Curse of the Fallen Quest: Ring Bearer's Trilogy

[poohlive]

Something had popped. Keith could hear it, feel it all around him like a baloon popping right in front of his face. There was a release though, like something bad had been broken. It felt as if a blister had been popped, pain and agony, but in a way some serene sort of ease at the end.
That was what Keith thought had taken down the barrier. Some black magic dividing him from the rest. He tried the wall once again, but it stopped him just as before.
"Come on! Damnit," He pressed his sword into the black pools that ran all along this border, but as he sliced up, the magic only rehealed what had once been cut. He couldn't get through.
Faintly, he heard a voice, someone calling to him. Keith tried to answer, but he knew it wouldn't do any help.
Whoever it was controlling this, whatever keeping him out was also keeping the rest of them in.
"Hold on guys, it isn't over yet."
They were all still trapped.

 

[Quiet_Cool]

Christian

I didn't wait for Kat's answer, just bit my wrist and touched the wound to her lips, allowing the blood to flow as freely as it would just then.
I thought I heard a sound then, distantly, and unidentifiable. But...a voice? Male?
"Did anyone else hear that?" I asked, glancing up at Aria, but thinking more in Joseph's direction.

 

[Firegirl976]

Kat

As blood touched my lips I felt it begin to run down my throat and unconsciously swallowed, feeling the strength and vitality flow through me. As life raced through my body I reached up and gently grabbed Christians arm still allowing him to hold me up but begining to feel a bit more like myself. Opening my eyes I looked up into his just after he commented on hearing something. I turned slowly towards Joseph, "Can you hear anything ashke'?"

 

[The GrandMage]

Joseph

He grunted, and stood up, cocking his head to the side. He pointed out with his arm, moving it around in a general direction. "Somewhere,...that way. I'm not sure what it was, though..."

He dropped his arm, turning his head so that one ear was towards Christian and Kat, the other in Aria's direction. It was much easier than acting like he was looking toward them.

"I'm,....fine, Aria. Just fine..."

 

[Sweetp4u]

Aria

"I heard something as well, but I wasn't paying close attention to make out what it was.." Everyone seemed to still, waiting and listening.

Odd.. Definitely odd. I wondered what it was, but I had circled the area and seen nothing out of the ordinary. "Perhaps an animal..?"

I watched Christian feed her and halted him, "Just enough to heal her, not weaken you as well." I wasn't sure if Joseph was strong enough to feed her too? He seemed so, just hampered by his.. handicaps. He'd be healed soon, Kat could do it. I had seen her bring John back from near death, she could heal Joseph as well... If they wanted it.

"My turn.." I moved over to Kat, brushing her hair back from her face. Concern showed in my eyes and mouth, worry as well, but I said nothing negative. Slicing open my wrist, I put it close to her mouth and let her drink.

My mind went over everything I could possibly do, only idea was retreating. The best idea in my mind.. but was it?

"Do we have anything that would bind Lance?" I asked out of curiousity, uncertain I even wanted to try that route after what happened to Kat and Anna.

 

[Firegirl976]

Kat

"Do we have anything that would bind Lance?"

Binding, I thought to myself. I drank gently from Aria's wrist then took a moment before pushing myself up to stand. Why hadn't I thought of it before. I turned to the group...."I think I may know a way to subdue Lance for a bit," I looked in josephs direction knowing he may understand what I was saying, "A magical binding would allow me to subdue his mental abilities enough that the darkness could not feed on him." I look around sensing Anna, "But it would be temporary.....and he would still require physical bonds."

 

[Sweetp4u]

Aria

Looking around, I knew none of us had anything to that could bind Lance. Vampires didn't carry silver around on them, nor a few hundred pounds of chain.

"Only trouble is, we have nothing to bind him with once you've got him controlled.." My lips fell to the wound, suckling off the remaining blood and letting it heal. "Now a little from Joseph and you'll be good to go.." Giving her a smile, it was the best warmth I could manage considering what was going on.

I could feel a cold premonition running down my spine, Lance wasn't finished here. Anna was close, hovering and waiting, possibly for another attack? It would take far too long to heal Joseph, even if kat was in tip-top shape, which meant Christian and I would have to keep a look out. They just couldn't sit there all damned night however, they had to do something!

"I just don't understand this! The truck should be right around here somewhere, as should Keith.. Did we get turned around somewhere?" I sat down on a boulder and slowly scanned the trees.

