The hound followed Tenele to the library, his huge paws keeping pace easily with Tenele's human feet. It stood a few feet away while she studied, never blinking or even twitching. It was like having a personal gargoyle relentlessly staring at her. When Talon came into the room, Stalker observed him with less interest than last time, tolerating him even as he followed her out of the room. Right up until the moment he grabbed Tenele's arm.
Then, his fangs were out, and before someone had time to stop him, the hound had latched onto the silver-haired man's forearm. It tossed its head hard enough to twist his hand off Tenele's arm and throw him off balance. There was a long and very obvious moment where the beast had a visible opening for Talon's chest, but it didn't follow up its attack. It simply watched him with fiery demonic eyes that made it very difficult to see anything doglike about the creature.
LORE: Training a Hell Hound (MATURE)
-
Soran Nightblade
- Avatar of Hope
- Posts: 10570
- Joined: Tue Jul 19, 2005 4:45 pm
- Location: NJ
-
Emora Deen
- Avatar of War
- Posts: 12249
- Joined: Tue Jul 19, 2005 12:41 am
- Location: Beyond Time and Space
- Contact:
Re: Training a Hell Hound
Talon growled loudly when the hound sunk his teeth into his flesh and jerked. It ripped through his arm until Talon had let go of Tenele and reached for the banaster to catch his balance. Her wrapped his hand around the wound, which was already bleeding pretty good, and his silver eyes found the hell hound. A stream of curse words fell from the noble mans lips, and he had half a mind to try and blow the demon dog into a realm he couldn't escape from. How that would affect Vlad, he could care less at the moment.
He rose his hand to preform an incantation, but suddenly stopped when Tenele rushed to him, trying to pray his hand off so she could see his arm.
"You stupid dog!" Tenele breathed, having had not the time to wipe the tears from her eyes, they glistened freely on her cheeks as she fretted over Talon's wound. "Just go away already!"
"Tenele..." Talon whispered, stopping her from prying his hand away from wound. "Its fine... Its not bad, trust me." His brow furrowed with worry. He just wanted her to talk to him, and it was about to drive him mad. He did remove his hand to tilt her face to look at him. "My sister, I love you, you know this. I would do anything in this world for you. I am over protective, and this is because I love you. I'm going to go mad if you don't tell me whats wrong. Even if I can't help you, at least let me be there to listen." Right now, Tenele's pain mattered more to him than the ripped flesh of his forearm.
Tenele's green eyes fixated on his for a moment and it seemed she was contemplating what to tell him. "I'm pregnant."
Talon's knees actually buckled in surprise and he stumbled before catching himself. Tenele was a bit surprised, she thought it was from the wound on his arm. He leaned against the banister, and gripping his arm tightly, his silver eyes wide, he had not a word to say about it. He couldn't fathom what to say. "Vlad's?"
Tenele averted her eyes and shook her head. Her breathing was coming to her faster now, almost paniced. She felt she should have been over this stupid feeling. She felt she should be stronger than this. Maybe it was Vlad's strength making her feel weak. How he could just bounce back from things made her feel like she should too. She couldn't control her breathing and before she knew it she needed to sit very badly. "Verin's."
Talon's face paled before suddenly becoming enraged. His teeth clenched and he reached out to offer Tenele support, caring less wether the dog attacked him again or not. He embraced his sister comfortingly, holding her tight. He couldn't remember the last time he had actually given her a hug. They had never gotten along very well. Tenele was too head strong, and he was too over protective. He wanted to say so many things, but what could he say to help her or make her feel better.
"Vlad promised he wouldn't leave me... and then he degraded me and told me I had brought disaster to myself. I'm so frightened. I don't know what to do, Talon. I just... I feel like I'm caught in something I can't escape from."
"He told you what?" Talon asked angrilly.
"I can't do this alone. I know I can't do this alone," Tenele almost pleaded to him. "I don't want to burden anyone, but I cannot do this alone."
"I'll be here, don't worry. I won't let you." Talon seethed in anger quietly, glaring at the hell hound. But, not because of the bite, because his master had said something so cruel to his sister. "We need to tell Sinead."
Tenele drew back, shaking her head. "Talon, I can't."
"Tenele," Talon said more firmly. "We have to tell her. She'll know what to do. Maybe we can stop..."
Tene blinked at him, placing her hands on her belly. She shook her head. "Sinead won't let me do my duty if she knows."
"No, you don't understand, Tenele. What if she can fix it to where your not? You didn't ask for this, I know you didn't. Sinead will know what to do... Are you sure you're..." Talon reached out again, but drew his hand away slowly. Tenele had stepped out of his grasp, which meant the wolf would probably deem his movements a threat.
"I...." Tenele had considered it... but everything seemed to point to what Verin said as truth. "If I am, she won't let me fight."
"If I know you, you'll fight no matter if she tells you to or not," Talon muttered. He held out his hand to her. "Come on... I'll be with you."
He rose his hand to preform an incantation, but suddenly stopped when Tenele rushed to him, trying to pray his hand off so she could see his arm.
"You stupid dog!" Tenele breathed, having had not the time to wipe the tears from her eyes, they glistened freely on her cheeks as she fretted over Talon's wound. "Just go away already!"
"Tenele..." Talon whispered, stopping her from prying his hand away from wound. "Its fine... Its not bad, trust me." His brow furrowed with worry. He just wanted her to talk to him, and it was about to drive him mad. He did remove his hand to tilt her face to look at him. "My sister, I love you, you know this. I would do anything in this world for you. I am over protective, and this is because I love you. I'm going to go mad if you don't tell me whats wrong. Even if I can't help you, at least let me be there to listen." Right now, Tenele's pain mattered more to him than the ripped flesh of his forearm.
Tenele's green eyes fixated on his for a moment and it seemed she was contemplating what to tell him. "I'm pregnant."
