagged by the same black shadows. With a last jerk, the tendrils dragged the struggling thing down into the depths of her being.

Teijal opened her eyes and bolted from her seat. Calming down, she sank back into the seat, staring up at the ceiling. It was done. Slowly everything blurred as she fell unconscious, not noticing her shirt was soaked with cold blood.

Drip, Drip, Drip.

Dark drops of blood stained the floor.

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