 

[Quiet_Cool]

Christian

I could feel Aria's concern and confusion, realizing then that I was beginning to gain some understanding of those I was dealing with just then. I forced my hands to ease thier grip on my guns, having picked them up again once Kat was on her own feet again.
I glanced around.
Was it Anna or Lance we should fear?
"We need Lance but can't bind him..." I thought aloud.
"Why do we need to bind him? More over, what good will it do? If we take him with us, how will we become more capable to reversing whatever's wrong with him? We need to find the way out, but I get the feeling we can't do that just yet. Something else has to be done...Or maybe we need to wait until it occurs on its own. For some reason, I think the feeling of being trapped here is fully justified. It's not that we're lost, or that we can't find the truck or Kieth just yet, but we're not supposed to yet." i glanced at Aria, feeling out of place, now talking what might be mere confusion, but might be my own version of truth, unable to give any more explanation than I'd gotten earlier.
"It's not right that Anna's not with us. She has a ring, she should be here. As for Lance, if Mongrel will heal him, maybe we should send him back there..."

 

[Sweetp4u]

Aria

"You are right Christian...." I turned around and around, still seeing nothing but what looked like forest for miles and miles. We seemed to be trapped, I couldn't even see the old logging road.

"Christian, you go find Anna.. Be careful and do not trust her.. I will go looking for Lance and just keep an eye on him until you locate Anna.. Joseph..? I am sorry hun.. But I need kat to help keep you alive until you are healed.. We can't lose another. Christian, be sure to steer clear of Lance, okay?" I sighed heavily and turned back towards the clearing. I could do this... I knew Lance better than anyone else here, and his tricks.. I hoped.

"Christian when you find Anna, see what you can do to subdue her and bring her back to Kat, call for me when you've got her.. Weaken her if need be.." I eyed him hard, making sure he understood what I meant. "Any means possible.." I walked off towards the clearing, ready for anything to jump out at me from the darkness.

 

[Quiet_Cool]

Christian

I nodded to Aria, feeling better simply to be doing something instead of sitting and waiting for something worse to happen. I considered the direction we'd come from, then moved carefully off to one side, not away, since Anna would likely not be in that direction, but in a directon so as to skirt the area where Lance would most likely still be.
I moved quickly, guns held down at either side, feet hopping over fallen tree limbs and around roots jutting from the ground.
I had't gone too far, at least it didn't seem as though I had, when I stopped, realizing something wasn't right. Had I felt it? Sensed it in some 6th sense way?
A moment's deduction proved right, but also wrong. I sensed fear, but not from her I realized. I listened to the still, silent air.
Nothing, not a single chirping cricket or hooting owl.
Fear, I thought. But of her, or something else?
Only one way to find out.
I moved forward again, not as fast, wanting to keep the sound of my movements down.
I could hear a stream somewhere, but nowhere close. It had a soothing sound to it, and I changed direction to move closer without thinking about it.
She might have done the same, without even realizing it, or noting the stream was even there. Wasn't like she was in her right mind.
I moved carefully closer, then turned to follow the same direction as the stream went, downhill, no doubt.
When the hill sloped, and at the foot of it, the trees gave way to high grass.
As I entered the meadow, looking around first, I noticed the ring warming on my finger. I was headed in the right direction.
Quickening some, I took high steps, trying to sway as little of the grass as I could as I moved, and reaching the other side in little time. When I did, I stopped dead where the trees began to grow thickly together again, to become woods instead of a scattering of plantlife.
I froze, my hands gripping the gunhandles too tightly for a moment, then turned and looked into the cranny of the large oak without any thought whatsoever.
"Hello, Anna..." I stated, simply. "I've come to get you."

 

[Sweetp4u]

Anna

She sat with her back to the tree, her eyes nearly black scanned through a gray kind of fog, nothing seemed to be alive in her mind. Everything looked like an old t.v. show to her, no animals came near her, infact the bugs were even moving away instead of crawling on her.

She shivered, not from the cold ground nor her barely covered skin, but from the pain inside that constantly clawed at her stomach. Almost like the thirst was with her and would not cease. She heard nothing of Christian's approach but she seen him standing over her.

Two things prickled at her, fear of him and anger he dared to come near her. She wanted to run, she wanted to cry out in anger and she wanted to cry from the pain. Inside her head, she knew who he was one moment and then the next she did not.