Talon's knees actually buckled in surprise and he stumbled before catching himself. Tenele was a bit surprised, she thought it was from the wound on his arm. He leaned against the banister, and gripping his arm tightly, his silver eyes wide, he had not a word to say about it. He couldn't fathom what to say. "Vlad's?"
Tenele averted her eyes and shook her head. Her breathing was coming to her faster now, almost paniced. She felt she should have been over this stupid feeling. She felt she should be stronger than this. Maybe it was Vlad's strength making her feel weak. How he could just bounce back from things made her feel like she should too. She couldn't control her breathing and before she knew it she needed to sit very badly. "Verin's."
Talon's face paled before suddenly becoming enraged. His teeth clenched and he reached out to offer Tenele support, caring less wether the dog attacked him again or not. He embraced his sister comfortingly, holding her tight. He couldn't remember the last time he had actually given her a hug. They had never gotten along very well. Tenele was too head strong, and he was too over protective. He wanted to say so many things, but what could he say to help her or make her feel better.
"Vlad promised he wouldn't leave me... and then he degraded me and told me I had brought disaster to myself. I'm so frightened. I don't know what to do, Talon. I just... I feel like I'm caught in something I can't escape from."
"He told you what?" Talon asked angrilly.
"I can't do this alone. I know I can't do this alone," Tenele almost pleaded to him. "I don't want to burden anyone, but I cannot do this alone."
"I'll be here, don't worry. I won't let you." Talon seethed in anger quietly, glaring at the hell hound. But, not because of the bite, because his master had said something so cruel to his sister. "We need to tell Sinead."
Tenele drew back, shaking her head. "Talon, I can't."
"Tenele," Talon said more firmly. "We have to tell her. She'll know what to do. Maybe we can stop..."
Tene blinked at him, placing her hands on her belly. She shook her head. "Sinead won't let me do my duty if she knows."
"No, you don't understand, Tenele. What if she can fix it to where your not? You didn't ask for this, I know you didn't. Sinead will know what to do... Are you sure you're..." Talon reached out again, but drew his hand away slowly. Tenele had stepped out of his grasp, which meant the wolf would probably deem his movements a threat.
"I...." Tenele had considered it... but everything seemed to point to what Verin said as truth. "If I am, she won't let me fight."
"If I know you, you'll fight no matter if she tells you to or not," Talon muttered. He held out his hand to her. "Come on... I'll be with you."
-
Soran Nightblade
- Avatar of Hope
- Posts: 10570
- Joined: Tue Jul 19, 2005 4:45 pm
- Location: NJ
Re: Training a Hell Hound
The hound hardly seemed daunted by Tenele's beratement. It moved up beside Tenele, its fur barely brushing her leg.
* * * * *
Tenele was on her back, pale as death and rigid with pain. She was surrounded by people - useless, horrified people. Blood soaked the sheets between her legs, and nurses added clean blankets around her waist in vain, only to have them saturate to scarlet. A scream tore from her throat as she contorted on the pale mattress in grotesque agony. Nobody touched her. She was alone, writhing, dying, like a half-crushed insect.
Vlad jerked awake, his pale skin glowing with sweat. His hand jumped up to his muscled chest, finding it bare. He could feel his heart beating wildly underneath his skin. He was staring up at a vaulted ceiling crisscrossed with ornate gold-plated molding. He didn’t know where he was or how he’d gotten there. His body felt incredible, like it was made of energy. It felt too good, actually. It was the rush he got just after feeding, and feeding well. The smell of blood suddenly hit him like a wall; how he hadn’t noticed it before, he couldn’t imagine. Not fresh blood….old blood, recent, drying.
He blinked and raised himself to a half-sitting position in an oversized bed of red silk sheets. There was a naked woman next to him, and another lying just beside her. He stared at them in utter shock, not recognizing either of them. He reached out and touched their shoulders slowly. Their flesh was soft, and cold. Blood was drying around violent bite wounds on their necks and breasts.
Vlad tugged his hand back and teleported to the opposite side of the marble-tiled room, wide-eyed. He staggered back against the wall. What was he doing here? He couldn’t remember anything….not since that moment in the maze. There was the stench of Verin’s blood in his mouth, and then a complete blackout. He noticed for the first time two Outlander men lying dead on the ground by the door. They had not been drained…their blood lay wasted in pools around their mutilated bodies. His eyes shifted abruptly down to the rest of his body. He was wearing pants. That was some relief, but not enough. There was too much that could be done while still wearing pants. The thought was too much. He threw his fist backward against the marble wall, pounding a deep crevice into it, before sliding down the wall into a tense crouch.
He pinched his fingers to the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes to the scene around him, unable to think straight for all the power rushing through his well-fed veins. Vlad knew better than to assume this was all a setup. These things were parts of him, as much as he locked them up tight. One look told him that something had thrown open the door and let them run loose. For how long? Hours? Days? How much had he done?
Verin was here; he knew it. He also knew he was in the Outerland capital, the palace. The marble and carved pillars were familiar. There were no windows in the room. There was only the door. He knew already that he would have to go through that door, to face the being that now had justification to consider him his servant. After all, did he have the strength to be anything more than that? Sinead, Tenele, his dignity…was there anything left to give him the power to fight the God further?
A part of him that was not really him wanted to hurry up and go out of the door, to taste the guiltless freedom of complete slavery and not have to feel this self-revulsion.
But no, he would not give up this moment of clarity. He would be himself for a little longer, no matter how awful it felt. He tried to remember who he was, to focus and not let go of it. Wasn’t that how it had worked against Verin before? Why didn’t it work now? Why did he know so certainly that it was hopeless?
He’d sworn he would not leave Tenele alone. Wasn’t he going to fight until he came through on his word? Wasn’t he going to protect her? His heart tugged. No, he’d betrayed her. He could no longer save her. He’d ranted to her that he couldn’t play the damsel, that he didn’t need her protection. And now here he was, full of more doubt and horror of himself than he’d ever felt in his life. It didn’t even occur to him to wish he could be the damsel now or to pray that someone would save him. Perhaps he was still too proud, but the idea that someone would rescue him from this didn’t even register as a possibility in his mind. He could only think about not moving, as if time itself could not move forward until he did.