She pushed against the tree, her nails digging into the bark as she glared at him. She moved sideways slightly, wearily watching him, waiting for him to pounce. "g-go away.." She spoke so softly, lack of air and energy unable to make the words heard louder, she slid along the tree until she bumped into the other.

Her eyes widened slightly as he turned to face her, keeping her in his sight. Her slight frame was no match for him, she knew this but again inside her head she was ordered to attack.

"I c-can't.." She whimpered, sobbing once before brushing her dirty hand across her mouth. She shook her head at the silent voice inside her head and scooted further away. She halted her movement and clutched at her stomach to keep from being sick again, her eyes glaring daggers at him and then softening once more.

"I have t-.. to kill you.. HE said so." She panted noisely, too many emotions swirling inside her head, the ring was slowly fading in color but now and then brightening. IT was clinging to her as much as she was clinging to that thin thread of sanity inside.

"Hel-p m-m-mee Christian.. Please?" She slowly sank again, her hand on her stomach, the other fisted as she fought against that voice in her head ordering her to do things she would not normally do! Her eyes closed and then opened, she smiled at him in a madening way and moved slowly towards him.
"Let me.. Help you..?" She cocked her head a little, the look of innocence would not come to her in this state, but she thought so within her mind. Her hands reached him, brushing up his chest as she stepped to him. She paused only a split second, her eyes clouding and changing yet again, even darker than before.
"KILL HIM!" The voice pushed against her mind, the pain coming in a hard disabling wave over her. She gripped his shirt tightly in her fists to keep upright.

"no.. no no!" Her forehead hit his chest as she struggled to keep it at bay. "Kill me Christian.." She pleaded, her tears falling yet again. "Kill me now!" She grabbed for his hand, struggling to bring his weapon to her chest. She reared back and met his eyes.
"Do it before it's too late... Kat?" She knew Kat was her only link to remaining partially herself.. but Kat wasn't here to help her now.

 

[Firegirl976]

Kat

MY head snapped off in the direction Christian had headed unconsciously and I hear the panic the desperation like a dagger in my head....."KAT!". "Calm yourself Anna.......keep fighting it......your winning........I HAVE FAITH IN YOU KEEP FIGHTING." I sent as much as I could through the link without weakening myself further or allowing a traceable link back to myself. My entire body tensed as I sensed the darkness struggle within her and i gripped my hands so tightly that the nails drew blood. Not realizing the worry coming off of me in waves. My body turned slightly towards Joseph and walking towards him i gripped his shoulder for support......."What can I do??" Tears began to well up in my eyes......"There is so little for me in this weakened state."

 

[Sweetp4u]

Aria

Moving towards the clearing, I didn't want to be back here anymore than the other's did. Things were going down hill and fast and being near Lance in his condition, it basicly freaked me out!

Moving quietly as possible and slowly, I approached the clearing. Hesitant step after hesitant step I made it to the edge but stayed behind the tree. Now to confirm he was there and not reveal my presense... If such a thing was possible.

My heart was hammering, worried about his safety and again my own. Was he dying or was it a trap? So many questions, all unanswered. I peeked around the tree, looking for Lance's position..

 

[poohlive]

Lance leaned up against a tree, and as Aria turned, he met her, face to face. He was just inches away from her, as a nice smile came up to his lips.
"You came back for me," he gave her a small kiss, before she had time to move, and then peeked over her shoulder.
"The others are too weak? They have been through a lot. Blind, weak, and now fighting demons of your own. It doesn't look good for the fallen quest, does it? You are all dying, or about to, anyway. It doesn't have to be this way."
Lance put a single finger to his lips, and whispered the world away. As it left, dark magic encircled them both, and in the end, the clearing had given way to a more relaxed feeling. An ols monastary.
"I found this, in Lance's old memories. Something from a long time ago, when the book was being hidden. I've been trying to find out where it is, as you can imagine. This is as close as I've gotten."
A small child came out, running to meet them both. Lance dropped to his knees, and hugged him.
"This is Corbin, Lance's child. I offered him to Lance to see if he could give me the book. He refused though. If I could only find Corbin, this would all be over. But... maybe not. Maybe, I wouldn't have to find Corbin at all."
The child changed, dark blue eyes and features that looked partial to Lance's faded away, and the child reminded Aria of someone she had lost not too long ago.
"My magic may be dark, but it is also very powerful. I can bring back your son, I can give you all your faded memories, and even heal your husband. I can give you back your life, and all the lives that have been destroyed in this hellish dance to save the book."
Lance came over to her, his eyes darkened over, but as he walked closer, putting his arms in hers, they faded away and Lance's steel blue eyes looked into Aria, giving her all the warmth in the world.
"I can even give you him. Free from the curse of the book, from this death he has chosen. He is your gift as well. You have fought so long and so hard on this road, and tonight, I can give you everything back, if you just stop... stop pursuing this foolish quest and let me give you your life back."
Lance faded from this dark magician in his clothing, and the monastary faded too, now showing just an old clearing with a deep and dark blood stain earlier. Lance stood in the middle, looking at her as an explorer might study an animal in the wild.