* * * * *
Tenele was on her back, pale as death and rigid with pain. She was surrounded by people - useless, horrified people. Blood soaked the sheets between her legs, and nurses added clean blankets around her waist in vain, only to have them saturate to scarlet. A scream tore from her throat as she contorted on the pale mattress in grotesque agony. Nobody touched her. She was alone, writhing, dying, like a half-crushed insect.
Vlad jerked awake, his pale skin glowing with sweat. His hand jumped up to his muscled chest, finding it bare. He could feel his heart beating wildly underneath his skin. He was staring up at a vaulted ceiling crisscrossed with ornate gold-plated molding. He didn’t know where he was or how he’d gotten there. His body felt incredible, like it was made of energy. It felt too good, actually. It was the rush he got just after feeding, and feeding well. The smell of blood suddenly hit him like a wall; how he hadn’t noticed it before, he couldn’t imagine. Not fresh blood….old blood, recent, drying.
He blinked and raised himself to a half-sitting position in an oversized bed of red silk sheets. There was a naked woman next to him, and another lying just beside her. He stared at them in utter shock, not recognizing either of them. He reached out and touched their shoulders slowly. Their flesh was soft, and cold. Blood was drying around violent bite wounds on their necks and breasts.
Vlad tugged his hand back and teleported to the opposite side of the marble-tiled room, wide-eyed. He staggered back against the wall. What was he doing here? He couldn’t remember anything….not since that moment in the maze. There was the stench of Verin’s blood in his mouth, and then a complete blackout. He noticed for the first time two Outlander men lying dead on the ground by the door. They had not been drained…their blood lay wasted in pools around their mutilated bodies. His eyes shifted abruptly down to the rest of his body. He was wearing pants. That was some relief, but not enough. There was too much that could be done while still wearing pants. The thought was too much. He threw his fist backward against the marble wall, pounding a deep crevice into it, before sliding down the wall into a tense crouch.
He pinched his fingers to the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes to the scene around him, unable to think straight for all the power rushing through his well-fed veins. Vlad knew better than to assume this was all a setup. These things were parts of him, as much as he locked them up tight. One look told him that something had thrown open the door and let them run loose. For how long? Hours? Days? How much had he done?
Verin was here; he knew it. He also knew he was in the Outerland capital, the palace. The marble and carved pillars were familiar. There were no windows in the room. There was only the door. He knew already that he would have to go through that door, to face the being that now had justification to consider him his servant. After all, did he have the strength to be anything more than that? Sinead, Tenele, his dignity…was there anything left to give him the power to fight the God further?
A part of him that was not really him wanted to hurry up and go out of the door, to taste the guiltless freedom of complete slavery and not have to feel this self-revulsion.
But no, he would not give up this moment of clarity. He would be himself for a little longer, no matter how awful it felt. He tried to remember who he was, to focus and not let go of it. Wasn’t that how it had worked against Verin before? Why didn’t it work now? Why did he know so certainly that it was hopeless?
He’d sworn he would not leave Tenele alone. Wasn’t he going to fight until he came through on his word? Wasn’t he going to protect her? His heart tugged. No, he’d betrayed her. He could no longer save her. He’d ranted to her that he couldn’t play the damsel, that he didn’t need her protection. And now here he was, full of more doubt and horror of himself than he’d ever felt in his life. It didn’t even occur to him to wish he could be the damsel now or to pray that someone would save him. Perhaps he was still too proud, but the idea that someone would rescue him from this didn’t even register as a possibility in his mind. He could only think about not moving, as if time itself could not move forward until he did.
-
Emora Deen
- Avatar of War
- Posts: 12249
- Joined: Tue Jul 19, 2005 12:41 am
- Location: Beyond Time and Space
- Contact:
Re: Training a Hell Hound
Tenele and Talon entered the conference room, Talon coming first. He held his sister by the hand, and knew that the beast was probably following close behind. There wasn’t but three advisers in the room, and he waited until he was close enough to Sinead before he said anything. “My Queen, may we speak with you in private?” His expression was grave, and one could tell that there was something wrong.
Blood was running down his arm, and he'd refused Tenele's healing. It had been so long since she had used it, she doubted she could. Vlad was of the undead... a demon, and her healing never would work on him. Since he was the one she spent most of her time around, she had fallen out of practice with it. Talon didn't want her using her energy to do so anyway.
Blood was running down his arm, and he'd refused Tenele's healing. It had been so long since she had used it, she doubted she could. Vlad was of the undead... a demon, and her healing never would work on him. Since he was the one she spent most of her time around, she had fallen out of practice with it. Talon didn't want her using her energy to do so anyway.
-
Soran Nightblade
- Avatar of Hope
- Posts: 10570
- Joined: Tue Jul 19, 2005 4:45 pm
- Location: NJ
Re: Training a Hell Hound
Sinead looked up from her meeting. Her expression grew serious when she noticed Tenele there beside Talon, and even more so when she noticed his arm. She dismissed her men with a few words, and within a few seconds, they had the room to themselves. "Talon, what in the world? Go to the health ward!" she scolded him when they were in private. "If that beast is out of control, I'll have it exorcised immediately. A specialist rode in from one of the shelters outside Hepian just this morning." She narrowed her eyes suspiciously at the two siblings. They both looked as if they still had something to say. "Don't tell me there's more?"
-
Emora Deen
- Avatar of War
- Posts: 12249
- Joined: Tue Jul 19, 2005 12:41 am
- Location: Beyond Time and Space
- Contact:
Re: Training a Hell Hound
Talon glanced at his arm, bringing it up to rest against his black shirt. "The arm is fine," he told her reassuringly. "As much as I hate to admit it, I think the damn thing is trying to protect her from us all." He pulled on Tenele's arm, and she stepped forward. His silver eyes found her, and he nodded. "Tell her."