 

[Sweetp4u]

Aria

The kiss did stun me, but not so much as Lance standing there in wait. I should have known it was a ploy of some kind, he was far from dying. A blessing and yet a curse as well.

He tried his games, but I wasn't going to bite. I let him show me Corbin and turned away when he offered my son. It stung, it really did. How could one be so cruel as to dangle the impossible before my face and smile so sweetly?

"Deceit and trickery.." I muttered softly, feeling all the pulls of his so sensual of offers. Everything fixed, everything the way it was.. And at what price? Life. All life, not just my own or those present, but everyone on this earth. He asked far too much and he knew that.

"Your word on this?" Sadly I chuckled, shaking my head as I moved away. Turning, I studied the Lance I knew and cared for, again an illusion.

"Your word is as good as mine would be in this instance. You know this. Your offer is meaningless to me, my word meaningless to you. Release Lance, Mongrel." I bargained with whom I communicated with, but I knew this creature was not Lance, merely something inhabiting his body, using him as bait.

The tears stung my cheeks as the bitter wind blew across my face, there was pain there and loss, fuck him if he seen or not. I hid nothing, would hide nothing. "Your sweetened promises mean nothing, bargaining for what here really?" There was something he was after. Stalling? Plotting? Tormenting me? The last was my guess.

 

[The GrandMage]

Joseph

He stood, head cocked, listening. He turned towards Kat. His twisted face held no semblance of emotion, sightless eyes gazing towards her. The living dead stood, her hand on his shoulder. She was using him to support herself. He remembered days hen he would not have so easilly noticed.

"We can only do what we can do." He wondered how weak she was, how weak she could really feel.

Pain danced across his body before going numb. It was the third time in the last two days that had happened. He wondered if it was his body trying to heal, or trying to die.

 

[poohlive]

Lance cocked his head at her, as a dog might, when it studies something new. The black swirls in his eyes danced. He looked, and Aria got a sense of this, that Lance himself was like some sort of satelite dish, and he was sending information back somewhere.
"Mongrel?" He snapped back to himself, at least, whatever he had been before, "You think you are talking to Mongrel? Oh, child, child. No. Mongrel is nothing of who you think. He is a pawn, as are all you. Nothing more than a character in the game. You have to realize this. I recruited Mongrel, because I needed the page. I gave him powers because he promised to give me the page. He has not delivered though, and now I regret giving anything to him."
Lance came closer to her, his steps cautious, but forward.
"Perhaps, you would like to know who I am..." As Lance spoke those words, the darkness around the clearing covered them up once again, and in this place now, was the entirety og the universe. A black fog of expanding space, and clusters of stars shown here and there. Inside all of this, a single dark entity hurled through space. It moved from planet to planet, sun to sun, solar system to solar system, feeding off of heat an energy. This black entity seemed to know nothing of death, life, or even reproduction, but it knew of warmth, and so continued to move.
It traveled, many many milleniums ago, to the small planet of earth. Back then, the crust was still molten, and as the creature dove and swam and fed off of the warm liquid rock, the entire earth began to cool and harden.
By the time the being was finished, it tried to leave, but could not. By now, the earth had formed a hard crust on top, and leaving was all but impossible. Life had begun on the top of Earth, but the creature, fearing itself trapped, could do nothing. It tried to get out, but was too weak, and had no means of escape.
Finally, in a desperate attempt. It caused a huge earth shattering escape. Volcanoes formed, hundreds of thousand. They released millions of pounds of ash and lava into the air, and the entity alongwith it, but it wasn't enough to leave the surface.
The dark creature stayed on earth, and as it fell to the hard cold ground, it was no longer inside the molten lava of the planet. Most of the creatures on earth, large reptiles and small mammals, died, but a few survived. Some even thrived in the cold ice age that now came over the planet.
The entity nearly died though.
His body, black and frozen, turned hard, like a rock. It lay for nearly half a mile from the beginning to the end, and looked like a black river of rock that had come to the surface. Death was near, and now it knew death, it knew what mortality felt like.
Creatures though, new mammals that had emerged and thrived in the cold, began to give it life once more. Certain people had taken samples of the rocks, and used them for their own good. Ivan the Terrible was supposed to have a necklace made out of this cursed rock, Cleopatra was rumored to have earrings made from it.
But death still knocked at the creature's door.
The hard rock, once a creature that soared through space, now lay silent in the middle of a rock field, somewhere in the African desert.
The images, one after the other, showing Aria all of this, came to head as a single man, short, shrivelled and weak as he walked towards the outcropping. He looked like Mongrel, but a younger brother sort of. He had weak and pale skin, his eyes were sunk in, and he looked on the verge of death.
"He was on the verge of death," Lance's voice came in, "He had a disease... the plague. Nothing could cure it at the time. He would had surely died, but he asked for my help. Old sanskrit tablets told him of the wonders of the cursed stone, and he came seeking my help."
The weak and young version of Mongrel took out a knife, and without a second thought, plunged it into his heart. Blood shot out, covering the stone he now kneeled over. He wasted no time in taking out the knife, blood gushing and dripping, and plunged it into the stone.
It was hard stone, but as the blood soaked blade hit, it sunk in and buried to the hilt. Black magic swirled all around Mongrel, and he transformed, into the man that was hated and feared today.
"I saved his life because he promised me a way to live forever. And there is a way for eternal life, in the book you all are so eager to get your hands on. I have only wanted life, that is all. I need to live, I can not die. I almost died once, and I will not do so again."
Lance looked at her now, the dark swirls begging her.
"I will destroy Mongrel and all of his deeds, and give you back everything you ever lost, including this vessel, if you just give me the book, the knowledge of eternal life on that last page is all I've required for the last thousand years."

 

[Sweetp4u]

Aria

I watched everything he.. she? It, showed me. Confusion was a small part of it, stunned by all that I saw, I still could not understand one thing...

Why did an Entity need to live forever? They did so without needing anything more.

I looked at Lance's face and tried to see what this being was, and still the thoughts of Anna came to mind. What he had done to her, how much of a mess she was inside. Evil or..? You can not trust anyone nor anything.. the witch had told me and I firmly believed this.

"Eternal life is what you see before you. Myself. Vampire.. You are not living in the same sense as we are. Eternal life should already be yours." Still I studied the face, the strange fog around me was touching here and there now and then.. Caressing, pleading in a sense for this knowledge.

Was there a spell in that book that stopped all chances of death? Even I could die, not matter this gift I had I was still able to die. That must be what was hidden so well, kept so secretive from all? Still, I did not trust this thing inhabiting Lance's body.

"Even if I wanted to bargain with you, the information you seek I do not have. None of us in this group know where that book is.." I paused for a moment, thinking over everything carefully.

It was a trick, some how I knew it was. If he wanted Mongrel gone, he could have done this already to prove he meant no harm. Which was worse? An entity no one could capture, or a living breathing vampire out for world domination? Mongrel was the lesser of the two evils for we could kill Mongrel...

"Mongrel will know where this information is, and yet he sent you here instead? He sent you on a fools errand, you should ask yourself why?" I backed off a few more steps but unable to go too far due to some strange barrier around us. Looking around at it, it confused me how it kept me trapped? My eyes went back to Lance, he wanted something from me.. but what? A bargain I can't make? That did not seem to be a good enough reason to keep me trapped like this, no there was something more to it.

"Tell me of this last page, what exactly is it? What evil lay written there? It's the key to everything, surely you know what you seek?" I deserved to at least be aware of that last spell. No one could tell me what was on this page, Lance had refused to devulge the information, Mongrel would never have a seat and spill his guts either. The page healed the book, unlocked the magic within it and gave the person a one-in-a-lifetime douse of magic knowledge that would surpass anything ever known before.. In a sense create a living god. But that did not tell me what this last spell was, nor how much we should fear it, or if we shouldn't fear it at all..