Tenele's eyes were downcast in shame. Why was he making her do such a thing? Why was she even listening to him when she would normally be arguing. "There is a grave possibility that I am with child," she whispered, glancing up to her Queen. "Verin... is the father." Tenele stepped forward quickly, reaching out to Sinead. "You know me, like a mother knows a daughter. You know my heart. I would not have betrayed Vlad, and even if he doesn't believe me. I would not have done it. Nothing in this world could be offered to me to make me do such a thing. But, it is a strong possiblity... an almost undeniable possibility... that I am... I'm sorry, I've dishonored my name, and brought shame to my status."
Tenele's eyes were downcast in shame. Why was he making her do such a thing? Why was she even listening to him when she would normally be arguing. "There is a grave possibility that I am with child," she whispered, glancing up to her Queen. "Verin... is the father." Tenele stepped forward quickly, reaching out to Sinead. "You know me, like a mother knows a daughter. You know my heart. I would not have betrayed Vlad, and even if he doesn't believe me. I would not have done it. Nothing in this world could be offered to me to make me do such a thing. But, it is a strong possiblity... an almost undeniable possibility... that I am... I'm sorry, I've dishonored my name, and brought shame to my status."
-
Soran Nightblade
- Avatar of Hope
- Posts: 10570
- Joined: Tue Jul 19, 2005 4:45 pm
- Location: NJ
Re: Training a Hell Hound
Sinead's eyes widened slightly, then squeezed narrow with heartfelt concern. "Oh, my dear, dear girl," she said, drawing Tenele up against her chest. "Of course not, certainly not," she said assuringly. "If such a thing were true, it would never be your fault. Why do you believe you are pregnant, Tenele?"
The hellhound remained surprisingly still as Sinead grasped the girl, although its muzzle curled in a warning. If Tenele gave sign of struggle, though, it would certainly attack.
The hellhound remained surprisingly still as Sinead grasped the girl, although its muzzle curled in a warning. If Tenele gave sign of struggle, though, it would certainly attack.
-
Emora Deen
- Avatar of War
- Posts: 12249
- Joined: Tue Jul 19, 2005 12:41 am
- Location: Beyond Time and Space
- Contact:
Re: Training a Hell Hound
Tenele glanced at Sinead warily. "I drank something and nearly passed out in the streets on my way to get the pendant from the ship. I remember a figure, a man, lifting me up and carrying me. Then everything went black, I must have fainted. Then I remember Verin's form... it was dark, hard to see, but I know it was him. He was-" Tenele saw Talon out of the corner of her eye shift to the other side of the room, his hands clenched at his sides. He shouldn't be hearing this, she thought. "Attempting. After that its all a blur of motions, and the next thing I know I'm stumbling into Vlad with most of my clothes missing. But, Verin couldn't have... He couldn't hurt me because I'm protected, I'm mortal. He can't, without being in control of a demon or lesser being, harm me. So the only way it could have happened was if I allowed him too." Which was a possibility considering she hadn't been in her head that night. "Vlad believed him, and I was sick, so it made Vlad believe even more. Verin himself told me I was. By the end of it... I believe him too."
-
Soran Nightblade
- Avatar of Hope
- Posts: 10570
- Joined: Tue Jul 19, 2005 4:45 pm
- Location: NJ
Re: Training a Hell Hound
Sinead frowned and stepped back enough to look at Tenele, her hands resting lightly on her shoulders. "It sounds like a lot has happened," she said seriously. "I am sorry that Vladimir didn't believe you. I have to say, though, that your logic is correct. if you don't remember giving Verin your permission, he may not have done anything at all. There are any number of ways he could have used to trick you." She looked at her closely. "Do you want me to check to be sure? There is a spell that will tell the truth of the matter."
-
Emora Deen
- Avatar of War
- Posts: 12249
- Joined: Tue Jul 19, 2005 12:41 am
- Location: Beyond Time and Space
- Contact:
Re: Training a Hell Hound
Vladimir not believing her was the least of her problems with him. Tenele nodded. "I want to be sure," she told her truthfully, her voice strong. "I have to be sure."
Talon still had not come back from his place across the room. He remained fumming silence, and she could only wonder what would be going through his head right now.
Talon still had not come back from his place across the room. He remained fumming silence, and she could only wonder what would be going through his head right now.
-
Soran Nightblade
- Avatar of Hope
- Posts: 10570
- Joined: Tue Jul 19, 2005 4:45 pm
- Location: NJ
Re: Training a Hell Hound
Sinead followed Tenele's gaze to Talon. "Give him time, brothers are special," she said, almost smiling at Talon's protectiveness despite the situation. Despite the horrible scenario Tenele described, Sinead found it difficult to believe she could really be pregnant. It made it easier to deal with the situation.
"Sit down, she said, pulling out one of the chairs for Tenele. She knelt on one knee in front of her maiden, though allowing the queen's head below the height of her subjects was something that would normally be unheard of. In this room, with only Tenele and her brother, the rules were a bit different, and Sinead was no different from any other mother eager for a way to save her daughter from heartache. She touched her hands lightly over Tenele's stomach and closed her eyes. The spell would show the truth of the matter, whatever it was, in the form of images in the air between them. A white light glowed from Sinead's hands, and the images began to appear.
"Sit down, she said, pulling out one of the chairs for Tenele. She knelt on one knee in front of her maiden, though allowing the queen's head below the height of her subjects was something that would normally be unheard of. In this room, with only Tenele and her brother, the rules were a bit different, and Sinead was no different from any other mother eager for a way to save her daughter from heartache. She touched her hands lightly over Tenele's stomach and closed her eyes. The spell would show the truth of the matter, whatever it was, in the form of images in the air between them. A white light glowed from Sinead's hands, and the images began to appear.
-
Emora Deen
- Avatar of War
- Posts: 12249
- Joined: Tue Jul 19, 2005 12:41 am
- Location: Beyond Time and Space
- Contact:
Re: Training a Hell Hound
Sinead disappeared before her, and at first she was terrified of what she saw. Her heart was thudding. It was as if she was suddenly back in that moment, except instead of groggy images, it was vivid and clear. Verin had thought, that since Vlad was a vampire, a monster, that only a corrupt person would let a demon touch them in such a way. He suspected that she wasn't as pure of heart as she let herself seem to be. However, he had been wrong. He thought that he could get what he wanted, a way to Sinead's throne, a way to Vlad's pride. Instead he was met with a disappointing inability to even attempt to gain what he desired. He could only go so far before he was met with an impassible force, a protection that went well beyond normal. The images came in rushed, but in the end her heart did not beat so feircely, and releif washed over her.
It had all been a lie, just as she had first suspected it to be. How foolish of her to fall into his trap and believe as Vlad had believed. When the spell was over Tenele laughed softly, almost crying with releif. "He lied," she whispered, her smile growing even more. But, then a tinge of regret came to her as she realized that there was no child. For a while there in the maze she had come to terms with her problem by imagining a happy baby, growing and learning... despite who the father was. Tenele would have to deal with this, for it was not meant to be. If she was meant to have such a life, she would have not fallen in love with a vampire...
But, the vampire didn't want her. Not as she wanted him. So what did that mean?
Tenele through her arms suddenly around Sinead, hugging the Queen tightly to her. Talon turned slowly to look at them, his face blank as winter snow. He was too shocked to really let it sink in.
It had all been a lie, just as she had first suspected it to be. How foolish of her to fall into his trap and believe as Vlad had believed. When the spell was over Tenele laughed softly, almost crying with releif. "He lied," she whispered, her smile growing even more. But, then a tinge of regret came to her as she realized that there was no child. For a while there in the maze she had come to terms with her problem by imagining a happy baby, growing and learning... despite who the father was. Tenele would have to deal with this, for it was not meant to be. If she was meant to have such a life, she would have not fallen in love with a vampire...
But, the vampire didn't want her. Not as she wanted him. So what did that mean?
Tenele through her arms suddenly around Sinead, hugging the Queen tightly to her. Talon turned slowly to look at them, his face blank as winter snow. He was too shocked to really let it sink in.
-
Soran Nightblade
- Avatar of Hope
- Posts: 10570
- Joined: Tue Jul 19, 2005 4:45 pm
- Location: NJ
Re: Training a Hell Hound
Sinead wrapped her arms supportively around Tenele. "You would not have consented to it, no matter what he tried," she said again, cupping a hand around the back of her head. "The rest will fall into place."
-
Emora Deen
- Avatar of War
- Posts: 12249
- Joined: Tue Jul 19, 2005 12:41 am
- Location: Beyond Time and Space
- Contact:
Re: Training a Hell Hound
Tenele nodded, withdrawing from her embrace for a moment. She looked at Sinead, not really having a single clue what to say. "Thank you," she told Sinead softly.
Her eyes turned to Talon, who gave her a smile and a single nod.
Tenele's face hardened as all the angry thoughts she felt suddenly came flooding back. A need for vengance weld up in her to the point she could barely contain it. Vengance was something Tenele wasn't use to. People rarely lived long enough for her to want to collect it.
* * *
It was dark as she stood outside the stone building. It looked for the most part abandoned, and that was a good cover for it, she assumed. She glanced back at Stalker, and knew he’d probably follow her in despite how she knew it was a bad idea. Not many people, besides the homeless, would seek refuge in abandoned buildings. Especially ones as dark and horrifying as this. On any other night, Tenele would have passed this building by without so much as a second glance, but not now. Not now that she knew exactly what it was.
She was slender in the night, her form standing stronger now. Something drove her. She no longer felt fear of him. No, why fear something that could not hurt you except through demons and minions. The cloak shifted about her as she stepped through the dark doorway, and passed down the even darker hall. She crossed the threshold of a stairwell leading down to the basement of the old house. Twining down the rounded steps she saw the soft glow of candle light, and knew it wasn’t far. As she went she left a thick trail of oil, poring it across the wooden floor as she passed. She left the path she’d take out free from oil, but made sure to saturate everything else.
It had been hidden well, this temple to the Dark God. A place for those who had migrated secretly from Arken to Ighten to pay homage to their treacherous deity. One that she loathed with all fiber of her being, and one that she sought to cause as much pain as possible.
The alter room was dimly lit. It was round, and had six torches going about it. There was a dark hall opposite of the doorway she had entered through. It had the carvings of an incantation around the sides and across the top of the door. A portal for the God to come back and forth through, or maybe for someone to enter his realm through? A wooden table, probably a sacrificial table sat in the center of the room, with shackles dangling off the sides. A place to attach a more than likely unwilling sacrifice.
Oil lamps were dangling over the table. Tenele walked about the room poring the rest of the oil she had so casually about the room. Then she came to stand in front of the table, facing the dark hallway. She reached up with an elegant hand, her cloaked head tilting up as she pulled down an oil lamp.
She lit a stick if incense and placed it in the holder at the center of the alter before the wooden table. “I read somewhere,” Tenele said she traced a line in the soot from all the other incense that had been burned. “that if you destroy the temple of a God, they feel the pain of that loss.” She was speaking, as if she knew that Verin could hear her. After all, he was a God, and made to hear the prayers of all his subjects entering his temples. He probably wouldn’t think she would have the audacity to do such a thing. If so, then he was then he hadn’t paid close enough attention to her. That was a possibility, since she was a mere mortal to him.
Her beautiful face tilted up to the darkness of the pathway. It was short, maybe only three feet. Its all that was needed for the spell to work. One she definitely would not be casting. No, she just wanted to look upon that wretchedly handsome face of that black God, and watch his expression as she burned his temple to the ground.