 

[poohlive]

"I thought so too. I never knew death, because I did not know life. I knew nothing of suffering, or of birth. My life consisted of heat, and nothing more. I would go from one source to the next. It wasn't until I landed here, and could not escape that pain sunk into my... into my soul, if I even have one. It is that which I want to rid myself of. The pain, the suffering, the one weakness that could destroy me."
Upon the words of Mongrel uttered from her lips, fire and dark charcoal rose up behind her, and bubbled around in as wild frenzy, unable to control itself.
"Mongrel sent me here for nothing. I came here myself, to put an end to all of this. I need the page in order to survive. I am in control of Mongrel. If he knew anything, this would have all ended a long time ago. He is a fool though, he knows nothing of the book, or of life. I decided to come to you, asking for your help, begging for it.
"The last page? You do not know its contents? Perhaps not. No. Lance, I can feel him struggling inside. He doesn't want you to know. He didn't feel you should know... he? Oh? He thought you might use the page yourself. At one time he did. Oh, Lance is a clever one. As I search through his memories, I keep finding more and more decietful and horrible things he has done.
"On the last page is a single word. It is, the word of God himself. The name of God, the true name of God, and when it is uttered, when it is spoken aloud for all of the thundering ears of the world to hear, it grants you the power of God himself. You are immortal, unfathomably strong, powerful beyond any power you can comprehend. Nothing stands between you and total domination of the..."
The blackness faltered a bit, as Lance seemed to step over himself. When he returned, a bright and vigourous smile came over him.
"Nothing stands between you and life. I need this in order to leave your planet and go on my way. That is all I am asking, a way to escape. Means to leave this wretched rock which I have been stuck for far too long."

 

[Sweetp4u]

Aria

I did not trust what he said, not a single word of it. The silence grew and grew as my mind thought over all IT had said and what IT did not say.

"I will need time to decide on this, time to think it over before making a decision.. You should understand this and a show of faith? If you truely mean well.. I ask Anna to be released from whatever it is you did to her.." I paused, knowing it was a bargain. Perhaps after telling the others of his words, IT's words, maybe they could help decide this?

"There are more than just I here, I can not make this decision now, nor on my own.." I said nothing more, merely stared back into the eyes of a man I used to know..

 

[poohlive]

Lance bowed, something deep and majestic. An air of sophistication was held about him now, as he nodded at her request.
"Take all the time you want," he spoke, and with that, the blackness wavered off from the forest. A labrynth of trees fell apart, and now the world came travelling back to them.
Keith, who had continually been calling, now was finally heard by the rest.
"I haven't been controlling Anna for the longest time. I left her while still in the clearing. If she is fighting something, it is her own demons, not my own... Or something of an echo. Thoughts, strong and lingering could be stuck inside her, and she has no way of getting them out. I suggest something with a psychic ability help her, or I could... if you bring her to me. I doubt you trust me enough for that though. Very well. You have one day."

 

[Quiet_Cool]

Christian

"I have t-.. to kill you.. HE said so."
Those words stood strongly in my mind, even as her pleas continued.
"Kill me Christian..Kill me now! Do it before it's too late...Kat?"
Kill her? As much as I'd come prepared to do so, I realized then that I was very unlikely to do so, especially now that she'd requested it. Now that, perhaps, HE had requested it on her part.
She still wore the ring, and one less Ringbearer might do well for HIM.
I felt Kat's attempt to reach Anna, and while I could do little more than sense it, I guessed the words to be more than small talk."No," I replied, simply. But I wondered what exactly I intended to do with her. I doubted it would be safe to take her to Kat and Joseph, with one blind and not well besides and the other weak.
"I won't kill you."
I pulled the weapons away from her and in a motion I didn't realize I intended, pushed the girl to the ground again. I hadn't wanted to harm her, just to get her away from me, where she could do no damage. I eyed her ring, watching the color wax and wane, the brightness dull then return.
"But what will I do with you?" I asked her, looking into her eyes and wondering if it was her who looked back at me.

 

[Sweetp4u]

Aria

"Alright, one day. I will decide by then.." I had little choice, but I was not going to do anything rash. I backed away and then turned, walking towards Joseph and Kat. I could hear Keith yelling and turned in that direction.

"Keith?" I called back, "Over here!"

Walking slowly back to the truck, my head filled with too much information to discuss it right now. Later, in a hotel room would be best.

"Let's get going.." I turned from the truck and eyed the trees.

"CHRISTIAN!?" We were going in circles the entire time, the illusions were astounding but still a mind game. Who was this thing? I didn't trust a single word it had said to me.. I didn't fall off the tree yesterday, I was not that gullible..