Silence was all she heard, and maybe she had half hoped to have him appear to confront her. But, nothing happened. He didn’t show. He didn’t speak coldly to her. She waited a minute longer and then lifted the oil lamp.
“You wouldn’t do that, would you?” he asked, almost tauntingly as he emerged from the dark hallway, his body shifting elegantly as he walked. His long ebony hair hung in waves about his face, and his black eyes found her as she glanced up to him. He barely made it through the doorway, his height almost a problem for him. He wore a triumphant smile on his face. “My, you look angry.”
Tenele said nothing, she just let her hand rest on the table again, gripping the oil lamp. “You look cocky,” Tenele replied darkly. She lifted the oil lamp again.
“I wouldn’t do that, if I were you, Tenele,” he warned.
“What will you do? You can’t touch me,” Tenele whispered, setting the oil lamp down again and stepping around the table. “No matter how much you wish you could rip the life from me with your bare hands, you can’t lay a finger of harm on me.”
“But, I can touch you, I just can’t kill you,” he said, taking a step closer. “You came here for something. I sense it. Are you here to bargain for Vlad’s life?”
Tenele sighed, running her fingers over the table top. “It would do my no good to try and bargain with you.” Tenele replied, arching her neck slightly upwards. “I simply came to tell you something. You’re going to lose this war. I don’t care how many years I have to fight you… If I have to burn every single temple to the ground, I’ll do it. You started a war with the wrong person, Verin.” Tenele smirked pleasantly. She turned her back on him and walked back to stand on the other side of the alter, her hands running across the wood before meeting his hard gaze.
“You’re the one starting a war, little human girl,” he warned. “Be careful who you pick fights with.”
Tenele lifted a piece of folded paper to the oil lamp with a beautiful smile. “You should follow your own advice, Verin,” she told him pleasantly.
She moved the paper over the fire and the flames wrapped about it, consuming it. She backed up towards the door, shifting the paper in front of her face and watching the flame. “You wouldn’t dare,” he hissed to her, stepping forward.
Tenele said nothing to him, she held her hand out elegantly, and opened her fingers. The paper slipped from her hand and floated down to the trail of oil she’d created. Fire spread out in a fluent stream about the room, going up the wooden alter. It trailed up the wide spiral staircase, leaving the path she’d made for herself, and up to the first floor. The room was suddenly filled with heat and light, and Verin was left to stand in the midst of it all his face contorted with rage.
Tenele stood, feeling the heat on her skin through the long cloak that hung about her. The flames rose higher and higher about the Dark God. He glared at her, his eyes smoldering in the intense heat. Then, he felt it, as he should have. She saw the slight twitch of his face, and his teeth clench tightly. Then he roared, a deep threatening roar that actually hand a twinge of agony to it. Did all Gods feel this when one of there sanctuaries were destroyed? He bounded across the distance between them and Tenele just simply turned away from him, brushing her hand across the still wolf and walked up the steps. The fire played and danced around her as she went, and her steps grew more hurried as she reached the first floor. It had gone up in flames quicker than she’d expected and she covered her head with her arms as she run through the flames to the safety of the outside.
Tenele slowed her pace as she neared the soldiers and her brother who were standing ready. “Insure the fire doesn’t spread,” she told them as she passed. Talon followed behind her.
“I smell singed hair, sure a few sparks didn’t get under your hood?” Talon asked as he came along side her, glancing warily at Stalker who seemed to have grown used to him.
Tenele reached up and lifted her hair to her nose. It definitely smelled a bit singed. “Oh, well,” she said with a smirk.
“I still think that was an incredibly stupid thing to do,” Talon muttered.
Tenele shrugged. “I know,” she said softly. “But, I needed to show him I’m not some weak human girl… and that I’m not afraid of him.”
“Why? Why did you need to show him that?” Talon asked her seriously.
Tenele said nothing, in the end, she didn’t even know the answer. “We need to get our things ready if we’re going to help Atul. Its not going to be a cake walk, and nothing like our men are used to. There can be no armor, or heavy metal. Its unbelievably hot, it will way them down and only end up getting them killed or killing themselves. We only have a short time. I fear he’s probably at his wits end already…”
Her eyes turned to Talon, who gave her a smile and a single nod.
Tenele's face hardened as all the angry thoughts she felt suddenly came flooding back. A need for vengance weld up in her to the point she could barely contain it. Vengance was something Tenele wasn't use to. People rarely lived long enough for her to want to collect it.
* * *
It was dark as she stood outside the stone building. It looked for the most part abandoned, and that was a good cover for it, she assumed. She glanced back at Stalker, and knew he’d probably follow her in despite how she knew it was a bad idea. Not many people, besides the homeless, would seek refuge in abandoned buildings. Especially ones as dark and horrifying as this. On any other night, Tenele would have passed this building by without so much as a second glance, but not now. Not now that she knew exactly what it was.
She was slender in the night, her form standing stronger now. Something drove her. She no longer felt fear of him. No, why fear something that could not hurt you except through demons and minions. The cloak shifted about her as she stepped through the dark doorway, and passed down the even darker hall. She crossed the threshold of a stairwell leading down to the basement of the old house. Twining down the rounded steps she saw the soft glow of candle light, and knew it wasn’t far. As she went she left a thick trail of oil, poring it across the wooden floor as she passed. She left the path she’d take out free from oil, but made sure to saturate everything else.
It had been hidden well, this temple to the Dark God. A place for those who had migrated secretly from Arken to Ighten to pay homage to their treacherous deity. One that she loathed with all fiber of her being, and one that she sought to cause as much pain as possible.
The alter room was dimly lit. It was round, and had six torches going about it. There was a dark hall opposite of the doorway she had entered through. It had the carvings of an incantation around the sides and across the top of the door. A portal for the God to come back and forth through, or maybe for someone to enter his realm through? A wooden table, probably a sacrificial table sat in the center of the room, with shackles dangling off the sides. A place to attach a more than likely unwilling sacrifice.
Oil lamps were dangling over the table. Tenele walked about the room poring the rest of the oil she had so casually about the room. Then she came to stand in front of the table, facing the dark hallway. She reached up with an elegant hand, her cloaked head tilting up as she pulled down an oil lamp.
She lit a stick if incense and placed it in the holder at the center of the alter before the wooden table. “I read somewhere,” Tenele said she traced a line in the soot from all the other incense that had been burned. “that if you destroy the temple of a God, they feel the pain of that loss.” She was speaking, as if she knew that Verin could hear her. After all, he was a God, and made to hear the prayers of all his subjects entering his temples. He probably wouldn’t think she would have the audacity to do such a thing. If so, then he was then he hadn’t paid close enough attention to her. That was a possibility, since she was a mere mortal to him.
Her beautiful face tilted up to the darkness of the pathway. It was short, maybe only three feet. Its all that was needed for the spell to work. One she definitely would not be casting. No, she just wanted to look upon that wretchedly handsome face of that black God, and watch his expression as she burned his temple to the ground.
Silence was all she heard, and maybe she had half hoped to have him appear to confront her. But, nothing happened. He didn’t show. He didn’t speak coldly to her. She waited a minute longer and then lifted the oil lamp.
“You wouldn’t do that, would you?” he asked, almost tauntingly as he emerged from the dark hallway, his body shifting elegantly as he walked. His long ebony hair hung in waves about his face, and his black eyes found her as she glanced up to him. He barely made it through the doorway, his height almost a problem for him. He wore a triumphant smile on his face. “My, you look angry.”
Tenele said nothing, she just let her hand rest on the table again, gripping the oil lamp. “You look cocky,” Tenele replied darkly. She lifted the oil lamp again.
“I wouldn’t do that, if I were you, Tenele,” he warned.
“What will you do? You can’t touch me,” Tenele whispered, setting the oil lamp down again and stepping around the table. “No matter how much you wish you could rip the life from me with your bare hands, you can’t lay a finger of harm on me.”
“But, I can touch you, I just can’t kill you,” he said, taking a step closer. “You came here for something. I sense it. Are you here to bargain for Vlad’s life?”
Tenele sighed, running her fingers over the table top. “It would do my no good to try and bargain with you.” Tenele replied, arching her neck slightly upwards. “I simply came to tell you something. You’re going to lose this war. I don’t care how many years I have to fight you… If I have to burn every single temple to the ground, I’ll do it. You started a war with the wrong person, Verin.” Tenele smirked pleasantly. She turned her back on him and walked back to stand on the other side of the alter, her hands running across the wood before meeting his hard gaze.
“You’re the one starting a war, little human girl,” he warned. “Be careful who you pick fights with.”
Tenele lifted a piece of folded paper to the oil lamp with a beautiful smile. “You should follow your own advice, Verin,” she told him pleasantly.
She moved the paper over the fire and the flames wrapped about it, consuming it. She backed up towards the door, shifting the paper in front of her face and watching the flame. “You wouldn’t dare,” he hissed to her, stepping forward.
Tenele said nothing to him, she held her hand out elegantly, and opened her fingers. The paper slipped from her hand and floated down to the trail of oil she’d created. Fire spread out in a fluent stream about the room, going up the wooden alter. It trailed up the wide spiral staircase, leaving the path she’d made for herself, and up to the first floor. The room was suddenly filled with heat and light, and Verin was left to stand in the midst of it all his face contorted with rage.
Tenele stood, feeling the heat on her skin through the long cloak that hung about her. The flames rose higher and higher about the Dark God. He glared at her, his eyes smoldering in the intense heat. Then, he felt it, as he should have. She saw the slight twitch of his face, and his teeth clench tightly. Then he roared, a deep threatening roar that actually hand a twinge of agony to it. Did all Gods feel this when one of there sanctuaries were destroyed? He bounded across the distance between them and Tenele just simply turned away from him, brushing her hand across the still wolf and walked up the steps. The fire played and danced around her as she went, and her steps grew more hurried as she reached the first floor. It had gone up in flames quicker than she’d expected and she covered her head with her arms as she run through the flames to the safety of the outside.
Tenele slowed her pace as she neared the soldiers and her brother who were standing ready. “Insure the fire doesn’t spread,” she told them as she passed. Talon followed behind her.
“I smell singed hair, sure a few sparks didn’t get under your hood?” Talon asked as he came along side her, glancing warily at Stalker who seemed to have grown used to him.
Tenele reached up and lifted her hair to her nose. It definitely smelled a bit singed. “Oh, well,” she said with a smirk.
“I still think that was an incredibly stupid thing to do,” Talon muttered.
Tenele shrugged. “I know,” she said softly. “But, I needed to show him I’m not some weak human girl… and that I’m not afraid of him.”
“Why? Why did you need to show him that?” Talon asked her seriously.
Tenele said nothing, in the end, she didn’t even know the answer. “We need to get our things ready if we’re going to help Atul. Its not going to be a cake walk, and nothing like our men are used to. There can be no armor, or heavy metal. Its unbelievably hot, it will way them down and only end up getting them killed or killing themselves. We only have a short time. I fear he’s probably at his wits end already…”
-
Soran Nightblade
- Avatar of Hope
- Posts: 10570
- Joined: Tue Jul 19, 2005 4:45 pm
- Location: NJ
Re: Training a Hell Hound
Stalker seemed unconcerned by the fire, hellhound as he was. He followed close at Tenele's side through her little adventure, and showed no interest or fear of the god of darkness. The wolf was from a different domain, that of the god of death. He had nothing to fear from this god, no matter how furious Verin might be. His master, however, was a different story, for Vlad didn't have the privilege of being dead at the moment.