Anna~

She stared up at him with wide eyes, her body shifting backwards a little at a time as she scooted on the ground. She feared him, and then she didn't? Fading in and out, the pain was still in her stomach but she had nothing more to empty from her stomach or where ever it came from.

Her eyes caught the ring, brightening some what and then growing cold. In the corner of her vision came a shadow and she flinched away from it, fearing it was coming to attack her. Two seconds passed and nothing, her eyes peeking out from her hair, she seen nothing but Christian.

She was cold, confused and scared. The voice seemed to quiet in her mind after Kat spoke to her, but she still felt something wicked crawling all over her, something she couldn't explain but felt. She shivered and slowly stood again, not completely upright and assured, but standing.

She eyed Christian warily, wondering his reasons for being there? Had he been sent to finish her off? If so, he had done nothing so far. He even pushed her away from him, protective reflexes there. She groaned but held it down enough to barely be heard. She needed to see Kat, she needed something warm to wear and a shower.

A voice laughed in her head, but this voice was familiar. She pushed it away and backed up a step or two. "T-take me back?" She whispered softly, praying and hoping he would help her, not leave her here for that thing to find her.

Kat's words echoed in her mind, she could pull through, she was strong. She was stubborn yes, but nothing could ever explain this cold empty twisted feeling she got from that creature.. That feeling which made it hard for her to regain some control overself. Even if he was gone, she felt it lingering inside. Be it in her mind, or fact?

"Please Christian? Take me back?" She felt tears falling again and vulnerability surrounding her. She glanced around for the cloak, found it and quickly put it back over herself. She eyed the ring under the cloak, her fingers gripping it and stroking still. Inside her mind, she was pleading with it to work for her, to help her.

 

[Quiet_Cool]

Christian

It could have been a trick, and I was tempted to raise my weapons again and fire a few rounds into her. I was confident that she was weak enough that the time it would take them to heal would be sufficiently longer than normal, long enough to allow me to get her back without having to worry about her causing me any sort of harm.
It was odd to be thinking this way of Anna, to be considering how much damage she could do when Kat had hardly begun her training and I was already skilled in the arts of battle, though perhaps not to the extent which would be required before all this was said and done. But things became much mjore difficult when one considered my usual techniques. Kill the enemy, find another one. There was no sense in injuring and carrying and helping. Just kill.
"CHRISTIAN!?"
Aria's voice.
No more thought. I tucked the weapons away, careful to lock the safeties into place and tucking them behind me, where she'd have to go beneath my jacket to gain a hold of them.
I stepped forward, waching as she pressed even further backward, regardless of her requests for me to take her with me, until her back found the tree. I leaned over her, grabbing one arm and pulling her to her feet before wrapping an arm around her waist and tossing her over my shoulder.
"Sorry, AB," I said. "But this way's faster, I think."
I took off toward the sound of Aria's voice.

 

[Sweetp4u]

Anna

She lay as he put her, reluctant to struggle or fight, she wanted to sleep. She was cold, colder than she ever felt before. The weakness was unlikeable to her, not something she had felt for a long time as well. She wanted to feed but had conflicting emotions. The voice was dying out, the images of that rapist vanishing from her mind slowly but surely.. And then this newest rapist as well. She forced these images down, braced herself against the jarring of Christian's shoulder and waited to be deposited on the ground.

It hurt, all of it hurt. Her head, her body, the crazy shit inside her head and she was turning weak mentally. She had to fight back the horrible images that creature brought fresh to her mind and move on. She did it once, she could do it again.. If they trusted her enough to keep her with them now? She was a threat, Christian knew it better than the others, seen her unhinged and fighting demons. Now her fate lay with these people. Good or bad, she just hoped soon.


Aria~

I turned to see Christian coming with his bundle, Anna. "Lan-.. That thing assured me he did not hold Anna any longer.." I spoke to Kat and Joseph as we stood by the truck waiting. "We have alot to discuss and possibly more trouble to prepare for.." I needed sleep and food.. in that order. We needed somewhere safe for the night.

"Let's get back to the old air strip and find an abandoned house.." Perhaps there would be vagrants near by for feeding? I had hopes, but they weren't too high tonight.

"Christian, I need you to sit and keep her under control.. Please. I will ride with you in the back of the old truck, but you have a greater strength.." It was true, like it or not. It didn't bother me, Kat's face and paleness bothered me.

"Keith!? Hurry up, we need to get out of here." I crawled into the back of the truck and waited for everyone else to climb inside.