Vlad was running through a village street, drenched in blood and smiling like a demon. He had ridden in as the figurehead of Verin's army to this small village that had supported Atul. Most of its men and teenage boys had already left to take part in Atul's little rebellion, leaving the rest of the population unguarded. They were to pay the price for betraying the capital and Verin. They were to be examples. Vlad left the more tactical work to the king's soldiers, his darkest urges driving him ahead and away from the pack. His darker side was not so interested in the political meaning of this task, but Verin ensured that his control induced the vampire's cooperation in other ways. Fresh blood, particularly that of young women, drove Vlad's senses as he took a leisurely path of terror through a less central part of the town. There was very little craft to what he was doing, and even the terrible smile on his face seemed mechanical. After all, what was he doing beyond acting on instinct? The part of him that could assign any semblance of meaning to his actions was not expressed. It lay dormant and screaming, captive behind the eyes of this more primal consciousness.
He abruptly paused in the middle of the act of scaling a wall to pursue a woman who had fled to her roof. Something happened, something that briefly weakened the constant power Verin exerted over him. Whatever it was, Vlad seized the opening and drilled through it, and suddenly he was looking upward at a very upset woman with a very heavy looking pot. "Devil! Beast!" she screamed at him. She threw the object down at him, and he was so disoriented to suddenly be in control that he didn't bother to dodge. It cracked hard into his head and split into pieces, knocking him with it to the ground.
Vlad shoved the broken clay off of himself and got to his feet, not knowing exactly where he was or what was happening. But he knew well enough the general idea. Over the past few weeks, months, however long it had been, each of his brief seizures of control over Verin had found him in the same situation: surrounded by a moral and biological mess that he had presumably created himself. This time, he was slightly more prepared for it. Perhaps being attacked by the woman with the pot eased the situation somehow, and at least he was not surrounded by corpses.
He had to use this chance to stay in control. At the rate he was going, he would be the downfall of Atul's rebellion. He wasn't sure why he even cared about politics at this point. He had no remaining ties, no country that would welcome him home at this point. But he cared anyway, if only because Atul winning meant Verin losing. He had to think of some way to stay in control. But the more he considered his options, the darker his thoughts grew. He was trapped. He was in a living nightmare, and Verin owned his soul. He'd already done too much to turn back. The sins piled up and weighed him further and further down. He had been special, he'd been different. He was exempt from this. What could he say about himself now?
Too soon, he felt Verin's pressure returning to his mind. Whatever had distracted the god, Vlad couldn't imagine. A lustful, avaricious burning filled his chest, swatting at his memories as if they were meaningless flies. Nothing mattered but his power, his dominion over these mortals. He had been made a predator, and they were his prey. There was no simpler truth than that, no better code of conduct. He could consume them as he wished, or toy with them if he was bored. He could force his lips upon them or he could dissect them and admire their insides. It was like stepping on ants; meaningless and oddly satisfying.
The vampire made a choking sound, sagging to one knee as he fought with some invisible force, his eyes wide with protest. Then he stood up, smiling, and Vladimir was gone.
Vlad was running through a village street, drenched in blood and smiling like a demon. He had ridden in as the figurehead of Verin's army to this small village that had supported Atul. Most of its men and teenage boys had already left to take part in Atul's little rebellion, leaving the rest of the population unguarded. They were to pay the price for betraying the capital and Verin. They were to be examples. Vlad left the more tactical work to the king's soldiers, his darkest urges driving him ahead and away from the pack. His darker side was not so interested in the political meaning of this task, but Verin ensured that his control induced the vampire's cooperation in other ways. Fresh blood, particularly that of young women, drove Vlad's senses as he took a leisurely path of terror through a less central part of the town. There was very little craft to what he was doing, and even the terrible smile on his face seemed mechanical. After all, what was he doing beyond acting on instinct? The part of him that could assign any semblance of meaning to his actions was not expressed. It lay dormant and screaming, captive behind the eyes of this more primal consciousness.
He abruptly paused in the middle of the act of scaling a wall to pursue a woman who had fled to her roof. Something happened, something that briefly weakened the constant power Verin exerted over him. Whatever it was, Vlad seized the opening and drilled through it, and suddenly he was looking upward at a very upset woman with a very heavy looking pot. "Devil! Beast!" she screamed at him. She threw the object down at him, and he was so disoriented to suddenly be in control that he didn't bother to dodge. It cracked hard into his head and split into pieces, knocking him with it to the ground.
Vlad shoved the broken clay off of himself and got to his feet, not knowing exactly where he was or what was happening. But he knew well enough the general idea. Over the past few weeks, months, however long it had been, each of his brief seizures of control over Verin had found him in the same situation: surrounded by a moral and biological mess that he had presumably created himself. This time, he was slightly more prepared for it. Perhaps being attacked by the woman with the pot eased the situation somehow, and at least he was not surrounded by corpses.
He had to use this chance to stay in control. At the rate he was going, he would be the downfall of Atul's rebellion. He wasn't sure why he even cared about politics at this point. He had no remaining ties, no country that would welcome him home at this point. But he cared anyway, if only because Atul winning meant Verin losing. He had to think of some way to stay in control. But the more he considered his options, the darker his thoughts grew. He was trapped. He was in a living nightmare, and Verin owned his soul. He'd already done too much to turn back. The sins piled up and weighed him further and further down. He had been special, he'd been different. He was exempt from this. What could he say about himself now?
Too soon, he felt Verin's pressure returning to his mind. Whatever had distracted the god, Vlad couldn't imagine. A lustful, avaricious burning filled his chest, swatting at his memories as if they were meaningless flies. Nothing mattered but his power, his dominion over these mortals. He had been made a predator, and they were his prey. There was no simpler truth than that, no better code of conduct. He could consume them as he wished, or toy with them if he was bored. He could force his lips upon them or he could dissect them and admire their insides. It was like stepping on ants; meaningless and oddly satisfying.
The vampire made a choking sound, sagging to one knee as he fought with some invisible force, his eyes wide with protest. Then he stood up, smiling, and Vladimir was gone.